Leader Sequences

Leader sequences are multi-key commands that start with a leader key. AZUREAL uses W (Shift+W) as the leader key for worktree operations. This avoids overloading single-key bindings while keeping worktree management fast and discoverable.

How Leader Sequences Work

1. Press W from command mode, regardless of which pane has focus.
2. The status bar updates to show [W ...], indicating a leader sequence is in progress.
3. Press the second key to resolve the action.
4. The action executes and the leader state clears.

If you press W and then change your mind, press Esc to cancel the sequence and return to normal command mode. The [W ...] indicator disappears.

Worktree Leader Sequences

Create (Wn)

Opens the worktree creation dialog. You provide a branch name, and AZUREAL creates a new git worktree with that branch, adds it to the tab row, and switches to it.

Rename (Wr)

Opens a rename dialog pre-filled with the current branch suffix. On confirm, the underlying git branch is renamed (git branch -m), the new branch is pushed to the remote, and the old remote branch is deleted. All branch-keyed app state is migrated to the new name.

Archive (Wa)

Archives the active worktree. The worktree directory is removed, but the git branch is preserved. Archived worktrees remain visible in the tab row with a dim ◇ prefix and can be unarchived with u to recreate the worktree from the preserved branch.

Delete (Wd)

Deletes a worktree from disk. This runs git worktree remove and is destructive – uncommitted changes in the worktree are lost. A confirmation prompt is shown before deletion.

Shortcut When Worktrees Pane Is Focused

When the Worktrees pane has focus, the leader prefix is not required. The second key resolves directly:

This shortcut exists because when you are already looking at the worktrees list, the W prefix is redundant. The direct keys are faster and more natural in that context.

Outside the Worktrees pane, these single keys have other meanings (e.g., r runs a command, n may be unbound), so the W leader prefix is required to disambiguate.

Status Bar Feedback

The status bar provides real-time feedback during leader sequences:

• Before pressing leader key: Status bar shows normal state (mode, branch, model).
• After pressing W: Status bar shows [W ...] to indicate a leader sequence is pending.
• After pressing the second key: The action executes and the status bar returns to normal.
• After pressing Esc: The leader sequence is cancelled and the status bar returns to normal.

This visual feedback ensures you always know whether a leader sequence is in progress, eliminating ambiguity about what your next keystroke will do.