feat(json-chat): add 'send on Enter' setting; show active send hotkey on button + placeholder

src/main/build-initial-state.ts

@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ export function buildInitialAppState(
       autoApproveSteerInstructions: config.autoApproveSteerInstructions || '',
       useSystemClaudeForJsonMode: config.useSystemClaudeForJsonMode === true,
       jsonModeChatDensity: config.jsonModeChatDensity === 'comfy' ? 'comfy' : 'compact',
+      jsonModeSendOnEnter: config.jsonModeSendOnEnter === true,
       jsonModeDefaultPermissionMode:
         config.jsonModeDefaultPermissionMode === 'default' ||
         config.jsonModeDefaultPermissionMode === 'plan'

src/main/index.ts

@@ -2698,6 +2698,24 @@ function registerIpcHandlers(): void {
     }
   )
 
+  transport.onRequest(
+    'config:setJsonModeSendOnEnter',
+    (_ctx, value: boolean) => {
+      const next = value === true
+      if (!next) {
+        delete config.jsonModeSendOnEnter
+      } else {
+        config.jsonModeSendOnEnter = true
+      }
+      saveConfig(config)
+      store.dispatch({
+        type: 'settings/jsonModeSendOnEnterChanged',
+        payload: next
+      })
+      return true
+    }
+  )
+
   transport.onRequest(
     'config:setJsonModeDefaultPermissionMode',
     (_ctx, value: 'default' | 'acceptEdits' | 'plan') => {

src/main/persistence.ts

@@ -195,6 +195,10 @@ export interface Config {
   // historical look). 'comfy' bumps font sizes, padding, and corner
   // radius for newcomers / screen-sharing.
   jsonModeChatDensity?: 'compact' | 'comfy'
+  // When true, plain Enter sends a message in the JSON-mode chat
+  // composer (Shift+Enter inserts a newline). Default off — preserves
+  // the historical Cmd/Ctrl+Enter-to-send behavior.
+  jsonModeSendOnEnter?: boolean
   // Permission mode applied when a brand-new json-mode session spawns.
   // Existing sessions keep whatever mode they were last in. Default
   // 'acceptEdits' (auto-allow Edit/Write, still ask for Bash etc.).

src/renderer/build-backend.ts

@@ -245,6 +245,8 @@ export function buildBackend(
       req('config:setChatPromotionDismissed', value),
     setJsonModeChatDensity: (value: 'compact' | 'comfy') =>
       req('config:setJsonModeChatDensity', value),
+    setJsonModeSendOnEnter: (enabled: boolean) =>
+      req('config:setJsonModeSendOnEnter', enabled),
     setJsonModeDefaultPermissionMode: (value: 'default' | 'acceptEdits' | 'plan') =>
       req('config:setJsonModeDefaultPermissionMode', value),
     setAutoSleepMinutes: (value: number) => req('config:setAutoSleepMinutes', value),

src/renderer/components/JsonModeChat.tsx

@@ -858,8 +858,30 @@ export function JsonModeChat({ sessionId, worktreePath, mode = 'awake' }: JsonMo
   const backend = useBackend()
   const session = useJsonClaudeSession(sessionId)
   const { pending, resolve } = useJsonClaudeApprovals(sessionId)
-  const { jsonModeChatDensity: density, defaultClaudeTabType } = useSettings()
+  const {
+    jsonModeChatDensity: density,
+    jsonModeSendOnEnter: sendOnEnter,
+    defaultClaudeTabType
+  } = useSettings()
   const cameFromTerminalDefault = defaultClaudeTabType === 'xterm'
+  const isMac =
+    typeof window !== 'undefined' &&
+    (window.__HARNESS_PLATFORM__
+      ? window.__HARNESS_PLATFORM__ === 'darwin'
+      : /Mac|iPhone|iPad/.test(navigator.platform || ''))
+  const modKeySymbol = isMac ? '⌘' : 'Ctrl+'
+  const modKeyWord = isMac ? 'Cmd' : 'Ctrl'
+  const sendHotkeyLabel = sendOnEnter
+    ? isMac
+      ? '↵'
+      : 'Enter'
+    : isMac
+      ? `${modKeySymbol}↵`
+      : `${modKeySymbol}Enter`
+  const sendHotkeyAria = sendOnEnter ? 'Enter' : `${modKeyWord}+Enter`
+  const composerPlaceholder = sendOnEnter
+    ? 'Message Claude — Enter to send, Shift+Enter for newline'
+    : `Message Claude — ${modKeyWord}+Enter to send`
   const [draft, setDraft] = useState('')
   // Mention/popover state. `dismissed` carries the draft text at which
   // the user pressed Escape — comparing against the live draft is how we
@@ -1820,15 +1842,26 @@ export function JsonModeChat({ sessionId, worktreePath, mode = 'awake' }: JsonMo
                   return
                 }
               }
-              if (e.key === 'Enter' && (e.metaKey || e.ctrlKey)) {
-                e.preventDefault()
-                send()
+              if (e.key === 'Enter') {
+                // IME composition guard — don't send while composing
+                // CJK input.
+                if (e.nativeEvent.isComposing || e.keyCode === 229) return
+                const wantsSend = sendOnEnter
+                  ? !e.shiftKey && !e.metaKey && !e.ctrlKey && !e.altKey
+                  : e.metaKey || e.ctrlKey
+                if (wantsSend) {
+                  e.preventDefault()
+                  send()
+                  return
+                }
+                // sendOnEnter && Shift+Enter → fall through so the
+                // textarea inserts a newline as usual.
               }
             }}
             placeholder={
               mode === 'asleep'
                 ? 'Type to wake this session…'
-                : 'Message Claude — Cmd/Ctrl+Enter to send'
+                : composerPlaceholder
             }
             // text-base (16px) below sm: prevents iOS Safari from zooming
             // the viewport when the textarea takes focus. text-sm on
@@ -1870,9 +1903,12 @@ export function JsonModeChat({ sessionId, worktreePath, mode = 'awake' }: JsonMo
             <button
               onClick={() => send()}
               disabled={!draft.trim() && attachments.length === 0}
+              aria-label={`Send (${sendHotkeyAria})`}
+              title={`Send (${sendHotkeyAria})`}
               className="px-2.5 py-0.5 bg-accent text-white rounded text-xs font-medium disabled:opacity-40 cursor-pointer disabled:cursor-not-allowed hover:opacity-90 transition-opacity"
             >
-              Send
+              <span>Send</span>
+              <span className="opacity-60 ml-1">{sendHotkeyLabel}</span>
             </button>
           </div>
         </div>

src/renderer/components/Settings.tsx

@@ -200,6 +200,7 @@ export function Settings({ onClose, onOpenGuide, onOpenMyWeek, initialSection }:
     wsTransportHost,
     defaultClaudeTabType,
     jsonModeChatDensity,
+    jsonModeSendOnEnter,
     jsonModeDefaultPermissionMode,
     autoSleepMinutes,
     autoApprovePermissions,
@@ -1546,6 +1547,28 @@ export function Settings({ onClose, onOpenGuide, onOpenMyWeek, initialSection }:
                     </button>
                   </div>
                 </div>
+
+                <div className="mt-4 pt-3 border-t border-border">
+                  <label className="flex items-start gap-3 cursor-pointer">
+                    <input
+                      type="checkbox"
+                      checked={jsonModeSendOnEnter}
+                      onChange={(e) => {
+                        void backend.setJsonModeSendOnEnter(e.target.checked)
+                      }}
+                      className="mt-0.5 cursor-pointer"
+                    />
+                    <div className="flex-1">
+                      <div className="text-sm text-fg-bright">
+                        Send messages with Enter
+                      </div>
+                      <div className="text-xs text-dim mt-0.5">
+                        Plain Enter sends; Shift+Enter inserts a newline. When
+                        off, Cmd/Ctrl+Enter sends.
+                      </div>
+                    </div>
+                  </label>
+                </div>
               </div>
 
               </div>

src/renderer/types.ts

@@ -302,6 +302,7 @@ export interface ElectronAPI {
   setDefaultClaudeTabType(value: 'xterm' | 'json'): Promise<boolean>
   setChatPromotionDismissed(value: boolean): Promise<boolean>
   setJsonModeChatDensity(value: 'compact' | 'comfy'): Promise<boolean>
+  setJsonModeSendOnEnter(enabled: boolean): Promise<boolean>
   setJsonModeDefaultPermissionMode(
     value: 'default' | 'acceptEdits' | 'plan'
   ): Promise<boolean>

src/shared/state/settings.test.ts

@@ -427,6 +427,20 @@ describe('settingsReducer', () => {
     expect(compact.jsonModeChatDensity).toBe('compact')
   })
 
+  it('jsonModeSendOnEnterChanged toggles the send-on-enter flag', () => {
+    expect(initialSettings.jsonModeSendOnEnter).toBe(false)
+    const on = apply(initialSettings, {
+      type: 'settings/jsonModeSendOnEnterChanged',
+      payload: true
+    })
+    expect(on.jsonModeSendOnEnter).toBe(true)
+    const off = apply(on, {
+      type: 'settings/jsonModeSendOnEnterChanged',
+      payload: false
+    })
+    expect(off.jsonModeSendOnEnter).toBe(false)
+  })
+
   it('jsonModeDefaultPermissionModeChanged sets the default and preserves other settings', () => {
     expect(initialSettings.jsonModeDefaultPermissionMode).toBe('acceptEdits')
     const start: SettingsState = {

src/shared/state/settings.ts

@@ -128,6 +128,11 @@ export interface SettingsState {
    *  radius for newcomers / screen-sharing. Wired via CSS variables on
    *  the chat root, so it's a pure styling switch. */
   jsonModeChatDensity: JsonModeChatDensity
+  /** When true, plain Enter sends a message in the JSON-mode chat
+   *  composer (Shift+Enter inserts a newline). When false (default),
+   *  the historical behavior applies: Cmd/Ctrl+Enter sends and plain
+   *  Enter inserts a newline. */
+  jsonModeSendOnEnter: boolean
   /** Permission mode applied to a freshly-spawned json-mode session.
    *  Existing sessions keep whatever mode they were in (set via the
    *  statusline picker). Default 'acceptEdits' so first-time users
@@ -205,6 +210,7 @@ export type SettingsEvent =
   | { type: 'settings/autoApproveSteerInstructionsChanged'; payload: string }
   | { type: 'settings/useSystemClaudeForJsonModeChanged'; payload: boolean }
   | { type: 'settings/jsonModeChatDensityChanged'; payload: JsonModeChatDensity }
+  | { type: 'settings/jsonModeSendOnEnterChanged'; payload: boolean }
   | {
       type: 'settings/jsonModeDefaultPermissionModeChanged'
       payload: JsonClaudePermissionMode
@@ -260,6 +266,7 @@ export const initialSettings: SettingsState = {
   autoApproveSteerInstructions: '',
   useSystemClaudeForJsonMode: false,
   jsonModeChatDensity: 'compact',
+  jsonModeSendOnEnter: false,
   jsonModeDefaultPermissionMode: 'acceptEdits',
   autoSleepMinutes: 30,
   snoozeDefaultDays: 7,
@@ -353,6 +360,8 @@ export function settingsReducer(state: SettingsState, event: SettingsEvent): Set
       return { ...state, useSystemClaudeForJsonMode: event.payload }
     case 'settings/jsonModeChatDensityChanged':
       return { ...state, jsonModeChatDensity: event.payload }
+    case 'settings/jsonModeSendOnEnterChanged':
+      return { ...state, jsonModeSendOnEnter: event.payload }
     case 'settings/jsonModeDefaultPermissionModeChanged':
       return { ...state, jsonModeDefaultPermissionMode: event.payload }
     case 'settings/autoSleepMinutesChanged':