daemon mode

README.md

@@ -62,6 +62,46 @@ gradle run
 
 The Gradle project is the source of truth for the JavaFX build.
 
+## Daemon (optional, faster launches)
+
+Cold start pays for JVM + JavaFX + GL/X11 init every time. The optional daemon keeps one JVM
+(one toolkit) running and hosts every window in it, so a `jprototerm` launch just asks the
+daemon to open a window — it appears without paying that startup cost again.
+
+Run it once in the background:
+
+```sh
+jprototerm --daemon &
+```
+
+After that, a bare `jprototerm` connects to the daemon and opens a window in the current
+directory. If no daemon is running, `jprototerm` falls back to a standalone in-process window
+(today's behavior), so it always works.
+
+To start the daemon automatically with your graphical session, enable the bundled **user**
+service (it's a user service, not a system one, because X11 needs a display — which only
+exists after you log in):
+
+```sh
+mkdir -p ~/.config/systemd/user
+ln -sf "$(dirname "$(readlink -f "$(command -v jprototerm)")")/../share/systemd/user/jprototerm.service" \
+  ~/.config/systemd/user/jprototerm.service
+systemctl --user enable --now jprototerm.service
+```
+
+If the daemon can't reach your display (e.g. `systemctl --user status jprototerm` shows it
+failing to open a window), import the session variables once and restart it:
+
+```sh
+systemctl --user import-environment DISPLAY XAUTHORITY
+systemctl --user restart jprototerm.service
+```
+
+Closing a window (the WM close button, or the close-pane key on the last pane) tears that
+window down — its shell processes are signalled with the configured `close_signal` — without
+affecting other windows or the daemon. Stop the daemon (and all its windows) with
+`systemctl --user stop jprototerm.service`, or `pkill -f 'jprototerm --daemon'`.
+
 ## Config
 
 Configuration is read from:

config.example.toml

@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ columns = 100
 rows = 30
 max_scrollback = 100000
 shell = "/bin/bash"
+# Signal sent to a pane's shell process when the pane is closed (e.g. ALT+X).
+# Use SIGKILL to force-kill instead of asking the shell to terminate.
+close_signal = "SIGTERM"
 font_family = "JetBrainsMono Nerd Font"
 font_size = 15
 

flake.nix

@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@
 
               makeWrapper "${pkgs.jdk25}/bin/java" "$out/bin/jprototerm" \
                 --run 'export JPROTOTERM_HOST_LD_LIBRARY_PATH="''${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:-}"' \
+                --run 'cdsDir="''${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.cache}/jprototerm"; mkdir -p "$cdsDir"; export JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS="-XX:+AutoCreateSharedArchive -XX:SharedArchiveFile=$cdsDir/app.jsa ''${JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS:-}"' \
                 --add-flags "--enable-native-access=ALL-UNNAMED,javafx.graphics" \
                 --add-flags "--module-path $out/share/jprototerm/javafx" \
                 --add-flags "--add-modules javafx.controls,javafx.fxml" \
@@ -119,6 +120,25 @@
                 --set JLIBGHOSTTY_LIBRARY "${ghosttyVt}/lib/libghostty-vt.so" \
                 --set GDK_BACKEND x11
 
+              # Optional background daemon: one JVM hosts every window, so client launches skip
+              # cold JVM/JavaFX/GL startup. A *user* service tied to graphical-session.target (X11
+              # needs a display, which only exists after login). Enable instructions are in README.
+              mkdir -p "$out/share/systemd/user"
+              cat > "$out/share/systemd/user/jprototerm.service" <<EOF
+              [Unit]
+              Description=jprototerm terminal daemon
+              PartOf=graphical-session.target
+              After=graphical-session.target
+
+              [Service]
+              Type=simple
+              ExecStart=$out/bin/jprototerm --daemon
+              Restart=on-failure
+
+              [Install]
+              WantedBy=graphical-session.target
+              EOF
+
               runHook postInstall
             '';
           });

src/main/java/com/gregor/jprototerm/AppConfig.java

@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ public record AppConfig(
         double windowHeight,
         boolean kittyGraphics,
         String scrollbackEditorCommand,
+        String closeSignal,
         Map<String, String> envOverride,
         Map<String, KeyBinding> keybindings
 ) {
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@ public record AppConfig(
                     doubleValue(document, "window.height", defaults.windowHeight),
                     booleanValue(document, "kitty_graphics.enabled", defaults.kittyGraphics),
                     stringValue(document, "scrollback.editor_command", defaults.scrollbackEditorCommand),
+                    closeSignalValue(document, defaults.closeSignal),
                     envOverride(document, defaults.envOverride),
                     keybindings(document, defaults)
             );
@@ -92,6 +94,7 @@ public record AppConfig(
                 760.0,
                 true,
                 defaultScrollbackEditorCommand(),
+                "SIGTERM",
                 Map.of(),
                 Map.ofEntries(
                         Map.entry("navigate_left", KeyBinding.parse("ALT+H")),
@@ -125,11 +128,22 @@ public record AppConfig(
                 windowHeight,
                 kittyGraphics,
                 scrollbackEditorCommand,
+                closeSignal,
                 envOverride,
                 keybindings
         );
     }
 
+    /**
+     * The {@link #closeSignal} as a Linux signal number, sent to a pane's shell process when the
+     * pane is closed (e.g. via the close-pane key). Falls back to SIGTERM (15) if the configured
+     * name is somehow unresolvable.
+     */
+    public int closeSignalNumber() {
+        int number = LinuxPty.signalNumber(closeSignal);
+        return number < 0 ? 15 : number;
+    }
+
     public void save() {
         save(configPath(), this);
     }
@@ -156,6 +170,23 @@ public record AppConfig(
         return editor.trim() + " {file}";
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Reads {@code terminal.close_signal}, normalising it to a canonical {@code SIG*} name. An
+     * unknown or unset value keeps {@code fallback} so a typo can't leave a pane unkillable.
+     */
+    private static String closeSignalValue(TomlTable table, String fallback) {
+        String value = stringValue(table, "terminal.close_signal", null);
+        if (value == null) {
+            return fallback;
+        }
+        if (LinuxPty.signalNumber(value) < 0) {
+            System.err.println("Unknown terminal.close_signal '" + value + "', using " + fallback);
+            return fallback;
+        }
+        String normalized = value.trim().toUpperCase(java.util.Locale.ROOT);
+        return normalized.startsWith("SIG") ? normalized : "SIG" + normalized;
+    }
+
     private static Map<String, KeyBinding> keybindings(TomlTable table, AppConfig defaults) {
         Map<String, KeyBinding> parsed = new LinkedHashMap<>();
         for (String key : KEYBINDING_KEYS) {
@@ -193,6 +224,7 @@ public record AppConfig(
         builder.append("rows = ").append(rows).append('\n');
         builder.append("max_scrollback = ").append(maxScrollback).append('\n');
         builder.append("shell = ").append(quotedList(shell)).append('\n');
+        builder.append("close_signal = ").append(quoted(closeSignal)).append('\n');
         builder.append("font_family = ").append(quoted(fontFamily)).append('\n');
         builder.append("font_size = ").append(trimDouble(fontSize)).append("\n\n");
         builder.append("[window]\n");

src/main/java/com/gregor/jprototerm/Compositor.java

@@ -65,9 +65,18 @@ public final class Compositor {
     private Runnable onEmpty = () -> {};
 
     public Compositor(AppConfig config, TerminalMetrics metrics) {
+        this(config, metrics, null);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a compositor whose first tab's first pane starts in {@code workingDirectory} (e.g. the
+     * cwd a client passed when asking the daemon to open this window), or the user's home when
+     * {@code null}.
+     */
+    public Compositor(AppConfig config, TerminalMetrics metrics, String workingDirectory) {
         this.config = config;
         this.metrics = metrics;
-        tabs.add(new Tab(config, metrics, this::closePane));
+        tabs.add(new Tab(config, metrics, workingDirectory, this::closePane));
         canvas.setFocusTraversable(true);
         canvas.setOnMousePressed(this::handleMousePressed);
         canvas.setOnMouseReleased(this::handleMouseReleased);
@@ -236,6 +245,18 @@ public final class Compositor {
         tabs.clear();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Signals and reaps every pane's shell process across all tabs, without tearing down render
+     * state. Intended for a JVM shutdown hook (SIGTERM/SIGINT/SIGHUP), so child shells get the
+     * configured close signal instead of being orphaned when jprototerm itself is killed. Safe to
+     * call off the FX thread and idempotent; see {@link TerminalPane#terminateSession()}.
+     */
+    public void terminateSessions() {
+        for (Tab tab : List.copyOf(tabs)) {
+            tab.terminateSessions();
+        }
+    }
+
     private Tab currentTab() {
         return tabs.get(currentTabIndex);
     }

src/main/java/com/gregor/jprototerm/Daemon.java

@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+package com.gregor.jprototerm;
+
+import java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream;
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.net.StandardProtocolFamily;
+import java.net.UnixDomainSocketAddress;
+import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
+import java.nio.channels.ServerSocketChannel;
+import java.nio.channels.SocketChannel;
+import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
+import java.nio.file.Files;
+import java.nio.file.Path;
+import java.nio.file.attribute.PosixFilePermissions;
+
+/**
+ * Single-instance server and its thin client, over a per-user Unix domain socket. The server hosts
+ * every window in one JVM (see {@link WindowManager}); a client invocation just asks it to open a
+ * window in the client's working directory and exits, so the window appears without paying cold
+ * JVM/JavaFX/GL startup.
+ *
+ * <p>Protocol is deliberately trivial: the client writes one UTF-8 line — the absolute working
+ * directory — and the server replies {@code OK\n}. The socket lives under {@code XDG_RUNTIME_DIR}
+ * (mode 0700), so only the owning user can connect.
+ */
+public final class Daemon {
+    private Daemon() {
+    }
+
+    /** Runs the server: brings up the toolkit, binds the socket, and serves window-open requests. */
+    public static void run() {
+        Path socket = socketPath();
+        try {
+            Files.createDirectories(socket.getParent());
+            trySecureDir(socket.getParent());
+        } catch (IOException ex) {
+            System.err.println("jprototerm: cannot create socket dir " + socket.getParent() + ": " + ex.getMessage());
+            return;
+        }
+
+        WindowManager manager = WindowManager.start(WindowManager.Mode.DAEMON);
+
+        try (ServerSocketChannel server = bind(socket)) {
+            while (true) {
+                try {
+                    handle(server.accept(), manager);
+                } catch (IOException ex) {
+                    System.err.println("jprototerm: connection error: " + ex.getMessage());
+                }
+            }
+        } catch (IOException ex) {
+            System.err.println("jprototerm: daemon socket error: " + ex.getMessage());
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Client side: connect to a running daemon and ask it to open a window in {@code workingDirectory}.
+     * Returns {@code true} if the daemon handled it, {@code false} if none is reachable (the caller
+     * then falls back to a standalone in-process window).
+     */
+    public static boolean tryClient(String workingDirectory) {
+        Path socket = socketPath();
+        if (!Files.exists(socket)) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        try (SocketChannel channel = SocketChannel.open(UnixDomainSocketAddress.of(socket))) {
+            channel.write(ByteBuffer.wrap((workingDirectory + "\n").getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8)));
+            // Best-effort wait for the ack so we don't race ahead of the window opening.
+            channel.read(ByteBuffer.allocate(16));
+            return true;
+        } catch (IOException ex) {
+            return false; // no daemon, or a stale socket file — fall back to standalone
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static ServerSocketChannel bind(Path socket) throws IOException {
+        UnixDomainSocketAddress address = UnixDomainSocketAddress.of(socket);
+        ServerSocketChannel channel = ServerSocketChannel.open(StandardProtocolFamily.UNIX);
+        try {
+            channel.bind(address);
+            return channel;
+        } catch (IOException firstTry) {
+            // The path is taken. If a live daemon answers, this invocation lost the race; otherwise
+            // it's a stale socket from a crashed daemon, so remove it and rebind.
+            if (tryClient0(socket)) {
+                channel.close();
+                System.err.println("jprototerm: a daemon is already running");
+                System.exit(0);
+            }
+            Files.deleteIfExists(socket);
+            channel.bind(address);
+            return channel;
+        }
+    }
+
+    /** A bare connect probe used by {@link #bind} to tell a live daemon from a stale socket file. */
+    private static boolean tryClient0(Path socket) {
+        try (SocketChannel channel = SocketChannel.open(UnixDomainSocketAddress.of(socket))) {
+            return true;
+        } catch (IOException ex) {
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static void handle(SocketChannel connection, WindowManager manager) throws IOException {
+        try (connection) {
+            String workingDirectory = readLine(connection);
+            manager.openWindow(workingDirectory == null || workingDirectory.isBlank()
+                    ? null
+                    : workingDirectory.trim());
+            connection.write(ByteBuffer.wrap("OK\n".getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8)));
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static String readLine(SocketChannel channel) throws IOException {
+        ByteArrayOutputStream out = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
+        ByteBuffer buffer = ByteBuffer.allocate(4096);
+        while (channel.read(buffer) != -1) {
+            buffer.flip();
+            while (buffer.hasRemaining()) {
+                byte b = buffer.get();
+                if (b == '\n') {
+                    return out.toString(StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
+                }
+                out.write(b);
+            }
+            buffer.clear();
+        }
+        return out.size() == 0 ? null : out.toString(StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
+    }
+
+    private static Path socketPath() {
+        String runtimeDir = System.getenv("XDG_RUNTIME_DIR");
+        Path dir = runtimeDir != null && !runtimeDir.isBlank()
+                ? Path.of(runtimeDir, "jprototerm")
+                : Path.of("/tmp", "jprototerm-" + System.getProperty("user.name", "user"));
+        return dir.resolve("daemon.sock");
+    }
+
+    private static void trySecureDir(Path dir) {
+        try {
+            Files.setPosixFilePermissions(dir, PosixFilePermissions.fromString("rwx------"));
+        } catch (IOException | UnsupportedOperationException ignored) {
+            // Best effort: XDG_RUNTIME_DIR is already user-private; the /tmp fallback we try to lock.
+        }
+    }
+}

src/main/java/com/gregor/jprototerm/LinuxPty.java

@@ -63,7 +63,10 @@ public final class LinuxPty implements AutoCloseable {
     private static final long TIOCSWINSZ = 0x5414L;
     private static final short POSIX_SPAWN_SETSID = 0x80;
     private static final int SIGHUP = 1;
+    private static final int SIGINT = 2;
+    private static final int SIGQUIT = 3;
     private static final int SIGKILL = 9;
+    private static final int SIGTERM = 15;
     private static final int WNOHANG = 1;
 
     // struct winsize { unsigned short ws_row, ws_col, ws_xpixel, ws_ypixel; }
@@ -105,11 +108,36 @@ public final class LinuxPty implements AutoCloseable {
     private final Object writeLock = new Object();
     private final int masterFd;
     private final int pid;
+    private final int closeSignal;
     private volatile boolean closed;
 
-    private LinuxPty(int masterFd, int pid) {
+    private LinuxPty(int masterFd, int pid, int closeSignal) {
         this.masterFd = masterFd;
         this.pid = pid;
+        this.closeSignal = closeSignal;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Resolves a signal name (e.g. {@code "SIGTERM"}, {@code "TERM"}, {@code "SIGKILL"}) to its
+     * Linux signal number, or {@code -1} if the name is not one we recognise. Case-insensitive and
+     * tolerant of a missing {@code SIG} prefix.
+     */
+    public static int signalNumber(String name) {
+        if (name == null) {
+            return -1;
+        }
+        String normalized = name.trim().toUpperCase(java.util.Locale.ROOT);
+        if (normalized.startsWith("SIG")) {
+            normalized = normalized.substring(3);
+        }
+        return switch (normalized) {
+            case "HUP" -> SIGHUP;
+            case "INT" -> SIGINT;
+            case "QUIT" -> SIGQUIT;
+            case "KILL" -> SIGKILL;
+            case "TERM" -> SIGTERM;
+            default -> -1;
+        };
     }
 
     /**
@@ -118,8 +146,10 @@ public final class LinuxPty implements AutoCloseable {
      * @param argv command and arguments (e.g. {@code {"/bin/zsh", "-i"}})
      * @param environment environment for the child, as KEY=VALUE pairs
      * @param workingDirectory directory the child starts in, or {@code null} to inherit
+     * @param closeSignal signal number sent to the child on {@link #close()} (e.g. SIGTERM)
      */
-    public static LinuxPty spawn(String[] argv, Map<String, String> environment, String workingDirectory) {
+    public static LinuxPty spawn(String[] argv, Map<String, String> environment, String workingDirectory,
+            int closeSignal) {
         Arena setup = Arena.ofConfined();
         try {
             int master = check(callInt(POSIX_OPENPT, O_RDWR | O_NOCTTY), "posix_openpt");
@@ -158,7 +188,7 @@ public final class LinuxPty implements AutoCloseable {
                     if (rc != 0) {
                         throw new IllegalStateException("posix_spawnp failed for " + argv[0] + " (rc=" + rc + ")");
                     }
-                    return new LinuxPty(master, pidOut.get(C_INT, 0));
+                    return new LinuxPty(master, pidOut.get(C_INT, 0), closeSignal);
                 } finally {
                     callInt(ATTR_DESTROY, attr);
                     callInt(FA_DESTROY, actions);
@@ -249,7 +279,7 @@ public final class LinuxPty implements AutoCloseable {
             return;
         }
         closed = true;
-        callKill(pid, SIGHUP);
+        callKill(pid, closeSignal);
         callInt(CLOSE, masterFd);
         reap();
         arena.close();

src/main/java/com/gregor/jprototerm/Main.java

@@ -1,251 +1,31 @@
 package com.gregor.jprototerm;
 
-import javafx.animation.AnimationTimer;
+/**
-import javafx.application.Application;
+ * Entry point and mode dispatch. A bare invocation is a thin client: it hands the request to a
-import javafx.application.Platform;
+ * running {@link Daemon}, or, if none is reachable, opens a single standalone window in this process
-import javafx.geometry.Rectangle2D;
+ * (today's behavior). {@code --daemon} runs the long-lived server that hosts every window in one
-import javafx.scene.Scene;
+ * JVM, so client launches skip cold JVM/JavaFX/GL startup.
-import javafx.scene.control.ButtonType;
+ */
-import javafx.scene.control.ComboBox;
+public final class Main {
-import javafx.scene.control.Dialog;
+    private Main() {
-import javafx.scene.control.Label;
-import javafx.scene.control.Spinner;
-import javafx.scene.control.SpinnerValueFactory;
-import javafx.scene.input.Clipboard;
-import javafx.scene.input.KeyEvent;
-import javafx.scene.layout.GridPane;
-import javafx.scene.layout.StackPane;
-import javafx.scene.text.Font;
-import javafx.stage.Screen;
-import javafx.stage.Stage;
-
-import java.io.IOException;
-import java.nio.file.Files;
-import java.nio.file.Path;
-import java.util.List;
-
-public final class Main extends Application {
-    private Compositor compositor;
-    private TerminalMetrics metrics;
-    private AppConfig config;
-
-    @Override
-    public void start(Stage stage) {
-        config = AppConfig.load();
-
-        metrics = new TerminalMetrics(config.fontFamily(), config.fontSize());
-        compositor = new Compositor(config, metrics);
-        // When the last pane closes — whether via the close-pane key or because a pane's process
-        // exited on its own — tear down and quit.
-        compositor.setOnEmpty(() -> {
-            compositor.close();
-            Platform.exit();
-        });
-
-        StackPane root = new StackPane(compositor.canvas(), compositor.imageOverlay());
-        compositor.canvas().widthProperty().bind(root.widthProperty());
-        compositor.canvas().heightProperty().bind(root.heightProperty());
-
-        Scene scene = new Scene(root, config.windowWidth(), config.windowHeight());
-        scene.addEventFilter(KeyEvent.KEY_PRESSED, this::handlePressed);
-        scene.addEventFilter(KeyEvent.KEY_TYPED, event -> handleTyped(event));
-
-        new AnimationTimer() {
-            @Override
-            public void handle(long now) {
-                compositor.render();
-            }
-        }.start();
-
-        stage.setTitle("jprototerm");
-        stage.setScene(scene);
-        stage.setOnCloseRequest(event -> {
-            compositor.close();
-        });
-        // JavaFX centres a new stage on the primary screen; on X11 there's no "focused monitor"
-        // to honour, so place it on the screen under the mouse pointer instead.
-        centreOnActiveScreen(stage, config.windowWidth(), config.windowHeight());
-        stage.show();
-        // Ask the window manager to raise and focus the new window so the user can type right
-        // away; the canvas requestFocus() below only routes events within the scene.
-        stage.toFront();
-        stage.requestFocus();
-        compositor.canvas().requestFocus();
-    }
-
-    // Centre the stage within the screen the mouse pointer is on (the best proxy for the
-    // "active" monitor on X11, which exposes no focused-monitor concept to JavaFX).
-    private static void centreOnActiveScreen(Stage stage, double width, double height) {
-        Rectangle2D bounds = activeScreen().getVisualBounds();
-        stage.setX(bounds.getMinX() + ((bounds.getWidth() - width) / 2.0));
-        stage.setY(bounds.getMinY() + ((bounds.getHeight() - height) / 2.0));
-    }
-
-    private static Screen activeScreen() {
-        int[] at = X11Pointer.query();
-        if (at != null) {
-            // libX11 and JavaFX share a coordinate space on the X11 virtual screen.
-            List<Screen> screens = Screen.getScreensForRectangle(at[0], at[1], 1.0, 1.0);
-            if (!screens.isEmpty()) {
-                return screens.get(0);
-            }
-        }
-        return Screen.getPrimary();
-    }
-
-    private void handlePressed(KeyEvent event) {
-        if (config.keybindings().get("navigate_left").matches(event)) {
-            compositor.navigate(Direction.LEFT);
-            event.consume();
-        } else if (config.keybindings().get("navigate_down").matches(event)) {
-            compositor.navigate(Direction.DOWN);
-            event.consume();
-        } else if (config.keybindings().get("navigate_up").matches(event)) {
-            compositor.navigate(Direction.UP);
-            event.consume();
-        } else if (config.keybindings().get("navigate_right").matches(event)) {
-            compositor.navigate(Direction.RIGHT);
-            event.consume();
-        } else if (config.keybindings().get("toggle_floating").matches(event)) {
-            compositor.toggleFloating();
-            event.consume();
-        } else if (config.keybindings().get("new_pane").matches(event)) {
-            compositor.createPane();
-            event.consume();
-        } else if (config.keybindings().get("next_floating").matches(event)) {
-            compositor.nextFloatingPane();
-            event.consume();
-        } else if (config.keybindings().get("promote_floating").matches(event)) {
-            compositor.promoteActiveFloating();
-            event.consume();
-        } else if (config.keybindings().get("close_pane").matches(event)) {
-            // Closing the last pane quits the app, via the compositor's onEmpty hook.
-            compositor.closeActivePane();
-            event.consume();
-        } else if (config.keybindings().get("new_tab").matches(event)) {
-            compositor.newTab();
-            event.consume();
-        } else if (config.keybindings().get("previous_tab").matches(event)) {
-            compositor.previousTab();
-            event.consume();
-        } else if (config.keybindings().get("next_tab").matches(event)) {
-            compositor.nextTab();
-            event.consume();
-        } else if (config.keybindings().get("open_font_selector").matches(event)) {
-            openFontSelector();
-            event.consume();
-        } else if (config.keybindings().get("open_scrollback").matches(event)) {
-            openScrollbackInEditor();
-            event.consume();
-        } else if (config.keybindings().get("paste").matches(event)) {
-            pasteFromClipboard();
-            event.consume();
-        } else {
-            String encoded = KeyEncoder.encode(event);
-            if (encoded != null) {
-                compositor.activePane().send(encoded);
-                event.consume();
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
-    private void handleTyped(KeyEvent event) {
-        if (event.isAltDown() || event.isControlDown() || event.isMetaDown()) {
-            return;
-        }
-
-        String text = event.getCharacter();
-        if (text != null && !text.isEmpty() && text.charAt(0) >= 0x20 && text.charAt(0) != 0x7f) {
-            compositor.activePane().send(text);
-            event.consume();
-        }
-    }
-
-    private void pasteFromClipboard() {
-        Clipboard clipboard = Clipboard.getSystemClipboard();
-        if (clipboard.hasString()) {
-            compositor.activePane().paste(clipboard.getString());
-        }
-    }
-
-    private void openFontSelector() {
-        Dialog<ButtonType> dialog = new Dialog<>();
-        dialog.setTitle("Font");
-        dialog.getDialogPane().getButtonTypes().addAll(ButtonType.OK, ButtonType.CANCEL);
-
-        ComboBox<String> family = new ComboBox<>();
-        family.getItems().setAll(Font.getFamilies());
-        family.setEditable(true);
-        family.setMaxWidth(Double.MAX_VALUE);
-        family.setValue(config.fontFamily());
-
-        Spinner<Double> size = new Spinner<>();
-        size.setEditable(true);
-        size.setValueFactory(new SpinnerValueFactory.DoubleSpinnerValueFactory(6.0, 48.0, config.fontSize(), 0.5));
-
-        GridPane content = new GridPane();
-        content.setHgap(10.0);
-        content.setVgap(10.0);
-        content.add(new Label("Family"), 0, 0);
-        content.add(family, 1, 0);
-        content.add(new Label("Size"), 0, 1);
-        content.add(size, 1, 1);
-        dialog.getDialogPane().setContent(content);
-
-        dialog.showAndWait()
-                .filter(button -> button == ButtonType.OK)
-                .ifPresent(ignored -> {
-                    String selectedFamily = family.getEditor().getText();
-                    if (selectedFamily == null || selectedFamily.isBlank()) {
-                        selectedFamily = family.getValue();
-                    }
-                    if (selectedFamily == null || selectedFamily.isBlank()) {
-                        return;
-                    }
-
-                    double selectedSize = size.getValue();
-                    config = config.withFont(selectedFamily.trim(), selectedSize);
-                    config.save();
-                    compositor.setFont(config.fontFamily(), config.fontSize());
-                    compositor.canvas().requestFocus();
-                });
-    }
-
-    private void openScrollbackInEditor() {
-        try {
-            // Capture the active pane's scrollback before opening the floating pane, since that
-            // makes the new pane active.
-            Path file = Files.createTempFile("jprototerm-scrollback-", ".txt");
-            Files.writeString(file, compositor.activePane().scrollbackText());
-            file.toFile().deleteOnExit();
-
-            // Run the editor as the floating pane's process (via /bin/sh -c) rather than typing the
-            // command into an interactive shell. The command runs deterministically from the start
-            // — no shell startup/rc race — and the pane auto-closes when the editor exits.
-            compositor.openFloatingPane(scrollbackEditorCommand(file));
-        } catch (IOException ex) {
-            System.err.println("Could not open scrollback in editor: " + ex.getMessage());
-        }
-    }
-
-    private String scrollbackEditorCommand(Path file) {
-        String quotedFile = shellQuote(file.toString());
-        String command = config.scrollbackEditorCommand();
-        if (command == null || command.isBlank()) {
-            command = "vi {file}";
-        }
-        if (command.contains("{file}")) {
-            return command.replace("{file}", quotedFile);
-        }
-        return command + " " + quotedFile;
-    }
-
-    private static String shellQuote(String value) {
-        return "'" + value.replace("'", "'\"'\"'") + "'";
     }
 
     public static void main(String[] args) {
+        // Match the renderer order the app was tuned for; honor an explicit override if present.
         System.setProperty("prism.order", System.getProperty("prism.order", "es2,sw"));
-        launch(Main.class, args);
+
+        for (String arg : args) {
+            if (arg.equals("--daemon")) {
+                Daemon.run();
+                return;
+            }
+        }
+
+        String workingDirectory = System.getProperty("user.dir");
+        if (Daemon.tryClient(workingDirectory)) {
+            return; // a running daemon opened the window
+        }
+        // No daemon reachable: fall back to a standalone window; the JVM exits when it closes.
+        WindowManager.start(WindowManager.Mode.STANDALONE).openWindow(workingDirectory);
     }
 }

src/main/java/com/gregor/jprototerm/ShellSession.java

@@ -27,9 +27,10 @@ public final class ShellSession implements AutoCloseable {
      * config, not assumed here.
      */
     public static ShellSession start(List<String> shellCommand, Map<String, String> envOverride, TerminalPane pane,
-            int columns, int rows, String workingDirectory) {
+            int columns, int rows, String workingDirectory, int closeSignal) {
         try {
-            return spawn(shellCommand.toArray(new String[0]), envOverride, columns, rows, workingDirectory);
+            return spawn(shellCommand.toArray(new String[0]), envOverride, columns, rows, workingDirectory,
+                    closeSignal);
         } catch (RuntimeException ex) {
             pane.write("failed to start shell: " + ex.getMessage() + "\r\n");
             throw new IllegalStateException("Could not start shell " + String.join(" ", shellCommand), ex);
@@ -45,9 +46,10 @@ public final class ShellSession implements AutoCloseable {
      * flags. {@code command} must not be null.
      */
     public static ShellSession startCommand(Map<String, String> envOverride, TerminalPane pane,
-            int columns, int rows, String workingDirectory, String command) {
+            int columns, int rows, String workingDirectory, String command, int closeSignal) {
         try {
-            return spawn(new String[] {"/bin/sh", "-c", command}, envOverride, columns, rows, workingDirectory);
+            return spawn(new String[] {"/bin/sh", "-c", command}, envOverride, columns, rows, workingDirectory,
+                    closeSignal);
         } catch (RuntimeException ex) {
             pane.write("failed to run command: " + ex.getMessage() + "\r\n");
             throw new IllegalStateException("Could not run command: " + command, ex);
@@ -55,7 +57,7 @@ public final class ShellSession implements AutoCloseable {
     }
 
     private static ShellSession spawn(String[] argv, Map<String, String> envOverride,
-            int columns, int rows, String workingDirectory) {
+            int columns, int rows, String workingDirectory, int closeSignal) {
         Map<String, String> environment = new HashMap<>(System.getenv());
         environment.put("TERM", "xterm-kitty");
         environment.put("COLORTERM", "truecolor");
@@ -65,7 +67,8 @@ public final class ShellSession implements AutoCloseable {
         LinuxPty pty = LinuxPty.spawn(
                 argv,
                 environment,
-                workingDirectory != null ? workingDirectory : System.getProperty("user.home"));
+                workingDirectory != null ? workingDirectory : System.getProperty("user.home"),
+                closeSignal);
         ShellSession session = new ShellSession(pty);
         session.resize(columns, rows);
         return session;

src/main/java/com/gregor/jprototerm/StartupTiming.java

@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+package com.gregor.jprototerm;
+
+import java.lang.management.ManagementFactory;
+
+/**
+ * Opt-in startup phase timing, enabled with {@code -Djprototerm.timing=true} (e.g. via
+ * {@code JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS}); otherwise every method is a cheap no-op and prints nothing.
+ *
+ * <p>Each {@link #mark(String)} prints one line to stderr with the time since the previous mark and
+ * the total since JVM start, so a cold launch breaks down into its phases — toolkit/GL init vs
+ * config load vs font loading vs first frame. The anchor is the JVM's own start time (the closest
+ * proxy we have to "process start"), so the first mark includes JVM bootstrap and JavaFX toolkit
+ * init, which is usually the dominant cost.
+ */
+final class StartupTiming {
+    private static final boolean ENABLED = Boolean.getBoolean("jprototerm.timing");
+    // Epoch millis; getStartTime() is the JVM's start, the earliest timestamp we can anchor to.
+    private static final long JVM_START_MILLIS = ManagementFactory.getRuntimeMXBean().getStartTime();
+    private static long lastMillis = -1;
+    private static boolean firstFrameSeen;
+
+    private StartupTiming() {
+    }
+
+    /** Records a phase boundary, printing the delta since the previous mark and since JVM start. */
+    static void mark(String phase) {
+        if (!ENABLED) {
+            return;
+        }
+        long now = System.currentTimeMillis();
+        long sinceStart = now - JVM_START_MILLIS;
+        long sinceLast = lastMillis < 0 ? sinceStart : now - lastMillis;
+        lastMillis = now;
+        System.err.printf("[timing] %-22s +%5d ms   (%5d ms since JVM start)%n", phase, sinceLast, sinceStart);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Records the first rendered frame exactly once, then becomes a no-op. Safe and cheap to call
+     * from the render loop every frame (it only ever touches FX-thread state).
+     */
+    static void firstFrame() {
+        if (!ENABLED || firstFrameSeen) {
+            return;
+        }
+        firstFrameSeen = true;
+        mark("first frame");
+    }
+}

src/main/java/com/gregor/jprototerm/Tab.java

@@ -423,4 +423,14 @@ final class Tab implements AutoCloseable {
         tiled.clear();
         floating.clear();
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Signals and reaps every pane's shell process without tearing down render state. Safe to call
+     * off the FX thread (see {@link TerminalPane#terminateSession()}); iterates snapshots so a
+     * concurrent close on the FX thread can't trigger a {@link java.util.ConcurrentModificationException}.
+     */
+    public void terminateSessions() {
+        List.copyOf(tiled).forEach(TerminalPane::terminateSession);
+        List.copyOf(floating).forEach(TerminalPane::terminateSession);
+    }
 }

src/main/java/com/gregor/jprototerm/TerminalPane.java

@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ public final class TerminalPane implements AutoCloseable, RenderTarget {
     // tracking meaningful: update() accumulates dirty since the last resetDirty().
     private final RenderState renderState = new RenderState();
     private RenderStateSnapshot cachedSnapshot;
-    private ShellSession session;
+    private volatile ShellSession session;
     // Run once (on the FX thread) when this pane's process exits on its own, so the owning tab can
     // remove it. Set by the Tab that creates the pane; null until then.
     private Runnable onExit;
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ public final class TerminalPane implements AutoCloseable, RenderTarget {
             double widthPx, double heightPx, String workingDirectory) {
         TerminalPane pane = newPane(config, metrics, onContentChange, widthPx, heightPx);
         pane.attach(ShellSession.start(config.shell(), config.envOverride(), pane, pane.columns, pane.rows,
-                workingDirectory));
+                workingDirectory, config.closeSignalNumber()));
         return pane;
     }
 
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ public final class TerminalPane implements AutoCloseable, RenderTarget {
             double widthPx, double heightPx, String workingDirectory, String command) {
         TerminalPane pane = newPane(config, metrics, onContentChange, widthPx, heightPx);
         pane.attach(ShellSession.startCommand(config.envOverride(), pane, pane.columns, pane.rows,
-                workingDirectory, command));
+                workingDirectory, command, config.closeSignalNumber()));
         return pane;
     }
 
@@ -380,4 +380,17 @@ public final class TerminalPane implements AutoCloseable, RenderTarget {
         renderState.close();
         terminal.close();
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Signals and reaps just the shell process, leaving the render/native state untouched. Unlike
+     * {@link #close()} this is safe to call off the FX thread — notably from a JVM shutdown hook,
+     * which runs concurrently with the live render loop — because it only touches the pty (a child
+     * process and fd), not ghostty's terminal handles. Idempotent; the OS reclaims the rest on exit.
+     */
+    public void terminateSession() {
+        ShellSession current = session;
+        if (current != null) {
+            current.close();
+        }
+    }
 }

src/main/java/com/gregor/jprototerm/TerminalWindow.java

@@ -0,0 +1,279 @@
+package com.gregor.jprototerm;
+
+import javafx.animation.AnimationTimer;
+import javafx.geometry.Rectangle2D;
+import javafx.scene.Scene;
+import javafx.scene.control.ButtonType;
+import javafx.scene.control.ComboBox;
+import javafx.scene.control.Dialog;
+import javafx.scene.control.Label;
+import javafx.scene.control.Spinner;
+import javafx.scene.control.SpinnerValueFactory;
+import javafx.scene.input.Clipboard;
+import javafx.scene.input.KeyEvent;
+import javafx.scene.layout.GridPane;
+import javafx.scene.layout.StackPane;
+import javafx.scene.text.Font;
+import javafx.stage.Screen;
+import javafx.stage.Stage;
+
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.nio.file.Files;
+import java.nio.file.Path;
+import java.util.List;
+
+/**
+ * One top-level terminal window: its own {@link Stage}, {@link Compositor}, config/metrics, render
+ * loop and input handling. Many of these live in a single JVM under a {@link WindowManager}; closing
+ * one tears down only that window (its shells, its Stage) and leaves the rest — and, in daemon mode,
+ * the JVM — running. Built on the FX thread.
+ */
+final class TerminalWindow {
+    private final WindowManager manager;
+    private final TerminalMetrics metrics;
+    private final Compositor compositor;
+    private final Stage stage;
+    private final AnimationTimer renderLoop;
+    private AppConfig config;
+    private boolean closed;
+
+    TerminalWindow(WindowManager manager, String workingDirectory) {
+        this.manager = manager;
+        // Each window loads config independently, so edits (and per-window font changes) apply to
+        // newly opened windows without disturbing existing ones.
+        config = AppConfig.load();
+        StartupTiming.mark("config loaded");
+        metrics = new TerminalMetrics(config.fontFamily(), config.fontSize());
+        StartupTiming.mark("fonts loaded");
+        compositor = new Compositor(config, metrics, workingDirectory);
+        StartupTiming.mark("compositor ready");
+
+        // The last pane closing closes this window (not the JVM); see teardown().
+        compositor.setOnEmpty(this::teardown);
+
+        StackPane root = new StackPane(compositor.canvas(), compositor.imageOverlay());
+        compositor.canvas().widthProperty().bind(root.widthProperty());
+        compositor.canvas().heightProperty().bind(root.heightProperty());
+
+        Scene scene = new Scene(root, config.windowWidth(), config.windowHeight());
+        scene.addEventFilter(KeyEvent.KEY_PRESSED, this::handlePressed);
+        scene.addEventFilter(KeyEvent.KEY_TYPED, this::handleTyped);
+
+        renderLoop = new AnimationTimer() {
+            @Override
+            public void handle(long now) {
+                compositor.render();
+                StartupTiming.firstFrame();
+            }
+        };
+        renderLoop.start();
+
+        stage = new Stage();
+        stage.setTitle("jprototerm");
+        stage.setScene(scene);
+        // The X11 WM close button: tear this window down explicitly. With implicit exit disabled
+        // (see WindowManager) nothing else would reap the shells or drop the window otherwise.
+        stage.setOnCloseRequest(event -> teardown());
+        centreOnActiveScreen(stage, config.windowWidth(), config.windowHeight());
+        stage.show();
+        StartupTiming.mark("stage shown");
+        // Ask the window manager to raise and focus the new window so the user can type right
+        // away; the canvas requestFocus() below only routes events within the scene.
+        stage.toFront();
+        stage.requestFocus();
+        compositor.canvas().requestFocus();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Fully tears this window down (FX thread, idempotent): stops rendering, closes the compositor —
+     * which reaps the pane shells via the configured {@code close_signal} — disposes the Stage, and
+     * notifies the manager so it can drop the window (and, in standalone mode, exit the JVM). Both
+     * the WM close button and the last-pane-closed hook route through here.
+     */
+    void teardown() {
+        if (closed) {
+            return;
+        }
+        closed = true;
+        renderLoop.stop();
+        compositor.close();
+        stage.close();
+        manager.onWindowClosed(this);
+    }
+
+    /** Signals and reaps this window's shell processes without touching render state (off-FX safe). */
+    void terminateSessions() {
+        compositor.terminateSessions();
+    }
+
+    private void handlePressed(KeyEvent event) {
+        if (config.keybindings().get("navigate_left").matches(event)) {
+            compositor.navigate(Direction.LEFT);
+            event.consume();
+        } else if (config.keybindings().get("navigate_down").matches(event)) {
+            compositor.navigate(Direction.DOWN);
+            event.consume();
+        } else if (config.keybindings().get("navigate_up").matches(event)) {
+            compositor.navigate(Direction.UP);
+            event.consume();
+        } else if (config.keybindings().get("navigate_right").matches(event)) {
+            compositor.navigate(Direction.RIGHT);
+            event.consume();
+        } else if (config.keybindings().get("toggle_floating").matches(event)) {
+            compositor.toggleFloating();
+            event.consume();
+        } else if (config.keybindings().get("new_pane").matches(event)) {
+            compositor.createPane();
+            event.consume();
+        } else if (config.keybindings().get("next_floating").matches(event)) {
+            compositor.nextFloatingPane();
+            event.consume();
+        } else if (config.keybindings().get("promote_floating").matches(event)) {
+            compositor.promoteActiveFloating();
+            event.consume();
+        } else if (config.keybindings().get("close_pane").matches(event)) {
+            // Closing the last pane closes this window, via the compositor's onEmpty hook.
+            compositor.closeActivePane();
+            event.consume();
+        } else if (config.keybindings().get("new_tab").matches(event)) {
+            compositor.newTab();
+            event.consume();
+        } else if (config.keybindings().get("previous_tab").matches(event)) {
+            compositor.previousTab();
+            event.consume();
+        } else if (config.keybindings().get("next_tab").matches(event)) {
+            compositor.nextTab();
+            event.consume();
+        } else if (config.keybindings().get("open_font_selector").matches(event)) {
+            openFontSelector();
+            event.consume();
+        } else if (config.keybindings().get("open_scrollback").matches(event)) {
+            openScrollbackInEditor();
+            event.consume();
+        } else if (config.keybindings().get("paste").matches(event)) {
+            pasteFromClipboard();
+            event.consume();
+        } else {
+            String encoded = KeyEncoder.encode(event);
+            if (encoded != null) {
+                compositor.activePane().send(encoded);
+                event.consume();
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    private void handleTyped(KeyEvent event) {
+        if (event.isAltDown() || event.isControlDown() || event.isMetaDown()) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        String text = event.getCharacter();
+        if (text != null && !text.isEmpty() && text.charAt(0) >= 0x20 && text.charAt(0) != 0x7f) {
+            compositor.activePane().send(text);
+            event.consume();
+        }
+    }
+
+    private void pasteFromClipboard() {
+        Clipboard clipboard = Clipboard.getSystemClipboard();
+        if (clipboard.hasString()) {
+            compositor.activePane().paste(clipboard.getString());
+        }
+    }
+
+    private void openFontSelector() {
+        Dialog<ButtonType> dialog = new Dialog<>();
+        dialog.setTitle("Font");
+        dialog.getDialogPane().getButtonTypes().addAll(ButtonType.OK, ButtonType.CANCEL);
+
+        ComboBox<String> family = new ComboBox<>();
+        family.getItems().setAll(Font.getFamilies());
+        family.setEditable(true);
+        family.setMaxWidth(Double.MAX_VALUE);
+        family.setValue(config.fontFamily());
+
+        Spinner<Double> size = new Spinner<>();
+        size.setEditable(true);
+        size.setValueFactory(new SpinnerValueFactory.DoubleSpinnerValueFactory(6.0, 48.0, config.fontSize(), 0.5));
+
+        GridPane content = new GridPane();
+        content.setHgap(10.0);
+        content.setVgap(10.0);
+        content.add(new Label("Family"), 0, 0);
+        content.add(family, 1, 0);
+        content.add(new Label("Size"), 0, 1);
+        content.add(size, 1, 1);
+        dialog.getDialogPane().setContent(content);
+
+        dialog.showAndWait()
+                .filter(button -> button == ButtonType.OK)
+                .ifPresent(ignored -> {
+                    String selectedFamily = family.getEditor().getText();
+                    if (selectedFamily == null || selectedFamily.isBlank()) {
+                        selectedFamily = family.getValue();
+                    }
+                    if (selectedFamily == null || selectedFamily.isBlank()) {
+                        return;
+                    }
+
+                    double selectedSize = size.getValue();
+                    config = config.withFont(selectedFamily.trim(), selectedSize);
+                    config.save();
+                    compositor.setFont(config.fontFamily(), config.fontSize());
+                    compositor.canvas().requestFocus();
+                });
+    }
+
+    private void openScrollbackInEditor() {
+        try {
+            // Capture the active pane's scrollback before opening the floating pane, since that
+            // makes the new pane active.
+            Path file = Files.createTempFile("jprototerm-scrollback-", ".txt");
+            Files.writeString(file, compositor.activePane().scrollbackText());
+            file.toFile().deleteOnExit();
+
+            // Run the editor as the floating pane's process (via /bin/sh -c) rather than typing the
+            // command into an interactive shell. The command runs deterministically from the start
+            // — no shell startup/rc race — and the pane auto-closes when the editor exits.
+            compositor.openFloatingPane(scrollbackEditorCommand(file));
+        } catch (IOException ex) {
+            System.err.println("Could not open scrollback in editor: " + ex.getMessage());
+        }
+    }
+
+    private String scrollbackEditorCommand(Path file) {
+        String quotedFile = shellQuote(file.toString());
+        String command = config.scrollbackEditorCommand();
+        if (command == null || command.isBlank()) {
+            command = "vi {file}";
+        }
+        if (command.contains("{file}")) {
+            return command.replace("{file}", quotedFile);
+        }
+        return command + " " + quotedFile;
+    }
+
+    private static String shellQuote(String value) {
+        return "'" + value.replace("'", "'\"'\"'") + "'";
+    }
+
+    // Centre the stage within the screen the mouse pointer is on (the best proxy for the
+    // "active" monitor on X11, which exposes no focused-monitor concept to JavaFX).
+    private static void centreOnActiveScreen(Stage stage, double width, double height) {
+        Rectangle2D bounds = activeScreen().getVisualBounds();
+        stage.setX(bounds.getMinX() + ((bounds.getWidth() - width) / 2.0));
+        stage.setY(bounds.getMinY() + ((bounds.getHeight() - height) / 2.0));
+    }
+
+    private static Screen activeScreen() {
+        int[] at = X11Pointer.query();
+        if (at != null) {
+            // libX11 and JavaFX share a coordinate space on the X11 virtual screen.
+            List<Screen> screens = Screen.getScreensForRectangle(at[0], at[1], 1.0, 1.0);
+            if (!screens.isEmpty()) {
+                return screens.get(0);
+            }
+        }
+        return Screen.getPrimary();
+    }
+}

src/main/java/com/gregor/jprototerm/WindowManager.java

@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+package com.gregor.jprototerm;
+
+import javafx.application.Platform;
+
+import java.util.Set;
+import java.util.concurrent.CopyOnWriteArraySet;
+
+/**
+ * Owns the JavaFX toolkit lifecycle and the set of live {@link TerminalWindow}s for one JVM. A
+ * single JVM hosts every window, so the expensive toolkit/GL init is paid once; opening another
+ * window is then just a new {@link javafx.stage.Stage}.
+ *
+ * <p>Two modes differ only in the empty policy: in {@link Mode#STANDALONE} (today's behavior, used
+ * as the fallback when no daemon is reachable) the JVM exits once the last window closes; in
+ * {@link Mode#DAEMON} the toolkit stays alive with zero windows, waiting for the next client
+ * request. {@link Platform#setImplicitExit(boolean) implicit exit} is disabled in both so the
+ * toolkit never tears itself down behind our back — every exit is an explicit decision here.
+ */
+public final class WindowManager {
+    public enum Mode {
+        STANDALONE,
+        DAEMON
+    }
+
+    private final Mode mode;
+    // Mutated on the FX thread (register/deregister), iterated from the shutdown-hook thread.
+    private final Set<TerminalWindow> windows = new CopyOnWriteArraySet<>();
+
+    private WindowManager(Mode mode) {
+        this.mode = mode;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Brings up the JavaFX toolkit (once per JVM) and returns a manager in {@code mode}. Registers a
+     * shutdown hook that reaps every window's shell processes, so child shells are terminated rather
+     * than orphaned if the JVM is killed (SIGTERM/SIGINT/SIGHUP) — see
+     * {@link Compositor#terminateSessions()}.
+     */
+    public static WindowManager start(Mode mode) {
+        WindowManager manager = new WindowManager(mode);
+        Platform.setImplicitExit(false);
+        Platform.startup(() -> StartupTiming.mark("toolkit ready"));
+        Runtime.getRuntime().addShutdownHook(new Thread(manager::terminateAllSessions, "shell-cleanup"));
+        return manager;
+    }
+
+    /** Opens a new window (on the FX thread) whose first pane starts in {@code workingDirectory}. */
+    public void openWindow(String workingDirectory) {
+        Platform.runLater(() -> windows.add(new TerminalWindow(this, workingDirectory)));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Called by a window when it has finished tearing down (FX thread). Drops it from the registry
+     * and, in standalone mode, exits the JVM once none remain.
+     */
+    void onWindowClosed(TerminalWindow window) {
+        windows.remove(window);
+        if (mode == Mode.STANDALONE && windows.isEmpty()) {
+            Platform.exit();
+        }
+    }
+
+    /** Signals and reaps every live window's shell processes. Safe to call off the FX thread. */
+    void terminateAllSessions() {
+        for (TerminalWindow window : windows) {
+            window.terminateSessions();
+        }
+    }
+}