codex/agentydragon/tasks/30-non-fullscreen-scrollback-mode.md

+++ id = "30" title = "Non-Fullscreen Scrollback Mode with Native Terminal Scroll" status = "Not started" dependencies = "" # No prerequisites last_updated = "2025-06-25T01:40:09.600000" +++

Summary

Offer a non-fullscreen TUI mode that appends conversation output and defers scrolling to the terminal scrollback.

Goal

Provide an optional non-fullscreen mode for the chat UI where:

• The TUI does not capture the mouse scroll wheel.
• All conversation output is appended in place, allowing the terminal's native scrollback to navigate history.
• The user-entry window remains fixed at the bottom of the terminal.
• The entire UI runs in a standard terminal buffer (no alternate screen), so the user can use their terminal’s scrollbar or scrollback keys to review past messages.

Acceptance Criteria

• Introduce a tui.non_fullscreen_mode config flag (default false).
• When enabled, the application:
  • Disables alternate screen buffering (i.e. does not switch to the TUI alt-screen).
  • Does not intercept mouse scroll events; scroll events are passed through to the terminal.
  • Renders new chat messages inline (appended) rather than redrawing the full viewport.
  • Keeps the user input prompt visible at the bottom after each message.
• Add integration tests or manual validation steps to confirm that: scrollback keys/mouse scroll work via terminal scrollback, and the prompt remains in view.

Implementation

How it was implemented

• Add non_fullscreen_mode: bool to the tui config section.
• In the TUI initialization, skip entering the alternate screen and disable pannable viewports.
• Remove mouse event capture for scroll wheel events when non_fullscreen_mode is true.
• Change rendering loop: after each new message, print the message directly to the stdout buffer (in append mode), then redraw only the input prompt line.
• Write integration tests that spawn the TUI in non-fullscreen mode, emit multiple messages, send scroll events (if possible), and assert that scrollback buffer contains the messages.

Notes

• This mode trades advanced in-TUI scrolling features for simplicity and compatibility with users’ accustomed terminal scrollback.
• It may not support complex viewport resizing; documentation should note that.