diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8038926..c229138 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ The tmux server runs in its own unit, so every Claude process lives in **that**
   - Configure `DEVDESK_GRAFANA_URL`, plus a Viewer token in `DEVDESK_GRAFANA_TOKEN_FILE`.
 - **Repo / CI panel:** branch, ahead/behind, uncommitted changes, HEAD's Gitea CI status and open PRs for the session's folder. When CI fails, **Ask Claude to fix CI** types a prompt to read the failed job's log.
 - **Context:** a Claude `statusLine` command (`devdesk-statusline`) snapshots each session's model, context-window use and cost to `/var/lib/devdesk/context/<session>.json`. The Sessions panel shows it as a bar (cost in the tooltip), and Claude's own footer shows a one-line summary.
+- **Light mode:** the terminal switches palettes with the page. DevDesk starts Claude with its `dark-ansi` theme so Claude draws with the terminal's 16 colours, and the light palette maps bright white to ink; tmux and the status line use ANSI colours too. A session picks up Claude's theme the next time Claude starts in it (`/exit`, then ⏎ resumes the same conversation).
 - **Phone:** a key bar replaces the shortcut hints (Esc, Tab, ⇧Tab, ^C, ↑, ↓, ⏎, Claude/Shell window), and the panels open as a drawer.
 - **SSH:** `devdesk attach <name>`, `devdesk new <name> [project]`, `devdesk rename <old> <new>`, `devdesk end <name>`, `devdesk ls`, `devdesk pick`, `devdesk repo <name>`, `devdesk alerts`.
 
@@ -59,8 +60,9 @@ The tmux server runs in its own unit, so every Claude process lives in **that**
 | Ctrl-b d | Detach (the session keeps running) |
 | Shift+drag | Native browser selection (plain drag goes to tmux copy-mode, which copies via OSC 52) |
 | Ctrl+Shift+C / V | Copy selection / paste |
+| Ctrl+Shift+P | Command palette (also the ⌕ button) |
 
-Text size, desktop notifications (with a mute) and fullscreen are in the **⋯** menu. In Chromium, fullscreen also captures Ctrl+W/Ctrl+T, which browsers otherwise keep for themselves.
+The **☀/◐** button switches light and dark mode (saved per browser, shared with the other web_template apps' `lt_theme` preference). Text size, desktop notifications (with a mute), the keyboard shortcuts sheet and fullscreen are in the **⋯** menu; everything is also in the command palette. In Chromium, fullscreen also captures Ctrl+W/Ctrl+T, which browsers otherwise keep for themselves.
 
 ## Configuration
 - **Put your changes in `/etc/devdesk/env.local`.** It's read after the packaged `env` and never shipped, so `apt upgrade` never asks about it. Example: `DEVDESK_REMOTE_CONTROL=1`.
diff --git a/bin/devdesk b/bin/devdesk
index d5c066f..8eb3965 100755
--- a/bin/devdesk
+++ b/bin/devdesk
@@ -296,20 +296,24 @@ cmd_attach() {
     --list)
         [ $# -eq 1 ] || dd_die "--list takes no arguments"
         cmd_list
+        dd_linger
         return
         ;;
     --repo)
         shift
         cmd_repo "$@"
+        dd_linger
         return
         ;;
     --alerts)
         cmd_alerts
+        dd_linger
         return
         ;;
     --upload)
         shift
         cmd_upload "$@"
+        dd_linger
         return
         ;;
     --new | --rename | --end)
@@ -317,6 +321,7 @@ cmd_attach() {
         shift
         "cmd_$action" "$@"
         ok_json
+        dd_linger
         return
         ;;
     --existing)
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 6d92a5b..8b5e2b9 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,29 @@
+devdesk (0.6.0) bookworm; urgency=medium
+
+  * Light mode, like the other web_template apps (#31): the ☀/◐ button in the
+    header, shared lt_theme preference (OS setting until you choose), applied
+    before first paint and synced across tabs. The terminal has a light
+    palette; Claude runs with its dark-ansi theme so its colours come from
+    that palette, and the light palette maps bright white to ink, so Claude's
+    text, scrollback included, stays readable in both modes. tmux and the
+    statusLine use ANSI colours so they follow the theme too. Sessions pick
+    up Claude's theme the next time Claude starts in them.
+  * Command palette (#32): ⌕ button or Ctrl+Shift+P. Switch, create, rename
+    and end sessions, Claude/Shell window, scroll back, detach, theme, panels,
+    text size, fullscreen, notifications, copy link, open the repo / PRs / CI
+    run, show alerts, keyboard help.
+  * Dialogs instead of browser prompt/confirm for rename, end and new
+    session (name check inline, project folder picker), and a keyboard
+    shortcuts sheet in the ⋯ menu, the palette and the footer (#33).
+  * Toasts for results: created, renamed, ended, uploads, link copied, CI
+    finished, errors (#34).
+  * Fix: renames, ends and new sessions often reported "no response" although
+    they worked; ttyd dropped the reply of commands that exit right after
+    printing. Replies now wait for the browser to hang up (#35).
+  * Fix: the Sessions panel showed stale names right after a rename or end.
+
+ -- Jared Vititoe <jjvititoe1@gmail.com>  Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:32:11 -0400
+
 devdesk (0.5.1) bookworm; urgency=medium
 
   * A session created by opening its URL shows up in the Sessions panel and
diff --git a/libexec/devdesk-lib.sh b/libexec/devdesk-lib.sh
index b32175b..70bf60a 100644
--- a/libexec/devdesk-lib.sh
+++ b/libexec/devdesk-lib.sh
@@ -43,8 +43,19 @@ DEVDESK_CONTEXT_DIR="$DEVDESK_STATE_DIR/context"
 DEVDESK_STATUS_DIR="$DEVDESK_STATE_DIR/state"
 DEVDESK_NAME_RE='^[A-Za-z0-9][A-Za-z0-9_-]{0,63}$'
 
+# Under ttyd, a command that exits right after printing sometimes loses its last
+# output: ttyd sees the exit and closes the WebSocket before reading the pty
+# (devdesk#35). One-shot replies and errors therefore wait, at most
+# DEVDESK_LINGER seconds, for the browser to hang up once it has the answer
+# (ttyd then sends SIGHUP). devdesk-serve sets DEVDESK_VIA_TTYD=1.
+dd_linger() {
+    [ "${DEVDESK_VIA_TTYD:-}" = 1 ] && [ -t 0 ] || return 0
+    read -r -t "${DEVDESK_LINGER:-1}" _ 2>/dev/null || true
+}
+
 dd_die() {
     printf 'devdesk: %s\n' "$*" >&2
+    dd_linger
     exit 1
 }
 
diff --git a/libexec/devdesk-serve b/libexec/devdesk-serve
index 3a2fbb1..adf6af5 100755
--- a/libexec/devdesk-serve
+++ b/libexec/devdesk-serve
@@ -22,4 +22,7 @@ if [ -n "${DEVDESK_BIND:-}" ]; then
     args+=(--interface "$DEVDESK_BIND")
 fi
 
+# Tells `devdesk attach` it talks to a browser through ttyd (see dd_linger).
+export DEVDESK_VIA_TTYD=1
+
 exec "${DEVDESK_TTYD:-/usr/lib/devdesk/bin/ttyd}" "${args[@]}" "${DEVDESK_BIN:-/usr/bin/devdesk}" attach
diff --git a/libexec/devdesk-statusline b/libexec/devdesk-statusline
index 8b46f69..84b0d11 100755
--- a/libexec/devdesk-statusline
+++ b/libexec/devdesk-statusline
@@ -38,12 +38,13 @@ if [[ $session =~ ^[A-Za-z0-9][A-Za-z0-9_-]{0,63}$ ]]; then
     fi
 fi
 
-# Footer line, in TDS colours: session · model · context % · cost
+# Footer line: session · model · context % · cost. ANSI colour numbers, not RGB,
+# so the browser's dark or light palette applies (devdesk#31).
 jq -rM --arg s "$session" '
-    def c($rgb; $t): "\u001b[38;2;\($rgb)m\($t)\u001b[0m";
+    def c($sgr; $t): "\u001b[\($sgr)m\($t)\u001b[0m";
     def pct: if . == null then "—" else "\(. | floor)%" end;
-    [ (if $s != "" then c("255;107;0"; "◈ \($s)") else empty end),
-      c("0;212;255"; .model.display_name // "Claude"),
-      c("127;163;191"; "ctx \(.context_window.used_percentage | pct)"),
-      c("62;96;122"; "$\((.cost.total_cost_usd // 0) * 100 | round / 100)")
-    ] | join(c("62;96;122"; " · "))' <<<"$input" 2>/dev/null || true
+    [ (if $s != "" then c("33"; "◈ \($s)") else empty end),
+      c("36"; .model.display_name // "Claude"),
+      c("37"; "ctx \(.context_window.used_percentage | pct)"),
+      c("37"; "$\((.cost.total_cost_usd // 0) * 100 | round / 100)")
+    ] | join(c("90"; " · "))' <<<"$input" 2>/dev/null || true
diff --git a/share/claude-settings.json b/share/claude-settings.json
index 95e2d4b..464ad76 100644
--- a/share/claude-settings.json
+++ b/share/claude-settings.json
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 {
   "preferredNotifChannel": "terminal_bell",
+  "theme": "dark-ansi",
   "hooks": {
     "SessionStart": [
       {
diff --git a/share/tmux.conf b/share/tmux.conf
index 149a206..d861252 100644
--- a/share/tmux.conf
+++ b/share/tmux.conf
@@ -24,18 +24,21 @@ set -g set-titles-string "devdesk:#S|#T"
 # --- every new session gets a spare shell next to Claude ---------------------
 set-hook -g session-created "new-window -d -n shell"
 
-# --- LotusGuild TDS colours ---------------------------------------------------
+# --- colours ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+# ANSI colour names, not hex: the browser maps them through its dark or light
+# palette, so the status bar follows DevDesk's theme (devdesk#31). black is the
+# bar, white muted text, cyan the accent, yellow the session name.
 set -g status-position bottom
-set -g status-style "bg=#060c14,fg=#7fa3bf"
-set -g status-left "#[fg=#FF6B00,bold] #S #[fg=#3e607a,nobold]│ "
+set -g status-style "bg=black,fg=white"
+set -g status-left "#[fg=yellow,bold] #S #[fg=brightblack,nobold]│ "
 set -g status-left-length 40
 set -g status-right ""
 set -g window-status-format " #I:#W "
-set -g window-status-current-format "#[fg=#030508,bg=#00D4FF,bold] #I:#W "
-set -g window-status-bell-style "fg=#FFB300,bold"
-set -g message-style "bg=#0d1520,fg=#00D4FF"
-set -g mode-style "bg=#00D4FF,fg=#030508"
-set -g pane-border-style "fg=#0d1520"
-set -g pane-active-border-style "fg=#00D4FF"
+set -g window-status-current-format "#[fg=cyan,reverse,bold] #I:#W "
+set -g window-status-bell-style "fg=yellow,bold"
+set -g message-style "bg=black,fg=cyan"
+set -g mode-style "fg=cyan,reverse"
+set -g pane-border-style "fg=brightblack"
+set -g pane-active-border-style "fg=cyan"
 
 source-file -q /etc/devdesk/tmux.local.conf
diff --git a/tests/attach.bats b/tests/attach.bats
index 2d3ae6d..4159487 100644
--- a/tests/attach.bats
+++ b/tests/attach.bats
@@ -327,6 +327,23 @@ posts() { [ -f "$TMP/posts" ] && wc -l <"$TMP/posts" || echo 0; }
     kill "$RECEIVER"
 }
 
+@test "under ttyd, one-shot replies wait for the browser to hang up (#35)" {
+    start_server
+    # No tty (CLI, tests): no waiting.
+    start=$(date +%s%N)
+    DEVDESK_VIA_TTYD=1 DEVDESK_LINGER=2 devdesk attach --list >/dev/null
+    [ $(( ($(date +%s%N) - start) / 1000000 )) -lt 1500 ]
+    # On a tty, as under ttyd: the reply is printed, then it waits.
+    start=$(date +%s%N)
+    run script -qec "DEVDESK_VIA_TTYD=1 DEVDESK_LINGER=0.6 '$REPO/bin/devdesk' attach --list" /dev/null
+    elapsed=$(( ($(date +%s%N) - start) / 1000000 ))
+    [[ $output == *'"sessions"'* ]]
+    [ "$elapsed" -ge 500 ]
+    # Errors are printed before the wait, too.
+    run script -qec "DEVDESK_VIA_TTYD=1 DEVDESK_LINGER=0.3 '$REPO/bin/devdesk' attach --rename nosuch x" /dev/null
+    [[ $output == *"no session named"* ]]
+}
+
 @test "alerts reports unconfigured and unreachable Grafana cleanly" {
     run env DEVDESK_GRAFANA_URL= devdesk alerts
     [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
diff --git a/web/index.template.html b/web/index.template.html
index a3c11ab..e48b3d7 100644
--- a/web/index.template.html
+++ b/web/index.template.html
@@ -3,11 +3,20 @@
 <head>
 <meta charset="utf-8">
 <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, viewport-fit=cover, interactive-widget=resizes-content">
-<meta name="color-scheme" content="dark">
+<meta name="color-scheme" content="dark light">
 <meta name="theme-color" content="#030508">
 <meta name="generator" content="devdesk">
 <title>DevDesk</title>
 <link rel="icon" id="favicon" href="__FAVICON__">
+<script>
+  // Theme before first paint (same key as web_template's lt.theme), no dark flash.
+  try {
+    var t = localStorage.getItem('lt_theme');
+    if (t !== 'light' && t !== 'dark') t = matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme: light)').matches ? 'light' : 'dark';
+    document.documentElement.setAttribute('data-theme', t);
+    document.documentElement.style.colorScheme = t;
+  } catch (e) { /* storage blocked: stay dark */ }
+</script>
 <!--STYLES-->
 </head>
 <body class="dd-app">
@@ -31,6 +40,8 @@
     <span class="lt-ws-status dd-ws" id="ws-status" data-state="connecting" role="status">
       <span class="lt-dot"></span><span id="ws-label">connecting</span>
     </span>
+    <button type="button" class="lt-btn lt-btn-ghost lt-btn-sm dd-cmd-btn" id="cmd-toggle" title="Command palette (Ctrl+Shift+P)" aria-label="Open command palette">⌕<span class="dd-cmd-kbd">&nbsp;⌃⇧P</span></button>
+    <button type="button" class="lt-theme-btn" id="theme-toggle" aria-label="Switch to light mode" title="Switch to light mode">☀</button>
     <div class="dd-more">
       <button type="button" class="lt-btn lt-btn-ghost lt-btn-sm dd-more-toggle" id="more-toggle" aria-haspopup="menu" aria-expanded="false" title="Settings" aria-label="Settings">⋯</button>
       <div class="dd-menu dd-more-menu" id="more-menu" role="menu" hidden>
@@ -43,6 +54,7 @@
           </span>
         </div>
         <button type="button" class="dd-menu-item" id="notify-toggle" role="menuitem">Desktop notifications</button>
+        <button type="button" class="dd-menu-item" id="help-open" role="menuitem">Keyboard shortcuts</button>
         <button type="button" class="dd-menu-item" id="fullscreen-toggle" role="menuitem" title="In Chromium, fullscreen also captures Ctrl+W/Ctrl+T for the terminal">Fullscreen</button>
         <div class="dd-menu-foot" id="version">devdesk</div>
       </div>
@@ -128,6 +140,9 @@
     <span class="lt-footer-hint"><span class="lt-footer-key">⇧drag</span>select</span>
     <span class="lt-footer-sep">│</span>
     <span class="lt-footer-hint"><span class="lt-footer-key">drop / paste</span>attach files</span>
+    <span class="lt-footer-sep">│</span>
+    <span class="lt-footer-hint"><span class="lt-footer-key">^⇧P</span>commands</span>
+    <button type="button" class="dd-footer-help" id="footer-help">all keys</button>
   </div>
   <div class="dd-keybar" id="keybar" role="toolbar" aria-label="Terminal keys" hidden>
     <button type="button" data-keys="esc">Esc</button>
diff --git a/web/src/alerts.js b/web/src/alerts.js
index 4b95192..a0a7e7c 100644
--- a/web/src/alerts.js
+++ b/web/src/alerts.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 // each with an "Ask Claude" button that types an investigation prompt into the
 // current session (without pressing Enter).
 
-import { el } from './sessions.js';
+import { el } from './dom.js';
 
 const SEVERITY = {
   critical: 'lt-chip-critical',
diff --git a/web/src/connection.js b/web/src/connection.js
index 1a1244f..06dc2ca 100644
--- a/web/src/connection.js
+++ b/web/src/connection.js
@@ -121,6 +121,19 @@ export function runCommand(args, timeoutMs = 8000) {
   return limited(() => runCommandNow(args, timeoutMs));
 }
 
+// A full JSON reply, or devdesk's one-line error.
+function isComplete(text) {
+  const clean = stripAnsi(text);
+  if (/^devdesk: .*\n/m.test(clean)) return true;
+  if (!/\}\s*$/.test(clean)) return false;
+  try {
+    parseListOutput(clean);
+    return true;
+  } catch {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
 async function runCommandNow(args, timeoutMs) {
   const token = await fetchToken();
   return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
@@ -132,15 +145,26 @@ async function runCommandNow(args, timeoutMs) {
       reject(new Error('devdesk did not answer'));
     }, timeoutMs);
     socket.onopen = () => socket.send(encodeInit(token, 240, 24));
-    socket.onmessage = (event) => {
-      const { type, payload } = decodeServer(event.data);
-      if (type === Server.OUTPUT) chunks.push(payload.slice());
-    };
-    socket.onerror = () => {};
-    socket.onclose = () => {
+    let settled = false;
+    const finish = () => {
+      if (settled) return;
+      settled = true;
       clearTimeout(timer);
       resolve(new TextDecoder().decode(concat(chunks)));
     };
+    socket.onmessage = (event) => {
+      const { type, payload } = decodeServer(event.data);
+      if (type !== Server.OUTPUT) return;
+      chunks.push(payload.slice());
+      // Hang up as soon as the answer is complete: devdesk waits for that
+      // before exiting, so ttyd can't drop its last output (devdesk#35).
+      if (isComplete(new TextDecoder().decode(concat(chunks)))) {
+        finish();
+        socket.close();
+      }
+    };
+    socket.onerror = () => {};
+    socket.onclose = finish;
   });
 }
 
@@ -211,6 +235,8 @@ async function uploadNow(session, file, onProgress) {
       if (!sending && output.includes('DEVDESK-UPLOAD-READY')) {
         sending = true;
         send();
+      } else if (sending && isComplete(output.replace(/^[\s\S]*DEVDESK-UPLOAD-READY/, ''))) {
+        socket.close(); // the reply is in; let devdesk exit (devdesk#35)
       }
     };
     socket.onerror = () => {};
diff --git a/web/src/dom.js b/web/src/dom.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cc7d809
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/src/dom.js
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+// Tiny DOM builder: el('a', { class, href, onclick }, ...children). Attributes
+// that are null/undefined/false are skipped; on* keys become event listeners.
+export function el(tag, attrs = {}, ...children) {
+  const node = document.createElement(tag);
+  for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(attrs)) {
+    if (value === undefined || value === null || value === false) continue;
+    if (key === 'class') node.className = value;
+    else if (key.startsWith('on')) node.addEventListener(key.slice(2), value);
+    else node.setAttribute(key, value === true ? '' : value);
+  }
+  node.append(...children.filter((c) => c !== null && c !== undefined));
+  return node;
+}
diff --git a/web/src/main.js b/web/src/main.js
index a726059..d770089 100644
--- a/web/src/main.js
+++ b/web/src/main.js
@@ -1,14 +1,17 @@
 /* global __DEVDESK_VERSION__ */
-import { createTerminal, loadFonts } from './term.js';
+import { THEMES, createTerminal, loadFonts } from './term.js';
+import { getTheme, initTheme, onThemeChange, toggleTheme } from './theme.js';
 import {
   TtydConnection, fetchAlerts, fetchRepo, fetchToken, uploadFile, AuthExpiredError, UnauthorizedError,
 } from './connection.js';
 import { parseTitle, pasteSafe, sessionFromSearch } from './protocol.js';
-import { SessionsPanel, el, recentNames, rememberSession, sessionStatus } from './sessions.js';
+import { SessionsPanel, recentNames, rememberSession, sessionStatus } from './sessions.js';
 import { renderAlerts } from './alerts.js';
 import { renderRepo } from './repo.js';
 import { bindAskClaude } from './widgets.js';
 import { heardWithin, onShared, share } from './shared.js';
+import { CommandPalette, dialogOpen, openDialog, toast } from './ui.js';
+import { el } from './dom.js';
 import * as notify from './notify.js';
 
 const $ = (id) => document.getElementById(id);
@@ -70,6 +73,8 @@ const isNarrow = () => !window.matchMedia('(min-width: 1100px)').matches;
 let term;
 let fit;
 let sessionsPanel;
+let palette;
+let lastRepo = null;
 let lastAlerts = null;
 let waitingOthers = [];
 let paneTitleRaw = '';
@@ -193,7 +198,7 @@ function uploadMessage(text, isError = false, sticky = false) {
 async function attachFiles(files) {
   if (!files.length) return;
   if (!state.session || !state.conn?.isOpen) {
-    uploadMessage('Open a session first: files are attached to the current session.', true);
+    toast.warning('Open a session first: files are attached to the current session.');
     return;
   }
   const session = state.session;
@@ -204,15 +209,17 @@ async function attachFiles(files) {
         uploadMessage(`Uploading ${file.name || 'image'}… ${Math.round(p * 100)}%`, false, true));
       paths.push(path);
     } catch (error) {
-      uploadMessage(`${file.name || 'file'}: ${error.message}`, true);
+      uploadUi.hidden = true;
+      toast.error(`${file.name || 'file'}: ${error.message}`);
       return;
     }
   }
+  uploadUi.hidden = true;
   if (session !== state.session) return;
   // A pasted image path makes Claude attach the image itself.
   term.paste(`${paths.join(' ')} `);
   term.focus();
-  uploadMessage(paths.length === 1 ? `Attached ${paths[0]}` : `Attached ${paths.length} files`);
+  toast.success(paths.length === 1 ? `Attached ${paths[0].split('/').pop()}` : `Attached ${paths.length} files`);
 }
 
 function wireUploads() {
@@ -257,6 +264,7 @@ let repoBusy = false;
 async function refreshRepo() {
   const session = state.session;
   if (!session) {
+    lastRepo = null;
     renderRepo($('widget-repo'), null);
     return;
   }
@@ -266,10 +274,13 @@ async function refreshRepo() {
     const repo = await fetchRepo(session);
     if (session !== state.session) return;
     renderRepo($('widget-repo'), repo);
+    lastRepo = repo;
     const key = `${session}@${repo.sha}`;
     const ci = repo.ci?.total ? repo.ci.state : '';
     if (key === lastCi.key && lastCi.state === 'pending' && ['success', 'failure', 'error'].includes(ci)) {
-      notify.ring(session, `CI ${ci === 'success' ? 'passed' : 'failed'} on ${repo.branch} @ ${repo.sha}`);
+      const text = `CI ${ci === 'success' ? 'passed' : 'failed'} on ${repo.branch} @ ${repo.sha}`;
+      notify.ring(session, text);
+      toast[ci === 'success' ? 'success' : 'error'](text);
     }
     lastCi = { key, state: ci };
   } catch {
@@ -497,10 +508,7 @@ function renderSwitcher() {
     el('div', { class: 'dd-menu-sep' }),
     el('button', {
       type: 'button', role: 'menuitem', class: 'dd-menu-item',
-      onclick: choose(() => {
-        setSidebar(true);
-        sessionsPanel.toggleForm(true);
-      }),
+      onclick: choose(() => sessionsPanel.newDialog()),
     }, '+ New session…'),
     el('button', { type: 'button', role: 'menuitem', class: 'dd-menu-item', onclick: choose(() => connect(null)) }, 'Open picker'),
   );
@@ -509,6 +517,7 @@ function renderSwitcher() {
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------- chrome controls
 
 function setFontSize(size) {
+  if (!Number.isFinite(size)) return;
   const clamped = Math.min(24, Math.max(10, size));
   term.options.fontSize = clamped;
   store.set('fontSize', clamped);
@@ -516,6 +525,157 @@ function setFontSize(size) {
   fit.fit();
 }
 
+async function toggleNotifications() {
+  const current = notify.notificationsState();
+  if (current === 'default') {
+    const result = await notify.requestNotifications();
+    if (result === 'granted') toast.success('Desktop notifications on');
+    else if (result === 'denied') toast.warning('The browser blocked notifications for this site');
+  } else if (current === 'granted') {
+    notify.setMuted(!notify.isMuted());
+    toast.info(notify.isMuted() ? 'Desktop notifications muted in this browser' : 'Desktop notifications unmuted');
+  } else {
+    toast.warning(current === 'denied' ? 'Notifications are blocked in the browser\'s site settings' : 'This browser has no notifications');
+  }
+}
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------- palette & help
+
+const sendKeys = (keys) => state.conn?.sendInput(keys);
+
+async function copyLink() {
+  const url = new URL(window.location.href);
+  url.search = state.session ? `?arg=${encodeURIComponent(state.session)}` : '';
+  try {
+    await navigator.clipboard.writeText(url.href);
+    toast.success('Link copied');
+  } catch {
+    toast.error('Could not copy: the browser refused clipboard access');
+  }
+}
+
+const openUrl = (url) => window.open(url, '_blank', 'noopener');
+
+// Commands for the palette (devdesk#32), rebuilt on every open.
+function buildCommands() {
+  const sessions = [...(sessionsPanel?.data?.sessions ?? [])].sort((a, b) =>
+    (b.running - a.running) || ((b.activity || 0) - (a.activity || 0)) || a.name.localeCompare(b.name));
+  const current = sessions.find((s) => s.name === state.session);
+  const panelsOpen = ui.body.classList.contains('dd-sidebar-open');
+  const notifyState = notify.notificationsState();
+  const commands = [];
+  const add = (command) => commands.push(command);
+
+  for (const s of sessions) {
+    if (s.name === state.session) continue;
+    const status = sessionStatus(s);
+    add({
+      id: `switch:${s.name}`, group: 'Sessions', label: `Switch to ${s.name}`, hint: status.label, keywords: s.dir,
+      icon: status.key === 'waiting' ? '!' : s.running ? '●' : '○', run: () => connect(s.name),
+    });
+  }
+  add({ id: 'new', group: 'Sessions', icon: '+', label: 'New session…', keywords: 'create open project', run: () => sessionsPanel.newDialog() });
+  if (state.session) {
+    add({ id: 'rename', group: 'Sessions', icon: '✎', label: `Rename ${state.session}…`, run: () => sessionsPanel.rename(state.session) });
+    add({
+      id: 'end', group: 'Sessions', icon: '×', label: `End ${state.session}…`, keywords: 'close kill stop',
+      run: () => sessionsPanel.end(current ?? { name: state.session, running: true }),
+    });
+    add({ id: 'copy-link', group: 'Sessions', icon: '⧉', label: 'Copy link to this session', keywords: 'url share', run: copyLink });
+  }
+  add({ id: 'picker', group: 'Sessions', icon: '≡', label: 'Open the session picker', keywords: 'fzf list', run: () => connect(null) });
+
+  if (state.session && state.conn?.isOpen) {
+    add({ id: 'win-claude', group: 'Terminal', icon: '0', label: 'Claude window', kbd: '^b 0', run: () => sendKeys('\x020') });
+    add({ id: 'win-shell', group: 'Terminal', icon: '1', label: 'Shell window', kbd: '^b 1', run: () => sendKeys('\x021') });
+    add({ id: 'scroll', group: 'Terminal', icon: '⇞', label: 'Scroll back (tmux copy mode, q to leave)', kbd: '^b [', keywords: 'history scrollback', run: () => sendKeys('\x02[') });
+    add({ id: 'detach', group: 'Terminal', icon: '⏏', label: 'Detach (the session keeps running)', kbd: '^b d', run: () => sendKeys('\x02d') });
+  }
+
+  add({
+    id: 'theme', group: 'View', icon: getTheme() === 'light' ? '◐' : '☀', keywords: 'theme light dark mode colour color',
+    label: getTheme() === 'light' ? 'Switch to dark mode' : 'Switch to light mode', run: toggleTheme,
+  });
+  add({ id: 'panels', group: 'View', icon: '▤', label: panelsOpen ? 'Hide panels' : 'Show panels', keywords: 'sidebar', run: () => setSidebar(!panelsOpen) });
+  add({ id: 'font-up', group: 'View', icon: 'A+', label: 'Larger text', keywords: 'font zoom', run: () => setFontSize(term.options.fontSize + 1) });
+  add({ id: 'font-down', group: 'View', icon: 'A−', label: 'Smaller text', keywords: 'font zoom', run: () => setFontSize(term.options.fontSize - 1) });
+  add({ id: 'font-reset', group: 'View', icon: 'A', label: 'Reset text size', keywords: 'font zoom', run: () => setFontSize(14) });
+  add({ id: 'fullscreen', group: 'View', icon: '⛶', label: document.fullscreenElement ? 'Exit fullscreen' : 'Fullscreen', run: toggleFullscreen });
+  if (notifyState !== 'unsupported') {
+    add({
+      id: 'notify', group: 'View', icon: '🔔', keywords: 'notifications alerts bell',
+      label: { default: 'Enable desktop notifications', denied: 'Desktop notifications (blocked)', granted: notify.isMuted() ? 'Unmute desktop notifications' : 'Mute desktop notifications' }[notifyState],
+      run: () => toggleNotifications().then(renderNotifyButton),
+    });
+  }
+
+  if (lastRepo?.url) {
+    add({ id: 'open-repo', group: 'Links', icon: '↗', label: `Open ${lastRepo.repo} in Gitea`, run: () => openUrl(lastRepo.url) });
+    add({ id: 'open-prs', group: 'Links', icon: '↗', label: 'Open pull requests', run: () => openUrl(`${lastRepo.url}/pulls`) });
+    if (lastRepo.ci?.url) add({ id: 'open-ci', group: 'Links', icon: '↗', label: `Open CI run (${lastRepo.ci.state})`, run: () => openUrl(lastRepo.ci.url) });
+  }
+  if (lastAlerts?.alerts?.length) {
+    add({
+      id: 'alerts', group: 'Links', icon: '!', label: `Show ${lastAlerts.alerts.length} ops alert(s)`, keywords: 'grafana',
+      run: () => {
+        setSidebar(true);
+        $('widget-alerts').scrollIntoView({ block: 'start', behavior: 'smooth' });
+      },
+    });
+  }
+  add({ id: 'help', group: 'Help', icon: '?', label: 'Keyboard shortcuts', keywords: 'keys help', run: showHelp });
+
+  // After a command, typing goes back to the terminal unless it opened a dialog.
+  return commands.map((c) => ({
+    ...c,
+    run: () => {
+      c.run();
+      if (!dialogOpen()) term.focus();
+    },
+  }));
+}
+
+const KEY_HELP = [
+  ['Claude', [
+    ['⇧ Enter', 'New line in the prompt'],
+    ['Esc', 'Interrupt Claude'],
+    ['⇧ Tab', 'Cycle mode (auto-accept, plan…)'],
+    ['↑ / ↓', 'Previous / next prompt'],
+    ['Ctrl+C', 'Cancel; twice to quit (the menu offers resume)'],
+  ]],
+  ['Windows & sessions (tmux)', [
+    ['Ctrl-b 0 / 1', 'Claude window / shell window'],
+    ['Ctrl-b s', 'Switch session (the URL follows)'],
+    ['Ctrl-b [', 'Scroll back; q to leave'],
+    ['Ctrl-b d', 'Detach (the session keeps running)'],
+  ]],
+  ['DevDesk', [
+    ['Ctrl+⇧ P', 'Command palette'],
+    ['Ctrl+⇧ C / V', 'Copy selection / paste'],
+    ['⇧ drag', 'Select text in the browser'],
+    ['Drop or paste a file', 'Upload it and attach it for Claude'],
+    ['Ctrl+W', 'Asks before closing; Chromium fullscreen keeps it for the terminal'],
+  ]],
+];
+
+function showHelp() {
+  const body = el('div', { class: 'dd-keys' }, ...KEY_HELP.map(([title, rows]) => el('section', {},
+    el('h3', { class: 'dd-keys-title' }, title),
+    el('dl', { class: 'dd-keys-list' }, ...rows.flatMap(([keys, what]) => [el('dt', {}, el('kbd', {}, keys)), el('dd', {}, what)])))));
+  if (touch) body.append(el('p', { class: 'dd-dialog-hint' }, 'On a phone, the key bar under the terminal sends Esc, Tab, ⇧Tab, Ctrl+C, arrows, Enter and the window switches.'));
+  openDialog({ title: 'Keyboard shortcuts', body, actions: [{ label: 'Close', primary: true }] }).then(() => term.focus());
+}
+
+async function toggleFullscreen() {
+  if (document.fullscreenElement) {
+    await document.exitFullscreen();
+    return;
+  }
+  await document.documentElement.requestFullscreen();
+  // Chromium: capture Ctrl+W/Ctrl+T/Esc etc. for the terminal while fullscreen.
+  navigator.keyboard?.lock?.().catch(() => {});
+}
+
 function renderNotifyButton() {
   const current = notify.notificationsState();
   const labels = {
@@ -578,20 +738,29 @@ function wireChrome() {
   $('font-down').addEventListener('click', () => setFontSize(term.options.fontSize - 1));
   $('font-up').addEventListener('click', () => setFontSize(term.options.fontSize + 1));
   ui.notifyButton.addEventListener('click', async () => {
-    if (notify.notificationsState() === 'default') await notify.requestNotifications();
-    else if (notify.notificationsState() === 'granted') notify.setMuted(!notify.isMuted());
+    await toggleNotifications();
     renderNotifyButton();
   });
-  $('fullscreen-toggle').addEventListener('click', async () => {
+  $('fullscreen-toggle').addEventListener('click', () => {
     closeMenus();
-    if (document.fullscreenElement) {
-      await document.exitFullscreen();
-      return;
-    }
-    await document.documentElement.requestFullscreen();
-    // Chromium: capture Ctrl+W/Ctrl+T/Esc etc. for the terminal while fullscreen.
-    navigator.keyboard?.lock?.().catch(() => {});
+    toggleFullscreen();
   });
+  $('help-open').addEventListener('click', () => {
+    closeMenus();
+    showHelp();
+  });
+  $('footer-help').addEventListener('click', showHelp);
+  palette = new CommandPalette(buildCommands);
+  $('cmd-toggle').addEventListener('click', () => palette.open());
+  // Ctrl+Shift+P (⌘⇧P): Ctrl+K belongs to the terminal (kill-line in Claude and bash).
+  document.addEventListener('keydown', (event) => {
+    if ((event.ctrlKey || event.metaKey) && event.shiftKey && !event.altKey && event.code === 'KeyP') {
+      event.preventDefault();
+      event.stopPropagation();
+      if (palette.isOpen) palette.close();
+      else if (!dialogOpen()) palette.open();
+    }
+  }, true);
   wireMenu(ui.moreToggle, ui.moreMenu, renderNotifyButton);
   wireMenu(ui.sessionChip, ui.switcher, () => {
     renderSwitcher();
@@ -608,7 +777,7 @@ function wireChrome() {
 
   // Esc closes menus and the narrow-screen drawer before the terminal sees it.
   document.addEventListener('keydown', (event) => {
-    if (event.key !== 'Escape') return;
+    if (event.key !== 'Escape' || dialogOpen()) return;
     const menuOpen = menus.some(({ menu }) => !menu.hidden);
     const drawerOpen = isNarrow() && ui.body.classList.contains('dd-sidebar-open');
     if (!menuOpen && !drawerOpen) return;
@@ -680,6 +849,7 @@ function defaultSession(data) {
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------- boot
 
 async function boot() {
+  initTheme();
   $('version').textContent = `devdesk ${__DEVDESK_VERSION__}`;
   const fontSize = Math.min(24, Math.max(10, Number(store.get('fontSize', 14)) || 14));
   $('font-size').textContent = String(fontSize);
@@ -687,8 +857,11 @@ async function boot() {
 
   ({ term, fit } = createTerminal($('terminal'), {
     fontSize,
+    theme: getTheme(),
     onShiftEnter: () => state.conn?.sendInput('\n'),
   }));
+  onThemeChange((theme) => { term.options.theme = THEMES[theme]; });
+  $('theme-toggle').addEventListener('click', toggleTheme);
   term.onData((data) => state.conn?.sendInput(data));
   term.onBinary((data) => state.conn?.sendBinary(data));
   term.onResize(({ cols, rows }) => state.conn?.resize(cols, rows));
diff --git a/web/src/sessions.js b/web/src/sessions.js
index 90df4fa..9d09aa3 100644
--- a/web/src/sessions.js
+++ b/web/src/sessions.js
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 import { fetchSessionList, sessionAction } from './connection.js';
 import { slugify } from './protocol.js';
 import { share } from './shared.js';
+import { el } from './dom.js';
+import { confirmDialog, openDialog, toast } from './ui.js';
+
+export { el };
 
 const RECENTS_KEY = 'devdesk.recents';
 const MAX_RECENTS = 12;
@@ -51,17 +55,6 @@ export function ago(epochSeconds) {
   return `${Math.floor(s / 86400)}d`;
 }
 
-export function el(tag, attrs = {}, ...children) {
-  const node = document.createElement(tag);
-  for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(attrs)) {
-    if (value === undefined || value === null || value === false) continue;
-    if (key === 'class') node.className = value;
-    else if (key.startsWith('on')) node.addEventListener(key.slice(2), value);
-    else node.setAttribute(key, value === true ? '' : value);
-  }
-  node.append(...children.filter((c) => c !== null && c !== undefined));
-  return node;
-}
 
 // What Claude is doing in a session, from the devdesk-state-hook snapshot.
 // Returns { key, label, dot } for display; key is one of
@@ -114,6 +107,12 @@ export class SessionsPanel {
     return this.pending;
   }
 
+  // After an action: a poll already in flight may predate it, so fetch again.
+  async reload() {
+    await this.pending;
+    return this.refresh();
+  }
+
   async load() {
     let fetched = false;
     try {
@@ -135,14 +134,13 @@ export class SessionsPanel {
     this.hooks.onData?.(this.data, { fetched: false });
   }
 
-  async act(label, action, ...args) {
-    this.setStatus(`${label}…`);
+  // Side-channel action; failures become an error toast (devdesk#34).
+  async act(action, ...args) {
     try {
       await sessionAction(action, ...args);
-      this.setStatus('');
       return true;
     } catch (err) {
-      this.setStatus(err.message, true);
+      toast.error(err.message);
       return false;
     }
   }
@@ -151,43 +149,116 @@ export class SessionsPanel {
     const project = this.select.value;
     const name = slugify(this.nameInput.value) || project;
     if (!name) {
-      this.setStatus('Type a session name or pick a project.', true);
+      toast.warning('Type a session name or pick a project.');
       this.nameInput.focus();
       return;
     }
-    // With a project the session starts in that folder; without one, in the default folder.
-    if (project && !(await this.act('creating', 'new', name, project))) return;
+    if (!(await this.create(name, project))) return;
     this.nameInput.value = '';
     this.select.value = '';
     this.toggleForm(false);
+  }
+
+  // With a project the session starts in that folder; without one, opening it
+  // creates it in the default folder (or its own project folder, by name).
+  async create(name, project) {
+    if (project && !(await this.act('new', name, project))) return false;
     this.hooks.onOpen(name);
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  projectOptions(select) {
+    const projects = this.data?.projects ?? [];
+    const chosen = select.value;
+    select.replaceChildren(
+      el('option', { value: '' }, `No project (${this.data?.root ?? 'default folder'})`),
+      ...projects.filter((p) => p.name !== this.data?.default)
+        .map((p) => el('option', { value: p.name, title: p.dir }, p.name)));
+    select.value = chosen;
+  }
+
+  // "+ New session…" from the switcher or the command palette (devdesk#33).
+  async newDialog() {
+    const name = el('input', { class: 'lt-input', maxlength: '64', placeholder: 'e.g. pbs-upgrade', spellcheck: 'false', autocomplete: 'off', 'aria-describedby': 'dd-new-hint' });
+    const project = el('select', { class: 'lt-select' });
+    this.projectOptions(project);
+    const hint = el('p', { class: 'dd-dialog-hint', id: 'dd-new-hint' }, 'Letters, numbers, - and _. Any name works; pick a project to start in its folder.');
+    project.addEventListener('change', () => {
+      if (!name.value.trim()) name.placeholder = project.value || 'e.g. pbs-upgrade';
+    });
+    const result = await openDialog({
+      title: 'New session',
+      body: el('div', { class: 'dd-dialog-fields' },
+        el('label', { class: 'dd-field' }, el('span', {}, 'Name'), name),
+        el('label', { class: 'dd-field' }, el('span', {}, 'Project folder'), project),
+        hint),
+      actions: [{ label: 'Cancel' }, { label: 'Open', primary: true }],
+      submit: () => {
+        const value = slugify(name.value) || project.value;
+        if (!value) {
+          hint.textContent = 'Type a name or pick a project.';
+          hint.classList.add('is-error');
+          name.focus();
+          return null;
+        }
+        return { name: value, project: project.value };
+      },
+    });
+    if (result) await this.create(result.name, result.project);
   }
 
   async rename(name) {
-    const answer = window.prompt(`Rename session "${name}" to:`, name);
-    if (answer === null) return;
-    const next = slugify(answer);
-    if (!next || next === name) {
-      if (!next) this.setStatus('Names use letters, numbers, - and _.', true);
-      return;
-    }
-    if (await this.act('renaming', 'rename', name, next)) {
+    const input = el('input', { class: 'lt-input', maxlength: '64', value: name, spellcheck: 'false', autocomplete: 'off', 'aria-describedby': 'dd-rename-hint' });
+    const hint = el('p', { class: 'dd-dialog-hint', id: 'dd-rename-hint' }, 'Claude keeps running; the conversation moves with the session.');
+    const next = await openDialog({
+      title: `Rename ${name}`,
+      size: 'sm',
+      body: el('div', { class: 'dd-dialog-fields' }, el('label', { class: 'dd-field' }, el('span', {}, 'New name'), input), hint),
+      actions: [{ label: 'Cancel' }, { label: 'Rename', primary: true }],
+      onOpen: () => {
+        input.select();
+        return input;
+      },
+      submit: () => {
+        const value = slugify(input.value);
+        if (!value) {
+          hint.textContent = 'Names use letters, numbers, - and _.';
+          hint.classList.add('is-error');
+          return null;
+        }
+        if (value !== name && this.data?.sessions?.some((x) => x.name === value)) {
+          hint.textContent = `A session called ${value} already exists.`;
+          hint.classList.add('is-error');
+          return null;
+        }
+        return value;
+      },
+    });
+    if (!next || next === name) return;
+    if (await this.act('rename', name, next)) {
       renameRecent(name, next);
       this.hooks.onRenamed(name, next);
-      await this.refresh();
+      toast.success(`Renamed ${name} → ${next}`);
+      await this.reload();
     }
   }
 
   async end(session) {
-    const question = session.running
-      ? `End session "${session.name}"?\n\nClaude in this session stops. The conversation stays in Claude's history (claude --resume).`
-      : `Forget dormant session "${session.name}"?`;
-    if (!window.confirm(question)) return;
+    const ok = await confirmDialog({
+      title: session.running ? `End ${session.name}?` : `Forget ${session.name}?`,
+      text: session.running
+        ? 'Claude in this session stops and the session closes. The conversation stays in Claude\'s history (claude --resume).'
+        : 'This dormant session is removed from the list. Its conversation stays in Claude\'s history.',
+      confirmLabel: session.running ? 'End session' : 'Forget',
+      danger: true,
+    });
+    if (!ok) return;
     if (session.name === this.current) this.hooks.onEnding?.(session.name);
-    if (await this.act(session.running ? 'ending' : 'forgetting', 'end', session.name)) {
+    if (await this.act('end', session.name)) {
       forgetRecent(session.name);
       this.hooks.onEnded(session.name);
-      await this.refresh();
+      toast.success(session.running ? `Ended ${session.name}` : `Forgot ${session.name}`);
+      await this.reload();
     } else if (session.name === this.current) {
       this.hooks.onEndAborted?.();
     }
@@ -250,12 +321,6 @@ export class SessionsPanel {
     if (!items.length) items.push(el('li', { class: 'dd-empty' }, 'No sessions yet.'));
     this.list.replaceChildren(...items);
 
-    const projects = this.data?.projects ?? [];
-    const chosen = this.select.value;
-    this.select.replaceChildren(
-      el('option', { value: '' }, `No project (${this.data?.root ?? 'default folder'})`),
-      ...projects.filter((p) => p.name !== this.data?.default)
-        .map((p) => el('option', { value: p.name, title: p.dir }, p.name)));
-    this.select.value = chosen;
+    this.projectOptions(this.select);
   }
 }
diff --git a/web/src/term.js b/web/src/term.js
index 23688a9..c7b9fce 100644
--- a/web/src/term.js
+++ b/web/src/term.js
@@ -15,30 +15,65 @@ const writeOnlyClipboard = {
   },
 };
 
-// LotusGuild TDS tokens (web_template base.css :root) mapped onto the ANSI palette.
-export const THEME = Object.freeze({
-  background: '#010304',
-  foreground: '#c4d9ee',
-  cursor: '#FF6B00',
-  cursorAccent: '#010304',
-  selectionBackground: 'rgba(0, 212, 255, 0.30)',
-  selectionInactiveBackground: 'rgba(0, 212, 255, 0.15)',
-  black: '#0d1520',
-  red: '#FF2D55',
-  green: '#00FF88',
-  yellow: '#FFB300',
-  blue: '#3A8DFF',
-  magenta: '#BF5FFF',
-  cyan: '#00D4FF',
-  white: '#c4d9ee',
-  brightBlack: '#3e607a',
-  brightRed: '#FF5C7A',
-  brightGreen: '#33FFAA',
-  brightYellow: '#FFD700',
-  brightBlue: '#6AA8FF',
-  brightMagenta: '#D08CFF',
-  brightCyan: '#33DFFF',
-  brightWhite: '#FFFFFF',
+// Terminal palettes from the LotusGuild TDS tokens (devdesk#31).
+//
+// DevDesk runs Claude with its `dark-ansi` theme, so Claude draws with these 16
+// colours instead of fixed RGB: body text is bright white, secondary text is
+// white, the band behind your messages is bright black, and text on coloured
+// backgrounds is black. Claude's theme is per process and printed text keeps its
+// colours, so instead of switching Claude, the light palette inverts the grey
+// ramp: bright white is ink, white is muted ink, bright black a light band and
+// black the page. Anything written for dark terminals, Claude's scrollback
+// included, stays readable, and toggling is instant.
+export const THEMES = Object.freeze({
+  dark: Object.freeze({
+    background: '#010304',
+    foreground: '#c4d9ee',
+    cursor: '#FF6B00',
+    cursorAccent: '#010304',
+    selectionBackground: 'rgba(0, 212, 255, 0.30)',
+    selectionInactiveBackground: 'rgba(0, 212, 255, 0.15)',
+    black: '#0d1520',
+    red: '#FF2D55',
+    green: '#00FF88',
+    yellow: '#FFB300',
+    blue: '#3A8DFF',
+    magenta: '#BF5FFF',
+    cyan: '#00D4FF',
+    white: '#9fb6cc',
+    brightBlack: '#3e607a',
+    brightRed: '#FF5C7A',
+    brightGreen: '#33FFAA',
+    brightYellow: '#FFD700',
+    brightBlue: '#6AA8FF',
+    brightMagenta: '#D08CFF',
+    brightCyan: '#33DFFF',
+    brightWhite: '#FFFFFF',
+  }),
+  light: Object.freeze({
+    background: '#f4f6fa',
+    foreground: '#16202e',
+    cursor: '#c44e00',
+    cursorAccent: '#f4f6fa',
+    selectionBackground: 'rgba(0, 98, 184, 0.22)',
+    selectionInactiveBackground: 'rgba(0, 98, 184, 0.12)',
+    black: '#eef1f6',
+    red: '#b5001f',
+    green: '#006d35',
+    yellow: '#8a5a00',
+    blue: '#1f4fbf',
+    magenta: '#6b2fb8',
+    cyan: '#006b86',
+    white: '#556578',
+    brightBlack: '#c9d1dc',
+    brightRed: '#cc1f3d',
+    brightGreen: '#00803e',
+    brightYellow: '#9a6400',
+    brightBlue: '#0062b8',
+    brightMagenta: '#7e3fd0',
+    brightCyan: '#007f9e',
+    brightWhite: '#16202e',
+  }),
 });
 
 export const FONT_FAMILY = '"JetBrains Mono", "Fira Code", "Cascadia Code", monospace';
@@ -55,7 +90,7 @@ export async function loadFonts(size) {
   }
 }
 
-export function createTerminal(container, { fontSize, onShiftEnter }) {
+export function createTerminal(container, { fontSize, theme = 'dark', onShiftEnter }) {
   const term = new Terminal({
     fontFamily: FONT_FAMILY,
     fontSize,
@@ -65,7 +100,7 @@ export function createTerminal(container, { fontSize, onShiftEnter }) {
     allowProposedApi: true, // unicode11
     macOptionIsMeta: true,
     drawBoldTextInBrightColors: false,
-    theme: THEME,
+    theme: THEMES[theme],
   });
 
   const fit = new FitAddon();
diff --git a/web/src/theme.js b/web/src/theme.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1a5428e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/src/theme.js
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+// Dark / light theme, interchangeable with web_template's lt.theme (devdesk#31):
+// same localStorage key (lt_theme), same data-theme attribute on <html>, the OS
+// preference while nothing is saved, and tabs follow each other via `storage`.
+// The inline script in index.template.html applies it before first paint.
+
+const KEY = 'lt_theme';
+const prefersLight = window.matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme: light)');
+const listeners = new Set();
+
+function saved() {
+  try {
+    const value = localStorage.getItem(KEY);
+    return value === 'light' || value === 'dark' ? value : null;
+  } catch {
+    return null;
+  }
+}
+
+export function getTheme() {
+  return document.documentElement.getAttribute('data-theme') === 'light' ? 'light' : 'dark';
+}
+
+function apply(theme) {
+  const root = document.documentElement;
+  root.setAttribute('data-theme', theme);
+  root.style.colorScheme = theme;
+  document.querySelector('meta[name="theme-color"]')?.setAttribute('content', theme === 'light' ? '#edf0f5' : '#030508');
+  const next = theme === 'light' ? 'dark' : 'light';
+  for (const button of document.querySelectorAll('.lt-theme-btn')) {
+    button.textContent = theme === 'light' ? '◐' : '☀';
+    button.setAttribute('aria-label', `Switch to ${next} mode`);
+    button.title = `Switch to ${next} mode`;
+  }
+  for (const listener of listeners) listener(theme);
+}
+
+export function setTheme(theme) {
+  try {
+    localStorage.setItem(KEY, theme);
+  } catch {
+    // Private mode: the choice lasts until the tab closes.
+  }
+  apply(theme);
+}
+
+export function toggleTheme() {
+  setTheme(getTheme() === 'light' ? 'dark' : 'light');
+}
+
+export function onThemeChange(listener) {
+  listeners.add(listener);
+}
+
+export function initTheme() {
+  apply(saved() ?? (prefersLight.matches ? 'light' : 'dark'));
+  prefersLight.addEventListener('change', (event) => {
+    if (!saved()) apply(event.matches ? 'light' : 'dark');
+  });
+  window.addEventListener('storage', (event) => {
+    if (event.key === KEY) apply(saved() ?? (prefersLight.matches ? 'light' : 'dark'));
+  });
+}
diff --git a/web/src/ui.js b/web/src/ui.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3fbb9c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/src/ui.js
@@ -0,0 +1,295 @@
+// House UI pieces built on web_template's base.css classes, without base.js
+// (its global key handler swallows Esc, which interrupts Claude, and every toast
+// beeps): toasts (devdesk#34), dialogs (#33) and the command palette (#32).
+
+import { el } from './dom.js';
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------- toasts
+
+const ICONS = { success: '✓', error: '✗', warning: '!', info: 'i' };
+
+function toastContainer() {
+  let box = document.getElementById('lt-toast-container');
+  if (!box) {
+    box = el('div', { id: 'lt-toast-container', 'aria-live': 'polite' });
+    document.body.append(box);
+  }
+  return box;
+}
+
+function dismiss(node) {
+  if (!node.isConnected) return;
+  clearTimeout(node.dismissTimer);
+  node.classList.add('is-leaving');
+  setTimeout(() => node.remove(), 250);
+}
+
+export function toast(message, type = 'info', duration = 4000) {
+  const box = toastContainer();
+  // At most four on screen: the oldest goes first.
+  while (box.children.length >= 4) box.firstElementChild.remove();
+  const node = el('div', { class: `lt-toast lt-toast-${type}`, role: type === 'error' ? 'alert' : 'status' },
+    el('span', { class: 'lt-toast-icon', 'aria-hidden': 'true' }, `[${ICONS[type] || 'i'}]`),
+    el('span', { class: 'lt-toast-msg' }, message),
+    el('button', { type: 'button', class: 'lt-toast-close', 'aria-label': 'Dismiss', onclick: () => dismiss(node) }, '✕'),
+    el('div', { class: 'lt-toast-progress', style: `animation-duration:${duration}ms` }));
+  box.append(node);
+  node.dismissTimer = setTimeout(() => dismiss(node), duration);
+  node.addEventListener('mouseenter', () => clearTimeout(node.dismissTimer));
+  node.addEventListener('mouseleave', () => { node.dismissTimer = setTimeout(() => dismiss(node), 1500); });
+}
+
+toast.success = (message, duration) => toast(message, 'success', duration);
+toast.error = (message, duration = 8000) => toast(message, 'error', duration);
+toast.warning = (message, duration) => toast(message, 'warning', duration);
+toast.info = (message, duration) => toast(message, 'info', duration);
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------- dialogs
+
+let openDialogs = 0;
+export const dialogOpen = () => openDialogs > 0 || document.getElementById('lt-cmd-overlay')?.classList.contains('is-open');
+
+// A .lt-modal dialog. `body` is a node; `actions` are { label, value, primary,
+// danger }. Resolves with the chosen action's value (or `submit()`'s value when
+// a form is submitted), or null when dismissed (✕, Esc, backdrop).
+export function openDialog({ title, body, actions = [], danger = false, size = '', onOpen, submit }) {
+  return new Promise((resolve) => {
+    const opener = document.activeElement;
+    let done = false;
+    const close = (value) => {
+      if (done) return;
+      done = true;
+      openDialogs -= 1;
+      overlay.remove();
+      if (opener?.isConnected) opener.focus();
+      resolve(value);
+    };
+    const titleId = `dd-dialog-${Date.now()}`;
+    const form = el('form', { class: 'lt-modal-body dd-dialog-body', novalidate: '' }, body);
+    form.addEventListener('submit', (event) => {
+      event.preventDefault();
+      const value = submit ? submit() : true;
+      if (value !== undefined && value !== null && value !== false) close(value);
+    });
+    const buttons = actions.map((action) => el('button', {
+      type: action.primary ? 'submit' : 'button',
+      class: `lt-btn lt-btn-sm${action.primary ? (action.danger ? ' lt-btn-danger' : ' lt-btn-primary') : ' lt-btn-ghost'}`,
+      onclick: action.primary ? null : () => close(action.value ?? null),
+    }, action.label));
+    // The primary button submits the form, so Enter in a field does the same.
+    for (const button of buttons) {
+      if (button.type === 'submit') button.setAttribute('form', titleId);
+    }
+    form.id = titleId;
+    const overlay = el('div', { class: 'lt-modal-overlay is-open dd-dialog', role: 'dialog', 'aria-modal': 'true', 'aria-labelledby': `${titleId}-title` },
+      el('div', { class: `lt-modal${size ? ` lt-modal-${size}` : ''}` },
+        el('div', { class: `lt-modal-header${danger ? ' lt-modal-header--danger' : ''}` },
+          el('h2', { class: 'lt-modal-title', id: `${titleId}-title` }, title),
+          el('button', { type: 'button', class: 'lt-modal-close', 'aria-label': 'Close', onclick: () => close(null) }, '✕')),
+        form,
+        buttons.length ? el('div', { class: 'lt-modal-footer' }, ...buttons) : null));
+    overlay.addEventListener('mousedown', (event) => {
+      if (event.target === overlay) close(null);
+    });
+    overlay.addEventListener('keydown', (event) => {
+      if (event.key === 'Escape') {
+        event.preventDefault();
+        event.stopPropagation();
+        close(null);
+        return;
+      }
+      if (event.key === 'Tab') trapFocus(overlay, event);
+    });
+    openDialogs += 1;
+    document.body.append(overlay);
+    (onOpen?.(overlay) ?? overlay.querySelector('input, select, textarea, .lt-btn-primary, .lt-btn-danger, .lt-modal-close'))?.focus?.();
+  });
+}
+
+function trapFocus(root, event) {
+  const items = [...root.querySelectorAll('button, input, select, textarea, a[href], [tabindex]:not([tabindex="-1"])')]
+    .filter((node) => !node.disabled && node.offsetParent !== null);
+  if (!items.length) return;
+  const first = items[0];
+  const last = items[items.length - 1];
+  if (event.shiftKey && document.activeElement === first) {
+    event.preventDefault();
+    last.focus();
+  } else if (!event.shiftKey && document.activeElement === last) {
+    event.preventDefault();
+    first.focus();
+  }
+}
+
+export function confirmDialog({ title, text, confirmLabel = 'OK', danger = false }) {
+  return openDialog({
+    title,
+    danger,
+    size: 'sm',
+    body: el('p', { class: 'dd-dialog-text' }, text),
+    actions: [{ label: 'Cancel', value: false }, { label: confirmLabel, primary: true, danger }],
+  }).then(Boolean);
+}
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------- command palette
+
+const RECENT_KEY = 'lt_cmd_recent';
+
+function readRecent() {
+  try {
+    const list = JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem(RECENT_KEY) || '[]');
+    return Array.isArray(list) ? list : [];
+  } catch {
+    return [];
+  }
+}
+
+function pushRecent(id) {
+  try {
+    localStorage.setItem(RECENT_KEY, JSON.stringify([id, ...readRecent().filter((x) => x !== id)].slice(0, 5)));
+  } catch {
+    // Private mode: no recents.
+  }
+}
+
+// Commands: { id, label, group, icon?, hint?, kbd?, keywords?, run }. `getCommands`
+// is called on every open, so the list reflects the current sessions and state.
+export class CommandPalette {
+  constructor(getCommands) {
+    this.getCommands = getCommands;
+    this.commands = [];
+    this.visible = [];
+    this.selected = 0;
+    this.opener = null;
+    this.input = el('input', {
+      class: 'lt-cmd-input', type: 'text', placeholder: 'Type a command or a session name…',
+      autocomplete: 'off', spellcheck: 'false', 'aria-label': 'Command', role: 'combobox',
+      'aria-controls': 'dd-cmd-results', 'aria-expanded': 'true',
+    });
+    this.results = el('div', { class: 'lt-cmd-results', id: 'dd-cmd-results', role: 'listbox' });
+    this.overlay = el('div', { class: 'lt-cmd-overlay', id: 'lt-cmd-overlay', role: 'dialog', 'aria-modal': 'true', 'aria-label': 'Command palette' },
+      el('div', { class: 'lt-cmd-palette', id: 'lt-cmd-palette' },
+        el('div', { class: 'lt-cmd-input-wrap' }, el('span', { class: 'lt-cmd-prompt', 'aria-hidden': 'true' }, '>'), this.input),
+        this.results,
+        el('div', { class: 'lt-cmd-footer' },
+          el('span', {}, el('kbd', {}, '↑'), el('kbd', {}, '↓'), ' move'),
+          el('span', {}, el('kbd', {}, '⏎'), ' run'),
+          el('span', {}, el('kbd', {}, 'Esc'), ' close'))));
+    document.body.append(this.overlay);
+    this.input.addEventListener('input', () => this.render());
+    this.input.addEventListener('keydown', (event) => this.onKey(event));
+    this.overlay.addEventListener('mousedown', (event) => {
+      if (event.target === this.overlay) this.close();
+    });
+  }
+
+  get isOpen() {
+    return this.overlay.classList.contains('is-open');
+  }
+
+  open(query = '') {
+    this.opener = document.activeElement;
+    this.commands = this.getCommands();
+    this.overlay.classList.add('is-open');
+    this.input.value = query;
+    this.render();
+    this.input.focus();
+  }
+
+  close({ restoreFocus = true } = {}) {
+    if (!this.isOpen) return;
+    this.overlay.classList.remove('is-open');
+    if (restoreFocus && this.opener?.isConnected) this.opener.focus();
+  }
+
+  onKey(event) {
+    if (event.key === 'ArrowDown' || event.key === 'ArrowUp') {
+      event.preventDefault();
+      this.move(event.key === 'ArrowDown' ? 1 : -1);
+    } else if (event.key === 'Enter') {
+      event.preventDefault();
+      this.run(this.visible[this.selected]);
+    } else if (event.key === 'Escape') {
+      event.preventDefault();
+      event.stopPropagation();
+      this.close();
+    } else if (event.key === 'Tab') {
+      event.preventDefault();
+    }
+  }
+
+  move(step) {
+    if (!this.visible.length) return;
+    this.selected = (this.selected + step + this.visible.length) % this.visible.length;
+    this.highlight();
+  }
+
+  highlight() {
+    const items = this.results.querySelectorAll('.lt-cmd-item');
+    items.forEach((item, i) => {
+      item.classList.toggle('is-selected', i === this.selected);
+      item.setAttribute('aria-selected', String(i === this.selected));
+    });
+    const current = items[this.selected];
+    if (current) {
+      current.scrollIntoView({ block: 'nearest' });
+      this.input.setAttribute('aria-activedescendant', current.id);
+    }
+  }
+
+  run(command) {
+    if (!command) return;
+    pushRecent(command.id);
+    // The command decides where focus goes (usually the terminal).
+    this.close({ restoreFocus: false });
+    command.run();
+  }
+
+  render() {
+    const words = this.input.value.trim().toLowerCase().split(/\s+/).filter(Boolean);
+    const matches = this.commands.filter((c) => {
+      const text = `${c.label} ${c.group} ${c.keywords ?? ''} ${c.hint ?? ''}`.toLowerCase();
+      return words.every((w) => text.includes(w));
+    });
+    const groups = new Map();
+    if (!words.length) {
+      const recent = readRecent().map((id) => matches.find((c) => c.id === id)).filter(Boolean).slice(0, 3);
+      if (recent.length) groups.set('Recent', recent);
+    }
+    for (const command of matches) {
+      if (!groups.has(command.group)) groups.set(command.group, []);
+      groups.get(command.group).push(command);
+    }
+    this.visible = [...groups.values()].flat();
+    this.selected = 0;
+    if (!this.visible.length) {
+      this.results.replaceChildren(el('div', { class: 'lt-cmd-empty' }, `No command matches “${this.input.value.trim()}”`));
+      return;
+    }
+    let index = 0;
+    const nodes = [];
+    for (const [group, commands] of groups) {
+      nodes.push(el('div', { class: 'lt-cmd-group-label', role: 'presentation' }, group));
+      for (const command of commands) {
+        const i = index;
+        nodes.push(el('div', {
+          class: 'lt-cmd-item', id: `dd-cmd-${i}`, role: 'option',
+          onclick: () => this.run(command),
+          onmousemove: () => {
+            if (this.selected !== i) {
+              this.selected = i;
+              this.highlight();
+            }
+          },
+        },
+        el('span', { class: 'lt-cmd-item-icon', 'aria-hidden': 'true' }, command.icon || '◦'),
+        el('span', { class: 'lt-cmd-item-label' }, command.label),
+        command.hint ? el('span', { class: 'dd-cmd-hint' }, command.hint) : null,
+        command.kbd ? el('span', { class: 'lt-cmd-item-kbd' }, command.kbd) : null));
+        index += 1;
+      }
+    }
+    this.results.replaceChildren(...nodes);
+    this.highlight();
+  }
+}
diff --git a/web/styles.css b/web/styles.css
index e9ef85f..61d0a0b 100644
--- a/web/styles.css
+++ b/web/styles.css
@@ -569,3 +569,113 @@ body.dd-touch .dd-footer {
   .dd-footer .lt-footer-hints .lt-footer-hint:nth-child(n + 5),
   .dd-footer .lt-footer-sep:nth-child(n + 4) { display: none; }
 }
+
+/* ---- light theme (devdesk#31) ---------------------------------------------------
+   base.css restyles every lt- component; these cover DevDesk's own pieces. */
+html[data-theme="light"] .dd-sidebar,
+html[data-theme="light"] .dd-footer { background-image: none; }
+html[data-theme="light"] .dd-overlay { background: rgba(237, 240, 245, 0.82); }
+html[data-theme="light"] .dd-backdrop { background: rgba(17, 24, 39, 0.28); }
+html[data-theme="light"] .dd-menu { box-shadow: 0 8px 28px rgba(50, 80, 130, 0.22), var(--box-glow-cyan); }
+html[data-theme="light"] .dd-drop-overlay { background: var(--accent-cyan-dim); }
+html[data-theme="light"] .dd-upload-status { box-shadow: 0 4px 16px rgba(50, 80, 130, 0.18); }
+html[data-theme="light"] .dd-session-item.is-waiting,
+html[data-theme="light"] .dd-session-chip[data-state="waiting"],
+html[data-theme="light"] .dd-upload-status.is-error { border-color: rgba(181, 0, 31, 0.35); }
+html[data-theme="light"] .dd-badge { color: #ffffff; }
+html[data-theme="light"] .dd-session-chip[data-state="working"] .dd-state-dot,
+html[data-theme="light"] .dd-session-chip[data-state="waiting"] .dd-state-dot { box-shadow: none; }
+@media (max-width: 1099px) {
+  html[data-theme="light"] .dd-sidebar { box-shadow: -8px 0 28px rgba(50, 80, 130, 0.22); }
+}
+
+.dd-header .lt-theme-btn { flex: 0 0 auto; }
+
+/* ---- command palette, dialogs, toasts (devdesk#32-#34) ---------------------------- */
+.dd-cmd-btn { font-size: 0.8rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; }
+.dd-cmd-kbd { font-size: 0.62rem; opacity: 0.7; }
+.lt-cmd-item.is-selected .dd-cmd-hint { color: inherit; }
+.dd-cmd-hint { color: var(--text-muted); font-size: 0.66rem; white-space: nowrap; }
+html[data-theme="light"] .lt-cmd-item.is-selected { background: var(--accent-cyan-dim); color: var(--accent-cyan); }
+.lt-cmd-results { max-height: min(420px, 60vh); }
+.lt-cmd-footer span { display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 2px; }
+
+.dd-dialog-body { display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: var(--space-sm); }
+.dd-dialog-fields { display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: var(--space-md); }
+.dd-field { display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 4px; font-size: 0.72rem; color: var(--text-secondary); }
+.dd-field .lt-input,
+.dd-field .lt-select { width: 100%; font-size: 0.8rem; }
+.dd-dialog-text { color: var(--text-secondary); font-size: 0.8rem; line-height: 1.5; }
+.dd-dialog-hint { color: var(--text-muted); font-size: 0.7rem; }
+.dd-dialog-hint.is-error { color: var(--accent-red); }
+
+.dd-keys { display: grid; gap: var(--space-lg); }
+.dd-keys-title {
+  margin: 0 0 var(--space-sm);
+  font-size: 0.68rem;
+  letter-spacing: 0.12em;
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+  color: var(--accent-orange);
+}
+.dd-keys-list { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 10.5rem 1fr; gap: 6px var(--space-md); margin: 0; font-size: 0.76rem; }
+.dd-keys-list dt { white-space: nowrap; }
+.dd-keys-list dd { margin: 0; color: var(--text-secondary); }
+.dd-keys kbd {
+  padding: 1px 6px;
+  border: 1px solid var(--border-color);
+  background: var(--bg-tertiary);
+  color: var(--accent-cyan);
+  font-family: var(--font-mono);
+  font-size: 0.72rem;
+}
+
+.dd-footer-help {
+  margin-left: var(--space-sm);
+  padding: 0 6px;
+  border: 1px solid var(--border-color);
+  background: none;
+  color: var(--accent-cyan);
+  font-family: var(--font-mono);
+  font-size: 0.64rem;
+  cursor: pointer;
+}
+.dd-footer-help:hover { border-color: var(--accent-cyan); }
+
+/* Toasts sit above the footer (and the phone key bar); names keep their case. */
+#lt-toast-container {
+  right: var(--space-md);
+  bottom: calc(var(--dd-footer-height) + var(--dd-kb, 0px) + env(safe-area-inset-bottom, 0px) + var(--space-md));
+  max-width: calc(100vw - 2 * var(--space-md));
+}
+.lt-toast {
+  position: relative;
+  overflow: hidden;
+  text-transform: none;
+  letter-spacing: 0.02em;
+  font-size: 0.74rem;
+  transition: opacity 0.25s ease;
+}
+.lt-toast.is-leaving { opacity: 0; }
+.lt-toast-msg { flex: 1; overflow-wrap: anywhere; }
+.lt-toast-icon { flex: 0 0 auto; }
+.lt-toast-close {
+  flex: 0 0 auto;
+  background: none;
+  border: 0;
+  color: inherit;
+  opacity: 0.6;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  font-size: 0.8rem;
+}
+.lt-toast-close:hover { opacity: 1; }
+
+@media (max-width: 719px) {
+  .dd-cmd-kbd { display: none; }
+  #lt-toast-container { left: var(--space-sm); right: var(--space-sm); }
+  .lt-toast { min-width: 0; max-width: none; }
+  .dd-keys-list { grid-template-columns: 1fr; gap: 2px; }
+  .dd-keys-list dd { margin-bottom: var(--space-sm); }
+}
+/* One highlight only: the row under a resting pointer isn't "selected" until the
+   pointer moves (mousemove updates the selection). */
+.lt-cmd-item:hover:not(.is-selected) { background: none; color: inherit; }