Nova Runtime Model

Yazelix Nova is a Nix-packaged terminal workspace with one front door: yzx.

yzx launch -> Nova Rio -> managed Zellij workspace
yzx enter  -> current terminal -> managed Zellij workspace
yzx run    -> prepared Nova environment -> requested program
yzx-zellij -> Nova's exact packaged Zellij CLI

Bare yzx prints help. launch is the only Nova Rio route. enter needs an interactive terminal and works without a display server.

Packages

The full package includes:

• Nova Rio for graphical launch
• the Yazelix Zellij fork and managed layout
• managed Yazi, Helix, and Nushell
• popup, config, screen, tutor, Git, prompt, and completion tools

Package names follow yazelix[-no-rio][-no-helix][-no-yazi]. Each suffix removes that managed package while retaining the remaining integration. Rio-free packages retain yzx enter; Helix-free and Yazi-free packages use the selected host tools.

Generated runtime state

Nova renders runtime state under:

~/.local/share/yazelix

This directory is output. Edit the config inputs instead.

User config

The optional sparse semantic config is:

~/.config/yazelix/config.toml

Component-native files live under the same ~/.config/yazelix/ root. Normal host config at ~/.config/{helix,yazi,starship} is not loaded by default.

Workspace identity

Nova targets managed panes by identity:

• Forest is the managed Helix file tree
• Radar is the default configurable sidebar; yzx-yazi is an optional replacement
• each new tab starts with a focused quick zoxide search; Tab switches to startup Yazi
• each tab has one canonical workspace root
• managed opens reuse the tab’s editor
• yzx reveal opens the persistent Yazi popup at a target
• Git and agent tools use workspace-scoped popups
• Alt z retargets the tab workspace and editor together

Ownership

Nova Rio owns graphical launch. Zellij owns multiplexing. Forest owns the managed Helix tree, Radar owns activity presentation, and Nova Bar owns top-bar tabs, modes, and status. Focused first-party packages own popups, pane orchestration, screens, and Yazi themes. Nova pins and composes their package outputs. Nova and Zellij lists the packaged layout, plugins, and the Nova Zellij fork delta.

See the repository architecture for component contracts and verification gaps.