feat(tui): overhaul phases 1-2 — icon system + custom OpenAI-compatible endpoints; fix model catalog

PHASE 1 (icons): central ICON registry (cli/src/utils/icons.ts) replaces
~160 scattered emoji with a coherent single-width Unicode glyph set
(text-presentation-safe, themeable). Swept: activity bar, welcome screen,
status marks, toasts, attachment/image cards, session/marketplace/init/
pr-swarm/login output, dialogs. Fixed welcome-footer literal \u00B7
rendering as raw text and its stale hardcoded theme name.

PHASE 2 (provider UX): the wizard now supports Custom OpenAI-Compatible
endpoints — base URL, optional display name, optional API key (auth-less
local servers), manual model IDs, connection test against YOUR endpoint,
unique per-endpoint id, baseUrl persisted. updateProvider store action
added. Schema supported baseUrl/customModelIds all along; the UI never
exposed them (wizard filtered the custom category and never wrote
baseUrl).

FIX: parseModelCatalog iterated provider-level keys instead of the
nested provider.models map (models.dev shape), producing junk entries
like id 'models' that the picker offered — selecting one bricked every
run. Now parses the nested map (7,560 entries live, 0 junk). Model
routing also guards against placeholder API keys (e.g. 'test' from env
auto-detection), falling through to the next provider instead of an
opaque upstream 401.

Plan + full audit: docs/ui-overhaul-plan.md. cli 2391 tests green;
tsc green across cli/common.

Author: yethikrishna

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -5,6 +5,16 @@ All notable changes to LevelCode will be documented in this file.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## [Unreleased] - TUI Overhaul Phases 1-2 (2026-09-05)
+
+### Added
+- **Icon system (Phase 1)** — central `ICON` registry (`cli/src/utils/icons.ts`) replaces ~160 scattered emoji with a coherent single-width Unicode glyph set (text-presentation-safe), themed via tokens. Activity bar, welcome screen, status marks, toasts, attachment/image cards, session/marketplace/init/pr-swarm/login output, dialogs all swept. Fixed the literal `·` rendering as raw text on the welcome footer (and dropped its stale hardcoded theme name).
+- **Custom OpenAI-compatible endpoints (Phase 2)** — the provider wizard now offers Custom > Custom OpenAI-Compatible. Full flow: base URL (LM Studio, llama.cpp, vLLM, LiteLLM, Ollama /v1, any gateway) -> optional display name -> API key (optional for auth-less local servers) -> manual model IDs (comma-separated, for endpoints without /models) -> connection test against YOUR endpoint (not the static definition URL) -> saved with a unique per-endpoint id and the baseUrl persisted. `updateProvider` action added to the provider store. Full audit + phased plan: docs/ui-overhaul-plan.md.
+
+### Fixed
+- **Model catalog produced junk entries** — `parseModelCatalog` iterated provider-level keys instead of the nested `provider.models` map (models.dev shape), yielding entries like id "models" per provider; the picker offered garbage and selecting it bricked all runs. Now parses the nested map (7,560 real entries verified live, zero junk) and never treats the container as a model.
+- **Placeholder API keys routed requests to doomed providers** — env auto-detection can seed keys like "test"; model routing now requires a usable key and falls through to the next-priority provider instead of producing an opaque upstream 401.
+
 ## [Unreleased] - Session Inspection, Fork Points & Swarm Budgets (2026-09-01)
 
 ### Added

cli/src/agents-console/agents-console.ts

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
  */
 
 import type { TeamConfig, TeamMember, TeamTask } from '@levelcode/common/types/team-config'
+import { ICON } from '../utils/icons'
 
 export type ComplianceTailEntry = {
   eventType: string
@@ -242,7 +243,7 @@ export function formatTeamDetail(
     const status = theme[statusColor[task.status]](pad(task.status, 12))
     const owner = task.owner ? theme.dim(` @${task.owner}`) : theme.dim(' (unowned)')
     const blockedBy =
-      task.blockedBy.length > 0 ? theme.red(`  ⛔ blocked by ${task.blockedBy.join(', ')}`) : ''
+      task.blockedBy.length > 0 ? theme.red(`  ■ blocked by ${task.blockedBy.join(', ')}`) : ''
     lines.push(`    #${pad(task.id, 5)} ${status} ${task.subject}${owner}${blockedBy}`)
   }
 

cli/src/chat.tsx

@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ import type { FileTreeNode } from '@levelcode/common/util/file'
 import type { KeyEvent, ScrollBoxRenderable } from '@opentui/core'
 import type { UseMutationResult } from '@tanstack/react-query'
 import type { Dispatch, SetStateAction } from 'react'
+import { ICON } from './utils/icons'
 
 export const Chat = ({
   headerContent,
@@ -1409,7 +1410,7 @@ export const Chat = ({
     if (queuePreviewTitle) {
       segments.push(queuePreviewTitle)
     } else if (pausedQueueText) {
-      segments.push(`⏸ ${pausedQueueText}`)
+      segments.push(`‖ ${pausedQueueText}`)
     }
 
     if (segments.length === 0) {

cli/src/cli-main.tsx

@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ import { setOscDetectedTheme } from './utils/theme-system'
 import type { AgentMode } from './utils/constants'
 import type { FileTreeNode } from '@levelcode/common/util/file'
 import type { ParsedArgs } from './types/cli-args'
+import { ICON } from './utils/icons'
 
 // Configure TanStack Query's focusManager for terminal environments
 // This is required because there's no browser visibility API in terminal apps
@@ -204,7 +205,7 @@ async function runCli(): Promise<void> {
     const result = await handlePublish(agentIds)
 
     if (result.success && result.publisherId && result.agents) {
-      logger.info(green('✅ Successfully published:'))
+      logger.info(green('✓ Successfully published:'))
       for (const agent of result.agents) {
         logger.info(
           cyan(
@@ -214,7 +215,7 @@ async function runCli(): Promise<void> {
       }
       process.exit(0)
     } else {
-      logger.error(red('❌ Publish failed'))
+      logger.error(red('✗ Publish failed'))
       if (result.error) logger.error(red(`Error: ${result.error}`))
       if (result.details) logger.error(red(result.details))
       if (result.hint) logger.warn(yellow(`Hint: ${result.hint}`))

cli/src/commands/__tests__/init.test.ts

@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ describe('handleInitializationFlowLocally', () => {
       // Check message indicates creation
       const messages = postUserMessage([])
       expect(messages.length).toBeGreaterThan(0)
-      expect(getMessageText(messages)).toContain('✅ Created `knowledge.md`')
+      expect(getMessageText(messages)).toContain('✓ Created `knowledge.md`')
     })
 
     test('skips knowledge.md creation when it already exists', () => {
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ describe('handleInitializationFlowLocally', () => {
 
       // Check message indicates file already exists
       const messages = postUserMessage([])
-      expect(getMessageText(messages)).toContain('📋 `knowledge.md` already exists')
+      expect(getMessageText(messages)).toContain('✓ `knowledge.md` already exists')
     })
   })
 
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ describe('handleInitializationFlowLocally', () => {
       )
 
       const messages = postUserMessage([])
-      expect(getMessageText(messages)).toContain('✅ Created `.agents/`')
+      expect(getMessageText(messages)).toContain('✓ Created `.agents/`')
     })
 
     test('skips .agents directory creation when it already exists', () => {
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ describe('handleInitializationFlowLocally', () => {
       expect(agentsDirCalls.length).toBe(0)
 
       const messages = postUserMessage([])
-      expect(getMessageText(messages)).toContain('📋 `.agents/` already exists')
+      expect(getMessageText(messages)).toContain('✓ `.agents/` already exists')
     })
   })
 
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ describe('handleInitializationFlowLocally', () => {
       )
 
       const messages = postUserMessage([])
-      expect(getMessageText(messages)).toContain('✅ Created `.agents/types/`')
+      expect(getMessageText(messages)).toContain('✓ Created `.agents/types/`')
     })
 
     test('skips .agents/types directory creation when it already exists', () => {
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ describe('handleInitializationFlowLocally', () => {
       expect(typesDirCalls.length).toBe(0)
 
       const messages = postUserMessage([])
-      expect(getMessageText(messages)).toContain('📋 `.agents/types/` already exists')
+      expect(getMessageText(messages)).toContain('✓ `.agents/types/` already exists')
     })
   })
 
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ describe('handleInitializationFlowLocally', () => {
 
       const messages = postUserMessage([])
       expect(getMessageText(messages)).toContain(
-        '📋 `.agents/types/agent-definition.ts` already exists',
+        '✓ `.agents/types/agent-definition.ts` already exists',
       )
     })
   })
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ describe('handleInitializationFlowLocally', () => {
       const messageContent = getMessageText(messages)
 
       // Should have error message for tools.ts
-      expect(messageContent).toContain('⚠️ Failed to copy `.agents/types/tools.ts`')
+      expect(messageContent).toContain('⚠︎ Failed to copy `.agents/types/tools.ts`')
       expect(messageContent).toContain('Permission denied')
     })
 
@@ -333,12 +333,12 @@ describe('handleInitializationFlowLocally', () => {
       const messageContent = getMessageText(messages)
 
       // Should have error for agent-definition.ts
-      expect(messageContent).toContain('⚠️ Failed to copy `.agents/types/agent-definition.ts`')
+      expect(messageContent).toContain('⚠︎ Failed to copy `.agents/types/agent-definition.ts`')
       expect(messageContent).toContain('File locked')
 
       // But should still succeed for tools.ts and util-types.ts
-      expect(messageContent).toContain('✅ Copied `.agents/types/tools.ts`')
-      expect(messageContent).toContain('✅ Copied `.agents/types/util-types.ts`')
+      expect(messageContent).toContain('✓ Copied `.agents/types/tools.ts`')
+      expect(messageContent).toContain('✓ Copied `.agents/types/util-types.ts`')
     })
 
     test('handles non-Error exceptions in type file copying', () => {
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ describe('handleInitializationFlowLocally', () => {
       const messageContent = getMessageText(messages)
 
       // Should handle non-Error exceptions gracefully
-      expect(messageContent).toContain('⚠️ Failed to copy `.agents/types/util-types.ts`')
+      expect(messageContent).toContain('⚠︎ Failed to copy `.agents/types/util-types.ts`')
       expect(messageContent).toContain('string error')
     })
 
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ describe('handleInitializationFlowLocally', () => {
       const messageContent = getMessageText(messages)
 
       // Should handle null exceptions with 'Unknown' fallback
-      expect(messageContent).toContain('⚠️ Failed to copy `.agents/types/tools.ts`')
+      expect(messageContent).toContain('⚠︎ Failed to copy `.agents/types/tools.ts`')
       expect(messageContent).toContain('Unknown')
     })
   })
@@ -420,9 +420,9 @@ describe('handleInitializationFlowLocally', () => {
       const messages = postUserMessage([])
       const messageContent = getMessageText(messages)
 
-      expect(messageContent).toContain('📋 `knowledge.md` already exists')
-      expect(messageContent).toContain('📋 `.agents/` already exists')
-      expect(messageContent).toContain('✅ Created `.agents/types/`')
+      expect(messageContent).toContain('✓ `knowledge.md` already exists')
+      expect(messageContent).toContain('✓ `.agents/` already exists')
+      expect(messageContent).toContain('✓ Created `.agents/types/`')
     })
 
     test('handles fully initialized project correctly', () => {
@@ -439,17 +439,17 @@ describe('handleInitializationFlowLocally', () => {
       const messageContent = getMessageText(messages)
 
       // All messages should indicate existing files
-      expect(messageContent).toContain('📋 `knowledge.md` already exists')
-      expect(messageContent).toContain('📋 `.agents/` already exists')
-      expect(messageContent).toContain('📋 `.agents/types/` already exists')
+      expect(messageContent).toContain('✓ `knowledge.md` already exists')
+      expect(messageContent).toContain('✓ `.agents/` already exists')
+      expect(messageContent).toContain('✓ `.agents/types/` already exists')
       expect(messageContent).toContain(
-        '📋 `.agents/types/agent-definition.ts` already exists',
+        '✓ `.agents/types/agent-definition.ts` already exists',
       )
       expect(messageContent).toContain(
-        '📋 `.agents/types/tools.ts` already exists',
+        '✓ `.agents/types/tools.ts` already exists',
       )
       expect(messageContent).toContain(
-        '📋 `.agents/types/util-types.ts` already exists',
+        '✓ `.agents/types/util-types.ts` already exists',
       )
     })
   })

cli/src/commands/command-registry.ts

@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ import type { SendMessageFn } from '../types/contracts/send-message'
 import type { User } from '../utils/auth'
 import type { AgentMode } from '../utils/constants'
 import type { UseMutationResult } from '@tanstack/react-query'
+import { ICON } from '../utils/icons'
 
 export type RouterParams = {
   abortControllerRef: React.MutableRefObject<AbortController | null>
@@ -1676,7 +1677,7 @@ export const COMMAND_REGISTRY: CommandDefinition[] = [
       params.setMessages((prev) => [
         ...prev,
         getUserMessage(params.inputValue.trim()),
-        getSystemMessage('⏳ Attaching swarm to PR...'),
+        getSystemMessage('◌ Attaching swarm to PR...'),
       ])
       params.saveToHistory(params.inputValue.trim())
       clearInput(params)
@@ -1688,7 +1689,7 @@ export const COMMAND_REGISTRY: CommandDefinition[] = [
           return [...withoutPending, getSystemMessage(result)]
         })
       } catch (error) {
-        const msg = `❌ PR attach failed: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}`
+        const msg = `✗ PR attach failed: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}`
         params.setMessages((prev) => {
           const withoutPending = prev.slice(0, -1)
           return [...withoutPending, getSystemMessage(msg)]
@@ -1781,7 +1782,7 @@ export const COMMAND_REGISTRY: CommandDefinition[] = [
       params.setMessages((prev) => [
         ...prev,
         getUserMessage(params.inputValue.trim()),
-        getSystemMessage('⏳ Starting relay server...'),
+        getSystemMessage('◌ Starting relay server...'),
       ])
       params.saveToHistory(params.inputValue.trim())
       clearInput(params)
@@ -1792,7 +1793,7 @@ export const COMMAND_REGISTRY: CommandDefinition[] = [
           return [...withoutPending, getSystemMessage(result)]
         })
       } catch (error) {
-        const msg = `❌ ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}`
+        const msg = `✗ ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}`
         params.setMessages((prev) => {
           const withoutPending = prev.slice(0, -1)
           return [...withoutPending, getSystemMessage(msg)]
@@ -2339,7 +2340,7 @@ export const COMMAND_REGISTRY: CommandDefinition[] = [
       clearInput(params)
       params.setMessages((prev) => [
         ...prev,
-        getSystemMessage('⏳ Checking MCP servers...'),
+        getSystemMessage('◌ Checking MCP servers...'),
       ])
       try {
         const { mcpServers } = loadMCPConfigSync({ verbose: false })
@@ -2518,7 +2519,7 @@ Change with /effort <level>. Applies to the next message.`),
       params.setMessages((prev) => [
         ...prev,
         getUserMessage(params.inputValue.trim()),
-        getSystemMessage('⏳ Building code map...'),
+        getSystemMessage('◌ Building code map...'),
       ])
       clearInput(params)
       try {

cli/src/commands/init.ts

@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import { trackEvent } from '../utils/analytics'
 import { getSystemMessage } from '../utils/message-history'
 
 import type { PostUserMessageFn } from '../types/contracts/send-message'
+import { ICON } from '../utils/icons'
 
 const INITIAL_KNOWLEDGE_FILE = `# Project knowledge
 
@@ -58,10 +59,10 @@ export function handleInitializationFlowLocally(): {
   const messages: string[] = []
 
   if (existsSync(knowledgePath)) {
-    messages.push(`📋 \`${PRIMARY_KNOWLEDGE_FILE_NAME}\` already exists.`)
+    messages.push(`✓ \`${PRIMARY_KNOWLEDGE_FILE_NAME}\` already exists.`)
   } else {
     writeFileSync(knowledgePath, INITIAL_KNOWLEDGE_FILE)
-    messages.push(`✅ Created \`${PRIMARY_KNOWLEDGE_FILE_NAME}\``)
+    messages.push(`✓ Created \`${PRIMARY_KNOWLEDGE_FILE_NAME}\``)
 
     // Track knowledge file creation
     trackEvent(AnalyticsEvent.KNOWLEDGE_FILE_UPDATED, {
@@ -75,23 +76,23 @@ export function handleInitializationFlowLocally(): {
   const agentsTypesDir = path.join(agentsDir, 'types')
 
   if (existsSync(agentsDir)) {
-    messages.push('📋 `.agents/` already exists.')
+    messages.push('✓ `.agents/` already exists.')
   } else {
     mkdirSync(agentsDir, { recursive: true })
-    messages.push('✅ Created `.agents/`')
+    messages.push('✓ Created `.agents/`')
   }
 
   if (existsSync(agentsTypesDir)) {
-    messages.push('📋 `.agents/types/` already exists.')
+    messages.push('✓ `.agents/types/` already exists.')
   } else {
     mkdirSync(agentsTypesDir, { recursive: true })
-    messages.push('✅ Created `.agents/types/`')
+    messages.push('✓ Created `.agents/types/`')
   }
 
   for (const { fileName, source } of COMMON_TYPE_FILES) {
     const targetPath = path.join(agentsTypesDir, fileName)
     if (existsSync(targetPath)) {
-      messages.push(`📋 \`.agents/types/${fileName}\` already exists.`)
+      messages.push(`✓ \`.agents/types/${fileName}\` already exists.`)
       continue
     }
 
@@ -100,10 +101,10 @@ export function handleInitializationFlowLocally(): {
         throw new Error('Source content is empty')
       }
       writeFileSync(targetPath, source)
-      messages.push(`✅ Copied \`.agents/types/${fileName}\``)
+      messages.push(`✓ Copied \`.agents/types/${fileName}\``)
     } catch (error) {
       messages.push(
-        `⚠️ Failed to copy \`.agents/types/${fileName}\`: ${
+        `⚠︎ Failed to copy \`.agents/types/${fileName}\`: ${
           error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error ?? 'Unknown')
         }`,
       )