feat(chat): /steer non-interruptive support (Phase 2.1)

Hermes v2026.4.23 introduces /steer — mid-run guidance the agent
applies after the next tool call without interrupting the current
turn. Surface it as a first-class slash command in both Mac and iOS
chat menus with non-interruptive send semantics.

ScarfCore RichChatViewModel:
- nonInterruptiveCommands static (currently just /steer) merged
  into availableCommands at the end of the menu.
- HermesSlashCommand.Source.acpNonInterruptive case carries the
  flag through to the menu UI.
- transientHint: String? property for short-lived composer toasts.
- isNonInterruptiveSlash(_ text: String) -> Bool helper for the
  send paths to detect /steer-shaped invocations.

Mac ChatViewModel.sendViaACP:
- /steer-shaped sends skip the "Agent working..." status update
  (the agent is already on its current turn) and set a 4-second
  transientHint "Guidance queued — applies after the next tool call."

Mac RichChatView:
- New steeringToast() above the input bar renders the hint when
  set; tinted pill with arrow icon, opacity transition.

iOS ChatController.send + ChatView:
- Same isNonInterruptiveSlash check surfaces the toast above the
  composer; auto-clears via the same 4s Task pattern.
- steeringToast() helper view in ChatView.

Verified: ScarfCore + Mac + iOS builds clean.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

scarf/Packages/ScarfCore/Sources/ScarfCore/ViewModels/RichChatViewModel.swift

@@ -197,8 +197,31 @@ public final class RichChatViewModel {
     /// `ChatViewModel.sendPrompt` and needs the body + model override.
     public private(set) var projectScopedCommands: [ProjectSlashCommand] = []
 
+    /// Hardcoded ACP-native commands that don't interrupt the current
+    /// turn. v2.5 ships `/steer` as the flagship — applies user
+    /// guidance after the next tool call without aborting. Fronted by
+    /// Hermes v2026.4.23+ but listed here unconditionally so older
+    /// hosts that don't advertise it still surface the trigger; the
+    /// agent will respond appropriately or no-op gracefully.
+    public static let nonInterruptiveCommands: [HermesSlashCommand] = [
+        HermesSlashCommand(
+            name: "steer",
+            description: "Nudge the agent mid-run (applies after the next tool call)",
+            argumentHint: "<guidance>",
+            source: .acpNonInterruptive
+        )
+    ]
+
+    /// Transient hint shown above the composer, e.g. "Guidance queued —
+    /// applies after the next tool call." for `/steer`. The chat view
+    /// auto-clears it after a short delay (handled in the view); the
+    /// model just owns the value.
+    public var transientHint: String?
+
     /// Merged slash-menu list. Precedence: **ACP > project-scoped >
     /// quick_commands** (most specific source wins). De-duplicated by name.
+    /// Non-interruptive ACP commands (`/steer`) are always appended at
+    /// the end so they don't crowd the more frequently-used options.
     public var availableCommands: [HermesSlashCommand] {
         let acpNames = Set(acpCommands.map(\.name))
         let projectAsHermes: [HermesSlashCommand] = projectScopedCommands
@@ -215,7 +238,28 @@ public final class RichChatViewModel {
         let quicks = quickCommands.filter {
             !acpNames.contains($0.name) && !projectNames.contains($0.name)
         }
-        return acpCommands + projectAsHermes + quicks
+        let occupied = acpNames.union(projectNames).union(Set(quicks.map(\.name)))
+        let nonInterruptive = Self.nonInterruptiveCommands.filter {
+            !occupied.contains($0.name)
+        }
+        return acpCommands + projectAsHermes + quicks + nonInterruptive
+    }
+
+    /// True when `text` is a non-interruptive command that should NOT
+    /// flip `isAgentWorking` to true on send. Used by the Mac/iOS chat
+    /// view models to skip the "agent working" overlay change for
+    /// `/steer` (the agent's still on its current turn).
+    public func isNonInterruptiveSlash(_ text: String) -> Bool {
+        let trimmed = text.trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespacesAndNewlines)
+        guard trimmed.hasPrefix("/") else { return false }
+        let withoutSlash = trimmed.dropFirst()
+        let name: String
+        if let space = withoutSlash.firstIndex(of: " ") {
+            name = String(withoutSlash[..<space])
+        } else {
+            name = String(withoutSlash)
+        }
+        return Self.nonInterruptiveCommands.contains { $0.name == name }
     }
 
     /// Look up the full project-scoped command payload by slash trigger.

scarf/Scarf iOS/Chat/ChatView.swift

@@ -47,6 +47,9 @@ struct ChatView: View {
             projectContextBar
             messageList
             Divider()
+            if let hint = controller.vm.transientHint {
+                steeringToast(hint)
+            }
             composer
         }
         .navigationTitle("Chat")
@@ -242,6 +245,26 @@ struct ChatView: View {
     }
 
     @ViewBuilder
+    /// Soft pill above the composer confirming a non-interruptive
+    /// command was received (e.g. `/steer`). Auto-clears via the
+    /// 4-second Task in `ChatController.send()`.
+    private func steeringToast(_ hint: String) -> some View {
+        HStack(spacing: 6) {
+            Image(systemName: "arrowshape.turn.up.right.fill")
+                .foregroundStyle(.tint)
+                .font(.caption)
+            Text(hint)
+                .font(.caption)
+                .foregroundStyle(.primary)
+            Spacer(minLength: 0)
+        }
+        .padding(.horizontal, 12)
+        .padding(.vertical, 6)
+        .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, alignment: .leading)
+        .background(.tint.opacity(0.12))
+        .transition(.opacity)
+    }
+
     private var composer: some View {
         HStack(alignment: .bottom, spacing: 8) {
             TextField(
@@ -557,6 +580,19 @@ final class ChatController {
         guard !sessionId.isEmpty else { return }
         draft = ""
         vm.addUserMessage(text: text)
+        // /steer is non-interruptive — the agent is still on its
+        // current turn; the guidance applies after the next tool call.
+        // Surface a transient toast confirming the guidance was
+        // received. v2.5 / Hermes v2026.4.23+.
+        if vm.isNonInterruptiveSlash(text) {
+            vm.transientHint = "Guidance queued — applies after the next tool call."
+            Task { @MainActor [weak vm] in
+                try? await Task.sleep(nanoseconds: 4_000_000_000)
+                if vm?.transientHint == "Guidance queued — applies after the next tool call." {
+                    vm?.transientHint = nil
+                }
+            }
+        }
         // Project-scoped slash commands expand client-side: the user
         // bubble shows the literal `/<name> args` they typed (above);
         // Hermes receives the expanded prompt template body. Other

scarf/scarf/Features/Chat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift

@@ -315,7 +315,23 @@ final class ChatViewModel {
         // and Hermes-version-independent. v2.5.
         let wireText = expandIfProjectScoped(text)
 
+        // /steer is non-interruptive — the agent is still on its
+        // current turn; the guidance applies after the next tool
+        // call. Don't change the "Agent working..." status (it's
+        // already on); show a transient toast so the user knows the
+        // guidance was accepted. v2.5 / Hermes v2026.4.23+.
+        let isSteer = richChatViewModel.isNonInterruptiveSlash(text)
+        if isSteer {
+            richChatViewModel.transientHint = "Guidance queued — applies after the next tool call."
+            Task { @MainActor [weak self] in
+                try? await Task.sleep(nanoseconds: 4_000_000_000)
+                if self?.richChatViewModel.transientHint == "Guidance queued — applies after the next tool call." {
+                    self?.richChatViewModel.transientHint = nil
+                }
+            }
+        } else {
             acpStatus = "Agent working..."
+        }
         acpPromptTask = Task { @MainActor in
             do {
                 let result = try await client.sendPrompt(sessionId: sessionId, text: wireText)

scarf/scarf/Features/Chat/Views/RichChatView.swift

@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ struct RichChatView: View {
             )
 
             Divider()
+            if let hint = richChat.transientHint {
+                steeringToast(hint)
+            }
             RichChatInputBar(
                 onSend: { text in
                     onSend(text)
@@ -75,4 +78,24 @@ struct RichChatView: View {
             }
         }
     }
+
+    /// Soft pill above the composer that confirms a non-interruptive
+    /// command (e.g. `/steer`) was received. Auto-clears after a short
+    /// delay (managed by `ChatViewModel`); presence in the model is
+    /// what drives this view.
+    private func steeringToast(_ hint: String) -> some View {
+        HStack(spacing: 6) {
+            Image(systemName: "arrowshape.turn.up.right.fill")
+                .foregroundStyle(.tint)
+                .font(.caption)
+            Text(hint)
+                .font(.caption)
+                .foregroundStyle(.primary)
+            Spacer(minLength: 0)
+        }
+        .padding(.horizontal, 12)
+        .padding(.vertical, 6)
+        .background(.tint.opacity(0.12))
+        .transition(.move(edge: .bottom).combined(with: .opacity))
+    }
 }