Run the setup script to initialize submodules and build GhosttyKit:
./scripts/setup.shAfter making code changes, always run the reload script with a tag to build the Debug app:
./scripts/reload.sh --tag fix-zsh-autosuggestionsBy default, reload.sh builds but does not launch the app. The script prints the .app path so the user can cmd-click to open it. Pass --launch to kill any existing instance and open the app automatically:
./scripts/reload.sh --tag fix-zsh-autosuggestions --launchreload.sh prints an App path: line with the absolute path to the built .app. Use that path to build a cmd-clickable file:// URL. Steps:
- Grab the path from the
App path:line inreload.shoutput. - Prepend
file://and URL-encode spaces as%20. Do not hardcode any part of the path. - Format it as a markdown link using the template for your agent type.
Example. If reload.sh output contains:
App path:
/Users/someone/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/cmux-my-tag/Build/Products/Debug/cmux DEV my-tag.app
Claude Code outputs:
=======================================================
[cmux DEV my-tag.app](file:///Users/someone/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/cmux-my-tag/Build/Products/Debug/cmux%20DEV%20my-tag.app)
=======================================================Codex outputs:
=======================================================
[my-tag: file:///Users/someone/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/cmux-my-tag/Build/Products/Debug/cmux%20DEV%20my-tag.app](file:///Users/someone/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/cmux-my-tag/Build/Products/Debug/cmux%20DEV%20my-tag.app)
=======================================================
Never use /tmp/cmux-<tag>/... app links in chat output.
After making code changes, always use reload.sh --tag to build. Never run bare xcodebuild or open an untagged cmux DEV.app. Untagged builds share the default debug socket and bundle ID with other agents, causing conflicts and stealing focus.
./scripts/reload.sh --tag <your-branch-slug>If you only need to verify the build compiles (no launch), use a tagged derivedDataPath:
xcodebuild -project GhosttyTabs.xcodeproj -scheme cmux -configuration Debug -destination 'platform=macOS' -derivedDataPath /tmp/cmux-<your-tag> buildWhen rebuilding GhosttyKit.xcframework, always use Release optimizations:
cd ghostty && zig build -Demit-xcframework=true -Dxcframework-target=universal -Doptimize=ReleaseFastWhen rebuilding cmuxd for release/bundling, always use ReleaseFast:
cd cmuxd && zig build -Doptimize=ReleaseFastreload = build the Debug app (tag required). Pass --launch to also kill existing and open:
./scripts/reload.sh --tag <tag>
./scripts/reload.sh --tag <tag> --launchreloadp = kill and launch the Release app:
./scripts/reloadp.shreloads = kill and launch the Release app as "cmux STAGING" (isolated from production cmux):
./scripts/reloads.shreload2 = reload both Debug and Release (tag required for Debug reload):
./scripts/reload2.sh --tag <tag>For parallel/isolated builds (e.g., testing a feature alongside the main app), use --tag with a short descriptive name:
./scripts/reload.sh --tag fix-blur-effectThis creates an isolated app with its own name, bundle ID, socket, and derived data path so it runs side-by-side with the main app. Important: use a non-/tmp derived data path if you need xcframework resolution (the script handles this automatically).
Before launching a new tagged run, clean up any older tags you started in this session (quit old tagged app + remove its /tmp socket/derived data).
All debug events (keys, mouse, focus, splits, tabs) go to a unified log in DEBUG builds:
tail -f "$(cat /tmp/cmux-last-debug-log-path 2>/dev/null || echo /tmp/cmux-debug.log)"-
Untagged Debug app:
/tmp/cmux-debug.log -
Tagged Debug app (
./scripts/reload.sh --tag <tag>):/tmp/cmux-debug-<tag>.log -
reload.shwrites the current path to/tmp/cmux-last-debug-log-path -
reload.shwrites the selected dev CLI path to/tmp/cmux-last-cli-path -
reload.shupdates/tmp/cmux-cliand$HOME/.local/bin/cmux-devto that CLI -
Implementation:
vendor/bonsplit/Sources/Bonsplit/Public/DebugEventLog.swift -
Free function
dlog("message")— logs with timestamp and appends to file in real time -
Entire file is
#if DEBUG; all call sites must be wrapped in#if DEBUG/#endif -
500-entry ring buffer;
DebugEventLog.shared.dump()writes full buffer to file -
Key events logged in
AppDelegate.swift(monitor, performKeyEquivalent) -
Mouse/UI events logged inline in views (ContentView, BrowserPanelView, etc.)
-
Focus events:
focus.panel,focus.bonsplit,focus.firstResponder,focus.moveFocus -
Bonsplit events:
tab.select,tab.close,tab.dragStart,tab.drop,pane.focus,pane.drop,divider.dragStart
When adding a regression test for a bug fix, use a two-commit structure so CI proves the test catches the bug:
- Commit 1: Add the failing test only (no fix). CI should go red.
- Commit 2: Add the fix. CI should go green.
This makes it visible in the GitHub PR UI (Commits tab, check statuses) that the test genuinely fails without the fix.
- Custom UTTypes for drag-and-drop must be declared in
Resources/Info.plistunderUTExportedTypeDeclarations(e.g.com.splittabbar.tabtransfer,com.cmux.sidebar-tab-reorder). - Do not add an app-level display link or manual
ghostty_surface_drawloop; rely on Ghostty wakeups/renderer to avoid typing lag. - Typing-latency-sensitive paths (read carefully before touching these areas):
WindowTerminalHostView.hitTest()inTerminalWindowPortal.swift: called on every event including keyboard. All divider/sidebar/drag routing is gated to pointer events only. Do not add work outside theisPointerEventguard.TabItemViewinContentView.swift: usesEquatableconformance +.equatable()to skip body re-evaluation during typing. Do not add@EnvironmentObject,@ObservedObject(besidestab), or@Bindingproperties without updating the==function. Do not remove.equatable()from the ForEach call site. Do not readtabManagerornotificationStorein the body; use the precomputedletparameters instead.TerminalSurface.forceRefresh()inGhosttyTerminalView.swift: called on every keystroke. Do not add allocations, file I/O, or formatting here.
- Terminal find layering contract:
SurfaceSearchOverlaymust be mounted fromGhosttySurfaceScrollViewinSources/GhosttyTerminalView.swift(AppKit portal layer), not from SwiftUI panel containers such asSources/Panels/TerminalPanelView.swift. Portal-hosted terminal views can sit above SwiftUI during split/workspace churn. - Submodule safety: When modifying a submodule (ghostty, vendor/bonsplit, etc.), always push the submodule commit to its remote
mainbranch BEFORE committing the updated pointer in the parent repo. Never commit on a detached HEAD or temporary branch — the commit will be orphaned and lost. Verify with:cd <submodule> && git merge-base --is-ancestor HEAD origin/main. - All user-facing strings must be localized. Use
String(localized: "key.name", defaultValue: "English text")for every string shown in the UI (labels, buttons, menus, dialogs, tooltips, error messages). Keys go inResources/Localizable.xcstringswith translations for all supported languages (currently English and Japanese). Never use bare string literals in SwiftUIText(),Button(), alert titles, etc.
- Do not add tests that only verify source code text, method signatures, AST fragments, or grep-style patterns.
- Do not add tests that read checked-in metadata or project files such as
Resources/Info.plist,project.pbxproj,.xcconfig, or source files only to assert that a key, string, plist entry, or snippet exists. - Tests must verify observable runtime behavior through executable paths (unit/integration/e2e/CLI), not implementation shape.
- For metadata changes, prefer verifying the built app bundle or the runtime behavior that depends on that metadata, not the checked-in source file.
- If a behavior cannot be exercised end-to-end yet, add a small runtime seam or harness first, then test through that seam.
- If no meaningful behavioral or artifact-level test is practical, skip the fake regression test and state that explicitly.
- Do not use
DispatchQueue.main.syncfor high-frequency socket telemetry commands (report_*,ports_kick, status/progress/log metadata updates). - For telemetry hot paths:
- Parse and validate arguments off-main.
- Dedupe/coalesce off-main first.
- Schedule minimal UI/model mutation with
DispatchQueue.main.asynconly when needed.
- Commands that directly manipulate AppKit/Ghostty UI state (focus/select/open/close/send key/input, list/current queries requiring exact synchronous snapshot) are allowed to run on main actor.
- If adding a new socket command, default to off-main handling; require an explicit reason in code comments when main-thread execution is necessary.
- Socket/CLI commands must not steal macOS app focus (no app activation/window raising side effects).
- Only explicit focus-intent commands may mutate in-app focus/selection (
window.focus,workspace.select/next/previous/last,surface.focus,pane.focus/last, browser focus commands, and v1 focus equivalents). - All non-focus commands should preserve current user focus context while still applying data/model changes.
Never run tests locally. All tests (E2E, UI, python socket tests) run via GitHub Actions or on the VM.
- E2E / UI tests: trigger via
gh workflow run test-e2e.yml(see cmuxterm-hq CLAUDE.md for details) - Unit tests:
xcodebuild -scheme cmux-unitis safe (no app launch), but prefer CI - Python socket tests (tests_v2/): these connect to a running cmux instance's socket. Never launch an untagged
cmux DEV.appto run them. If you must test locally, use a tagged build's socket (/tmp/cmux-debug-<tag>.sock) withCMUX_SOCKET=/tmp/cmux-debug-<tag>.sock - Never
openan untaggedcmux DEV.appfrom DerivedData. It conflicts with the user's running debug instance.
Ghostty changes must be committed in the ghostty submodule and pushed to the manaflow-ai/ghostty fork.
Keep docs/ghostty-fork.md up to date with any fork changes and conflict notes.
cd ghostty
git remote -v # origin = upstream, manaflow = fork
git checkout -b <branch>
git add <files>
git commit -m "..."
git push manaflow <branch>To keep the fork up to date with upstream:
cd ghostty
git fetch origin
git checkout main
git merge origin/main
git push manaflow mainThen update the parent repo with the new submodule SHA:
cd ..
git add ghostty
git commit -m "Update ghostty submodule"Use the /release command to prepare a new release. This will:
- Determine the new version (bumps minor by default)
- Gather commits since the last tag and update the changelog
- Update
CHANGELOG.md(the docs changelog page atweb/app/docs/changelog/page.tsxreads from it) - Run
./scripts/bump-version.shto update both versions - Commit, tag, and push
Version bumping:
./scripts/bump-version.sh # bump minor (0.15.0 → 0.16.0)
./scripts/bump-version.sh patch # bump patch (0.15.0 → 0.15.1)
./scripts/bump-version.sh major # bump major (0.15.0 → 1.0.0)
./scripts/bump-version.sh 1.0.0 # set specific versionThis updates both MARKETING_VERSION and CURRENT_PROJECT_VERSION (build number). The build number is auto-incremented and is required for Sparkle auto-update to work.
Manual release steps (if not using the command):
git tag vX.Y.Z
git push origin vX.Y.Z
gh run watch --repo manaflow-ai/cmuxNotes:
- Requires GitHub secrets:
APPLE_CERTIFICATE_BASE64,APPLE_CERTIFICATE_PASSWORD,APPLE_SIGNING_IDENTITY,APPLE_ID,APPLE_APP_SPECIFIC_PASSWORD,APPLE_TEAM_ID. - The release asset is
cmux-macos.dmgattached to the tag. - README download button points to
releases/latest/download/cmux-macos.dmg. - Versioning: bump the minor version for updates unless explicitly asked otherwise.
- Changelog: update
CHANGELOG.md; docs changelog is rendered from it.