[FEATURE] Option to keep conversation visible when using Ctrl-G external editor

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing requests and this feature hasn't been requested yet
• [x] This is a single feature request (not multiple features)

Problem Statement

When pressing Ctrl-G to open an external editor, Claude Code hides the conversation log by switching to an alternate screen buffer. This happens even when using GUI editors (like Neovide) that open in a separate window.

Current behavior:

1. Press Ctrl-G
2. Conversation log is hidden/cleared
3. Editor opens (terminal or GUI)
4. After closing editor, conversation reappears

Why this is a problem:

When writing prompts, I often need to reference the conversation:

• "What did Claude say about this error?"
• "What was the exact file path mentioned?"
• "Where did we leave off?"

Currently, I have to memorize or copy relevant parts before pressing Ctrl-G, which breaks the editing flow.

Workaround attempted:

I set EDITOR=neovide hoping the conversation would stay visible since Neovide opens in a separate window. However, Claude Code still hides the log regardless of editor type.

Proposed Solution

Add a configuration option to skip the alternate screen buffer switch when opening the editor:

{
  "editor.keepConversationVisible": true
}

When enabled, Claude Code would not clear the screen before launching the editor, allowing users to see the conversation while editing (especially useful with GUI editors).

Alternative Solutions

1. Auto-detect GUI editors - If $EDITOR points to a known GUI application (neovide, gvim, code, etc.), automatically skip the screen clearing behavior.

1. Separate keybinding - Add a different shortcut (e.g., Ctrl-Shift-G) that opens the editor without hiding the conversation.

1. Split view mode - Show the editor in a split view within Claude Code's TUI, keeping conversation visible above or beside the editor.

Priority

Medium - Would be very helpful

Feature Category

Interactive mode (TUI)

Use Case Example

_No response_

Additional Context

_No response_