~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.mitchellh.ghostty.quick-terminal.plist

com.mitchellh.ghostty.quick-terminal.plist

<!--
vim: ft=xml ts=4 noet
-->
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple Computer//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
	<key>Label</key>
	<string>com.mitchellh.ghostty.quick_terminal</string>
	<key>AssociatedBundleIdentifiers</key>
	<string>com.mitchellh.ghostty</string>

	<key>ProgramArguments</key>
	<array>
	<string>/bin/zsh</string>
	<string>-c</string>
	<string><![CDATA[
	#!/bin/zsh
	#vim: ft=xml ts=4 noet
	export ghostty="${$(realpath -q $"(whence -p ghostty)"):-/Applications/Ghostty.app/Contents/MacOS/ghostty}"
	GHQT_CONFIG_FILE="$(VISUAL=echo "$ghostty" +edit-config).quick-terminal"

	if [[ ! -s "$GHQT_CONFIG_FILE" ]]; then
		cat > "$GHQT_CONFIG_FILE" <<-'EOFDefaultConfig'
			keybind = global:ctrl+`=toggle_quick_terminal
			quick-terminal-position = top

			quick-terminal-autohide = true
			quick-terminal-screen = main
			quick-terminal-space-behavior = move

			#quick-terminal-animation-duration = 0.2
			#quick-terminal-keyboard-interactivity = on-demand

			# on ⌘N:
			# instead of doing `new_window` action, which would create a window
			# also subject to macos-hidden=always, etc
			#
			# we spawn a second instance of Ghostty.app that behaves more normally
			keybind = super+n=text:\x1A\nzsh --norcs\nif [ -z \"$(/usr/bin/lsappinfo find applicationtype\x3DForeground bundleid\x3Dcom.mitchellh.ghostty)" ]; then\n\texec open -na /Applications/Ghostty.app --args \\\n\t\t--initial-window=true --quit-after-last-window-closed\x3Dtrue\nfi\n
			# as:
			#
			# ⒈ `\x1A` ->
			#   Send a ^Z in case there was something in foreground
			#   (we still end up in a bit of a race but don't have better options?)
			# ⒉ `/bin/zsh --norcs\n` ->
			#   Start a vanilla zsh shell for predictability (e.g. I was being fouled by my
			#   env's zsh-autopair, but people could e.g. be in a different shell!)
			#
			# ⒊ `if [[ -z "$(lsappinfo find applicationtype=Foreground bundleid=com.mitchellh.ghostty)" ]]; then` ->
			#     We nicely ask CoreApplicationServices [aka lsd(8)] if theres already
			#     a 2nd non-hidden copy of Ghostty running; and if there is, then:
			# ⒋ `exec open -na /Applications/Ghostty.app --args \` ->
			#   [`exec` -> consuming / reusing memory space of the zsh we fork(2)ed]
			#   `open -n` -> we start a second instance; `-a …Ghostty.app` -> of Ghostty
			#   `--args` -> and in this second proces, make sure, whatever config file says:
			#     4A. `--initial-window=true` -> a 1st window is opened, to fulfill the ⌘N
			#     4B. `--quit-after-last-window-closed=true` ->
			#       after that window is (and any other opened window(s) are) closed,
			#       we let things go back to just our original background for quick terminal
			#       ghostty process
			EOFDefaultConfig
	fi

	exec $ghostty --title="Quick Terminal" \
		--macos-hidden=always --window-save-state=never --initial-window=false \
		--config-default-files=true \
		--config-file="$GHQT_CONFIG_FILE"
	]]></string>
	</array>

	<!-- don't impose any more resource restrictions than for normal ghostty-->
	<key>ProcessType</key>
	<string>Interactive</string>

	<!-- while man 5 launchd.plist discourages this, I think it's needed to avoid needing an explicit
		launchctl [kick]start -->
	<key>RunAtLoad</key>
	<true/>


	<key>KeepAlive</key>
	<true />
	<!-- <dict>
		<key>PathState</key>
		<dict>
			<key>/var/run/ghostty-quick-term</key>
			<true/>
		</dict>
	</dict>
	-->
</dict>
</plist>

config.quick_terminal.ini

# the config the above rights by default 
keybind = global:ctrl+`=toggle_quick_terminal
quick-terminal-position = top

quick-terminal-autohide = true
quick-terminal-screen = main
quick-terminal-space-behavior = move

#quick-terminal-animation-duration = 0.2
#quick-terminal-keyboard-interactivity = on-demand

# on ⌘N:
# instead of doing `new_window` action, which would create a window
# also subject to macos-hidden=always, etc
#
# we spawn a second instance of Ghostty.app that behaves more normally
keybind = super+n=text:\x1A\nzsh --norcs\nif [ -z \"$(/usr/bin/lsappinfo find applicationtype\x3DForeground bundleid\x3Dcom.mitchellh.ghostty)" ]; then\n\texec open -na /Applications/Ghostty.app --args \\\n\t\t--initial-window\x3Dtrue --quit-after-last-window-closed\x3Dtrue\nfi\n
# as:
#
# ⒈ `\x1A` ->
#   Send a ^Z in case there was something in foreground
#   (we still end up in a bit of a race but don't have better options?)
# ⒉ `/bin/zsh --norcs\n` ->
#   Start a vanilla zsh shell for predictability (e.g. I was being fouled by my
#   env's zsh-autopair, but people could e.g. be in a different shell!)
#
# ⒊ `if [[ -z "$(lsappinfo find applicationtype=Foreground bundleid=com.mitchellh.ghostty)" ]]; then` ->
#     We nicely ask CoreApplicationServices [aka lsd(8)] if theres already
#     a 2nd non-hidden copy of Ghostty running; and if there is, then:
# ⒋ `exec open -na /Applications/Ghostty.app --args \` ->
#   [`exec` -> consuming / reusing memory space of the zsh we fork(2)ed]
#   `open -n` -> we start a second instance; `-a …Ghostty.app` -> of Ghostty
#   `--args` -> and in this second proces, make sure, whatever config file says:
#     4A. `--initial-window=true` -> a 1st window is opened, to fulfill the ⌘N
#     4B. `--quit-after-last-window-closed=true` ->
#       after that window is (and any other opened window(s) are) closed,
#       we let things go back to just our original background for quick terminal
#       ghostty process