tui: fold Multitask into Operate; remember /provider picker

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 - Hotbar sources for MCP tools and skills: MCP tool slots prefill the
   composer (execution stays behind the normal tool-approval flow) and skill
   slots activate through the existing `$skill` alias (#2068, #2069).
-- Mode & permission surface: Tab cycles Plan → Act → Multitask → Operate;
-  Shift+Tab cycles the Agent permission posture (Ask / Auto-Review / Full
-  Access) with a footer permission chip; Ctrl+T cycles reasoning effort and
-  Ctrl+Shift+T opens the live transcript overlay. Multitask raises the
-  default sub-agent fan-out and focuses the Agents sidebar; Operate is a
-  thin Fleet-operator mode wired to `/setup` readiness.
+- Mode & permission surface: Tab cycles Plan → Act → Operate; Shift+Tab
+  cycles the Agent permission posture (Ask / Auto-Review / Full Access) with
+  a footer permission chip; Ctrl+T cycles reasoning effort and Ctrl+Shift+T
+  opens the live transcript overlay. Operate is the orchestration mode
+  (delegate, wait, inspect, dispatch) and raises sub-agent fan-out while
+  focusing the Agents sidebar.
 - Provider lake facade: the provider/model pickers, hotbar, and model
   inventory now enumerate configured providers' models from the bundled
   catalog (with an `A` toggle to browse the full catalog), replacing the
@@ -39,6 +39,16 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Fixed
 
+- Sub-agent waiting no longer peek→sleep polls: `agent(action="wait")` joins
+  children, unchanged peeks are throttled (~30s) with an anti-polling nudge,
+  and mode prompts teach the join primitive (#4097). Harvested from PR #4098
+  by [@Mr-Moon121](https://github.com/Mr-Moon121) (Jeffrey Luna).
+- `/provider` picker remembers catalog/configured view and highlighted row
+  across reopen, matching `/model` picker memory.
+- Mode picker roster is exactly Act / Plan / Operate (no Multitask, no
+  numeric `4`/`5` gaps). Legacy `yolo`/`4` remain invisible one-way
+  permission shorthand for Act + Bypass.
+
 - Fleet setup is a role/profile roster editor, not a provider-scoped model
   picker: the Model step lists routes from every configured provider (not
   only the active one), a picked route's provider is persisted explicitly in

config.example.toml

@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ check_for_updates = true
 # Optional 1-8 sidebar hotbar bindings. When no [[hotbar]] tables are present,
 # the TUI uses built-in defaults:
 #   1 voice.toggle      2 session.compact   3 mode.plan        4 mode.agent
-#   5 mode.yolo         6 palette.open      7 sidebar.toggle   8 trust.toggle
+#   5 mode.operate      6 palette.open      7 sidebar.toggle   8 trust.toggle
 #
 # Invalid slots are skipped with a warning, duplicate slots use the last entry,
 # and unknown actions are preserved so the UI can show a disabled entry.

crates/config/src/lib.rs

@@ -714,7 +714,7 @@ pub const DEFAULT_HOTBAR_ACTIONS: [&str; HOTBAR_SLOT_COUNT as usize] = [
     "session.compact",
     "mode.plan",
     "mode.agent",
-    "mode.yolo",
+    "mode.operate",
     "palette.open",
     "sidebar.toggle",
     "trust.toggle",

crates/tui/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 - Hotbar sources for MCP tools and skills: MCP tool slots prefill the
   composer (execution stays behind the normal tool-approval flow) and skill
   slots activate through the existing `$skill` alias (#2068, #2069).
-- Mode & permission surface: Tab cycles Plan → Act → Multitask → Operate;
-  Shift+Tab cycles the Agent permission posture (Ask / Auto-Review / Full
-  Access) with a footer permission chip; Ctrl+T cycles reasoning effort and
-  Ctrl+Shift+T opens the live transcript overlay. Multitask raises the
-  default sub-agent fan-out and focuses the Agents sidebar; Operate is a
-  thin Fleet-operator mode wired to `/setup` readiness.
+- Mode & permission surface: Tab cycles Plan → Act → Operate; Shift+Tab
+  cycles the Agent permission posture (Ask / Auto-Review / Full Access) with
+  a footer permission chip; Ctrl+T cycles reasoning effort and Ctrl+Shift+T
+  opens the live transcript overlay. Operate is the orchestration mode
+  (delegate, wait, inspect, dispatch) and raises sub-agent fan-out while
+  focusing the Agents sidebar.
 - Provider lake facade: the provider/model pickers, hotbar, and model
   inventory now enumerate configured providers' models from the bundled
   catalog (with an `A` toggle to browse the full catalog), replacing the
@@ -39,6 +39,16 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Fixed
 
+- Sub-agent waiting no longer peek→sleep polls: `agent(action="wait")` joins
+  children, unchanged peeks are throttled (~30s) with an anti-polling nudge,
+  and mode prompts teach the join primitive (#4097). Harvested from PR #4098
+  by [@Mr-Moon121](https://github.com/Mr-Moon121) (Jeffrey Luna).
+- `/provider` picker remembers catalog/configured view and highlighted row
+  across reopen, matching `/model` picker memory.
+- Mode picker roster is exactly Act / Plan / Operate (no Multitask, no
+  numeric `4`/`5` gaps). Legacy `yolo`/`4` remain invisible one-way
+  permission shorthand for Act + Bypass.
+
 - Fleet setup is a role/profile roster editor, not a provider-scoped model
   picker: the Model step lists routes from every configured provider (not
   only the active one), a picked route's provider is persisted explicitly in

crates/tui/locales/en.json

@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@
     "KbThinkingPager": "Open Turn Inspector",
     "KbLiveTranscript": "Open live transcript overlay (Ctrl+Shift+T; sticky-tail auto-scroll)",
     "KbBacktrackMessage": "Backtrack to a previous user message (Left/Right step, Enter to rewind)",
-    "KbCompleteCycleModes": "Complete /command, queue running-turn follow-up, cycle modes (Plan → Act → Multitask → Operate)",
+    "KbCompleteCycleModes": "Complete /command, queue running-turn follow-up, cycle modes (Plan → Act → Operate)",
     "KbCycleThinking": "Cycle reasoning effort for the active provider (Ctrl+T)",
     "KbCyclePermissions": "Cycle permission posture: Ask → Auto-Review → Full Access (Shift+Tab)",
     "KbJumpPlanAgentYolo": "Trigger hotbar slots",
@@ -531,14 +531,12 @@
     "AppModeAuto": "Auto",
     "AppModeYolo": "YOLO (deprecated)",
     "AppModePlan": "Plan",
-    "AppModeMultitask": "Multitask",
     "AppModeOperate": "Operate",
     "AppModeAgentHint": "Execute directly — edits and shell ask for approval",
     "AppModeAutoHint": "Shell enabled with automatic risk review",
     "AppModePlanHint": "Read-only research first — present a plan before acting",
     "AppModeYoloHint": "Deprecated — maps to Act + Full Access",
-    "AppModeMultitaskHint": "Stay responsive — fan quick work out to background agents",
-    "AppModeOperateHint": "Conduct an agent fleet — decompose, delegate, verify, synthesize",
+    "AppModeOperateHint": "Coordinate workflows, spawn workers, wait, and dispatch more work",
     "VimModeNormal": "-- NORMAL --",
     "VimModeInsert": "-- INSERT --",
     "VimModeVisual": "-- VISUAL --",

crates/tui/src/commands/groups/config/config.rs

@@ -1464,7 +1464,7 @@ pub fn set_config_value(app: &mut App, key: &str, value: &str, persist: bool) ->
                 " (session only, add --save to persist)".to_string()
             };
             let mode_hint = if enabled {
-                " Agent mode will expose shell on the next turn with approval gating. YOLO also enables shell and auto-approves."
+                " Agent mode will expose shell on the next turn with approval gating. Bypass permissions (Shift+Tab) also enables shell and auto-approves."
             } else {
                 " Shell tools will be hidden on the next turn. Re-enable with `/config allow_shell true`."
             };
@@ -1853,9 +1853,7 @@ pub fn mode(app: &mut App, arg: Option<&str>) -> CommandResult {
                 CommandResult::message(message)
             }
         }
-        None => {
-            CommandResult::error("Usage: /mode [act|agent|plan|multitask|operate|yolo|1|2|3|5|4]")
-        }
+        None => CommandResult::error("Usage: /mode [act|agent|plan|operate|1|2|3]"),
     }
 }
 
@@ -2521,7 +2519,8 @@ Parse error: permissions.toml at permissions.toml could not be parsed: expected
         // user settings on the host machine.
         let _ = mode(&mut app, Some("agent"));
         let result = mode(&mut app, Some("yolo"));
-        assert!(result.message.unwrap().contains("Switched to YOLO mode"));
+        // YOLO is invisible Act+Bypass shorthand — user-facing copy says Act.
+        assert!(result.message.unwrap().contains("Switched to Act mode"));
         assert_eq!(result.action, Some(AppAction::ModeChanged(AppMode::Yolo)));
         assert!(app.allow_shell);
         assert!(app.trust_mode);
@@ -2545,17 +2544,14 @@ Parse error: permissions.toml at permissions.toml could not be parsed: expected
         let _ = mode(&mut app, Some("plan"));
         assert_eq!(app.mode, AppMode::Plan);
         let result = mode(&mut app, Some("3"));
-        assert_eq!(
-            result.action,
-            Some(AppAction::ModeChanged(AppMode::Multitask))
-        );
-        assert_eq!(app.mode, AppMode::Multitask);
-        let result = mode(&mut app, Some("5"));
         assert_eq!(
             result.action,
             Some(AppAction::ModeChanged(AppMode::Operate))
         );
         assert_eq!(app.mode, AppMode::Operate);
+        let result = mode(&mut app, Some("5"));
+        assert!(result.is_error);
+        assert_eq!(app.mode, AppMode::Operate);
         let result = mode(&mut app, Some("9"));
         assert!(result.is_error);
         assert_eq!(app.mode, AppMode::Operate);
@@ -2853,7 +2849,9 @@ Parse error: permissions.toml at permissions.toml could not be parsed: expected
         assert!(msg.contains("Agent mode"));
         assert!(msg.contains("approval gating"));
         assert!(msg.contains("next turn"));
-        assert!(msg.contains("YOLO also enables shell and auto-approves"));
+        assert!(
+            msg.contains("Bypass permissions (Shift+Tab) also enables shell and auto-approves")
+        );
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -2876,7 +2874,7 @@ Parse error: permissions.toml at permissions.toml could not be parsed: expected
         assert_eq!(
             msg,
             format!(
-                "allow_shell = true (saved to {}). Agent mode will expose shell on the next turn with approval gating. YOLO also enables shell and auto-approves.",
+                "allow_shell = true (saved to {}). Agent mode will expose shell on the next turn with approval gating. Bypass permissions (Shift+Tab) also enables shell and auto-approves.",
                 config_path.display()
             )
         );

crates/tui/src/commands/groups/config/status.rs

@@ -145,9 +145,7 @@ fn permission_summary(app: &App) -> String {
 fn safety_summary(app: &App) -> &'static str {
     match app.mode {
         AppMode::Plan => "sandbox read-only, network off",
-        AppMode::Agent | AppMode::Auto | AppMode::Multitask | AppMode::Operate => {
-            "sandbox workspace-write, network on"
-        }
+        AppMode::Agent | AppMode::Auto | AppMode::Operate => "sandbox workspace-write, network on",
         AppMode::Yolo => "sandbox disabled, network unrestricted",
     }
 }

crates/tui/src/commands/groups/core/core.rs

@@ -610,17 +610,10 @@ pub fn home_dashboard(app: &mut App) -> CommandResult {
             let _ = writeln!(stats, "{}", tr(locale, MessageId::HomeYoloModeTip));
             let _ = writeln!(stats, "{}", tr(locale, MessageId::HomeYoloModeCaution));
         }
-        AppMode::Multitask => {
-            let _ = writeln!(stats, "{}", tr(locale, MessageId::HomeAgentModeTip));
-            let _ = writeln!(
-                stats,
-                "  Multitask: light delegation — session model is operator; background workers"
-            );
-        }
         AppMode::Operate => {
             let _ = writeln!(
                 stats,
-                "  Operate: Fleet operator — /model route; decompose into workflow/Fleet; monitor"
+                "  Operate: coordinate workflows, spawn workers, wait on results, dispatch more work"
             );
         }
         AppMode::Plan => {
@@ -1383,7 +1376,6 @@ mod tests {
             AppMode::Auto,
             AppMode::Yolo,
             AppMode::Plan,
-            AppMode::Multitask,
             AppMode::Operate,
         ];
         for mode in modes {

crates/tui/src/config_ui.rs

@@ -951,7 +951,7 @@ impl From<&str> for TranscriptSpacingValue {
 impl From<&str> for DefaultModeValue {
     fn from(value: &str) -> Self {
         match AppMode::from_setting(value) {
-            AppMode::Agent | AppMode::Multitask | AppMode::Operate => Self::Agent,
+            AppMode::Agent | AppMode::Operate => Self::Agent,
             AppMode::Plan => Self::Plan,
             AppMode::Auto => Self::Agent,
             AppMode::Yolo => Self::Yolo,

crates/tui/src/core/authority.rs

@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ pub(crate) struct EffectiveModePolicy {
 /// - `Plan`   -> read-only: no shell, no trust, `Suggest` approvals.
 /// - `Agent`  -> the user's durable baseline (`prefs`).
 /// - `Auto`   -> compatibility alias for Agent; not a separate behavior.
-/// - `Multitask` / `Operate` -> Agent baseline plus orchestration posture in prompts.
+/// - `Operate` -> Agent baseline plus orchestration posture in prompts.
 /// - `Yolo`   -> legacy compat; full authority: shell + trust + `Bypass` approvals.
 #[must_use]
 pub(crate) fn base_policy_for_mode(mode: AppMode, prefs: &ModeSessionPrefs) -> EffectiveModePolicy {
@@ -53,14 +53,12 @@ pub(crate) fn base_policy_for_mode(mode: AppMode, prefs: &ModeSessionPrefs) -> E
             trust_mode: false,
             approval_mode: ApprovalMode::Suggest,
         },
-        AppMode::Agent | AppMode::Auto | AppMode::Multitask | AppMode::Operate => {
-            EffectiveModePolicy {
-                mode,
-                allow_shell: prefs.agent_allow_shell,
-                trust_mode: prefs.agent_trust_mode,
-                approval_mode: prefs.agent_approval_mode,
-            }
-        }
+        AppMode::Agent | AppMode::Auto | AppMode::Operate => EffectiveModePolicy {
+            mode,
+            allow_shell: prefs.agent_allow_shell,
+            trust_mode: prefs.agent_trust_mode,
+            approval_mode: prefs.agent_approval_mode,
+        },
         AppMode::Yolo => EffectiveModePolicy {
             mode,
             allow_shell: true,
@@ -195,14 +193,12 @@ pub(crate) fn agent_approval_mode_for_turn(
 pub(crate) fn sandbox_policy_for_mode(mode: AppMode, workspace: &Path) -> SandboxPolicy {
     match mode {
         AppMode::Plan => SandboxPolicy::ReadOnly,
-        AppMode::Agent | AppMode::Auto | AppMode::Multitask | AppMode::Operate => {
-            SandboxPolicy::WorkspaceWrite {
-                writable_roots: vec![workspace.to_path_buf()],
-                network_access: true,
-                exclude_tmpdir: false,
-                exclude_slash_tmp: false,
-            }
-        }
+        AppMode::Agent | AppMode::Auto | AppMode::Operate => SandboxPolicy::WorkspaceWrite {
+            writable_roots: vec![workspace.to_path_buf()],
+            network_access: true,
+            exclude_tmpdir: false,
+            exclude_slash_tmp: false,
+        },
         AppMode::Yolo => SandboxPolicy::DangerFullAccess,
     }
 }
@@ -215,8 +211,6 @@ pub(crate) fn shell_policy_for_mode(mode: AppMode, allow_shell: bool) -> ShellPo
     }
     match mode {
         AppMode::Plan => ShellPolicy::None,
-        AppMode::Agent | AppMode::Auto | AppMode::Multitask | AppMode::Operate | AppMode::Yolo => {
-            ShellPolicy::Full
-        }
+        AppMode::Agent | AppMode::Auto | AppMode::Operate | AppMode::Yolo => ShellPolicy::Full,
     }
 }

crates/tui/src/core/engine.rs

@@ -674,11 +674,9 @@ fn subagent_mailbox_best_effort_send_permitted(
 impl Engine {
     fn mode_runtime_instructions(mode: AppMode) -> &'static str {
         match mode {
-            AppMode::Agent | AppMode::Auto => prompts::AGENT_MODE,
+            AppMode::Agent | AppMode::Auto | AppMode::Yolo => prompts::AGENT_MODE,
             AppMode::Plan => prompts::PLAN_MODE,
-            AppMode::Multitask => prompts::MULTITASK_MODE,
             AppMode::Operate => prompts::OPERATE_MODE,
-            AppMode::Yolo => prompts::YOLO_MODE,
         }
         .trim()
     }

crates/tui/src/core/engine/tests.rs

@@ -3696,10 +3696,12 @@ fn mode_invariant_matrix_covers_context_catalog_subagents_and_prompt_metadata()
             plan_hint: false,
         },
         ModeCase {
+            // YOLO remains an elevated-permission alias, but prompt/setting
+            // surfaces now speak Act (invisible one-way permission shorthand).
             name: "yolo",
             mode: AppMode::Yolo,
-            setting: "yolo",
-            prompt_marker: "##### Mode: YOLO",
+            setting: "agent",
+            prompt_marker: "##### Mode: Agent",
             shell_policy: ShellPolicy::Full,
             sandbox: ExpectedSandbox::DangerFullAccess,
             trust_mode: true,

crates/tui/src/localization.rs

@@ -621,13 +621,11 @@ pub enum MessageId {
     AppModeAuto,
     AppModeYolo,
     AppModePlan,
-    AppModeMultitask,
     AppModeOperate,
     AppModeAgentHint,
     AppModeAutoHint,
     AppModePlanHint,
     AppModeYoloHint,
-    AppModeMultitaskHint,
     AppModeOperateHint,
     VimModeNormal,
     VimModeInsert,
@@ -1375,13 +1373,11 @@ pub const ALL_MESSAGE_IDS: &[MessageId] = &[
     MessageId::AppModeAuto,
     MessageId::AppModeYolo,
     MessageId::AppModePlan,
-    MessageId::AppModeMultitask,
     MessageId::AppModeOperate,
     MessageId::AppModeAgentHint,
     MessageId::AppModeAutoHint,
     MessageId::AppModePlanHint,
     MessageId::AppModeYoloHint,
-    MessageId::AppModeMultitaskHint,
     MessageId::AppModeOperateHint,
     MessageId::VimModeNormal,
     MessageId::VimModeInsert,