optimize: terminal spawn lifecycle to eliminate output race condition

Move PTY spawn from context layer to view layer so event subscription
happens before spawn, preventing loss of initial terminal output.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

src-tauri/src/commands/terminal.rs

@@ -69,11 +69,14 @@ pub(crate) fn prepare_credential_env(
 pub async fn terminal_spawn(
     working_dir: String,
     initial_command: Option<String>,
+    terminal_id: Option<String>,
     manager: State<'_, TerminalManager>,
     app_handle: tauri::AppHandle,
     window: tauri::WebviewWindow,
 ) -> Result<String, TerminalError> {
-    let terminal_id = uuid::Uuid::new_v4().to_string();
+    let terminal_id = terminal_id
+        .filter(|id| !id.is_empty() && id.len() <= 256)
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| uuid::Uuid::new_v4().to_string());
 
     let app_data_dir = app_handle
         .path()

src-tauri/src/terminal/manager.rs

@@ -162,6 +162,17 @@ impl TerminalManager {
         opts: SpawnOptions,
         emitter: EventEmitter,
     ) -> Result<String, TerminalError> {
+        // Reject duplicate IDs to prevent orphaning an existing PTY process.
+        {
+            let terminals = self.terminals.lock().unwrap();
+            if terminals.contains_key(&opts.terminal_id) {
+                return Err(TerminalError::SpawnFailed(format!(
+                    "terminal id '{}' already exists",
+                    opts.terminal_id
+                )));
+            }
+        }
+
         let pty_system = native_pty_system();
 
         let pair = pty_system

src-tauri/src/web/handlers/terminal.rs

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ use crate::terminal::types::TerminalInfo;
 pub struct TerminalSpawnParams {
     pub working_dir: String,
     pub initial_command: Option<String>,
+    pub terminal_id: Option<String>,
 }
 
 #[derive(Deserialize)]
@@ -50,7 +51,10 @@ pub async fn terminal_spawn(
     Json(params): Json<TerminalSpawnParams>,
 ) -> Result<Json<String>, AppCommandError> {
     let manager = &state.terminal_manager;
-    let terminal_id = uuid::Uuid::new_v4().to_string();
+    let terminal_id = params
+        .terminal_id
+        .filter(|id| !id.is_empty() && id.len() <= 256)
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| uuid::Uuid::new_v4().to_string());
 
     let extra_env = prepare_credential_env(&state.data_dir);
 

src/components/terminal/terminal-panel.tsx

@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ export function TerminalPanel() {
           <TerminalView
             key={tab.id}
             terminalId={tab.id}
+            workingDir={tab.workingDir}
+            initialCommand={tab.initialCommand}
             isActive={tab.id === activeTabId}
             isVisible={isOpen}
           />

src/components/terminal/terminal-view.tsx

@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
 "use client"
 
-import { useEffect, useRef } from "react"
+import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react"
 import { subscribe } from "@/lib/platform"
-import { terminalWrite, terminalResize } from "@/lib/api"
+import {
+  terminalSpawn,
+  terminalWrite,
+  terminalResize,
+  terminalKill,
+} from "@/lib/api"
 import type { TerminalEvent } from "@/lib/types"
 import type { ITheme } from "@xterm/xterm"
 
@@ -86,12 +91,16 @@ function getTerminalTheme(container: HTMLDivElement | null): ITheme {
 
 interface TerminalViewProps {
   terminalId: string
+  workingDir: string
+  initialCommand?: string
   isActive: boolean
   isVisible: boolean
 }
 
 export function TerminalView({
   terminalId,
+  workingDir,
+  initialCommand,
   isActive,
   isVisible,
 }: TerminalViewProps) {
@@ -101,6 +110,7 @@ export function TerminalView({
   const lastResizeRef = useRef<{ cols: number; rows: number } | null>(null)
   const isActiveRef = useRef(isActive)
   const isVisibleRef = useRef(isVisible)
+  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true)
 
   useEffect(() => {
     isActiveRef.current = isActive
@@ -167,7 +177,7 @@ export function TerminalView({
         }
       )
 
-      // Set up event listeners BEFORE fit so initial output is captured
+      // Subscribe to events BEFORE spawning so no initial output is lost
       const unlisten = await subscribe<TerminalEvent>(
         `terminal://output/${terminalId}`,
         (payload) => {
@@ -192,6 +202,27 @@ export function TerminalView({
         return
       }
 
+      // Spawn the terminal AFTER subscribing to events
+      try {
+        await terminalSpawn(workingDir, initialCommand, terminalId)
+      } catch (err) {
+        term.write(`\r\n\x1b[31m[Failed to start terminal: ${err}]\x1b[0m\r\n`)
+      } finally {
+        if (!cancelled) setLoading(false)
+      }
+
+      // If unmounted while spawn was in flight, clean up the spawned PTY
+      if (cancelled) {
+        terminalKill(terminalId).catch(() => {})
+        themeObserver.disconnect()
+        onDataDisposable.dispose()
+        onResizeDisposable.dispose()
+        unlisten()
+        unlistenExit()
+        term.dispose()
+        return
+      }
+
       const fitIfReady = () => {
         const el = containerRef.current
         if (!el) return
@@ -237,7 +268,7 @@ export function TerminalView({
       cancelled = true
       cleanup?.()
     }
-  }, [terminalId])
+  }, [terminalId, workingDir, initialCommand])
 
   // Refit and focus when becoming active or panel becomes visible
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -262,6 +293,32 @@ export function TerminalView({
       aria-hidden={!isActive}
     >
       <div ref={containerRef} className="h-full w-full" />
+      {loading && isActive && (
+        <div className="absolute inset-0 flex items-center justify-center bg-background/80">
+          <div className="flex items-center gap-2 text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+            <svg
+              className="h-4 w-4 animate-spin"
+              viewBox="0 0 24 24"
+              fill="none"
+            >
+              <circle
+                className="opacity-25"
+                cx="12"
+                cy="12"
+                r="10"
+                stroke="currentColor"
+                strokeWidth="4"
+              />
+              <path
+                className="opacity-75"
+                fill="currentColor"
+                d="M4 12a8 8 0 018-8V0C5.373 0 0 5.373 0 12h4z"
+              />
+            </svg>
+            <span>Starting terminal...</span>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      )}
     </div>
   )
 }

src/contexts/terminal-context.tsx

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import {
   useState,
   type ReactNode,
 } from "react"
-import { terminalSpawn, terminalKill } from "@/lib/api"
+import { terminalKill } from "@/lib/api"
 import { useFolderContext } from "@/contexts/folder-context"
 import { useShortcutSettings } from "@/hooks/use-shortcut-settings"
 import { matchShortcutEvent } from "@/lib/keyboard-shortcuts"
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ import { matchShortcutEvent } from "@/lib/keyboard-shortcuts"
 export interface TerminalTab {
   id: string
   title: string
+  workingDir: string
+  initialCommand?: string
 }
 
 const DEFAULT_HEIGHT = 300
@@ -67,12 +69,12 @@ export function TerminalProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
   const [tabs, setTabs] = useState<TerminalTab[]>([])
   const [activeTabId, setActiveTabId] = useState<string | null>(null)
   const tabCounterRef = useRef(0)
-  const spawningRef = useRef(false)
-  const suppressAutoCreateRef = useRef(false)
   const lastMouseActivityInTerminalRef = useRef(false)
   // Keep a ref of tabs for cleanup on unmount (effect [] captures stale state)
   const tabsRef = useRef(tabs)
-  tabsRef.current = tabs
+  useEffect(() => {
+    tabsRef.current = tabs
+  }, [tabs])
 
   const folderPath = folder?.path ?? ""
 
@@ -83,54 +85,66 @@ export function TerminalProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
   }, [])
 
   const toggle = useCallback(() => {
-    setIsOpen((prev) => !prev)
+    const autoId = crypto.randomUUID()
-  }, [])
+    const nextCounter = tabCounterRef.current + 1
+
+    setIsOpen((wasOpen) => !wasOpen)
+
+    // Auto-create first terminal when opening with no tabs
+    setTabs((currentTabs) => {
+      if (currentTabs.length > 0 || !folderPath) return currentTabs
+      tabCounterRef.current = nextCounter
+      return [
+        {
+          id: autoId,
+          title: `Terminal ${nextCounter}`,
+          workingDir: folderPath,
+        },
+      ]
+    })
+
+    setActiveTabId((prev) => {
+      if (prev !== null) return prev
+      if (!folderPath) return null
+      return autoId
+    })
+  }, [folderPath])
 
   const createTerminalWithCommand = useCallback(
     async (title: string, command: string) => {
       if (!folderPath) return null
 
-      suppressAutoCreateRef.current = true
       setIsOpen(true)
 
-      try {
+      const id = crypto.randomUUID()
-        const id = await terminalSpawn(folderPath, command)
+      tabCounterRef.current += 1
-        tabCounterRef.current += 1
+      setTabs((prev) => [
-        setTabs((prev) => [...prev, { id, title }])
+        ...prev,
-        setActiveTabId(id)
+        { id, title, workingDir: folderPath, initialCommand: command },
-        return id
+      ])
-      } catch (err) {
+      setActiveTabId(id)
-        console.error("Failed to spawn terminal for command:", err)
+
-        return null
+      return id
-      } finally {
-        suppressAutoCreateRef.current = false
-      }
     },
     [folderPath]
   )
 
   const createTerminalInDirectory = useCallback(
     async (workingDir: string, title?: string) => {
-      if (!workingDir || spawningRef.current) return null
+      if (!workingDir) return null
 
-      suppressAutoCreateRef.current = true
       setIsOpen(true)
-      spawningRef.current = true
 
-      try {
+      const id = crypto.randomUUID()
-        const id = await terminalSpawn(workingDir)
+      tabCounterRef.current += 1
-        tabCounterRef.current += 1
+      const defaultTitle = `Terminal ${tabCounterRef.current}`
-        const defaultTitle = `Terminal ${tabCounterRef.current}`
+      setTabs((prev) => [
-        setTabs((prev) => [...prev, { id, title: title ?? defaultTitle }])
+        ...prev,
-        setActiveTabId(id)
+        { id, title: title ?? defaultTitle, workingDir },
-        return id
+      ])
-      } catch (err) {
+      setActiveTabId(id)
-        console.error("Failed to spawn terminal in directory:", err)
+
-        return null
+      return id
-      } finally {
-        spawningRef.current = false
-        suppressAutoCreateRef.current = false
-      }
     },
     []
   )
@@ -140,18 +154,10 @@ export function TerminalProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
     await createTerminalInDirectory(folderPath)
   }, [folderPath, createTerminalInDirectory])
 
-  // Auto-create first terminal when panel opens with no tabs
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (isOpen && tabs.length === 0 && !suppressAutoCreateRef.current) {
-      createTerminal()
-    }
-  }, [isOpen, tabs.length, createTerminal])
-
   const setHeight = useCallback((h: number) => {
     setHeightState(Math.max(MIN_HEIGHT, Math.min(MAX_HEIGHT, h)))
   }, [])
 
-  // No stale closure — reads current activeTabId via updater
   const closeTerminal = useCallback((id: string) => {
     terminalKill(id).catch(() => {})
     setTabs((prev) => {
@@ -160,19 +166,15 @@ export function TerminalProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
         tabCounterRef.current = 0
         setIsOpen(false)
         setActiveTabId(null)
+      } else {
+        setActiveTabId((prevActive) =>
+          prevActive === id ? next[next.length - 1].id : prevActive
+        )
       }
       return next
     })
-    setActiveTabId((prev) => (prev === id ? null : prev))
   }, [])
 
-  // Auto-select last tab when active tab is removed
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (activeTabId === null && tabs.length > 0) {
-      setActiveTabId(tabs[tabs.length - 1].id)
-    }
-  }, [activeTabId, tabs])
-
   const closeOtherTerminals = useCallback(
     (id: string) => {
       setTabs((prev) => {

src/lib/api.ts

@@ -1265,11 +1265,13 @@ export async function gitCommitBranches(
 
 export async function terminalSpawn(
   workingDir: string,
-  initialCommand?: string
+  initialCommand?: string,
+  terminalId?: string
 ): Promise<string> {
   return getTransport().call("terminal_spawn", {
     workingDir,
     initialCommand: initialCommand ?? null,
+    terminalId: terminalId ?? null,
   })
 }
 

src/lib/tauri.ts

@@ -1098,11 +1098,13 @@ export async function gitCommitBranches(
 
 export async function terminalSpawn(
   workingDir: string,
-  initialCommand?: string
+  initialCommand?: string,
+  terminalId?: string
 ): Promise<string> {
   return invoke("terminal_spawn", {
     workingDir,
     initialCommand: initialCommand ?? null,
+    terminalId: terminalId ?? null,
   })
 }