aiden-runtime 4.8.0 → 4.9.0

package/dist/cli/v4/commands/recovery.js

@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ function pad(value, width) {
 }
 exports.recovery = {
     name: 'recovery',
-    description: 'Inspect recurring failure patterns + recoveries (v4.6 Phase 3b).',
+    description: 'Inspect recurring failure patterns + recoveries.',
     category: 'system',
     icon: '🩹',
     handler: async (ctx) => {

package/dist/cli/v4/commands/skin.js

@@ -7,6 +7,13 @@ exports.skin = {
     category: 'system',
     icon: '🎨',
     handler: async (ctx) => {
+        // v4.9.0 Slice 1a — /skin is now an alias for the new /theme system.
+        // The legacy color skins (~/.aiden/skins/*.yaml, RGB-tuple format)
+        // continue to work alongside the new theme system; /skin still
+        // manages the SkinEngine palette. Theme tokens (panel chrome,
+        // status footer glyphs, shimmer) are controlled by /theme.
+        ctx.display.warn('/skin is deprecated in v4.9 — use /theme for full visual customisation. ' +
+            '/skin continues to work for legacy colour skins.');
         const engine = ctx.skin;
         if (!engine) {
             ctx.display.warn('Skin engine not wired in this context.');

package/dist/cli/v4/commands/theme.js

@@ -0,0 +1,217 @@
+"use strict";
+var __importDefault = (this && this.__importDefault) || function (mod) {
+    return (mod && mod.__esModule) ? mod : { "default": mod };
+};
+Object.defineProperty(exports, "__esModule", { value: true });
+exports.theme = void 0;
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2026 Shiva Deore (Taracod).
+ * Licensed under AGPL-3.0. See LICENSE for details.
+ *
+ * Aiden — local-first agent.
+ */
+/**
+ * cli/v4/commands/theme.ts — v4.9.0 Slice 1a.
+ *
+ * `/theme`              show current theme name + path + hint
+ * `/theme reload`       force re-read of ~/.aiden/theme.yaml
+ * `/theme reset`        delete ~/.aiden/theme.yaml, restore baseline
+ * `/theme edit`         print ~/.aiden/theme.yaml path
+ *
+ * `/theme list` and `/theme set <name>` ship in Slice 1b alongside
+ * the remaining 4 bundled themes.
+ */
+const node_fs_1 = require("node:fs");
+const node_path_1 = __importDefault(require("node:path"));
+const themeLoader_1 = require("../../../core/v4/theme/themeLoader");
+const themeRegistry_1 = require("../../../core/v4/theme/themeRegistry");
+const bundledThemes_1 = require("../../../core/v4/theme/bundledThemes");
+function themeFilePath(ctx) {
+    const root = ctx.paths?.root;
+    if (!root)
+        return null;
+    return node_path_1.default.join(root, 'theme.yaml');
+}
+function userThemesDir(ctx) {
+    const root = ctx.paths?.root;
+    if (!root)
+        return null;
+    return node_path_1.default.join(root, 'themes');
+}
+function listUserThemes(dir) {
+    if (!dir || !(0, node_fs_1.existsSync)(dir))
+        return [];
+    try {
+        return (0, node_fs_1.readdirSync)(dir)
+            .filter((f) => f.endsWith('.yaml'))
+            .map((f) => {
+            const name = f.replace(/\.yaml$/, '');
+            let description = '';
+            try {
+                const yaml = (0, node_fs_1.readFileSync)(node_path_1.default.join(dir, f), 'utf8');
+                const { parsed } = (0, themeLoader_1.parseThemeYaml)(yaml);
+                description = parsed?.description ?? '';
+            }
+            catch { /* tolerate unreadable */ }
+            return { name, description };
+        });
+    }
+    catch {
+        return [];
+    }
+}
+exports.theme = {
+    name: 'theme',
+    description: 'Show, reload, reset, or open the user theme.yaml.',
+    category: 'system',
+    icon: '🎨',
+    handler: async (ctx) => {
+        const sub = ctx.rawArgs.trim();
+        const themePath = themeFilePath(ctx);
+        if (sub === '' || sub === 'show') {
+            const current = (0, themeRegistry_1.getCurrentName)();
+            const active = (0, themeRegistry_1.getActivePath)();
+            ctx.display.info(`Active theme: ${current}`);
+            if (active) {
+                ctx.display.info(`Source: ${active}`);
+            }
+            else if (themePath) {
+                ctx.display.info(`No user theme.yaml at ${themePath} — using bundled default.`);
+            }
+            ctx.display.info('Use /theme list, /theme set <name>, /theme reload, /theme reset, or /theme edit.');
+            return {};
+        }
+        if (sub === 'list') {
+            const current = (0, themeRegistry_1.getCurrentName)();
+            const bundled = (0, bundledThemes_1.listBundled)();
+            const userDir = userThemesDir(ctx);
+            const userList = listUserThemes(userDir);
+            ctx.display.info(`Active theme: ${current}`);
+            ctx.display.info('Available themes:');
+            const labelW = Math.max(...bundled.map((b) => b.name.length), ...userList.map((u) => u.name.length), 4);
+            for (const b of bundled) {
+                const marker = b.name === current ? '●' : '○';
+                const padded = b.name.padEnd(labelW);
+                ctx.display.info(`  ${marker} ${padded}  (bundled)  ${b.description}`);
+            }
+            for (const u of userList) {
+                const marker = u.name === current ? '●' : '○';
+                const padded = u.name.padEnd(labelW);
+                ctx.display.info(`  ${marker} ${padded}  (user)     ${u.description}`);
+            }
+            if (bundled.length === 0 && userList.length === 0) {
+                ctx.display.warn('No themes found. Reinstall aiden-runtime or use /theme edit to author one.');
+            }
+            return {};
+        }
+        if (sub.startsWith('set ') || sub === 'set') {
+            const name = sub.replace(/^set\s*/, '').trim();
+            if (!name) {
+                ctx.display.printError('Usage: /theme set <name>', `Try one of: ${bundledThemes_1.BUNDLED_NAMES.join(', ')} or /theme list for full options.`);
+                return {};
+            }
+            if (!themePath) {
+                ctx.display.warn('/theme set needs Aiden user-data paths — try in a real session.');
+                return {};
+            }
+            // Resolution order: bundled → user themes/ dir.
+            let yamlText = null;
+            let sourceLabel = '';
+            if ((0, bundledThemes_1.isBundled)(name)) {
+                yamlText = (0, bundledThemes_1.getYaml)(name);
+                sourceLabel = 'bundled';
+            }
+            if (!yamlText) {
+                const userDir = userThemesDir(ctx);
+                if (userDir) {
+                    const userFile = node_path_1.default.join(userDir, `${name}.yaml`);
+                    if ((0, node_fs_1.existsSync)(userFile)) {
+                        try {
+                            yamlText = (0, node_fs_1.readFileSync)(userFile, 'utf8');
+                            sourceLabel = 'user';
+                        }
+                        catch { /* fall through to not-found */ }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            if (!yamlText) {
+                ctx.display.printError(`Theme not found: "${name}"`, `Available bundled: ${bundledThemes_1.BUNDLED_NAMES.join(', ')}. Or create ~/.aiden/themes/${name}.yaml.`);
+                return {};
+            }
+            // Copy to ~/.aiden/theme.yaml and apply immediately (don't wait
+            // for the chokidar watcher debounce — slash-command-driven
+            // changes should feel instant).
+            try {
+                (0, node_fs_1.mkdirSync)(node_path_1.default.dirname(themePath), { recursive: true });
+                (0, node_fs_1.writeFileSync)(themePath, yamlText, 'utf8');
+            }
+            catch (err) {
+                ctx.display.printError(`Could not write ${themePath}: ${err.message}`, 'Check filesystem permissions and try again.');
+                return {};
+            }
+            const { parsed, warnings } = (0, themeLoader_1.parseThemeYaml)(yamlText);
+            for (const w of warnings)
+                ctx.display.warn(`theme: ${w}`);
+            if (parsed) {
+                (0, themeRegistry_1.applyTheme)(parsed, themePath);
+                ctx.display.success(`✓ Theme set to ${name} (${sourceLabel}). Run /theme reset to revert to default.`);
+            }
+            else {
+                ctx.display.printError(`Theme "${name}" parsed empty; current theme retained.`, 'Check the warnings above for the specific YAML / hex error.');
+            }
+            return {};
+        }
+        if (sub === 'reload') {
+            if (!themePath) {
+                ctx.display.warn('/theme reload needs Aiden user-data paths — try in a real session.');
+                return {};
+            }
+            if (!(0, node_fs_1.existsSync)(themePath)) {
+                ctx.display.warn(`No theme file at ${themePath}. Use /theme edit to create one.`);
+                return {};
+            }
+            const { parsed, warnings } = (0, themeLoader_1.loadThemeFile)(themePath);
+            for (const w of warnings)
+                ctx.display.warn(`theme: ${w}`);
+            if (parsed) {
+                (0, themeRegistry_1.applyTheme)(parsed, themePath);
+                ctx.display.success(`Theme reloaded: ${parsed.name}`);
+            }
+            else {
+                ctx.display.printError('Theme parse failed; current theme retained.', 'Check the warnings above for the specific YAML / hex error.');
+            }
+            return {};
+        }
+        if (sub === 'reset') {
+            if (!themePath) {
+                ctx.display.warn('/theme reset needs Aiden user-data paths — try in a real session.');
+                return {};
+            }
+            if ((0, node_fs_1.existsSync)(themePath)) {
+                try {
+                    (0, node_fs_1.unlinkSync)(themePath);
+                }
+                catch (err) {
+                    ctx.display.warn(`Could not delete ${themePath}: ${err.message}`);
+                    return {};
+                }
+            }
+            (0, themeRegistry_1.resetToDefault)();
+            ctx.display.success('Theme reset to bundled default.');
+            return {};
+        }
+        if (sub === 'edit') {
+            if (!themePath) {
+                ctx.display.warn('/theme edit needs Aiden user-data paths — try in a real session.');
+                return {};
+            }
+            ctx.display.info(`Theme file: ${themePath}`);
+            if (!(0, node_fs_1.existsSync)(themePath)) {
+                ctx.display.info('File does not exist yet. Create it with your editor; Aiden hot-reloads on save.');
+            }
+            return {};
+        }
+        ctx.display.printError(`Unknown /theme subcommand: ${sub}`, 'Available: /theme | /theme list | /theme set <name> | /theme reload | /theme reset | /theme edit');
+        return {};
+    },
+};

package/dist/cli/v4/commands/trigger.js

@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ async function runAddEmail(db, argv, out, err) {
     out(`poll interval: ${spec.pollIntervalMs}ms\n`);
     out(`allow-senders: ${spec.allowedSenders.join(', ')}\n`);
     out(`⚠ Password stored in plaintext in daemon.db (chmod 600 on POSIX,\n`);
-    out(`  user-private on Windows). Encryption-at-rest is deferred to v4.6+.\n`);
+    out(`  user-private on Windows). Encryption-at-rest is deferred to a future release.\n`);
     out(`Restart the daemon to activate the trigger.\n`);
     // Note: runAddEmail returns a Promise<number>, so the outer switch must
     // await it. (Already handled — runTriggerSubcommand is async.)

package/dist/cli/v4/commands/update.js

@@ -78,14 +78,26 @@ async function runInstall(ctx) {
         return;
     }
     ctx.display.write(`Installing aiden-runtime v${status.latest} (current: v${status.installed})…\n`);
-    const result = await (0, executeInstall_1.executeInstall)();
+    // v4.8.1 Slice 2 — reuse the v4.8.0 sliding-block shimmer indicator
+    // so the user sees motion while npm install runs (typically 5–15s
+    // on a warm cache, longer on cold). The indicator paints to a TTY
+    // only — non-TTY callers (CI, pipes) see the static "Installing…"
+    // line above and the result row below, no shimmer.
+    const indicator = ctx.display.activityIndicator('updating');
+    let result;
+    try {
+        result = await (0, executeInstall_1.executeInstall)();
+    }
+    finally {
+        indicator.stop();
+    }
     if (result.success) {
         const v = result.installedVersion ?? status.latest;
         ctx.display.write(`\n  ✓ aiden-runtime v${v} installed.\n`);
         ctx.display.dim('Restart Aiden to apply: type /quit then re-run `aiden`.');
         return;
     }
-    ctx.display.warn(result.error ?? 'Install failed (no error message).');
+    ctx.display.write(`\n  ✗ Update failed: ${result.error ?? 'no error message'}\n`);
 }
 // ── v4.5 update system — skip + auto subcommands ───────────────────────────
 async function runSkip(ctx) {

package/dist/cli/v4/design/tokens.js

@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@
  * isVerbose() reads env at call time (Ollama-options precedent).
  */
 Object.defineProperty(exports, "__esModule", { value: true });
-exports.VERBOSE_MODE_ENV = exports.spacing = exports.glyphs = exports.colors = exports.TRAIL_PIPE = void 0;
+exports.VERBOSE_MODE_ENV = exports.spacing = exports.BASELINE_GLYPHS = exports.BASELINE_COLORS = exports.glyphs = exports.colors = exports.TRAIL_PIPE = void 0;
+exports._restoreBaselineForTokens = _restoreBaselineForTokens;
 exports.isVerbose = isVerbose;
 // Re-export so consumers can import the trail gutter from tokens
 // alongside the rest of the design system. The original constant
@@ -24,6 +25,20 @@ exports.isVerbose = isVerbose;
 // that imports from `display/toolTrail` directly.
 var toolTrail_1 = require("../display/toolTrail");
 Object.defineProperty(exports, "TRAIL_PIPE", { enumerable: true, get: function () { return toolTrail_1.TRAIL_PIPE; } });
+/**
+ * v4.9.0 Slice 1a — `colors` and `glyphs` were previously exported with
+ * `as const` (frozen literal-typed object). They are now mutable
+ * singletons so the ThemeRegistry can swap values at runtime when a
+ * user theme is loaded from `~/.aiden/theme.yaml`. Every existing
+ * consumer (`import { colors, glyphs } from '../design/tokens'`)
+ * continues to work because property reads now reflect the LIVE
+ * current values.
+ *
+ * `BASELINE_COLORS` / `BASELINE_GLYPHS` are deep-frozen snapshots
+ * captured at module load. The registry's `resetToDefault()` restores
+ * from these. Consumers that need the unmodified default (e.g. tests)
+ * can import these directly.
+ */
 // ── Colors ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 /**
  * Hex color tokens. Mirrors skinEngine RGB tuples for existing kinds;
@@ -119,9 +134,9 @@ exports.glyphs = {
         dotOpen: '○',
         /** Status footer column separator. */
         sep: '│',
-        /** Slice 7 — turn counter prefix. Slice 9 hotfix: glyph dropped
-         *  entirely. The bare colored number (purple `metric_turn` kind)
-         *  carries the meaning, matching the timer pattern. */
+        /** Turn counter retired per v4.9.0 pre-ship UX feedback —
+         *  value-to-pixel ratio too low. Field kept (empty) so the
+         *  token-table shape stays stable for downstream consumers. */
         turn: '',
         /** Slice 7 — session timer prefix. Slice 9 hotfix: `⌛` (U+231B
          *  HOURGLASS WITH FLOWING SAND) restored. The font set Shiva
@@ -224,6 +239,39 @@ exports.glyphs = {
         track: '─',
     },
 };
+/**
+ * Deep-frozen snapshots of the baseline values, captured at module
+ * load. The ThemeRegistry uses these to reset to defaults via
+ * `resetToDefault()`, and tests can import them as the source of
+ * truth even after a user theme has been applied to the mutable
+ * `colors` / `glyphs` exports above.
+ */
+function deepFreeze(o) {
+    if (o === null || typeof o !== 'object')
+        return o;
+    for (const k of Object.keys(o)) {
+        deepFreeze(o[k]);
+    }
+    return Object.freeze(o);
+}
+function deepClone(o) {
+    if (o === null || typeof o !== 'object')
+        return o;
+    if (Array.isArray(o))
+        return o.map(deepClone);
+    const out = {};
+    for (const k of Object.keys(o)) {
+        out[k] = deepClone(o[k]);
+    }
+    return out;
+}
+exports.BASELINE_COLORS = deepFreeze(deepClone(exports.colors));
+exports.BASELINE_GLYPHS = deepFreeze(deepClone(exports.glyphs));
+/** Used by ThemeRegistry to restore baseline values into the live singletons. */
+function _restoreBaselineForTokens() {
+    Object.assign(exports.colors, deepClone(exports.BASELINE_COLORS));
+    Object.assign(exports.glyphs, deepClone(exports.BASELINE_GLYPHS));
+}
 // ── Spacing ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 /**
  * Integer spacing tokens. 0-indexed column counts; subagent depth

package/dist/cli/v4/display.js

@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ exports.iconForTool = iconForTool;
 exports.detectConfiguredChannels = detectConfiguredChannels;
 exports.summarizeConfiguredChannels = summarizeConfiguredChannels;
 exports.summarizeChannelState = summarizeChannelState;
+exports.computeContextBarFill = computeContextBarFill;
+exports.renderContextBar = renderContextBar;
 exports.voiceIndicator = voiceIndicator;
 exports.makeNoOpToolRowHandle = makeNoOpToolRowHandle;
 exports.previewToolArgs = previewToolArgs;
@@ -214,6 +216,22 @@ const AIDEN_BANNER = String.raw `
 ██║  ██║██║██████╔╝███████╗██║ ╚████║
 ╚═╝  ╚═╝╚═╝╚═════╝ ╚══════╝╚═╝  ╚═══╝
 `;
+/**
+ * v4.9.0 pre-ship UI hotfix — pure context-bar helpers. Extracted
+ * for testability + to fix the "always empty" symptom. Scale:
+ * 0% → 0 cells, 1-19% → 1, 20-39% → 2, 40-59% → 3, 60-79% → 4,
+ * 80-100% → 5. `renderContextBar` returns the glyph array.
+ */
+function computeContextBarFill(pct, barW = 5) {
+    if (pct <= 0)
+        return 0;
+    if (pct >= 100)
+        return barW;
+    return Math.min(barW, Math.floor(pct / 20) + 1);
+}
+function renderContextBar(filled, barW = 5) {
+    return Array.from({ length: barW }, (_, i) => i < filled ? tokens_1.glyphs.bar.filled : tokens_1.glyphs.bar.empty);
+}
 class Display {
     constructor(opts = {}) {
         // ── Phase 16c: streaming surface ─────────────────────────────────────
@@ -605,23 +623,23 @@ class Display {
     statusFooter(args) {
         const sk = this.skin;
         const SEP = sk.applyColors(' │ ', 'muted');
-        const tri = this.triangle();
-        // v4.8.0 Slice 7 hotfix #2 — per-metric accent palette.
-        // Model: cyan (tool kind). Token counts: amber (warn). Bar/pct:
-        // semantic tier. Turn: purple (metric_turn). Timer: teal (success).
-        const provModel = `${tri} ${sk.applyColors(args.provider, 'muted')}` +
+        // v4.9.0 pre-ship UI hotfix — dropped the leading `▲` from
+        // provModel (prompt `▲` owns the marker; footer `▲` read as
+        // a duplicate orphan). Slice 7 per-metric palette preserved.
+        const provModel = `${sk.applyColors(args.provider, 'muted')}` +
             `${sk.applyColors(' · ', 'muted')}` +
             sk.applyColors(args.model, 'tool');
         const pct = args.ctxMax > 0
             ? Math.min(100, Math.round((args.ctxUsed / args.ctxMax) * 100))
             : 0;
-        // 5-cell bar with single-space separators — reads as discrete dots
-        // rather than a continuous line. Total visible width ≈ 9 cells,
-        // similar to the prior 10-cell solid bar so 80-col tier stays tight.
+        // v4.9.0 pre-ship UI hotfix — bar math extracted to
+        // `computeContextBarFill` (1 cell per 20% bucket, ≥1 when any
+        // context used). Old `Math.round(pct/100 * barW)` floored to 0
+        // below ~10% so the bar stayed empty all session at typical use.
         const barW = 5;
-        const filled = Math.round((pct / 100) * barW);
+        const filled = computeContextBarFill(pct, barW);
         const ctxKind = pct < 60 ? 'success' : pct < 85 ? 'warn' : 'error';
-        const cells = Array.from({ length: barW }, (_, i) => i < filled ? tokens_1.glyphs.bar.filled : tokens_1.glyphs.bar.empty);
+        const cells = renderContextBar(filled, barW);
         const bar = sk.applyColors(cells.join(' '), ctxKind);
         const ctxRatio = sk.applyColors(`${formatCompactTokens(args.ctxUsed)}/${formatCompactTokens(args.ctxMax)}`, 'warn');
         const ctxPctText = sk.applyColors(`${pct}%`, ctxKind);
@@ -638,12 +656,10 @@ class Display {
         const stateDot = args.state
             ? sk.applyColors(tokens_1.glyphs.status.dot, this.stateKind(args.state))
             : '';
-        // v4.8.0 Slice 9 hotfix — turn glyph dropped; bare colored number
-        // matches the timer pattern. Color alone (purple metric_turn)
-        // carries the semantic.
-        const turnSeg = args.turnCount !== undefined
-            ? sk.applyColors(String(args.turnCount), 'metric_turn')
-            : '';
+        // v4.9.0 pre-ship UI: turn counter retired entirely — value-to-pixel
+        // ratio too low. `args.turnCount` stays in the signature for caller
+        // back-compat; ignored here.
+        void args.turnCount;
         // v4.8.0 Slice 9 hotfix — ⌛ restored ahead of the bare elapsed
         // string. Wider font support than the retired ⏱. `sessionMs` arg
         // stays plumbed-but-unused for backward compat with the field name.
@@ -654,14 +670,17 @@ class Display {
         const ctxSegFull = `${ctxRatio} ${bar} ${ctxPctText}`;
         const ctxSegCompact = `${bar} ${ctxPctText}`;
         let segments;
-        if (cols >= 120 && stateDot && turnSeg && sessionSeg) {
-            segments = [provModel, ctxSegFull, turnSeg, sessionSeg, stateDot];
+        if (cols >= 120 && stateDot && sessionSeg) {
+            segments = [provModel, ctxSegFull, sessionSeg, stateDot];
         }
-        else if (cols >= 100 && turnSeg) {
-            segments = [provModel, ctxSegFull, turnSeg, elapsed];
+        else if (cols >= 100) {
+            // v4.8.1 Slice 2 hotfix — sessionSeg keeps the ⌛ identity glyph
+            // (single-cell, cheap) even at this tier. v4.9.0 pre-ship UI:
+            // turn counter retired; mid tier collapses to 2 separators.
+            segments = [provModel, ctxSegFull, sessionSeg || elapsed];
         }
         else {
-            segments = [provModel, ctxSegCompact, elapsed];
+            segments = [provModel, ctxSegCompact, sessionSeg || elapsed];
         }
         return `  ${segments.join(SEP)}`;
     }
@@ -892,6 +911,13 @@ class Display {
         let stopped = false;
         let printed = false;
         let tickTimer = null;
+        // v4.8.1 Slice 2 hotfix #4 — true once the indicator has paused
+        // and resumed at least once (i.e. a tool row interrupted it). When
+        // false at stop() time, the indicator is still in its initial-paint
+        // row immediately below the leading blank, so stop()'s erase can
+        // safely consume BOTH rows. When true, the leading blank is far
+        // above and stop() erases only the current indicator row.
+        let movedFromInitial = false;
         // Tunable cadence. v4.1.4 Phase 3b' (Issue G): bumped from 400ms
         // to 250ms after visual smoke — 400ms felt sluggish, made the
         // indicator look static between seconds. 250ms gives ~4 dot
@@ -951,7 +977,12 @@ class Display {
                 : '';
             // Shimmer prefix (or none, when opts.waveBar === false).
             const prefix = shimmerEnabled ? `${buildShimmer()} ` : '';
-            return `${prefix}${verb}${dots.padEnd(3, ' ')}${elapsedStr}`;
+            // v4.8.1 Slice 2 hotfix #4 — 2-space leading indent so the
+            // indicator line aligns at col 2, matching `▎ Aiden`, the
+            // user-prompt `  ▲ `, the panel `  │ ` bar, and every other
+            // structured surface. Prior buildLine started at col 0 which
+            // read as misaligned against the rest of the v4.8 chrome.
+            return `  ${prefix}${verb}${dots.padEnd(3, ' ')}${elapsedStr}`;
         };
         // v4.1.5 Part 1a — Issue M (Windows ConPTY buffering fix).
         //
@@ -1014,12 +1045,16 @@ class Display {
                 return;
             out.write(`${ANSI_UP_ERASE}\n`);
         };
-        // Initial paint — only on TTY. v4.8.0 Slice 11 — prepend a blank
-        // `\n` so the indicator gets one visible row of breathing space
-        // above it. Prior behaviour butted the indicator flush against
-        // the user-prompt row, which read as cramped. The trailing `\n`
-        // on the verb row sits the cursor below the indicator, ready
-        // for the first tick to walk back up.
+        // Initial paint — only on TTY.
+        //
+        // v4.8.1 Slice 2 hotfix #4 — leading `\n` restored to give one
+        // blank row between the user-input row and the indicator (hotfix
+        // #3 dropped the dim rule that previously provided that gap).
+        // To keep the post-stop layout at "exactly one blank between
+        // user input and ▎ Aiden", stop() now walks up TWO rows when
+        // the indicator never moved (no pause/resume), consuming both
+        // the indicator row AND the leading blank. The `movedFromInitial`
+        // flag below tracks that state.
         if (isTty) {
             out.write(`\n${buildLine()}\n`);
             printed = true;
@@ -1031,6 +1066,12 @@ class Display {
                     return;
                 paused = true;
                 stopTick();
+                // v4.8.1 Slice 2 hotfix #4 — mark the indicator as "moved" so
+                // a subsequent stop() does NOT walk up 2 rows. The leading
+                // blank from initial paint is now far above the current row
+                // and shouldn't be consumed; doing so would erase tool-row
+                // content instead.
+                movedFromInitial = true;
                 eraseLine();
                 // After erase the cursor is at column 0 of the indicator's
                 // (now empty) line. Caller is expected to write its own
@@ -1071,7 +1112,20 @@ class Display {
                     return;
                 stopped = true;
                 stopTick();
-                eraseLine();
+                // v4.8.1 Slice 2 hotfix #4 — when the indicator never moved
+                // (no pause/resume happened during the turn), walk up TWO
+                // rows: erase the indicator row AND the leading blank above
+                // it. The trailing `\n` then lands the cursor exactly one
+                // row below the user-input echo, so the next writer
+                // (agentHeader → ▎ Aiden) produces a clean single-blank gap.
+                if (!printed || !isTty)
+                    return;
+                if (movedFromInitial) {
+                    out.write(`${ANSI_UP_ERASE}\n`);
+                }
+                else {
+                    out.write(`${ANSI_UP_ERASE}${ANSI_UP_ERASE}\n`);
+                }
             },
             isPaused: () => paused,
             isStopped: () => stopped,
@@ -2051,23 +2105,25 @@ class Display {
         this.out.write(this.uiTrailRow(`${ok ? '✓' : '✗'} ${framework}: ${parts.join(', ')}${dur}`, ok ? 'success' : 'error'));
         this.streamLastEndedNewline = true;
     }
-    renderUiApprovalRequest(args) {
-        const prompt = typeof args.prompt === 'string' ? args.prompt : '';
-        if (!prompt)
-            return;
-        const riskTier = typeof args.risk_tier === 'string' ? args.risk_tier : 'medium';
-        const reason = typeof args.reason === 'string' ? args.reason : '';
-        this.commitStreamChunk();
-        const kind = riskTier === 'low' ? 'success'
-            : (riskTier === 'high' || riskTier === 'critical') ? 'error' : 'warn';
-        const shortP = prompt.length > 160 ? prompt.slice(0, 159) + '…' : prompt;
-        let out = this.uiTrailRow(`⚠ Approval needed: ${shortP}`, kind);
-        if (reason) {
-            const shortR = reason.length > 200 ? reason.slice(0, 199) + '…' : reason;
-            out += this.uiTrailRow(`  ${shortR}`, 'muted');
-        }
-        this.out.write(out);
-        this.streamLastEndedNewline = true;
+    renderUiApprovalRequest(_args) {
+        // v4.8.1 Slice 1 — silent no-op. The Phase 2.5 wiring fires both
+        // `ui_approval_request` (this method) AND `callbacks.promptApproval`
+        // (which paints the framed approval panel via `renderApprovalBox`)
+        // for every single approval request. The intent was complementary —
+        // succinct event row above, structured kv panel below — but in live
+        // smoke the two surfaces stack as a visual duplicate ("Approval
+        // needed: file_write {...}" event row + "│ tool / │ reason / │ args"
+        // panel). The panel is the canonical, information-rich surface; this
+        // event-row paint is redundant.
+        //
+        // Behavioural change is renderer-side only: `approvalEngine` still
+        // fires `onUiEvent('ui_approval_request', ...)` so any future
+        // telemetry / daemon-side run_events subscriber will still see the
+        // event. Nothing paints to the chat surface from this method.
+        //
+        // The `_args` parameter is retained for the dispatch signature
+        // contract (`renderUiEvent` calls it positionally) and for the day
+        // we re-introduce a single-paint surface keyed off args.risk_tier.
     }
     renderUiToast(args) {
         const message = typeof args.message === 'string' ? args.message : '';