feat(web): a better right panel empty state

apps/web/src/components/ChatView.tsx

@@ -480,6 +480,14 @@ function shouldTypeToFocusComposer(event: KeyboardEvent): boolean {
   if (eventPathContainsSelector(event, TYPE_TO_FOCUS_INTERACTIVE_SELECTOR)) return false;
   if (document.querySelector(TYPE_TO_FOCUS_FLOATING_LAYER_SELECTOR)) return false;
 
+  // The right-panel surface launcher claims its shortcut letters while it is
+  // visible (data attribute set in RightPanelTabs); those keys open surfaces
+  // instead of typing into the composer.
+  const launcherKeys = document
+    .querySelector("[data-surface-launcher-keys]")
+    ?.getAttribute("data-surface-launcher-keys");
+  if (launcherKeys && launcherKeys.toLowerCase().includes(event.key.toLowerCase())) return false;
+
   return true;
 }
 

apps/web/src/components/RightPanelTabs.tsx

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import {
   X,
 } from "lucide-react";
 import {
+  type KeyboardEvent as ReactKeyboardEvent,
   type MouseEvent as ReactMouseEvent,
   type ReactElement,
   type ReactNode,
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ import type { RightPanelSurface } from "~/rightPanelStore";
 import { cn } from "~/lib/utils";
 import { readLocalApi } from "~/localApi";
 import { Tooltip, TooltipPopup, TooltipTrigger } from "~/components/ui/tooltip";
+import { Kbd } from "~/components/ui/kbd";
 import { Menu, MenuItem, MenuPopup, MenuTrigger } from "~/components/ui/menu";
 import { ScrollArea } from "~/components/ui/scroll-area";
 import { faviconUrlForOrigin } from "~/lib/favicon";
@@ -88,6 +90,16 @@ const SURFACE_DISABLED_REASONS = {
   agents: "Agents are only available from a thread.",
 } as const;
 
+/** One-line unavailability hints for the empty-state cards. */
+const SURFACE_UNAVAILABLE_HINTS = {
+  browser: "Only available in the desktop app.",
+  terminal: "Available when a project is open.",
+  files: "Available when a project is open.",
+  diff: "Available for Git repositories.",
+  pullRequest: "No pull request on this branch yet.",
+  agents: "Available from a thread.",
+} as const;
+
 type TabContextMenuAction = "copy-path" | "close" | "close-others" | "close-to-right" | "close-all";
 
 function DisabledReasonTooltip(props: { reason: string; trigger: ReactElement }) {
@@ -118,6 +130,13 @@ function SurfaceMenuItem(props: {
   return <DisabledReasonTooltip reason={props.disabledReason} trigger={item} />;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Card launcher shown when the right panel has no surfaces. Keyboard-first
+ * without palette chrome: a surface's letter opens it directly from anywhere
+ * outside a typing context, and arrows plus Enter work while the launcher is
+ * focused. The highlight only appears on hover or arrow use. Unavailable
+ * surfaces stay visible with a one-line reason.
+ */
 function RightPanelEmptyState(props: {
   onAddBrowser: () => void;
   onAddTerminal: () => void;
@@ -133,123 +152,230 @@ function RightPanelEmptyState(props: {
   agentsAvailable: boolean;
   liveAgentCount: number;
 }) {
+  // -1 means no highlight: it only appears on hover or arrow use.
+  const [highlight, setHighlight] = useState(-1);
+
   const actions = [
     {
       label: "Browser",
       description: "Open a local app or URL.",
       icon: Globe2,
+      shortcut: "B",
       available: props.browserAvailable,
-      disabledReason: SURFACE_DISABLED_REASONS.browser,
+      disabledReason: SURFACE_UNAVAILABLE_HINTS.browser,
       onClick: props.onAddBrowser,
       badgeCount: 0,
     },
     {
       label: "Terminal",
       description: "Start a shell in this workspace.",
       icon: TerminalSquare,
+      shortcut: "T",
       available: props.terminalAvailable,
-      disabledReason: SURFACE_DISABLED_REASONS.terminal,
+      disabledReason: SURFACE_UNAVAILABLE_HINTS.terminal,
       onClick: props.onAddTerminal,
       badgeCount: 0,
     },
     {
       label: "Files",
       description: "Browse and read workspace files.",
       icon: Files,
+      shortcut: "F",
       available: props.filesAvailable,
-      disabledReason: SURFACE_DISABLED_REASONS.files,
+      disabledReason: SURFACE_UNAVAILABLE_HINTS.files,
       onClick: props.onAddFiles,
       badgeCount: 0,
     },
     {
       label: "Diff",
       description: "Review changes in this thread.",
       icon: FileDiff,
+      shortcut: "D",
       available: props.diffAvailable,
-      disabledReason: SURFACE_DISABLED_REASONS.diff,
+      disabledReason: SURFACE_UNAVAILABLE_HINTS.diff,
       onClick: props.onAddDiff,
       badgeCount: 0,
     },
     {
       label: "Pull request",
-      description: "Open the pull request for this thread's branch.",
+      description: "Open this branch's pull request.",
       icon: GitPullRequest,
+      shortcut: "P",
       available: props.pullRequestAvailable,
-      disabledReason: SURFACE_DISABLED_REASONS.pullRequest,
+      disabledReason: SURFACE_UNAVAILABLE_HINTS.pullRequest,
       onClick: props.onAddPullRequest,
       badgeCount: 0,
     },
     {
       label: "Agents",
-      description: "Watch subagents and workflows run.",
+      description: "Follow subagents and workflows.",
       icon: Bot,
+      shortcut: "A",
       available: props.agentsAvailable,
-      disabledReason: SURFACE_DISABLED_REASONS.agents,
+      disabledReason: SURFACE_UNAVAILABLE_HINTS.agents,
       onClick: props.onAddAgents,
       badgeCount: props.liveAgentCount,
     },
   ] as const;
 
+  type SurfaceAction = (typeof actions)[number];
+
+  const availableActions = actions.filter((action) => action.available);
+  const highlightIndex =
+    availableActions.length === 0 ? -1 : Math.min(highlight, availableActions.length - 1);
+
+  // Letter shortcuts work while the launcher is visible, not only while it
+  // is focused; focus moves around too easily (stray clicks) to carry them.
+  // Capture phase so app-level key handlers cannot swallow the event first;
+  // typing contexts and already-handled events are left alone.
+  const shortcutActionsRef = useRef(availableActions);
+  useEffect(() => {
+    shortcutActionsRef.current = availableActions;
+  });
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const handler = (event: KeyboardEvent) => {
+      if (event.defaultPrevented || event.metaKey || event.ctrlKey || event.altKey) return;
+      const target = event.target;
+      if (target instanceof HTMLElement) {
+        if (target.closest("input, textarea, select")) return;
+        // An empty contenteditable (the chat composer at rest) does not
+        // count as typing; letters only become text once a draft exists.
+        const editable = target.isContentEditable ? target : target.closest("[contenteditable]");
+        if (editable && (editable.textContent ?? "").trim().length > 0) return;
+      }
+      const action = shortcutActionsRef.current.find(
+        (candidate) => candidate.shortcut.toLowerCase() === event.key.toLowerCase(),
+      );
+      if (!action) return;
+      event.preventDefault();
+      event.stopPropagation();
+      action.onClick();
+    };
+    window.addEventListener("keydown", handler, true);
+    return () => window.removeEventListener("keydown", handler, true);
+  }, []);
+
+  const handleKeyDown = (event: ReactKeyboardEvent<HTMLDivElement>) => {
+    if (event.defaultPrevented || event.metaKey || event.ctrlKey || event.altKey) return;
+    if (availableActions.length === 0) return;
+    if (event.key === "ArrowDown" || event.key === "ArrowRight") {
+      event.preventDefault();
+      setHighlight((highlightIndex + 1) % availableActions.length);
+      return;
+    }
+    if (event.key === "ArrowUp" || event.key === "ArrowLeft") {
+      event.preventDefault();
+      setHighlight(
+        highlightIndex === -1
+          ? availableActions.length - 1
+          : (highlightIndex - 1 + availableActions.length) % availableActions.length,
+      );
+      return;
+    }
+    if (event.key === "Enter") {
+      const action = availableActions[highlightIndex];
+      if (!action) return;
+      event.preventDefault();
+      action.onClick();
+    }
+  };
+
+  const focusOnMount = (node: HTMLDivElement | null) => {
+    node?.focus();
+  };
+
+  const isHighlighted = (action: SurfaceAction) =>
+    highlightIndex !== -1 && availableActions[highlightIndex] === action;
+
+  const actionIcon = (action: SurfaceAction, iconClassName = "size-4") => {
+    const Icon = action.icon;
+    return (
+      <span className="relative inline-flex shrink-0">
+        <Icon className={iconClassName} />
+        {action.badgeCount > 0 ? (
+          <span
+            aria-hidden
+            className="absolute -top-1.5 -right-2 flex h-3.5 min-w-3.5 items-center justify-center rounded-full bg-info px-1 text-[9px] font-semibold tabular-nums text-white"
+          >
+            {action.badgeCount}
+          </span>
+        ) : null}
+      </span>
+    );
+  };
+
+  const cardShellClass =
+    "rounded-lg border border-border/80 bg-card dark:border-transparent dark:shadow-none dark:inset-ring-1 dark:inset-ring-white/5";
+  const highlightedCardClass = "bg-accent/60 dark:inset-ring-white/20";
+
   return (
-    <div className="flex min-h-0 flex-1 items-center justify-center p-6">
-      <div className="w-full max-w-xl">
-        <div className="mb-5 text-center">
-          <h3 className="text-sm font-medium text-foreground">Open a surface</h3>
-          <p className="mt-1 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+    <div
+      ref={focusOnMount}
+      tabIndex={0}
+      onKeyDown={handleKeyDown}
+      aria-label="Open a surface"
+      data-surface-launcher-keys={availableActions.map((action) => action.shortcut).join("")}
+      className={cn(
+        "flex min-h-0 flex-1 items-center justify-center overflow-y-auto px-6 pt-6 outline-none",
+        // The panel topbar sits above this container; matching bottom padding
+        // keeps the cards centered against the full panel, not the leftover.
+        "pb-[calc(var(--workspace-topbar-height)+--spacing(6))]",
+      )}
+    >
+      <div className="relative w-full max-w-lg">
+        <div className="absolute inset-x-0 bottom-full mb-5 text-center">
+          <h3 className="font-medium text-foreground text-sm">Open a surface</h3>
+          <p className="mt-1 text-muted-foreground text-xs">
             Choose what to show in the right panel.
           </p>
         </div>
         <div className="grid grid-cols-2 gap-2">
-          {actions.map((action) => {
-            const Icon = action.icon;
-            const content = (
-              <>
-                <span className="relative mb-3 inline-flex">
-                  <Icon className="size-5" />
-                  {action.badgeCount > 0 ? (
-                    <span
-                      aria-hidden
-                      className="absolute -top-1.5 -right-2 flex h-3.5 min-w-3.5 items-center justify-center rounded-full bg-info px-1 text-[9px] font-semibold tabular-nums text-white"
-                    >
-                      {action.badgeCount}
-                    </span>
-                  ) : null}
-                </span>
-                <span className="text-sm font-medium">{action.label}</span>
-                <span className="mt-1 text-xs leading-relaxed text-muted-foreground">
-                  {action.description}
-                </span>
-              </>
-            );
-            if (action.available) {
-              return (
-                <button
-                  key={action.label}
-                  type="button"
-                  onClick={action.onClick}
-                  className="cursor-pointer flex min-h-28 w-full flex-col items-start rounded-lg border border-border/80 bg-card p-4 text-left transition hover:border-border hover:bg-accent/60 dark:border-transparent dark:shadow-none dark:inset-ring-1 dark:inset-ring-white/5"
-                >
-                  {content}
-                </button>
-              );
-            }
-            const disabledCard = (
+          {actions.map((action) =>
+            action.available ? (
               <button
+                key={action.label}
                 type="button"
-                className="flex min-h-28 w-full cursor-not-allowed flex-col items-start rounded-lg border border-border/80 bg-card p-4 text-left opacity-40 dark:border-transparent dark:shadow-none dark:inset-ring-1 dark:inset-ring-white/5"
-                aria-disabled="true"
+                onClick={action.onClick}
+                onMouseEnter={() => setHighlight(availableActions.indexOf(action))}
+                onMouseLeave={() =>
+                  setHighlight((current) =>
+                    current === availableActions.indexOf(action) ? -1 : current,
+                  )
+                }
+                className={cn(
+                  "relative flex w-full cursor-pointer flex-col items-start p-4 text-left transition hover:border-border hover:bg-accent/60",
+                  cardShellClass,
+                  isHighlighted(action) && highlightedCardClass,
+                )}
               >
-                {content}
+                <Kbd className="absolute top-3 right-3">{action.shortcut}</Kbd>
+                <span className="flex items-center gap-2 pe-8">
+                  {actionIcon(action)}
+                  <span className="font-medium text-sm">{action.label}</span>
+                </span>
+                <span className="mt-1.5 text-muted-foreground text-xs leading-relaxed">
+                  {action.description}
+                </span>
               </button>
-            );
-            return (
-              <DisabledReasonTooltip
+            ) : (
+              <div
                 key={action.label}
-                reason={action.disabledReason}
-                trigger={disabledCard}
-              />
-            );
-          })}
+                className={cn(
+                  "relative flex w-full flex-col items-start p-4 opacity-40",
+                  cardShellClass,
+                )}
+              >
+                <Kbd className="absolute top-3 right-3">{action.shortcut}</Kbd>
+                <span className="flex items-center gap-2 pe-8">
+                  {actionIcon(action)}
+                  <span className="font-medium text-sm">{action.label}</span>
+                </span>
+                <span className="mt-1.5 text-muted-foreground text-xs leading-relaxed">
+                  {action.disabledReason}
+                </span>
+              </div>
+            ),
+          )}
         </div>
       </div>
     </div>