Add a fork shortcut to the TUI command center (#49517)

## What changed - Fork the selected conversation and open the new session with `f`, configurable through `agents.fork` in the TUI keymap. - Move the default search shortcuts to `F3` and `/`, preserving unshadowed defaults when custom bindings conflict. - Keep queued input on the source conversation while attaching and forking, and require closing an open side conversation before forking another task. - Expose the fork action in command-center help and the keymap picker. ## Testing Add regression coverage for queued-input preservation, side-conversation protection, configurable fork shortcuts, metadata editing, disconnected actions, and search fallback bindings. Update help and keymap snapshots. GitOrigin-RevId: b11ae21ef6a2053609b31ce97c646104f18806a3
copyberry · Sep 30, 2026 · Sep 30, 2026 · Sep 30, 2026 · d42056091aded7feb1d88ac7e83972108b2aa478
commit d42056091aded7feb1d88ac7e83972108b2aa478
diff --git a/codex-rs/config/src/tui_keymap.rs b/codex-rs/config/src/tui_keymap.rs
@@ -449,6 +449,8 @@ pub struct TuiAgentsKeymap {
     pub new_task: Option<KeybindingsSpec>,
     /// Open a new session in a worktree from the project default branch.
     pub new_worktree: Option<KeybindingsSpec>,
+    /// Fork the selected conversation and open the new session.
+    pub fork: Option<KeybindingsSpec>,
     /// Rename the selected task.
     pub rename: Option<KeybindingsSpec>,
     /// Stop the selected running task.

diff --git a/codex-rs/core/config.schema.json b/codex-rs/core/config.schema.json
@@ -4435,6 +4435,7 @@
             "agents": {
               "archive": null,
               "delete": null,
+              "fork": null,
               "hide": null,
               "new_task": null,
               "new_worktree": null,
@@ -4789,6 +4790,14 @@
           ],
           "description": "Permanently delete the selected task and its child agents after confirmation."
         },
+        "fork": {
+          "allOf": [
+            {
+              "$ref": "#/definitions/KeybindingsSpec"
+            }
+          ],
+          "description": "Fork the selected conversation and open the new session."
+        },
         "hide": {
           "allOf": [
             {
@@ -5373,6 +5382,7 @@
           "default": {
             "archive": null,
             "delete": null,
+            "fork": null,
             "hide": null,
             "new_task": null,
             "new_worktree": null,

diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/agent_center/hints.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/agent_center/hints.rs
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ impl AgentsOverviewView {
                 &self.agents_keymap.search,
                 &self.agents_keymap.new_task,
                 &self.agents_keymap.new_worktree,
+                &self.agents_keymap.fork,
                 &self.agents_keymap.rename,
                 &self.agents_keymap.stop,
                 &self.agents_keymap.archive,
@@ -82,6 +83,7 @@ impl AgentsOverviewView {
                 "New worktree",
             ),
             ("resume", &self.agents_keymap.resume, "Resume"),
+            ("fork", &self.agents_keymap.fork, "Fork"),
             ("rename", &self.agents_keymap.rename, "Rename"),
             ("stop", &self.agents_keymap.stop, "Stop"),
             ("archive", &self.agents_keymap.archive, "Archive"),

diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/agent_center_tests.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/agent_center_tests.rs
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ async fn live_center_pages_visible_rows_without_wrapping() {
                 .lock()
                 .unwrap()
                 .connection_notice = Some("Reconnecting…");
-            view.handle_key_event(KeyCode::Char('f').into());
+            view.handle_key_event(KeyCode::Char('/').into());
             view.handle_paste("Paging".into());
         }
         screen(&view, /*width*/ 110, /*height*/ 18);
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ async fn live_center_metadata_clips_at_grapheme_boundaries() {
         /*selected_thread_id*/ None,
     );
     let input = format!("{}日本語 e\u{301} 👩\u{200d}💻", "界".repeat(/*n*/ 100_000));
-    for (key, label) in [('r', "Rename › "), ('f', "Search › ")] {
+    for (key, label) in [('r', "Rename › "), ('/', "Search › ")] {
         view.handle_key_event(KeyCode::Char(key).into());
         view.handle_paste(input.clone());
         let rendered = screen(&view, /*width*/ 40, /*height*/ 18);
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ async fn live_center_fixed_shortcuts_yield_to_configured_actions() {
     let mut app = make_test_app().await;
     let config: TuiKeymap = toml::from_str("[list]\ncancel = 'q'").unwrap();
     app.keymap = RuntimeKeymap::from_config(&config).unwrap();
-    for editor_key in ['f', 'r'] {
+    for editor_key in ['/', 'r'] {
         let mut view = app.agents_overview_view(
             vec![overview_thread(
                 ThreadId::from_u128(/*value*/ 42),
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ async fn live_center_fixed_shortcuts_yield_to_configured_actions() {
                 .lock()
                 .unwrap()
                 .server_version_notice = None;
-            view.handle_key_event(KeyCode::Char('f').into());
+            view.handle_key_event(KeyCode::Char('/').into());
             assert!(!screen(&view, /*width*/ 100, /*height*/ 24).contains("enter open"));
         }
         view.handle_key_event(key);
@@ -479,14 +479,16 @@ async fn live_center_search_row_appears_only_while_editing() {
         ["Tasks", "Status", "Updated"].map(|label| header[text.find(label).unwrap()].style());
     assert_eq!(styles, [styles[0]; 3]);
     let idle = screen(&view, area.width, area.height);
-    view.handle_key_event(KeyCode::Char('f').into());
-    view.handle_paste("find".into());
-    insta::assert_snapshot!(
-        "live_center_search_active",
-        screen(&view, area.width, area.height)
-    );
-    view.handle_key_event(KeyCode::Esc.into());
-    assert_eq!(screen(&view, area.width, area.height), idle);
+    for key in [KeyCode::Char('/'), KeyCode::F(3)] {
+        view.handle_key_event(key.into());
+        view.handle_paste("find".into());
+        insta::assert_snapshot!(
+            "live_center_search_active",
+            screen(&view, area.width, area.height)
+        );
+        view.handle_key_event(KeyCode::Esc.into());
+        assert_eq!(screen(&view, area.width, area.height), idle);
+    }
 }
 
 #[tokio::test]
@@ -503,7 +505,7 @@ async fn backspace_edits_search_and_rename_without_deleting_tasks() {
         )],
         /*selected_thread_id*/ None,
     );
-    for key in ['f', 'r'] {
+    for key in ['/', 'r'] {
         view.handle_key_event(KeyCode::Char(key).into());
         let initial = screen(&view, /*width*/ 88, /*height*/ 16);
         view.handle_paste("!".into());
@@ -583,7 +585,7 @@ async fn live_center_show_more_navigation_search_and_loading() {
         state.loading = false;
         state.refresh_failed = true;
     }
-    view.handle_key_event(KeyCode::Char('f').into());
+    view.handle_key_event(KeyCode::Char('/').into());
     view.handle_paste("Older task".into());
     insta::assert_snapshot!(
         "live_center_show_more_search_retry",

diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/agents_overview.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/agents_overview.rs
@@ -862,7 +862,7 @@ impl App {
                 self.chat_widget.maybe_send_next_queued_input();
             }
         }
-        if !read_only && !is_new_session {
+        if !read_only && !is_new_session && !self.chat_widget.fork_in_progress {
             self.maybe_prompt_resume_paused_goal_after_resume(app_server, root_thread_id)
                 .await;
         }

diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/agents_overview_actions_tests.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/agents_overview_actions_tests.rs
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ async fn lifecycle_shortcuts_target_filtered_task_in_any_state() {
     keymap.agents.archive = Some(KeybindingsSpec::One(KeybindingSpec("f5".into())));
     keymap.agents.delete = Some(KeybindingsSpec::One(KeybindingSpec("f6".into())));
     keymap.agents.hide = Some(KeybindingsSpec::One(KeybindingSpec("f7".into())));
+    keymap.agents.fork = Some(KeybindingsSpec::One(KeybindingSpec("f8".into())));
     app.keymap = RuntimeKeymap::from_config(&keymap).unwrap();
     let (tx, mut rx) = tokio::sync::mpsc::unbounded_channel();
     app.app_event_tx = AppEventSender::new(tx);
@@ -84,7 +85,7 @@ async fn lifecycle_shortcuts_target_filtered_task_in_any_state() {
             Some(target),
         );
         view.handle_key_event(KeyCode::Esc.into());
-        view.handle_key_event(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Char('f'), KeyModifiers::NONE));
+        view.handle_key_event(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Char('/'), KeyModifiers::NONE));
         for character in "Target".chars() {
             view.handle_key_event(KeyCode::Char(character).into());
         }
@@ -99,6 +100,10 @@ async fn lifecycle_shortcuts_target_filtered_task_in_any_state() {
                 "unexpected event: {event:?}"
             );
         }
+        view.handle_key_event(KeyCode::F(8).into());
+        assert!(
+            matches!(rx.try_recv(), Ok(AppEvent::ForkAgentsOverviewThread { thread_id }) if thread_id == target)
+        );
         view.handle_key_event(KeyCode::F(7).into());
         assert!(
             matches!(rx.try_recv(), Ok(AppEvent::HideAgentsOverviewThread { thread_id }) if thread_id == target)
@@ -163,7 +168,7 @@ async fn hiding_tasks_keeps_selection_adjacent_in_display_order() -> Result<()>
             // Clear retained search without dismissing the command center.
             view.on_ctrl_c();
             if filtered {
-                view.handle_key_event(KeyCode::Char('f').into());
+                view.handle_key_event(KeyCode::Char('/').into());
                 view.handle_paste("Task".into());
                 // Search selects the first match; move back to Task 3.
                 view.handle_key_event(KeyCode::Down.into());
@@ -753,3 +758,28 @@ async fn lifecycle_removes_background_and_current_tasks_without_losing_the_dashb
     }
     Ok(())
 }
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn fork_shortcut_respects_metadata_editing() {
+    let (app, mut rx, _) = crate::app::tests::make_test_app_with_channels().await;
+    let target = ThreadId::new();
+    let mut view = app.agents_overview_view(
+        vec![overview_thread(
+            target,
+            /*parent_thread_id*/ None,
+            "Target",
+            ThreadStatus::Idle,
+        )],
+        Some(target),
+    );
+    for editor in ['r', '/'] {
+        view.handle_key_event(KeyCode::Char(editor).into());
+        view.handle_key_event(KeyCode::Char('f').into());
+        assert!(rx.try_recv().is_err());
+        view.handle_key_event(KeyCode::Esc.into());
+    }
+    view.handle_key_event(KeyCode::Char('f').into());
+    assert!(
+        matches!(rx.try_recv(), Ok(AppEvent::ForkAgentsOverviewThread { thread_id }) if thread_id == target)
+    );
+}