@pi-unipi/unipi 2.2.6 → 2.3.0

package/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -6,6 +6,46 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/).
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [2.3.0] — 2026-08-07
+
+Startup went from **23.1s to 0.75s** — 31× faster, and within ~0.7s of bare `pi` with no extensions at all. A cold start (empty cache) is now the same speed as a warm one.
+
+### Changed
+
+- **`info-screen`: `showOnBoot` is now `bootMode`, with three states.** `"on"` keeps the dashboard up until you dismiss it, `"auto-close"` (the new default) closes it after `bootTimeoutMs`, and `"off"` never builds it at all. All three are configurable from `/unipi:info-settings` — `←/→` cycles the mode, and the row below adjusts the delay in 0.5s steps (clamped 0.5–30s). Any keypress cancels the auto-close, so the dashboard stays put if you are reading it. `/unipi:info` opened by hand never auto-closes.
+
+  Existing configs migrate automatically on read: `showOnBoot: true` → `"on"`, `false` → `"off"`. Note that `true` maps to `"on"` rather than the new `"auto-close"` default, so nobody's startup behaviour changes underneath them. An explicit `bootMode` always wins over the legacy key.
+
+- **`info-screen`: dashboard panels load lazily.** Only the visible tab fetches at boot; the rest are prefetched 1.5s later, and any tab opened before that fetches on demand. Previously all ~17 panels were built before the first prompt was ready, including when the dashboard was disabled entirely.
+
+- **`memory`: orphaned markdown is imported on first use rather than at startup.** `syncOrphanedFiles()` spawns a Python bridge; nothing reads its result until memory is actually used. A `.md` file dropped into a project directory is now picked up by the first memory tool call instead of at boot. Still runs exactly once per session; nothing is lost.
+
+- **`unipi`: the all-in-one entry now ships as a prebuilt bundle.** pi loads extensions through jiti with its module cache disabled, so every startup transpiled ~577 TypeScript files from scratch — the factory calls themselves take 5ms, the cost was entirely transpilation. `pi.extensions` points at `packages/unipi/bundled.js`, built by `npm run build` and regenerated automatically by `prepublishOnly`. Only `@pi-unipi` sources are bundled; every third-party dependency stays external and resolves from `node_modules` at runtime.
+
+### Performance
+
+- **`info-screen`: usage stats are cached per file (8,671ms → 70ms).** `parseUsageStats()` re-read and re-parsed the entire session history on every call — 2.6GB across 600 JSONL files — and ran twice per startup. Results are now cached in `~/.unipi/cache/usage-stats.json`, keyed on each file's mtime and size. Statting 600 files costs ~1ms while only ~11 change on a busy day, so ~96% of the work was recomputing an immutable result.
+
+  This single function was the dominant startup cost. Because it never yielded, every other extension's `session_start` handler queued behind it — which is why earlier profiling rounds blamed unrelated extensions for ~9s each. They were waiting on this, not doing work.
+
+- **`info-screen`: the usage parser no longer blocks the event loop.** A new `parseUsageStatsAsync()` yields via `setImmediate` between files, so even a cold parse cannot freeze keystrokes or the first paint. The reader also streams line-by-line instead of `readFileSync` — the largest single session file here is 213MB and was being materialized in full, along with its `split("\n")` array.
+
+- **`memory`: MemPalace bridge calls are async (1,581ms → ~0ms of blocked loop).** The status-bar counts called `listAll()` and the cross-project listing through `spawnSync`, freezing the process for the full Python round-trip just to render `mem 32p/2262all`. Added `runBridgeAsync` plus `listAllAsync()` / `listAllProjectsCachedAsync()`; the status bar paints immediately and fills in when the bridge answers. The cross-project listing is additionally cached for 60s, invalidated on any store or delete.
+
+- **`info-screen`/`utility`: pi's version is resolved without spawning a subprocess (710ms → ~1ms).** `getPiVersion()` probed a hardcoded path for one specific Node version and, on any other, fell through to `execSync("pi --version")` — starting a whole second pi process, synchronously, twice per startup. A shared implementation in `@pi-unipi/core` now walks up from pi's own entry point, resolving the symlink first (the binary on `PATH` is typically a shim), and caches the result.
+
+### Fixed
+
+- `info-screen`: the overview panel displayed **`Pi Version: unknown`**. The `execSync` fallback matched `/v([\d.]+)/`, requiring a literal `v` prefix that pi no longer emits — so it paid 710ms per startup *and* still failed. Now shows the real version.
+- `info-screen`: `bootTimeoutMs` had existed in `InfoScreenSettings` and in user configs since the beginning but was never connected to anything. It now drives the auto-close timer.
+- `info-screen`: `writeSettingsFile()` called `require()` from an ESM module, which throws under Node's module-format detection whenever the settings directory does not already exist.
+- `unipi`: `diff` is a dependency of `@pi-unipi/utility` and lives in that package's own `node_modules`. That resolves fine under jiti (each file resolves from its own location) and fine when installed (npm hoists it), but was unresolvable from a single bundle in a local checkout. Now declared at the root.
+
+## [2.2.7] — 2026-08-04
+
+### Fixed
+- `ralph`/`subagents`/`memory`: these still pinned `@pi-unipi/info-screen@2.2.0`, so npm installed a second, **pre-fix** copy of the info-screen overlay nested under each of them — meaning the Escape-key fix released in 2.2.5 did not reach the info overlay for those install paths. Republished with the pin updated to `2.2.1`. No functional change to the packages themselves; this is purely a dependency-consistency fix.
+
 ## [2.2.6] — 2026-08-04
 
 ### Fixed

package/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@pi-unipi/unipi",
-  "version": "2.2.6",
+  "version": "2.3.0",
   "description": "All-in-one extension suite for Pi coding agent",
   "type": "module",
   "license": "MIT",
@@ -23,9 +23,12 @@
     "packages/*"
   ],
   "scripts": {
-    "typecheck": "npx tsc --noEmit --skipLibCheck",
+    "build": "node scripts/build-bundle.mjs",
+    "prepare": "node scripts/build-bundle.mjs --if-missing",
+    "prepublishOnly": "npm run build",
+    "publish:all": "npm publish --workspaces --access public",
     "test": "npx tsx --test tests/*.test.js && npm test --workspaces --if-present",
-    "publish:all": "npm publish --workspaces --access public"
+    "typecheck": "npx tsc --noEmit --skipLibCheck"
   },
   "files": [
     "CHANGELOG.md",
@@ -37,11 +40,12 @@
     "packages/*/tui/*",
     "packages/*/SKILL.md",
     "packages/*/skills/**/*",
-    "packages/*/README.md"
+    "packages/*/README.md",
+    "packages/unipi/bundled.js"
   ],
   "pi": {
     "extensions": [
-      "packages/unipi/index.ts"
+      "packages/unipi/bundled.js"
     ],
     "skills": [
       "packages/workflow/skills",
@@ -67,26 +71,26 @@
     "typebox": "^1.1.38"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@pi-unipi/ask-user": "2.2.0",
-    "@pi-unipi/btw": "2.2.0",
-    "@pi-unipi/compactor": "2.2.1",
-    "@pi-unipi/notify": "2.2.2",
-    "@pi-unipi/command-enchantment": "2.2.0",
-    "@pi-unipi/core": "2.2.0",
-    "@pi-unipi/info-screen": "2.2.1",
-    "@pi-unipi/mcp": "2.2.0",
-    "@pi-unipi/memory": "2.2.0",
-    "@pi-unipi/ralph": "2.2.0",
-    "@pi-unipi/subagents": "2.2.0",
-    "@pi-unipi/utility": "2.2.0",
-    "@pi-unipi/milestone": "2.2.0",
-    "@pi-unipi/kanboard": "2.2.0",
-    "@pi-unipi/web-api": "2.2.0",
-    "@pi-unipi/workflow": "2.2.0",
-    "@pi-unipi/footer": "2.2.1",
-    "@pi-unipi/updater": "2.2.1",
-    "@pi-unipi/input-shortcuts": "2.2.0",
-    "@pi-unipi/cocoindex": "2.2.0"
+    "@pi-unipi/ask-user": "2.3.0",
+    "@pi-unipi/btw": "2.3.0",
+    "@pi-unipi/compactor": "2.3.0",
+    "@pi-unipi/notify": "2.3.0",
+    "@pi-unipi/command-enchantment": "2.3.0",
+    "@pi-unipi/core": "2.3.0",
+    "@pi-unipi/info-screen": "2.3.0",
+    "@pi-unipi/mcp": "2.3.0",
+    "@pi-unipi/memory": "2.3.0",
+    "@pi-unipi/ralph": "2.3.0",
+    "@pi-unipi/subagents": "2.3.0",
+    "@pi-unipi/utility": "2.3.0",
+    "@pi-unipi/milestone": "2.3.0",
+    "@pi-unipi/kanboard": "2.3.0",
+    "@pi-unipi/web-api": "2.3.0",
+    "@pi-unipi/workflow": "2.3.0",
+    "@pi-unipi/footer": "2.3.0",
+    "@pi-unipi/updater": "2.3.0",
+    "@pi-unipi/input-shortcuts": "2.3.0",
+    "@pi-unipi/cocoindex": "2.3.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@earendil-works/pi-agent-core": "^0.80.0",
@@ -94,6 +98,8 @@
     "@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent": "^0.80.0",
     "@earendil-works/pi-tui": "^0.80.0",
     "@types/node": "^25.6.0",
+    "diff": "^7.0.0",
+    "esbuild": "^0.27.7",
     "tsx": "^4.21.0",
     "typescript": "^6.0.0"
   }

package/packages/ask-user/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@pi-unipi/ask-user",
-  "version": "2.2.0",
+  "version": "2.3.0",
   "description": "Structured user input tool for Pi coding agent — single-select, multi-select, freeform",
   "type": "module",
   "main": "index.ts",
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
     "access": "public"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@pi-unipi/core": "2.2.0"
+    "@pi-unipi/core": "2.3.0"
   },
   "peerDependencies": {
     "@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent": "^0.80.0",

package/packages/autocomplete/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@pi-unipi/command-enchantment",
-  "version": "2.2.0",
+  "version": "2.3.0",
   "description": "Enhanced TUI autocomplete for /unipi:* commands — colored, sorted, and grouped by package",
   "type": "module",
   "main": "src/index.ts",

package/packages/btw/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@pi-unipi/btw",
-  "version": "2.2.0",
+  "version": "2.3.0",
   "description": "A pi extension for parallel side conversations with /unipi:btw — part of the Unipi suite",
   "type": "module",
   "main": "extensions/btw.ts",
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
     "@earendil-works/pi-tui": "^0.80.0"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@pi-unipi/core": "2.2.0"
+    "@pi-unipi/core": "2.3.0"
   },
   "pi": {
     "extensions": [],

package/packages/cocoindex/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@pi-unipi/cocoindex",
-  "version": "2.2.0",
+  "version": "2.3.0",
   "description": "CocoIndex integration for Pi — AST-aware content indexing, semantic vector search, and incremental pipeline management",
   "type": "module",
   "main": "index.ts",
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
     "typebox": "^1.1.38"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@pi-unipi/core": "2.2.0"
+    "@pi-unipi/core": "2.3.0"
   },
   "optionalDependencies": {
     "@lancedb/lancedb": "^0.21.0"

package/packages/compactor/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@pi-unipi/compactor",
-  "version": "2.2.1",
+  "version": "2.3.0",
   "description": "Context engine for Pi — zero-LLM compaction, session continuity, sandbox execution, and tool display optimization",
   "type": "module",
   "main": "src/index.ts",
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@
     "access": "public"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@pi-unipi/core": "2.2.0",
-    "@pi-unipi/info-screen": "2.2.1",
+    "@pi-unipi/core": "2.3.0",
+    "@pi-unipi/info-screen": "2.3.0",
     "@earendil-works/pi-agent-core": "^0.80.0"
   },
   "peerDependencies": {

package/packages/compactor/src/info-screen.ts

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
 import type { SessionDB } from "./session/db.js";
 import { getLastCompactionStats } from "./compaction/hooks.js";
-import { parseUsageStats } from "@pi-unipi/info-screen/usage-parser.js";
+import { parseUsageStatsAsync } from "@pi-unipi/info-screen/usage-parser.js";
 import type { RuntimeCounters } from "./types.js";
 
 export interface CompactorInfoData {
@@ -42,9 +42,9 @@ function formatCost(n: number): string {
 }
 
 /** Estimate cost per token for the most-used model in the current session. */
-function estimateCostPerToken(): number | null {
+async function estimateCostPerToken(): Promise<number | null> {
   try {
-    const usage = parseUsageStats();
+    const usage = await parseUsageStatsAsync();
     // Use today's most-used model if available, otherwise all-time
     const models = usage.byModelToday;
     const todayKeys = Object.keys(models);
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ export async function getInfoScreenData(
       : "No tool calls yet";
 
     // ── Cost saved estimate ──
-    const costPerToken = estimateCostPerToken();
+    const costPerToken = await estimateCostPerToken();
     const costSaved = costPerToken !== null ? tokensSaved * costPerToken : null;
 
     // ── Last compaction details ──

package/packages/core/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@pi-unipi/core",
-  "version": "2.2.0",
+  "version": "2.3.0",
   "description": "Shared utilities, event types, and constants for Unipi extension suite",
   "type": "module",
   "license": "MIT",

package/packages/core/utils.ts

@@ -187,6 +187,43 @@ export function getInstalledPackageVersion(startDir: string, packageName: string
   return getPackageVersion(root);
 }
 
+/** Cached pi version — resolved at most once per process. */
+let cachedPiVersion: string | null = null;
+
+/**
+ * Get the running Pi agent's version.
+ *
+ * Resolves by walking up from Pi's own entry point (`process.argv[1]`), which
+ * must be `realpath`'d first: the executable on PATH is typically a symlink
+ * (e.g. mise shims `~/.local/share/mise/installs/node/lts/bin/pi`), and the
+ * package.json lives next to the *real* `dist/cli.js`, not the link.
+ *
+ * Never spawns a subprocess. A previous implementation fell back to
+ * `execSync("pi --version")`, which cost ~350ms per call and still returned
+ * "unknown" because it matched against a `v` prefix that Pi no longer emits.
+ */
+export function getPiVersion(): string {
+  if (cachedPiVersion !== null) return cachedPiVersion;
+
+  const PI_PACKAGE = "@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent";
+  const entry = process.argv[1];
+  if (entry) {
+    try {
+      const realEntry = fs.realpathSync(entry);
+      const root = findPackageRoot(path.dirname(realEntry), PI_PACKAGE);
+      if (root) {
+        cachedPiVersion = getPackageVersion(root);
+        return cachedPiVersion;
+      }
+    } catch {
+      // Fall through to "unknown".
+    }
+  }
+
+  cachedPiVersion = "unknown";
+  return cachedPiVersion;
+}
+
 /**
  * Check if a module is available in node_modules.
  */

package/packages/footer/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@pi-unipi/footer",
-  "version": "2.2.1",
+  "version": "2.3.0",
   "description": "Persistent status bar for Unipi — subscribes to UNIPI_EVENTS and renders key stats from all unipi packages",
   "type": "module",
   "main": "src/index.ts",
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
     "access": "public"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@pi-unipi/core": "2.2.0"
+    "@pi-unipi/core": "2.3.0"
   },
   "peerDependencies": {
     "@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent": "^0.80.0",

package/packages/image/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@pi-unipi/image",
-  "version": "2.2.5",
+  "version": "2.3.0",
   "description": "Image generation and image recognition tools for the Pi coding agent",
   "type": "module",
   "main": "src/index.ts",
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
     "access": "public"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@pi-unipi/core": "2.2.0"
+    "@pi-unipi/core": "2.3.0"
   },
   "peerDependencies": {
     "@earendil-works/pi-ai": "^0.80.0",

package/packages/info-screen/README.md

@@ -76,8 +76,8 @@ Settings in pi `settings.json`:
 {
   "unipi": {
     "infoScreen": {
-      "showOnBoot": true,
-      "bootTimeoutMs": 8000,
+      "bootMode": "auto-close",
+      "bootTimeoutMs": 2000,
       "groups": {
         "modules": { "show": true },
         "ralph": { "show": true },
@@ -91,8 +91,8 @@ Settings in pi `settings.json`:
 
 | Setting | Default | What It Does |
 |---------|---------|--------------|
-| `showOnBoot` | true | Show dashboard when session starts |
-| `bootTimeoutMs` | 8000 | How long to wait for modules before showing |
+| `bootMode` | `"auto-close"` | `"on"` keeps the dashboard up until dismissed, `"auto-close"` closes it after `bootTimeoutMs`, `"off"` never shows it |
+| `bootTimeoutMs` | 2000 | Auto-close delay, in ms. Any keypress cancels it. Ignored unless `bootMode` is `"auto-close"` |
 | `groups.{id}.show` | true | Toggle group visibility |
 | `groupOrder` | priority sort | Custom group ordering |
 

package/packages/info-screen/config.ts

@@ -5,11 +5,11 @@
  * under the "unipi.info" key.
  */
 
-import { readFileSync, writeFileSync, existsSync } from "node:fs";
-import { join } from "node:path";
+import { readFileSync, writeFileSync, existsSync, mkdirSync } from "node:fs";
+import { join, dirname } from "node:path";
 import { homedir } from "node:os";
-import type { InfoScreenSettings, GroupSettings } from "./types.js";
-import { DEFAULT_SETTINGS } from "./types.js";
+import type { InfoScreenSettings, GroupSettings, BootMode } from "./types.js";
+import { DEFAULT_SETTINGS, BOOT_MODES } from "./types.js";
 
 /** Settings path */
 const SETTINGS_PATH = join(homedir(), ".pi", "agent", "settings.json");
@@ -44,9 +44,11 @@ function readSettingsFile(): Record<string, unknown> {
  * Write the full settings file.
  */
 function writeSettingsFile(data: Record<string, unknown>): void {
-  const dir = require("node:path").dirname(SETTINGS_PATH);
+  // These were require() calls in an ESM module, which throws under Node's
+  // module-format detection as soon as the directory is missing.
+  const dir = dirname(SETTINGS_PATH);
   if (!existsSync(dir)) {
-    require("node:fs").mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true });
+    mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true });
   }
   writeFileSync(SETTINGS_PATH, JSON.stringify(data, null, 2) + "\n", "utf-8");
 }
@@ -68,7 +70,7 @@ export function getInfoSettings(): InfoScreenSettings {
   const info = unipi.info as Record<string, unknown>;
 
   cachedSettings = {
-    showOnBoot: typeof info.showOnBoot === "boolean" ? info.showOnBoot : DEFAULT_SETTINGS.showOnBoot,
+    bootMode: parseBootMode(info),
     bootTimeoutMs: typeof info.bootTimeoutMs === "number" ? info.bootTimeoutMs : DEFAULT_SETTINGS.bootTimeoutMs,
     groups: isRecord(info.groups) ? parseGroupSettings(info.groups) : {},
   };
@@ -76,6 +78,24 @@ export function getInfoSettings(): InfoScreenSettings {
   return cachedSettings;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Resolve the boot mode, migrating the legacy `showOnBoot` boolean.
+ *
+ * `showOnBoot: false` maps to "off". `showOnBoot: true` maps to "on" rather
+ * than the new "auto-close" default, so an existing config keeps behaving the
+ * way its owner configured it.
+ */
+function parseBootMode(info: Record<string, unknown>): BootMode {
+  const raw = info.bootMode;
+  if (typeof raw === "string" && (BOOT_MODES as string[]).includes(raw)) {
+    return raw as BootMode;
+  }
+  if (typeof info.showOnBoot === "boolean") {
+    return info.showOnBoot ? "on" : "off";
+  }
+  return DEFAULT_SETTINGS.bootMode;
+}
+
 /**
  * Parse group settings from raw object.
  */
@@ -118,7 +138,7 @@ export function saveInfoSettings(settings: InfoScreenSettings): void {
   }
 
   (file[SETTINGS_KEY] as Record<string, unknown>).info = {
-    showOnBoot: settings.showOnBoot,
+    bootMode: settings.bootMode,
     bootTimeoutMs: settings.bootTimeoutMs,
     groups: settings.groups,
   };

package/packages/info-screen/core-groups.ts

@@ -9,8 +9,9 @@ import { readFileSync, readdirSync, existsSync, statSync } from "node:fs";
 import { join, basename } from "node:path";
 import { homedir } from "node:os";
 import type { ExtensionAPI } from "@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent";
+import { getPiVersion } from "@pi-unipi/core";
 import { infoRegistry } from "./registry.js";
-import { parseUsageStats, formatTokens, formatCost } from "./usage-parser.js";
+import { parseUsageStatsAsync, formatTokens, formatCost } from "./usage-parser.js";
 import type { InfoGroup } from "./types.js";
 
 /**
@@ -27,43 +28,6 @@ function getPackageVersion(packageDir: string): string {
   }
 }
 
-/**
- * Get pi version from its package.json.
- */
-function getPiVersion(): string {
-  // Try to find pi's package.json in various locations
-  const possiblePaths = [
-    // Global npm install
-    join(homedir(), ".local", "share", "mise", "installs", "node", "24.14.1", "lib", "node_modules", "@earendil-works", "pi-coding-agent", "package.json"),
-    // Alternative locations
-    join(homedir(), ".local", "share", "mise", "installs", "node", "lib", "node_modules", "@earendil-works", "pi-coding-agent", "package.json"),
-  ];
-
-  for (const pkgPath of possiblePaths) {
-    try {
-      if (existsSync(pkgPath)) {
-        const pkg = JSON.parse(readFileSync(pkgPath, "utf-8"));
-        return pkg?.version ?? "unknown";
-      }
-    } catch {
-      // Continue to next path
-    }
-  }
-
-  // Fallback: try to run pi --version
-  try {
-    const { execSync } = require("node:child_process");
-    const version = execSync("pi --version 2>/dev/null", { encoding: "utf-8" }).trim();
-    // Extract version number from output like "pi v0.42.4"
-    const match = version.match(/v([\d.]+)/);
-    if (match) return match[1];
-  } catch {
-    // Ignore
-  }
-
-  return "unknown";
-}
-
 /**
  * Discover loaded extensions by scanning filesystem.
  */
@@ -433,7 +397,9 @@ export function registerCoreGroups(): void {
       ],
     },
     dataProvider: async () => {
-      const stats = parseUsageStats();
+      // Async variant yields to the event loop between files, so a cold parse
+      // cannot block keystrokes or the initial paint.
+      const stats = await parseUsageStatsAsync();
 
       // Find top model for each period
       const findTopModel = (modelStats: Record<string, { tokens: number; cost: number; sessions: number }> | undefined) => {

package/packages/info-screen/index.ts

@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ export default function (pi: ExtensionAPI) {
   // Start load tracking
   startLoadTracking();
 
+  // Whether an info overlay is currently on screen. Module announcements only
+  // trigger a re-fetch when something is actually displaying the result.
+  let overlayVisible = false;
+
   // Debounced MODULE_READY handling — batch module announcements
   // to prevent layout shift from rapid per-module cache invalidation.
   let moduleReadyBatch: Array<{ name: string; version: string; tools?: string[]; loadTimeMs?: number }> = [];
@@ -60,14 +64,18 @@ export default function (pi: ExtensionAPI) {
       }
     }
 
-    // Single cache invalidation for all modules
+    // Single cache invalidation for all modules.
+    //
+    // Only re-fetch while an overlay is actually on screen. Otherwise this
+    // ran every module announcement even with the dashboard disabled,
+    // doing work nobody would see.
     infoRegistry.invalidateCache("overview");
-    infoRegistry.getGroupData("overview");
+    if (hasTools) infoRegistry.invalidateCache("tools");
 
-    if (hasTools) {
-      infoRegistry.invalidateCache("tools");
-      infoRegistry.getGroupData("tools");
-    }
+    if (!overlayVisible) return;
+
+    infoRegistry.getGroupData("overview");
+    if (hasTools) infoRegistry.getGroupData("tools");
   }
 
   // Listen for module announcements — track and trigger reactive updates
@@ -107,16 +115,22 @@ export default function (pi: ExtensionAPI) {
    * Cache-first: opens with whatever data is cached (even empty).
    * Background: each group fetches independently, overlay re-renders reactively.
    */
-  function showOverlay(ctx: ExtensionContext): void {
+  function showOverlay(ctx: ExtensionContext, autoCloseMs?: number): void {
     ctx.ui.custom<void>(
       (tui, theme, _keybindings, done) => {
         const overlay = new InfoOverlay();
         overlay.setTheme(theme);
+        overlayVisible = true;
         overlay.onClose = () => {
+          overlayVisible = false;
           overlay.destroy();
           done();
         };
         overlay.requestRender = () => tui.requestRender();
+        // Boot dashboard dismisses itself; any keypress cancels the timer.
+        if (autoCloseMs && autoCloseMs > 0) {
+          overlay.startBootTimer(autoCloseMs);
+        }
         return {
           render: (w: number) => overlay.render(w),
           invalidate: () => overlay.invalidate(),
@@ -142,9 +156,10 @@ export default function (pi: ExtensionAPI) {
   pi.on("session_start", async (event, ctx) => {
     const settings = getInfoSettings();
 
-    if (settings.showOnBoot && event.reason === "startup") {
-      // Open immediately — cache-first, no waiting
-      showOverlay(ctx);
+    if (settings.bootMode !== "off" && event.reason === "startup") {
+      // Open immediately — cache-first, no waiting. In "auto-close" mode the
+      // overlay dismisses itself after bootTimeoutMs; any keypress cancels it.
+      showOverlay(ctx, settings.bootMode === "auto-close" ? settings.bootTimeoutMs : 0);
     }
 
     finishLoadTracking();

package/packages/info-screen/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@pi-unipi/info-screen",
-  "version": "2.2.1",
+  "version": "2.3.0",
   "description": "Dashboard and module registry for Unipi — configurable info overlay with tabbed groups",
   "type": "module",
   "main": "index.ts",
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
     "access": "public"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@pi-unipi/core": "2.2.0"
+    "@pi-unipi/core": "2.3.0"
   },
   "peerDependencies": {
     "@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent": "^0.80.0",