TUI composer: native Vim modal keymap (opt-in, composer-only)
Resolved 💬 1 comment Opened Feb 22, 2026 by gh-xj Closed Feb 22, 2026
Summary
Add an opt-in native Vim modal keymap for the TUI composer input box.
Context
Issue #2387 was resolved by external-editor workflow (Ctrl+G), which is useful, but this request is different: native in-composer modal editing for short iterative turns without leaving the input box.
Problem
For terminal-first Vim users, switching to an external editor for many short edits introduces context switches and slows prompt iteration.
Proposal (narrow scope)
- Composer input only (no global/full-app Vim behavior).
- Keep default behavior unchanged (
standard). - Add opt-in
vimmode via config and runtime command. - Show minimal mode indicator in composer UI.
- Non-goal: full Vim parity.
UX / Config
- Config:
[tui] keymap = "standard" | "vim"(defaultstandard) - Runtime:
/keymap standardand/keymap vim - UI: mode indication in composer (and clear normal-mode affordance)
Why this is low risk
- Backward compatible default.
- Explicit opt-in.
- Isolated to composer input behavior.
Prior Art
- Closed issue with external editor approach: #2387
- Implementation reference PR (unsolicited, for design + tests reference): https://github.com/openai/codex/pull/12497
Human + AI calibration notes (for reviewer context)
- Scope was intentionally constrained before coding (composer-only, opt-in).
- Iteration focused on compatibility and testability (default unchanged, explicit command surface, bounded semantics).
- Proposal is ready to be adopted incrementally if maintainers choose to implement internally.
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