Make chat mentions inline

packages/cli/src/commands/chat/index.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { Command } from "commander";
 import { withOutput } from "../../output/index.js";
-import { addJsonAndDaemonHostOptions, collectMultiple } from "../../utils/command-options.js";
+import { addJsonAndDaemonHostOptions } from "../../utils/command-options.js";
 import { runCreateCommand } from "./create.js";
 import { runLsCommand } from "./ls.js";
 import { runInspectCommand } from "./inspect.js";
@@ -44,13 +44,7 @@ export function createChatCommand(): Command {
       .description("Post a chat message")
       .argument("<name-or-id>", "Room name or ID")
       .argument("<message>", "Message body")
-      .option("--reply-to <msg-id>", "Reply to a specific message ID")
+      .option("--reply-to <msg-id>", "Reply to a specific message ID"),
-      .option(
-        "--mention <agent-id>",
-        "Mention an agent ID (repeatable)",
-        collectMultiple,
-        [],
-      ),
   ).action(withOutput(runPostCommand));
 
   addJsonAndDaemonHostOptions(

packages/cli/src/commands/chat/post.ts

@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import { chatMessageSchema, type ChatMessageRow, toChatMessageRow } from "./sche
 
 export interface ChatPostOptions extends ChatCommandOptions {
   replyTo?: string;
-  mention?: string[];
 }
 
 export async function runPostCommand(
@@ -24,7 +23,6 @@ export async function runPostCommand(
       room,
       body,
       replyToMessageId: options.replyTo,
-      mentionAgentIds: options.mention ?? [],
     });
     return {
       type: "single",

packages/cli/tests/30-chat.test.ts

@@ -31,9 +31,7 @@ try {
       "chat",
       "post",
       "coord-room",
-      "first message",
+      "first message for @agent-1",
-      "--mention",
-      "agent-1",
     ]);
     assert.strictEqual(posted.exitCode, 0, posted.stderr);
     assert(posted.stdout.includes("first message"), posted.stdout);

packages/desktop/src/main.ts

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ log.initialize({ spyRendererConsole: true });
 import path from "node:path";
 import { pathToFileURL } from "node:url";
 import { existsSync } from "node:fs";
-import { app, BrowserWindow, nativeImage, net, protocol } from "electron";
+import { app, BrowserWindow, nativeImage, nativeTheme, net, protocol } from "electron";
 import { registerDaemonManager } from "./daemon/daemon-manager.js";
 import {
   parseCliPassthroughArgsFromArgv,
@@ -32,6 +32,17 @@ protocol.registerSchemesAsPrivileged([
   { scheme: APP_SCHEME, privileges: { standard: true, secure: true, supportFetchAPI: true } },
 ]);
 
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Window chrome
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+function getTitleBarOverlayColors(): Electron.TitleBarOverlayOptions {
+  if (nativeTheme.shouldUseDarkColors) {
+    return { color: "#18181c", symbolColor: "#e4e4e7", height: 48 };
+  }
+  return { color: "#ffffff", symbolColor: "#09090b", height: 48 };
+}
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Window creation
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -96,11 +107,7 @@ async function createMainWindow(): Promise<void> {
     ...(isMac
       ? { trafficLightPosition: { x: 16, y: 14 } }
       : {
-          titleBarOverlay: {
+          titleBarOverlay: getTitleBarOverlayColors(),
-            color: "#18181c",
-            symbolColor: "#e4e4e7",
-            height: 48,
-          },
           autoHideMenuBar: true,
         }),
     webPreferences: {
@@ -113,6 +120,12 @@ async function createMainWindow(): Promise<void> {
   setupWindowResizeEvents(mainWindow);
   setupDragDropPrevention(mainWindow);
 
+  if (!isMac) {
+    nativeTheme.on("updated", () => {
+      mainWindow.setTitleBarOverlay(getTitleBarOverlayColors());
+    });
+  }
+
   mainWindow.once("ready-to-show", () => {
     mainWindow.show();
   });

packages/server/src/client/daemon-client.ts

@@ -370,7 +370,6 @@ export type PostChatMessageOptions = {
   room: string;
   body: string;
   replyToMessageId?: string | null;
-  mentionAgentIds?: string[];
   requestId?: string;
 };
 export type ReadChatMessagesOptions = {
@@ -2913,9 +2912,6 @@ export class DaemonClient {
         room: options.room,
         body: options.body,
         ...(options.replyToMessageId ? { replyToMessageId: options.replyToMessageId } : {}),
-        ...(options.mentionAgentIds && options.mentionAgentIds.length > 0
-          ? { mentionAgentIds: options.mentionAgentIds }
-          : {}),
       },
       responseType: "chat/post/response",
       timeout: 10000,

packages/server/src/server/chat/chat-rpc-schemas.ts

@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ export const ChatPostRequestSchema = z.object({
   room: z.string(),
   body: z.string(),
   replyToMessageId: z.string().optional(),
-  mentionAgentIds: z.array(z.string()).optional(),
 });
 
 export const ChatReadRequestSchema = z.object({

packages/server/src/server/chat/chat-service.test.ts

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { mkdtemp, readFile, rm } from "node:fs/promises";
 import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
 import path from "node:path";
 import pino from "pino";
-import { ChatServiceError, FileBackedChatService } from "./chat-service.js";
+import { ChatServiceError, FileBackedChatService, parseMentionAgentIds } from "./chat-service.js";
 
 describe("FileBackedChatService", () => {
   let paseoHome: string;
@@ -48,8 +48,7 @@ describe("FileBackedChatService", () => {
     const first = await service.postMessage({
       room: room.name,
       authorAgentId: "agent-a",
-      body: "first message",
+      body: "first message for @agent-b and @agent-c and again @agent-b",
-      mentionAgentIds: ["agent-b", "agent-b", "agent-c"],
     });
     await service.postMessage({
       room: room.id,
@@ -141,4 +140,11 @@ describe("FileBackedChatService", () => {
       code: "chat_room_not_found",
     });
   });
+
+  test("extracts inline mentions from chat bodies", () => {
+    expect(
+      parseMentionAgentIds("Checking with @agent-a, (@agent_b), and duplicate @agent-a again."),
+    ).toEqual(["agent-a", "agent_b"]);
+    expect(parseMentionAgentIds("email@example.com is not a mention")).toEqual([]);
+  });
 });

packages/server/src/server/chat/chat-service.ts

@@ -31,6 +31,19 @@ function trimToNull(value: string | null | undefined): string | null {
   return trimmed.length > 0 ? trimmed : null;
 }
 
+const CHAT_MENTION_PATTERN = /(?:^|[\s(])@([A-Za-z0-9][A-Za-z0-9._-]*)/g;
+
+export function parseMentionAgentIds(body: string): string[] {
+  const mentionAgentIds = new Set<string>();
+  for (const match of body.matchAll(CHAT_MENTION_PATTERN)) {
+    const agentId = match[1]?.trim();
+    if (agentId) {
+      mentionAgentIds.add(agentId);
+    }
+  }
+  return Array.from(mentionAgentIds).sort();
+}
+
 export class ChatServiceError extends Error {
   readonly code: string;
 
@@ -67,7 +80,6 @@ export interface PostChatMessageInput {
   authorAgentId: string;
   body: string;
   replyToMessageId?: string | null;
-  mentionAgentIds?: string[];
 }
 
 export interface ReadChatMessagesInput {
@@ -195,9 +207,7 @@ export class FileBackedChatService {
       authorAgentId,
       body,
       replyToMessageId,
-      mentionAgentIds: [...new Set((input.mentionAgentIds ?? []).map((value) => value.trim()))]
+      mentionAgentIds: parseMentionAgentIds(body),
-        .filter((value) => value.length > 0)
-        .sort(),
       createdAt,
     });
 

packages/server/src/server/session.ts

@@ -7730,7 +7730,6 @@ export class Session {
         authorAgentId: this.clientId,
         body: request.body,
         replyToMessageId: request.replyToMessageId,
-        mentionAgentIds: request.mentionAgentIds,
       });
       this.emit({
         type: "chat/post/response",
@@ -7740,11 +7739,79 @@ export class Session {
           error: null,
         },
       });
+      void this.notifyMentionedAgents({
+        room: request.room,
+        authorAgentId: this.clientId,
+        body: request.body,
+        mentionAgentIds: message.mentionAgentIds,
+      });
     } catch (error) {
       this.emitChatRpcError(request, error);
     }
   }
 
+  private async notifyMentionedAgents(input: {
+    room: string;
+    authorAgentId: string;
+    body: string;
+    mentionAgentIds: string[];
+  }): Promise<void> {
+    const mentionAgentIds = input.mentionAgentIds.filter(
+      (agentId) => agentId !== input.authorAgentId,
+    );
+    if (mentionAgentIds.length === 0) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const notification = this.buildChatMentionNotification({
+      ...input,
+      mentionAgentIds,
+    });
+
+    await Promise.all(
+      mentionAgentIds.map(async (mentionedAgentId) => {
+        const resolved = await this.resolveAgentIdentifier(mentionedAgentId);
+        if (!resolved.ok) {
+          this.sessionLogger.warn(
+            { mentionedAgentId, room: input.room, error: resolved.error },
+            "Failed to resolve chat mention target",
+          );
+          return;
+        }
+
+        try {
+          await this.handleSendAgentMessage(resolved.agentId, notification);
+        } catch (error) {
+          this.sessionLogger.warn(
+            { err: error, mentionedAgentId: resolved.agentId, room: input.room },
+            "Failed to notify mentioned agent about chat message",
+          );
+        }
+      }),
+    );
+  }
+
+  private buildChatMentionNotification(input: {
+    room: string;
+    authorAgentId: string;
+    body: string;
+    mentionAgentIds: string[];
+  }): string {
+    const mentioned = input.mentionAgentIds.map((agentId) => `@${agentId}`).join(", ");
+    const bodyWithoutMentions = input.body
+      .replace(/(^|\s)@[A-Za-z0-9][A-Za-z0-9._-]*/g, "$1")
+      .trim();
+    const body = bodyWithoutMentions.length > 0 ? bodyWithoutMentions : input.body;
+
+    return [
+      `Chat mention from ${input.authorAgentId} in room "${input.room}".`,
+      `Mentioned agents: ${mentioned}.`,
+      "Message:",
+      body,
+      `Read the room with: paseo chat read ${input.room} --limit 20`,
+    ].join("\n");
+  }
+
   private async handleChatReadRequest(
     request: Extract<SessionInboundMessage, { type: "chat/read" }>,
   ): Promise<void> {

skills/paseo-chat/SKILL.md

@@ -27,10 +27,8 @@ When using chat:
 - check chat often while working
 
 Mentions are active:
-- use `--mention <agent-id>` on your post to notify a specific agent immediately
+- write mentions inline in the message body as `@<agent-id>` to notify a specific agent immediately
-- if you use `--reply-to`, the author of the replied-to message is notified
+- notifications are sent to the target agent without blocking the chat post
-- notifications are sent via `paseo send --no-wait` under the hood
-- mentions **interrupt** the target agent, so only mention when they need to act now
 - if a normal post is enough and no one needs to act right now, skip the mention
 
 ## Command Surface
@@ -68,7 +66,7 @@ paseo chat post issue-456 "I can take that next." --reply-to msg-001
 With a direct mention:
 
 ```bash
-paseo chat post issue-456 "Can you verify the relay path next?" --mention <agent-id>
+paseo chat post issue-456 "@<agent-id> Can you verify the relay path next?"
 ```
 
 ### Read recent messages
@@ -101,7 +99,7 @@ When using a room:
 - read only a bounded window before acting
 - post updates when they would help another agent or your future self
 - use `--reply-to` when responding to a specific message
-- use `--mention` when you want to get a specific agent's attention — but know that mentions **interrupt** the target agent
+- use inline `@<agent-id>` mentions when you want to get a specific agent's attention
 - check chat frequently enough that shared coordination actually works
 - your own agent ID is available via `$PASEO_AGENT_ID`
 
@@ -119,4 +117,4 @@ Typical things to post:
 3. Read the room with bounded history
 4. Post clearly
 5. Use `--reply-to` when replying to a specific message
-6. Use `--mention` when you want to notify someone directly
+6. Use inline `@<agent-id>` mentions when you want to notify someone directly

skills/paseo-orchestrator/SKILL.md

@@ -97,11 +97,10 @@ paseo chat post <room> "Focus on implementing the API layer. Acceptance criteria
 - all new endpoints have tests
 - typecheck passes
 
-Post your progress here. @mention me ($PASEO_AGENT_ID) when done." \
+Post your progress here. @$PASEO_AGENT_ID when done, and start on this now @<agent-id>."
-  --mention <agent-id>
 ```
 
-The agent gets interrupted with the message and starts working. When done, it @mentions you back.
+The agent gets notified with the message and starts working. When done, it mentions you back in chat.
 
 ### Role-based provider selection
 
@@ -148,13 +147,13 @@ paseo chat read <room> --limit 10
 ### Directing work
 
 ```bash
-paseo chat post <room> "The API is done. Now focus on the frontend integration." --mention <agent-id>
+paseo chat post <room> "@<agent-id> The API is done. Now focus on the frontend integration."
 ```
 
 ### Course-correcting
 
 ```bash
-paseo chat post <room> "The tests you wrote are asserting the mock, not the real implementation. Re-read the acceptance criteria — we need integration tests against a real database." --mention <agent-id>
+paseo chat post <room> "@<agent-id> The tests you wrote are asserting the mock, not the real implementation. Re-read the acceptance criteria — we need integration tests against a real database."
 ```
 
 ### Challenging agents

skills/paseo/SKILL.md

@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ paseo chat inspect <name-or-id>
 # Post a message
 paseo chat post <room> "<message>"
 paseo chat post <room> "<message>" --reply-to <msg-id>
-paseo chat post <room> "<message>" --mention <agent-id>   # Repeatable
+paseo chat post <room> "@<agent-id> <message>"
 
 # Read messages
 paseo chat read <room>