Speed up Codex terminal startup (#5664)

* Speed up Codex terminal startup

Co-authored-by: Orca <help@stably.ai>

* Address Codex startup review comments

Co-authored-by: Orca <help@stably.ai>

---------

Co-authored-by: Orca <help@stably.ai>

src/main/daemon/daemon-pty-adapter.ts

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { HistoryManager } from './history-manager'
 import { HistoryReader } from './history-reader'
 import { mintPtySessionId, parsePtySessionId } from './pty-session-id'
 import { supportsPtyStartupBarrier } from './shell-ready'
+import { CODEX_SHELL_READY_TIMEOUT_MS } from './session'
 import {
   PROTOCOL_VERSION,
   type CreateOrAttachResult,
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ import {
 } from './types'
 import type { IPtyProvider, PtySpawnOptions, PtySpawnResult } from '../providers/types'
 import { isShellProcess } from '../../shared/agent-detection'
+import { recognizeAgentProcessFromCommandLine } from '../../shared/agent-process-recognition'
 
 export type DaemonPtyAdapterOptions = {
   socketPath: string
@@ -133,6 +135,12 @@ export class DaemonPtyAdapter implements IPtyProvider {
 
     await this.ensureConnected()
 
+    const shellReadySupported = opts.command ? supportsPtyStartupBarrier(opts.env ?? {}) : false
+    const shellReadyTimeoutMs =
+      shellReadySupported && recognizeAgentProcessFromCommandLine(opts.command)?.agent === 'codex'
+        ? CODEX_SHELL_READY_TIMEOUT_MS
+        : undefined
+
     const result = await this.client.request<CreateOrAttachResult>('createOrAttach', {
       sessionId,
       cols: effectiveCols,
@@ -149,7 +157,8 @@ export class DaemonPtyAdapter implements IPtyProvider {
       shellOverride: opts.shellOverride,
       terminalWindowsWslDistro: opts.terminalWindowsWslDistro,
       terminalWindowsPowerShellImplementation: opts.terminalWindowsPowerShellImplementation,
-      shellReadySupported: opts.command ? supportsPtyStartupBarrier(opts.env ?? {}) : false
+      shellReadySupported,
+      ...(shellReadyTimeoutMs !== undefined ? { shellReadyTimeoutMs } : {})
     })
 
     if (effectiveCwd) {

src/main/daemon/daemon-server.ts

@@ -278,6 +278,9 @@ export class DaemonServer {
           terminalWindowsWslDistro: p.terminalWindowsWslDistro,
           terminalWindowsPowerShellImplementation: p.terminalWindowsPowerShellImplementation,
           shellReadySupported: p.shellReadySupported,
+          ...(p.shellReadyTimeoutMs !== undefined
+            ? { shellReadyTimeoutMs: p.shellReadyTimeoutMs }
+            : {}),
           streamClient: {
             onData: (data) => {
               const lastInputAt = this.lastInputAtBySessionId.get(p.sessionId)

src/main/daemon/pty-subprocess.ts

@@ -387,6 +387,8 @@ export function createPtySubprocess(opts: PtySubprocessOptions): SubprocessHandl
   let shellPath =
     cwdWslInfo || sessionWslContext ? 'wsl.exe' : opts.shellOverride || resolvePtyShellPath(env)
   let shellArgs: string[]
+  const startupAgentRecognition = recognizeAgentProcessFromCommandLine(opts.command)
+  const isCodexStartupCommand = startupAgentRecognition?.agent === 'codex'
   const requestedCwd = opts.cwd || getDefaultCwd()
   let spawnCwd = requestedCwd
   let validationCwd = spawnCwd
@@ -500,16 +502,24 @@ export function createPtySubprocess(opts: PtySubprocessOptions): SubprocessHandl
     }
     // Why: any Orca-injected overlay env that user rc files can clobber
     // needs the wrapper so the post-rc restore line runs.
-    const shellLaunch = opts.command
-      ? getShellReadyLaunchConfig(shellPath)
-      : env.ORCA_ATTRIBUTION_SHIM_DIR ||
-          env.ORCA_OPENCODE_CONFIG_DIR ||
-          env.ORCA_PI_CODING_AGENT_DIR ||
-          env.ORCA_OMP_CODING_AGENT_DIR ||
-          env.ORCA_CODEX_HOME ||
-          env.ORCA_AGENT_TEAMS_SHIM_DIR
-        ? getAttributionShellLaunchConfig(shellPath)
-        : null
+    let shellLaunch: ReturnType<typeof getShellReadyLaunchConfig> | null = null
+    if (opts.command && isCodexStartupCommand) {
+      // Why: Codex needs the env-restoring wrapper, but waiting for a shell
+      // marker delays the first useful TUI frame.
+      shellLaunch = getAttributionShellLaunchConfig(shellPath)
+    } else if (opts.command) {
+      shellLaunch = getShellReadyLaunchConfig(shellPath)
+    } else {
+      shellLaunch =
+        env.ORCA_ATTRIBUTION_SHIM_DIR ||
+        env.ORCA_OPENCODE_CONFIG_DIR ||
+        env.ORCA_PI_CODING_AGENT_DIR ||
+        env.ORCA_OMP_CODING_AGENT_DIR ||
+        env.ORCA_CODEX_HOME ||
+        env.ORCA_AGENT_TEAMS_SHIM_DIR
+          ? getAttributionShellLaunchConfig(shellPath)
+          : null
+    }
     if (shellLaunch) {
       Object.assign(env, shellLaunch.env)
     }
@@ -562,7 +572,6 @@ export function createPtySubprocess(opts: PtySubprocessOptions): SubprocessHandl
     cwd: opts.cwd,
     worktreeId: parsePtySessionId(opts.sessionId).worktreeId
   })
-  const startupAgentRecognition = recognizeAgentProcessFromCommandLine(opts.command)
   let startupAgentForeground: { processName: string; expiresAt: number } | null =
     startupAgentRecognition
       ? {

src/main/daemon/session.test.ts

@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ describe('Session', () => {
 
   function createSession(opts?: {
     shellReadySupported?: boolean
+    shellReadyTimeoutMs?: number
     cols?: number
     rows?: number
   }): Session {
@@ -81,7 +82,10 @@ describe('Session', () => {
       cols: opts?.cols ?? 80,
       rows: opts?.rows ?? 24,
       subprocess,
-      shellReadySupported: opts?.shellReadySupported ?? false
+      shellReadySupported: opts?.shellReadySupported ?? false,
+      ...(opts?.shellReadyTimeoutMs !== undefined
+        ? { shellReadyTimeoutMs: opts.shellReadyTimeoutMs }
+        : {})
     })
     return session
   }
@@ -213,6 +217,18 @@ describe('Session', () => {
       expect(subprocess.written).toEqual(['waiting input'])
     })
 
+    it('honors a shorter shell-ready timeout for Codex startup sessions', () => {
+      createSession({ shellReadySupported: true, shellReadyTimeoutMs: 300 })
+      session.write('codex\n')
+
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(299)
+      expect(subprocess.written).toEqual([])
+
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(1)
+      expect(session.shellState).toBe('timed_out' satisfies ShellReadyState)
+      expect(subprocess.written).toEqual(['codex\n'])
+    })
+
     it('detects marker split across data chunks', () => {
       createSession({ shellReadySupported: true })
 

src/main/daemon/session.ts

@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ import type {
 } from './types'
 
 const SHELL_READY_TIMEOUT_MS = 15_000
+// Why: Codex startup skips marker-gated command delivery; this only bounds
+// older daemon/local paths that still report shell-ready support for Codex.
+export const CODEX_SHELL_READY_TIMEOUT_MS = 300
 const KILL_TIMEOUT_MS = 5_000
 const SHELL_READY_MARKER = '\x1b]777;orca-shell-ready\x07'
 // Why: pending records exist so the 5s checkpoint can persist increments
@@ -47,6 +50,7 @@ export type SessionOptions = {
   rows: number
   subprocess: SubprocessHandle
   shellReadySupported: boolean
+  shellReadyTimeoutMs?: number
   scrollback?: number
 }
 
@@ -94,7 +98,7 @@ export class Session {
       this._shellState = 'pending'
       this.shellReadyTimer = setTimeout(() => {
         this.onShellReadyTimeout()
-      }, SHELL_READY_TIMEOUT_MS)
+      }, opts.shellReadyTimeoutMs ?? SHELL_READY_TIMEOUT_MS)
     } else {
       this._shellState = 'unsupported'
     }

src/main/daemon/terminal-host.ts

@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ export type CreateOrAttachOptions = {
   terminalWindowsWslDistro?: string | null
   terminalWindowsPowerShellImplementation?: 'auto' | 'powershell.exe' | 'pwsh.exe'
   shellReadySupported?: boolean
+  shellReadyTimeoutMs?: number
   streamClient: { onData: (data: string) => void; onExit: (code: number) => void }
 }
 
@@ -122,7 +123,10 @@ export class TerminalHost {
       cols: size.cols,
       rows: size.rows,
       subprocess,
-      shellReadySupported: opts.shellReadySupported ?? false
+      shellReadySupported: opts.shellReadySupported ?? false,
+      ...(opts.shellReadyTimeoutMs !== undefined
+        ? { shellReadyTimeoutMs: opts.shellReadyTimeoutMs }
+        : {})
     })
 
     this.sessions.set(opts.sessionId, session)

src/main/daemon/types.ts

@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@
 // when daemon-baked behavior cannot be delivered by on-disk wrapper refresh.
 // Why: bump when adding daemon wire behavior so same-version old daemons do
 // not silently accept the handshake and then reject new RPCs.
-export const PROTOCOL_VERSION = 14
+export const PROTOCOL_VERSION = 15
 export const PREVIOUS_DAEMON_PROTOCOL_VERSIONS = [
-  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
+  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
 ] as const
 
 // ─── Session State Machine ──────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ export type CreateOrAttachRequest = {
      *  PTY path resolves the same effective executable as LocalPtyProvider. */
     terminalWindowsPowerShellImplementation?: 'auto' | 'powershell.exe' | 'pwsh.exe'
     shellReadySupported?: boolean
+    shellReadyTimeoutMs?: number
   }
 }
 

src/main/ipc/pty.test.ts

@@ -4780,7 +4780,41 @@ describe('registerPtyHandlers', () => {
     }
   )
 
-  posixOnlyIt('falls back to a max wait when the shell emits no readiness output', async () => {
+  posixOnlyIt(
+    'uses the no-marker wrapper and writes quickly for Codex startup commands',
+    async () => {
+      vi.useFakeTimers()
+      const mockProc = createMockProc()
+      spawnMock.mockReturnValue(mockProc.proc)
+
+      try {
+        registerPtyHandlers(mainWindow as never)
+        await handlers.get('pty:spawn')!(null, {
+          cols: 80,
+          rows: 24,
+          cwd: '/tmp',
+          command: 'codex'
+        })
+
+        const [, , options] = spawnMock.mock.calls[0]!
+        expect(options.env.ORCA_SHELL_READY_MARKER).toBe('0')
+
+        await Promise.resolve()
+        vi.advanceTimersByTime(49)
+        await Promise.resolve()
+        expect(mockProc.proc.write).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+
+        vi.advanceTimersByTime(1)
+        await Promise.resolve()
+        vi.runAllTimers()
+        expect(mockProc.proc.write).toHaveBeenCalledWith('codex\n')
+      } finally {
+        vi.useRealTimers()
+      }
+    }
+  )
+
+  posixOnlyIt('keeps the conservative max wait for non-agent startup commands', async () => {
     vi.useFakeTimers()
     const mockProc = createMockProc()
     spawnMock.mockReturnValue(mockProc.proc)
@@ -4791,13 +4825,17 @@ describe('registerPtyHandlers', () => {
         cols: 80,
         rows: 24,
         cwd: '/tmp',
-        command: 'codex'
+        command: 'printf "hello"'
       })
 
-      vi.advanceTimersByTime(1500)
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(1499)
+      await Promise.resolve()
+      expect(mockProc.proc.write).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(1)
       await Promise.resolve()
       vi.runAllTimers()
-      expect(mockProc.proc.write).toHaveBeenCalledWith('codex\n')
+      expect(mockProc.proc.write).toHaveBeenCalledWith('printf "hello"\n')
     } finally {
       vi.useRealTimers()
     }

src/main/providers/local-pty-provider.ts

@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ import {
 import { WINDOWS_GIT_BASH_SHELL } from '../../shared/windows-terminal-shell'
 import { resolveAgentForegroundProcess } from './agent-foreground-process'
 import { getAgentForegroundContextPaths } from './agent-foreground-context-paths'
+import { recognizeAgentProcessFromCommandLine } from '../../shared/agent-process-recognition'
 
 const PANE_IDENTITY_ENV_KEYS = ['ORCA_PANE_KEY', 'ORCA_TAB_ID', 'ORCA_WORKTREE_ID'] as const
 
@@ -472,16 +473,23 @@ export class LocalPtyProvider implements IPtyProvider {
         finalEnv.ORCA_OMP_CODING_AGENT_DIR ||
         finalEnv.ORCA_CODEX_HOME ||
         finalEnv.ORCA_AGENT_TEAMS_SHIM_DIR
-      getFallbackShellReadyConfig = args.command
-        ? (shell) => getShellReadyLaunchConfig(shell)
-        : needsNoMarkerWrapper
-          ? (shell) => getAttributionShellLaunchConfig(shell)
-          : undefined
-      const shellLaunch = args.command
-        ? getShellReadyLaunchConfig(shellPath)
-        : needsNoMarkerWrapper
-          ? getAttributionShellLaunchConfig(shellPath)
-          : null
+      const isCodexStartupCommand =
+        recognizeAgentProcessFromCommandLine(args.command)?.agent === 'codex'
+      let shellLaunch: ReturnType<typeof getShellReadyLaunchConfig> | null = null
+      if (args.command && isCodexStartupCommand) {
+        // Why: Codex needs the env-restoring wrapper, but waiting for a shell
+        // marker delays the first useful TUI frame.
+        getFallbackShellReadyConfig = (shell) => getAttributionShellLaunchConfig(shell)
+        shellLaunch = getAttributionShellLaunchConfig(shellPath)
+      } else if (args.command) {
+        getFallbackShellReadyConfig = (shell) => getShellReadyLaunchConfig(shell)
+        shellLaunch = getShellReadyLaunchConfig(shellPath)
+      } else if (needsNoMarkerWrapper) {
+        getFallbackShellReadyConfig = (shell) => getAttributionShellLaunchConfig(shell)
+        shellLaunch = getAttributionShellLaunchConfig(shellPath)
+      } else {
+        getFallbackShellReadyConfig = undefined
+      }
       if (shellLaunch) {
         Object.assign(finalEnv, shellLaunch.env)
         shellArgs = shellLaunch.args ?? shellArgs