Configurable placement for new surfaces

Sources/CmuxSettingsJSONPathSupport.swift

@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ extension CmuxSettingsFileStore {
         "app.appIcon",
         "app.menuBarOnly",
         "app.newWorkspacePlacement",
+        "app.newSurfacePlacement",
         "app.workspaceInheritWorkingDirectory",
         "app.minimalMode",
         "app.keepWorkspaceOpenWhenClosingLastSurface",

Sources/KeyboardShortcutSettingsFileStore+Template.swift

@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ extension CmuxSettingsFileStore {
                     "appIcon": AppIconSettings.defaultMode.rawValue,
                     "menuBarOnly": MenuBarOnlySettings.defaultMenuBarOnly,
                     "newWorkspacePlacement": WorkspacePlacementSettings.defaultPlacement.rawValue,
+                    "newSurfacePlacement": SurfacePlacementSettings.defaultPlacement.rawValue,
                     "workspaceInheritWorkingDirectory": WorkspaceWorkingDirectoryInheritanceSettings.defaultValue,
                     "minimalMode": false,
                     "keepWorkspaceOpenWhenClosingLastSurface": !LastSurfaceCloseShortcutSettings.defaultValue,

Sources/KeyboardShortcutSettingsFileStore.swift

@@ -374,6 +374,13 @@ final class CmuxSettingsFileStore {
             }
             snapshot.managedUserDefaults[WorkspacePlacementSettings.placementKey] = .string(placement.rawValue)
         }
+        if let raw = jsonString(section["newSurfacePlacement"]) {
+            guard let placement = NewSurfacePlacement(rawValue: raw) else {
+                logInvalid("app.newSurfacePlacement", sourcePath: sourcePath)
+                return
+            }
+            snapshot.managedUserDefaults[SurfacePlacementSettings.placementKey] = .string(placement.rawValue)
+        }
         if let value = jsonBool(section["workspaceInheritWorkingDirectory"]) {
             snapshot.managedUserDefaults[WorkspaceWorkingDirectoryInheritanceSettings.key] = .bool(value)
         } else if section.keys.contains("workspaceInheritWorkingDirectory") {

Sources/SettingsNavigation.swift

@@ -293,6 +293,7 @@ enum SettingsSearchIndex {
         setting(.app, "appearance", String(localized: "settings.app.appearance", defaultValue: "Appearance"), "theme light dark system"),
         setting(.app, "app-icon", String(localized: "settings.app.appIcon", defaultValue: "App Icon"), "dock icon alternate"),
         setting(.app, "new-workspace-placement", String(localized: "settings.app.newWorkspacePlacement", defaultValue: "New Workspace Placement"), "workspace order position"),
+        setting(.app, "new-surface-placement", String(localized: "settings.app.newSurfacePlacement", defaultValue: "New Surface Placement"), "surface tab order position pane"),
         setting(.app, "workspace-inherit-working-directory", String(localized: "settings.app.workspaceInheritWorkingDirectory", defaultValue: "Inherit Workspace Working Directory"), "workspace cwd directory current ghostty working-directory"),
         setting(.app, "minimal-mode", String(localized: "settings.app.minimalMode", defaultValue: "Minimal Mode"), "presentation compact chrome"),
         setting(.app, "keep-workspace-open", String(localized: "settings.app.closeWorkspaceOnLastSurfaceShortcut", defaultValue: "Keep Workspace Open When Closing Last Surface"), "close last surface shortcut"),
@@ -385,6 +386,7 @@ enum SettingsSearchIndex {
         "app.appearance": settingID(for: .app, idSuffix: "appearance"),
         "app.appIcon": settingID(for: .app, idSuffix: "app-icon"),
         "app.newWorkspacePlacement": settingID(for: .app, idSuffix: "new-workspace-placement"),
+        "app.newSurfacePlacement": settingID(for: .app, idSuffix: "new-surface-placement"),
         "app.workspaceInheritWorkingDirectory": settingID(for: .app, idSuffix: "workspace-inherit-working-directory"),
         "app.minimalMode": settingID(for: .app, idSuffix: "minimal-mode"),
         "app.keepWorkspaceOpenWhenClosingLastSurface": settingID(for: .app, idSuffix: "keep-workspace-open"),

Sources/SettingsSearchAliases.swift

@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ enum SettingsSearchAliasIndex {
         "app:appearance": localized("settings.search.alias.setting.app.appearance", defaultValue: "app.appearance theme color scheme light mode dark mode system mode"),
         "app:app-icon": localized("settings.search.alias.setting.app.app-icon", defaultValue: "app.appIcon dock icon application icon app switcher alternate icon"),
         "app:new-workspace-placement": localized("settings.search.alias.setting.app.new-workspace-placement", defaultValue: "app.newWorkspacePlacement new tab insert position order top bottom end"),
+        "app:new-surface-placement": localized("settings.search.alias.setting.app.new-surface-placement", defaultValue: "app.newSurfacePlacement surface tab insert position order start end after current"),
         "app:workspace-inherit-working-directory": localized("settings.search.alias.setting.app.workspace-inherit-working-directory", defaultValue: "app.workspaceInheritWorkingDirectory workspace cwd directory inherit current focused ghostty working-directory"),
         "app:minimal-mode": localized("settings.search.alias.setting.app.minimal-mode", defaultValue: "app.minimalMode minimal layout simple chrome compact titlebar controls"),
         "app:keep-workspace-open": localized("settings.search.alias.setting.app.keep-workspace-open", defaultValue: "app.keepWorkspaceOpenWhenClosingLastSurface close last pane surface keep tab workspace"),

Sources/TabManager.swift

@@ -48,6 +48,45 @@ enum NewWorkspacePlacement: String, CaseIterable, Identifiable {
     }
 }
 
+enum NewSurfacePlacement: String, CaseIterable, Identifiable {
+    case top
+    case afterCurrent
+    case end
+
+    var id: String { rawValue }
+
+    var displayName: String {
+        switch self {
+        case .top:
+            return String(localized: "surface.placement.top", defaultValue: "Start")
+        case .afterCurrent:
+            return String(localized: "surface.placement.afterCurrent", defaultValue: "After current")
+        case .end:
+            return String(localized: "surface.placement.end", defaultValue: "End")
+        }
+    }
+
+    var description: String {
+        switch self {
+        case .top:
+            return String(
+                localized: "surface.placement.top.description",
+                defaultValue: "Insert new surfaces at the start of the pane's tab strip."
+            )
+        case .afterCurrent:
+            return String(
+                localized: "surface.placement.afterCurrent.description",
+                defaultValue: "Insert new surfaces directly after the active surface."
+            )
+        case .end:
+            return String(
+                localized: "surface.placement.end.description",
+                defaultValue: "Append new surfaces to the end of the pane's tab strip."
+            )
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 enum WorkspaceAutoReorderSettings {
     static let key = "workspaceAutoReorderOnNotification"
     static let defaultValue = true
@@ -280,6 +319,47 @@ enum WorkspacePlacementSettings {
     }
 }
 
+enum SurfacePlacementSettings {
+    static let placementKey = "newSurfacePlacement"
+    static let defaultPlacement: NewSurfacePlacement = .afterCurrent
+
+    static func current(defaults: UserDefaults = .standard) -> NewSurfacePlacement {
+        guard let raw = defaults.string(forKey: placementKey),
+              let placement = NewSurfacePlacement(rawValue: raw) else {
+            return defaultPlacement
+        }
+        return placement
+    }
+
+    static func insertionIndex(
+        placement: NewSurfacePlacement,
+        selectedIndexBeforeCreation: Int?,
+        selectedWasPinned: Bool,
+        pinnedCount: Int,
+        totalCountAfterCreation: Int
+    ) -> Int {
+        let clampedTotalCount = max(0, totalCountAfterCreation)
+        let clampedPinnedCount = max(0, min(pinnedCount, clampedTotalCount))
+        let lastIndex = max(0, clampedTotalCount - 1)
+
+        switch placement {
+        case .top:
+            return clampedPinnedCount
+        case .end:
+            return lastIndex
+        case .afterCurrent:
+            guard let selectedIndexBeforeCreation, clampedTotalCount > 0 else {
+                return lastIndex
+            }
+            if selectedWasPinned {
+                return clampedPinnedCount
+            }
+            let clampedSelectedIndex = max(0, min(selectedIndexBeforeCreation, lastIndex))
+            return max(min(clampedSelectedIndex + 1, lastIndex), clampedPinnedCount)
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 enum WorkspaceWorkingDirectoryInheritanceSettings {
     static let key = "workspaceInheritWorkingDirectory"
     static let defaultValue = true

Sources/TerminalController.swift

@@ -5734,20 +5734,6 @@ class TerminalController {
                 result = .ok(payload)
             }
 
-            @MainActor
-            func insertionIndexToRight(anchorTabId: TabID, inPane paneId: PaneID) -> Int {
-                let tabs = workspace.bonsplitController.tabs(inPane: paneId)
-                guard let anchorIndex = tabs.firstIndex(where: { $0.id == anchorTabId }) else { return tabs.count }
-                let pinnedCount = tabs.reduce(into: 0) { count, tab in
-                    if let panelId = workspace.panelIdFromSurfaceId(tab.id),
-                       workspace.isPanelPinned(panelId) {
-                        count += 1
-                    }
-                }
-                let rawTarget = min(anchorIndex + 1, tabs.count)
-                return max(rawTarget, pinnedCount)
-            }
-
             @MainActor
             func closeTabs(_ tabIds: [TabID]) -> (closed: Int, skippedPinned: Int) {
                 var closed = 0
@@ -5840,12 +5826,15 @@ class TerminalController {
                     return
                 }
 
-                let targetIndex = insertionIndexToRight(anchorTabId: anchorTabId, inPane: paneId)
-                guard let newPanel = workspace.newTerminalSurface(inPane: paneId, focus: focus) else {
+                let targetIndex = workspace.insertionIndexToRight(of: anchorTabId, inPane: paneId)
+                guard let newPanel = workspace.newTerminalSurface(
+                    inPane: paneId,
+                    focus: focus,
+                    targetIndex: targetIndex
+                ) else {
                     result = .err(code: "internal_error", message: "Failed to create tab", data: nil)
                     return
                 }
-                _ = workspace.reorderSurface(panelId: newPanel.id, toIndex: targetIndex, focus: focus)
                 finish([
                     "created_surface_id": newPanel.id.uuidString,
                     "created_surface_ref": v2Ref(kind: .surface, uuid: newPanel.id),
@@ -5875,12 +5864,17 @@ class TerminalController {
                     return
                 }
 
-                let targetIndex = insertionIndexToRight(anchorTabId: anchorTabId, inPane: paneId)
-                guard let newPanel = workspace.newBrowserSurface(inPane: paneId, url: url, focus: focus) else {
+                let targetIndex = workspace.insertionIndexToRight(of: anchorTabId, inPane: paneId)
+                guard let newPanel = workspace.newBrowserSurface(
+                    inPane: paneId,
+                    url: url,
+                    focus: focus,
+                    preferredProfileID: workspace.browserPanel(for: surfaceId)?.profileID,
+                    targetIndex: targetIndex
+                ) else {
                     result = .err(code: "internal_error", message: "Failed to create tab", data: nil)
                     return
                 }
-                _ = workspace.reorderSurface(panelId: newPanel.id, toIndex: targetIndex, focus: focus)
                 finish([
                     "created_surface_id": newPanel.id.uuidString,
                     "created_surface_ref": v2Ref(kind: .surface, uuid: newPanel.id),
@@ -8055,14 +8049,14 @@ class TerminalController {
             var sourcePlaceholder: UUID?
             var targetPlaceholder: UUID?
             if workspace.bonsplitController.tabs(inPane: sourcePane).count <= 1 {
-                sourcePlaceholder = workspace.newTerminalSurface(inPane: sourcePane, focus: false)?.id
+                sourcePlaceholder = workspace.newTerminalSurface(inPane: sourcePane, focus: false, placementOverride: .end)?.id
                 if sourcePlaceholder == nil {
                     result = .err(code: "internal_error", message: "Failed to create source placeholder surface", data: nil)
                     return
                 }
             }
             if workspace.bonsplitController.tabs(inPane: targetPane).count <= 1 {
-                targetPlaceholder = workspace.newTerminalSurface(inPane: targetPane, focus: false)?.id
+                targetPlaceholder = workspace.newTerminalSurface(inPane: targetPane, focus: false, placementOverride: .end)?.id
                 if targetPlaceholder == nil {
                     result = .err(code: "internal_error", message: "Failed to create target placeholder surface", data: nil)
                     return