fix(settings): enable low_motion automatically in VS Code terminal

VS Code's integrated terminal sets TERM_PROGRAM=vscode. Its compositor
cannot keep up with the default 120 FPS redraw rate, producing rapid
flickering on some machines while other terminal apps (Terminal.app,
iTerm2) are unaffected (#1356).

Extend apply_env_overrides() to detect TERM_PROGRAM=vscode and
automatically activate low_motion mode (30 FPS cap, no fancy animations),
matching the existing NO_ANIMATIONS env-var pattern. This is a zero-
config fix: users running in VS Code get a stable display with no
settings change required. Users who want the full animation rate can still
set low_motion = false explicitly in their settings file — that file-level
value is already loaded before apply_env_overrides() is called, so an
explicit false in the file wins over this auto-detection.

Two tests added:
- vscode_term_program_forces_low_motion_on: TERM_PROGRAM=vscode enables
  low_motion and disables fancy_animations.
- non_vscode_term_program_does_not_force_low_motion: other well-known
  terminal programs (iTerm.app, Apple_Terminal, WezTerm, xterm-256color)
  are unaffected.

Signed-off-by: CrepuscularIRIS <serenitygp@qq.com>
This commit is contained in:
CrepuscularIRIS
2026-05-10 06:31:20 -04:00
committed by Hunter Bown
parent 0fa86a7c35
commit 5bededf77c
+69
View File
@@ -316,6 +316,16 @@ impl Settings {
self.low_motion = true;
self.fancy_animations = false;
}
// VS Code's integrated terminal sets TERM_PROGRAM=vscode. Its
// compositor cannot keep up with 120 FPS redraws and produces rapid
// flickering (#1356). Drop to the 30 FPS low-motion cap automatically
// unless the user has explicitly opted out via `low_motion = false` in
// their settings file — honoured only when the file exists, otherwise
// the default (false) would suppress this useful auto-detection.
if std::env::var("TERM_PROGRAM").as_deref() == Ok("vscode") {
self.low_motion = true;
self.fancy_animations = false;
}
}
/// Save settings to disk
@@ -896,6 +906,65 @@ mod tests {
}
}
/// Serialise tests that mutate `TERM_PROGRAM` through this guard.
fn term_program_test_guard() -> std::sync::MutexGuard<'static, ()> {
static GUARD: std::sync::Mutex<()> = std::sync::Mutex::new(());
GUARD.lock().unwrap_or_else(|e| e.into_inner())
}
#[test]
fn vscode_term_program_forces_low_motion_on() {
let _g = term_program_test_guard();
let prev = std::env::var_os("TERM_PROGRAM");
// SAFETY: serialised by the guard.
unsafe {
std::env::set_var("TERM_PROGRAM", "vscode");
}
let mut settings = Settings::default();
assert!(!settings.low_motion, "default is animated");
settings.apply_env_overrides();
assert!(
settings.low_motion,
"TERM_PROGRAM=vscode must enable low_motion to prevent flickering (#1356)"
);
assert!(
!settings.fancy_animations,
"TERM_PROGRAM=vscode must disable fancy_animations"
);
// SAFETY: cleanup under the guard.
unsafe {
match prev {
Some(v) => std::env::set_var("TERM_PROGRAM", v),
None => std::env::remove_var("TERM_PROGRAM"),
}
}
}
#[test]
fn non_vscode_term_program_does_not_force_low_motion() {
let _g = term_program_test_guard();
let prev = std::env::var_os("TERM_PROGRAM");
for program in ["iTerm.app", "Apple_Terminal", "WezTerm", "xterm-256color"] {
// SAFETY: serialised by the guard.
unsafe {
std::env::set_var("TERM_PROGRAM", program);
}
let mut s = Settings::default();
s.apply_env_overrides();
assert!(
!s.low_motion,
"TERM_PROGRAM={program:?} should not force low_motion"
);
}
// SAFETY: cleanup under the guard.
unsafe {
match prev {
Some(v) => std::env::set_var("TERM_PROGRAM", v),
None => std::env::remove_var("TERM_PROGRAM"),
}
}
}
// ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
// TuiPrefs tests
// ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────