fix null pointer access

.classpath

@@ -1,18 +0,0 @@
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
-<classpath>
-	<classpathentry kind="src" output="bin/main" path="src/main/java">
-		<attributes>
-			<attribute name="gradle_scope" value="main"/>
-			<attribute name="gradle_used_by_scope" value="main,test"/>
-		</attributes>
-	</classpathentry>
-	<classpathentry kind="src" output="bin/main" path="src/main/resources">
-		<attributes>
-			<attribute name="gradle_scope" value="main"/>
-			<attribute name="gradle_used_by_scope" value="main,test"/>
-		</attributes>
-	</classpathentry>
-	<classpathentry kind="con" path="org.eclipse.jdt.launching.JRE_CONTAINER/org.eclipse.jdt.internal.debug.ui.launcher.StandardVMType/JavaSE-21/"/>
-	<classpathentry kind="con" path="org.eclipse.buildship.core.gradleclasspathcontainer"/>
-	<classpathentry kind="output" path="bin/default"/>
-</classpath>

.codexsession

@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-019e6999-b7c8-7591-a8aa-ea51b89a7f7e

.gitignore

@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ devenv.local.yaml
 # pre-commit
 .pre-commit-config.yaml
 build
-build
 .gradle
 bin
+.settings
+.project
+.worktrees
+.classpath
+.codexsession

.ignore

@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+.gradle
+bin
+result
+.worktrees

.project

@@ -1,34 +0,0 @@
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
-<projectDescription>
-	<name>jprototerm</name>
-	<comment>Project jprototerm created by Buildship.</comment>
-	<projects>
-	</projects>
-	<buildSpec>
-		<buildCommand>
-			<name>org.eclipse.jdt.core.javabuilder</name>
-			<arguments>
-			</arguments>
-		</buildCommand>
-		<buildCommand>
-			<name>org.eclipse.buildship.core.gradleprojectbuilder</name>
-			<arguments>
-			</arguments>
-		</buildCommand>
-	</buildSpec>
-	<natures>
-		<nature>org.eclipse.jdt.core.javanature</nature>
-		<nature>org.eclipse.buildship.core.gradleprojectnature</nature>
-	</natures>
-	<filteredResources>
-		<filter>
-			<id>1779917652126</id>
-			<name></name>
-			<type>30</type>
-			<matcher>
-				<id>org.eclipse.core.resources.regexFilterMatcher</id>
-				<arguments>node_modules|\.git|__CREATED_BY_JAVA_LANGUAGE_SERVER__</arguments>
-			</matcher>
-		</filter>
-	</filteredResources>
-</projectDescription>

.settings/org.eclipse.buildship.core.prefs

@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-arguments=--init-script /home/anon/Src/eclipse.jdt.ls/org.eclipse.jdt.ls.product/target/repository/configuration/org.eclipse.osgi/58/0/.cp/gradle/init/init.gradle
-auto.sync=false
-build.scans.enabled=false
-connection.gradle.distribution=GRADLE_DISTRIBUTION(LOCAL_INSTALLATION(/home/anon/.sdkman/candidates/gradle/current))
-connection.project.dir=
-eclipse.preferences.version=1
-gradle.user.home=
-java.home=/home/anon/.local/lib/graalvm-jdk-21.0.9+7.1
-jvm.arguments=
-offline.mode=false
-override.workspace.settings=true
-show.console.view=true
-show.executions.view=true

flake.lock

@@ -70,11 +70,11 @@
         "nixpkgs": "nixpkgs"
       },
       "locked": {
-        "lastModified": 1780258814,
-        "narHash": "sha256-8rxL7xaZ/loYg3zdt0w5+hfNyHFVknDZN360NzrtCsQ=",
+        "lastModified": 1780272954,
+        "narHash": "sha256-bVWY60iw8yPIu7I8FuRPf06T0H1TDvQDVUlzeHQs8UA=",
         "ref": "refs/heads/main",
-        "rev": "6a3d5aa0b0b1f738c958e2a2f0249574c07d9c4d",
-        "revCount": 23,
+        "rev": "06a9d5d3ecf11c58f0e41214d1b59900e672dd3a",
+        "revCount": 24,
         "type": "git",
         "url": "https://gitea.gregorlohaus.com/gregor/jlibghostty.git"
       },

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

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import dev.jlibghostty.MouseButton;
 import dev.jlibghostty.MouseEncoderSize;
 import dev.jlibghostty.MouseInput;
 import javafx.geometry.VPos;
+import javafx.scene.Node;
 import javafx.scene.canvas.Canvas;
 import javafx.scene.canvas.GraphicsContext;
 import javafx.scene.input.InputEvent;
@@ -38,6 +39,8 @@ public final class Compositor {
     private static final double TAB_BAR_HEIGHT = 22.0;
 
     private final Canvas canvas = new Canvas();
+    // Kitty images are drawn as retained nodes layered over the canvas, not composited onto it.
+    private final KittyImageOverlay imageOverlay = new KittyImageOverlay();
     private final AppConfig config;
     private final TerminalMetrics metrics;
     private final List<Tab> tabs = new ArrayList<>();
@@ -75,6 +78,11 @@ public final class Compositor {
         return canvas;
     }
 
+    /** The kitty-image overlay, to be stacked directly above {@link #canvas()} in the window. */
+    public Node imageOverlay() {
+        return imageOverlay.node();
+    }
+
     public void setFont(String family, double size) {
         metrics.setFont(family, size);
         paneContentVersion.clear();
@@ -113,6 +121,16 @@ public final class Compositor {
         layoutVersion++;
     }
 
+    /** Opens a new floating pane, makes it active, and returns it (null when no tab exists). */
+    public TerminalPane openFloatingPane() {
+        if (isEmpty()) {
+            return null;
+        }
+        TerminalPane pane = currentTab().createFloatingPane();
+        layoutVersion++;
+        return pane;
+    }
+
     public void nextFloatingPane() {
         if (isEmpty()) {
             return;
@@ -246,6 +264,7 @@ public final class Compositor {
         for (TerminalPane pane : panes) {
             paneContentVersion.put(pane, pane.paintFull(gc, isActive(pane)));
         }
+        imageOverlay.sync(panes);
     }
 
     // Repaint just the panes whose content changed, directly on the retained canvas. Each pane
@@ -262,6 +281,7 @@ public final class Compositor {
                 continue;
             }
             paneContentVersion.put(pane, pane.paintIncremental(gc, isActive(pane)));
+            imageOverlay.updatePane(pane);
         }
     }
 

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

@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 package com.gregor.jprototerm;
 
+import dev.jlibghostty.KittyImage;
 import dev.jlibghostty.KittyImageCompression;
 import dev.jlibghostty.KittyImageFormat;
-import dev.jlibghostty.KittyImageSnapshot;
 import dev.jlibghostty.KittyPlacement;
 import dev.jlibghostty.KittyPlacementLayer;
 import dev.jlibghostty.KittyPlaceholder;
@@ -27,15 +27,18 @@ import javafx.scene.text.Text;
 
 import java.io.ByteArrayInputStream;
 import java.nio.IntBuffer;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 
 /**
- * The real terminal renderer: paints a pane's background, cell rows, cursor, border, padding
- * and (when enabled) kitty graphics. One instance per pane, since it caches that pane's
- * decoded kitty images.
+ * The real terminal renderer: rasterizes a pane's background, cell rows, cursor, border and
+ * padding into the {@link SoftwareBackbuffer} and blits it to the canvas. Kitty images are not
+ * drawn here — each paint collects their placements (see {@link #kittyImages()}) for the
+ * compositor to render as overlay nodes above the canvas. One instance per pane, since it caches
+ * that pane's decoded kitty images.
  */
 final class GhosttyTerminalRenderer extends TerminalRenderer {
     // GhosttyRenderStateDirty values (stable C ABI; see ghostty/vt/render.h).
@@ -60,6 +63,9 @@ final class GhosttyTerminalRenderer extends TerminalRenderer {
     // Decoded kitty images for this renderer's pane (kitty graphics state is per-terminal).
     private final Map<KittyImageKey, Image> kittyImageCache = new HashMap<>();
     private final SoftwareBackbuffer software = new SoftwareBackbuffer();
+    // Image placements produced by the last paint; the compositor reads these and renders them
+    // as overlay nodes rather than compositing them onto the canvas. Empty for non-kitty panes.
+    private List<KittyImageNode> kittyImageNodes = List.of();
 
     GhosttyTerminalRenderer(TerminalMetrics metrics) {
         this.metrics = metrics;
@@ -73,15 +79,10 @@ final class GhosttyTerminalRenderer extends TerminalRenderer {
         double height = target.height();
         gc.save();
         clip(gc, px, py, width, height, target.clip());
-        boolean withKitty = target.kittyEnabled() && hasKittyGraphics(target);
         RenderStateSnapshot snapshot = target.snapshotFull();
-        if (withKitty) {
-            drawContent(gc, target, snapshot, px, py, width, height, active, true);
-            software.invalidate();
-        } else {
         software.paintFull(gc, snapshot, px, py, width, height, active);
-        }
         gc.restore();
+        collectKittyImages(target, snapshot, px, py);
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -93,10 +94,15 @@ final class GhosttyTerminalRenderer extends TerminalRenderer {
         gc.save();
         clip(gc, px, py, width, height, target.clip());
         if (target.kittyEnabled() && hasKittyGraphics(target)) {
-            // Kitty placements can move without a per-row dirty flag, so always redraw whole.
-            drawContent(gc, target, target.snapshotFull(), px, py, width, height, active, true);
-            software.invalidate();
-        } else {
+            // Images render as overlay nodes, not on the canvas, but their positions track the
+            // grid (scroll/cursor), so we need a full snapshot to locate placeholder cells. The
+            // software path itself still repaints only the text rows whose hash changed.
+            RenderStateSnapshot snapshot = target.snapshotFull();
+            software.paintFullOrShifted(gc, snapshot, px, py, width, height, active);
+            gc.restore();
+            collectKittyImages(target, snapshot, px, py);
+            return;
+        }
         RenderStateSnapshot snapshot = target.snapshot();
         int dirty = snapshot == null ? DIRTY_FULL : snapshot.dirty();
         if (dirty == DIRTY_FULL) {
@@ -105,159 +111,13 @@ final class GhosttyTerminalRenderer extends TerminalRenderer {
             software.paintDirty(gc, target, snapshot, px, py, width, height, active);
         }
         // dirty == FALSE: nothing visible changed.
-        }
         gc.restore();
+        kittyImageNodes = List.of();
     }
 
-    // Full content render: background, border, all rows, cursor, and (when enabled) kitty
-    // graphics. Used by the kitty direct path and by full redraws.
-    private void drawContent(
-            GraphicsContext gc,
-            RenderTarget target,
-            RenderStateSnapshot snapshot,
-            double x,
-            double y,
-            double width,
-            double height,
-            boolean active,
-            boolean withKitty
-    ) {
-        double cellWidth = metrics.cellWidth();
-        double lineHeight = metrics.lineHeight();
-        gc.setFontSmoothingType(FontSmoothingType.LCD);
-        gc.setFill(PANE_BACKGROUND);
-        gc.fillRect(x, y, width, height);
-        gc.setFont(metrics.font());
-
-        double left = x + TerminalMetrics.PADDING;
-        double top = y + TerminalMetrics.PADDING;
-        double baseline = top + metrics.baselineOffset();
-
-        Map<KittyPlaceholderKey, KittyPlaceholderBounds> placeholderBounds = withKitty
-                ? kittyPlaceholderBounds(snapshot)
-                : Map.of();
-
-        if (withKitty) {
-            drawKittyGraphics(gc, target, KittyPlacementLayer.BELOW_TEXT, placeholderBounds, left, top, cellWidth, lineHeight);
-        }
-
-        if (snapshot != null) {
-            double contentBottom = top + snapshot.rows() * lineHeight;
-            fillVerticalPadding(gc, snapshot, x, y, width, height, top, contentBottom);
-            for (RenderRow row : snapshot.renderRows()) {
-                double y0 = Math.floor(top + (row.row() * lineHeight));
-                double y1 = Math.ceil(top + ((row.row() + 1) * lineHeight));
-                paintSidePadding(gc, row, x, width, left, cellWidth, y0, y1 - y0);
-                drawRow(gc, row, left, top, baseline, cellWidth, lineHeight);
-            }
-            drawCursor(gc, snapshot, left, top, cellWidth, lineHeight);
-        }
-
-        if (withKitty) {
-            drawKittyGraphics(gc, target, KittyPlacementLayer.ABOVE_TEXT, placeholderBounds, left, top, cellWidth, lineHeight);
-        }
-
-        drawBorder(gc, x, y, width, height, active);
-    }
-
-    // Incremental render: repaint only the rows ghostty flagged dirty, then restore the
-    // cursor and border. The local band tracks the repainted span only so the border redraw
-    // can be limited to it.
-    private void drawDirtyRows(
-            GraphicsContext gc,
-            RenderStateSnapshot snapshot,
-            double px,
-            double py,
-            double pw,
-            double ph,
-            boolean active
-    ) {
-        double cellWidth = metrics.cellWidth();
-        double lineHeight = metrics.lineHeight();
-        gc.setFontSmoothingType(FontSmoothingType.LCD);
-        gc.setFont(metrics.font());
-        double left = px + TerminalMetrics.PADDING;
-        double top = py + TerminalMetrics.PADDING;
-        double baseline = top + metrics.baselineOffset();
-
-        double contentBottom = top + snapshot.rows() * lineHeight;
-        int lastRow = snapshot.rows() - 1;
-        List<RenderRow> rows = snapshot.renderRows();
-        boolean allRowsDirty = allRowsDirty(snapshot, rows);
-        if (allRowsDirty) {
-            gc.setFill(PANE_BACKGROUND);
-            gc.fillRect(px, py, pw, ph);
-        }
-
-        boolean cursorRowDirty = false;
-        double bandMin = Double.POSITIVE_INFINITY;
-        double bandMax = Double.NEGATIVE_INFINITY;
-        for (RenderRow row : rows) {
-            if (!row.dirty()) {
-                continue;
-            }
-            // Snap the row band to integer pixels and paint opaque: a fractional-height fill
-            // would leave sub-pixel seams between rows.
-            double y0 = Math.floor(top + (row.row() * lineHeight));
-            double y1 = Math.ceil(top + ((row.row() + 1) * lineHeight));
-            if (!allRowsDirty) {
-                gc.setFill(PANE_BACKGROUND);
-                gc.fillRect(px, y0, pw, y1 - y0);
-            }
-            paintSidePadding(gc, row, px, pw, left, cellWidth, y0, y1 - y0);
-            drawRow(gc, row, left, top, baseline, cellWidth, lineHeight);
-            bandMin = Math.min(bandMin, y0);
-            bandMax = Math.max(bandMax, y1);
-            // Edge rows also own the top/bottom padding strip; repaint it and extend the
-            // band so panes stacked above get restored over it too.
-            if (row.row() == 0) {
-                gc.setFill(rowEdgeBackground(row, true));
-                gc.fillRect(px, py, pw, top - py);
-                bandMin = Math.min(bandMin, py);
-            }
-            if (row.row() == lastRow) {
-                gc.setFill(rowEdgeBackground(row, true));
-                gc.fillRect(px, contentBottom, pw, py + ph - contentBottom);
-                bandMax = Math.max(bandMax, py + ph);
-            }
-            if (snapshot.cursorViewportHasValue() && row.row() == snapshot.cursorViewportY()) {
-                cursorRowDirty = true;
-            }
-        }
-        if (bandMin > bandMax) {
-            return;
-        }
-
-        // The cursor overlays its cell; redraw it only when its row was repainted, so we
-        // neither leave a stale cursor nor stack the translucent overlay on itself.
-        if (cursorRowDirty) {
-            drawCursor(gc, snapshot, left, top, cellWidth, lineHeight);
-        }
-        // Repainting rows clears the side borders within the band; restore just those
-        // segments, clipped to the band so we don't redraw the whole outline.
-        gc.save();
-        clipRect(gc, px, bandMin, pw, bandMax - bandMin);
-        drawBorder(gc, px, py, pw, ph, active);
-        gc.restore();
-    }
-
-    private static boolean allRowsDirty(RenderStateSnapshot snapshot, List<RenderRow> rows) {
-        if (rows.size() != snapshot.rows()) {
-            return false;
-        }
-        for (int i = 0; i < rows.size(); i++) {
-            RenderRow row = rows.get(i);
-            if (!row.dirty() || row.row() != i) {
-                return false;
-            }
-        }
-        return true;
-    }
-
-    private void drawBorder(GraphicsContext gc, double x, double y, double width, double height, boolean active) {
-        gc.setStroke(active ? ACTIVE_BORDER : INACTIVE_BORDER);
-        gc.setLineWidth(active ? 2.0 : 1.0);
-        gc.strokeRect(x + 0.5, y + 0.5, width - 1.0, height - 1.0);
+    @Override
+    List<KittyImageNode> kittyImages() {
+        return kittyImageNodes;
     }
 
     // Effective background colour of a cell as it is drawn (reverse video swaps fg/bg, an
@@ -279,124 +139,6 @@ final class GhosttyTerminalRenderer extends TerminalRenderer {
         return cellBackgroundColor(firstCell ? cells.get(0) : cells.get(cells.size() - 1));
     }
 
-    // Extend the row's edge-cell backgrounds into the left/right padding (the margin and the
-    // right-edge rounding sliver), so the unused space matches the rendered content.
-    private void paintSidePadding(GraphicsContext gc, RenderRow row, double paneX, double paneWidth,
-            double contentLeft, double cellWidth, double yTop, double bandHeight) {
-        int columns = row.cells().size();
-        if (columns == 0) {
-            return;
-        }
-        double contentRight = contentLeft + (columns * cellWidth);
-        gc.setFill(rowEdgeBackground(row, true));
-        gc.fillRect(paneX, yTop, contentLeft - paneX, bandHeight);
-        gc.setFill(rowEdgeBackground(row, false));
-        gc.fillRect(contentRight, yTop, paneX + paneWidth - contentRight, bandHeight);
-    }
-
-    // Fill the top/bottom padding strips with the top/bottom row's edge colour.
-    private void fillVerticalPadding(GraphicsContext gc, RenderStateSnapshot snapshot,
-            double paneX, double paneY, double paneWidth, double paneHeight, double contentTop, double contentBottom) {
-        List<RenderRow> rows = snapshot.renderRows();
-        if (rows.isEmpty()) {
-            return;
-        }
-        gc.setFill(rowEdgeBackground(rows.get(0), true));
-        gc.fillRect(paneX, paneY, paneWidth, contentTop - paneY);
-        gc.setFill(rowEdgeBackground(rows.get(rows.size() - 1), true));
-        gc.fillRect(paneX, contentBottom, paneWidth, paneY + paneHeight - contentBottom);
-    }
-
-    private void drawRow(
-            GraphicsContext gc,
-            RenderRow row,
-            double left,
-            double top,
-            double baseline,
-            double cellWidth,
-            double lineHeight
-    ) {
-        drawRowBackgrounds(gc, row, left, top, cellWidth, lineHeight);
-        drawRowText(gc, row, left, baseline, cellWidth, lineHeight);
-    }
-
-    private static void drawRowBackgrounds(
-            GraphicsContext gc,
-            RenderRow row,
-            double left,
-            double top,
-            double cellWidth,
-            double lineHeight
-    ) {
-        Color runBackground = null;
-        int runStartColumn = 0;
-        int previousColumn = -1;
-        for (RenderCell cell : row.cells()) {
-            if (cell.kittyPlaceholder().isPresent()) {
-                flushBackgroundRun(gc, runBackground, left, top, cellWidth, lineHeight, row.row(), runStartColumn, previousColumn);
-                runBackground = null;
-                previousColumn = -1;
-                continue;
-            }
-
-            Color bg = cell.selected() ? SELECTED_BACKGROUND : cellBackgroundOverride(cell);
-            if (bg == null) {
-                flushBackgroundRun(gc, runBackground, left, top, cellWidth, lineHeight, row.row(), runStartColumn, previousColumn);
-                runBackground = null;
-                previousColumn = -1;
-                continue;
-            }
-
-            if (runBackground == null || bg != runBackground || cell.column() != previousColumn + 1) {
-                flushBackgroundRun(gc, runBackground, left, top, cellWidth, lineHeight, row.row(), runStartColumn, previousColumn);
-                runBackground = bg;
-                runStartColumn = cell.column();
-            }
-            previousColumn = cell.column();
-        }
-        flushBackgroundRun(gc, runBackground, left, top, cellWidth, lineHeight, row.row(), runStartColumn, previousColumn);
-    }
-
-    private static void flushBackgroundRun(
-            GraphicsContext gc,
-            Color background,
-            double left,
-            double top,
-            double cellWidth,
-            double lineHeight,
-            int row,
-            int startColumn,
-            int endColumn
-    ) {
-        if (background == null || endColumn < startColumn) {
-            return;
-        }
-        gc.setFill(background);
-        gc.fillRect(
-                left + (startColumn * cellWidth),
-                top + (row * lineHeight),
-                (endColumn - startColumn + 1) * cellWidth,
-                lineHeight);
-    }
-
-    private void drawRowText(
-            GraphicsContext gc,
-            RenderRow row,
-            double left,
-            double baseline,
-            double cellWidth,
-            double lineHeight
-    ) {
-        for (RenderCell cell : row.cells()) {
-            if (cell.kittyPlaceholder().isPresent() || cell.codepoints().length == 0) {
-                continue;
-            }
-
-            gc.setFill(cellForegroundColor(cell));
-            gc.fillText(cell.text(), left + (cell.column() * cellWidth), baseline + (row.row() * lineHeight));
-        }
-    }
-
     // Background override for a cell: null means the pane default background already covers it.
     private static Color cellBackgroundOverride(RenderCell cell) {
         if (cell.inverse()) {
@@ -434,46 +176,42 @@ final class GhosttyTerminalRenderer extends TerminalRenderer {
         return created;
     }
 
-    private static void drawCursor(GraphicsContext gc, RenderStateSnapshot snapshot, double left, double top, double cellWidth, double lineHeight) {
-        if (!snapshot.cursorVisible() || !snapshot.cursorViewportHasValue()) {
-            return;
-        }
-
-        double x = left + (snapshot.cursorViewportX() * cellWidth);
-        double y = top + (snapshot.cursorViewportY() * lineHeight);
-        gc.setStroke(DEFAULT_FOREGROUND);
-        gc.setFill(CURSOR_FILL);
-        gc.setLineWidth(1.5);
-
-        RenderCursorStyle style = snapshot.cursorStyle();
-        if (style == RenderCursorStyle.BAR) {
-            gc.strokeLine(x + 0.5, y + 2.0, x + 0.5, y + lineHeight - 2.0);
-        } else if (style == RenderCursorStyle.UNDERLINE) {
-            gc.strokeLine(x + 1.0, y + lineHeight - 2.0, x + cellWidth - 1.0, y + lineHeight - 2.0);
-        } else if (style == RenderCursorStyle.BLOCK) {
-            gc.fillRect(x + 0.5, y + 1.0, Math.max(1.0, cellWidth - 1.0), Math.max(1.0, lineHeight - 2.0));
-        } else {
-            gc.strokeRect(x + 0.5, y + 1.0, Math.max(1.0, cellWidth - 1.0), Math.max(1.0, lineHeight - 2.0));
-        }
-    }
-
     // ---- Kitty graphics --------------------------------------------------------------
 
     private static boolean hasKittyGraphics(RenderTarget target) {
         return target.kittyGraphics()
-                .map(graphics -> !graphics.placements().isEmpty())
+                .map(graphics -> !graphics.isEmpty())
                 .orElse(false);
     }
 
-    private void drawKittyGraphics(
-            GraphicsContext gc,
+    // Build the image-node descriptors for the current frame. Reads the decoded-image cache and
+    // each placement's geometry, but draws nothing — the compositor turns these into overlay
+    // nodes clipped to the pane.
+    private void collectKittyImages(RenderTarget target, RenderStateSnapshot snapshot, double px, double py) {
+        if (!target.kittyEnabled() || !hasKittyGraphics(target)) {
+            kittyImageNodes = List.of();
+            return;
+        }
+        double cellWidth = metrics.cellWidth();
+        double lineHeight = metrics.lineHeight();
+        double originX = px + TerminalMetrics.PADDING;
+        double originY = py + TerminalMetrics.PADDING;
+        Map<KittyPlaceholderKey, KittyPlaceholderBounds> placeholderBounds = kittyPlaceholderBounds(snapshot);
+        List<KittyImageNode> nodes = new ArrayList<>();
+        collectLayer(target, KittyPlacementLayer.BELOW_TEXT, placeholderBounds, originX, originY, cellWidth, lineHeight, nodes);
+        collectLayer(target, KittyPlacementLayer.ABOVE_TEXT, placeholderBounds, originX, originY, cellWidth, lineHeight, nodes);
+        kittyImageNodes = nodes;
+    }
+
+    private void collectLayer(
             RenderTarget target,
             KittyPlacementLayer layer,
             Map<KittyPlaceholderKey, KittyPlaceholderBounds> placeholderBounds,
             double originX,
             double originY,
             double cellWidth,
-            double lineHeight
+            double lineHeight,
+            List<KittyImageNode> out
     ) {
         target.kittyGraphics().ifPresent(graphics -> {
             for (KittyPlacement placement : graphics.placements(layer)) {
@@ -482,17 +220,17 @@ final class GhosttyTerminalRenderer extends TerminalRenderer {
                     continue;
                 }
 
-                if (placement.virtual()) {
-                    drawVirtualKittyPlacement(gc, placement, image, placeholderBounds, originX, originY, cellWidth, lineHeight);
-                } else {
-                    drawPinnedKittyPlacement(gc, placement, image, originX, originY, cellWidth, lineHeight);
+                KittyImageNode node = placement.virtual()
+                        ? virtualNode(placement, image, placeholderBounds, originX, originY, cellWidth, lineHeight)
+                        : pinnedNode(placement, image, originX, originY, cellWidth, lineHeight);
+                if (node != null) {
+                    out.add(node);
                 }
             }
         });
     }
 
-    private static void drawPinnedKittyPlacement(
-            GraphicsContext gc,
+    private static KittyImageNode pinnedNode(
             KittyPlacement placement,
             Image image,
             double originX,
@@ -502,15 +240,13 @@ final class GhosttyTerminalRenderer extends TerminalRenderer {
     ) {
         KittyRenderInfo renderInfo = placement.renderInfo().orElse(null);
         if (renderInfo == null || !renderInfo.viewportVisible()) {
-            return;
+            return null;
         }
 
-        double sourceX = renderInfo.sourceX();
-        double sourceY = renderInfo.sourceY();
         double sourceWidth = renderInfo.sourceWidth();
         double sourceHeight = renderInfo.sourceHeight();
         if (sourceWidth <= 0.0 || sourceHeight <= 0.0) {
-            return;
+            return null;
         }
 
         double x = originX + (renderInfo.viewportColumn() * cellWidth) + placement.xOffset();
@@ -518,14 +254,14 @@ final class GhosttyTerminalRenderer extends TerminalRenderer {
         double width = renderInfo.pixelWidth() > 0 ? renderInfo.pixelWidth() : renderInfo.gridColumns() * cellWidth;
         double height = renderInfo.pixelHeight() > 0 ? renderInfo.pixelHeight() : renderInfo.gridRows() * lineHeight;
         if (width <= 0.0 || height <= 0.0) {
-            return;
+            return null;
         }
 
-        gc.drawImage(image, sourceX, sourceY, sourceWidth, sourceHeight, x, y, width, height);
+        return new KittyImageNode(placement.imageId(), placement.placementId(), image,
+                renderInfo.sourceX(), renderInfo.sourceY(), sourceWidth, sourceHeight, x, y, width, height);
     }
 
-    private static void drawVirtualKittyPlacement(
-            GraphicsContext gc,
+    private static KittyImageNode virtualNode(
             KittyPlacement placement,
             Image image,
             Map<KittyPlaceholderKey, KittyPlaceholderBounds> placeholderBounds,
@@ -546,12 +282,12 @@ final class GhosttyTerminalRenderer extends TerminalRenderer {
                     .orElse(null);
         }
         if (bounds == null || bounds.isEmpty()) {
-            return;
+            return null;
         }
 
         SourceRect source = sourceRect(placement, image);
         if (source.width() <= 0.0 || source.height() <= 0.0) {
-            return;
+            return null;
         }
 
         long gridColumns = gridColumns(placement, bounds);
@@ -569,13 +305,14 @@ final class GhosttyTerminalRenderer extends TerminalRenderer {
         double availableHeight = bounds.rows() * lineHeight;
 
         if (sourceWidth <= 0.0 || sourceHeight <= 0.0 || availableWidth <= 0.0 || availableHeight <= 0.0) {
-            return;
+            return null;
         }
 
         double scale = Math.min(availableWidth / sourceWidth, availableHeight / sourceHeight);
         double width = sourceWidth * scale;
         double height = sourceHeight * scale;
-        gc.drawImage(image, sourceX, sourceY, sourceWidth, sourceHeight, x, y, width, height);
+        return new KittyImageNode(placement.imageId(), placement.placementId(), image,
+                sourceX, sourceY, sourceWidth, sourceHeight, x, y, width, height);
     }
 
     private static long gridColumns(KittyPlacement placement, KittyPlaceholderBounds bounds) {
@@ -601,16 +338,17 @@ final class GhosttyTerminalRenderer extends TerminalRenderer {
     }
 
     private Image imageFor(KittyPlacement placement) {
-        return placement.image().map(snapshot -> {
-            byte[] data = snapshot.data();
-            KittyImageKey key = KittyImageKey.of(snapshot, data);
+        return placement.image().map(image -> {
+            // Build the cache key from cheap metadata only — the pixel buffer is never copied out
+            // of native memory on a cache hit (the common per-frame case).
+            KittyImageKey key = KittyImageKey.of(image);
             Image cached = kittyImageCache.get(key);
             if (cached != null) {
                 return cached;
             }
 
-            kittyImageCache.keySet().removeIf(existing -> existing.id() == snapshot.id());
-            Image decoded = decodeImage(snapshot, data);
+            kittyImageCache.keySet().removeIf(existing -> existing.id() == image.id());
+            Image decoded = decodeImage(image);
             if (decoded != null) {
                 kittyImageCache.put(key, decoded);
             }
@@ -618,22 +356,25 @@ final class GhosttyTerminalRenderer extends TerminalRenderer {
         }).orElse(null);
     }
 
-    private Image decodeImage(KittyImageSnapshot snapshot, byte[] data) {
-        if (snapshot.compression() != KittyImageCompression.NONE) {
+    private Image decodeImage(KittyImage source) {
+        if (source.compression() != KittyImageCompression.NONE) {
             return null;
         }
 
-        if (snapshot.format() == KittyImageFormat.PNG) {
+        // Only now — on a cache miss — do we pull the raw bytes across the native boundary.
+        byte[] data = source.data();
+        KittyImageFormat format = source.format();
+        if (format == KittyImageFormat.PNG) {
             return new Image(new ByteArrayInputStream(data));
         }
 
-        int width = Math.toIntExact(snapshot.width());
-        int height = Math.toIntExact(snapshot.height());
+        int width = Math.toIntExact(source.width());
+        int height = Math.toIntExact(source.height());
         WritableImage image = new WritableImage(width, height);
 
-        if (snapshot.format() == KittyImageFormat.RGBA) {
+        if (format == KittyImageFormat.RGBA) {
             image.getPixelWriter().setPixels(0, 0, width, height, PixelFormat.getByteBgraInstance(), rgbaToBgra(data), 0, width * 4);
-        } else if (snapshot.format() == KittyImageFormat.RGB) {
+        } else if (format == KittyImageFormat.RGB) {
             image.getPixelWriter().setPixels(0, 0, width, height, PixelFormat.getByteRgbInstance(), data, 0, width * 3);
         }
         return image;
@@ -1321,15 +1062,15 @@ final class GhosttyTerminalRenderer extends TerminalRenderer {
     // identity + dimensions + payload length are enough to key the decoded-image cache, and
     // we avoid fingerprinting the whole payload — which previously ran once per frame per
     // placement (O(image size)) just to look the image up.
-    private record KittyImageKey(long id, long number, long width, long height, KittyImageFormat format, int dataLength) {
-        private static KittyImageKey of(KittyImageSnapshot snapshot, byte[] data) {
+    private record KittyImageKey(long id, long number, long width, long height, KittyImageFormat format, long dataLength) {
+        private static KittyImageKey of(KittyImage image) {
             return new KittyImageKey(
-                    snapshot.id(),
-                    snapshot.number(),
-                    snapshot.width(),
-                    snapshot.height(),
-                    snapshot.format(),
-                    data.length
+                    image.id(),
+                    image.number(),
+                    image.width(),
+                    image.height(),
+                    image.format(),
+                    image.dataLength()
             );
         }
     }

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

@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+package com.gregor.jprototerm;
+
+import javafx.scene.image.Image;
+
+/**
+ * A single kitty image to display, produced by the renderer and consumed by {@link
+ * KittyImageOverlay}. Images are not painted onto the canvas; each becomes a retained
+ * {@code ImageView} node positioned over the pane. The {@code source*} fields are the region of
+ * {@link #image()} to show (in image pixels); the {@code x/y/width/height} are where to put it,
+ * in scene coordinates (the same space the pane's clip {@code Shape} lives in).
+ *
+ * <p>{@code imageId}+{@code placementId} identify the placement so the overlay can reuse the
+ * same node across frames instead of recreating it.
+ */
+record KittyImageNode(
+        long imageId,
+        long placementId,
+        Image image,
+        double sourceX,
+        double sourceY,
+        double sourceWidth,
+        double sourceHeight,
+        double x,
+        double y,
+        double width,
+        double height
+) {
+    /** Stable per-pane key for node reuse. Packs the two u32 ids without collision. */
+    long key() {
+        return (imageId << 32) | (placementId & 0xffffffffL);
+    }
+}

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

@@ -0,0 +1,151 @@
+package com.gregor.jprototerm;
+
+import javafx.geometry.Rectangle2D;
+import javafx.scene.Group;
+import javafx.scene.Node;
+import javafx.scene.image.ImageView;
+import javafx.scene.layout.Pane;
+import javafx.scene.shape.Rectangle;
+import javafx.scene.shape.Shape;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.HashSet;
+import java.util.Iterator;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Set;
+
+/**
+ * Renders kitty graphics images as retained scene-graph nodes layered over the {@link Compositor}
+ * canvas, instead of compositing them onto the canvas. Each pane gets a {@link Group} clipped to
+ * that pane's region (the same clip {@code Shape} the canvas renderer uses), and each visible
+ * image placement is an {@link ImageView} inside it, reused across frames so an unchanged image
+ * costs nothing to redraw.
+ *
+ * <p>The overlay {@link #node()} is mouse-transparent and sits above the canvas in the window's
+ * {@code StackPane}; its children use scene coordinates, which line up with the canvas because
+ * both fill the same root.
+ */
+final class KittyImageOverlay {
+    private final Pane root = new Pane();
+    private final Map<TerminalPane, PaneOverlay> overlays = new HashMap<>();
+
+    KittyImageOverlay() {
+        // Input belongs to the canvas underneath; the overlay only shows pixels.
+        root.setMouseTransparent(true);
+        root.setManaged(false);
+    }
+
+    Node node() {
+        return root;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Full reconcile to {@code panes} (bottom-to-top): drop overlays for panes that went away,
+     * refresh each surviving/added pane's images and clip, and order the per-pane groups to match
+     * the pane z-order. Called on layout frames, after the panes have painted.
+     */
+    void sync(List<TerminalPane> panes) {
+        Iterator<Map.Entry<TerminalPane, PaneOverlay>> it = overlays.entrySet().iterator();
+        while (it.hasNext()) {
+            Map.Entry<TerminalPane, PaneOverlay> entry = it.next();
+            if (!panes.contains(entry.getKey())) {
+                root.getChildren().remove(entry.getValue().group);
+                it.remove();
+            }
+        }
+        for (TerminalPane pane : panes) {
+            updatePane(pane);
+        }
+        // Only panes that actually have images get a group; order those to match pane z-order.
+        List<Node> ordered = new ArrayList<>(panes.size());
+        for (TerminalPane pane : panes) {
+            PaneOverlay overlay = overlays.get(pane);
+            if (overlay != null) {
+                ordered.add(overlay.group);
+            }
+        }
+        if (!root.getChildren().equals(ordered)) {
+            root.getChildren().setAll(ordered);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Refresh one pane's images and clip (called on content frames for each repainted pane).
+     * Creates the pane's group if this is the first time it has shown an image.
+     */
+    void updatePane(TerminalPane pane) {
+        List<KittyImageNode> images = pane.kittyImages();
+        PaneOverlay overlay = overlays.get(pane);
+        if (overlay == null) {
+            if (images.isEmpty()) {
+                return;
+            }
+            overlay = new PaneOverlay();
+            overlays.put(pane, overlay);
+            root.getChildren().add(overlay.group);
+        }
+        overlay.group.setClip(clipFor(pane));
+        reconcile(overlay, images);
+    }
+
+    private static void reconcile(PaneOverlay overlay, List<KittyImageNode> images) {
+        Set<Long> seen = new HashSet<>();
+        for (KittyImageNode node : images) {
+            long key = node.key();
+            seen.add(key);
+            ImageView view = overlay.views.get(key);
+            if (view == null) {
+                view = new ImageView();
+                view.setManaged(false);
+                view.setSmooth(true);
+                view.setPreserveRatio(false);
+                overlay.views.put(key, view);
+                overlay.group.getChildren().add(view);
+            }
+            apply(view, node);
+        }
+        if (overlay.views.size() == seen.size()) {
+            return;
+        }
+        Iterator<Map.Entry<Long, ImageView>> it = overlay.views.entrySet().iterator();
+        while (it.hasNext()) {
+            Map.Entry<Long, ImageView> entry = it.next();
+            if (!seen.contains(entry.getKey())) {
+                overlay.group.getChildren().remove(entry.getValue());
+                it.remove();
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static void apply(ImageView view, KittyImageNode node) {
+        if (view.getImage() != node.image()) {
+            view.setImage(node.image());
+        }
+        view.setViewport(new Rectangle2D(node.sourceX(), node.sourceY(), node.sourceWidth(), node.sourceHeight()));
+        view.setFitWidth(node.width());
+        view.setFitHeight(node.height());
+        view.setLayoutX(node.x());
+        view.setLayoutY(node.y());
+    }
+
+    // The pane's occlusion clip when one is set (rect minus covering panes), else the pane's
+    // plain bounds so an image can't spill outside its pane. Matches Tab's pixel snapping.
+    private static Shape clipFor(TerminalPane pane) {
+        Shape clip = pane.clip();
+        if (clip != null) {
+            return clip;
+        }
+        return new Rectangle(Math.round(pane.x()), Math.round(pane.y()), pane.width(), pane.height());
+    }
+
+    private static final class PaneOverlay {
+        private final Group group = new Group();
+        private final Map<Long, ImageView> views = new HashMap<>();
+
+        private PaneOverlay() {
+            group.setManaged(false);
+        }
+    }
+}

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

@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ public final class Main extends Application {
         metrics = new TerminalMetrics(config.fontFamily(), config.fontSize());
         compositor = new Compositor(config, metrics);
 
-        StackPane root = new StackPane(compositor.canvas());
+        StackPane root = new StackPane(compositor.canvas(), compositor.imageOverlay());
         compositor.canvas().widthProperty().bind(root.widthProperty());
         compositor.canvas().heightProperty().bind(root.heightProperty());
 
@@ -167,11 +167,16 @@ public final class Main extends Application {
 
     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();
 
-            compositor.activePane().send(scrollbackEditorCommand(file) + "\r");
+            TerminalPane pane = compositor.openFloatingPane();
+            if (pane != null) {
+                pane.send(scrollbackEditorCommand(file) + "\r");
+            }
         } catch (IOException ex) {
             System.err.println("Could not open scrollback in editor: " + ex.getMessage());
         }

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

@@ -257,11 +257,12 @@ final class Tab implements AutoCloseable {
         }
     }
 
-    private void createFloatingPane() {
+    TerminalPane createFloatingPane() {
         TerminalPane pane = openPane(true);
         floating.add(pane);
         floatingVisible = true;
         setActive(pane);
+        return pane;
     }
 
     private boolean navigateFloatingStack(Direction direction) {

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

@@ -294,6 +294,14 @@ public final class TerminalPane implements AutoCloseable, RenderTarget {
         return snapshotVersion;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Kitty image placements from the most recent paint, in scene coordinates. The compositor
+     * renders these as overlay nodes clipped to this pane (see {@link KittyImageOverlay}).
+     */
+    public java.util.List<KittyImageNode> kittyImages() {
+        return renderer.kittyImages();
+    }
+
     @Override
     public void close() {
         if (session != null) {

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

@@ -25,6 +25,14 @@ abstract class TerminalRenderer {
     /** Repaint only what changed since the last frame, clipped to the target's clip region. */
     abstract void paintIncremental(GraphicsContext gc, RenderTarget target, boolean active);
 
+    /**
+     * The kitty image placements produced by the most recent paint, for the compositor to render
+     * as overlay nodes above the canvas. Empty unless the last paint found visible images.
+     */
+    java.util.List<KittyImageNode> kittyImages() {
+        return java.util.List.of();
+    }
+
     protected static void clipRect(GraphicsContext gc, double x, double y, double width, double height) {
         gc.beginPath();
         gc.rect(x, y, width, height);