feat(cli): keep /effort as the only thinking-level command and save on Enter

apps/cli/src/commands/index.ts

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  * Shared command layer (S3 first-party set: auth / models / session / config).
  *
  * Backs both subcommands and in-UI slash commands from one definition. The 30+
- * pure-UI slash commands (/compact, /thinking, /copy, /export, ...) are not
+ * pure-UI slash commands (/compact, /effort, /copy, /export, ...) are not
  * commands and do not belong here.
  */
 

apps/cli/src/ui/interactive-mode.ts

@@ -239,14 +239,7 @@ export function applyStepKeybindingRemap(keybindings: KeybindingsManager): void
  * model/effort/mode switches most often, so they lead the list instead of
  * following builtin registration order (feedback issue-c6b8e3bb543482b7).
  */
-const STEP_SLASH_COMMAND_PRIORITY: readonly string[] = [
-	"model",
-	"permissions",
-	"ultracode",
-	"effort",
-	"thinking",
-	"plan",
-];
+const STEP_SLASH_COMMAND_PRIORITY: readonly string[] = ["model", "permissions", "ultracode", "effort", "plan"];
 
 /** Exported for the acceptance test suite (tui-acceptance-interactions.test.ts). */
 // 结构重构（代码结构方案步骤 4）时迁往 ui/runtime/input-dispatch.ts —— 斜杠命令分派属于交互编排。
@@ -891,11 +884,9 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
 			};
 		}
 
-		const thinkingCommands = slashCommands.filter(
-			(command) => command.name === "thinking" || command.name === "effort",
-		);
-		for (const thinkingCommand of thinkingCommands) {
-			thinkingCommand.getArgumentCompletions = (prefix: string): AutocompleteItem[] | null => {
+		const effortCommand = slashCommands.find((command) => command.name === "effort");
+		if (effortCommand) {
+			effortCommand.getArgumentCompletions = (prefix: string): AutocompleteItem[] | null => {
 				return createFuzzyAutocompleteItems(
 					this.session.getAvailableThinkingLevels(),
 					prefix,
@@ -4775,26 +4766,22 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
 			return;
 		}
 
-		this.selectThinkingLevel(level, false);
+		this.selectThinkingLevel(level);
 	}
 
-	private selectThinkingLevel(level: ThinkingLevel, persist: boolean): void {
+	private selectThinkingLevel(level: ThinkingLevel): void {
 		try {
-			this.session.setThinkingLevel(level, { persist });
+			this.session.setThinkingLevel(level, { persist: true });
 			this.footer.invalidate();
 			this.updateEditorBorderColor();
-			this.showStatus(persist ? `Default thinking level: ${level}` : `Thinking level: ${level}`);
+			this.showStatus(`Default thinking level: ${level}`);
 		} catch (error) {
 			this.showError(error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error));
 		}
 	}
 
 	private showThinkingSelector(): void {
 		this.showSelector((done) => {
-			const selectLevel = (level: ThinkingLevel, persist: boolean) => {
-				this.selectThinkingLevel(level, persist);
-				done();
-			};
 			const availableLevels = this.session.getAvailableThinkingLevels();
 			const globalDefault = this.settingsManager.getDefaultThinkingLevel() ?? DEFAULT_THINKING_LEVEL;
 			const model = this.session.model;
@@ -4805,12 +4792,14 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
 			const selector = new ThinkingSelectorComponent(
 				this.session.thinkingLevel ?? DEFAULT_THINKING_LEVEL,
 				availableLevels,
-				(level) => selectLevel(level, false),
+				(level) => {
+					this.selectThinkingLevel(level);
+					done();
+				},
 				() => {
 					done();
 					this.redraw.requestRender();
 				},
-				(level) => selectLevel(level, true),
 				defaultMarker,
 			);
 			return { component: selector, focus: selector };

apps/cli/src/ui/runtime/input-dispatch.ts

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
  * Everything here is relocated VERBATIM from InteractiveMode (only `this.` → `ctx.`). The
  * slash if-ladder ORDER, the per-branch `setText("")` placement (before vs after the
  * awaited command), the per-branch `addToHistory` position, the `stopLogoIntro()`
- * first-in-onSubmit, the exact `/model` vs `/model ` (slice 7) and `/thinking`(10) vs
+ * first-in-onSubmit, the exact `/model` vs `/model ` (slice 7) and
  * `/effort`(8) offsets, the bash `!`/`!!` branch AFTER the slash checks, and the
  * compaction gate BEFORE the streaming gate are all load-bearing and preserved byte for
  * byte.
@@ -291,12 +291,8 @@ export function wireSubmitHandler(ctx: RuntimeContext): void {
 			await ctx.handleModelCommand(searchTerm);
 			return;
 		}
-		if (text === "/thinking" || text.startsWith("/thinking ") || text === "/effort" || text.startsWith("/effort ")) {
-			const searchTerm = text.startsWith("/thinking ")
-				? text.slice(10).trim()
-				: text.startsWith("/effort ")
-					? text.slice(8).trim()
-					: undefined;
+		if (text === "/effort" || text.startsWith("/effort ")) {
+			const searchTerm = text.startsWith("/effort ") ? text.slice(8).trim() : undefined;
 			ctx.editor.setText("");
 			ctx.handleThinkingCommand(searchTerm);
 			return;

apps/cli/src/ui/view/dialogs/thinking-selector.ts

@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 import type { ThinkingLevel } from "@step-harness/agent-core";
-import { DynamicBorder, getSelectListTheme, keyDisplayText, theme } from "@step-harness/coding-agent";
+import { DynamicBorder, getSelectListTheme, theme } from "@step-harness/coding-agent";
 import {
 	Container,
 	type Focusable,
 	fuzzyFilter,
 	getKeybindings,
 	Input,
-	matchesKey,
 	type SelectItem,
 	SelectList,
 	type SelectListLayoutOptions,
@@ -30,7 +29,8 @@ const LEVEL_DESCRIPTIONS: Record<ThinkingLevel, string> = {
 };
 
 /**
- * Component that renders a thinking level selector with borders
+ * Component that renders a thinking level selector with borders.
+ * Enter applies the level and saves it as the startup default.
  */
 export class ThinkingSelectorComponent extends Container implements Focusable {
 	private searchInput: Input;
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ export class ThinkingSelectorComponent extends Container implements Focusable {
 	private allItems: SelectItem[];
 	private onSelect: (level: ThinkingLevel) => void;
 	private onCancel: () => void;
-	private onSelectAsDefault?: (level: ThinkingLevel) => void;
 	private _focused = false;
 
 	get focused(): boolean {
@@ -56,13 +55,11 @@ export class ThinkingSelectorComponent extends Container implements Focusable {
 		availableLevels: ThinkingLevel[],
 		onSelect: (level: ThinkingLevel) => void,
 		onCancel: () => void,
-		onSelectAsDefault?: (level: ThinkingLevel) => void,
 		defaultThinkingLevel?: ThinkingLevel,
 	) {
 		super();
 		this.onSelect = onSelect;
 		this.onCancel = onCancel;
-		this.onSelectAsDefault = onSelectAsDefault;
 
 		this.allItems = availableLevels.map((level) => ({
 			value: level,
@@ -76,8 +73,6 @@ export class ThinkingSelectorComponent extends Container implements Focusable {
 		this.addChild(new Spacer(1));
 		this.addChild(new Text("Thinking Level", 0, 0));
 		this.addChild(new Spacer(1));
-		this.addChild(new Text(`${keyDisplayText("app.thinking.cycle")} cycles thinking levels in-session`, 0, 0));
-		this.addChild(new Spacer(1));
 
 		this.searchInput = new Input();
 		this.searchInput.onSubmit = () => this.selectList.handleInput("\r");
@@ -89,7 +84,7 @@ export class ThinkingSelectorComponent extends Container implements Focusable {
 		this.selectListChildIndex = this.children.length;
 		this.addChild(this.selectList);
 		this.addChild(new Spacer(1));
-		this.addChild(new Text(theme.fg("dim", "  Enter to select · Ctrl+S to set as default · Esc to cancel"), 0, 0));
+		this.addChild(new Text(theme.fg("dim", "  Enter to select · Esc to cancel"), 0, 0));
 
 		// Add bottom border
 		this.addChild(new DynamicBorder());
@@ -117,12 +112,6 @@ export class ThinkingSelectorComponent extends Container implements Focusable {
 	}
 
 	handleInput(keyData: string): void {
-		if (matchesKey(keyData, "ctrl+s") && this.onSelectAsDefault) {
-			const item = this.selectList.getSelectedItem();
-			if (item) this.onSelectAsDefault(item.value as ThinkingLevel);
-			return;
-		}
-
 		const kb = getKeybindings();
 		const isNav =
 			kb.matches(keyData, "tui.select.up") ||

apps/cli/test/interactive-mode-startup-input.test.ts

@@ -122,9 +122,7 @@ describe("InteractiveMode startup input", () => {
 	});
 
 	it.each([
-		["/thinking", undefined],
 		["/effort", undefined],
-		["/thinking high", "high"],
 		["/effort high", "high"],
 	])("routes %s through the native thinking command handler", async (input, expectedSearchTerm) => {
 		const context = createSubmitContext();

apps/cli/test/interactive-mode-status.test.ts

@@ -414,7 +414,7 @@ describe("InteractiveMode.setupAutocompleteProvider", () => {
 });
 
 describe("InteractiveMode.createBaseAutocompleteProvider", () => {
-	test("offers the same thinking-level completions for /thinking and /effort", async () => {
+	test("offers thinking-level completions for /effort", async () => {
 		type FakeInteractiveMode = {
 			session: {
 				scopedModels: [];
@@ -456,12 +456,11 @@ describe("InteractiveMode.createBaseAutocompleteProvider", () => {
 			provider.getSuggestions([line], 0, line.length, {
 				signal: new AbortController().signal,
 			});
-		const thinkingCompletions = await getCompletions("/thinking h");
 		const effortCompletions = await getCompletions("/effort h");
 
-		expect(thinkingCompletions?.items.map((item) => item.value)).toEqual(["high"]);
-		expect(effortCompletions).toEqual(thinkingCompletions);
-		expect(getAvailableThinkingLevels).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+		expect(effortCompletions?.items.map((item) => item.value)).toEqual(["high"]);
+		expect(await getCompletions("/thinking h")).toBeNull();
+		expect(getAvailableThinkingLevels).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
 	});
 
 	test("matches model command arguments across provider/model order", async () => {

apps/cli/test/tui-acceptance-interactions.test.ts

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  * TUI 验收交互套件（第 2 层）—— 对应《tui-acceptance-manual.md》F2/F6/F7/K6 项。
  *
  * 验证三件交互级行为（不经真实终端）：
- * - F2 斜杠命令优先级：model/permissions/ultracode/effort/thinking/plan 置顶，其余稳定排序；
+ * - F2 斜杠命令优先级：model/permissions/ultracode/effort/plan 置顶，其余稳定排序；
  * - F7/K6 Ctrl+L 重映射：step 模式 ctrl+l → app.redraw，model.select 让位；
  *   native 模式不受影响；用户显式绑定永远优先。
  */
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ import { applyStepKeybindingRemap, InteractiveMode, orderStepSlashCommands } fro
 
 describe("F2. 斜杠命令优先级", () => {
 	test("高频命令置顶，其余保持原有相对顺序", () => {
-		const builtins = ["settings", "model", "tree", "thinking", "effort", "export", "quit"].map((name) => ({
+		const builtins = ["settings", "model", "tree", "effort", "export", "quit"].map((name) => ({
 			name,
 		}));
 		const extensions = ["init", "permissions", "plugin", "plan", "status", "feedback"].map((name) => ({
@@ -35,9 +35,9 @@ describe("F2. 斜杠命令优先级", () => {
 
 		const ordered = orderStepSlashCommands([...builtins, ...extensions]).map((command) => command.name);
 
-		expect(ordered.slice(0, 5)).toEqual(["model", "permissions", "effort", "thinking", "plan"]);
+		expect(ordered.slice(0, 4)).toEqual(["model", "permissions", "effort", "plan"]);
 		// 未入优先级的命令保持传入顺序（稳定排序）
-		expect(ordered.slice(5)).toEqual(["settings", "tree", "export", "quit", "init", "plugin", "status", "feedback"]);
+		expect(ordered.slice(4)).toEqual(["settings", "tree", "export", "quit", "init", "plugin", "status", "feedback"]);
 	});
 
 	test("无优先级命中时原样返回", () => {
@@ -46,12 +46,12 @@ describe("F2. 斜杠命令优先级", () => {
 	});
 
 	test("pins registered Ultracode near the top while keeping Ultraloop in the remaining commands", () => {
-		const names = ["settings", "ultraloop", "model", "permissions", "effort", "thinking", "plan", "ultracode", "quit"];
+		const names = ["settings", "ultraloop", "model", "permissions", "effort", "plan", "ultracode", "quit"];
 		const commands = names.map((name) => ({ name }));
 		const ordered = orderStepSlashCommands(commands).map((command) => command.name);
 
-		expect(ordered.slice(0, 6)).toEqual(["model", "permissions", "ultracode", "effort", "thinking", "plan"]);
-		expect(ordered.slice(6)).toEqual(["settings", "ultraloop", "quit"]);
+		expect(ordered.slice(0, 5)).toEqual(["model", "permissions", "ultracode", "effort", "plan"]);
+		expect(ordered.slice(5)).toEqual(["settings", "ultraloop", "quit"]);
 		expect(commands.map((command) => command.name)).toEqual(names);
 	});
 
@@ -150,10 +150,10 @@ describe("Ultracode discovery from session registration", () => {
 		const suggestions = await provider.getSuggestions(["/"], 0, 1, { signal: new AbortController().signal });
 		const names = suggestions!.items.map((item) => item.value);
 
-		expect(names.slice(0, 6)).toEqual(["model", "permissions", "ultracode", "effort", "thinking", "plan"]);
+		expect(names.slice(0, 5)).toEqual(["model", "permissions", "ultracode", "effort", "plan"]);
 		expect(names.filter((name) => name === "ultracode")).toHaveLength(1);
 		expect(names.filter((name) => name === "ultraloop")).toHaveLength(1);
-		expect(names.indexOf("ultraloop")).toBeGreaterThan(5);
+		expect(names.indexOf("ultraloop")).toBeGreaterThan(4);
 	});
 
 	test("does not add unavailable workflow commands to bare slash completion", async () => {

packages/coding-agent/README.md

@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ Type `/` in the editor to trigger commands. [Extensions](#extensions) can regist
 | `/login`, `/logout` | Manage provider credentials |
 | [`/llama`](docs/llama-cpp.md) | Download, load, and unload llama.cpp router models |
 | `/model` | Switch models; Ctrl+S in the picker saves the startup default |
-| `/thinking` | Switch thinking level; Ctrl+S in the picker saves the startup default |
+| `/effort` | Switch thinking level and save it as the startup default |
 | `/scoped-models` | Enable/disable models for Ctrl+P cycling |
 | `/settings` | Theme, message delivery, transport, and other preferences |
 | `/resume` | Pick from previous sessions |

packages/coding-agent/docs/settings.md

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ Step uses JSON settings files with project settings overriding global settings.
 | `~/.stepcode/agent/settings.json` | Global (all projects) |
 | `.stepcode/settings.json` | Project (current directory) |
 
-Edit directly or use `/settings` for common options. To save startup model defaults interactively, use `/model` and press Ctrl+S on the desired model. To save the startup thinking level, use `/thinking` and press Ctrl+S.
+Edit directly or use `/settings` for common options. To save startup model defaults interactively, use `/model` and press Ctrl+S on the desired model. To save the startup thinking level, use `/effort` and press Enter.
 
 ## Project Trust
 
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ Use `/trust` in interactive mode to save a project trust decision for future ses
 |---------|------|---------|-------------|
 | `defaultProvider` | string | - | Startup provider (e.g., `"anthropic"`, `"openai"`; saved with Ctrl+S in `/model`, or edited manually) |
 | `defaultModel` | string | - | Startup model ID (saved with Ctrl+S in `/model`, or edited manually) |
-| `defaultThinkingLevel` | string | - | Startup thinking level (saved with Ctrl+S in `/thinking`, or edited manually): `"off"`, `"minimal"`, `"low"`, `"medium"`, `"high"`, `"xhigh"`, `"max"` |
+| `defaultThinkingLevel` | string | - | Startup thinking level (saved with Enter in `/effort`, or edited manually): `"off"`, `"minimal"`, `"low"`, `"medium"`, `"high"`, `"xhigh"`, `"max"` |
 | `modelThinkingLevels` | object | - | Per-model startup thinking levels keyed by `"provider/modelId"`; configure from `/settings` → Default thinking level per model or edit manually |
 | `hideThinkingBlock` | boolean | `false` | Hide thinking blocks in output |
 | `showCacheMissNotices` | boolean | `false` | Show transcript notices for significant prompt-cache misses and compaction or branch-summary usage |

packages/coding-agent/docs/step-integration.md

@@ -430,7 +430,7 @@ service and are not silently faked by this fork.
 | Model/provider selection, compaction, resume, fork, new session | Pi native commands and `SessionManager` | aligned |
 | StepCode OAuth login/logout and legacy credential normalization | `features/step-provider`, `step/auth.ts`, `step/models-endpoint-repair.ts` | aligned; endpoint repair is tested |
 | Global/project settings and session paths | Pi managers wrapped by `step/settings-manager.ts` and `step/session.ts` | aligned; writes use `.stepcode` |
-| Step permissions, `/permissions`, `/init` | Step extension/facades over Pi selectors and hooks | aligned; `/effort` is Pi's native `/thinking` alias, while `/permission` and `/mode` remain absent |
+| Step permissions, `/permissions`, `/init` | Step extension/facades over Pi selectors and hooks | aligned; `/effort` replaces Pi's native `/thinking`, while `/permission` and `/mode` remain absent |
 | Built-in `search_web` | Step tool profile backed by `stepsearch.web_search` over Streamable HTTP MCP | aligned; uses search-specific environment overrides and the Step login credential fallback |
 | Top-level `step feedback` and TUI `/feedback` | `step/feedback/`, `stepcode.ts`, and the Step extension over Pi's current session/UI | aligned; the body and optional session bundle use separate Step collector requests |
 | `/status`, self-memory/skills governance, `/refresh`, `/rewind`, `/copy` full-transcript semantics | Previous gateway/TUI product layer | not yet ported; no misleading alias is registered |

packages/coding-agent/src/core/slash-commands.ts

@@ -24,14 +24,9 @@ export const BUILTIN_SLASH_COMMANDS: ReadonlyArray<BuiltinSlashCommand> = [
 		argumentHint: "<provider/model>",
 	},
 	{ name: "tree", description: "Navigate session tree (switch branches)" },
-	{
-		name: "thinking",
-		description: "Set thinking level",
-		argumentHint: "<level>",
-	},
 	{
 		name: "effort",
-		description: "Set thinking level (alias for /thinking)",
+		description: "Set thinking level",
 		argumentHint: "<level>",
 	},
 	{

packages/coding-agent/src/features/step-subagent.ts

@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ const StepAgentScopeSchema = StringEnum(["user", "project", "both"] as const, {
 
 const StepSubscribeSchema = StringEnum(["final", "progress", "none"] as const, {
 	description:
-		'Notification level for background lanes. "final" (default) sends one completion notification, "progress" adds throttled progress updates, "none" is fire-and-forget.',
+		'Notification level for background lanes. "final" (default) sends one completion notification, "progress" adds throttled progress updates, "none" is fire-and-forget. Except with "none", completion, failure, and needs-input notifications wake you automatically, so never sleep or poll to wait for a lane.',
 	default: "final",
 });
 
@@ -549,9 +549,9 @@ export function createStepSubagentExtension(options: StepSubagentExtensionOption
 		const updateLaneWidget = (lane: BackgroundAgentLane): void => {
 			if (!lane.ctx.hasUI) return;
 			shownLanes.add(lane.id);
-			const batch = [...shownLanes]
-				.map((id) => lanes.get(id))
-				.filter((entry): entry is BackgroundAgentLane => entry !== undefined);
+			// `lanes` iterates in creation order; `shownLanes` in first-update order,
+			// which depends on which child streams first and would shuffle the rows.
+			const batch = [...lanes.values()].filter((entry) => shownLanes.has(entry.id));
 			try {
 				if (batch.every((entry) => entry.status !== "running")) {
 					shownLanes.clear();
@@ -635,7 +635,19 @@ export function createStepSubagentExtension(options: StepSubagentExtensionOption
 					const monitorHint =
 						lane.subscribe === "none"
 							? "Fire-and-forget lane: no notifications will be sent."
-							: `Lane events arrive automatically as <agent-notification> messages (subscribe: ${lane.subscribe}).`;
+							: [
+									// Without this the parent, told to "wait for the lanes", has no
+									// wait primitive and falls back to `sleep` loops: the lane result
+									// then sits behind a sleep of up to minutes, and each progress
+									// notice landing mid-sleep keeps the loop going.
+									"Do not wait for it with sleep or polling: end your turn, or carry on with other work.",
+									"You are woken automatically with an <agent-notification> when the lane finishes, fails, or needs input.",
+									lane.subscribe === "progress"
+										? "Progress <agent-notification> messages are informational; they need no reply."
+										: "",
+								]
+									.filter(Boolean)
+									.join(" ");
 					return makeToolResult(
 						details,
 						`Started background agent ${lane.id}${lane.alias ? ` (${lane.alias})` : ""}. ${monitorHint}`,