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fix: zellij session must detach, not quit, when the client dies #118

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fix: zellij session must detach, not quit, when the client dies #118

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9fe3975
fix: zellij session must detach, not quit, when the client dies
BrettKinny Jul 20, 2026
bf7c31f
feat: Ctrl+b as a second zellij leader alongside Ctrl+Space
BrettKinny Jul 20, 2026
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31 changes: 28 additions & 3 deletions setup.sh
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -1023,7 +1023,9 @@ _install_zellij_inner() {
scroll_buffer_size 50000
pane_frames false
auto_layout true
on_force_close "quit"
// "detach" not "quit" — a dropped client (ssh/mosh dying) must not kill
// the session and everything running in it
on_force_close "detach"
simplified_ui true
session_serialization true
support_kitty_keyboard_protocol true
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -1103,16 +1105,21 @@ _install_zellij_inner() {
};
}

// Prefix-style bindings via Ctrl+Space (tmux-like leader)
// Prefix-style bindings via Ctrl+Space (tmux-like leader).
// Ctrl+b as well: Ctrl+Space is a NUL byte some clients never
// deliver (iPadOS grabs it for input-source switching)
bind "Ctrl Space" { SwitchToMode "Tmux"; }
bind "Ctrl b" { SwitchToMode "Tmux"; }
}

locked {
bind "Ctrl Space" { SwitchToMode "Normal"; }
bind "Ctrl b" { SwitchToMode "Normal"; }
}

tmux {
bind "Ctrl Space" { SwitchToMode "Normal"; }
bind "Ctrl b" { SwitchToMode "Normal"; }
bind "Esc" { SwitchToMode "Normal"; }

// Pane splitting (h=horizontal, v=vertical — matching tmux)
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -1161,6 +1168,9 @@ _install_zellij_inner() {

// Enter scroll/copy mode (vi-style — like tmux [ )
bind "[" { SwitchToMode "Scroll"; }

// Keybinding help — floating configuration plugin
bind "?" { LaunchOrFocusPlugin "configuration" { floating true; }; SwitchToMode "Normal"; }
}

// ── Scroll mode (vi-style copy mode) ────────────────────────
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -1217,6 +1227,7 @@ _install_zellij_inner() {
// Allow Ctrl+Space to return to normal from any non-normal mode
shared_except "normal" "locked" "tmux" {
bind "Ctrl Space" { SwitchToMode "Normal"; }
bind "Ctrl b" { SwitchToMode "Normal"; }
}
}
ZELLIJCONF
Expand All @@ -1236,9 +1247,23 @@ _install_zellij_inner() {
fi
}

_ensure_zellij_defaults() {
local conf="$HOME/.config/zellij/config.kdl"
[ -f "$conf" ] || return 0
sed -i 's/^on_force_close "quit"/on_force_close "detach"/' "$conf"
if ! grep -q 'bind "?"' "$conf"; then
sed -i '/bind "\[" { SwitchToMode "Scroll"; }/a\ bind "?" { LaunchOrFocusPlugin "configuration" { floating true; }; SwitchToMode "Normal"; }' "$conf"
fi
if ! grep -q 'bind "Ctrl b" { SwitchToMode "Tmux"; }' "$conf"; then
sed -i 's|^\(\s*\)bind "Ctrl Space" { SwitchToMode "Tmux"; }$|&\n\1bind "Ctrl b" { SwitchToMode "Tmux"; }|' "$conf"
sed -i 's|^\(\s*\)bind "Ctrl Space" { SwitchToMode "Normal"; }$|&\n\1bind "Ctrl b" { SwitchToMode "Normal"; }|' "$conf"
fi
}

install_zellij() {
if command -v zellij &>/dev/null; then echo "Zellij already installed, skipping."; return 0; fi
if command -v zellij &>/dev/null; then echo "Zellij already installed, skipping."; _ensure_zellij_defaults; return 0; fi
run_with_spinner "Installing Zellij..." _install_zellij_inner
_ensure_zellij_defaults
}

for mux in $(echo "$mux_list" | tr ',' ' '); do
Expand Down