Skip to content

Command palette

The command palette is Aethon's everything-finder: tabs, sessions, projects, layouts, themes, models, slash commands, and keybindings all live behind one shortcut.

Two modes

ComboModeOrder of results
Cmd+PSwitcherTabs · sessions · projects · layouts · themes · models · commands · keybindings
Cmd+Shift+PCommandsSlash commands · keybindings · everything else

Cmd+P is for "I want to switch to something". Cmd+Shift+P is for "I want to do something".

Query prefixes

Inside the palette, three prefixes force a specific section:

PrefixMeaning
>Force commands mode (same as Cmd+Shift+P).
@Force tabs section.
?Force keybindings section.

So:

  • > theme — find the Set theme command.
  • @ readme — switch to a tab whose title matches "readme".
  • ? cmd+t — find what Cmd+T is bound to.

Without a prefix, the palette ranks across all sections and returns a mixed list.

Keyboard nav

ComboAction
/ Move selection.
EnterActivate selection.
EscClose palette.

Selection survives content swaps — when the palette re-ranks results (while you type or content changes), the highlighted index persists through a focus-tracking strategy. You won't lose your place.

What's in the palette

SectionContents
TabsEvery open agent tab and shell sub-tab — title, cwd, model, kind.
SessionsRecent pi sessions across all tabs (cross-session — reaches into closed-tab transcripts).
ProjectsThe MRU list from ~/.aethon/projects.json.
LayoutsBuilt-in (workstation) plus any extension-registered layouts.
ThemesBuilt-ins (ember, paper, aether) plus extension-registered.
ModelsWhatever pi reports from the active provider.
CommandsEvery slash command (built-in + extension-registered).
KeybindingsEvery shortcut Aethon recognises.

Replacing the palette

The palette is a registered builtin (command-palette component type). A skill can override it via:

ts
aethon.registerComponent("command-palette", myCustomPalette);

The replacement renders in the same overlay slot and receives the same trigger event, so the keybindings keep working — only the visual shell changes.

Where to next