feat(coding-agent): configurable double-escape action (tree vs branch)

Add doubleEscapeAction setting to choose whether double-escape with an
empty editor opens /tree (default) or /branch.

- Add setting to Settings interface and SettingsManager
- Add to /settings UI for easy toggling
- Update interactive-mode to respect the setting
- Document in README.md settings table

fixes #404

.pi/settings.json

@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "customTools": ["packages/coding-agent/examples/custom-tools/todo/index.ts"],
-  "hooks": ["packages/coding-agent/examples/hooks/todo/index.ts"]
-}

packages/coding-agent/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 
 ### Added
 
+- Configurable double-escape action: choose whether double-escape with empty editor opens `/tree` (default) or `/branch`. Configure via `/settings` or `doubleEscapeAction` in settings.json ([#404](https://github.com/badlogic/pi-mono/issues/404))
 - Vertex AI provider (`google-vertex`): access Gemini models via Google Cloud Vertex AI using Application Default Credentials ([#300](https://github.com/badlogic/pi-mono/pull/300) by [@default-anton](https://github.com/default-anton))
 - Built-in provider overrides in `models.json`: override just `baseUrl` to route a built-in provider through a proxy while keeping all its models, or define `models` to fully replace the provider ([#406](https://github.com/badlogic/pi-mono/pull/406) by [@yevhen](https://github.com/yevhen))
 - Automatic image resizing: images larger than 2000x2000 are resized for better model compatibility. Original dimensions are injected into the prompt. Controlled via `/settings` or `images.autoResize` in settings.json. ([#402](https://github.com/badlogic/pi-mono/pull/402) by [@mitsuhiko](https://github.com/mitsuhiko))

packages/coding-agent/README.md

@@ -586,6 +586,7 @@ Global `~/.pi/agent/settings.json` stores persistent preferences:
 | `retry.baseDelayMs` | Base delay for exponential backoff | `2000` |
 | `terminal.showImages` | Render images inline (supported terminals) | `true` |
 | `images.autoResize` | Auto-resize images to 2000x2000 max for better model compatibility | `true` |
+| `doubleEscapeAction` | Action for double-escape with empty editor: `tree` or `branch` | `tree` |
 | `hooks` | Additional hook file paths | `[]` |
 | `customTools` | Additional custom tool file paths | `[]` |
 

packages/coding-agent/src/core/settings-manager.ts

@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ export interface Settings {
 	terminal?: TerminalSettings;
 	images?: ImageSettings;
 	enabledModels?: string[]; // Model patterns for cycling (same format as --models CLI flag)
+	doubleEscapeAction?: "branch" | "tree"; // Action for double-escape with empty editor (default: "tree")
 }
 
 /** Deep merge settings: project/overrides take precedence, nested objects merge recursively */
@@ -410,4 +411,13 @@ export class SettingsManager {
 	getEnabledModels(): string[] | undefined {
 		return this.settings.enabledModels;
 	}
+
+	getDoubleEscapeAction(): "branch" | "tree" {
+		return this.settings.doubleEscapeAction ?? "tree";
+	}
+
+	setDoubleEscapeAction(action: "branch" | "tree"): void {
+		this.globalSettings.doubleEscapeAction = action;
+		this.save();
+	}
 }

packages/coding-agent/src/modes/interactive/components/settings-selector.ts

@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ export interface SettingsConfig {
 	availableThemes: string[];
 	hideThinkingBlock: boolean;
 	collapseChangelog: boolean;
+	doubleEscapeAction: "branch" | "tree";
 }
 
 export interface SettingsCallbacks {
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ export interface SettingsCallbacks {
 	onThemePreview?: (theme: string) => void;
 	onHideThinkingBlockChange: (hidden: boolean) => void;
 	onCollapseChangelogChange: (collapsed: boolean) => void;
+	onDoubleEscapeActionChange: (action: "branch" | "tree") => void;
 	onCancel: () => void;
 }
 
@@ -160,6 +162,13 @@ export class SettingsSelectorComponent extends Container {
 				currentValue: config.collapseChangelog ? "true" : "false",
 				values: ["true", "false"],
 			},
+			{
+				id: "double-escape-action",
+				label: "Double-escape action",
+				description: "Action when pressing Escape twice with empty editor",
+				currentValue: config.doubleEscapeAction,
+				values: ["tree", "branch"],
+			},
 			{
 				id: "thinking",
 				label: "Thinking level",
@@ -264,6 +273,9 @@ export class SettingsSelectorComponent extends Container {
 					case "collapse-changelog":
 						callbacks.onCollapseChangelogChange(newValue === "true");
 						break;
+					case "double-escape-action":
+						callbacks.onDoubleEscapeActionChange(newValue as "branch" | "tree");
+						break;
 				}
 			},
 			callbacks.onCancel,

packages/coding-agent/src/modes/interactive/interactive-mode.ts

@@ -755,10 +755,14 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
 				this.isBashMode = false;
 				this.updateEditorBorderColor();
 			} else if (!this.editor.getText().trim()) {
-				// Double-escape with empty editor triggers /branch
+				// Double-escape with empty editor triggers /tree or /branch based on setting
 				const now = Date.now();
 				if (now - this.lastEscapeTime < 500) {
-					this.showUserMessageSelector();
+					if (this.settingsManager.getDoubleEscapeAction() === "tree") {
+						this.showTreeSelector();
+					} else {
+						this.showUserMessageSelector();
+					}
 					this.lastEscapeTime = 0;
 				} else {
 					this.lastEscapeTime = now;
@@ -1682,6 +1686,7 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
 					availableThemes: getAvailableThemes(),
 					hideThinkingBlock: this.hideThinkingBlock,
 					collapseChangelog: this.settingsManager.getCollapseChangelog(),
+					doubleEscapeAction: this.settingsManager.getDoubleEscapeAction(),
 				},
 				{
 					onAutoCompactChange: (enabled) => {
@@ -1739,6 +1744,9 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
 					onCollapseChangelogChange: (collapsed) => {
 						this.settingsManager.setCollapseChangelog(collapsed);
 					},
+					onDoubleEscapeActionChange: (action) => {
+						this.settingsManager.setDoubleEscapeAction(action);
+					},
 					onCancel: () => {
 						done();
 						this.ui.requestRender();