fix(acp): default mcpServers to empty array for clients that omit it

Streaming chunks now accumulate in a pending buffer and flush on a 16ms
tick (~60fps) instead of triggering a full markdown re-render on every
chunk. Between flushes, View() returns a cached string — no markdown
parsing, no lipgloss styling, no terminal escape sequence churn. This is
especially impactful for inline rendering (no alt screen) where each
frame requires cursor repositioning across the full view height.

cmd/acp.go

@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 package cmd
 
 import (
+	"bufio"
+	"bytes"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"log/slog"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
@@ -37,8 +41,10 @@ func runACP(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
 	defer agent.Close()
 
 	// Create the stdio connection. The SDK reads JSON-RPC from stdin and
-	// writes responses to stdout.
-	conn := acp.NewAgentSideConnection(agent, os.Stdout, os.Stdin)
+	// writes responses to stdout. We wrap stdin with a normalizer that
+	// fills in optional fields the SDK's generated validation requires
+	// (e.g. mcpServers) so clients that omit them still work.
+	conn := acp.NewAgentSideConnection(agent, os.Stdout, newACPNormalizer(os.Stdin))
 
 	// Wire the connection back to the agent so it can send session updates.
 	agent.SetAgentConnection(conn)
@@ -50,8 +56,6 @@ func runACP(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
 		})))
 	}
 
-	fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "kit: ACP server ready on stdio")
-
 	// Wait for either the client to disconnect or a signal.
 	sigCh := make(chan os.Signal, 1)
 	signal.Notify(sigCh, syscall.SIGINT, syscall.SIGTERM)
@@ -65,3 +69,91 @@ func runACP(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+// acpNormalizer wraps an io.Reader carrying newline-delimited JSON-RPC and
+// patches incoming messages so that fields the SDK validates as required —
+// but that some clients (e.g. Zed) omit — are defaulted. This avoids
+// InvalidParams errors without forking the SDK.
+type acpNormalizer struct {
+	scanner *bufio.Scanner
+	buf     bytes.Buffer // leftover bytes from the last normalized line
+}
+
+func newACPNormalizer(r io.Reader) *acpNormalizer {
+	const maxMsg = 10 * 1024 * 1024 // 10 MB, matches SDK buffer
+	s := bufio.NewScanner(r)
+	s.Buffer(make([]byte, 0, 1024*1024), maxMsg)
+	return &acpNormalizer{scanner: s}
+}
+
+// Read satisfies io.Reader. It feeds one normalized JSON line (plus newline)
+// per underlying scan, buffering across short caller reads.
+func (n *acpNormalizer) Read(p []byte) (int, error) {
+	// Drain any leftover bytes from the previous line first.
+	if n.buf.Len() > 0 {
+		return n.buf.Read(p)
+	}
+
+	if !n.scanner.Scan() {
+		if err := n.scanner.Err(); err != nil {
+			return 0, err
+		}
+		return 0, io.EOF
+	}
+
+	line := n.scanner.Bytes()
+	normalized := normalizeACPLine(line)
+	n.buf.Write(normalized)
+	n.buf.WriteByte('\n')
+	return n.buf.Read(p)
+}
+
+// normalizeACPLine ensures session/new and session/load params contain an
+// mcpServers array. Returns the original line unchanged for all other methods.
+func normalizeACPLine(line []byte) []byte {
+	// Quick check: if it already contains mcpServers, nothing to do.
+	if bytes.Contains(line, []byte(`"mcpServers"`)) {
+		return line
+	}
+
+	// Only bother parsing if the method could be session/new or session/load.
+	if !bytes.Contains(line, []byte(`"session/new"`)) &&
+		!bytes.Contains(line, []byte(`"session/load"`)) {
+		return line
+	}
+
+	var msg struct {
+		JSONRPC string          `json:"jsonrpc"`
+		ID      json.RawMessage `json:"id,omitempty"`
+		Method  string          `json:"method"`
+		Params  json.RawMessage `json:"params,omitempty"`
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(line, &msg); err != nil {
+		return line
+	}
+	if msg.Method != "session/new" && msg.Method != "session/load" {
+		return line
+	}
+
+	// Patch params to include mcpServers: [].
+	var params map[string]json.RawMessage
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(msg.Params, &params); err != nil {
+		return line
+	}
+	if _, ok := params["mcpServers"]; ok {
+		return line
+	}
+	params["mcpServers"] = json.RawMessage(`[]`)
+
+	patched, err := json.Marshal(params)
+	if err != nil {
+		return line
+	}
+	msg.Params = patched
+
+	out, err := json.Marshal(msg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return line
+	}
+	return out
+}

internal/ui/children_test.go

@@ -348,6 +348,9 @@ func TestStreamComponent_SpinnerKeepsRunningDuringStreaming(t *testing.T) {
 	// Receive first chunk — spinner should keep running.
 	c = sendStreamMsg(c, app.StreamChunkEvent{Content: "hello"})
 
+	// Flush pending chunks (simulates the 16ms tick firing).
+	c = sendStreamMsg(c, streamFlushTickMsg{})
+
 	if !c.spinning {
 		t.Fatal("expected spinning=true after first chunk")
 	}
@@ -372,6 +375,9 @@ func TestStreamComponent_ChunkAccumulation(t *testing.T) {
 		c = sendStreamMsg(c, app.StreamChunkEvent{Content: chunk})
 	}
 
+	// Flush pending chunks (simulates the 16ms tick firing).
+	c = sendStreamMsg(c, streamFlushTickMsg{})
+
 	got := c.streamContent.String()
 	want := "Hello, world!"
 	if got != want {

internal/ui/stream.go

@@ -69,6 +69,25 @@ func streamSpinnerTickCmd() tea.Cmd {
 	})
 }
 
+// streamFlushTickMsg fires when it's time to commit pending chunks to the
+// main content builders and trigger a re-render. This coalesces rapid
+// streaming chunks into fewer expensive markdown re-renders.
+type streamFlushTickMsg struct{}
+
+// streamFlushInterval is the coalescing window for stream chunks. Chunks
+// arriving within this window are batched into a single render pass.
+// 16ms ≈ 60 fps — fast enough to appear smooth, slow enough to coalesce
+// bursts from the LLM provider.
+const streamFlushInterval = 16 * time.Millisecond
+
+// streamFlushTickCmd returns a tea.Cmd that fires streamFlushTickMsg after
+// the coalescing interval.
+func streamFlushTickCmd() tea.Cmd {
+	return tea.Tick(streamFlushInterval, func(_ time.Time) tea.Msg {
+		return streamFlushTickMsg{}
+	})
+}
+
 // streamPhase tracks what the StreamComponent is currently displaying.
 type streamPhase int
 
@@ -118,12 +137,34 @@ type StreamComponent struct {
 	// When multiple tools run concurrently, all are displayed in the spinner.
 	activeTools []string
 
-	// streamContent accumulates all streaming text chunks.
+	// streamContent holds committed streaming text (flushed from pending).
 	streamContent strings.Builder
 
-	// reasoningContent accumulates reasoning/thinking text chunks.
+	// reasoningContent holds committed reasoning text (flushed from pending).
 	reasoningContent strings.Builder
 
+	// pendingStream accumulates streaming text chunks between flush ticks.
+	// Chunks are written here immediately on arrival, then moved to
+	// streamContent when the flush tick fires.
+	pendingStream strings.Builder
+
+	// pendingReasoning accumulates reasoning chunks between flush ticks.
+	pendingReasoning strings.Builder
+
+	// flushPending is true while a flush tick is in-flight. Prevents
+	// scheduling duplicate ticks when multiple chunks arrive within
+	// the same coalescing window.
+	flushPending bool
+
+	// renderCache holds the last rendered output string. Reused by View()
+	// between flush ticks to avoid redundant markdown re-parsing.
+	renderCache string
+
+	// renderDirty is true when committed content has changed since the
+	// last render. Set on flush tick; cleared after render() rebuilds
+	// the cache.
+	renderDirty bool
+
 	// thinkingVisible controls whether reasoning blocks are shown or collapsed.
 	thinkingVisible bool
 
@@ -172,7 +213,12 @@ func (s *StreamComponent) SetHeight(h int) {
 	if h < 0 {
 		h = 0
 	}
-	s.height = h
+	if s.height != h {
+		s.height = h
+		// Invalidate cache — height clamp affects output.
+		s.renderCache = ""
+		s.renderDirty = true
+	}
 }
 
 // Reset clears all accumulated state so the component is ready for the next
@@ -184,13 +230,24 @@ func (s *StreamComponent) Reset() {
 	s.activeTools = nil
 	s.streamContent.Reset()
 	s.reasoningContent.Reset()
+	s.pendingStream.Reset()
+	s.pendingReasoning.Reset()
+	s.flushPending = false
+	s.renderCache = ""
+	s.renderDirty = false
 	s.timestamp = time.Time{}
 }
 
 // GetRenderedContent returns the rendered assistant message from the accumulated
 // streaming text. Returns empty string if no text has been accumulated. Used by
 // the parent AppModel to flush content via tea.Println() before resetting.
+//
+// This commits any pending chunks first so the output includes all received
+// content, not just what has been flushed by the tick.
 func (s *StreamComponent) GetRenderedContent() string {
+	// Commit any pending chunks so the final output is complete.
+	s.commitPending()
+
 	var sections []string
 
 	// Include rendered reasoning block if present.
@@ -209,6 +266,21 @@ func (s *StreamComponent) GetRenderedContent() string {
 	return strings.Join(sections, "\n")
 }
 
+// commitPending moves any pending chunks to the committed content builders.
+// Called before reading content for scrollback output or on flush tick.
+func (s *StreamComponent) commitPending() {
+	if s.pendingStream.Len() > 0 {
+		s.streamContent.WriteString(s.pendingStream.String())
+		s.pendingStream.Reset()
+		s.renderDirty = true
+	}
+	if s.pendingReasoning.Len() > 0 {
+		s.reasoningContent.WriteString(s.pendingReasoning.String())
+		s.pendingReasoning.Reset()
+		s.renderDirty = true
+	}
+}
+
 // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // tea.Model interface
 // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -227,6 +299,9 @@ func (s *StreamComponent) Update(msg tea.Msg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 		s.width = msg.Width
 		s.messageRenderer.SetWidth(s.width)
 		s.compactRenderer.SetWidth(s.width)
+		// Invalidate render cache — width change affects wrapping/styling.
+		s.renderCache = ""
+		s.renderDirty = true
 
 	case streamSpinnerTickMsg:
 		if s.spinning {
@@ -250,19 +325,31 @@ func (s *StreamComponent) Update(msg tea.Msg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 			s.spinning = false
 		}
 
+	case streamFlushTickMsg:
+		s.flushPending = false
+		s.commitPending()
+
 	case app.ReasoningChunkEvent:
 		s.phase = streamPhaseActive
 		if s.timestamp.IsZero() {
 			s.timestamp = time.Now()
 		}
-		s.reasoningContent.WriteString(msg.Delta)
+		s.pendingReasoning.WriteString(msg.Delta)
+		if !s.flushPending {
+			s.flushPending = true
+			return s, streamFlushTickCmd()
+		}
 
 	case app.StreamChunkEvent:
 		s.phase = streamPhaseActive
 		if s.timestamp.IsZero() {
 			s.timestamp = time.Now()
 		}
-		s.streamContent.WriteString(msg.Content)
+		s.pendingStream.WriteString(msg.Content)
+		if !s.flushPending {
+			s.flushPending = true
+			return s, streamFlushTickCmd()
+		}
 
 	case app.ToolExecutionEvent:
 		if msg.IsStarting {
@@ -294,12 +381,20 @@ func (s *StreamComponent) View() tea.View {
 // Internal rendering
 // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-// render builds the full content string for the stream region.
+// render builds the full content string for the stream region. Uses a render
+// cache to avoid redundant markdown re-parsing between flush ticks. The cache
+// is invalidated when committed content changes (flush tick), terminal width
+// changes, or height/thinking visibility changes.
 func (s *StreamComponent) render() string {
 	if s.phase == streamPhaseIdle {
 		return ""
 	}
 
+	// Return cached render if committed content hasn't changed.
+	if !s.renderDirty {
+		return s.renderCache
+	}
+
 	var sections []string
 
 	// Render reasoning/thinking block above the main text if present.
@@ -315,6 +410,8 @@ func (s *StreamComponent) render() string {
 	}
 
 	if len(sections) == 0 {
+		s.renderCache = ""
+		s.renderDirty = false
 		return ""
 	}
 
@@ -330,6 +427,8 @@ func (s *StreamComponent) render() string {
 		}
 	}
 
+	s.renderCache = content
+	s.renderDirty = false
 	return content
 }
 
@@ -360,12 +459,18 @@ func (s *StreamComponent) renderReasoningBlock(reasoning string) string {
 
 // SetThinkingVisible sets whether reasoning blocks are shown or collapsed.
 func (s *StreamComponent) SetThinkingVisible(visible bool) {
-	s.thinkingVisible = visible
+	if s.thinkingVisible != visible {
+		s.thinkingVisible = visible
+		// Invalidate cache — thinking visibility affects rendered output.
+		s.renderCache = ""
+		s.renderDirty = true
+	}
 }
 
-// HasReasoning returns true if any reasoning content has been accumulated.
+// HasReasoning returns true if any reasoning content has been accumulated
+// (committed or pending).
 func (s *StreamComponent) HasReasoning() bool {
-	return s.reasoningContent.Len() > 0
+	return s.reasoningContent.Len() > 0 || s.pendingReasoning.Len() > 0
 }
 
 // SpinnerView returns the rendered spinner line for the parent to embed in the