The release branch keeps feat/uiux-redesign as the primary UX surface and only reapplies the hardening changes that still add value there. REPL turns now preserve raw user input, REPL-only unknown slash command guidance can suggest exit shortcuts alongside shared commands, slash completion includes /exit and /quit, and the shared help copy keeps the grouped redesign while making resume guidance a little clearer.
The release-facing README and 0.1.0 draft notes already matched the current release-doc wording, so no extra docs delta was needed in this convergence commit.
Constraint: Keep the redesigned startup/help/status surfaces intact for release/0.1.0
Constraint: Do not reintroduce blanket prompt trimming before runtime submission
Rejected: Port the hardening branch's editor-mode/config path wholesale | it diverged from the redesigned custom line editor and would have regressed the release UX
Rejected: Flatten grouped slash help back into per-command blocks | weaker fit for the redesign's operator-style help surface
Confidence: high
Scope-risk: moderate
Reversibility: clean
Directive: Keep REPL-only suggestions and completion candidates aligned when adding or removing /vim, /exit, or /quit behavior
Tested: cargo check
Tested: cargo test
Not-tested: Live provider-backed REPL turns and interactive terminal manual QA
This redesign pass tightens the first-run and interactive experience
without changing the core execution model. The startup banner is now a
compact readiness summary instead of a large logo block, help output is
layered into quick-start and grouped slash-command sections, status and
permissions views read like operator dashboards, and direct/interactive
error surfaces now point users toward the next useful action.
The REPL also gains cycling slash-command completion so discoverability
improves even before a user has memorized the command set. Shared slash
command metadata now drives grouped help rendering and lightweight
command suggestions, which keeps interactive and non-interactive copy in
sync.
Constraint: Pre-release UX pass had to stay inside the existing Rust workspace with no new dependencies
Constraint: Existing slash command behavior and tests had to remain compatible while improving presentation
Rejected: Introduce a full-screen TUI command palette | too large and risky for this release pass
Rejected: Add trailing-space smart completion for argument-taking commands | conflicted with reliable completion cycling
Confidence: high
Scope-risk: moderate
Reversibility: clean
Directive: Keep startup hints, grouped slash help, and completion behavior aligned with slash_command_specs as commands evolve
Tested: cargo check
Tested: cargo test
Tested: Manual QA of `claw --help`, piped REPL `/help` `/status` `/permissions` `/session list` `/wat`, direct `/wat`, and interactive Tab cycling in the REPL
Not-tested: Live network-backed conversation turns and long streaming sessions
