feat(coding-agent): add header-only quietStartup mode

quietStartup: "header" keeps the startup header with version and key hints
but hides the model scope line and loaded-resource listing.

packages/coding-agent/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 ### Added
 
 - Added an `oauth.authServerMetadataUrl` setting for MCP servers that advertise a wrong OAuth authorization server or none. Pi uses the configured metadata document instead of discovery ([#10172](https://github.com/earendil-works/pi/issues/10172)).
+- Added `quietStartup: "header"`, which keeps the startup header with version and key hints but hides the model scope line and loaded-resource listing.
 
 ### Changed
 

packages/coding-agent/docs/settings.md

@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ See [Compaction Reference](compaction.md) for trigger, summarization, and valida
 | Setting | Type | Default | Description |
 |---|---|---|---|
 | `theme` | string | `"system"` | Built-in or custom theme name. `system` derives colors from the terminal theme. |
-| `quietStartup` | boolean | `false` | Hide the startup header. |
+| `quietStartup` | boolean \| `"header"` | `false` | `true` hides the startup header and loaded-resource listing. `"header"` keeps the header (version and key hints) but hides the model scope line and loaded-resource listing. |
 | `tuiMode` | `"regular" \| "fullscreen"` | `"regular"` | Interactive terminal UI mode. |
 | `fullscreenExitOutput` | `"transcript" \| "resume-hint"` | `"transcript"` | Output printed when fullscreen mode exits. |
 | `fullscreenScrollbar` | `"auto" \| "always" \| "hidden"` | `"auto"` | Fullscreen transcript scrollbar behavior. |

packages/coding-agent/src/core/settings-manager.ts

@@ -108,6 +108,8 @@ export interface CodemodeSettings {
 }
 
 export type DefaultProjectTrust = "ask" | "always" | "never";
+/** true hides all startup output, "header" keeps only the startup header. */
+export type QuietStartup = boolean | "header";
 
 export type TransportSetting = Transport;
 
@@ -145,7 +147,7 @@ export interface Settings {
 	showCacheMissNotices?: boolean; // default: false - show cache cost and provider recovery notices
 	externalEditor?: string; // Command for Ctrl+G external editor; takes precedence over VISUAL/EDITOR
 	shellPath?: string; // Custom shell path (e.g., for Cygwin users on Windows); supports leading ~ expansion
-	quietStartup?: boolean;
+	quietStartup?: QuietStartup; // default: false
 	defaultProjectTrust?: DefaultProjectTrust; // default: "ask"; global setting only
 	shellCommandPrefix?: string; // Prefix prepended to every bash command (e.g., "shopt -s expand_aliases" for alias support)
 	npmCommand?: string[]; // Command used for npm package lookup/install operations, argv-style (e.g., ["mise", "exec", "node@20", "--", "npm"])
@@ -1084,11 +1086,12 @@ export class SettingsManager {
 		this.save();
 	}
 
-	getQuietStartup(): boolean {
-		return this.settings.quietStartup ?? false;
+	getQuietStartup(): QuietStartup {
+		const value = this.settings.quietStartup;
+		return value === true || value === "header" ? value : false;
 	}
 
-	setQuietStartup(quiet: boolean): void {
+	setQuietStartup(quiet: QuietStartup): void {
 		this.globalSettings.quietStartup = quiet;
 		this.markModified("quietStartup");
 		this.save();

packages/coding-agent/src/index.ts

@@ -310,6 +310,7 @@ export {
 	type FullscreenExitOutput,
 	type ImageSettings,
 	type PackageSource,
+	type QuietStartup,
 	type RetrySettings,
 	SettingsManager,
 	type SettingsManagerCreateOptions,

packages/coding-agent/src/modes/interactive/components/settings-selector.ts

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import {
 	type DefaultProjectTrust,
 	type FullscreenExitOutput,
 	type MermaidRenderingMode,
+	type QuietStartup,
 	type TuiMode,
 	type WarningSettings,
 } from "../../../core/settings-manager.ts";
@@ -87,7 +88,7 @@ export interface SettingsConfig {
 	editorPaddingX: number;
 	outputPad: 0 | 1;
 	autocompleteMaxVisible: number;
-	quietStartup: boolean;
+	quietStartup: QuietStartup;
 	defaultProjectTrust: DefaultProjectTrust;
 	clearOnShrink: boolean;
 	showTerminalProgress: boolean;
@@ -126,7 +127,7 @@ export interface SettingsCallbacks {
 	onEditorPaddingXChange: (padding: number) => void;
 	onOutputPadChange: (padding: 0 | 1) => void;
 	onAutocompleteMaxVisibleChange: (maxVisible: number) => void;
-	onQuietStartupChange: (enabled: boolean) => void;
+	onQuietStartupChange: (quiet: QuietStartup) => void;
 	onDefaultProjectTrustChange: (defaultProjectTrust: DefaultProjectTrust) => void;
 	onClearOnShrinkChange: (enabled: boolean) => void;
 	onShowTerminalProgressChange: (enabled: boolean) => void;
@@ -553,9 +554,9 @@ export class SettingsSelectorComponent extends Container {
 			{
 				id: "quiet-startup",
 				label: "Quiet startup",
-				description: "Disable verbose printing at startup",
-				currentValue: config.quietStartup ? "true" : "false",
-				values: ["true", "false"],
+				description: "Disable verbose printing at startup (header: keep only the startup header)",
+				currentValue: String(config.quietStartup),
+				values: ["true", "header", "false"],
 			},
 			{
 				id: "install-telemetry",
@@ -920,7 +921,7 @@ export class SettingsSelectorComponent extends Container {
 						callbacks.onCollapseChangelogChange(newValue === "true");
 						break;
 					case "quiet-startup":
-						callbacks.onQuietStartupChange(newValue === "true");
+						callbacks.onQuietStartupChange(newValue === "header" ? "header" : newValue === "true");
 						break;
 					case "install-telemetry":
 						callbacks.onEnableInstallTelemetryChange(newValue === "true");

packages/coding-agent/src/modes/interactive/interactive-mode.ts

@@ -926,7 +926,7 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
 		// Load changelog (only show new entries, skip for resumed sessions)
 		this.changelogMarkdown = this.getChangelogForDisplay();
 
-		if (this.session.scopedModels.length > 0 && (this.options.verbose || !this.settingsManager.getQuietStartup())) {
+		if (this.session.scopedModels.length > 0 && this.shouldShowStartupDetails()) {
 			const modelList = this.session.scopedModels
 				.map((sm) => {
 					const thinkingStr = sm.thinkingLevel ? `:${sm.thinkingLevel}` : "";
@@ -982,7 +982,8 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
 		await this.themeController.waitForTerminalColors();
 
 		// Add header with keybindings from config (unless silenced)
-		if (this.options.verbose || !this.settingsManager.getQuietStartup()) {
+		if (this.shouldShowStartupHeader()) {
+			const showDetails = this.shouldShowStartupDetails();
 			// Built on demand so the header follows theme changes. The logo's first line carries the version,
 			// its second line the first line of key hints.
 			const withLogo = (hints: string) => {
@@ -1027,7 +1028,10 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
 					hint("app.tools.expand", "more"),
 				].join(theme.fg("muted", " · "));
 			const compactOnboarding = () =>
-				theme.fg("dim", `Press ${keyText("app.tools.expand")} to show full startup help and loaded resources.`);
+				theme.fg(
+					"dim",
+					`Press ${keyText("app.tools.expand")} to show full startup help${showDetails ? " and loaded resources" : ""}.`,
+				);
 			const onboarding = () =>
 				theme.fg("dim", `Pi can explain its own features and look up its docs. Ask it how to use or extend Pi.`);
 			const header = new BuiltInHeader(
@@ -1388,6 +1392,16 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
 		return this.options.verbose || this.toolOutputExpanded;
 	}
 
+	/** Startup header (logo, version, key hints). Hidden only by quietStartup: true. */
+	private shouldShowStartupHeader(): boolean {
+		return this.options.verbose === true || this.settingsManager.getQuietStartup() !== true;
+	}
+
+	/** Startup details (model scope, loaded resources). Hidden by quietStartup: true or "header". */
+	private shouldShowStartupDetails(): boolean {
+		return this.options.verbose === true || this.settingsManager.getQuietStartup() === false;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Get a short path relative to the package root for display.
 	 */
@@ -1736,7 +1750,7 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
 		// Resource rendering is idempotent; chat clears no longer clear this separate container.
 		this.loadedResourcesContainer.clear();
 
-		const showListing = options?.force || this.options.verbose || !this.settingsManager.getQuietStartup();
+		const showListing = options?.force || this.shouldShowStartupDetails();
 		const showDiagnostics = showListing || options?.showDiagnosticsWhenQuiet === true;
 		if (!showListing && !showDiagnostics) {
 			return;
@@ -4937,8 +4951,8 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
 					onEnableInstallTelemetryChange: (enabled) => {
 						this.settingsManager.setEnableInstallTelemetry(enabled);
 					},
-					onQuietStartupChange: (enabled) => {
-						this.settingsManager.setQuietStartup(enabled);
+					onQuietStartupChange: (quiet) => {
+						this.settingsManager.setQuietStartup(quiet);
 					},
 					onDefaultProjectTrustChange: (defaultProjectTrust) => {
 						this.settingsManager.setDefaultProjectTrust(defaultProjectTrust);

packages/coding-agent/test/interactive-mode-status.test.ts

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { type Component, Container, type Focusable, type TUI } from "../../tui/s
 import { TuiMainScreen } from "../../tui/src/tui-main-screen.ts";
 import { VirtualTerminal } from "../../tui/test/virtual-terminal.ts";
 import type { AutocompleteProviderFactory } from "../src/core/extensions/types.ts";
+import type { QuietStartup } from "../src/core/settings-manager.ts";
 import type { SourceInfo } from "../src/core/source-info.ts";
 import type { AuthSelectorProvider } from "../src/modes/interactive/components/oauth-selector.ts";
 import { InteractiveMode } from "../src/modes/interactive/interactive-mode.ts";
@@ -513,7 +514,7 @@ describe("InteractiveMode.showLoadedResources", () => {
 	});
 
 	function createShowLoadedResourcesThis(options: {
-		quietStartup: boolean;
+		quietStartup: QuietStartup;
 		verbose?: boolean;
 		toolOutputExpanded?: boolean;
 		cwd?: string;
@@ -561,6 +562,7 @@ describe("InteractiveMode.showLoadedResources", () => {
 				(InteractiveMode as any).prototype.formatExtensionDisplayPath.call(fakeThis, p),
 			formatContextPath: (p: string) => (InteractiveMode as any).prototype.formatContextPath.call(fakeThis, p),
 			getStartupExpansionState: () => (InteractiveMode as any).prototype.getStartupExpansionState.call(fakeThis),
+			shouldShowStartupDetails: () => (InteractiveMode as any).prototype.shouldShowStartupDetails.call(fakeThis),
 			buildScopeGroups: () => [],
 			formatScopeGroups: () => "resource-list",
 			isPackageSource: (sourceInfo?: SourceInfo) =>
@@ -1232,6 +1234,28 @@ describe("InteractiveMode.showLoadedResources", () => {
 		expect(fakeThis.loadedResourcesContainer.children).toHaveLength(0);
 	});
 
+	test("hides resource listing but keeps the startup header with header-only quiet startup", () => {
+		const fakeThis = createShowLoadedResourcesThis({
+			quietStartup: "header",
+			skills: [{ filePath: "/tmp/skill/SKILL.md", name: "commit" }],
+		});
+
+		(InteractiveMode as any).prototype.showLoadedResources.call(fakeThis, {
+			force: false,
+		});
+
+		expect(fakeThis.loadedResourcesContainer.children).toHaveLength(0);
+		expect((InteractiveMode as any).prototype.shouldShowStartupHeader.call(fakeThis)).toBe(true);
+		expect((InteractiveMode as any).prototype.shouldShowStartupDetails.call(fakeThis)).toBe(false);
+	});
+
+	test("hides the startup header with full quiet startup unless verbose", () => {
+		const quiet = createShowLoadedResourcesThis({ quietStartup: true });
+		expect((InteractiveMode as any).prototype.shouldShowStartupHeader.call(quiet)).toBe(false);
+		const verbose = createShowLoadedResourcesThis({ quietStartup: "header", verbose: true });
+		expect((InteractiveMode as any).prototype.shouldShowStartupDetails.call(verbose)).toBe(true);
+	});
+
 	test("still shows diagnostics on quiet startup when requested", () => {
 		const fakeThis = createShowLoadedResourcesThis({
 			quietStartup: true,

packages/coding-agent/test/suite/regressions/5943-session-start-notify.test.ts

@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ type LoadedResourcesContext = {
 		};
 	};
 	getStartupExpansionState: () => boolean;
+	shouldShowStartupDetails: () => boolean;
 	formatDisplayPath: (resourcePath: string) => string;
 	formatContextPath: (resourcePath: string) => string;
 	getBuiltInCommandConflictDiagnostics: (extensionRunner: LoadedResourcesContext["session"]["extensionRunner"]) => [];
@@ -208,6 +209,7 @@ function createLoadedResourcesContext(): LoadedResourcesContext {
 			},
 		},
 		getStartupExpansionState: () => false,
+		shouldShowStartupDetails: () => true,
 		formatDisplayPath: (resourcePath) => resourcePath,
 		formatContextPath: (resourcePath) => resourcePath.replace("/repo/", ""),
 		getBuiltInCommandConflictDiagnostics: () => [],