fix(models): match bare Kimi Coding k3 when searching kimi

Kimi Coding discovers the flagship as wire id `k3`. Picker search used
only that id, so typing "kimi" hid it next to every other kimi-* model.
Add picker-only search aliases without changing the wire id.

apps/desktop/src/components/model-picker.tsx

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { useState } from 'react'
 import { useI18n } from '@/i18n'
 import { modelOptionsQueryKey, requestModelOptions } from '@/lib/model-options'
 import { currentPickerSelection } from '@/lib/model-status-label'
+import { modelSearchText } from '@/lib/model-search-text'
 import { normalize } from '@/lib/text'
 import type { ModelOptionProvider, ModelPricing } from '@/types/hermes'
 
@@ -172,7 +173,7 @@ function ModelResults({
 
   const matches = (provider: ModelOptionProvider, model: string) =>
     !q ||
-    model.toLowerCase().includes(q) ||
+    modelSearchText(model).toLowerCase().includes(q) ||
     provider.name.toLowerCase().includes(q) ||
     provider.slug.toLowerCase().includes(q)
 

apps/desktop/src/lib/model-search-text.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+/**
+ * Extra tokens used only for model-picker search ranking.
+ *
+ * Wire IDs stay unchanged — some providers report short or brand-less ids
+ * (Kimi Coding's flagship is literally `k3`) that users still search for by
+ * the familiar `kimi-…` naming of sibling models.
+ *
+ * Keep in sync with ui-tui/src/lib/model-search-text.ts,
+ * web/src/lib/model-search-text.ts, and hermes_cli/model_search.py.
+ */
+const MODEL_SEARCH_ALIASES: Record<string, readonly string[]> = {
+  k3: ['kimi-k3', 'kimi']
+}
+
+/** Haystack for fuzzy/substring model search; never changes the wire id. */
+export function modelSearchText(model: string): string {
+  const id = model.trim()
+  if (!id) {
+    return model
+  }
+
+  const aliases = MODEL_SEARCH_ALIASES[id.toLowerCase()]
+  if (!aliases?.length) {
+    return id
+  }
+
+  return `${id} ${aliases.join(' ')}`
+}

hermes_cli/auth.py

@@ -7341,6 +7341,22 @@ def _prompt_model_selection(
             desc_lines.append(f"  ── {unavailable_footer} ──")
         description = "\n".join(desc_lines) if desc_lines else None
 
+        # Search haystacks keep pricing labels visible while adding aliases
+        # for brand-less wire ids (e.g. Kimi Coding `k3` ↔ query "kimi").
+        from hermes_cli.model_search import model_search_text
+
+        model_search_labels = []
+        for mid in ordered:
+            label = _label(mid)
+            haystack = model_search_text(mid)
+            # model_search_text always starts with the wire id; only append when
+            # aliases add tokens beyond the bare id already in the label.
+            model_search_labels.append(
+                label if haystack == mid else f"{label} {haystack}"
+            )
+        model_search_labels.append("Enter custom model name")
+        model_search_labels.append("Skip (keep current)")
+
         idx = curses_radiolist(
             "Select default model:",
             choices,
@@ -7348,6 +7364,7 @@ def _prompt_model_selection(
             cancel_returns=-1,
             description=description,
             searchable=True,
+            search_labels=model_search_labels,
         )
         if idx < 0:
             return None

hermes_cli/curses_ui.py

@@ -723,6 +723,7 @@ def curses_radiolist(
     cancel_returns: int | None = None,
     description: str | None = None,
     searchable: bool = False,
+    search_labels: List[str] | None = None,
 ) -> int:
     """Curses single-select radio list. Returns the selected index.
 
@@ -741,6 +742,8 @@ def curses_radiolist(
         searchable: When true, ``/`` opens a type-to-filter prompt. The
             returned value is always the original item index, not a filtered
             row position.
+        search_labels: Optional haystacks for type-to-filter (length must
+            match ``items``). Defaults to the display labels when omitted.
     """
     if cancel_returns is None:
         cancel_returns = selected
@@ -812,7 +815,11 @@ def curses_radiolist(
         fallback=lambda: _radio_numbered_fallback(title, items, selected, cancel_returns),
         cancel_value=cancel_returns,
         searchable=searchable,
-        search_labels=plain_labels if searchable else None,
+        search_labels=(
+            list(search_labels)
+            if searchable and search_labels is not None
+            else (plain_labels if searchable else None)
+        ),
     )
 
 

hermes_cli/model_search.py

@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+"""Picker-only search aliases for model ids.
+
+Wire IDs stay unchanged. Some providers report short or brand-less ids
+(Kimi Coding's flagship is literally ``k3``) that users still search for by
+the familiar ``kimi-…`` naming of sibling models.
+
+Keep in sync with ``ui-tui/src/lib/model-search-text.ts`` and
+``web/src/lib/model-search-text.ts``.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+# Lowercased wire id → extra tokens appended to the search haystack only.
+_MODEL_SEARCH_ALIASES: dict[str, tuple[str, ...]] = {
+    "k3": ("kimi-k3", "kimi"),
+}
+
+
+def model_search_text(model: str) -> str:
+    """Return the haystack used for fuzzy/substring model search.
+
+    Never changes the wire id passed to the provider.
+    """
+    mid = (model or "").strip()
+    if not mid:
+        return model or ""
+    aliases = _MODEL_SEARCH_ALIASES.get(mid.lower())
+    if not aliases:
+        return mid
+    return f"{mid} {' '.join(aliases)}"

ui-tui/src/components/modelPicker.tsx

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { TUI_SESSION_MODEL_FLAG } from '../domain/slash.js'
 import type { GatewayClient } from '../gatewayClient.js'
 import type { ModelOptionProvider, ModelOptionsResponse } from '../gatewayTypes.js'
 import { fuzzyRank } from '../lib/fuzzy.js'
+import { modelSearchText } from '../lib/model-search-text.js'
 import { asRpcResult, rpcErrorMessage } from '../lib/rpc.js'
 import type { Theme } from '../theme.js'
 
@@ -136,7 +137,9 @@ export function ModelPicker({
       return allModels
     }
 
-    return fuzzyRank(allModels, filter, m => m).map(r => r.item)
+    // modelSearchText adds aliases for brand-less wire ids (e.g. Kimi
+    // Coding `k3` still matches a "kimi" query).
+    return fuzzyRank(allModels, filter, modelSearchText).map(r => r.item)
   }, [allModels, filter, stage])
 
   const models = filteredModels

ui-tui/src/lib/model-search-text.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+/**
+ * Extra tokens used only for model-picker search ranking.
+ *
+ * Wire IDs stay unchanged — some providers report short or brand-less ids
+ * (Kimi Coding's flagship is literally `k3`) that users still search for by
+ * the familiar `kimi-…` naming of sibling models.
+ *
+ * Keep in sync with web/src/lib/model-search-text.ts and
+ * hermes_cli/model_search.py.
+ */
+const MODEL_SEARCH_ALIASES: Record<string, readonly string[]> = {
+  k3: ['kimi-k3', 'kimi'],
+}
+
+/** Haystack for fuzzy/substring model search; never changes the wire id. */
+export function modelSearchText(model: string): string {
+  const id = model.trim()
+  if (!id) {
+    return model
+  }
+
+  const aliases = MODEL_SEARCH_ALIASES[id.toLowerCase()]
+  if (!aliases?.length) {
+    return id
+  }
+
+  return `${id} ${aliases.join(' ')}`
+}

web/src/components/ModelPickerDialog.tsx

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import { createPortal } from "react-dom";
 import { cn, themedBody } from "@/lib/utils";
 import { fuzzyRank } from "@/lib/fuzzy";
 import { queryMatchesProviderOnly } from "@/lib/model-picker-filter";
+import { modelSearchText } from "@/lib/model-search-text";
 
 /**
  * Two-stage model picker modal.
@@ -246,16 +247,18 @@ export function ModelPickerDialog(props: Props) {
   );
 
   // Fuzzy-ranked models carrying the matched character positions so the model
-  // list can highlight why each entry matched.
+  // list can highlight why each entry matched. modelSearchText adds aliases
+  // for brand-less wire ids (e.g. Kimi Coding `k3` ↔ search "kimi").
   const filteredModels = useMemo(
     () =>
       fuzzyRank(
         models,
         queryMatchesSelectedProviderOnly ? "" : trimmedQuery,
-        (m) => m,
+        modelSearchText,
       ).map((r) => ({
         model: r.item,
-        positions: r.positions,
+        // Positions may land in alias suffixes — keep only in-id highlights.
+        positions: r.positions.filter((i) => i >= 0 && i < r.item.length),
       })),
     [models, trimmedQuery, queryMatchesSelectedProviderOnly],
   );

web/src/lib/model-search-text.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+/**
+ * Extra tokens used only for model-picker search ranking.
+ *
+ * Wire IDs stay unchanged — some providers report short or brand-less ids
+ * (Kimi Coding's flagship is literally `k3`) that users still search for by
+ * the familiar `kimi-…` naming of sibling models.
+ *
+ * Keep in sync with ui-tui/src/lib/model-search-text.ts and
+ * hermes_cli/model_search.py. Behavioural tests live in the TUI package.
+ */
+const MODEL_SEARCH_ALIASES: Record<string, readonly string[]> = {
+  k3: ["kimi-k3", "kimi"],
+};
+
+/** Haystack for fuzzy/substring model search; never changes the wire id. */
+export function modelSearchText(model: string): string {
+  const id = model.trim();
+  if (!id) {
+    return model;
+  }
+
+  const aliases = MODEL_SEARCH_ALIASES[id.toLowerCase()];
+  if (!aliases?.length) {
+    return id;
+  }
+
+  return `${id} ${aliases.join(" ")}`;
+}