fix(settings): Settings keeps its page while its tab stays open (#123)

package.json

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "prism-terminal",
   "productName": "Prism Terminal",
-  "version": "0.28.0",
+  "version": "0.28.1",
   "description": "A tabbed Windows terminal for AI CLIs.",
   "main": "./out/main/index.js",
   "author": "Max",

src/renderer/src/App.tsx

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import { TabStrip } from './components/TabStrip'
 import TitleBar, { TitleButtons } from './components/TitleBar'
 import { useTitleBarMode } from './lib/titleBarPrefs'
 import EmptyState from './components/EmptyState'
+import type { SettingsPage } from './components/Settings'
 import { Dialog } from './components/Dialog'
 import {
   addTab,
@@ -159,6 +160,16 @@ export default function App(): JSX.Element {
   const active = tabs.find((t) => t.id === activeId) ?? null
   // A placeholder has no shell yet (#106): nothing that needs one may see it.
   const activeShell = active && active.kind !== 'settings' && !active.pending ? active : null
+  // The Settings tab keeps its page while it stays open (#123; owner,
+  // 2026-10-04: "if i go from settings to another tab then to settings again
+  // it should be the same tab it was on ... unless i close the settings tab
+  // and reopen"). The page unmounts behind another tab, so App holds it, and
+  // closing the tab is what forgets it.
+  const [settingsPage, setSettingsPage] = useState<SettingsPage>('general')
+  const settingsOpen = tabs.some((t) => t.kind === 'settings')
+  // Adjusted while rendering, React's own pattern for state that follows other
+  // state: no effect, so no frame painted with the stale page.
+  if (!settingsOpen && settingsPage !== 'general') setSettingsPage('general')
   // Tabs still coming back to an agent wear a ring in the strip (#106): the
   // placeholders, then the sessions resuming until their agent has drawn.
   const resumingNow = useSyncExternalStore(onResumingChange, resumingIds)
@@ -670,7 +681,7 @@ export default function App(): JSX.Element {
         {active?.kind === 'settings' && (
           <div className="h-full min-h-0 w-full bg-[var(--p-bg)]">
             <Suspense fallback={null}>
-              <Settings />
+              <Settings page={settingsPage} onPage={setSettingsPage} />
             </Suspense>
           </div>
         )}

src/renderer/src/components/Settings.tsx

@@ -370,7 +370,8 @@ function AppearanceTab(): JSX.Element {
 
 /* ---------- page shell ---------- */
 
-type TabId = 'general' | 'appearance' | 'dictation'
+export type SettingsPage = 'general' | 'appearance' | 'dictation'
+type TabId = SettingsPage
 
 const Ico = ({ d }: { d: string }): JSX.Element => (
   <svg
@@ -419,12 +420,18 @@ const UI_FONT = '"Segoe UI Variable Text", "Segoe UI", system-ui, sans-serif'
 
 /**
  * The Settings page. It rides the tab strip as a tab of its own, so it FILLS
- * whatever App mounts it in rather than fixing itself over the window, and it
- * takes no props: there is nothing to close (the tab's X does that) and every
- * setting is a store it writes.
+ * whatever App mounts it in rather than fixing itself over the window. There
+ * is nothing to close (the tab's X does that) and every setting is a store it
+ * writes. The page it shows is App's (#123): this component unmounts whenever
+ * another tab is in front, and coming back must find the page that was left.
  */
-export default function Settings(): JSX.Element {
-  const [tab, setTab] = useState<TabId>('general')
+export default function Settings({
+  page: tab,
+  onPage: setTab
+}: {
+  page: SettingsPage
+  onPage: (page: SettingsPage) => void
+}): JSX.Element {
   const active = TABS.find((t) => t.id === tab) ?? TABS[0]
   return (
     <div

tools/e2e/run.mjs

@@ -1191,6 +1191,31 @@ const scenarios = {
     await closeApp(app)
   },
 
+  // SETTINGS KEEPS ITS PAGE WHILE ITS TAB STAYS OPEN (#123; owner,
+  // 2026-10-04): another tab in front and back finds the page that was left;
+  // closing the Settings tab and opening it again starts on General.
+  async settingsPage(ok) {
+    const w = world()
+    const { app, page } = await launch(w, { args: [w.alpha] })
+    ok(await until(async () => (await tabLabels(page)).length === 1), 'one tab open')
+    const current = () =>
+      page.evaluate(() => document.querySelector('[data-settings-tab][aria-current="page"]')?.getAttribute('data-settings-tab') ?? null)
+    const settingsTab = page.locator('[data-tab]', { hasText: 'Settings' })
+    await page.locator('[data-title-settings]').click()
+    ok(await until(async () => (await current()) === 'general'), 'Settings opens on General')
+    await page.locator('[data-settings-tab="dictation"]').click()
+    ok(await until(async () => (await current()) === 'dictation'), 'Dictation picked')
+    await page.locator('[data-tab]').first().click()
+    ok(await until(async () => (await current()) === null), 'the shell is in front, Settings unmounted')
+    await settingsTab.click()
+    ok(await until(async () => (await current()) === 'dictation'), `back on Settings it is still Dictation (${await current()})`)
+    await settingsTab.locator('[data-tab-close]').click({ force: true })
+    ok(await until(async () => (await settingsTab.count()) === 0), 'the Settings tab closed')
+    await page.locator('[data-title-settings]').click()
+    ok(await until(async () => (await current()) === 'general'), `opened again it starts on General (${await current()})`)
+    await closeApp(app)
+  },
+
   // LAUNCH WITH RESTORED AGENT TABS (#106; spec
   // docs/superpowers/specs/2026-09-30-launch-skeleton-design.md; owner,
   // 2026-09-30: "you see the no tab screen (false, there are three tabs