test

type safe view access

pkg/gui/branches_panel.go

@@ -30,13 +30,13 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleBranchSelect() error {
 	var task updateTask
 	branch := gui.getSelectedBranch()
 	if branch == nil {
-		task = gui.createRenderStringTask(gui.Tr.NoBranchesThisRepo)
+		task = NewRenderStringTask(gui.Tr.NoBranchesThisRepo)
 	} else {
 		cmd := gui.OSCommand.ExecutableFromString(
 			gui.GitCommand.GetBranchGraphCmdStr(branch.Name),
 		)
 
-		task = gui.createRunPtyTask(cmd)
+		task = NewRunPtyTask(cmd)
 	}
 
 	return gui.refreshMainViews(refreshMainOpts{
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) currentBranch() *models.Branch {
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) handleNewBranchOffCurrentItem() error {
-	context := gui.currentSideContext()
+	context := gui.currentSideListContext()
 
 	item, ok := context.GetSelectedItem()
 	if !ok {

pkg/gui/cherry_picking.go

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleCopyCommit() error {
 	}
 
 	// get currently selected commit, add the sha to state.
-	context := gui.currentSideContext()
+	context := gui.currentSideListContext()
 	if context == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) cherryPickedCommitShaMap() map[string]bool {
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) commitsListForContext() []*models.Commit {
-	context := gui.currentSideContext()
+	context := gui.currentSideListContext()
 	if context == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleCopyCommitRange() error {
 	}
 
 	// get currently selected commit, add the sha to state.
-	context := gui.currentSideContext()
+	context := gui.currentSideListContext()
 	if context == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) exitCherryPickingMode() error {
 	return gui.rerenderContextViewIfPresent(contextKey)
 }
 
-func (gui *Gui) rerenderContextViewIfPresent(contextKey string) error {
+func (gui *Gui) rerenderContextViewIfPresent(contextKey ContextKey) error {
 	if contextKey == "" {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) rerenderContextViewIfPresent(contextKey string) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	if view.Context == contextKey {
+	if ContextKey(view.Context) == contextKey {
 		if err := context.HandleRender(); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}

pkg/gui/commit_files_panel.go

@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleCommitFileSelect() error {
 	cmd := gui.OSCommand.ExecutableFromString(
 		gui.GitCommand.ShowFileDiffCmdStr(from, to, reverse, node.GetPath(), false),
 	)
-	task := gui.createRunPtyTask(cmd)
+	task := NewRunPtyTask(cmd)
 
 	return gui.refreshMainViews(refreshMainOpts{
 		main: &viewUpdateOpts{
@@ -287,7 +287,8 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleToggleCommitFileTreeView() error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if gui.getCommitFilesView().Context == COMMIT_FILES_CONTEXT_KEY {
+	// TODO: pretty sure this view only ever has this context. Is this if condition necessary?
+	if gui.Views.CommitFiles.Context == COMMIT_FILES_CONTEXT_KEY {
 		if err := gui.State.Contexts.CommitFiles.HandleRender(); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}

pkg/gui/commit_message_panel.go

@@ -23,8 +23,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) runSyncOrAsyncCommand(sub *exec.Cmd, err error) (bool, error) {
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) handleCommitConfirm() error {
-	commitMessageView := gui.getCommitMessageView()
+	message := gui.trimmedContent(gui.Views.CommitMessage)
-	message := gui.trimmedContent(commitMessageView)
 	if message == "" {
 		return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.Tr.CommitWithoutMessageErr)
 	}
@@ -41,7 +40,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleCommitConfirm() error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	gui.clearEditorView(commitMessageView)
+	gui.clearEditorView(gui.Views.CommitMessage)
 	_ = gui.returnFromContext()
 	return gui.refreshSidePanels(refreshOptions{mode: ASYNC})
 }
@@ -73,6 +72,6 @@ func (gui *Gui) RenderCommitLength() {
 	if !gui.Config.GetUserConfig().Gui.CommitLength.Show {
 		return
 	}
-	v := gui.getCommitMessageView()
+
-	v.Subtitle = gui.getBufferLength(v)
+	gui.Views.CommitMessage.Subtitle = gui.getBufferLength(gui.Views.CommitMessage)
 }

pkg/gui/commits_panel.go

@@ -35,12 +35,12 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleCommitSelect() error {
 	var task updateTask
 	commit := gui.getSelectedLocalCommit()
 	if commit == nil {
-		task = gui.createRenderStringTask(gui.Tr.NoCommitsThisBranch)
+		task = NewRenderStringTask(gui.Tr.NoCommitsThisBranch)
 	} else {
 		cmd := gui.OSCommand.ExecutableFromString(
 			gui.GitCommand.ShowCmdStr(commit.Sha, gui.State.Modes.Filtering.GetPath()),
 		)
-		task = gui.createRunPtyTask(cmd)
+		task = NewRunPtyTask(cmd)
 	}
 
 	return gui.refreshMainViews(refreshMainOpts{

pkg/gui/confirmation_panel.go

@@ -108,19 +108,17 @@ func (gui *Gui) wrappedPromptConfirmationFunction(handlersManageFocus bool, func
 	}
 }
 
-func (gui *Gui) deleteConfirmationView() {
+func (gui *Gui) clearConfirmationViewKeyBindings() {
 	keybindingConfig := gui.Config.GetUserConfig().Keybinding
 	_ = gui.g.DeleteKeybinding("confirmation", gui.getKey(keybindingConfig.Universal.Confirm), gocui.ModNone)
 	_ = gui.g.DeleteKeybinding("confirmation", gui.getKey(keybindingConfig.Universal.ConfirmAlt1), gocui.ModNone)
 	_ = gui.g.DeleteKeybinding("confirmation", gui.getKey(keybindingConfig.Universal.Return), gocui.ModNone)
-
-	_ = gui.g.DeleteView("confirmation")
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) closeConfirmationPrompt(handlersManageFocus bool) error {
-	view := gui.getConfirmationView()
+	// we've already closed it so we can just return
-	if view == nil {
+	if !gui.Views.Confirmation.Visible {
-		return nil // if it's already been closed we can just return
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	if !handlersManageFocus {
@@ -129,9 +127,9 @@ func (gui *Gui) closeConfirmationPrompt(handlersManageFocus bool) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	gui.deleteConfirmationView()
+	gui.clearConfirmationViewKeyBindings()
-
+	gui.Views.Confirmation.Visible = false
-	_, _ = gui.g.SetViewOnBottom("suggestions")
+	gui.Views.Suggestions.Visible = false
 
 	return nil
 }
@@ -200,7 +198,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) prepareConfirmationPanel(title, prompt string, hasLoader bool, f
 			suggestionsView.FgColor = theme.GocuiDefaultTextColor
 		}
 		gui.setSuggestions([]*types.Suggestion{})
-		_, _ = gui.g.SetViewOnTop("suggestions")
+		suggestionsView.Visible = true
 	}
 
 	gui.g.Update(func(g *gocui.Gui) error {
@@ -211,10 +209,9 @@ func (gui *Gui) prepareConfirmationPanel(title, prompt string, hasLoader bool, f
 
 func (gui *Gui) createPopupPanel(opts createPopupPanelOpts) error {
 	gui.g.Update(func(g *gocui.Gui) error {
-		// delete the existing confirmation panel if it exists
+		// remove any previous keybindings
-		if view, _ := g.View("confirmation"); view != nil {
+		gui.clearConfirmationViewKeyBindings()
-			gui.deleteConfirmationView()
+
-		}
 		confirmationView, err := gui.prepareConfirmationPanel(opts.title, opts.prompt, opts.hasLoader, opts.findSuggestionsFunc)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -251,7 +248,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) setKeyBindings(opts createPopupPanelOpts) error {
 	gui.renderString("options", actions)
 	var onConfirm func() error
 	if opts.handleConfirmPrompt != nil {
-		onConfirm = gui.wrappedPromptConfirmationFunction(opts.handlersManageFocus, opts.handleConfirmPrompt, func() string { return gui.getConfirmationView().Buffer() })
+		onConfirm = gui.wrappedPromptConfirmationFunction(opts.handlersManageFocus, opts.handleConfirmPrompt, func() string { return gui.Views.Confirmation.Buffer() })
 	} else {
 		onConfirm = gui.wrappedConfirmationFunction(opts.handlersManageFocus, opts.handleConfirm)
 	}

pkg/gui/context.go

@@ -15,32 +15,34 @@ const (
 	PERSISTENT_POPUP
 )
 
+type ContextKey string
+
 const (
-	STATUS_CONTEXT_KEY              = "status"
+	STATUS_CONTEXT_KEY              ContextKey = "status"
-	FILES_CONTEXT_KEY               = "files"
+	FILES_CONTEXT_KEY                          = "files"
-	LOCAL_BRANCHES_CONTEXT_KEY      = "localBranches"
+	LOCAL_BRANCHES_CONTEXT_KEY                 = "localBranches"
-	REMOTES_CONTEXT_KEY             = "remotes"
+	REMOTES_CONTEXT_KEY                        = "remotes"
-	REMOTE_BRANCHES_CONTEXT_KEY     = "remoteBranches"
+	REMOTE_BRANCHES_CONTEXT_KEY                = "remoteBranches"
-	TAGS_CONTEXT_KEY                = "tags"
+	TAGS_CONTEXT_KEY                           = "tags"
-	BRANCH_COMMITS_CONTEXT_KEY      = "commits"
+	BRANCH_COMMITS_CONTEXT_KEY                 = "commits"
-	REFLOG_COMMITS_CONTEXT_KEY      = "reflogCommits"
+	REFLOG_COMMITS_CONTEXT_KEY                 = "reflogCommits"
-	SUB_COMMITS_CONTEXT_KEY         = "subCommits"
+	SUB_COMMITS_CONTEXT_KEY                    = "subCommits"
-	COMMIT_FILES_CONTEXT_KEY        = "commitFiles"
+	COMMIT_FILES_CONTEXT_KEY                   = "commitFiles"
-	STASH_CONTEXT_KEY               = "stash"
+	STASH_CONTEXT_KEY                          = "stash"
-	MAIN_NORMAL_CONTEXT_KEY         = "normal"
+	MAIN_NORMAL_CONTEXT_KEY                    = "normal"
-	MAIN_MERGING_CONTEXT_KEY        = "merging"
+	MAIN_MERGING_CONTEXT_KEY                   = "merging"
-	MAIN_PATCH_BUILDING_CONTEXT_KEY = "patchBuilding"
+	MAIN_PATCH_BUILDING_CONTEXT_KEY            = "patchBuilding"
-	MAIN_STAGING_CONTEXT_KEY        = "staging"
+	MAIN_STAGING_CONTEXT_KEY                   = "staging"
-	MENU_CONTEXT_KEY                = "menu"
+	MENU_CONTEXT_KEY                           = "menu"
-	CREDENTIALS_CONTEXT_KEY         = "credentials"
+	CREDENTIALS_CONTEXT_KEY                    = "credentials"
-	CONFIRMATION_CONTEXT_KEY        = "confirmation"
+	CONFIRMATION_CONTEXT_KEY                   = "confirmation"
-	SEARCH_CONTEXT_KEY              = "search"
+	SEARCH_CONTEXT_KEY                         = "search"
-	COMMIT_MESSAGE_CONTEXT_KEY      = "commitMessage"
+	COMMIT_MESSAGE_CONTEXT_KEY                 = "commitMessage"
-	SUBMODULES_CONTEXT_KEY          = "submodules"
+	SUBMODULES_CONTEXT_KEY                     = "submodules"
-	SUGGESTIONS_CONTEXT_KEY         = "suggestions"
+	SUGGESTIONS_CONTEXT_KEY                    = "suggestions"
 )
 
-var allContextKeys = []string{
+var allContextKeys = []ContextKey{
 	STATUS_CONTEXT_KEY,
 	FILES_CONTEXT_KEY,
 	LOCAL_BRANCHES_CONTEXT_KEY,
@@ -124,7 +126,7 @@ type Context interface {
 	GetViewName() string
 	GetWindowName() string
 	SetWindowName(string)
-	GetKey() string
+	GetKey() ContextKey
 	SetParentContext(Context)
 
 	// we return a bool here to tell us whether or not the returned value just wraps a nil
@@ -138,7 +140,7 @@ type BasicContext struct {
 	OnRender        func() error
 	OnGetOptionsMap func() map[string]string
 	Kind            ContextKind
-	Key             string
+	Key             ContextKey
 	ViewName        string
 }
 
@@ -192,7 +194,7 @@ func (c BasicContext) GetKind() ContextKind {
 	return c.Kind
 }
 
-func (c BasicContext) GetKey() string {
+func (c BasicContext) GetKey() ContextKey {
 	return c.Key
 }
 
@@ -353,7 +355,7 @@ func (tree ContextTree) initialViewTabContextMap() map[string][]tabContext {
 	}
 }
 
-func (gui *Gui) currentContextKeyIgnoringPopups() string {
+func (gui *Gui) currentContextKeyIgnoringPopups() ContextKey {
 	gui.State.ContextManager.Lock()
 	defer gui.State.ContextManager.Unlock()
 
@@ -461,7 +463,10 @@ func (gui *Gui) returnFromContext() error {
 func (gui *Gui) deactivateContext(c Context) error {
 	// if we are the kind of context that is sent to back upon deactivation, we should do that
 	if c.GetKind() == TEMPORARY_POPUP || c.GetKind() == PERSISTENT_POPUP || c.GetKey() == COMMIT_FILES_CONTEXT_KEY {
-		_, _ = gui.g.SetViewOnBottom(c.GetViewName())
+		view, err := gui.g.View(c.GetViewName())
+		if err == nil {
+			view.Visible = false
+		}
 	}
 
 	if err := c.HandleFocusLost(); err != nil {
@@ -480,7 +485,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) postRefreshUpdate(c Context) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	if v.Context != c.GetKey() {
+	if ContextKey(v.Context) != c.GetKey() {
 		return nil
 	}
 
@@ -504,7 +509,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) activateContext(c Context) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return gui.returnFromContext()
 	}
-	originalViewContextKey := v.Context
+	originalViewContextKey := ContextKey(v.Context)
 
 	// ensure that any other window for which this view was active is now set to the default for that window.
 	gui.setViewAsActiveForWindow(viewName)
@@ -522,10 +527,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) activateContext(c Context) error {
 		return gui.returnFromContext()
 	}
 
-	if _, err := gui.g.SetViewOnTop(viewName); err != nil {
+	v.Visible = true
-		// if view no longer exists, pop again
-		return gui.returnFromContext()
-	}
 
 	// if the new context's view was previously displaying another context, render the new context
 	if originalViewContextKey != c.GetKey() {
@@ -534,7 +536,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) activateContext(c Context) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	v.Context = c.GetKey()
+	v.Context = string(c.GetKey())
 
 	gui.g.Cursor = v.Editable
 
@@ -559,7 +561,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) activateContext(c Context) error {
 func (gui *Gui) renderContextStack() string {
 	result := ""
 	for _, context := range gui.State.ContextManager.ContextStack {
-		result += context.GetKey() + "\n"
+		result += string(context.GetKey()) + "\n"
 	}
 	return result
 }
@@ -575,7 +577,18 @@ func (gui *Gui) currentContext() Context {
 	return gui.State.ContextManager.ContextStack[len(gui.State.ContextManager.ContextStack)-1]
 }
 
-func (gui *Gui) currentSideContext() *ListContext {
+// the status panel is not yet a list context (and may never be), so this method is not
+// quite the same as currentSideContext()
+func (gui *Gui) currentSideListContext() *ListContext {
+	context := gui.currentSideContext()
+	listContext, ok := context.(*ListContext)
+	if !ok {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return listContext
+}
+
+func (gui *Gui) currentSideContext() Context {
 	gui.State.ContextManager.Lock()
 	defer gui.State.ContextManager.Unlock()
 
@@ -583,7 +596,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) currentSideContext() *ListContext {
 
 	// on startup the stack can be empty so we'll return an empty string in that case
 	if len(stack) == 0 {
-		return nil
+		return gui.defaultSideContext()
 	}
 
 	// find the first context in the stack with the type of SIDE_CONTEXT
@@ -591,20 +604,19 @@ func (gui *Gui) currentSideContext() *ListContext {
 		context := stack[len(stack)-1-i]
 
 		if context.GetKind() == SIDE_CONTEXT {
-			// not all side contexts are list contexts (e.g. the status panel)
+			return context
-			listContext, ok := context.(*ListContext)
-			if !ok {
-				return nil
-			}
-			return listContext
 		}
 	}
 
-	return nil
+	return gui.defaultSideContext()
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) defaultSideContext() Context {
-	return gui.State.Contexts.Files
+	if gui.State.Modes.Filtering.Active() {
+		return gui.State.Contexts.BranchCommits
+	} else {
+		return gui.State.Contexts.Files
+	}
 }
 
 // remove the need to do this: always use a mapping
@@ -618,7 +630,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) setInitialViewContexts() {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		view.Context = context.GetKey()
+		view.Context = string(context.GetKey())
 	}
 }
 
@@ -678,15 +690,15 @@ func (gui *Gui) onViewFocusLost(v *gocui.View, newView *gocui.View) error {
 // which currently just means a context that affects both the main and secondary views
 // other views can have their context changed directly but this function helps
 // keep the main and secondary views in sync
-func (gui *Gui) changeMainViewsContext(contextKey string) {
+func (gui *Gui) changeMainViewsContext(contextKey ContextKey) {
 	if gui.State.MainContext == contextKey {
 		return
 	}
 
 	switch contextKey {
 	case MAIN_NORMAL_CONTEXT_KEY, MAIN_PATCH_BUILDING_CONTEXT_KEY, MAIN_STAGING_CONTEXT_KEY, MAIN_MERGING_CONTEXT_KEY:
-		gui.getMainView().Context = contextKey
+		gui.Views.Main.Context = string(contextKey)
-		gui.getSecondaryView().Context = contextKey
+		gui.Views.Secondary.Context = string(contextKey)
 	default:
 		panic(fmt.Sprintf("unknown context for main: %s", contextKey))
 	}
@@ -737,7 +749,7 @@ type tabContext struct {
 	contexts []Context
 }
 
-func (gui *Gui) mustContextForContextKey(contextKey string) Context {
+func (gui *Gui) mustContextForContextKey(contextKey ContextKey) Context {
 	context, ok := gui.contextForContextKey(contextKey)
 
 	if !ok {
@@ -747,7 +759,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) mustContextForContextKey(contextKey string) Context {
 	return context
 }
 
-func (gui *Gui) contextForContextKey(contextKey string) (Context, bool) {
+func (gui *Gui) contextForContextKey(contextKey ContextKey) (Context, bool) {
 	for _, context := range gui.allContexts() {
 		if context.GetKey() == contextKey {
 			return context, true
@@ -763,7 +775,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) rerenderView(viewName string) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	contextKey := v.Context
+	contextKey := ContextKey(v.Context)
 	context := gui.mustContextForContextKey(contextKey)
 
 	return context.HandleRender()
@@ -782,7 +794,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) rerenderView(viewName string) error {
 // }
 
 func (gui *Gui) getSideContextSelectedItemId() string {
-	currentSideContext := gui.currentSideContext()
+	currentSideContext := gui.currentSideListContext()
 	if currentSideContext == nil {
 		return ""
 	}

pkg/gui/credentials_panel.go

@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) promptUserForCredential(passOrUname string) string {
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) handleSubmitCredential() error {
-	credentialsView := gui.getCredentialsView()
+	credentialsView := gui.Views.Credentials
 	message := gui.trimmedContent(credentialsView)
 	gui.credentials <- message
 	gui.clearEditorView(credentialsView)

pkg/gui/custom_commands.go

@@ -176,9 +176,14 @@ func (gui *Gui) GetCustomCommandKeybindings() []*Binding {
 		case "":
 			log.Fatalf("Error parsing custom command keybindings: context not provided (use context: 'global' for the global context). Key: %s, Command: %s", customCommand.Key, customCommand.Command)
 		default:
-			context, ok := gui.contextForContextKey(customCommand.Context)
+			context, ok := gui.contextForContextKey(ContextKey(customCommand.Context))
+			// stupid golang making me build an array of strings for this.
+			allContextKeyStrings := make([]string, len(allContextKeys))
+			for i := range allContextKeys {
+				allContextKeyStrings[i] = string(allContextKeys[i])
+			}
 			if !ok {
-				log.Fatalf("Error when setting custom command keybindings: unknown context: %s. Key: %s, Command: %s.\nPermitted contexts: %s", customCommand.Context, customCommand.Key, customCommand.Command, strings.Join(allContextKeys, ", "))
+				log.Fatalf("Error when setting custom command keybindings: unknown context: %s. Key: %s, Command: %s.\nPermitted contexts: %s", customCommand.Context, customCommand.Key, customCommand.Command, strings.Join(allContextKeyStrings, ", "))
 			}
 			// here we assume that a given context will always belong to the same view.
 			// Currently this is a safe bet but it's by no means guaranteed in the long term

pkg/gui/diffing.go

@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) renderDiff() error {
 	cmd := gui.OSCommand.ExecutableFromString(
 		fmt.Sprintf("git diff --submodule --no-ext-diff --color %s", gui.diffStr()),
 	)
-	task := gui.createRunPtyTask(cmd)
+	task := NewRunPtyTask(cmd)
 
 	return gui.refreshMainViews(refreshMainOpts{
 		main: &viewUpdateOpts{
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) currentDiffTerminals() []string {
 		}
 		return nil
 	default:
-		context := gui.currentSideContext()
+		context := gui.currentSideListContext()
 		if context == nil {
 			return nil
 		}

pkg/gui/files_panel.go

@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) getSelectedPath() string {
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) selectFile(alreadySelected bool) error {
-	gui.getFilesView().FocusPoint(0, gui.State.Panels.Files.SelectedLineIdx)
+	gui.Views.Files.FocusPoint(0, gui.State.Panels.Files.SelectedLineIdx)
 
 	node := gui.getSelectedFileNode()
 
@@ -50,17 +50,17 @@ func (gui *Gui) selectFile(alreadySelected bool) error {
 		return gui.refreshMainViews(refreshMainOpts{
 			main: &viewUpdateOpts{
 				title: "",
-				task:  gui.createRenderStringTask(gui.Tr.NoChangedFiles),
+				task:  NewRenderStringTask(gui.Tr.NoChangedFiles),
 			},
 		})
 	}
 
 	if !alreadySelected {
 		// TODO: pull into update task interface
-		if err := gui.resetOrigin(gui.getMainView()); err != nil {
+		if err := gui.resetOrigin(gui.Views.Main); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		if err := gui.resetOrigin(gui.getSecondaryView()); err != nil {
+		if err := gui.resetOrigin(gui.Views.Secondary); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 		gui.takeOverMergeConflictScrolling()
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) selectFile(alreadySelected bool) error {
 
 	refreshOpts := refreshMainOpts{main: &viewUpdateOpts{
 		title: gui.Tr.UnstagedChanges,
-		task:  gui.createRunPtyTask(cmd),
+		task:  NewRunPtyTask(cmd),
 	}}
 
 	if node.GetHasUnstagedChanges() {
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) selectFile(alreadySelected bool) error {
 
 			refreshOpts.secondary = &viewUpdateOpts{
 				title: gui.Tr.StagedChanges,
-				task:  gui.createRunPtyTask(cmd),
+				task:  NewRunPtyTask(cmd),
 			}
 		}
 	} else {
@@ -105,11 +105,6 @@ func (gui *Gui) refreshFilesAndSubmodules() error {
 
 	selectedPath := gui.getSelectedPath()
 
-	filesView := gui.getFilesView()
-	if filesView == nil {
-		// if the filesView hasn't been instantiated yet we just return
-		return nil
-	}
 	if err := gui.refreshStateSubmoduleConfigs(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -122,14 +117,14 @@ func (gui *Gui) refreshFilesAndSubmodules() error {
 			gui.Log.Error(err)
 		}
 
-		if gui.getFilesView().Context == FILES_CONTEXT_KEY {
+		if gui.Views.Files.Context == FILES_CONTEXT_KEY {
 			// doing this a little custom (as opposed to using gui.postRefreshUpdate) because we handle selecting the file explicitly below
 			if err := gui.State.Contexts.Files.HandleRender(); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 		}
 
-		if gui.currentContext().GetKey() == FILES_CONTEXT_KEY || (g.CurrentView() == gui.getMainView() && g.CurrentView().Context == MAIN_MERGING_CONTEXT_KEY) {
+		if gui.currentContext().GetKey() == FILES_CONTEXT_KEY || (g.CurrentView() == gui.Views.Main && g.CurrentView().Context == MAIN_MERGING_CONTEXT_KEY) {
 			newSelectedPath := gui.getSelectedPath()
 			alreadySelected := selectedPath != "" && newSelectedPath == selectedPath
 			if err := gui.selectFile(alreadySelected); err != nil {
@@ -350,7 +345,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleWIPCommitPress() error {
 	}
 
 	_ = gui.renderStringSync("commitMessage", skipHookPreifx)
-	if err := gui.getCommitMessageView().SetCursor(len(skipHookPreifx), 0); err != nil {
+	if err := gui.Views.CommitMessage.SetCursor(len(skipHookPreifx), 0); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -389,7 +384,6 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleCommitPress() error {
 		return gui.promptToStageAllAndRetry(gui.handleCommitPress)
 	}
 
-	commitMessageView := gui.getCommitMessageView()
 	commitPrefixConfig := gui.commitPrefixConfigForRepo()
 	if commitPrefixConfig != nil {
 		prefixPattern := commitPrefixConfig.Pattern
@@ -400,7 +394,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleCommitPress() error {
 		}
 		prefix := rgx.ReplaceAllString(gui.getCheckedOutBranch().Name, prefixReplace)
 		gui.renderString("commitMessage", prefix)
-		if err := commitMessageView.SetCursor(len(prefix), 0); err != nil {
+		if err := gui.Views.CommitMessage.SetCursor(len(prefix), 0); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
@@ -862,7 +856,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleToggleFileTreeView() error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if gui.getFilesView().Context == FILES_CONTEXT_KEY {
+	if gui.Views.Files.Context == FILES_CONTEXT_KEY {
 		if err := gui.State.Contexts.Files.HandleRender(); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}

pkg/gui/global_handlers.go

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"math"
 	"strings"
 
+	"github.com/jesseduffield/gocui"
 	"github.com/jesseduffield/lazygit/pkg/commands"
 	"github.com/jesseduffield/lazygit/pkg/utils"
 )
@@ -59,30 +60,22 @@ func (gui *Gui) prevScreenMode() error {
 	return gui.rerenderViewsWithScreenModeDependentContent()
 }
 
-func (gui *Gui) scrollUpView(viewName string) error {
+func (gui *Gui) scrollUpView(view *gocui.View) error {
-	mainView, err := gui.g.View(viewName)
+	ox, oy := view.Origin()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-	ox, oy := mainView.Origin()
 	newOy := int(math.Max(0, float64(oy-gui.Config.GetUserConfig().Gui.ScrollHeight)))
-	return mainView.SetOrigin(ox, newOy)
+	return view.SetOrigin(ox, newOy)
 }
 
-func (gui *Gui) scrollDownView(viewName string) error {
+func (gui *Gui) scrollDownView(view *gocui.View) error {
-	mainView, err := gui.g.View(viewName)
+	ox, oy := view.Origin()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-	ox, oy := mainView.Origin()
 	y := oy
 	canScrollPastBottom := gui.Config.GetUserConfig().Gui.ScrollPastBottom
 	if !canScrollPastBottom {
-		_, sy := mainView.Size()
+		_, sy := view.Size()
 		y += sy
 	}
 	scrollHeight := gui.Config.GetUserConfig().Gui.ScrollHeight
-	scrollableLines := mainView.ViewLinesHeight() - y
+	scrollableLines := view.ViewLinesHeight() - y
 	if scrollableLines > 0 {
 		// margin is about how many lines must still appear if you scroll
 		// all the way down. In practice every file ends in a newline so it will really
@@ -95,12 +88,12 @@ func (gui *Gui) scrollDownView(viewName string) error {
 			scrollHeight = scrollableLines - margin
 		}
 		if oy+scrollHeight >= 0 {
-			if err := mainView.SetOrigin(ox, oy+scrollHeight); err != nil {
+			if err := view.SetOrigin(ox, oy+scrollHeight); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	if manager, ok := gui.viewBufferManagerMap[viewName]; ok {
+	if manager, ok := gui.viewBufferManagerMap[view.Name()]; ok {
 		manager.ReadLines(scrollHeight)
 	}
 	return nil
@@ -111,7 +104,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) scrollUpMain() error {
 		gui.State.Panels.Merging.UserScrolling = true
 	}
 
-	return gui.scrollUpView("main")
+	return gui.scrollUpView(gui.Views.Main)
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) scrollDownMain() error {
@@ -119,33 +112,31 @@ func (gui *Gui) scrollDownMain() error {
 		gui.State.Panels.Merging.UserScrolling = true
 	}
 
-	return gui.scrollDownView("main")
+	return gui.scrollDownView(gui.Views.Main)
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) scrollUpSecondary() error {
-	return gui.scrollUpView("secondary")
+	return gui.scrollUpView(gui.Views.Secondary)
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) scrollDownSecondary() error {
-	return gui.scrollDownView("secondary")
+	return gui.scrollDownView(gui.Views.Secondary)
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) scrollUpConfirmationPanel() error {
-	view := gui.getConfirmationView()
+	if gui.Views.Confirmation.Editable {
-	if view != nil || view.Editable {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	return gui.scrollUpView("confirmation")
+	return gui.scrollUpView(gui.Views.Confirmation)
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) scrollDownConfirmationPanel() error {
-	view := gui.getConfirmationView()
+	if gui.Views.Confirmation.Editable {
-	if view != nil || view.Editable {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	return gui.scrollDownView("confirmation")
+	return gui.scrollDownView(gui.Views.Confirmation)
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) handleRefresh() error {
@@ -157,16 +148,14 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleMouseDownMain() error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	view := gui.getMainView()
-
 	switch gui.g.CurrentView().Name() {
 	case "files":
 		// set filename, set primary/secondary selected, set line number, then switch context
 		// I'll need to know it was changed though.
 		// Could I pass something along to the context change?
-		return gui.enterFile(false, view.SelectedLineIdx())
+		return gui.enterFile(false, gui.Views.Main.SelectedLineIdx())
 	case "commitFiles":
-		return gui.enterCommitFile(view.SelectedLineIdx())
+		return gui.enterCommitFile(gui.Views.Main.SelectedLineIdx())
 	}
 
 	return nil
@@ -177,11 +166,9 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleMouseDownSecondary() error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	view := gui.getSecondaryView()
-
 	switch gui.g.CurrentView().Name() {
 	case "files":
-		return gui.enterFile(true, view.SelectedLineIdx())
+		return gui.enterFile(true, gui.Views.Secondary.SelectedLineIdx())
 	}
 
 	return nil
@@ -192,7 +179,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleInfoClick() error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	view := gui.getInformationView()
+	view := gui.Views.Information
 
 	cx, _ := view.Cursor()
 	width, _ := view.Size()

pkg/gui/gui.go

@@ -106,6 +106,8 @@ type Gui struct {
 
 	// this tells us whether our views have been initially set up
 	ViewsSetup bool
+
+	Views Views
 }
 
 type RecordedEvent struct {
@@ -232,6 +234,28 @@ type panelStates struct {
 	Suggestions    *suggestionsPanelState
 }
 
+type Views struct {
+	Status        *gocui.View
+	Files         *gocui.View
+	Branches      *gocui.View
+	Commits       *gocui.View
+	Stash         *gocui.View
+	Main          *gocui.View
+	Secondary     *gocui.View
+	Options       *gocui.View
+	Confirmation  *gocui.View
+	Menu          *gocui.View
+	Credentials   *gocui.View
+	CommitMessage *gocui.View
+	CommitFiles   *gocui.View
+	Information   *gocui.View
+	AppStatus     *gocui.View
+	Search        *gocui.View
+	SearchPrefix  *gocui.View
+	Limit         *gocui.View
+	Suggestions   *gocui.View
+}
+
 type searchingState struct {
 	view         *gocui.View
 	isSearching  bool
@@ -260,7 +284,7 @@ type CherryPicking struct {
 	CherryPickedCommits []*models.Commit
 
 	// we only allow cherry picking from one context at a time, so you can't copy a commit from the local commits context and then also copy a commit in the reflog context
-	ContextKey string
+	ContextKey ContextKey
 }
 
 func (m *CherryPicking) Active() bool {
@@ -306,8 +330,8 @@ type guiState struct {
 	MenuItems         []*menuItem
 	Updating          bool
 	Panels            *panelStates
-	MainContext       string // used to keep the main and secondary views' contexts in sync
 	SplitMainPanel    bool
+	MainContext       ContextKey // used to keep the main and secondary views' contexts in sync
 	RetainOriginalDir bool
 	IsRefreshingFiles bool
 	Searching         searchingState

pkg/gui/keybindings.go

@@ -625,21 +625,21 @@ func (gui *Gui) GetInitialKeybindings() []*Binding {
 			ViewName:    "branches",
 			Contexts:    []string{TAGS_CONTEXT_KEY},
 			Key:         gui.getKey(config.Universal.Select),
-			Handler:     gui.handleCheckoutTag,
+			Handler:     gui.withSelectedTag(gui.handleCheckoutTag),
 			Description: gui.Tr.LcCheckout,
 		},
 		{
 			ViewName:    "branches",
 			Contexts:    []string{TAGS_CONTEXT_KEY},
 			Key:         gui.getKey(config.Universal.Remove),
-			Handler:     gui.handleDeleteTag,
+			Handler:     gui.withSelectedTag(gui.handleDeleteTag),
 			Description: gui.Tr.LcDeleteTag,
 		},
 		{
 			ViewName:    "branches",
 			Contexts:    []string{TAGS_CONTEXT_KEY},
 			Key:         gui.getKey(config.Branches.PushTag),
-			Handler:     gui.handlePushTag,
+			Handler:     gui.withSelectedTag(gui.handlePushTag),
 			Description: gui.Tr.LcPushTag,
 		},
 		{
@@ -653,7 +653,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) GetInitialKeybindings() []*Binding {
 			ViewName:    "branches",
 			Contexts:    []string{TAGS_CONTEXT_KEY},
 			Key:         gui.getKey(config.Commits.ViewResetOptions),
-			Handler:     gui.handleCreateResetToTagMenu,
+			Handler:     gui.withSelectedTag(gui.handleCreateResetToTagMenu),
 			Description: gui.Tr.LcViewResetOptions,
 			OpensMenu:   true,
 		},

pkg/gui/layout.go

@@ -31,29 +31,22 @@ func (gui *Gui) layout(g *gocui.Gui) error {
 
 	minimumHeight := 9
 	minimumWidth := 10
-	if height < minimumHeight || width < minimumWidth {
+	var err error
-		v, err := g.SetView("limit", 0, 0, width-1, height-1, 0)
+	gui.Views.Limit, err = g.SetView("limit", 0, 0, width-1, height-1, 0)
-		if err != nil {
+	if err != nil {
-			if err.Error() != UNKNOWN_VIEW_ERROR_MSG {
+		if err.Error() != UNKNOWN_VIEW_ERROR_MSG {
-				return err
+			return err
-			}
-			v.Title = gui.Tr.NotEnoughSpace
-			v.Wrap = true
-			_, _ = g.SetViewOnTop("limit")
 		}
-		return nil
+		gui.Views.Limit.Title = gui.Tr.NotEnoughSpace
+		gui.Views.Limit.Wrap = true
 	}
+	gui.Views.Limit.Visible = height < minimumHeight || width < minimumWidth
 
 	informationStr := gui.informationStr()
 	appStatus := gui.statusManager.getStatusString()
 
 	viewDimensions := gui.getWindowDimensions(informationStr, appStatus)
 
-	_, _ = g.SetViewOnBottom("limit")
-	_ = g.DeleteView("limit")
-
-	textColor := theme.GocuiDefaultTextColor
-
 	// reading more lines into main view buffers upon resize
 	prevMainView, err := gui.g.View("main")
 	if err == nil {
@@ -79,17 +72,17 @@ func (gui *Gui) layout(g *gocui.Gui) error {
 			// to render content as soon as it appears, because lazyloaded content (via a pty task)
 			// cares about the size of the view.
 			view, err := g.SetView(viewName, 0, 0, width, height, 0)
-			if err != nil {
+			if view != nil {
-				return view, err
+				view.Visible = false
 			}
-			return g.SetViewOnBottom(viewName)
+			return view, err
 		}
 
 		frameOffset := 1
 		if frame {
 			frameOffset = 0
 		}
-		return g.SetView(
+		view, err := g.SetView(
 			viewName,
 			dimensionsObj.X0-frameOffset,
 			dimensionsObj.Y0-frameOffset,
@@ -97,172 +90,150 @@ func (gui *Gui) layout(g *gocui.Gui) error {
 			dimensionsObj.Y1+frameOffset,
 			0,
 		)
+
+		if view != nil {
+			view.Visible = true
+		}
+
+		return view, err
 	}
 
-	v, err := setViewFromDimensions("main", "main", true)
+	gui.Views.Main, err = setViewFromDimensions("main", "main", true)
 	if err != nil {
 		if err.Error() != UNKNOWN_VIEW_ERROR_MSG {
 			return err
 		}
-		v.Title = gui.Tr.DiffTitle
+		gui.Views.Main.Title = gui.Tr.DiffTitle
-		v.Wrap = true
+		gui.Views.Main.Wrap = true
-		v.FgColor = textColor
+		gui.Views.Main.FgColor = theme.GocuiDefaultTextColor
-		v.IgnoreCarriageReturns = true
+		gui.Views.Main.IgnoreCarriageReturns = true
 	}
 
-	secondaryView, err := setViewFromDimensions("secondary", "secondary", true)
+	gui.Views.Secondary, err = setViewFromDimensions("secondary", "secondary", true)
 	if err != nil {
 		if err.Error() != UNKNOWN_VIEW_ERROR_MSG {
 			return err
 		}
-		secondaryView.Title = gui.Tr.DiffTitle
+		gui.Views.Secondary.Title = gui.Tr.DiffTitle
-		secondaryView.Wrap = true
+		gui.Views.Secondary.Wrap = true
-		secondaryView.FgColor = textColor
+		gui.Views.Secondary.FgColor = theme.GocuiDefaultTextColor
-		secondaryView.IgnoreCarriageReturns = true
+		gui.Views.Secondary.IgnoreCarriageReturns = true
 	}
 
-	hiddenViewOffset := 9999
+	if gui.Views.Status, err = setViewFromDimensions("status", "status", true); err != nil {
-
-	if v, err := setViewFromDimensions("status", "status", true); err != nil {
 		if err.Error() != UNKNOWN_VIEW_ERROR_MSG {
 			return err
 		}
-		v.Title = gui.Tr.StatusTitle
+		gui.Views.Status.Title = gui.Tr.StatusTitle
-		v.FgColor = textColor
+		gui.Views.Status.FgColor = theme.GocuiDefaultTextColor
 	}
 
-	filesView, err := setViewFromDimensions("files", "files", true)
+	gui.Views.Files, err = setViewFromDimensions("files", "files", true)
 	if err != nil {
 		if err.Error() != UNKNOWN_VIEW_ERROR_MSG {
 			return err
 		}
-		filesView.Highlight = true
+		gui.Views.Files.Highlight = true
-		filesView.Title = gui.Tr.FilesTitle
+		gui.Views.Files.Title = gui.Tr.FilesTitle
-		filesView.FgColor = textColor
+		gui.Views.Files.FgColor = theme.GocuiDefaultTextColor
-		filesView.ContainsList = true
+		gui.Views.Files.ContainsList = true
 	}
 
-	branchesView, err := setViewFromDimensions("branches", "branches", true)
+	gui.Views.Branches, err = setViewFromDimensions("branches", "branches", true)
 	if err != nil {
 		if err.Error() != UNKNOWN_VIEW_ERROR_MSG {
 			return err
 		}
-		branchesView.Title = gui.Tr.BranchesTitle
+		gui.Views.Branches.Title = gui.Tr.BranchesTitle
-		branchesView.FgColor = textColor
+		gui.Views.Branches.FgColor = theme.GocuiDefaultTextColor
-		branchesView.ContainsList = true
+		gui.Views.Branches.ContainsList = true
 	}
 
-	commitFilesView, err := setViewFromDimensions("commitFiles", gui.State.Contexts.CommitFiles.GetWindowName(), true)
+	gui.Views.CommitFiles, err = setViewFromDimensions("commitFiles", gui.State.Contexts.CommitFiles.GetWindowName(), true)
 	if err != nil {
 		if err.Error() != UNKNOWN_VIEW_ERROR_MSG {
 			return err
 		}
-		commitFilesView.Title = gui.Tr.CommitFiles
+		gui.Views.CommitFiles.Title = gui.Tr.CommitFiles
-		commitFilesView.FgColor = textColor
+		gui.Views.CommitFiles.FgColor = theme.GocuiDefaultTextColor
-		commitFilesView.ContainsList = true
+		gui.Views.CommitFiles.ContainsList = true
-		_, _ = gui.g.SetViewOnBottom("commitFiles")
 	}
+	// if the commit files view is the view to be displayed for its window, we'll display it
+	gui.Views.CommitFiles.Visible = gui.getViewNameForWindow(gui.State.Contexts.CommitFiles.GetWindowName()) == "commitFiles"
 
-	commitsView, err := setViewFromDimensions("commits", "commits", true)
+	gui.Views.Commits, err = setViewFromDimensions("commits", "commits", true)
 	if err != nil {
 		if err.Error() != UNKNOWN_VIEW_ERROR_MSG {
 			return err
 		}
-		commitsView.Title = gui.Tr.CommitsTitle
+		gui.Views.Commits.Title = gui.Tr.CommitsTitle
-		commitsView.FgColor = textColor
+		gui.Views.Commits.FgColor = theme.GocuiDefaultTextColor
-		commitsView.ContainsList = true
+		gui.Views.Commits.ContainsList = true
 	}
 
-	stashView, err := setViewFromDimensions("stash", "stash", true)
+	gui.Views.Stash, err = setViewFromDimensions("stash", "stash", true)
 	if err != nil {
 		if err.Error() != UNKNOWN_VIEW_ERROR_MSG {
 			return err
 		}
-		stashView.Title = gui.Tr.StashTitle
+		gui.Views.Stash.Title = gui.Tr.StashTitle
-		stashView.FgColor = textColor
+		gui.Views.Stash.FgColor = theme.GocuiDefaultTextColor
-		stashView.ContainsList = true
+		gui.Views.Stash.ContainsList = true
 	}
 
-	if gui.getCommitMessageView() == nil {
+	if gui.Views.Options, err = setViewFromDimensions("options", "options", false); err != nil {
-		// doesn't matter where this view starts because it will be hidden
-		if commitMessageView, err := g.SetView("commitMessage", hiddenViewOffset, hiddenViewOffset, hiddenViewOffset+10, hiddenViewOffset+10, 0); err != nil {
-			if err.Error() != UNKNOWN_VIEW_ERROR_MSG {
-				return err
-			}
-			_, _ = g.SetViewOnBottom("commitMessage")
-			commitMessageView.Title = gui.Tr.CommitMessage
-			commitMessageView.FgColor = textColor
-			commitMessageView.Editable = true
-			commitMessageView.Editor = gocui.EditorFunc(gui.commitMessageEditor)
-		}
-	}
-
-	if check, _ := g.View("credentials"); check == nil {
-		// doesn't matter where this view starts because it will be hidden
-		if credentialsView, err := g.SetView("credentials", hiddenViewOffset, hiddenViewOffset, hiddenViewOffset+10, hiddenViewOffset+10, 0); err != nil {
-			if err.Error() != UNKNOWN_VIEW_ERROR_MSG {
-				return err
-			}
-			_, _ = g.SetViewOnBottom("credentials")
-			credentialsView.Title = gui.Tr.CredentialsUsername
-			credentialsView.FgColor = textColor
-			credentialsView.Editable = true
-		}
-	}
-
-	if v, err := setViewFromDimensions("options", "options", false); err != nil {
 		if err.Error() != UNKNOWN_VIEW_ERROR_MSG {
 			return err
 		}
-		v.Frame = false
+		gui.Views.Options.Frame = false
-		v.FgColor = theme.OptionsColor
+		gui.Views.Options.FgColor = theme.OptionsColor
 	}
 
 	// this view takes up one character. Its only purpose is to show the slash when searching
-	if searchPrefixView, err := setViewFromDimensions("searchPrefix", "searchPrefix", false); err != nil {
+	if gui.Views.SearchPrefix, err = setViewFromDimensions("searchPrefix", "searchPrefix", false); err != nil {
 		if err.Error() != UNKNOWN_VIEW_ERROR_MSG {
 			return err
 		}
 
-		searchPrefixView.BgColor = gocui.ColorDefault
+		gui.Views.SearchPrefix.BgColor = gocui.ColorDefault
-		searchPrefixView.FgColor = gocui.ColorGreen
+		gui.Views.SearchPrefix.FgColor = gocui.ColorGreen
-		searchPrefixView.Frame = false
+		gui.Views.SearchPrefix.Frame = false
-		gui.setViewContent(searchPrefixView, SEARCH_PREFIX)
+		gui.setViewContent(gui.Views.SearchPrefix, SEARCH_PREFIX)
 	}
 
-	if searchView, err := setViewFromDimensions("search", "search", false); err != nil {
+	if gui.Views.Search, err = setViewFromDimensions("search", "search", false); err != nil {
 		if err.Error() != UNKNOWN_VIEW_ERROR_MSG {
 			return err
 		}
 
-		searchView.BgColor = gocui.ColorDefault
+		gui.Views.Search.BgColor = gocui.ColorDefault
-		searchView.FgColor = gocui.ColorGreen
+		gui.Views.Search.FgColor = gocui.ColorGreen
-		searchView.Frame = false
+		gui.Views.Search.Frame = false
-		searchView.Editable = true
+		gui.Views.Search.Editable = true
 	}
 
-	if appStatusView, err := setViewFromDimensions("appStatus", "appStatus", false); err != nil {
+	if gui.Views.AppStatus, err = setViewFromDimensions("appStatus", "appStatus", false); err != nil {
 		if err.Error() != UNKNOWN_VIEW_ERROR_MSG {
 			return err
 		}
-		appStatusView.BgColor = gocui.ColorDefault
+		gui.Views.AppStatus.BgColor = gocui.ColorDefault
-		appStatusView.FgColor = gocui.ColorCyan
+		gui.Views.AppStatus.FgColor = gocui.ColorCyan
-		appStatusView.Frame = false
+		gui.Views.AppStatus.Frame = false
-		_, _ = g.SetViewOnBottom("appStatus")
+		gui.Views.AppStatus.Visible = false
 	}
 
-	informationView, err := setViewFromDimensions("information", "information", false)
+	gui.Views.Information, err = setViewFromDimensions("information", "information", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		if err.Error() != UNKNOWN_VIEW_ERROR_MSG {
 			return err
 		}
-		informationView.BgColor = gocui.ColorDefault
+		gui.Views.Information.BgColor = gocui.ColorDefault
-		informationView.FgColor = gocui.ColorGreen
+		gui.Views.Information.FgColor = gocui.ColorGreen
-		informationView.Frame = false
+		gui.Views.Information.Frame = false
 		gui.renderString("information", INFO_SECTION_PADDING+informationStr)
 	}
 	if gui.State.OldInformation != informationStr {
-		gui.setViewContent(informationView, informationStr)
+		gui.setViewContent(gui.Views.Information, informationStr)
 		gui.State.OldInformation = informationStr
 	}
 
@@ -289,7 +260,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) layout(g *gocui.Gui) error {
 		}
 
 		// ignore contexts whose view is owned by another context right now
-		if view.Context != listContext.GetKey() {
+		if ContextKey(view.Context) != listContext.GetKey() {
 			continue
 		}
 
@@ -302,9 +273,9 @@ func (gui *Gui) layout(g *gocui.Gui) error {
 		view.SetOnSelectItem(gui.onSelectItemWrapper(listContext.onSearchSelect))
 	}
 
-	gui.getMainView().SetOnSelectItem(gui.onSelectItemWrapper(gui.handlelineByLineNavigateTo))
+	gui.Views.Main.SetOnSelectItem(gui.onSelectItemWrapper(gui.handlelineByLineNavigateTo))
 
-	mainViewWidth, mainViewHeight := gui.getMainView().Size()
+	mainViewWidth, mainViewHeight := gui.Views.Main.Size()
 	if mainViewWidth != gui.State.PrevMainWidth || mainViewHeight != gui.State.PrevMainHeight {
 		gui.State.PrevMainWidth = mainViewWidth
 		gui.State.PrevMainHeight = mainViewHeight
@@ -320,28 +291,24 @@ func (gui *Gui) layout(g *gocui.Gui) error {
 	return gui.resizeCurrentPopupPanel()
 }
 
+func (gui *Gui) setHiddenView(viewName string) (*gocui.View, error) {
+	// arbitrarily giving the view enough size so that we don't get an error, but
+	// it's expected that the view will be given the correct size before being shown
+	return gui.g.SetView(viewName, 0, 0, 10, 10, 0)
+}
+
 func (gui *Gui) onInitialViewsCreationForRepo() error {
 	gui.setInitialViewContexts()
 
 	// hide any popup views. This only applies when we've just switched repos
 	for _, viewName := range gui.popupViewNames() {
-		_, _ = gui.g.SetViewOnBottom(viewName)
+		view, err := gui.g.View(viewName)
-	}
+		if err == nil {
-
+			view.Visible = false
-	// the status panel is not actually a list context at the moment, so it is excluded
-	// here. Arguably that's quite convenient because it means we're back to starting
-	// in the files panel when landing in a new repo, but when returning from a submodule
-	// we'll be back in the submodules context. This still seems awkward though, and it's
-	// definitely going to break when (if) we make the status context a list context
-	initialContext := gui.currentSideContext()
-	if initialContext == nil {
-		if gui.State.Modes.Filtering.Active() {
-			initialContext = gui.State.Contexts.BranchCommits
-		} else {
-			initialContext = gui.State.Contexts.Files
 		}
 	}
 
+	initialContext := gui.currentSideContext()
 	if err := gui.pushContext(initialContext); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -350,6 +317,49 @@ func (gui *Gui) onInitialViewsCreationForRepo() error {
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) onInitialViewsCreation() error {
+	// creating some views which are hidden at the start but we need to exist so that we can set an initial ordering
+	if err := gui.createHiddenViews(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// now we order the views (in order of bottom first)
+	layerOneViews := []*gocui.View{
+		// first layer. Ordering within this layer does not matter because there are
+		// no overlapping views
+		gui.Views.Status,
+		gui.Views.Files,
+		gui.Views.Branches,
+		gui.Views.Commits,
+		gui.Views.Stash,
+		gui.Views.CommitFiles,
+		gui.Views.Main,
+		gui.Views.Secondary,
+
+		// bottom line
+		gui.Views.Options,
+		gui.Views.AppStatus,
+		gui.Views.Information,
+		gui.Views.Search,
+		gui.Views.SearchPrefix,
+
+		// popups. Ordering within this layer does not matter because there should
+		// only be one popup shown at a time
+		gui.Views.CommitMessage,
+		gui.Views.Credentials,
+		gui.Views.Menu,
+		gui.Views.Confirmation,
+		gui.Views.Suggestions,
+
+		// this guy will cover everything else when it appears
+		gui.Views.Limit,
+	}
+
+	for _, view := range layerOneViews {
+		if _, err := gui.g.SetViewOnTop(view.Name()); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
 	gui.g.Mutexes.ViewsMutex.Lock()
 	// add tabs to views
 	for _, view := range gui.g.Views() {
@@ -378,3 +388,58 @@ func (gui *Gui) onInitialViewsCreation() error {
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+func (gui *Gui) createHiddenViews() error {
+	// doesn't matter where this view starts because it will be hidden
+	var err error
+	if gui.Views.CommitMessage, err = gui.setHiddenView("commitMessage"); err != nil {
+		if err.Error() != UNKNOWN_VIEW_ERROR_MSG {
+			return err
+		}
+		gui.Views.CommitMessage.Visible = false
+		gui.Views.CommitMessage.Title = gui.Tr.CommitMessage
+		gui.Views.CommitMessage.FgColor = theme.GocuiDefaultTextColor
+		gui.Views.CommitMessage.Editable = true
+		gui.Views.CommitMessage.Editor = gocui.EditorFunc(gui.commitMessageEditor)
+	}
+
+	// doesn't matter where this view starts because it will be hidden
+	if gui.Views.Credentials, err = gui.setHiddenView("credentials"); err != nil {
+		if err.Error() != UNKNOWN_VIEW_ERROR_MSG {
+			return err
+		}
+		gui.Views.Credentials.Visible = false
+		gui.Views.Credentials.Title = gui.Tr.CredentialsUsername
+		gui.Views.Credentials.FgColor = theme.GocuiDefaultTextColor
+		gui.Views.Credentials.Editable = true
+	}
+
+	// not worrying about setting attributes because that will be done when the view is actually shown
+	gui.Views.Confirmation, err = gui.setHiddenView("confirmation")
+	if err != nil {
+		if err.Error() != UNKNOWN_VIEW_ERROR_MSG {
+			return err
+		}
+		gui.Views.Confirmation.Visible = false
+	}
+
+	// not worrying about setting attributes because that will be done when the view is actually shown
+	gui.Views.Suggestions, err = gui.setHiddenView("suggestions")
+	if err != nil {
+		if err.Error() != UNKNOWN_VIEW_ERROR_MSG {
+			return err
+		}
+		gui.Views.Suggestions.Visible = false
+	}
+
+	// not worrying about setting attributes because that will be done when the view is actually shown
+	gui.Views.Menu, err = gui.setHiddenView("menu")
+	if err != nil {
+		if err.Error() != UNKNOWN_VIEW_ERROR_MSG {
+			return err
+		}
+		gui.Views.Menu.Visible = false
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}

pkg/gui/line_by_line_panel.go

@@ -82,9 +82,8 @@ func (gui *Gui) refreshLineByLinePanel(diff string, secondaryDiff string, second
 		return false, err
 	}
 
-	secondaryView := gui.getSecondaryView()
+	gui.Views.Secondary.Highlight = true
-	secondaryView.Highlight = true
+	gui.Views.Secondary.Wrap = false
-	secondaryView.Wrap = false
 
 	secondaryPatchParser, err := patch.NewPatchParser(gui.Log, secondaryDiff)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -92,7 +91,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) refreshLineByLinePanel(diff string, secondaryDiff string, second
 	}
 
 	gui.g.Update(func(*gocui.Gui) error {
-		gui.setViewContent(gui.getSecondaryView(), secondaryPatchParser.Render(-1, -1, nil))
+		gui.setViewContent(gui.Views.Secondary, secondaryPatchParser.Render(-1, -1, nil))
 		return nil
 	})
 
@@ -184,7 +183,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleLBLMouseDown() error {
 			return nil
 		}
 
-		newSelectedLineIdx := gui.getMainView().SelectedLineIdx()
+		newSelectedLineIdx := gui.Views.Main.SelectedLineIdx()
 		state.FirstLineIdx = newSelectedLineIdx
 		state.LastLineIdx = newSelectedLineIdx
 
@@ -200,7 +199,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleMouseDrag() error {
 			return nil
 		}
 
-		return gui.LBLSelectLine(gui.getMainView().SelectedLineIdx(), state)
+		return gui.LBLSelectLine(gui.Views.Main.SelectedLineIdx(), state)
 	})
 }
 
@@ -248,12 +247,11 @@ func (gui *Gui) refreshMainViewForLineByLine(state *lBlPanelState) error {
 	}
 	colorDiff := state.PatchParser.Render(state.FirstLineIdx, state.LastLineIdx, includedLineIndices)
 
-	mainView := gui.getMainView()
+	gui.Views.Main.Highlight = true
-	mainView.Highlight = true
+	gui.Views.Main.Wrap = false
-	mainView.Wrap = false
 
 	gui.g.Update(func(*gocui.Gui) error {
-		gui.setViewContent(gui.getMainView(), colorDiff)
+		gui.setViewContent(gui.Views.Main, colorDiff)
 		return nil
 	})
 
@@ -263,7 +261,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) refreshMainViewForLineByLine(state *lBlPanelState) error {
 // focusSelection works out the best focus for the staging panel given the
 // selected line and size of the hunk
 func (gui *Gui) focusSelection(includeCurrentHunk bool, state *lBlPanelState) error {
-	stagingView := gui.getMainView()
+	stagingView := gui.Views.Main
 
 	_, viewHeight := stagingView.Size()
 	bufferHeight := viewHeight - 1
@@ -367,7 +365,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleOpenFileAtLine() error {
 
 func (gui *Gui) handleLineByLineNextPage() error {
 	return gui.withLBLActiveCheck(func(state *lBlPanelState) error {
-		newSelectedLineIdx := state.SelectedLineIdx + gui.pageDelta(gui.getMainView())
+		newSelectedLineIdx := state.SelectedLineIdx + gui.pageDelta(gui.Views.Main)
 
 		return gui.lineByLineNavigateTo(newSelectedLineIdx, state)
 	})
@@ -375,7 +373,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleLineByLineNextPage() error {
 
 func (gui *Gui) handleLineByLinePrevPage() error {
 	return gui.withLBLActiveCheck(func(state *lBlPanelState) error {
-		newSelectedLineIdx := state.SelectedLineIdx - gui.pageDelta(gui.getMainView())
+		newSelectedLineIdx := state.SelectedLineIdx - gui.pageDelta(gui.Views.Main)
 
 		return gui.lineByLineNavigateTo(newSelectedLineIdx, state)
 	})

pkg/gui/list_context.go

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import (
 
 type ListContext struct {
 	ViewName            string
-	ContextKey          string
+	ContextKey          ContextKey
 	GetItemsLength      func() int
 	GetDisplayStrings   func() [][]string
 	OnFocus             func() error
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ func (lc *ListContext) OnRender() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (lc *ListContext) GetKey() string {
+func (lc *ListContext) GetKey() ContextKey {
 	return lc.ContextKey
 }
 
@@ -136,10 +136,10 @@ func (lc *ListContext) HandleFocus() error {
 	view.FocusPoint(0, lc.GetPanelState().GetSelectedLineIdx())
 
 	if lc.ResetMainViewOriginOnFocus {
-		if err := lc.Gui.resetOrigin(lc.Gui.getMainView()); err != nil {
+		if err := lc.Gui.resetOrigin(lc.Gui.Views.Main); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		if err := lc.Gui.resetOrigin(lc.Gui.getSecondaryView()); err != nil {
+		if err := lc.Gui.resetOrigin(lc.Gui.Views.Secondary); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) menuListContext() *ListContext {
 	return &ListContext{
 		ViewName:                   "menu",
 		ContextKey:                 "menu",
-		GetItemsLength:             func() int { return gui.getMenuView().LinesHeight() },
+		GetItemsLength:             func() int { return gui.Views.Menu.LinesHeight() },
 		GetPanelState:              func() IListPanelState { return gui.State.Panels.Menu },
 		OnFocus:                    gui.handleMenuSelect,
 		OnClickSelectedItem:        gui.onMenuPress,
@@ -556,16 +556,16 @@ func (gui *Gui) getListContextKeyBindings() []*Binding {
 		listContext := listContext
 
 		bindings = append(bindings, []*Binding{
-			{ViewName: listContext.ViewName, Tag: "navigation", Contexts: []string{listContext.ContextKey}, Key: gui.getKey(keybindingConfig.Universal.PrevItemAlt), Modifier: gocui.ModNone, Handler: listContext.handlePrevLine},
+			{ViewName: listContext.ViewName, Tag: "navigation", Contexts: []string{string(listContext.ContextKey)}, Key: gui.getKey(keybindingConfig.Universal.PrevItemAlt), Modifier: gocui.ModNone, Handler: listContext.handlePrevLine},
-			{ViewName: listContext.ViewName, Tag: "navigation", Contexts: []string{listContext.ContextKey}, Key: gui.getKey(keybindingConfig.Universal.PrevItem), Modifier: gocui.ModNone, Handler: listContext.handlePrevLine},
+			{ViewName: listContext.ViewName, Tag: "navigation", Contexts: []string{string(listContext.ContextKey)}, Key: gui.getKey(keybindingConfig.Universal.PrevItem), Modifier: gocui.ModNone, Handler: listContext.handlePrevLine},
-			{ViewName: listContext.ViewName, Tag: "navigation", Contexts: []string{listContext.ContextKey}, Key: gocui.MouseWheelUp, Modifier: gocui.ModNone, Handler: listContext.handlePrevLine},
+			{ViewName: listContext.ViewName, Tag: "navigation", Contexts: []string{string(listContext.ContextKey)}, Key: gocui.MouseWheelUp, Modifier: gocui.ModNone, Handler: listContext.handlePrevLine},
-			{ViewName: listContext.ViewName, Tag: "navigation", Contexts: []string{listContext.ContextKey}, Key: gui.getKey(keybindingConfig.Universal.NextItemAlt), Modifier: gocui.ModNone, Handler: listContext.handleNextLine},
+			{ViewName: listContext.ViewName, Tag: "navigation", Contexts: []string{string(listContext.ContextKey)}, Key: gui.getKey(keybindingConfig.Universal.NextItemAlt), Modifier: gocui.ModNone, Handler: listContext.handleNextLine},
-			{ViewName: listContext.ViewName, Tag: "navigation", Contexts: []string{listContext.ContextKey}, Key: gui.getKey(keybindingConfig.Universal.NextItem), Modifier: gocui.ModNone, Handler: listContext.handleNextLine},
+			{ViewName: listContext.ViewName, Tag: "navigation", Contexts: []string{string(listContext.ContextKey)}, Key: gui.getKey(keybindingConfig.Universal.NextItem), Modifier: gocui.ModNone, Handler: listContext.handleNextLine},
-			{ViewName: listContext.ViewName, Tag: "navigation", Contexts: []string{listContext.ContextKey}, Key: gui.getKey(keybindingConfig.Universal.PrevPage), Modifier: gocui.ModNone, Handler: listContext.handlePrevPage, Description: gui.Tr.LcPrevPage},
+			{ViewName: listContext.ViewName, Tag: "navigation", Contexts: []string{string(listContext.ContextKey)}, Key: gui.getKey(keybindingConfig.Universal.PrevPage), Modifier: gocui.ModNone, Handler: listContext.handlePrevPage, Description: gui.Tr.LcPrevPage},
-			{ViewName: listContext.ViewName, Tag: "navigation", Contexts: []string{listContext.ContextKey}, Key: gui.getKey(keybindingConfig.Universal.NextPage), Modifier: gocui.ModNone, Handler: listContext.handleNextPage, Description: gui.Tr.LcNextPage},
+			{ViewName: listContext.ViewName, Tag: "navigation", Contexts: []string{string(listContext.ContextKey)}, Key: gui.getKey(keybindingConfig.Universal.NextPage), Modifier: gocui.ModNone, Handler: listContext.handleNextPage, Description: gui.Tr.LcNextPage},
-			{ViewName: listContext.ViewName, Tag: "navigation", Contexts: []string{listContext.ContextKey}, Key: gui.getKey(keybindingConfig.Universal.GotoTop), Modifier: gocui.ModNone, Handler: listContext.handleGotoTop, Description: gui.Tr.LcGotoTop},
+			{ViewName: listContext.ViewName, Tag: "navigation", Contexts: []string{string(listContext.ContextKey)}, Key: gui.getKey(keybindingConfig.Universal.GotoTop), Modifier: gocui.ModNone, Handler: listContext.handleGotoTop, Description: gui.Tr.LcGotoTop},
-			{ViewName: listContext.ViewName, Tag: "navigation", Contexts: []string{listContext.ContextKey}, Key: gocui.MouseWheelDown, Modifier: gocui.ModNone, Handler: listContext.handleNextLine},
+			{ViewName: listContext.ViewName, Tag: "navigation", Contexts: []string{string(listContext.ContextKey)}, Key: gocui.MouseWheelDown, Modifier: gocui.ModNone, Handler: listContext.handleNextLine},
-			{ViewName: listContext.ViewName, Contexts: []string{listContext.ContextKey}, Key: gocui.MouseLeft, Modifier: gocui.ModNone, Handler: listContext.handleClick},
+			{ViewName: listContext.ViewName, Contexts: []string{string(listContext.ContextKey)}, Key: gocui.MouseLeft, Modifier: gocui.ModNone, Handler: listContext.handleClick},
 		}...)
 
 		// the commits panel needs to lazyload things so it has a couple of its own handlers
@@ -579,7 +579,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) getListContextKeyBindings() []*Binding {
 		bindings = append(bindings, []*Binding{
 			{
 				ViewName:    listContext.ViewName,
-				Contexts:    []string{listContext.ContextKey},
+				Contexts:    []string{string(listContext.ContextKey)},
 				Key:         gui.getKey(keybindingConfig.Universal.StartSearch),
 				Handler:     func() error { return openSearchHandler(listContext.ViewName) },
 				Description: gui.Tr.LcStartSearch,
@@ -587,7 +587,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) getListContextKeyBindings() []*Binding {
 			},
 			{
 				ViewName:    listContext.ViewName,
-				Contexts:    []string{listContext.ContextKey},
+				Contexts:    []string{string(listContext.ContextKey)},
 				Key:         gui.getKey(keybindingConfig.Universal.GotoBottom),
 				Handler:     gotoBottomHandler,
 				Description: gui.Tr.LcGotoBottom,

pkg/gui/main_panels.go

@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 package gui
 
-import "os/exec"
+import (
+	"os/exec"
+
+	"github.com/jesseduffield/gocui"
+)
 
 type viewUpdateOpts struct {
 	title string
@@ -42,7 +46,7 @@ func (t *renderStringTask) GetKind() TaskKind {
 	return RENDER_STRING
 }
 
-func (gui *Gui) createRenderStringTask(str string) *renderStringTask {
+func NewRenderStringTask(str string) *renderStringTask {
 	return &renderStringTask{str: str}
 }
 
@@ -54,7 +58,7 @@ func (t *renderStringWithoutScrollTask) GetKind() TaskKind {
 	return RENDER_STRING_WITHOUT_SCROLL
 }
 
-func (gui *Gui) createRenderStringWithoutScrollTask(str string) *renderStringWithoutScrollTask {
+func NewRenderStringWithoutScrollTask(str string) *renderStringWithoutScrollTask {
 	return &renderStringWithoutScrollTask{str: str}
 }
 
@@ -67,11 +71,11 @@ func (t *runCommandTask) GetKind() TaskKind {
 	return RUN_COMMAND
 }
 
-func (gui *Gui) createRunCommandTask(cmd *exec.Cmd) *runCommandTask {
+func NewRunCommandTask(cmd *exec.Cmd) *runCommandTask {
 	return &runCommandTask{cmd: cmd}
 }
 
-func (gui *Gui) createRunCommandTaskWithPrefix(cmd *exec.Cmd, prefix string) *runCommandTask {
+func NewRunCommandTaskWithPrefix(cmd *exec.Cmd, prefix string) *runCommandTask {
 	return &runCommandTask{cmd: cmd, prefix: prefix}
 }
 
@@ -84,7 +88,7 @@ func (t *runPtyTask) GetKind() TaskKind {
 	return RUN_PTY
 }
 
-func (gui *Gui) createRunPtyTask(cmd *exec.Cmd) *runPtyTask {
+func NewRunPtyTask(cmd *exec.Cmd) *runPtyTask {
 	return &runPtyTask{cmd: cmd}
 }
 
@@ -134,18 +138,12 @@ func (gui *Gui) runTaskForView(viewName string, task updateTask) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (gui *Gui) refreshMainView(opts *viewUpdateOpts, viewName string) error {
+func (gui *Gui) refreshMainView(opts *viewUpdateOpts, view *gocui.View) error {
-	view, err := gui.g.View(viewName)
-	if err != nil {
-		gui.Log.Error(err)
-		return nil
-	}
-
 	view.Title = opts.title
 	view.Wrap = !opts.noWrap
 	view.Highlight = opts.highlight
 
-	if err := gui.runTaskForView(viewName, opts.task); err != nil {
+	if err := gui.runTaskForView(view.Name(), opts.task); err != nil {
 		gui.Log.Error(err)
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -155,19 +153,19 @@ func (gui *Gui) refreshMainView(opts *viewUpdateOpts, viewName string) error {
 
 func (gui *Gui) refreshMainViews(opts refreshMainOpts) error {
 	if opts.main != nil {
-		if err := gui.refreshMainView(opts.main, "main"); err != nil {
+		if err := gui.refreshMainView(opts.main, gui.Views.Main); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	if opts.secondary != nil {
+		if err := gui.refreshMainView(opts.secondary, gui.Views.Secondary); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
 
 	gui.splitMainPanel(opts.secondary != nil)
 
-	if opts.secondary != nil {
-		if err := gui.refreshMainView(opts.secondary, "secondary"); err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-	}
-
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -176,7 +174,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) splitMainPanel(splitMainPanel bool) {
 
 	// no need to set view on bottom when splitMainPanel is false: it will have zero size anyway thanks to our view arrangement code.
 	if splitMainPanel {
-		_, _ = gui.g.SetViewOnTop("secondary")
+		gui.Views.Secondary.Visible = false
 	}
 }
 

pkg/gui/menu_panel.go

@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ func (gui *Gui) getMenuOptions() map[string]string {
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) handleMenuClose() error {
-	_ = gui.g.DeleteView("menu")
 	return gui.returnFromContext()
 }
 

pkg/gui/merge_panel.go

@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) refreshMergePanel() error {
 		return gui.refreshMainViews(refreshMainOpts{
 			main: &viewUpdateOpts{
 				title: "",
-				task:  gui.createRenderStringTask(err.Error()),
+				task:  NewRenderStringTask(err.Error()),
 			},
 		})
 	}
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) refreshMergePanel() error {
 	return gui.refreshMainViews(refreshMainOpts{
 		main: &viewUpdateOpts{
 			title:  gui.Tr.MergeConflictsTitle,
-			task:   gui.createRenderStringWithoutScrollTask(content),
+			task:   NewRenderStringWithoutScrollTask(content),
 			noWrap: true,
 		},
 	})
@@ -236,7 +236,8 @@ func (gui *Gui) scrollToConflict() error {
 	if len(panelState.Conflicts) == 0 {
 		return nil
 	}
-	mergingView := gui.getMainView()
+
+	mergingView := gui.Views.Main
 	conflict := panelState.Conflicts[panelState.ConflictIndex]
 	ox, _ := mergingView.Origin()
 	_, height := mergingView.Size()
@@ -269,7 +270,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleEscapeMerge() error {
 	}
 	// it's possible this method won't be called from the merging view so we need to
 	// ensure we only 'return' focus if we already have it
-	if gui.g.CurrentView() == gui.getMainView() {
+	if gui.g.CurrentView() == gui.Views.Main {
 		return gui.pushContext(gui.State.Contexts.Files)
 	}
 	return nil

pkg/gui/patch_building_panel.go

@@ -22,10 +22,8 @@ func (gui *Gui) refreshPatchBuildingPanel(selectedLineIdx int, state *lBlPanelSt
 		return gui.handleEscapePatchBuildingPanel()
 	}
 
-	gui.splitMainPanel(true)
+	gui.Views.Main.Title = "Patch"
-
+	gui.Views.Secondary.Title = "Custom Patch"
-	gui.getMainView().Title = "Patch"
-	gui.getSecondaryView().Title = "Custom Patch"
 
 	// get diff from commit file that's currently selected
 	node := gui.getSelectedCommitFileNode()
@@ -125,7 +123,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) secondaryPatchPanelUpdateOpts() *viewUpdateOpts {
 			title:     "Custom Patch",
 			noWrap:    true,
 			highlight: true,
-			task:      gui.createRenderStringWithoutScrollTask(patch),
+			task:      NewRenderStringWithoutScrollTask(patch),
 		}
 	}
 

pkg/gui/pty.go

@@ -12,8 +12,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) onResize() error {
 	if gui.State.Ptmx == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
-	mainView := gui.getMainView()
+	width, height := gui.Views.Main.Size()
-	width, height := mainView.Size()
 
 	if err := pty.Setsize(gui.State.Ptmx, &pty.Winsize{Cols: uint16(width), Rows: uint16(height)}); err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -31,7 +30,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) onResize() error {
 // pseudo-terminal meaning we'll get the behaviour we want from the underlying
 // command.
 func (gui *Gui) newPtyTask(viewName string, cmd *exec.Cmd, prefix string) error {
-	width, _ := gui.getMainView().Size()
+	width, _ := gui.Views.Main.Size()
 	pager := gui.GitCommand.GetPager(width)
 
 	if pager == "" {

pkg/gui/recent_repos_panel.go

@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleShowAllBranchLogs() error {
 	cmd := gui.OSCommand.ExecutableFromString(
 		gui.Config.GetUserConfig().Git.AllBranchesLogCmd,
 	)
-	task := gui.createRunPtyTask(cmd)
+	task := NewRunPtyTask(cmd)
 
 	return gui.refreshMainViews(refreshMainOpts{
 		main: &viewUpdateOpts{

pkg/gui/reflog_panel.go

@@ -20,13 +20,13 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleReflogCommitSelect() error {
 	commit := gui.getSelectedReflogCommit()
 	var task updateTask
 	if commit == nil {
-		task = gui.createRenderStringTask("No reflog history")
+		task = NewRenderStringTask("No reflog history")
 	} else {
 		cmd := gui.OSCommand.ExecutableFromString(
 			gui.GitCommand.ShowCmdStr(commit.Sha, gui.State.Modes.Filtering.GetPath()),
 		)
 
-		task = gui.createRunPtyTask(cmd)
+		task = NewRunPtyTask(cmd)
 	}
 
 	return gui.refreshMainViews(refreshMainOpts{

pkg/gui/remote_branches_panel.go

@@ -22,12 +22,12 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleRemoteBranchSelect() error {
 	var task updateTask
 	remoteBranch := gui.getSelectedRemoteBranch()
 	if remoteBranch == nil {
-		task = gui.createRenderStringTask("No branches for this remote")
+		task = NewRenderStringTask("No branches for this remote")
 	} else {
 		cmd := gui.OSCommand.ExecutableFromString(
 			gui.GitCommand.GetBranchGraphCmdStr(remoteBranch.FullName()),
 		)
-		task = gui.createRunCommandTask(cmd)
+		task = NewRunCommandTask(cmd)
 	}
 
 	return gui.refreshMainViews(refreshMainOpts{

pkg/gui/remotes_panel.go

@@ -24,9 +24,9 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleRemoteSelect() error {
 	var task updateTask
 	remote := gui.getSelectedRemote()
 	if remote == nil {
-		task = gui.createRenderStringTask("No remotes")
+		task = NewRenderStringTask("No remotes")
 	} else {
-		task = gui.createRenderStringTask(fmt.Sprintf("%s\nUrls:\n%s", utils.ColoredString(remote.Name, color.FgGreen), strings.Join(remote.Urls, "\n")))
+		task = NewRenderStringTask(fmt.Sprintf("%s\nUrls:\n%s", utils.ColoredString(remote.Name, color.FgGreen), strings.Join(remote.Urls, "\n")))
 	}
 
 	return gui.refreshMainViews(refreshMainOpts{
@@ -57,12 +57,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) refreshRemotes() error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	branchesView := gui.getBranchesView()
+	return gui.postRefreshUpdate(gui.mustContextForContextKey(ContextKey(gui.Views.Branches.Context)))
-	if branchesView != nil {
-		return gui.postRefreshUpdate(gui.mustContextForContextKey(branchesView.Context))
-	}
-
-	return nil
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) handleRemoteEnter() error {

pkg/gui/searching.go

@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleOpenSearch(viewName string) error {
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) handleSearch() error {
-	gui.State.Searching.searchString = gui.getSearchView().Buffer()
+	gui.State.Searching.searchString = gui.Views.Search.Buffer()
 	if err := gui.returnFromContext(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}

pkg/gui/side_window.go

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) nextSideWindow() error {
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	if err := gui.resetOrigin(gui.getMainView()); err != nil {
+	if err := gui.resetOrigin(gui.Views.Main); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) previousSideWindow() error {
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	if err := gui.resetOrigin(gui.getMainView()); err != nil {
+	if err := gui.resetOrigin(gui.Views.Main); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 

pkg/gui/staging_panel.go

@@ -26,11 +26,11 @@ func (gui *Gui) refreshStagingPanel(forceSecondaryFocused bool, selectedLineIdx
 	}
 
 	if secondaryFocused {
-		gui.getMainView().Title = gui.Tr.StagedChanges
+		gui.Views.Main.Title = gui.Tr.StagedChanges
-		gui.getSecondaryView().Title = gui.Tr.UnstagedChanges
+		gui.Views.Secondary.Title = gui.Tr.UnstagedChanges
 	} else {
-		gui.getMainView().Title = gui.Tr.UnstagedChanges
+		gui.Views.Main.Title = gui.Tr.UnstagedChanges
-		gui.getSecondaryView().Title = gui.Tr.StagedChanges
+		gui.Views.Secondary.Title = gui.Tr.StagedChanges
 	}
 
 	// note for custom diffs, we'll need to send a flag here saying not to use the custom diff
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleTogglePanelClick() error {
 	return gui.withLBLActiveCheck(func(state *lBlPanelState) error {
 		state.SecondaryFocused = !state.SecondaryFocused
 
-		return gui.refreshStagingPanel(false, gui.getSecondaryView().SelectedLineIdx(), state)
+		return gui.refreshStagingPanel(false, gui.Views.Secondary.SelectedLineIdx(), state)
 	})
 }
 

pkg/gui/stash_panel.go

@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleStashEntrySelect() error {
 	var task updateTask
 	stashEntry := gui.getSelectedStashEntry()
 	if stashEntry == nil {
-		task = gui.createRenderStringTask(gui.Tr.NoStashEntries)
+		task = NewRenderStringTask(gui.Tr.NoStashEntries)
 	} else {
 		cmd := gui.OSCommand.ExecutableFromString(
 			gui.GitCommand.ShowStashEntryCmdStr(stashEntry.Index),
 		)
-		task = gui.createRunPtyTask(cmd)
+		task = NewRunPtyTask(cmd)
 	}
 
 	return gui.refreshMainViews(refreshMainOpts{

pkg/gui/status_panel.go

@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) refreshStatus() {
 	status += fmt.Sprintf("%s → %s ", repoName, name)
 
 	gui.g.Update(func(*gocui.Gui) error {
-		gui.setViewContent(gui.getStatusView(), status)
+		gui.setViewContent(gui.Views.Status, status)
 		return nil
 	})
 }
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleStatusClick() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	cx, _ := gui.getStatusView().Cursor()
+	cx, _ := gui.Views.Status.Cursor()
 	upstreamStatus := fmt.Sprintf("↑%s↓%s", currentBranch.Pushables, currentBranch.Pullables)
 	repoName := utils.GetCurrentRepoName()
 	switch gui.GitCommand.WorkingTreeState() {
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleStatusSelect() error {
 	return gui.refreshMainViews(refreshMainOpts{
 		main: &viewUpdateOpts{
 			title: "",
-			task:  gui.createRenderStringTask(dashboardString),
+			task:  NewRenderStringTask(dashboardString),
 		},
 	})
 }

pkg/gui/sub_commits_panel.go

@@ -21,13 +21,13 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleSubCommitSelect() error {
 	commit := gui.getSelectedSubCommit()
 	var task updateTask
 	if commit == nil {
-		task = gui.createRenderStringTask("No commits")
+		task = NewRenderStringTask("No commits")
 	} else {
 		cmd := gui.OSCommand.ExecutableFromString(
 			gui.GitCommand.ShowCmdStr(commit.Sha, gui.State.Modes.Filtering.GetPath()),
 		)
 
-		task = gui.createRunPtyTask(cmd)
+		task = NewRunPtyTask(cmd)
 	}
 
 	return gui.refreshMainViews(refreshMainOpts{
@@ -94,13 +94,13 @@ func (gui *Gui) switchToSubCommitsContext(refName string) error {
 	gui.State.SubCommits = commits
 	gui.State.Panels.SubCommits.refName = refName
 	gui.State.Panels.SubCommits.SelectedLineIdx = 0
-	gui.State.Contexts.SubCommits.SetParentContext(gui.currentSideContext())
+	gui.State.Contexts.SubCommits.SetParentContext(gui.currentSideListContext())
 
 	return gui.pushContext(gui.State.Contexts.SubCommits)
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) handleSwitchToSubCommits() error {
-	currentContext := gui.currentSideContext()
+	currentContext := gui.currentSideListContext()
 	if currentContext == nil {
 		return nil
 	}

pkg/gui/submodules_panel.go

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleSubmoduleSelect() error {
 	var task updateTask
 	submodule := gui.getSelectedSubmodule()
 	if submodule == nil {
-		task = gui.createRenderStringTask("No submodules")
+		task = NewRenderStringTask("No submodules")
 	} else {
 		prefix := fmt.Sprintf(
 			"Name: %s\nPath: %s\nUrl:  %s\n\n",
@@ -35,11 +35,11 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleSubmoduleSelect() error {
 
 		file := gui.fileForSubmodule(submodule)
 		if file == nil {
-			task = gui.createRenderStringTask(prefix)
+			task = NewRenderStringTask(prefix)
 		} else {
 			cmdStr := gui.GitCommand.WorktreeFileDiffCmdStr(file, false, !file.HasUnstagedChanges && file.HasStagedChanges)
 			cmd := gui.OSCommand.ExecutableFromString(cmdStr)
-			task = gui.createRunCommandTaskWithPrefix(cmd, prefix)
+			task = NewRunCommandTaskWithPrefix(cmd, prefix)
 		}
 	}
 

pkg/gui/suggestions_panel.go

@@ -24,13 +24,8 @@ func (gui *Gui) getSelectedSuggestion() *types.Suggestion {
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) setSuggestions(suggestions []*types.Suggestion) {
-	view := gui.getSuggestionsView()
-	if view == nil {
-		return
-	}
-
 	gui.State.Suggestions = suggestions
 	gui.State.Panels.Suggestions.SelectedLineIdx = 0
-	_ = gui.resetOrigin(view)
+	_ = gui.resetOrigin(gui.Views.Suggestions)
 	_ = gui.State.Contexts.Suggestions.HandleRender()
 }

pkg/gui/tags_panel.go

@@ -5,8 +5,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/jesseduffield/lazygit/pkg/utils"
 )
 
-// list panel functions
-
 func (gui *Gui) getSelectedTag() *models.Tag {
 	selectedLine := gui.State.Panels.Tags.SelectedLineIdx
 	if selectedLine == -1 || len(gui.State.Tags) == 0 {
@@ -16,100 +14,6 @@ func (gui *Gui) getSelectedTag() *models.Tag {
 	return gui.State.Tags[selectedLine]
 }
 
-func (gui *Gui) handleTagSelect() error {
-	var task updateTask
-	tag := gui.getSelectedTag()
-	if tag == nil {
-		task = gui.createRenderStringTask("No tags")
-	} else {
-		cmd := gui.OSCommand.ExecutableFromString(
-			gui.GitCommand.GetBranchGraphCmdStr(tag.Name),
-		)
-		task = gui.createRunCommandTask(cmd)
-	}
-
-	return gui.refreshMainViews(refreshMainOpts{
-		main: &viewUpdateOpts{
-			title: "Tag",
-			task:  task,
-		},
-	})
-}
-
-func (gui *Gui) refreshTags() error {
-	tags, err := gui.GitCommand.GetTags()
-	if err != nil {
-		return gui.surfaceError(err)
-	}
-
-	gui.State.Tags = tags
-
-	return gui.postRefreshUpdate(gui.State.Contexts.Tags)
-}
-
-func (gui *Gui) handleCheckoutTag() error {
-	tag := gui.getSelectedTag()
-	if tag == nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-	if err := gui.handleCheckoutRef(tag.Name, handleCheckoutRefOptions{}); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	return gui.pushContext(gui.State.Contexts.Branches)
-}
-
-func (gui *Gui) handleDeleteTag() error {
-	tag := gui.getSelectedTag()
-	if tag == nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	prompt := utils.ResolvePlaceholderString(
-		gui.Tr.DeleteTagPrompt,
-		map[string]string{
-			"tagName": tag.Name,
-		},
-	)
-
-	return gui.ask(askOpts{
-		title:  gui.Tr.DeleteTagTitle,
-		prompt: prompt,
-		handleConfirm: func() error {
-			if err := gui.GitCommand.DeleteTag(tag.Name); err != nil {
-				return gui.surfaceError(err)
-			}
-			return gui.refreshSidePanels(refreshOptions{mode: ASYNC, scope: []RefreshableView{COMMITS, TAGS}})
-		},
-	})
-}
-
-func (gui *Gui) handlePushTag() error {
-	tag := gui.getSelectedTag()
-	if tag == nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	title := utils.ResolvePlaceholderString(
-		gui.Tr.PushTagTitle,
-		map[string]string{
-			"tagName": tag.Name,
-		},
-	)
-
-	return gui.prompt(promptOpts{
-		title:          title,
-		initialContent: "origin",
-		handleConfirm: func(response string) error {
-			return gui.WithWaitingStatus(gui.Tr.PushingTagStatus, func() error {
-				err := gui.GitCommand.PushTag(response, tag.Name, gui.promptUserForCredential)
-				gui.handleCredentialsPopup(err)
-
-				return nil
-			})
-		},
-	})
-}
-
 func (gui *Gui) handleCreateTag() error {
 	return gui.prompt(promptOpts{
 		title: gui.Tr.CreateTagTitle,
@@ -136,11 +40,98 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleCreateTag() error {
 	})
 }
 
-func (gui *Gui) handleCreateResetToTagMenu() error {
+// tag-specific handlers
+// view model would need to raise an event called 'tag selected', perhaps containing a tag. The listener would _be_ the main view, or the main context, and it would be able to render to itself.
+func (gui *Gui) handleTagSelect() error {
+	var task updateTask
+	tag := gui.getSelectedTag()
+	if tag == nil {
+		task = NewRenderStringTask("No tags")
+	} else {
+		cmd := gui.OSCommand.ExecutableFromString(
+			gui.GitCommand.GetBranchGraphCmdStr(tag.Name),
+		)
+		task = NewRunCommandTask(cmd)
+	}
+
+	return gui.refreshMainViews(refreshMainOpts{
+		main: &viewUpdateOpts{
+			title: "Tag",
+			task:  task,
+		},
+	})
+}
+
+// this is a controller: it can't access tags directly. Or can it? It should be able to get but not set. But that's exactly what I'm doing here, setting it. but through a mutator which encapsulates the event.
+func (gui *Gui) refreshTags() error {
+	tags, err := gui.GitCommand.GetTags()
+	if err != nil {
+		return gui.surfaceError(err)
+	}
+
+	gui.State.Tags = tags
+
+	return gui.postRefreshUpdate(gui.State.Contexts.Tags)
+}
+
+func (gui *Gui) withSelectedTag(f func(tag *models.Tag) error) func() error {
 	tag := gui.getSelectedTag()
 	if tag == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
 
+	return func() error { return f(tag) }
+}
+
+func (gui *Gui) handleCheckoutTag(tag *models.Tag) error {
+	if err := gui.handleCheckoutRef(tag.Name, handleCheckoutRefOptions{}); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return gui.pushContext(gui.State.Contexts.Branches)
+}
+
+func (gui *Gui) handleDeleteTag(tag *models.Tag) error {
+	prompt := utils.ResolvePlaceholderString(
+		gui.Tr.DeleteTagPrompt,
+		map[string]string{
+			"tagName": tag.Name,
+		},
+	)
+
+	return gui.ask(askOpts{
+		title:  gui.Tr.DeleteTagTitle,
+		prompt: prompt,
+		handleConfirm: func() error {
+			if err := gui.GitCommand.DeleteTag(tag.Name); err != nil {
+				return gui.surfaceError(err)
+			}
+			return gui.refreshSidePanels(refreshOptions{mode: ASYNC, scope: []RefreshableView{COMMITS, TAGS}})
+		},
+	})
+}
+
+func (gui *Gui) handlePushTag(tag *models.Tag) error {
+	title := utils.ResolvePlaceholderString(
+		gui.Tr.PushTagTitle,
+		map[string]string{
+			"tagName": tag.Name,
+		},
+	)
+
+	return gui.prompt(promptOpts{
+		title:          title,
+		initialContent: "origin",
+		handleConfirm: func(response string) error {
+			return gui.WithWaitingStatus(gui.Tr.PushingTagStatus, func() error {
+				err := gui.GitCommand.PushTag(response, tag.Name, gui.promptUserForCredential)
+				gui.handleCredentialsPopup(err)
+
+				return nil
+			})
+		},
+	})
+}
+
+func (gui *Gui) handleCreateResetToTagMenu(tag *models.Tag) error {
 	return gui.createResetMenu(tag.Name)
 }

pkg/gui/view_helpers.go

@@ -241,88 +241,6 @@ func (gui *Gui) renderOptionsMap(optionsMap map[string]string) {
 	gui.renderString("options", gui.optionsMapToString(optionsMap))
 }
 
-func (gui *Gui) getFilesView() *gocui.View {
-	v, _ := gui.g.View("files")
-	return v
-}
-
-func (gui *Gui) getCommitFilesView() *gocui.View {
-	v, _ := gui.g.View("commitFiles")
-	return v
-}
-
-func (gui *Gui) getCommitsView() *gocui.View {
-	v, _ := gui.g.View("commits")
-	return v
-}
-
-func (gui *Gui) getCredentialsView() *gocui.View {
-	v, _ := gui.g.View("commits")
-	return v
-}
-
-func (gui *Gui) getCommitMessageView() *gocui.View {
-	v, _ := gui.g.View("commitMessage")
-	return v
-}
-
-func (gui *Gui) getBranchesView() *gocui.View {
-	v, _ := gui.g.View("branches")
-	return v
-}
-
-func (gui *Gui) getMainView() *gocui.View {
-	v, _ := gui.g.View("main")
-	return v
-}
-
-func (gui *Gui) getSuggestionsView() *gocui.View {
-	v, _ := gui.g.View("suggestions")
-	return v
-}
-
-func (gui *Gui) getSecondaryView() *gocui.View {
-	v, _ := gui.g.View("secondary")
-	return v
-}
-
-// currently unused
-// func (gui *Gui) getStashView() *gocui.View {
-// 	v, _ := gui.g.View("stash")
-// 	return v
-// }
-
-// currently unused
-// func (gui *Gui) getCommitFilesView() *gocui.View {
-// 	v, _ := gui.g.View("commitFiles")
-// 	return v
-// }
-
-func (gui *Gui) getMenuView() *gocui.View {
-	v, _ := gui.g.View("menu")
-	return v
-}
-
-func (gui *Gui) getSearchView() *gocui.View {
-	v, _ := gui.g.View("search")
-	return v
-}
-
-func (gui *Gui) getStatusView() *gocui.View {
-	v, _ := gui.g.View("status")
-	return v
-}
-
-func (gui *Gui) getConfirmationView() *gocui.View {
-	v, _ := gui.g.View("confirmation")
-	return v
-}
-
-func (gui *Gui) getInformationView() *gocui.View {
-	v, _ := gui.g.View("information")
-	return v
-}
-
 func (gui *Gui) trimmedContent(v *gocui.View) string {
 	return strings.TrimSpace(v.Buffer())
 }