Prompt-aware text selection at the shell prompt (terminal.promptSelection)

.github/workflows/build-ghosttykit.yml

@@ -129,6 +129,17 @@ jobs:
             -Dtest-filter="unfocused render pacer spaces unfocused frames" \
             --summary all
 
+      - name: Test Ghostty prompt input
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          cd ghostty
+          zig build test \
+            -Dapp-runtime=none \
+            -Demit-macos-app=false \
+            -Dsentry=false \
+            -Dtest-filter="promptInput" \
+            --summary all
+
       - name: Test Ghostty startup input bytes
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail

Packages/macOS/CmuxFoundation/Sources/CmuxFoundation/ConfigValidation/CmuxConfigSchema.generated.swift

@@ -846,6 +846,11 @@ enum CmuxEmbeddedConfigSchema {
           "default": false,
           "description": "Keep textEditingGestures active while a full-screen application has the terminal on the alternate screen. tmux, screen, and zellij keep the outer terminal on the alternate screen even at their shell prompt, so turn this on to use gestures inside a multiplexer. Applications that bind the gesture chords themselves then receive the translated keys."
         },
+        "promptSelection": {
+          "type": "boolean",
+          "default": false,
+          "description": "When true, the shell input at a prompt behaves like a text field for selection: Command-A selects only the command being typed (an empty prompt keeps select-all), Shift-Left/Right and Command-Shift-Left/Right extend the selection, and typing, Delete, or Command-X replace it through arrow and Backspace keys. Needs shell integration (OSC 133) and applies only at a prompt on the main screen, never inside full-screen TUIs or while a command runs. Assumes an emacs-style line editor; in vi command mode the replayed Backspace keys move instead of deleting."
+        },
         "showPasswordInputIndicator": {
           "type": "boolean",
           "default": true,

Packages/macOS/CmuxSettings/Sources/CmuxSettings/Keys/TerminalCatalogSection.swift

@@ -72,6 +72,17 @@ public struct TerminalCatalogSection: SettingCatalogSection {
         userDefaultsKey: "terminal.textEditingGestures"
     )
 
+    /// Whether the shell input at a prompt behaves like a text field for
+    /// selection: Command-A selects the command being typed, Shift-arrows
+    /// extend, and typing, Delete, or Command-X replace the selection. Needs
+    /// shell integration (OSC 133). Off by default, because edits replay
+    /// arrow and Backspace keys that assume an emacs-style line editor.
+    public let promptSelection = DefaultsKey<Bool>(
+        id: "terminal.promptSelection",
+        defaultValue: false,
+        userDefaultsKey: "terminal.promptSelection"
+    )
+
     /// Whether text-editing gestures use the browser-style layout: Command
     /// moves and deletes by word like Option, and Control+Left/Right move to
     /// the line start and end. Only consulted while ``textEditingGestures`` is

Packages/macOS/CmuxSettingsUI/Sources/CmuxSettingsUI/Navigation/CuratedSettingEntry+Default.swift

@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@ extension Array where Element == CuratedSettingEntry {
                 synonyms: "terminal.scrollSpeed scroll speed multiplier wheel mouse trackpad sensitivity faster slower"
             ),
             .init(section: .terminal, id: "copy-on-select", title: String(localized: "settings.terminal.copyOnSelect", defaultValue: "Copy on Selection"), synonyms: "Copy on Selection terminal.copyOnSelect copy on selection select clipboard mouse double click triple click iterm"),
+            .init(section: .terminal, id: "prompt-selection", title: String(localized: "settings.terminal.promptSelection", defaultValue: "Prompt Text Selection"), synonyms: "Prompt Text Selection terminal.promptSelection prompt text selection select all command a shift arrow cut replace shell input command line text field osc 133"),
             .init(section: .terminal, id: "text-editing-gestures", title: String(localized: "settings.terminal.textEditingGestures", defaultValue: "Text Editing Gestures"), synonyms: "Text Editing Gestures terminal.textEditingGestures text editing gestures option alt word line kill readline emacs keybindings command arrow delete"),
             .init(
                 section: .terminal,

Packages/macOS/CmuxSettingsUI/Sources/CmuxSettingsUI/Sections/TerminalSection.swift

@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ public struct TerminalSection: View {
     @State private var reflowHardWrapOnCopy: DefaultsValueModel<Bool>
     @State private var confirmUnsafePaste: DefaultsValueModel<Bool>
     @State private var textEditingGestures: DefaultsValueModel<Bool>
+    @State private var promptSelection: DefaultsValueModel<Bool>
     @State private var textEditingCommandMovesByWord: DefaultsValueModel<Bool>
     @State private var textEditingGesturesInFullScreenApps: DefaultsValueModel<Bool>
     @State private var passwordInputIndicator: DefaultsValueModel<Bool>
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ public struct TerminalSection: View {
         _reflowHardWrapOnCopy = State(initialValue: DefaultsValueModel(store: defaultsStore, key: catalog.terminal.reflowHardWrapOnCopy))
         _confirmUnsafePaste = State(initialValue: DefaultsValueModel(store: defaultsStore, key: catalog.terminal.confirmUnsafePaste))
         _textEditingGestures = State(initialValue: DefaultsValueModel(store: defaultsStore, key: catalog.terminal.textEditingGestures))
+        _promptSelection = State(initialValue: DefaultsValueModel(store: defaultsStore, key: catalog.terminal.promptSelection))
         _textEditingCommandMovesByWord = State(
             initialValue: DefaultsValueModel(store: defaultsStore, key: catalog.terminal.textEditingCommandMovesByWord)
         )
@@ -109,6 +111,7 @@ public struct TerminalSection: View {
             reflowHardWrapOnCopy,
             confirmUnsafePaste,
             textEditingGestures,
+            promptSelection,
             textEditingCommandMovesByWord,
             textEditingGesturesInFullScreenApps,
             passwordInputIndicator,
@@ -448,6 +451,19 @@ public struct TerminalSection: View {
                     .accessibilityIdentifier("SettingsTerminalTextEditingGesturesToggle")
             }
             SettingsCardDivider()
+            SettingsCardRow(
+                configurationReview: .json("terminal.promptSelection"),
+                String(localized: "settings.terminal.promptSelection", defaultValue: "Prompt Text Selection"),
+                subtitle: promptSelection.current
+                    ? String(localized: "settings.terminal.promptSelection.subtitleOn", defaultValue: "At a shell prompt, Command-A selects the command you're typing, Shift-arrow keys extend the selection, and typing, Delete, or Command-X replace it. Needs shell integration and an emacs-style line editor.")
+                    : String(localized: "settings.terminal.promptSelection.subtitleOff", defaultValue: "Command-A selects everything in the terminal, and typing never replaces a selection.")
+            ) {
+                Toggle("", isOn: Binding(get: { promptSelection.current }, set: { promptSelection.set($0) }))
+                    .labelsHidden()
+                    .controlSize(.small)
+                    .accessibilityIdentifier("SettingsTerminalPromptSelectionToggle")
+            }
+            SettingsCardDivider()
             SettingsCardRow(
                 configurationReview: .json("terminal.textEditingCommandMovesByWord"),
                 String(localized: "settings.terminal.textEditingCommandMovesByWord", defaultValue: "Command Moves by Word"),

Packages/macOS/CmuxSettingsUI/Tests/CmuxSettingsUITests/SettingsRowAnchorResolutionTests.swift

@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ struct SettingsRowAnchorResolutionTests {
         "terminal.showPasswordInputDots",
         "terminal.predictiveLocalEcho",
         "terminal.textEditingGestures",
+        "terminal.promptSelection",
         "terminal.textEditingCommandMovesByWord",
         "terminal.textEditingGesturesInFullScreenApps",
         "terminal.resumeCommands",

Packages/macOS/CmuxTerminal/Tests/GhosttyRuntimeTestStubs/GhosttyRuntimeTestStubs.c

@@ -525,6 +525,8 @@ bool ghostty_surface_needs_confirm_quit(void *surface) {
     return cmux_test_needs_confirm_quit;
 }
 void ghostty_surface_new(void) {}
+void ghostty_surface_prompt_input(void) {}
+void ghostty_surface_select_prompt_input(void) {}
 bool ghostty_surface_process_exited(void *surface) {
     (void)surface;
     return false;

Packages/macOS/CmuxTerminal/Tests/GhosttyRuntimeTestStubs/include/GhosttyRuntimeTestStubs.h

@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ void ghostty_surface_mouse_pos(void);
 void ghostty_surface_mouse_scroll(void);
 bool ghostty_surface_needs_confirm_quit(void *surface);
 void ghostty_surface_new(void);
+void ghostty_surface_prompt_input(void);
+void ghostty_surface_select_prompt_input(void);
 bool ghostty_surface_process_exited(void *surface);
 void ghostty_surface_process_output(void *surface, const char *data, uintptr_t len);
 void ghostty_surface_quicklook_font(void);

Packages/macOS/CmuxTerminalCore/Sources/CmuxTerminalCore/Interop/TerminalPromptInputSnapshot+Ghostty.swift

@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+public import GhosttyKit
+
+extension TerminalPromptInputSnapshot {
+    /// Reads the shell input under the cursor of a live Ghostty surface.
+    ///
+    /// Takes Ghostty's renderer lock once, so call it for selection gestures,
+    /// not on every keystroke.
+    ///
+    /// - Parameter surface: A live runtime surface.
+    /// - Returns: The snapshot, or `nil` when Ghostty reports no editable
+    ///   prompt: the alternate screen, a running command, no shell
+    ///   integration, or a line without a prompt before its input.
+    public static func read(from surface: ghostty_surface_t) -> TerminalPromptInputSnapshot? {
+        var input = ghostty_surface_prompt_input_s()
+        guard ghostty_surface_prompt_input(surface, &input) else { return nil }
+        let selection: Range<Int>? = input.has_selection && input.selection_end > input.selection_start
+            ? Int(input.selection_start)..<Int(input.selection_end)
+            : nil
+        return TerminalPromptInputSnapshot(
+            length: Int(input.length),
+            caret: Int(input.caret),
+            selection: selection,
+            selectionOutsideInput: selection == nil && ghostty_surface_has_selection(surface)
+        )
+    }
+}

Packages/macOS/CmuxTerminalCore/Sources/CmuxTerminalCore/Interop/TerminalPromptSelection+Ghostty.swift

@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+public import GhosttyKit
+
+extension TerminalPromptSelection {
+    /// Selects this selection's caret stops on a live Ghostty surface.
+    ///
+    /// Never writes a clipboard, whatever `copy-on-select` says.
+    ///
+    /// - Parameter surface: A live runtime surface.
+    /// - Returns: Whether Ghostty made the selection. It refuses when the
+    ///   cursor is no longer in editable prompt input or the range falls
+    ///   outside it.
+    public func select(on surface: ghostty_surface_t) -> Bool {
+        ghostty_surface_select_prompt_input(
+            surface,
+            UInt32(clamping: range.lowerBound),
+            UInt32(clamping: range.upperBound)
+        )
+    }
+}