Add exact search mode for session lookup

codex-rs/app-server-protocol/schema/json/ClientRequest.json

@@ -3628,6 +3628,17 @@
             "null"
           ]
         },
+        "searchMode": {
+          "anyOf": [
+            {
+              "$ref": "#/definitions/ThreadListSearchMode"
+            },
+            {
+              "type": "null"
+            }
+          ],
+          "description": "Optional search matching mode. Defaults to substring matching."
+        },
         "searchTerm": {
           "description": "Optional substring filter for the extracted thread title.",
           "type": [
@@ -3674,6 +3685,13 @@
       },
       "type": "object"
     },
+    "ThreadListSearchMode": {
+      "enum": [
+        "contains",
+        "exact"
+      ],
+      "type": "string"
+    },
     "ThreadLoadedListParams": {
       "properties": {
         "cursor": {

codex-rs/app-server-protocol/schema/json/codex_app_server_protocol.schemas.json

@@ -16123,6 +16123,17 @@
               "null"
             ]
           },
+          "searchMode": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "$ref": "#/definitions/v2/ThreadListSearchMode"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ],
+            "description": "Optional search matching mode. Defaults to substring matching."
+          },
           "searchTerm": {
             "description": "Optional substring filter for the extracted thread title.",
             "type": [
@@ -16200,6 +16211,13 @@
         "title": "ThreadListResponse",
         "type": "object"
       },
+      "ThreadListSearchMode": {
+        "enum": [
+          "contains",
+          "exact"
+        ],
+        "type": "string"
+      },
       "ThreadLoadedListParams": {
         "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
         "properties": {

codex-rs/app-server-protocol/schema/json/codex_app_server_protocol.v2.schemas.json

@@ -14009,6 +14009,17 @@
             "null"
           ]
         },
+        "searchMode": {
+          "anyOf": [
+            {
+              "$ref": "#/definitions/ThreadListSearchMode"
+            },
+            {
+              "type": "null"
+            }
+          ],
+          "description": "Optional search matching mode. Defaults to substring matching."
+        },
         "searchTerm": {
           "description": "Optional substring filter for the extracted thread title.",
           "type": [
@@ -14086,6 +14097,13 @@
       "title": "ThreadListResponse",
       "type": "object"
     },
+    "ThreadListSearchMode": {
+      "enum": [
+        "contains",
+        "exact"
+      ],
+      "type": "string"
+    },
     "ThreadLoadedListParams": {
       "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
       "properties": {

codex-rs/app-server-protocol/schema/json/v2/ThreadListParams.json

@@ -21,6 +21,13 @@
         }
       ]
     },
+    "ThreadListSearchMode": {
+      "enum": [
+        "contains",
+        "exact"
+      ],
+      "type": "string"
+    },
     "ThreadSortKey": {
       "enum": [
         "created_at",
@@ -89,6 +96,17 @@
         "null"
       ]
     },
+    "searchMode": {
+      "anyOf": [
+        {
+          "$ref": "#/definitions/ThreadListSearchMode"
+        },
+        {
+          "type": "null"
+        }
+      ],
+      "description": "Optional search matching mode. Defaults to substring matching."
+    },
     "searchTerm": {
       "description": "Optional substring filter for the extracted thread title.",
       "type": [

codex-rs/app-server-protocol/schema/typescript/v2/ThreadListParams.ts

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 // This file was generated by [ts-rs](https://github.com/Aleph-Alpha/ts-rs). Do not edit this file manually.
 import type { SortDirection } from "./SortDirection";
+import type { ThreadListSearchMode } from "./ThreadListSearchMode";
 import type { ThreadSortKey } from "./ThreadSortKey";
 import type { ThreadSourceKind } from "./ThreadSourceKind";
 
@@ -51,4 +52,8 @@ useStateDbOnly?: boolean,
 /**
  * Optional substring filter for the extracted thread title.
  */
-searchTerm?: string | null, };
+searchTerm?: string | null,
+/**
+ * Optional search matching mode. Defaults to substring matching.
+ */
+searchMode?: ThreadListSearchMode | null, };

codex-rs/app-server-protocol/schema/typescript/v2/ThreadListSearchMode.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+// GENERATED CODE! DO NOT MODIFY BY HAND!
+
+// This file was generated by [ts-rs](https://github.com/Aleph-Alpha/ts-rs). Do not edit this file manually.
+
+export type ThreadListSearchMode = "contains" | "exact";

codex-rs/app-server-protocol/schema/typescript/v2/index.ts

@@ -363,6 +363,7 @@ export type { ThreadInjectItemsResponse } from "./ThreadInjectItemsResponse";
 export type { ThreadItem } from "./ThreadItem";
 export type { ThreadListParams } from "./ThreadListParams";
 export type { ThreadListResponse } from "./ThreadListResponse";
+export type { ThreadListSearchMode } from "./ThreadListSearchMode";
 export type { ThreadLoadedListParams } from "./ThreadLoadedListParams";
 export type { ThreadLoadedListResponse } from "./ThreadLoadedListResponse";
 export type { ThreadMetadataGitInfoUpdateParams } from "./ThreadMetadataGitInfoUpdateParams";

codex-rs/app-server-protocol/src/protocol/v2.rs

@@ -4325,6 +4325,9 @@ pub struct ThreadListParams {
     /// Optional substring filter for the extracted thread title.
     #[ts(optional = nullable)]
     pub search_term: Option<String>,
+    /// Optional search matching mode. Defaults to substring matching.
+    #[ts(optional = nullable)]
+    pub search_mode: Option<ThreadListSearchMode>,
 }
 
 #[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, JsonSchema)]
@@ -4334,6 +4337,14 @@ pub enum ThreadListCwdFilter {
     Many(Vec<String>),
 }
 
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, JsonSchema, TS)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
+#[ts(rename_all = "camelCase", export_to = "v2/")]
+pub enum ThreadListSearchMode {
+    Contains,
+    Exact,
+}
+
 #[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, JsonSchema, TS)]
 #[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
 #[ts(rename_all = "camelCase", export_to = "v2/")]
@@ -8234,10 +8245,12 @@ mod tests {
     fn thread_list_params_accepts_state_db_only_flag() {
         let params = serde_json::from_value::<ThreadListParams>(json!({
             "useStateDbOnly": true,
+            "searchMode": "exact",
         }))
         .expect("state db only flag should deserialize");
 
         assert!(params.use_state_db_only);
+        assert_eq!(params.search_mode, Some(ThreadListSearchMode::Exact));
     }
 
     #[test]

codex-rs/app-server-test-client/src/lib.rs

@@ -1127,6 +1127,7 @@ async fn thread_list(endpoint: &Endpoint, config_overrides: &[String], limit: u3
             cwd: None,
             use_state_db_only: false,
             search_term: None,
+            search_mode: None,
         })?;
         println!("< thread/list response: {response:?}");
 

codex-rs/app-server/README.md

@@ -321,6 +321,7 @@ Like `thread/resume`, experimental clients can pass `excludeTurns: true` to `thr
 - `cwd` — restrict results to threads whose session cwd exactly matches this path, or one of these paths when an array is provided. Relative paths are resolved against the app-server process cwd before matching.
 - `useStateDbOnly` — when `true`, return from the state DB without scanning JSONL rollouts to repair metadata. Omit or pass `false` to preserve the default scan-and-repair behavior.
 - `searchTerm` — restrict results to threads whose extracted title contains this substring (case-sensitive).
+- `searchMode` — optional search matching mode for `searchTerm`: `contains` (default) or `exact`.
 - Responses include `nextCursor` to continue in the same direction and `backwardsCursor` to pass as `cursor` when reversing `sortDirection`.
 - Responses include `agentNickname` and `agentRole` for AgentControl-spawned thread sub-agents when available.
 

codex-rs/app-server/src/request_processors.rs

@@ -178,6 +178,7 @@ use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadItem;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadListCwdFilter;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadListParams;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadListResponse;
+use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadListSearchMode;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadLoadedListParams;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadLoadedListResponse;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadMemoryModeSetParams;

codex-rs/app-server/src/request_processors/thread_processor.rs

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ struct ThreadListFilters {
     archived: bool,
     cwd_filters: Option<Vec<PathBuf>>,
     search_term: Option<String>,
+    search_mode: Option<ThreadListSearchMode>,
     use_state_db_only: bool,
 }
 
@@ -1826,6 +1827,7 @@ impl ThreadRequestProcessor {
             cwd,
             use_state_db_only,
             search_term,
+            search_mode,
         } = params;
         let cwd_filters = normalize_thread_list_cwd_filters(cwd)?;
 
@@ -1850,6 +1852,7 @@ impl ThreadRequestProcessor {
                     archived: archived.unwrap_or(false),
                     cwd_filters,
                     search_term,
+                    search_mode,
                     use_state_db_only,
                 },
             )
@@ -3228,6 +3231,7 @@ impl ThreadRequestProcessor {
             archived,
             cwd_filters,
             search_term,
+            search_mode,
             use_state_db_only,
         } = filters;
         let mut cursor_obj = cursor;
@@ -3287,6 +3291,12 @@ impl ThreadRequestProcessor {
                             path_utils::paths_match_after_normalization(&it.cwd, expected_cwd)
                         })
                     })
+                    && match (search_mode, search_term.as_deref()) {
+                        (Some(ThreadListSearchMode::Exact), Some(search_term)) => {
+                            it.name.as_deref() == Some(search_term)
+                        }
+                        _ => true,
+                    }
                 {
                     filtered.push(it);
                     if filtered.len() >= remaining {

codex-rs/app-server/tests/suite/v2/external_agent_config.rs

@@ -331,6 +331,7 @@ async fn external_agent_config_import_creates_session_rollouts() -> Result<()> {
             cwd: None,
             use_state_db_only: false,
             search_term: None,
+            search_mode: None,
         })
         .await?;
     let response: JSONRPCResponse = timeout(
@@ -500,6 +501,7 @@ async fn external_agent_config_import_accepts_detected_session_payload_after_res
             cwd: None,
             use_state_db_only: false,
             search_term: None,
+            search_mode: None,
         })
         .await?;
     let response: JSONRPCResponse = timeout(
@@ -586,6 +588,7 @@ async fn external_agent_config_import_skips_already_imported_session_versions()
             cwd: None,
             use_state_db_only: false,
             search_term: None,
+            search_mode: None,
         })
         .await?;
     let response: JSONRPCResponse = timeout(
@@ -724,6 +727,7 @@ async fn external_agent_config_import_returns_before_background_session_import_f
             cwd: None,
             use_state_db_only: false,
             search_term: None,
+            search_mode: None,
         })
         .await?;
     let response: JSONRPCResponse = timeout(
@@ -808,6 +812,7 @@ async fn external_agent_config_import_rejects_undetected_session_paths() -> Resu
             cwd: None,
             use_state_db_only: false,
             search_term: None,
+            search_mode: None,
         })
         .await?;
     let response: JSONRPCResponse = timeout(
@@ -931,6 +936,7 @@ async fn external_agent_config_import_compacts_huge_session_before_first_follow_
             cwd: None,
             use_state_db_only: false,
             search_term: None,
+            search_mode: None,
         })
         .await?;
     let response: JSONRPCResponse = timeout(

codex-rs/app-server/tests/suite/v2/remote_thread_store.rs

@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ async fn thread_start_with_non_local_thread_store_does_not_create_local_persiste
                 cwd: None,
                 use_state_db_only: false,
                 search_term: None,
+                search_mode: None,
             },
         })
         .await?

codex-rs/app-server/tests/suite/v2/thread_fork.rs

@@ -690,6 +690,7 @@ async fn thread_fork_ephemeral_remains_pathless_and_omits_listing() -> Result<()
             cwd: None,
             use_state_db_only: false,
             search_term: None,
+            search_mode: None,
         })
         .await?;
     let list_resp: JSONRPCResponse = timeout(

codex-rs/app-server/tests/suite/v2/thread_list.rs

@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ use codex_app_server_protocol::SessionSource;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::SortDirection;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadListCwdFilter;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadListResponse;
+use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadListSearchMode;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadSortKey;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadSourceKind;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadStartParams;
@@ -93,6 +94,7 @@ async fn list_threads_with_sort(
             cwd: None,
             use_state_db_only: false,
             search_term: None,
+            search_mode: None,
         })
         .await?;
     let resp: JSONRPCResponse = timeout(
@@ -533,6 +535,7 @@ async fn thread_list_respects_cwd_filters() -> Result<()> {
             ])),
             use_state_db_only: false,
             search_term: None,
+            search_mode: None,
         })
         .await?;
     let resp: JSONRPCResponse = timeout(
@@ -628,6 +631,13 @@ sqlite = true
     )
     .await?;
     assert_eq!(repaired_page.items.len(), 3);
+    let exact_thread_id = ThreadId::from_string(&newer_match)?;
+    let mut exact_metadata = state_db
+        .get_thread(exact_thread_id)
+        .await?
+        .expect("exact match metadata should be present");
+    exact_metadata.title = "needle exact".to_string();
+    state_db.upsert_thread(&exact_metadata).await?;
 
     let mut mcp = init_mcp(codex_home.path()).await?;
     let request_id = mcp
@@ -642,6 +652,7 @@ sqlite = true
             cwd: None,
             use_state_db_only: false,
             search_term: Some("needle".to_string()),
+            search_mode: None,
         })
         .await?;
     let resp: JSONRPCResponse = timeout(
@@ -657,6 +668,36 @@ sqlite = true
     let ids: Vec<_> = data.iter().map(|thread| thread.id.as_str()).collect();
     assert_eq!(ids, vec![newer_match, older_match]);
 
+    let exact_request_id = mcp
+        .send_thread_list_request(codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadListParams {
+            cursor: None,
+            limit: Some(10),
+            sort_key: None,
+            sort_direction: None,
+            model_providers: Some(vec!["mock_provider".to_string()]),
+            source_kinds: None,
+            archived: None,
+            cwd: None,
+            use_state_db_only: false,
+            search_term: Some("needle exact".to_string()),
+            search_mode: Some(ThreadListSearchMode::Exact),
+        })
+        .await?;
+    let exact_resp: JSONRPCResponse = timeout(
+        DEFAULT_READ_TIMEOUT,
+        mcp.read_stream_until_response_message(RequestId::Integer(exact_request_id)),
+    )
+    .await??;
+    let ThreadListResponse {
+        data: exact_data,
+        next_cursor: exact_next_cursor,
+        ..
+    } = to_response::<ThreadListResponse>(exact_resp)?;
+
+    assert_eq!(exact_next_cursor, None);
+    let exact_ids: Vec<_> = exact_data.iter().map(|thread| thread.id.as_str()).collect();
+    assert_eq!(exact_ids, vec![newer_match]);
+
     Ok(())
 }
 
@@ -703,6 +744,7 @@ sqlite = true
             cwd: None,
             use_state_db_only: false,
             search_term: None,
+            search_mode: None,
         })
         .await?;
     let resp: JSONRPCResponse = timeout(
@@ -741,6 +783,7 @@ sqlite = true
             )),
             use_state_db_only: true,
             search_term: None,
+            search_mode: None,
         })
         .await?;
     let resp: JSONRPCResponse = timeout(
@@ -770,6 +813,7 @@ sqlite = true
             )),
             use_state_db_only: false,
             search_term: None,
+            search_mode: None,
         })
         .await?;
     let resp: JSONRPCResponse = timeout(
@@ -1464,6 +1508,7 @@ async fn thread_list_backwards_cursor_can_seed_forward_delta_sync() -> Result<()
                 cwd: None,
                 use_state_db_only: false,
                 search_term: None,
+                search_mode: None,
             })
             .await?;
         let resp: JSONRPCResponse = timeout(
@@ -1506,6 +1551,7 @@ async fn thread_list_backwards_cursor_can_seed_forward_delta_sync() -> Result<()
                 cwd: None,
                 use_state_db_only: false,
                 search_term: None,
+                search_mode: None,
             })
             .await?;
         let resp: JSONRPCResponse = timeout(
@@ -1744,6 +1790,7 @@ async fn thread_list_invalid_cursor_returns_error() -> Result<()> {
             cwd: None,
             use_state_db_only: false,
             search_term: None,
+            search_mode: None,
         })
         .await?;
     let error: JSONRPCError = timeout(

codex-rs/app-server/tests/suite/v2/thread_read.rs

@@ -483,6 +483,7 @@ async fn thread_list_includes_store_thread_without_rollout_path() -> Result<()>
                 cwd: None,
                 use_state_db_only: false,
                 search_term: None,
+                search_mode: None,
             },
         })
         .await?
@@ -804,6 +805,7 @@ async fn thread_name_set_is_reflected_in_read_list_and_resume() -> Result<()> {
             cwd: None,
             use_state_db_only: false,
             search_term: None,
+            search_mode: None,
         })
         .await?;
     let list_resp: JSONRPCResponse = timeout(

codex-rs/debug-client/src/client.rs

@@ -185,6 +185,7 @@ impl AppServerClient {
                 cwd: None,
                 use_state_db_only: false,
                 search_term: None,
+                search_mode: None,
             },
         };
         self.send(&request)?;

codex-rs/exec/src/lib.rs

@@ -1349,6 +1349,7 @@ async fn resolve_resume_thread_id(
                         cwd: None,
                         use_state_db_only: false,
                         search_term: None,
+                        search_mode: None,
                     },
                 },
                 "thread/list",
@@ -1414,6 +1415,7 @@ async fn resolve_resume_thread_id(
                     cwd: None,
                     use_state_db_only: false,
                     search_term: Some(session_id.to_string()),
+                    search_mode: None,
                 },
             },
             "thread/list",

codex-rs/tui/src/lib.rs

@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ use codex_app_server_protocol::ConfigWarningNotification;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::Thread as AppServerThread;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadListCwdFilter;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadListParams;
+use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadListSearchMode;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadSortKey as AppServerThreadSortKey;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadSourceKind;
 use codex_cloud_requirements::cloud_requirements_loader_for_storage;
@@ -546,34 +547,26 @@ async fn lookup_session_target_by_name_with_app_server(
     app_server: &mut AppServerSession,
     name: &str,
 ) -> color_eyre::Result<Option<resume_picker::SessionTarget>> {
-    let mut cursor = None;
-    loop {
-        let response = app_server
-            .thread_list(ThreadListParams {
-                cursor: cursor.clone(),
-                limit: Some(100),
-                sort_key: Some(AppServerThreadSortKey::UpdatedAt),
-                sort_direction: None,
-                model_providers: None,
-                source_kinds: Some(vec![ThreadSourceKind::Cli, ThreadSourceKind::VsCode]),
-                archived: Some(false),
-                cwd: None,
-                use_state_db_only: false,
-                search_term: Some(name.to_string()),
-            })
-            .await?;
-        if let Some(thread) = response
-            .data
-            .into_iter()
-            .find(|thread| thread.name.as_deref() == Some(name))
-        {
-            return Ok(session_target_from_app_server_thread(thread));
-        }
-        if response.next_cursor.is_none() {
-            return Ok(None);
-        }
-        cursor = response.next_cursor;
-    }
+    let response = app_server
+        .thread_list(ThreadListParams {
+            cursor: None,
+            limit: Some(100),
+            sort_key: Some(AppServerThreadSortKey::UpdatedAt),
+            sort_direction: None,
+            model_providers: None,
+            source_kinds: Some(vec![ThreadSourceKind::Cli, ThreadSourceKind::VsCode]),
+            archived: Some(false),
+            cwd: None,
+            use_state_db_only: false,
+            search_term: Some(name.to_string()),
+            search_mode: Some(ThreadListSearchMode::Exact),
+        })
+        .await?;
+    Ok(response
+        .data
+        .into_iter()
+        .next()
+        .and_then(session_target_from_app_server_thread))
 }
 
 async fn lookup_session_target_with_app_server(
@@ -653,6 +646,7 @@ fn latest_session_lookup_params(
         cwd: cwd_filter.map(|cwd| ThreadListCwdFilter::One(cwd.to_string_lossy().to_string())),
         use_state_db_only: false,
         search_term: None,
+        search_mode: None,
     }
 }
 
@@ -2047,6 +2041,29 @@ mod tests {
                 .upsert_thread(&metadata)
                 .await
                 .map_err(std::io::Error::other)?;
+            let newer_thread_id = ThreadId::new();
+            let newer_rollout_path = temp_dir.path().join("sessions/2025/02/01").join(format!(
+                "rollout-2025-02-01T11-00-00-{newer_thread_id}.jsonl"
+            ));
+            std::fs::write(&newer_rollout_path, "")?;
+            let newer_created_at = chrono::DateTime::parse_from_rfc3339("2025-02-01T11:00:00Z")
+                .expect("timestamp should parse")
+                .with_timezone(&chrono::Utc);
+            let mut newer_builder = codex_state::ThreadMetadataBuilder::new(
+                newer_thread_id,
+                newer_rollout_path,
+                newer_created_at,
+                serde_json::from_value(serde_json::json!("cli"))
+                    .expect("cli session source should deserialize"),
+            );
+            newer_builder.cwd = temp_dir.path().join("other-project");
+            let mut newer_metadata = newer_builder.build(config.model_provider_id.as_str());
+            newer_metadata.title = "saved-session-copy".to_string();
+            newer_metadata.first_user_message = Some("other preview text".to_string());
+            state_runtime
+                .upsert_thread(&newer_metadata)
+                .await
+                .map_err(std::io::Error::other)?;
 
             let mut app_server =
                 AppServerSession::new(codex_app_server_client::AppServerClient::InProcess(

codex-rs/tui/src/resume_picker.rs

@@ -1017,6 +1017,7 @@ fn thread_list_params(
         cwd: cwd_filter.map(|cwd| ThreadListCwdFilter::One(cwd.to_string_lossy().into_owned())),
         use_state_db_only: false,
         search_term: None,
+        search_mode: None,
     }
 }