fix(terminal): reconcile tabs with server sessions and keep shown terminals alive

The tab list lived only in per-tab sessionStorage, so a new browser
tab, another device, or cleared storage showed an empty terminal
sidebar while PTYs kept running server-side, and orphans leaked until
the idle sweep. Add GET /api/terminal/sessions and adopt unknown
server sessions into the local tab projection (additive only; a failed
listing changes nothing).

The idle sweep also reaped terminals in background tabs because only
the active tab holds a WebSocket attachment. Add POST
/api/terminal/touch and have open clients periodically refresh
activity for every session their tabs reference.

packages/ui/src/components/views/TerminalView.tsx

@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ export const TerminalView: React.FC<TerminalViewProps> = ({ visible }) => {
     const setActiveTab = useTerminalStore((s) => s.setActiveTab);
     const closeTab = useTerminalStore((s) => s.closeTab);
     const setTabSessionId = useTerminalStore((s) => s.setTabSessionId);
+    const adoptServerSessions = useTerminalStore((s) => s.adoptServerSessions);
     const setTabLifecycle = useTerminalStore((s) => s.setTabLifecycle);
     const setConnecting = useTerminalStore((s) => s.setConnecting);
     const appendToBuffer = useTerminalStore((s) => s.appendToBuffer);
@@ -176,6 +177,50 @@ export const TerminalView: React.FC<TerminalViewProps> = ({ visible }) => {
         directoryRef.current = effectiveDirectory;
     }, [effectiveDirectory]);
 
+    // The tab list is a per-client projection, so ask the server what actually
+    // exists for this directory and adopt sessions no local tab references
+    // (another device, a fresh browser tab, or a reload with cleared storage).
+    // A failed listing changes nothing: adoption is additive only.
+    React.useEffect(() => {
+        if (!terminalHydrated || !effectiveDirectory || !terminal.listSessions) {
+            return;
+        }
+        let cancelled = false;
+        const directory = effectiveDirectory;
+        void terminal.listSessions(directory)
+            .then((serverSessions) => {
+                if (cancelled || directoryRef.current !== directory) return;
+                adoptServerSessions(directory, serverSessions);
+            })
+            .catch(() => { /* keep local tabs; the next mount or directory switch retries */ });
+        return () => {
+            cancelled = true;
+        };
+    }, [terminalHydrated, effectiveDirectory, terminal, adoptServerSessions]);
+
+    // The server reaps terminals with no attached socket after an idle timeout,
+    // but only the active tab holds an attachment. While this client is open,
+    // periodically mark every session its tabs reference as active so
+    // background tabs (and other directories' terminals) are not reaped.
+    React.useEffect(() => {
+        if (!terminal.touchSessions) {
+            return;
+        }
+        const touch = () => {
+            if (typeof navigator !== 'undefined' && !navigator.onLine) return;
+            const ids: string[] = [];
+            for (const dirState of useTerminalStore.getState().sessions.values()) {
+                for (const tab of dirState.tabs) {
+                    if (tab.terminalSessionId) ids.push(tab.terminalSessionId);
+                }
+            }
+            if (ids.length > 0) void terminal.touchSessions?.(ids).catch(() => {});
+        };
+        touch();
+        const interval = setInterval(touch, 10 * 60 * 1000);
+        return () => clearInterval(interval);
+    }, [terminal]);
+
     React.useEffect(() => {
         if (!showQuickKeys && activeModifier !== null) {
             setActiveModifier(null);

packages/ui/src/lib/api/types.ts

@@ -80,8 +80,19 @@ export interface ForceKillOptions {
   cwd?: string;
 }
 
+export interface TerminalServerSession {
+  sessionId: string;
+  cwd: string;
+  status: 'running' | 'exited';
+  createdAt: number | null;
+}
+
 export interface TerminalAPI {
   listShells?(): Promise<TerminalShellOption[]>;
+  /** Server-side sessions for a working directory; absent on runtimes without a server terminal list. */
+  listSessions?(cwd: string): Promise<TerminalServerSession[]>;
+  /** Marks the sessions as active so the server's idle sweep does not reap terminals an open client still shows. */
+  touchSessions?(sessionIds: string[]): Promise<void>;
   createSession(options: CreateTerminalOptions): Promise<TerminalSession>;
   connect(sessionId: string, handlers: TerminalHandlers): Subscription;
   sendInput(sessionId: string, input: string): Promise<void>;

packages/ui/src/lib/terminalApi.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import type { CreateTerminalOptions, TerminalError, TerminalHandlers, TerminalSession, TerminalShellOption, TerminalStreamEvent } from './api/types';
+import type { CreateTerminalOptions, TerminalError, TerminalHandlers, TerminalServerSession, TerminalSession, TerminalShellOption, TerminalStreamEvent } from './api/types';
 import { openRuntimeWebSocket } from './relay/runtime-socket';
 import type { RelayTunnelWebSocket } from './relay/tunnel-client';
 import { runtimeFetch } from './runtime-fetch';
@@ -356,6 +356,32 @@ export async function createTerminalSession(options: CreateTerminalOptions): Pro
   if (!response.ok) throw await responseError(response, 'Failed to create terminal session');
   return response.json() as Promise<TerminalSession>;
 }
+export async function listTerminalSessions(cwd: string): Promise<TerminalServerSession[]> {
+  const response = await runtimeFetch(`/api/terminal/sessions?cwd=${encodeURIComponent(cwd)}`);
+  if (!response.ok) throw await responseError(response, 'Failed to list terminal sessions');
+  const payload: unknown = await response.json().catch(() => null);
+  const rawSessions = payload && typeof payload === 'object' && 'sessions' in payload ? payload.sessions : null;
+  if (!Array.isArray(rawSessions)) throw new Error('Failed to list terminal sessions');
+  const parsed: TerminalServerSession[] = [];
+  for (const entry of rawSessions as unknown[]) {
+    if (typeof entry !== 'object' || entry === null) continue;
+    // SAFETY: every field is verified below before the value is used.
+    const candidate = entry as Partial<Record<keyof TerminalServerSession, unknown>>;
+    if (typeof candidate.sessionId !== 'string' || typeof candidate.cwd !== 'string') continue;
+    if (candidate.status !== 'running' && candidate.status !== 'exited') continue;
+    parsed.push({
+      sessionId: candidate.sessionId,
+      cwd: candidate.cwd,
+      status: candidate.status,
+      createdAt: typeof candidate.createdAt === 'number' ? candidate.createdAt : null,
+    });
+  }
+  return parsed;
+}
+export async function touchTerminalSessions(sessionIds: string[]): Promise<void> {
+  if (sessionIds.length === 0) return;
+  await command('/api/terminal/touch', 'POST', { sessionIds });
+}
 export async function listTerminalShells(): Promise<TerminalShellOption[]> {
   const response = await runtimeFetch('/api/terminal/shells');
   if (!response.ok) throw await responseError(response, 'Failed to list terminal shells');

packages/ui/src/stores/useTerminalStore.test.ts

@@ -12,6 +12,47 @@ const buffer = (tabId: string) => useTerminalStore.getState().getBuffer('/repo',
 describe('terminal state reconciliation', () => {
   afterEach(() => useTerminalStore.getState().clearAll());
 
+  test('adopts unknown server sessions into the fresh placeholder tab', () => {
+    setup();
+    useTerminalStore.getState().adoptServerSessions('/repo', [
+      { sessionId: 'srv-1', status: 'running', createdAt: 100 },
+      { sessionId: 'srv-2', status: 'exited', createdAt: null },
+    ]);
+    const state = useTerminalStore.getState().getDirectoryState('/repo')!;
+    expect(state.tabs.map((tab) => tab.id)).toEqual(['srv-1', 'srv-2']);
+    expect(state.tabs[0].terminalSessionId).toBe('srv-1');
+    expect(state.tabs[0].lifecycle).toBe('running');
+    expect(state.tabs[1].lifecycle).toBe('exited');
+    expect(state.activeTabId).toBe('srv-1');
+  });
+
+  test('adoption is additive: existing tabs and referenced sessions survive', () => {
+    const tabId = setup();
+    useTerminalStore.getState().appendToBuffer('/repo', tabId, 'output', 1);
+    useTerminalStore.getState().setTabSessionId('/repo', tabId, 'srv-live');
+    useTerminalStore.getState().adoptServerSessions('/repo', [
+      { sessionId: 'srv-live', status: 'running', createdAt: 1 },
+      { sessionId: 'srv-orphan', status: 'running', createdAt: 2 },
+    ]);
+    const state = useTerminalStore.getState().getDirectoryState('/repo')!;
+    expect(state.tabs).toHaveLength(2);
+    expect(state.tabs[0].id).toBe(tabId);
+    expect(state.tabs[1].id).toBe('srv-orphan');
+    expect(state.activeTabId).toBe(tabId);
+  });
+
+  test('re-adopting the same sessions changes nothing', () => {
+    setup();
+    useTerminalStore.getState().adoptServerSessions('/repo', [
+      { sessionId: 'srv-1', status: 'running', createdAt: 100 },
+    ]);
+    const before = useTerminalStore.getState().sessions;
+    useTerminalStore.getState().adoptServerSessions('/repo', [
+      { sessionId: 'srv-1', status: 'running', createdAt: 100 },
+    ]);
+    expect(useTerminalStore.getState().sessions).toBe(before);
+  });
+
   test('applies snapshots atomically and deduplicates output by sequence', () => {
     const tabId = setup();
     useTerminalStore.getState().replaceBuffer('/repo', tabId, 'prompt', 4);

packages/ui/src/stores/useTerminalStore.ts

@@ -71,6 +71,10 @@ interface TerminalStore {
   getBuffer: (directory: string, tabId: string) => TerminalBuffer;
 
   createTab: (directory: string) => string;
+  adoptServerSessions: (
+    directory: string,
+    serverSessions: Array<{ sessionId: string; status: 'running' | 'exited'; createdAt: number | null }>,
+  ) => void;
   setActiveTab: (directory: string, tabId: string) => void;
   setTabLabel: (directory: string, tabId: string, label: string) => void;
   setTabIconKey: (directory: string, tabId: string, iconKey: string | null) => void;
@@ -334,6 +338,60 @@ export const useTerminalStore = create<TerminalStore>()(
           return tabId;
         },
 
+        /**
+         * The server owns which terminal sessions exist; the local tab list is
+         * only this client's projection. Adoption is strictly additive: server
+         * sessions no local tab references become tabs (id = session id, the
+         * create/attach contract), and nothing is ever removed here, so a
+         * failed or partial listing cannot destroy local tabs.
+         */
+        adoptServerSessions: (directory, serverSessions) => {
+          const key = normalizeDirectory(directory);
+          if (!key || serverSessions.length === 0) return;
+
+          set((state) => {
+            const existing = state.sessions.get(key);
+            const knownIds = new Set<string>();
+            for (const tab of existing?.tabs ?? []) {
+              knownIds.add(tab.id);
+              if (tab.terminalSessionId) knownIds.add(tab.terminalSessionId);
+            }
+
+            const newcomers = serverSessions.filter((session) => !knownIds.has(session.sessionId));
+            if (newcomers.length === 0) return state;
+
+            const tabs = [...(existing?.tabs ?? [])];
+            // A single untouched placeholder tab (fresh directory state) is
+            // replaced by the first adopted session instead of sitting next to it.
+            const placeholder = tabs.length === 1
+              && tabs[0].terminalSessionId === null
+              && tabs[0].lifecycle === 'idle'
+              && !state.buffers.has(bufferKey(key, tabs[0].id))
+              ? tabs[0]
+              : null;
+            if (placeholder) tabs.length = 0;
+
+            for (const session of newcomers) {
+              const tab: TerminalTab = {
+                ...createEmptyTab(session.sessionId, placeholder && tabs.length === 0 ? placeholder.label : nextDefaultTabLabel(tabs)),
+                terminalSessionId: session.sessionId,
+                lifecycle: session.status,
+                createdAt: session.createdAt ?? Date.now(),
+              };
+              tabs.push(tab);
+            }
+
+            const previousActive = existing?.activeTabId ?? null;
+            const activeTabId = previousActive && tabs.some((tab) => tab.id === previousActive)
+              ? previousActive
+              : tabs[0]?.id ?? null;
+
+            const newSessions = new Map(state.sessions);
+            newSessions.set(key, { tabs, activeTabId });
+            return { sessions: newSessions };
+          });
+        },
+
         setActiveTab: (directory: string, tabId: string) => {
           const key = normalizeDirectory(directory);
           set((state) => {

packages/web/server/lib/terminal/DOCUMENTATION.md

@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 
 HTTP remains the authenticated command plane for create, resize, appearance updates, restart, close, and force-kill. There is no SSE output or HTTP input compatibility path.
 
+`GET /api/terminal/sessions` enumerates live sessions (optionally filtered by resolved `cwd`) so clients can adopt terminals their local tab projection does not know about — another device, a new browser tab, or cleared storage. `POST /api/terminal/touch` refreshes `lastActivity` for the listed session ids; open clients call it periodically so background tabs, which hold no WebSocket attachment, are not idle-reaped while a client still shows them.
+
 ## PTY Lifecycle
 
 - IDs are client-provided or generated with `randomUUID()`.

packages/web/server/lib/terminal/runtime.js

@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ export function createTerminalRuntime({
     }
     if (!existing && sessions.size + pendingSessionCreates.size >= MAX_SESSIONS) throw new Error('Maximum terminal sessions reached');
     const creation = (async () => {
-      const session = existing ?? { id, sequence: 0, history: '', pendingHistoryControlSequence: '', pendingThemeControlSequence: '', eventQueue: [], draining: false };
+      const session = existing ?? { id, sequence: 0, history: '', pendingHistoryControlSequence: '', pendingThemeControlSequence: '', eventQueue: [], draining: false, createdAt: Date.now() };
       await startSession(session, { cwd, cols, rows, themeMode, terminalBackground, terminalForeground, shell: normalizedShell, loginShell });
       sessions.set(id, session);
       return session;
@@ -297,6 +297,34 @@ export function createTerminalRuntime({
       res.status(500).json({ error: error?.message || 'Failed to list terminal shells' });
     }
   });
+  app.get('/api/terminal/sessions', (req, res) => {
+    const rawCwd = typeof req.query?.cwd === 'string' ? req.query.cwd.trim() : '';
+    const cwdFilter = rawCwd ? path.resolve(rawCwd) : null;
+    const list = [];
+    for (const session of sessions.values()) {
+      if (cwdFilter && path.resolve(session.cwd) !== cwdFilter) continue;
+      list.push({
+        sessionId: session.id,
+        cwd: session.cwd,
+        status: session.status,
+        createdAt: Number.isInteger(session.createdAt) ? session.createdAt : null,
+      });
+    }
+    res.json({ sessions: list });
+  });
+  app.post('/api/terminal/touch', (req, res) => {
+    const rawIds = Array.isArray(req.body?.sessionIds) ? req.body.sessionIds : [];
+    const now = Date.now();
+    let touched = 0;
+    for (const id of rawIds) {
+      if (typeof id !== 'string') continue;
+      const session = sessions.get(id);
+      if (!session) continue;
+      session.lastActivity = now;
+      touched += 1;
+    }
+    res.json({ touched });
+  });
   app.post('/api/terminal/create', async (req, res) => {
     try { const session = await createSession(req.body ?? {}); res.json({ sessionId: session.id, cols: session.cols, rows: session.rows, status: session.status }); }
     catch (error) { res.status(error?.message === 'Maximum terminal sessions reached' ? 429 : 400).json({ error: error?.message || 'Failed to create terminal session' }); }

packages/web/server/lib/terminal/runtime.test.js

@@ -179,6 +179,32 @@ describe('terminal runtime', () => {
     } finally { await harness.runtime.shutdown(); }
   });
 
+  it('lists sessions scoped to a working directory and refreshes activity via touch', async () => {
+    const harness = createHarness();
+    try {
+      await harness.routes.post.get('/api/terminal/create')({ body: { sessionId: 'term-a', cwd: '/repo' } }, createResponse());
+      await harness.routes.post.get('/api/terminal/create')({ body: { sessionId: 'term-b', cwd: '/other' } }, createResponse());
+
+      const all = createResponse();
+      harness.routes.get.get('/api/terminal/sessions')({ query: {} }, all);
+      expect(all.body.sessions.map((s) => s.sessionId).sort()).toEqual(['term-a', 'term-b']);
+
+      const scoped = createResponse();
+      harness.routes.get.get('/api/terminal/sessions')({ query: { cwd: '/repo' } }, scoped);
+      expect(scoped.body.sessions).toEqual([
+        { sessionId: 'term-a', cwd: '/repo', status: 'running', createdAt: expect.any(Number) },
+      ]);
+
+      const touch = createResponse();
+      harness.routes.post.get('/api/terminal/touch')({ body: { sessionIds: ['term-a', 'missing', 42] } }, touch);
+      expect(touch.body).toEqual({ touched: 1 });
+
+      const malformed = createResponse();
+      harness.routes.post.get('/api/terminal/touch')({ body: {} }, malformed);
+      expect(malformed.body).toEqual({ touched: 0 });
+    } finally { await harness.runtime.shutdown(); }
+  });
+
   it('strips AppImage ARGV0 from PTY child environments', async () => {
     const previousArgv0 = process.env.ARGV0;
     process.env.ARGV0 = '/path/to/OpenChamber/OpenChamber-1.17.2-linux-x86_64.AppImage';

packages/web/src/api/terminal.ts

@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import {
   restartTerminalSession,
   forceKillTerminal,
   listTerminalShells,
+  listTerminalSessions,
+  touchTerminalSessions,
 } from '@openchamber/ui/lib/terminalApi';
 import type {
   TerminalAPI,
@@ -23,6 +25,14 @@ export const createWebTerminalAPI = (): TerminalAPI => ({
     return listTerminalShells();
   },
 
+  async listSessions(cwd: string) {
+    return listTerminalSessions(cwd);
+  },
+
+  async touchSessions(sessionIds: string[]) {
+    await touchTerminalSessions(sessionIds);
+  },
+
   async createSession(options: CreateTerminalOptions): Promise<TerminalSession> {
     return createTerminalSession(options);
   },