The terminal UI is a TypeScript client for nanobot's existing WebSocket gateway. It owns presentation and input only; the Python gateway remains the single implementation of sessions, the agent loop, tools, memory, and security policy.

bun install --cwd tui
bun run --cwd tui check
bun run --cwd tui test
bun run --cwd tui build

nanobot agent launches this client, attaches to an existing local gateway or leases one for the process lifetime, and passes an authenticated local endpoint through environment variables. Source checkouts automatically align dependencies with bun.lock before launch; released installs use a version-matched, checksum-verified sidecar. Startup fails explicitly if the native client is unavailable. The legacy Python prompt is only selected with nanobot agent --classic.

The renderer uses OpenTUI's retained full-screen layout: the transcript reflows with the terminal while the composer stays fixed at the bottom. Mouse and keyboard scrolling operate inside the transcript, and leaving the TUI restores the previous terminal screen.

When you scroll away from the latest output, the scrollbar and Ctrl+End hint appear only until you return to the bottom. Large pastes are represented by a short editable placeholder in the composer; nanobot sends the original text unchanged.

Type / to discover slash commands published by the connected gateway. Use the arrow keys to move, Tab to complete, and Esc to close the menu.

Type @ to complete installed CLI apps, configured MCP servers, or saved sessions through the same gateway metadata used by the WebUI. While nanobot is working, Enter queues a follow-up; press Enter again on an empty composer to steer the current turn with the newest queued prompt. Unsent prompts return to the composer if the turn stops or fails.

Use /sessions to search and switch persisted conversations without leaving the terminal. /new-chat preserves the current conversation and starts another one; nanobot's existing /new command keeps its cross-channel behavior and resets the current chat. The next launch returns to the last session unless --session selects another one. When earlier transcript pages exist, press PageUp at the top to load them in place.

/branch creates a new saved conversation from a completed reply without changing the source session. The picker uses durable history indices, so paginated transcripts branch at the selected turn rather than the currently visible row.

/context explains the session-owned material available for the next agent turn: the compacted summary, replayable raw suffix, and an estimated token count. It deliberately does not expose private reasoning and does not pretend to be the complete model prompt; workspace instructions, memory, and skills are assembled separately by the Python runtime.

/diff opens the latest turn's file changes in a full-screen unified diff. Use Left/Right to switch edits, PageUp/PageDown or Home/End to navigate, and Esc to return to chat. The gateway remains the source of the patch; the TUI never rereads workspace files to rebuild it. The footer reports provider token/cache usage when available, and tool activity uses compact, tool-specific summaries while retaining the full event history behind Ctrl+O.