diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f86db03..a8c6fc1 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 - **💻 终端**：xterm.js + node-pty 真实 shell（每会话 3 个 UI 上限）、Tab 保活重连回放；可选为模型注入 8 个 `terminal_*` 工具
 - **🌿 Git 面板**：真 diff + VSCode 式 diff tab、懒加载历史、右键暂存/放弃/提交/还原/捡取
 - **🧩 Subagent 页面**：主会话完整 agent 拓扑、点击直达执行记录、实时工具调用轮询、新子代理自动展开
-- **🔧 分栏工作台**：拖 Tab 拆分/合并分栏、分隔线调比例、宽度拖拽、折叠 + 全屏
+- **🔧 分栏工作台**：拖 Tab 拆分/合并分栏、分隔线调比例；右上角持久按钮折叠/展开，支持右侧栏 + 底部面板双工作台，共享拐角双向拖动调节两面板尺寸
 - **🔁 会话隔离**：布局/分栏/Tab 按会话持久化（localStorage），陈旧状态自动净化；聊天「产出文件」改在侧边栏打开
 - **⚙️ 声明式设置**：设置页「侧边卡片」分区按注册表渲染功能清单（小卡片网格，高亮 = 启用），每项可独立开/关；二级设置（子代理自动展开、终端工具、沙箱开关等）经齿轮按钮在原生弹窗中编辑
 - **🔌 服务化**：暴露 `ctx.betterSidebar` 服务，其他插件可注册侧边栏 tab 与文件预览器（内置 7 tab + 9 viewer 也走同一服务，详见 [AGENTS.md](./AGENTS.md)）
diff --git a/src/client/Sidebar.tsx b/src/client/Sidebar.tsx
index 47f3895..83a2713 100644
--- a/src/client/Sidebar.tsx
+++ b/src/client/Sidebar.tsx
@@ -1,25 +1,34 @@
 /**
- * The sidebar shell: a fixed-position right panel portalled onto
- * document.body (the core AppFrame owns the left sidebar / center / details
- * columns and has no right-side hole for plugins), plus the edge toggle
- * button. The panel width drags from its left edge; the whole layout lives
- * in the per-session store, so switching conversations swaps the sidebar.
+ * The sidebar shell: fixed-position panels portalled onto document.body
+ * (the core AppFrame owns the left sidebar / center / details columns and
+ * has no right-side hole for plugins). The right panel hosts the original
+ * workbench; the bottom panel hosts a second, independent workbench. The
+ * bottom panel squeezes ONLY the center column (the agent output area): it
+ * spans from the app shell's own left sidebar to the right panel's left
+ * edge, so neither sidebar gives up any position (the right panel keeps its
+ * full height). A persistent two-button cluster at the top-right corner
+ * toggles each panel; the right panel's width drags from its left edge, the
+ * bottom panel's height from its top edge, and the shared corner drags both
+ * at once. The whole layout lives in the per-session store, so switching
+ * conversations swaps the sidebar.
  *
  * The shell binds the workbench actions to the store and dispatches tab
- * content to the four views. New tabs come from the + menu (explorer / git /
- * terminal; editors open from the explorer).
+ * content to the views. New tabs come from the + menu (explorer / git /
+ * terminal; editors open from the explorer). Tabs live in one tree only —
+ * they never cross panels; only the panel sizes drag against each other.
  */
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react'
 import { useSyncExternalStore } from 'react'
 import clsx from 'clsx'
-import { IconChevronRightOutline14, IconFullscreenOutline16, IconPanelLeftOutline16, Tooltip } from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-client-ui-primitives'
+import { IconCloseFill14, Tooltip } from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-client-ui-primitives'
 import type { Context, SidebarConversation, SidebarSessionList } from '../context-types.ts'
 import {
-  agentUuidOf, closeTab, isAgentTabId, leafWithTab, mapLeaf, moveTab, moveTabToEdge, openDiffTab,
+  BOTTOM_MIN, PANEL_MIN, agentUuidOf, closeTab, firstLeaf, isAgentTabId, leafWithTab, mapLeaf, moveTab, moveTabToEdge, openDiffTab,
   reconcileAgentTerminals,
-  resizeSplit, setWidth, toggleExpanded, togglePanel,
+  resizeSplitIn, setBottomHeight, setWidth, toggleBottomPanel, toggleExpanded, togglePanel,
   type DropZone, type SidebarState, type SidebarStore, type SidebarTab, type SplitNode,
 } from './state.ts'
+import { IconPanelBottomOutline16, IconPanelRightOutline16 } from './icons.tsx'
 import { Workbench, type WorkbenchActions } from './split-pane.tsx'
 import type { NewTabOption } from './TabBar.tsx'
 import type { TabDragPayload } from './TabBar.tsx'
@@ -194,6 +203,10 @@ export function Sidebar(props: { ctx: Context; store: SidebarStore }) {
     if (!store.getPrefs().autoOpenSubagent) return
     if (ctx.betterSidebar?.isTabEnabled('subagent') === false) return
     store.reduce(s => s.panelOpen ? s : togglePanel(s))
+    // Pin the landing to the right panel: the auto-opened Subagent page must
+    // appear where the panel just expanded, not in a bottom-panel pane the
+    // user last touched.
+    store.reduce(s => ({ ...s, activePane: firstLeaf(s.splits).id }))
     ctx.betterSidebar?.openTab({ type: 'subagent', title: t('subagent') })
   }, [sessionList, sessionId, store, ctx])
 
@@ -214,33 +227,151 @@ export function Sidebar(props: { ctx: Context; store: SidebarStore }) {
     if (pending === undefined || sessionId !== pending) return
     subagentJumpRef.current = undefined
     store.reduce(s => s.panelOpen ? s : togglePanel(s))
+    store.reduce(s => ({ ...s, activePane: firstLeaf(s.splits).id }))
     ctx.betterSidebar?.openTab({ type: 'subagent', title: t('subagent') })
   }, [sessionId, store, ctx])
 
-  // Panel width drag (left edge strip).
+  // The app shell's own columns: the bottom panel spans ONLY the center
+  // column ("squeezes the agent output area") — it starts at the app
+  // sidebar's right edge and ends at the details column's left edge (the
+  // details column sits between the center and the right panel). Measured
+  // from the AppFrame's DOM (the plugin already couples to #root in
+  // layout.css); a missing frame degrades to 0 (full width).
+  const [appSidebarWidth, setAppSidebarWidth] = useState(0)
+  const [detailsWidth, setDetailsWidth] = useState(0)
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const frame = document.querySelector('#root > div')
+    const sidebarCol = frame?.children[0] as HTMLElement | undefined
+    const detailsCol = frame?.children[2] as HTMLElement | undefined
+    if (sidebarCol === undefined || detailsCol === undefined) return
+    const measure = (): void => {
+      setAppSidebarWidth(sidebarCol.getBoundingClientRect().width)
+      setDetailsWidth(detailsCol.getBoundingClientRect().width)
+    }
+    measure()
+    const observer = new ResizeObserver(measure)
+    observer.observe(sidebarCol)
+    observer.observe(detailsCol)
+    return () => { observer.disconnect() }
+  }, [])
+
+  /**
+   * Bottom-panel first-expansion auto terminal: the FIRST time the user
+   * expands the bottom panel in a session, try to open a fresh terminal tab
+   * there. "Try" is literal — the terminal's own quota and enable switch
+   * gate the attempt (a full quota or a disabled terminal type makes it a
+   * no-op). Gated on the bottomPanelAutoTerminal pref (the terminal tab's
+   * nested settings toggle, default on). Only a false→true TRANSITION fires
+   * (a panel persisted open never counts as an expansion), and the session's
+   * bottomOpenedOnce flag is set atomically with the first fire so later
+   * expansions never repeat it.
+   */
+  const bottomWasOpenRef = useRef<boolean | undefined>(undefined)
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (state === undefined) return
+    const wasOpen = bottomWasOpenRef.current
+    bottomWasOpenRef.current = state.bottomOpen
+    if (wasOpen === undefined || wasOpen || !state.bottomOpen) return
+    if (state.bottomOpenedOnce) return
+    if (store.getPrefs().bottomPanelAutoTerminal === false) return
+    if (ctx.betterSidebar?.isTabEnabled('terminal') === false) return
+    // Land the tab in the bottom panel's first pane; the once-flag is set
+    // atomically so later expansions never repeat the auto-open.
+    store.reduce(s => ({ ...s, activePane: firstLeaf(s.bottomSplits).id, bottomOpenedOnce: true }))
+    ctx.betterSidebar?.openTab({ type: 'terminal' })
+  }, [state, store, ctx])
+
+  // Panel drags: the right panel's width (left edge strip), the bottom
+  // panel's height (top edge strip), and the shared corner (both at once).
+  // Drags write the sizes DIRECTLY to the DOM (panel styles + the layout CSS
+  // variables) instead of round-tripping the store on every pointer move —
+  // a store reduce re-renders both workbenches (terminals, editors…) per
+  // move, which is the visible drag lag. The store is committed once on
+  // pointer up (clamping + persistence).
+  const panelRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null)
+  const bottomRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null)
+  const cornerRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null)
   const widthDrag = useRef({ startX: 0, startWidth: 0 })
   const [draggingWidth, setDraggingWidth] = useState(false)
+  const bottomDrag = useRef({ startY: 0, startHeight: 0 })
+  const [draggingBottom, setDraggingBottom] = useState(false)
+  const cornerDrag = useRef({ startX: 0, startY: 0, startWidth: 0, startHeight: 0 })
+  const [draggingCorner, setDraggingCorner] = useState(false)
+  const anyDragging = draggingWidth || draggingBottom || draggingCorner
 
-  // Layout push: the app shell gives up the panel's width while it is open
-  // (0 while collapsed), so the conversation and input bar are squeezed
-  // instead of covered. The margin is capped at the viewport so a stale
-  // persisted width (e.g. fullscreen on a bigger window) can never crush
-  // the app shell to zero. Dragging disables the layout transition.
+  // Clamp mirrors of setWidth/setBottomHeight for mid-drag values (the store
+  // re-clamps on commit; these keep the panels from overshooting mid-drag).
+  const clampWidth = (width: number): number =>
+    Math.min(Math.max(PANEL_MIN, Math.round(width)), Math.max(PANEL_MIN, window.innerWidth))
+  const clampHeight = (height: number): number =>
+    Math.min(Math.max(BOTTOM_MIN, Math.round(height)), Math.max(BOTTOM_MIN, window.innerHeight - PANEL_MIN))
+
+  /** Apply a drag size to the DOM without touching React state or the store.
+   *  The bottom panel's right edge tracks the right panel's left edge HERE
+   *  too — React state only updates on release, so the inline right must be
+   *  written directly or the bottom panel would lag the sidebar mid-drag. */
+  const applyDrag = (width: number, height: number): void => {
+    panelRef.current?.style.setProperty('width', `${width}px`)
+    bottomRef.current?.style.setProperty('height', `${height}px`)
+    bottomRef.current?.style.setProperty('right', `${width + detailsWidth}px`)
+    document.documentElement.style.setProperty('--dsh-sidebar-width', `${width}px`)
+    document.documentElement.style.setProperty('--dsh-sidebar-height', `${height}px`)
+    if (cornerRef.current !== null) {
+      cornerRef.current.style.left = `${window.innerWidth - width - 6}px`
+      cornerRef.current.style.top = `${window.innerHeight - height - 6}px`
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Drags write at most once per frame: pointer events fire several times
+  // faster than the display refresh, and each write reflows the app shell
+  // (the layout push) plus the panels — batching to one write per frame is
+  // what keeps the drag smooth. The store is still committed once on release.
+  const dragFrame = useRef<number | null>(null)
+  const pendingDrag = useRef<{ width: number; height: number } | null>(null)
+  const scheduleDrag = (width: number, height: number): void => {
+    pendingDrag.current = { width, height }
+    if (dragFrame.current !== null) return
+    dragFrame.current = requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+      dragFrame.current = null
+      const pending = pendingDrag.current
+      if (pending !== null) {
+        pendingDrag.current = null
+        applyDrag(pending.width, pending.height)
+      }
+    })
+  }
+
+  /** Flush any pending drag write and stop scheduling (the store commit on
+   *  pointer up applies the final clamped values). */
+  const stopDragScheduling = (): void => {
+    if (dragFrame.current !== null) {
+      cancelAnimationFrame(dragFrame.current)
+      dragFrame.current = null
+    }
+    pendingDrag.current = null
+  }
+
+  // Layout push: the app shell gives up the panel's width/height while the
+  // panels are open (0 while collapsed), so the conversation and input bar
+  // are squeezed instead of covered. The margins are capped at the viewport
+  // so a stale persisted size (e.g. fullscreen on a bigger window) can never
+  // crush the app shell to zero. Dragging disables the layout transition.
   useEffect(() => {
     const width = snapshot.state?.panelOpen === true
       ? Math.min(snapshot.state.width, window.innerWidth)
       : 0
+    const height = snapshot.state?.bottomOpen === true
+      ? Math.min(snapshot.state.bottomHeight, window.innerHeight)
+      : 0
     document.documentElement.style.setProperty('--dsh-sidebar-width', `${width}px`)
-  }, [snapshot.state?.panelOpen, snapshot.state?.width])
+    document.documentElement.style.setProperty('--dsh-sidebar-height', `${height}px`)
+  }, [snapshot.state?.panelOpen, snapshot.state?.width, snapshot.state?.bottomOpen, snapshot.state?.bottomHeight])
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (draggingWidth) document.body.setAttribute('data-dsh-sidebar-dragging', '')
+    if (anyDragging) document.body.setAttribute('data-dsh-sidebar-dragging', '')
     else document.body.removeAttribute('data-dsh-sidebar-dragging')
-  }, [draggingWidth])
+  }, [anyDragging])
 
 
-  // Whether the panel currently fills the viewport (fullscreen expansion).
-  const fullscreen = state !== undefined && window.innerWidth - state.width < 8
-
   const actions: WorkbenchActions = useMemo(() => ({
     closeTab: (paneId, tabId) => {
       // A closed terminal releases its pty immediately — including when its
@@ -287,7 +418,7 @@ export function Sidebar(props: { ctx: Context; store: SidebarStore }) {
       })
     },
     resizeSplit: (splitId, index, deltaFrac) => {
-      store.reduce(s => ({ ...s, splits: resizeSplit(s.splits, splitId, index, deltaFrac) }))
+      store.reduce(s => resizeSplitIn(s, splitId, index, deltaFrac))
     },
   }), [store, sessionId, cwd])
 
@@ -318,10 +449,15 @@ export function Sidebar(props: { ctx: Context; store: SidebarStore }) {
 
   if (state === undefined || sessionId === undefined) {
     return (
-      <div className={css.toggleRail}>
+      <div className={css.toggleCluster}>
         <Tooltip label={t('noSession')} side="bottom" delayMs={500}>
           <button type="button" className={css.toggleButton} disabled aria-label={t('noSession')}>
-            <IconPanelLeftOutline16 size={16} />
+            <IconPanelBottomOutline16 />
+          </button>
+        </Tooltip>
+        <Tooltip label={t('noSession')} side="bottom" delayMs={500}>
+          <button type="button" className={css.toggleButton} disabled aria-label={t('noSession')}>
+            <IconPanelRightOutline16 />
           </button>
         </Tooltip>
       </div>
@@ -349,7 +485,7 @@ export function Sidebar(props: { ctx: Context; store: SidebarStore }) {
    * polling while the page is not actually visible). The pane id travels
    * with the tab so diff tabs can split below their source pane.
    */
-  const renderTab = (tab: SidebarTab, active: boolean, paneId: string) => (
+  const renderTab = (tab: SidebarTab, active: boolean, paneId: string, bottom = false) => (
     <TabContent
       tab={tab}
       sessionId={sessionId}
@@ -359,7 +495,7 @@ export function Sidebar(props: { ctx: Context; store: SidebarStore }) {
       onReferenceFile={referenceInChat}
       ctx={ctx}
       store={store}
-      visible={state.panelOpen && active}
+      visible={bottom ? state.bottomOpen && active : state.panelOpen && active}
       onSubagentJump={(childSessionId) => { subagentJumpRef.current = childSessionId }}
       onOpenDiff={(diffTab) => { store.reduce(s => openDiffTab(s, paneId, diffTab)) }}
     />
@@ -367,28 +503,47 @@ export function Sidebar(props: { ctx: Context; store: SidebarStore }) {
 
   return (
     <>
-      {!state.panelOpen && (
-        <div className={css.toggleRail}>
-          <Tooltip label={t('expand')} side="bottom" delayMs={500}>
-            <button
-              type="button"
-              className={css.toggleButton}
-              aria-label={t('expand')}
-              onClick={() => { store.reduce(togglePanel) }}
-            >
-              <IconPanelLeftOutline16 size={16} />
-            </button>
-          </Tooltip>
-        </div>
-      )}
       {/*
-        The panel stays mounted while collapsed (hidden off-screen) so the
-        slide in/out can animate; visibility hides it after the slide settles.
+        The persistent toggle cluster at the top-right corner: the bottom
+        panel's button (bottom glyph) LEFT of the right panel's (side glyph).
+        Always pinned to the viewport corner — inside the right panel's
+        top-right while it is open, sitting flush in the tab strip whose
+        right end it really squeezes (the strip reserves its width via CSS),
+        so the tabs genuinely yield space to it.
+      */}
+      <div className={css.toggleCluster}>
+        <Tooltip label={state.bottomOpen ? t('collapseBottomPanel') : t('expandBottomPanel')} side="bottom" delayMs={500}>
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            className={css.toggleButton}
+            aria-label={state.bottomOpen ? t('collapseBottomPanel') : t('expandBottomPanel')}
+            onClick={() => { store.reduce(toggleBottomPanel) }}
+          >
+            <IconPanelBottomOutline16 />
+          </button>
+        </Tooltip>
+        <Tooltip label={state.panelOpen ? t('collapse') : t('expand')} side="bottom" delayMs={500}>
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            className={css.toggleButton}
+            aria-label={state.panelOpen ? t('collapse') : t('expand')}
+            onClick={() => { store.reduce(togglePanel) }}
+          >
+            <IconPanelRightOutline16 />
+          </button>
+        </Tooltip>
+      </div>
+      {/*
+        The right panel stays mounted while collapsed (hidden off-screen) so
+        the slide in/out can animate; visibility hides it after the slide
+        settles. Its bottom edge follows the bottom panel's height (0 while
+        the bottom panel is closed) — the VSCode-style "sidebar above panel".
       */}
       <div
+        ref={panelRef}
         className={clsx(css.panel, !state.panelOpen && css.panelHidden)}
         style={{ width: Math.min(state.width, window.innerWidth) }}
-        data-dragging={draggingWidth || undefined}
+        data-dragging={anyDragging || undefined}
       >
           <div
             className={clsx(css.panelResize, draggingWidth && css.panelResizeActive)}
@@ -401,43 +556,19 @@ export function Sidebar(props: { ctx: Context; store: SidebarStore }) {
             onPointerMove={(event) => {
               if (!event.currentTarget.hasPointerCapture(event.pointerId)) return
               const { startX, startWidth } = widthDrag.current
-              store.reduce(s => setWidth(s, startWidth + (startX - event.clientX)))
+              const width = clampWidth(startWidth + (startX - event.clientX))
+              const height = state.bottomOpen ? Math.min(state.bottomHeight, window.innerHeight) : 0
+              scheduleDrag(width, height)
             }}
             onPointerUp={(event) => {
               if (!event.currentTarget.hasPointerCapture(event.pointerId)) return
               event.currentTarget.releasePointerCapture(event.pointerId)
+              const { startX, startWidth } = widthDrag.current
+              stopDragScheduling()
+              store.reduce(s => setWidth(s, startWidth + (startX - event.clientX)))
               setDraggingWidth(false)
             }}
           />
-          <div className={css.panelHeader}>
-            <button
-              type="button"
-              className={css.iconButton}
-              aria-label={fullscreen ? t('restoreFullscreen') : t('expandFullscreen')}
-              title={fullscreen ? t('restoreFullscreen') : t('expandFullscreen')}
-              onClick={() => {
-                const viewport = window.innerWidth
-                store.reduce(s => setWidth(s, fullscreen
-                  ? Math.max(280, Math.round((viewport - 320) / 2))
-                  : viewport))
-              }}
-            >
-              <IconFullscreenOutline16 />
-            </button>
-            <span className={css.panelTitle}>
-              {t('explorer')}
-              {cwd !== undefined ? ` · ${cwd.split(/[\\/]/).filter(Boolean).pop() ?? cwd}` : ''}
-            </span>
-            <button
-              type="button"
-              className={css.iconButton}
-              aria-label={t('collapse')}
-              title={t('collapse')}
-              onClick={() => { store.reduce(togglePanel) }}
-            >
-              <IconChevronRightOutline14 />
-            </button>
-          </div>
         <div className={css.panelBody}>
           <Workbench
             state={state}
@@ -453,6 +584,128 @@ export function Sidebar(props: { ctx: Context; store: SidebarStore }) {
           />
         </div>
       </div>
+      {/*
+        The bottom panel: a second, independent workbench. It squeezes ONLY
+        the center column (the agent output area): it starts at the app
+        shell's own left sidebar and ends at the right panel's left edge —
+        neither sidebar gives up any position (the right panel keeps its
+        full height). Its resize strip is the top edge; hidden by sliding
+        down like the right panel.
+      */}
+      <div
+        ref={bottomRef}
+        className={clsx(css.bottomPanel, !state.bottomOpen && css.bottomPanelHidden)}
+        style={{
+          height: Math.min(state.bottomHeight, window.innerHeight),
+          left: appSidebarWidth,
+          // Ends at the details column's left edge (the details column sits
+          // between the center and the right panel) plus the right panel's
+          // own width — the bottom panel squeezes ONLY the center column.
+          right: detailsWidth + (state.panelOpen ? Math.min(state.width, window.innerWidth) : 0),
+          // The seam against the open right panel needs its own hairline
+          // (the right panel's border-left alone is covered by this panel's
+          // fill — without it the corner looks cut off).
+          borderRight: state.panelOpen ? '1px solid var(--dsw-alias-border-l2)' : undefined,
+        }}
+        data-dragging={(draggingBottom || draggingCorner) || undefined}
+      >
+        <div
+          className={clsx(css.bottomResize, draggingBottom && css.bottomResizeActive)}
+          onPointerDown={(event) => {
+            event.preventDefault()
+            event.currentTarget.setPointerCapture(event.pointerId)
+            bottomDrag.current = { startY: event.clientY, startHeight: state.bottomHeight }
+            setDraggingBottom(true)
+          }}
+          onPointerMove={(event) => {
+            if (!event.currentTarget.hasPointerCapture(event.pointerId)) return
+            const { startY, startHeight } = bottomDrag.current
+            const height = clampHeight(startHeight + (startY - event.clientY))
+            scheduleDrag(Math.min(state.width, window.innerWidth), height)
+          }}
+          onPointerUp={(event) => {
+            if (!event.currentTarget.hasPointerCapture(event.pointerId)) return
+            event.currentTarget.releasePointerCapture(event.pointerId)
+            const { startY, startHeight } = bottomDrag.current
+            stopDragScheduling()
+            store.reduce(s => setBottomHeight(s, startHeight + (startY - event.clientY)))
+            setDraggingBottom(false)
+          }}
+        />
+        {/*
+          The bottom panel's own close control at its tab strip's right end
+          (the strip reserves the width via CSS so the + menu never hides
+          under it): one tap collapses the panel.
+        */}
+        <Tooltip label={t('collapseBottomPanel')} side="bottom" delayMs={500}>
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            className={css.bottomClose}
+            aria-label={t('collapseBottomPanel')}
+            onClick={() => { store.reduce(toggleBottomPanel) }}
+          >
+            <IconCloseFill14 />
+          </button>
+        </Tooltip>
+        <div className={css.panelBody}>
+          <Workbench
+            state={state}
+            tree={state.bottomSplits}
+            newTabOptions={buildNewTabOptions(state, ctx, { sessionId, cwd })}
+            actions={actions}
+            onNewTab={onNewTab}
+            renderTab={(tab, active, paneId) => renderTab(tab, active, paneId, true)}
+            getTabIcon={(tab) => {
+              const descriptor = ctx.betterSidebar?.getTab(tab.type)
+              if (descriptor === undefined) return null
+              return typeof descriptor.icon === 'function' ? descriptor.icon(14) : descriptor.icon
+            }}
+          />
+        </div>
+      </div>
+      {/*
+        The shared corner (only while BOTH panels are open): the intersection
+        of the right panel's left edge and the bottom panel's top edge.
+        Horizontal drags resize the right panel's width, vertical drags the
+        bottom panel's height — the two panels drag against each other.
+      */}
+      {state.panelOpen && state.bottomOpen && (
+        <div
+          ref={cornerRef}
+          className={css.cornerHandle}
+          style={{
+            left: window.innerWidth - state.width - 6,
+            top: window.innerHeight - state.bottomHeight - 6,
+          }}
+          data-dragging={draggingCorner || undefined}
+          onPointerDown={(event) => {
+            event.preventDefault()
+            event.currentTarget.setPointerCapture(event.pointerId)
+            cornerDrag.current = {
+              startX: event.clientX,
+              startY: event.clientY,
+              startWidth: state.width,
+              startHeight: state.bottomHeight,
+            }
+            setDraggingCorner(true)
+          }}
+          onPointerMove={(event) => {
+            if (!event.currentTarget.hasPointerCapture(event.pointerId)) return
+            const { startX, startY, startWidth, startHeight } = cornerDrag.current
+            const width = clampWidth(startWidth + (startX - event.clientX))
+            const height = clampHeight(startHeight + (startY - event.clientY))
+            scheduleDrag(width, height)
+          }}
+          onPointerUp={(event) => {
+            if (!event.currentTarget.hasPointerCapture(event.pointerId)) return
+            event.currentTarget.releasePointerCapture(event.pointerId)
+            const { startX, startY, startWidth, startHeight } = cornerDrag.current
+            stopDragScheduling()
+            store.reduce(s => setBottomHeight(setWidth(s, startWidth + (startX - event.clientX)), startHeight + (startY - event.clientY)))
+            setDraggingCorner(false)
+          }}
+        />
+      )}
     </>
   )
 }
diff --git a/src/client/builtins/tabs.tsx b/src/client/builtins/tabs.tsx
index e4c305f..36538fe 100644
--- a/src/client/builtins/tabs.tsx
+++ b/src/client/builtins/tabs.tsx
@@ -106,14 +106,19 @@ export function builtinTabs(ctx: Context): readonly TabDescriptor[] {
       icon: (size: number) => <IconTerminalOutline16 size={size} />,
       order: 40,
       available: (_ctx, _scope, state) => uiTerminalCount(state) < TERMINAL_LIMIT,
-      // Declarative settings: the model-facing terminal tools switch renders
-      // under this row in the Side card settings page (the Terminal page's
-      // own related setting; the host gates the toolset on it independently).
+      // Declarative settings: the model-facing terminal tools switch and the
+      // bottom-panel first-expansion auto-terminal switch render under this
+      // row in the Side card settings page (the Terminal page's own related
+      // settings; the host gates the toolset on the tools one independently).
       settings: {
         toggles: [{
           key: 'agentTerminalTools',
           title: () => t('settingsToolsTitle'),
           desc: () => t('settingsToolsDesc'),
+        }, {
+          key: 'bottomPanelAutoTerminal',
+          title: () => t('settingsBottomTerminalTitle'),
+          desc: () => t('settingsBottomTerminalDesc'),
         }],
       },
       createTab: (state) => {
diff --git a/src/client/icons.tsx b/src/client/icons.tsx
index 747cc82..8e61af1 100644
--- a/src/client/icons.tsx
+++ b/src/client/icons.tsx
@@ -1,11 +1,35 @@
 /**
  * Icons the sidebar needs beyond the primitives set: a terminal glyph (the
- * icon library has none) and a diff glyph. Per-tab icons live on the tab
- * descriptors (`descriptor.icon`), not in a type-keyed switch — the icon
- * mapping was registry-ized with the tab types.
+ * icon library has none), a diff glyph, and the two panel-toggle glyphs for
+ * the top-right cluster. Per-tab icons live on the tab descriptors
+ * (`descriptor.icon`), not in a type-keyed switch — the icon mapping was
+ * registry-ized with the tab types.
  */
 import type { IconProps } from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-client-ui-primitives'
 
+/**
+ * Right-panel toggle glyph (the "侧拉" button): a frame with a filled strip
+ * along its RIGHT edge, in the app's outline style (1.5px stroke,
+ * currentColor).
+ */
+export const IconPanelRightOutline16 = ({ size = 16, className }: IconProps) => (
+  <svg width={size} height={size} className={className} viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
+    <rect x="1.5" y="2" width="13" height="12" rx="2.5" stroke="currentColor" strokeWidth="1.5" />
+    <rect x="10.5" y="3.25" width="2.75" height="9.5" rx="1" fill="currentColor" stroke="none" />
+  </svg>
+)
+
+/**
+ * Bottom-panel toggle glyph (the "底栏" button): a frame with a filled strip
+ * along its BOTTOM edge, in the app's outline style.
+ */
+export const IconPanelBottomOutline16 = ({ size = 16, className }: IconProps) => (
+  <svg width={size} height={size} className={className} viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
+    <rect x="1.5" y="2" width="13" height="12" rx="2.5" stroke="currentColor" strokeWidth="1.5" />
+    <rect x="3.25" y="10" width="9.5" height="2.75" rx="1" fill="currentColor" stroke="none" />
+  </svg>
+)
+
 /**
  * Terminal glyph in the app's outline style (1.5px stroke, currentColor):
  * a rounded frame with a prompt chevron and underscore cursor.
diff --git a/src/client/layout.css b/src/client/layout.css
index be80a10..3ead995 100644
--- a/src/client/layout.css
+++ b/src/client/layout.css
@@ -1,15 +1,20 @@
 /**
- * Layout push: when the sidebar is open it OCCUPIES the layout instead of
+ * Layout push: when a panel is open it OCCUPIES the layout instead of
  * floating over it — the app shell (#root, the AppFrame three-column grid)
- * gives up the panel's width on the right. Only the center column is
- * flexible (1fr), so the squeeze lands exactly on the conversation output
- * and the input bar, like a VSCode sidebar. The fixed panel covers the
- * vacated strip, which looks seamless because #root's background is the
- * theme base.
+ * gives up space. Only the center column is flexible (1fr), so the right
+ * panel's width squeeze (margin-right on #root) lands exactly on the
+ * conversation output and the input bar, like a VSCode sidebar.
  *
- * The width rides a CSS variable updated by the Sidebar shell (0 while
- * collapsed); expand/collapse animates both the margin and the panel slide
- * on the same theme duration. Width drags disable the transition so the
+ * The bottom panel squeezes ONLY the center column — it must not cover the
+ * app's own left sidebar or the right panel. The AppFrame's grid items are
+ * (#root > div > div:nth-child(2)): sidebarCol, centerCol, detailsCol, so
+ * the vertical push lands on the center column alone. The fixed panels
+ * cover the vacated strips, which looks seamless because #root's background
+ * is the theme base.
+ *
+ * The sizes ride CSS variables updated by the Sidebar shell (0 while
+ * collapsed); expand/collapse animates both the margins and the panel
+ * slides on the same theme duration. Drags disable the transition so the
  * layout tracks the pointer.
  */
 #root {
@@ -17,12 +22,23 @@
   transition: margin-right var(--ds-transition-duration-slow) var(--ds-ease-in-out);
 }
 
-body[data-dsh-sidebar-dragging] #root {
+/* The AppFrame's grid items are sidebarCol, centerCol, detailsCol (children
+   1-3 of #root > div) — nth-child(2) is the center column. A stretched grid
+   item shrinks by its margins, so the conversation content (output + input
+   bar) lifts without touching the sidebars. */
+#root > div > div:nth-child(2) {
+  margin-bottom: var(--dsh-sidebar-height, 0px);
+  transition: margin-bottom var(--ds-transition-duration-slow) var(--ds-ease-in-out);
+}
+
+body[data-dsh-sidebar-dragging] #root,
+body[data-dsh-sidebar-dragging] #root > div > div:nth-child(2) {
   transition: none;
 }
 
 @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
-  #root {
+  #root,
+  #root > div > div:nth-child(2) {
     transition: none;
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/client/locales.ts b/src/client/locales.ts
index fe54814..b995f55 100644
--- a/src/client/locales.ts
+++ b/src/client/locales.ts
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ const zh = {
   close: '关闭',
   collapse: '折叠侧边栏',
   expand: '展开侧边栏',
-  expandFullscreen: '展开为全屏',
-  restoreFullscreen: '还原宽度',
+  collapseBottomPanel: '折叠底部面板',
+  expandBottomPanel: '展开底部面板',
   terminalError: '终端连接失败',
   terminalConnectFailed: '终端多次连接失败',
   terminalRetry: '重试',
@@ -123,6 +123,8 @@ const zh = {
   settingsSubagentDesc: '当前会话产生新的子代理时，自动展开侧边栏并打开子代理页面；关闭后需手动打开',
   settingsToolsTitle: '为模型注入终端工具',
   settingsToolsDesc: '开启后，模型可通过 terminal_create 等 8 个工具创建并操作侧边栏终端（默认关闭）',
+  settingsBottomTerminalTitle: '底部面板首次展开自动开终端',
+  settingsBottomTerminalDesc: '每次会话中第一次展开底部面板时，尝试在底部面板自动打开一个新终端标签（终端数量上限仍会限制；默认开启）',
   settingsTabsTitle: '侧边栏内容',
   settingsViewersTitle: '文件预览',
   settingsGeneralTitle: '常规',
@@ -193,8 +195,8 @@ const en: Record<keyof typeof zh, string> = {
   close: 'Close',
   collapse: 'Collapse sidebar',
   expand: 'Expand sidebar',
-  expandFullscreen: 'Expand to full width',
-  restoreFullscreen: 'Restore width',
+  collapseBottomPanel: 'Collapse bottom panel',
+  expandBottomPanel: 'Expand bottom panel',
   terminalError: 'Terminal connection failed',
   terminalConnectFailed: 'Terminal failed to connect repeatedly',
   terminalRetry: 'Retry',
@@ -298,6 +300,8 @@ const en: Record<keyof typeof zh, string> = {
   settingsSubagentDesc: 'Expand the side card and open the Subagent page when the current conversation spawns a new subagent; turn off to open it manually',
   settingsToolsTitle: 'Inject terminal tools for the model',
   settingsToolsDesc: 'When enabled, the model can create and drive sidebar terminals through the 8 terminal_* tools (off by default)',
+  settingsBottomTerminalTitle: 'Auto-open a terminal on the bottom panel\'s first expansion',
+  settingsBottomTerminalDesc: 'When the bottom panel is expanded for the first time in a session, try to open a fresh terminal tab there (the terminal quota still applies; on by default)',
   settingsTabsTitle: 'Sidebar content',
   settingsViewersTitle: 'File viewers',
   settingsGeneralTitle: 'General',
diff --git a/src/client/prefs.ts b/src/client/prefs.ts
index e7c7daf..7213de7 100644
--- a/src/client/prefs.ts
+++ b/src/client/prefs.ts
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ export function parsePrefs(value: unknown): SidebarPrefs {
     agentTerminalTools: typeof record.agentTerminalTools === 'boolean'
       ? record.agentTerminalTools
       : SIDEBAR_PREFS_DEFAULTS.agentTerminalTools,
+    bottomPanelAutoTerminal: typeof record.bottomPanelAutoTerminal === 'boolean'
+      ? record.bottomPanelAutoTerminal
+      : SIDEBAR_PREFS_DEFAULTS.bottomPanelAutoTerminal,
     interceptOpenPath: typeof record.interceptOpenPath === 'boolean'
       ? record.interceptOpenPath
       : SIDEBAR_PREFS_DEFAULTS.interceptOpenPath,
diff --git a/src/client/service.ts b/src/client/service.ts
index ee4795a..2cfed4c 100644
--- a/src/client/service.ts
+++ b/src/client/service.ts
@@ -379,7 +379,9 @@ function applyDedupe(state: SidebarState, tab: SidebarTab, descriptor: TabDescri
   const dedupeKey = descriptor.dedupeKey ?? (descriptor.single === true ? () => descriptor.id : undefined)
   const key = dedupeKey?.(tab)
   if (key !== undefined) {
-    for (const leaf of allLeaves(state.splits)) {
+    // The scan covers BOTH trees: opening a single-instance tab from the
+    // bottom panel focuses an existing instance wherever it lives.
+    for (const leaf of allLeaves(state.splits).concat(allLeaves(state.bottomSplits))) {
       const existing = leaf.tabs.find(t => t.type === tab.type && dedupeKey!(t) === key)
       if (existing !== undefined) return activateTab(state, leaf.id, existing.id)
     }
@@ -387,9 +389,9 @@ function applyDedupe(state: SidebarState, tab: SidebarTab, descriptor: TabDescri
   return openTabInActivePane(state, tab)
 }
 
-/** Find which pane hosts a tab id ('' if none). */
+/** Find which pane hosts a tab id ('' if none). Either tree is searched. */
 function findPaneIdOf(state: SidebarState, tabId: string): string {
-  for (const leaf of allLeaves(state.splits)) {
+  for (const leaf of allLeaves(state.splits).concat(allLeaves(state.bottomSplits))) {
     if (leaf.tabs.some(t => t.id === tabId)) return leaf.id
   }
   return state.activePane ?? ''
diff --git a/src/client/sidebar.module.css b/src/client/sidebar.module.css
index 43ec342..5975c2d 100644
--- a/src/client/sidebar.module.css
+++ b/src/client/sidebar.module.css
@@ -10,27 +10,39 @@
 
 /* ── Shell ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
 
-.toggleRail {
+/* The persistent expand/collapse cluster at the top-right corner: two rail
+   controls side by side (bottom panel's glyph LEFT of the right panel's).
+   Always pinned to the viewport corner — inside the right panel's top-right
+   while it is open, sitting flush in the 34px tab strip (28px buttons at
+   top: 3) whose right end it really squeezes. */
+.toggleCluster {
   position: fixed;
-  right: 0;
-  top: 50%;
-  transform: translateY(-50%);
+  top: 3px;
+  right: 10px;
   z-index: 55;
   display: flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  /* Native rail inset: the 36px control sits 10px off the column edge. */
-  padding: 0 10px;
+  flex-direction: row;
+  gap: 4px;
 }
 
-/* The closed-state affordance is the native rail icon control: a plain 36px
-   circle, transparent fill, secondary ink; hover raises the fill. No border,
-   no shadow — the icon alone is the affordance (SidebarRoot .iconButton). */
+/* The tab strip of the OPEN right panel reserves the cluster's width at its
+   right end, so the tabs and the + menu genuinely yield space to the cluster
+   (never hiding under it). */
+.panel:not(.panelHidden) .tabBar {
+  padding-right: 72px;
+}
+
+/* The closed-state affordance is the native rail icon control: a plain
+   28px circle (the app's icon-button size — the cluster must stay inside
+   the 34px tab-strip band so it never covers the pane headers below),
+   transparent fill, secondary ink; hover raises the fill. No border, no
+   shadow — the icon alone is the affordance. */
 .toggleButton {
   display: flex;
   align-items: center;
   justify-content: center;
-  width: 36px;
-  height: 36px;
+  width: 28px;
+  height: 28px;
   border: none;
   border-radius: 50%;
   background: transparent;
@@ -55,6 +67,8 @@
   position: fixed;
   top: 0;
   right: 0;
+  /* Full height: the bottom panel squeezes only the center column, so the
+     right panel never gives up any vertical position. */
   bottom: 0;
   z-index: 50;
   display: flex;
@@ -100,25 +114,6 @@
   background: var(--dsw-alias-interactive-bg-hover-accent);
 }
 
-.panelHeader {
-  display: flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  justify-content: space-between;
-  gap: 8px;
-  height: 36px;
-  padding: 0 8px 0 12px;
-  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--dsw-alias-border-l1);
-  flex: none;
-}
-
-.panelTitle {
-  font: var(--dsw-font-s-14);
-  color: var(--dsw-alias-label-secondary);
-  overflow: hidden;
-  text-overflow: ellipsis;
-  white-space: nowrap;
-}
-
 .panelBody {
   flex: 1;
   min-height: 0;
@@ -126,6 +121,112 @@
   display: flex;
 }
 
+/* ── Bottom panel ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+/* The bottom panel: an independent workbench at the bottom of the CENTER
+   column only (the Sidebar shell writes left/right inline: from the app's
+   own left sidebar to the right panel's left edge) — the sidebars never
+   give up any position. Same surface as the right panel, with a top
+   hairline instead of the left one. */
+.bottomPanel {
+  position: fixed;
+  bottom: 0;
+  z-index: 50;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  background: var(--dsw-specific-sidebar-fill);
+  border-top: 1px solid var(--dsw-alias-border-l2);
+  /* Expand/collapse slides the panel; height drags animate the height. */
+  transition:
+    transform var(--ds-transition-duration-slow) var(--ds-ease-in-out),
+    height var(--ds-transition-duration-slow) var(--ds-ease-in-out);
+}
+
+/* Collapsed: slid off-screen, interactive nothing, hidden after the slide. */
+.bottomPanelHidden {
+  transform: translateY(102%);
+  pointer-events: none;
+  visibility: hidden;
+  transition:
+    transform var(--ds-transition-duration-slow) var(--ds-ease-in-out),
+    height var(--ds-transition-duration-slow) var(--ds-ease-in-out),
+    visibility 0s linear var(--ds-transition-duration-slow);
+}
+
+/* Height drags write at pointer cadence; easing would detach the edge. */
+.bottomPanel[data-dragging] {
+  transition: none;
+}
+
+/* The bottom panel's height drag: the top edge strip (mirror of the right
+   panel's width strip). */
+.bottomResize {
+  position: absolute;
+  left: 0;
+  right: 0;
+  top: -4px;
+  height: 8px;
+  cursor: row-resize;
+  z-index: 2;
+  touch-action: none;
+}
+
+.bottomResizeActive {
+  background: var(--dsw-alias-interactive-bg-hover-accent);
+}
+
+/* The bottom panel's close control: the app's icon-button pattern (28px
+   circle), pinned to the tab strip's right end — one tap collapses the
+   panel. The tab strips below reserve its width so the + menu never hides
+   under it. */
+.bottomClose {
+  position: absolute;
+  top: 3px;
+  right: 6px;
+  z-index: 4;
+  display: inline-flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+  width: 28px;
+  height: 28px;
+  padding: 0;
+  border: none;
+  border-radius: 50%;
+  background: transparent;
+  color: var(--dsw-alias-label-secondary);
+  cursor: pointer;
+  flex: none;
+}
+
+.bottomClose:hover:not(:disabled) {
+  background: var(--dsw-alias-interactive-bg-hover);
+  color: var(--dsw-alias-label-primary);
+}
+
+/* The bottom panel's tab strips reserve the close control's width at their
+   right end, so the + menu never hides under it. */
+.bottomPanel .tabBar {
+  padding-right: 40px;
+}
+
+/* The shared corner (both panels open): the intersection of the right
+   panel's left edge and the bottom panel's top edge. Horizontal drags
+   resize the width, vertical drags the height — the two panels drag
+   against each other. */
+.cornerHandle {
+  position: fixed;
+  width: 12px;
+  height: 12px;
+  z-index: 52;
+  cursor: nwse-resize;
+  touch-action: none;
+}
+
+.cornerHandle:hover,
+.cornerHandle[data-dragging] {
+  background: var(--dsw-alias-interactive-bg-hover-accent);
+}
+
 /* Icon button: the app's own icon-button pattern (ui-workspace) — a 28px
    circle, secondary label, hover fill; no border so the icon alone is the
    affordance. */
@@ -317,28 +418,35 @@
   display: none;
 }
 
+/* An empty pane's welcome cards: a responsive grid of compact cards — as
+   many per row as the pane width allows; rows that cannot fit the pane
+   height are clipped (never scrolled or squeezed smaller). */
 .paneEmptyCards {
   flex: 1;
   min-height: 0;
-  display: flex;
-  flex-direction: column;
-  justify-content: center;
+  display: grid;
+  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(140px, 1fr));
+  align-content: start;
   gap: 8px;
-  padding: 16px;
+  padding: 12px;
+  overflow: hidden;
 }
 
 .paneCard {
   display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
   align-items: center;
-  gap: 10px;
-  padding: 10px 12px;
+  justify-content: center;
+  gap: 6px;
+  min-width: 0;
+  padding: 12px 8px;
   border: 1px solid var(--dsw-alias-border-l1);
   border-radius: 8px;
   background: var(--dsw-alias-bg-layer-1);
   color: var(--dsw-alias-label-secondary);
   font: var(--dsw-font-xxs-strong-12);
   cursor: pointer;
-  text-align: left;
+  text-align: center;
 }
 
 .paneCard:hover:not(:disabled) {
@@ -1713,6 +1821,7 @@
 /* Keyboard focus stays visible on every interactive control (the styling
    policy requires focus visibility; the accent token doubles as the ring). */
 .toggleButton:focus-visible,
+.bottomClose:focus-visible,
 .iconButton:focus-visible,
 .tab:focus-visible,
 .tabClose:focus-visible,
@@ -1739,6 +1848,9 @@
 @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
   .panel,
   .panelHidden,
+  .bottomPanel,
+  .bottomPanelHidden,
+  .toggleCluster,
   .toggleButton,
   .tab,
   .tabBarPlus,
diff --git a/src/client/split-pane.tsx b/src/client/split-pane.tsx
index a6048c6..ee339a3 100644
--- a/src/client/split-pane.tsx
+++ b/src/client/split-pane.tsx
@@ -262,20 +262,24 @@ function NodeView(props: {
   )
 }
 
-/** The workbench: the split tree filling the sidebar body. */
+/** The workbench: the split tree filling the sidebar body. `tree` selects
+ *  which tree renders (the right panel's by default; the bottom panel passes
+ *  `state.bottomSplits` — the actions route by pane id, so one action set
+ *  serves both). */
 export function Workbench(props: {
   state: SidebarState
+  tree?: SplitNode
   newTabOptions: NewTabOption[]
   actions: WorkbenchActions
   onNewTab: (optionId: string) => void
   renderTab: (tab: SidebarTab, active: boolean, paneId: string) => ReactNode
   getTabIcon?: (tab: SidebarTab) => ReactNode
 }) {
-  const { state, newTabOptions, actions, onNewTab, renderTab, getTabIcon } = props
+  const { state, tree, newTabOptions, actions, onNewTab, renderTab, getTabIcon } = props
   return (
     <div className={css.workbench}>
       <NodeView
-        node={state.splits}
+        node={tree ?? state.splits}
         state={state}
         newTabOptions={newTabOptions}
         actions={actions}
diff --git a/src/client/state.ts b/src/client/state.ts
index eb87b7b..9e15031 100644
--- a/src/client/state.ts
+++ b/src/client/state.ts
@@ -57,7 +57,9 @@ export type SplitNode = SidebarLeaf | SidebarSplit
 export interface SidebarState {
   panelOpen: boolean
   width: number
-  /** The pane receiving newly opened tabs (last pane the user touched). */
+  /** The pane receiving newly opened tabs (last pane the user touched).
+   *  Pane ids are globally unique across BOTH trees (shared uid counter), so
+   *  one field resolves into either tree — see {@link treeOf}. */
   activePane: string | null
   /** Monotonic terminal tab counter (ids survive reloads). */
   nextTerminal: number
@@ -65,13 +67,31 @@ export interface SidebarState {
   nextBrowser: number
   /** Explorer expansion set (absolute directory paths). */
   expanded: string[]
+  /** The right sidebar's split tree (the original workbench). */
   splits: SplitNode
+  /** Whether the bottom panel (a second, independent workbench) is open. */
+  bottomOpen: boolean
+  /** The bottom panel's height (clamped to the contract range). */
+  bottomHeight: number
+  /**
+   * Whether the bottom panel has been expanded at least once in this
+   * session — the FIRST expansion tries to auto-open a terminal tab (gated
+   * on the bottomPanelAutoTerminal pref); later expansions never do.
+   */
+  bottomOpenedOnce: boolean
+  /** The bottom panel's own split tree (panes/tabs live only in ONE tree;
+   *  tabs never cross panels — the two panels only share panel-size drags). */
+  bottomSplits: SplitNode
 }
 
 export const PANEL_MIN = 280
 export const PANEL_MAX = 640
 export const PANEL_DEFAULT = 400
 export const TAB_MAX_WIDTH = 160
+/** Bottom panel geometry contract (mirrors the width contract; the upper
+ * bound is the viewport, enforced by {@link setBottomHeight}). */
+export const BOTTOM_MIN = 120
+export const BOTTOM_DEFAULT = 220
 
 let nextIdCounter = 0
 /** Unique pane/tab id within one state instance. */
@@ -110,6 +130,7 @@ function maxCounterId(parsed: unknown): number {
     }
   }
   walk((parsed as Record<string, unknown> | null)?.splits)
+  walk((parsed as Record<string, unknown> | null)?.bottomSplits)
   return max
 }
 
@@ -126,6 +147,9 @@ export function makeDefaultState(width = PANEL_DEFAULT, panelOpen = true, seedEx
     leaf.tabs = [{ id: uid('tab'), type: 'explorer', title: 'Explorer' }]
     leaf.active = leaf.tabs[0]!.id
   }
+  // The bottom panel starts closed with an empty pane (its welcome cards
+  // offer the openable types on first use).
+  const bottomLeaf: SidebarLeaf = { kind: 'leaf', id: uid('pane'), tabs: [], active: null }
   return {
     panelOpen,
     width,
@@ -134,9 +158,29 @@ export function makeDefaultState(width = PANEL_DEFAULT, panelOpen = true, seedEx
     nextBrowser: 1,
     expanded: [],
     splits: leaf,
+    bottomOpen: false,
+    bottomHeight: BOTTOM_DEFAULT,
+    bottomOpenedOnce: false,
+    bottomSplits: bottomLeaf,
   }
 }
 
+/** Whether a tree node (or any descendant) carries the given pane/split id. */
+function treeHasId(node: SplitNode, id: string): boolean {
+  if (node.id === id) return true
+  if (node.kind === 'split') return node.children.some(child => treeHasId(child, id))
+  return false
+}
+
+/** Which tree owns a pane/split id: 'bottomSplits' when the id lives in the
+ *  bottom panel's tree, else 'splits' (the right panel's tree). Ids are
+ *  globally unique (the shared uid counter), so an id in neither tree falls
+ *  back to the right tree, where tree operations no-op on a missing node —
+ *  the pre-bottom-panel behavior. */
+export function treeOf(state: SidebarState, id: string): 'splits' | 'bottomSplits' {
+  return treeHasId(state.bottomSplits, id) ? 'bottomSplits' : 'splits'
+}
+
 /** Walk the tree and apply `visit` to the leaf with the given id. */
 export function mapLeaf(node: SplitNode, paneId: string, visit: (leaf: SidebarLeaf) => void): SplitNode {
   if (node.kind === 'leaf') {
@@ -179,9 +223,10 @@ export function allLeaves(node: SplitNode): SidebarLeaf[] {
   return node.children.flatMap(allLeaves)
 }
 
-/** Whether a tab exists anywhere in a state tree (any pane). */
+/** Whether a tab exists anywhere in a state (either tree, any pane). */
 export function tabOpenIn(state: SidebarState, tabId: string): boolean {
   return allLeaves(state.splits).some(leaf => leaf.tabs.some(tab => tab.id === tabId))
+    || allLeaves(state.bottomSplits).some(leaf => leaf.tabs.some(tab => tab.id === tabId))
 }
 
 /** Replace a leaf with a split of it plus a fresh empty leaf. */
@@ -237,6 +282,9 @@ export type DropZone = 'left' | 'right' | 'up' | 'down' | 'center'
  * The VSCode drag gesture: move a tab out of its pane and either merge it
  * into the target pane (center) or split the target pane with the tab in a
  * fresh leaf (edge). The source pane collapses when it empties.
+ *
+ * The panes may live in DIFFERENT trees (dragging a tab between the two
+ * panels): the tab then leaves its own tree and lands in the other one.
  */
 export function moveTabToEdge(
   state: SidebarState,
@@ -249,11 +297,43 @@ export function moveTabToEdge(
     // Dropped back onto its own pane's center: reorder to the end.
     return moveTab(state, fromPane, tabId, toPane, -1)
   }
-  const source = leafWithTab(state.splits, tabId)
+  const key = treeOf(state, fromPane)
+  const toKey = treeOf(state, toPane)
+  if (key !== toKey) {
+    // Cross-panel drop: remove the tab from its own tree, then merge (center)
+    // or split (edge) a pane of the OTHER tree with the tab.
+    const source = leafWithTab(state[key], tabId)
+    if (source === undefined) return state
+    const tab = source.tabs.find(candidate => candidate.id === tabId)!
+    let emptied = false
+    let sourceNode = mapLeaf(state[key], source.id, (leaf) => {
+      leaf.tabs = leaf.tabs.filter(candidate => candidate.id !== tabId)
+      if (leaf.active === tabId) leaf.active = leaf.tabs[leaf.tabs.length - 1]?.id ?? null
+      if (leaf.tabs.length === 0) emptied = true
+    })
+    if (emptied) sourceNode = removeLeafAt(sourceNode, source.id)
+    let targetNode = state[toKey]
+    let activePane: string
+    if (zone === 'center') {
+      targetNode = mapLeaf(targetNode, toPane, (leaf) => {
+        leaf.tabs = [...leaf.tabs, tab]
+        leaf.active = tab.id
+      })
+      activePane = toPane
+    } else {
+      const dir = zone === 'left' || zone === 'right' ? 'row' : 'col'
+      const result = insertLeafAt(targetNode, toPane, dir, tab, zone === 'left' || zone === 'up')
+      targetNode = result.node
+      activePane = result.leafId
+    }
+    return { ...state, [key]: sourceNode, [toKey]: targetNode, activePane }
+  }
+  const node = state[key]
+  const source = leafWithTab(node, tabId)
   if (source === undefined) return state
   const tab = source.tabs.find(candidate => candidate.id === tabId)!
   let emptied = false
-  let splits = mapLeaf(state.splits, source.id, (leaf) => {
+  let splits = mapLeaf(node, source.id, (leaf) => {
     leaf.tabs = leaf.tabs.filter(candidate => candidate.id !== tabId)
     if (leaf.active === tabId) leaf.active = leaf.tabs[leaf.tabs.length - 1]?.id ?? null
     if (leaf.tabs.length === 0) emptied = true
@@ -264,11 +344,11 @@ export function moveTabToEdge(
       leaf.tabs = [...leaf.tabs, tab]
       leaf.active = tab.id
     })
-    return { ...state, splits, activePane: toPane }
+    return { ...state, [key]: splits, activePane: toPane }
   }
   const dir = zone === 'left' || zone === 'right' ? 'row' : 'col'
   const result = insertLeafAt(splits, toPane, dir, tab, zone === 'left' || zone === 'up')
-  return { ...state, splits: result.node, activePane: result.leafId }
+  return { ...state, [key]: result.node, activePane: result.leafId }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -291,21 +371,23 @@ export function removeLeafAt(node: SplitNode, paneId: string): SplitNode {
 
 /** Close a tab; an emptied leaf is removed (unless it is the only pane). */
 export function closeTab(state: SidebarState, paneId: string, tabId: string): SidebarState {
+  const key = treeOf(state, paneId)
   let emptied = false
-  const splits = mapLeaf(state.splits, paneId, (leaf) => {
+  const splits = mapLeaf(state[key], paneId, (leaf) => {
     leaf.tabs = leaf.tabs.filter(tab => tab.id !== tabId)
     if (leaf.active === tabId) leaf.active = leaf.tabs[leaf.tabs.length - 1]?.id ?? null
     if (leaf.tabs.length === 0) emptied = true
   })
-  return { ...state, splits: emptied ? removeLeafAt(splits, paneId) : splits }
+  return { ...state, [key]: emptied ? removeLeafAt(splits, paneId) : splits }
 }
 
-/** Activate a tab in its pane. */
+/** Activate a tab in its pane (the pane's own tree). */
 export function activateTab(state: SidebarState, paneId: string, tabId: string): SidebarState {
+  const key = treeOf(state, paneId)
   return {
     ...state,
     activePane: paneId,
-    splits: mapLeaf(state.splits, paneId, (leaf) => {
+    [key]: mapLeaf(state[key], paneId, (leaf) => {
       if (leaf.tabs.some(tab => tab.id === tabId)) leaf.active = tabId
     }),
   }
@@ -314,7 +396,7 @@ export function activateTab(state: SidebarState, paneId: string, tabId: string):
 /** Update the display fields of one open tab (title / path) without
  *  re-opening it. The browser tab persists its current URL and hostname
  *  title through this reducer so a reload restores the visited page. A
- *  missing tab id is a no-op. */
+ *  missing tab id is a no-op. The tab may live in either tree. */
 export function patchTab(
   state: SidebarState,
   tabId: string,
@@ -338,7 +420,8 @@ export function patchTab(
     return children === node.children ? node : { ...node, children }
   }
   const splits = walk(state.splits)
-  return changed ? { ...state, splits } : state
+  const bottomSplits = walk(state.bottomSplits)
+  return changed ? { ...state, splits, bottomSplits } : state
 }
 
 /**
@@ -349,34 +432,68 @@ export function patchTab(
  * openDiffTab already check existence before calling) and the landing
  * itself — the service's dedupe path delegates here after its dedupeKey
  * check misses.
+ *
+ * The active pane may live in EITHER tree (pane ids are globally unique):
+ * a stale id that survives in neither tree falls back to the right tree's
+ * first pane instead of swallowing the open.
  */
 export function openTabInActivePane(state: SidebarState, tab: SidebarTab): SidebarState {
   let targetId = state.activePane ?? firstLeaf(state.splits).id
   // A stale activePane (its pane was closed since) must not swallow the
-  // open: fall back to the first pane instead of dropping the tab.
-  if (!allLeaves(state.splits).some(leaf => leaf.id === targetId)) {
+  // open: fall back to the first pane of the right tree instead of dropping
+  // the tab.
+  if (!allLeaves(state[treeOf(state, targetId)]).some(leaf => leaf.id === targetId)) {
     targetId = firstLeaf(state.splits).id
   }
+  const targetKey = treeOf(state, targetId)
   // Id-based safety net: if a tab with the same id exists, focus it.
-  for (const leaf of allLeaves(state.splits)) {
+  for (const leaf of allLeaves(state.splits).concat(allLeaves(state.bottomSplits))) {
     const existing = leaf.tabs.find(candidate => candidate.id === tab.id)
     if (existing !== undefined) return activateTab(state, leaf.id, existing.id)
   }
   return {
     ...state,
     activePane: targetId,
-    splits: mapLeaf(state.splits, targetId, (leaf) => {
+    [targetKey]: mapLeaf(state[targetKey], targetId, (leaf) => {
       leaf.tabs = [...leaf.tabs, tab]
       leaf.active = tab.id
     }),
   }
 }
 
-/** Move a tab from one pane to another (insert at index; -1 appends). */
+/** Move a tab from one pane to another (insert at index; -1 appends).
+ *  The panes may live in DIFFERENT trees — dragging a tab between the two
+ *  panels removes it from its own tree and lands it in the other one. */
 export function moveTab(state: SidebarState, fromPane: string, tabId: string, toPane: string, index = -1): SidebarState {
+  const fromKey = treeOf(state, fromPane)
+  const toKey = treeOf(state, toPane)
+  if (fromKey !== toKey) {
+    let moved: SidebarTab | undefined
+    let emptied = false
+    const source = mapLeaf(state[fromKey], fromPane, (leaf) => {
+      const found = leaf.tabs.find(tab => tab.id === tabId)
+      if (found === undefined) return
+      moved = found
+      leaf.tabs = leaf.tabs.filter(tab => tab.id !== tabId)
+      if (leaf.active === tabId) leaf.active = leaf.tabs[leaf.tabs.length - 1]?.id ?? null
+      if (leaf.tabs.length === 0) emptied = true
+    })
+    if (moved === undefined) return state
+    const target = mapLeaf(state[toKey], toPane, (leaf) => {
+      const insertAt = index >= 0 && index <= leaf.tabs.length ? index : leaf.tabs.length
+      leaf.tabs = [...leaf.tabs.slice(0, insertAt), moved!, ...leaf.tabs.slice(insertAt)]
+      leaf.active = moved!.id
+    })
+    return {
+      ...state,
+      [fromKey]: emptied ? removeLeafAt(source, fromPane) : source,
+      [toKey]: target,
+      activePane: toPane,
+    }
+  }
   let moved: SidebarTab | undefined
   let emptied = false
-  let splits = mapLeaf(state.splits, fromPane, (leaf) => {
+  let splits = mapLeaf(state[fromKey], fromPane, (leaf) => {
     const found = leaf.tabs.find(tab => tab.id === tabId)
     if (found === undefined) return
     moved = found
@@ -391,13 +508,14 @@ export function moveTab(state: SidebarState, fromPane: string, tabId: string, to
     leaf.tabs = [...leaf.tabs.slice(0, insertAt), moved!, ...leaf.tabs.slice(insertAt)]
     leaf.active = moved!.id
   })
-  return { ...state, splits, activePane: toPane }
+  return { ...state, [fromKey]: splits, activePane: toPane }
 }
 
 /** Split the active pane (or the pane containing the active tab). */
 export function splitPane(state: SidebarState, dir: 'row' | 'col'): SidebarState {
   const paneId = state.activePane ?? firstLeaf(state.splits).id
-  return { ...state, splits: splitLeafAt(state.splits, paneId, dir) }
+  const key = treeOf(state, paneId)
+  return { ...state, [key]: splitLeafAt(state[key], paneId, dir) }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -443,6 +561,11 @@ export function togglePanel(state: SidebarState): SidebarState {
   return { ...state, panelOpen: !state.panelOpen }
 }
 
+/** Toggle the bottom panel open/closed (independent of the right panel). */
+export function toggleBottomPanel(state: SidebarState): SidebarState {
+  return { ...state, bottomOpen: !state.bottomOpen }
+}
+
 /** Set the panel width (clamped to the contract range; the upper bound is
  * the viewport so the fullscreen expansion can fill the window). */
 export function setWidth(state: SidebarState, width: number): SidebarState {
@@ -450,6 +573,16 @@ export function setWidth(state: SidebarState, width: number): SidebarState {
   return { ...state, width: Math.min(max, Math.max(PANEL_MIN, Math.round(width))) }
 }
 
+/** Set the bottom panel height (clamped to the contract range). The upper
+ * bound leaves the center column (the agent output area) at least PANEL_MIN
+ * tall — without the cap the bottom panel could swallow the whole viewport
+ * and squeeze the conversation to zero height. */
+export function setBottomHeight(state: SidebarState, height: number): SidebarState {
+  const viewport = typeof window !== 'undefined' ? window.innerHeight : Infinity
+  const max = Math.max(BOTTOM_MIN, viewport - PANEL_MIN)
+  return { ...state, bottomHeight: Math.min(max, Math.max(BOTTOM_MIN, Math.round(height))) }
+}
+
 /** Toggle a directory in the explorer expansion set. */
 export function toggleExpanded(state: SidebarState, path: string): SidebarState {
   const expanded = state.expanded.includes(path)
@@ -476,6 +609,13 @@ export function resizeSplit(node: SplitNode, splitId: string, index: number, del
   }
 }
 
+/** State-level {@link resizeSplit} route: the divider may live in either
+ *  tree (split ids are globally unique). */
+export function resizeSplitIn(state: SidebarState, splitId: string, index: number, delta: number): SidebarState {
+  const key = treeOf(state, splitId)
+  return { ...state, [key]: resizeSplit(state[key], splitId, index, delta) }
+}
+
 /** Prefix marking a tab id as an agent-owned terminal (suffix is the uuid). */
 export const AGENT_TAB_PREFIX = 'agent:'
 
@@ -510,7 +650,7 @@ export function reconcileAgentTerminals(
   state: SidebarState,
   agentTerminals: ReadonlyArray<{ uuid: string; title: string }>,
 ): SidebarState {
-  const existingTabs = allLeaves(state.splits).flatMap(leaf => leaf.tabs)
+  const existingTabs = allLeaves(state.splits).concat(allLeaves(state.bottomSplits)).flatMap(leaf => leaf.tabs)
   const existingAgentTabs = existingTabs.filter(tab => isAgentTabId(tab.id))
   const existingUuids = new Set(existingAgentTabs.map(tab => agentUuidOf(tab.id)))
   const serverUuids = new Set(agentTerminals.map(t => t.uuid))
@@ -613,9 +753,29 @@ export function sanitizeState(parsed: unknown): SidebarState | undefined {
     : 1
   if (typeof record.activePane !== 'string' && record.activePane !== null) return undefined
   if (!Array.isArray(record.expanded) || record.expanded.some(item => typeof item !== 'string')) return undefined
+  // The seen/reid maps are SHARED across both trees: pane/split ids must be
+  // globally unique (the runtime uid counter is shared too), so a duplicate
+  // seen first in the right tree gets a fresh id when it reappears in the
+  // bottom tree.
+  const seen = new Set<string>()
   const reid = new Map<string, string>()
-  const splits = sanitizeNode(record.splits, new Set(), reid)
+  const splits = sanitizeNode(record.splits, seen, reid)
   if (splits === undefined) return undefined
+  // Bottom-panel fields arrived in a later build: a missing or malformed
+  // value on an OLDER persisted state defaults (closed / default height /
+  // empty pane) so existing layouts keep loading, like nextBrowser.
+  const bottomOpen = record.bottomOpen === true
+  // Cap the persisted height so the center column (the agent output area)
+  // keeps at least PANEL_MIN tall (a stale full-height bottom panel from an
+  // older build must never squeeze the conversation to zero).
+  const maxHeight = typeof window !== 'undefined' ? window.innerHeight : Infinity
+  const bottomCap = Math.max(BOTTOM_MIN, maxHeight - PANEL_MIN)
+  const rawHeight = typeof record.bottomHeight === 'number' && Number.isFinite(record.bottomHeight)
+    ? record.bottomHeight
+    : BOTTOM_DEFAULT
+  const bottomHeight = Math.min(bottomCap, Math.max(BOTTOM_MIN, Math.round(rawHeight)))
+  const bottomSplits = sanitizeNode(record.bottomSplits, seen, reid)
+    ?? { kind: 'leaf' as const, id: uid('pane'), tabs: [], active: null }
   const maxWidth = typeof window !== 'undefined' ? window.innerWidth : Infinity
   return {
     panelOpen: record.panelOpen,
@@ -627,6 +787,13 @@ export function sanitizeState(parsed: unknown): SidebarState | undefined {
     nextBrowser,
     expanded: record.expanded as string[],
     splits,
+    bottomOpen,
+    bottomHeight,
+    // An older persisted state never expanded the bottom panel (the field
+    // arrived later): defaulting to false gives it the first-expansion
+    // auto-terminal exactly once after the upgrade.
+    bottomOpenedOnce: record.bottomOpenedOnce === true,
+    bottomSplits,
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/config.ts b/src/config.ts
index 0487419..b44cc9d 100644
--- a/src/config.ts
+++ b/src/config.ts
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ export const PrefsSchema: z<SidebarPrefs> = z.object({
   defaultWidthPercent: z.number().step(1).min(WIDTH_PERCENT_MIN).max(WIDTH_PERCENT_MAX).default(WIDTH_PERCENT_DEFAULT),
   autoOpenSubagent: z.boolean().default(true),
   agentTerminalTools: z.boolean().default(false),
+  bottomPanelAutoTerminal: z.boolean().default(true),
   interceptOpenPath: z.boolean().default(true),
   htmlViewerNoSandbox: z.boolean().default(false),
   htmlViewerDefaultUnsafe: z.boolean().default(false),
diff --git a/src/prefs-shared.ts b/src/prefs-shared.ts
index c4b4182..8c66577 100644
--- a/src/prefs-shared.ts
+++ b/src/prefs-shared.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,13 @@ export interface SidebarPrefs {
    * user explicitly enables it in the side card settings.
    */
   agentTerminalTools: boolean
+  /**
+   * Whether expanding the bottom panel for the FIRST time in a session tries
+   * to open a fresh terminal tab there (the terminal quota/type still gates
+   * the attempt). On by default; the switch lives under the terminal tab's
+   * row in the Side card settings.
+   */
+  bottomPanelAutoTerminal: boolean
   /**
    * Whether chat-side file opens (tool-row path links, the produced-files
    * row, prose file mentions — every path that funnels through the client
@@ -97,6 +104,7 @@ export const SIDEBAR_PREFS_DEFAULTS: SidebarPrefs = {
   defaultWidthPercent: WIDTH_PERCENT_DEFAULT,
   autoOpenSubagent: true,
   agentTerminalTools: false,
+  bottomPanelAutoTerminal: true,
   interceptOpenPath: true,
   htmlViewerNoSandbox: false,
   htmlViewerDefaultUnsafe: false,
diff --git a/tests/browser-globals.ts b/tests/browser-globals.ts
index 264e244..3380ce8 100644
--- a/tests/browser-globals.ts
+++ b/tests/browser-globals.ts
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ if (g.window === undefined) {
     clearTimeout: () => {},
     setTimeout: (_fn: () => void) => 0,
     innerWidth: 1024,
+    innerHeight: 768,
     getComputedStyle: () => ({ getPropertyValue: () => '' }),
   }
 }
diff --git a/tests/builtins.spec.ts b/tests/builtins.spec.ts
index 5309dfa..aefab05 100644
--- a/tests/builtins.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/builtins.spec.ts
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ describe('built-in tab registrations', () => {
   it('the terminal tab declares the model terminal-tools related setting', () => {
     const { service } = setup()
     const toggles = service.getTab('terminal')?.settings?.toggles ?? []
-    expect(toggles.map(t => t.key)).toEqual(['agentTerminalTools'])
+    expect(toggles.map(t => t.key)).toEqual(['agentTerminalTools', 'bottomPanelAutoTerminal'])
   })
 
   it('the browser tab declares its sandbox and link-takeover related settings', () => {
diff --git a/tests/plugin-shape.spec.ts b/tests/plugin-shape.spec.ts
index 90f986e..fbfca4d 100644
--- a/tests/plugin-shape.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/plugin-shape.spec.ts
@@ -57,6 +57,6 @@ describe('dsh-better-sidebar plugin export shape', () => {
     const overridden = (PrefsSchema as unknown as {
       (input: Record<string, unknown> | undefined): Record<string, unknown>
     })({ openByDefault: false, defaultWidthPercent: 45 })
-    expect(overridden).toEqual({ openByDefault: false, defaultWidthPercent: 45, autoOpenSubagent: true, agentTerminalTools: false, interceptOpenPath: true, htmlViewerNoSandbox: false, htmlViewerDefaultUnsafe: false, browserNoSandbox: false, browserInterceptLinks: true, tabsEnabled: {}, viewersEnabled: {} })
+    expect(overridden).toEqual({ openByDefault: false, defaultWidthPercent: 45, autoOpenSubagent: true, agentTerminalTools: false, bottomPanelAutoTerminal: true, interceptOpenPath: true, htmlViewerNoSandbox: false, htmlViewerDefaultUnsafe: false, browserNoSandbox: false, browserInterceptLinks: true, tabsEnabled: {}, viewersEnabled: {} })
   })
 })
diff --git a/tests/service.spec.ts b/tests/service.spec.ts
index ac83dfd..63d4164 100644
--- a/tests/service.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/service.spec.ts
@@ -414,3 +414,54 @@ describe('service.openTab dedupe', () => {
     expect(tabs).toHaveLength(1)
   })
 })
+
+describe('service.openTab across the two panels', () => {
+  it('openTab lands in the bottom tree when the active pane lives there', () => {
+    const store = createSidebarStore()
+    const service = createBetterSidebarService(store)
+    service.registerTab({ id: 'git', title: 'Git', component: () => null })
+    store.setSession('s1')
+    store.reduce(s => ({ ...s, activePane: (s.bottomSplits as { id: string }).id }))
+    service.openTab({ type: 'git', title: 'Git' })
+    const state = store.getSnapshot().state!
+    expect(allLeaves(state.bottomSplits).flatMap(l => l.tabs).some(t => t.type === 'git')).toBe(true)
+    expect(allLeaves(state.splits).flatMap(l => l.tabs).some(t => t.type === 'git')).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it('dedupeKey focuses an existing instance in the OTHER tree (single-instance across panels)', () => {
+    const store = createSidebarStore()
+    const service = createBetterSidebarService(store)
+    service.registerTab({
+      id: 'singleton',
+      title: 'Singleton',
+      single: true,
+      component: () => null,
+    })
+    store.setSession('s1')
+    // Open in the right tree first.
+    service.openTab({ type: 'singleton', title: 'Singleton' })
+    // Switch the active pane to the bottom tree and open again: the dedupe
+    // scan covers both trees, so the existing instance is focused, not
+    // duplicated in the bottom panel.
+    store.reduce(s => ({ ...s, activePane: (s.bottomSplits as { id: string }).id }))
+    service.openTab({ type: 'singleton', title: 'Singleton' })
+    const state = store.getSnapshot().state!
+    const total = allLeaves(state.splits).concat(allLeaves(state.bottomSplits))
+      .flatMap(l => l.tabs).filter(t => t.type === 'singleton')
+    expect(total).toHaveLength(1)
+  })
+
+  it('closeTab by id closes a tab living in the bottom tree', () => {
+    const store = createSidebarStore()
+    const service = createBetterSidebarService(store)
+    service.registerTab({ id: 'git', title: 'Git', component: () => null })
+    store.setSession('s1')
+    store.reduce(s => ({ ...s, activePane: (s.bottomSplits as { id: string }).id }))
+    service.openTab({ type: 'git', title: 'Git' })
+    const state = store.getSnapshot().state!
+    const gitTab = allLeaves(state.bottomSplits).flatMap(l => l.tabs).find(t => t.type === 'git')!
+    service.closeTab(gitTab.id)
+    const after = store.getSnapshot().state!
+    expect(allLeaves(after.bottomSplits).flatMap(l => l.tabs).some(t => t.id === gitTab.id)).toBe(false)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/tests/smoke.spec.ts b/tests/smoke.spec.ts
index 23a7b2c..4480df7 100644
--- a/tests/smoke.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/smoke.spec.ts
@@ -507,6 +507,7 @@ describe('side card settings routes', () => {
         defaultWidthPercent: 30,
         autoOpenSubagent: true,
         agentTerminalTools: false,
+        bottomPanelAutoTerminal: true,
         interceptOpenPath: true,
         htmlViewerNoSandbox: false,
         htmlViewerDefaultUnsafe: false,
diff --git a/tests/unit.spec.ts b/tests/unit.spec.ts
index 8e4deb3..9a6ba5b 100644
--- a/tests/unit.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/unit.spec.ts
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ import { compareEntries, isWithin, parentOf, rootLabel, requireAbsolute } from '
 import { parseLogLines, parsePorcelainZ } from '../src/git.ts'
 import { parseUnifiedDiff } from '../src/client/DiffView.tsx'
 import {
-  activateTab, allLeaves, closeTab, createSidebarStore, defaultWidthFor, insertLeafAt, makeDefaultState,
-  moveTab, moveTabToEdge, openDiffTab, openTabInActivePane, patchTab, reconcileAgentTerminals, resizeSplit, sanitizeState, splitPane, tabOpenIn, toggleExpanded,
+  activateTab, allLeaves, BOTTOM_DEFAULT, BOTTOM_MIN, closeTab, createSidebarStore, defaultWidthFor, insertLeafAt, makeDefaultState,
+  moveTab, moveTabToEdge, openDiffTab, openTabInActivePane, patchTab, reconcileAgentTerminals, resizeSplit, resizeSplitIn, sanitizeState, setBottomHeight, splitPane, tabOpenIn, toggleBottomPanel, toggleExpanded, togglePanel,
   type SidebarState, type SidebarTab, type SplitNode,
 } from '../src/client/state.ts'
 import { loadPrefs, type SidebarSettingsClient } from '../src/client/prefs.ts'
@@ -520,6 +520,203 @@ describe('sidebar state', () => {
     s = openTabInActivePane(s, { id: 'terminal:9', type: 'terminal', title: 'Terminal 9' })
     expect(tabOpenIn(s, 'terminal:9')).toBe(true)
   })
+
+  // ── Bottom panel (the second, independent workbench) ───────────────────
+
+  it('toggleBottomPanel flips the bottom panel independently of the right panel', () => {
+    let s = state()
+    expect(s.bottomOpen).toBe(false)
+    s = toggleBottomPanel(s)
+    expect(s.bottomOpen).toBe(true)
+    // Collapsing the right panel leaves the bottom panel open (independent toggles).
+    s = togglePanel(s)
+    expect(s.panelOpen).toBe(false)
+    expect(s.bottomOpen).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  it('setBottomHeight clamps to the contract range', () => {
+    expect(setBottomHeight(state(), 50).bottomHeight).toBe(BOTTOM_MIN)
+    const g = globalThis as Record<string, unknown>
+    const previous = g.window
+    g.window = { innerHeight: 800 }
+    try {
+      // The bottom panel must leave the center column at least PANEL_MIN
+      // tall (800 - 280), regardless of the right panel's open state.
+      expect(setBottomHeight(state(), 9999).bottomHeight).toBe(800 - 280)
+      expect(setBottomHeight({ ...state(), panelOpen: false }, 9999).bottomHeight).toBe(800 - 280)
+    } finally {
+      if (previous === undefined) delete g.window
+      else g.window = previous
+    }
+  })
+
+  it('openTabInActivePane lands in the bottom tree when the active pane lives there', () => {
+    let s = state()
+    s = toggleBottomPanel(s)
+    const bottomPane = (s.bottomSplits as { id: string }).id
+    s = { ...s, activePane: bottomPane }
+    const tab = { id: 'git', type: 'git' as const, title: 'Git' }
+    s = openTabInActivePane(s, tab)
+    expect((s.bottomSplits as { tabs: SidebarTab[] }).tabs.map(t => t.id)).toContain('git')
+    // The right tree is untouched.
+    expect((s.splits as { tabs: SidebarTab[] }).tabs.map(t => t.type)).toEqual(['explorer'])
+    expect(s.activePane).toBe(bottomPane)
+    // The id safety net works across trees: reopening the same id focuses it.
+    const after = openTabInActivePane(s, tab)
+    expect((after.bottomSplits as { tabs: SidebarTab[] }).tabs.map(t => t.id)).toEqual(['git'])
+  })
+
+  it('openTabInActivePane falls back to the right tree when the active pane is stale', () => {
+    let s = state()
+    s = toggleBottomPanel(s)
+    s = { ...s, activePane: 'pane:gone' }
+    const after = openTabInActivePane(s, { id: 'git', type: 'git' as const, title: 'Git' })
+    expect((after.splits as { tabs: SidebarTab[] }).tabs.map(t => t.type)).toContain('git')
+  })
+
+  it('closeTab routes to the bottom tree', () => {
+    let s = state()
+    s = toggleBottomPanel(s)
+    const bottomPane = (s.bottomSplits as { id: string }).id
+    s = openTabInActivePane({ ...s, activePane: bottomPane }, { id: 'terminal:1', type: 'terminal', title: 'T1' })
+    expect(tabOpenIn(s, 'terminal:1')).toBe(true)
+    s = closeTab(s, bottomPane, 'terminal:1')
+    expect(tabOpenIn(s, 'terminal:1')).toBe(false)
+    // The right tree is untouched.
+    expect(tabOpenIn(s, (s.splits as { tabs: { id: string }[] }).tabs[0]!.id)).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  it('moveTabToEdge splits within the bottom tree', () => {
+    let s = state()
+    s = toggleBottomPanel(s)
+    const bottomPane = (s.bottomSplits as { id: string }).id
+    s = openTabInActivePane({ ...s, activePane: bottomPane }, { id: 'terminal:1', type: 'terminal', title: 'T1' })
+    s = moveTabToEdge(s, bottomPane, 'terminal:1', bottomPane, 'right')
+    expect(s.bottomSplits.kind).toBe('split')
+    expect(s.splits.kind).toBe('leaf')
+    expect(tabOpenIn(s, 'terminal:1')).toBe(true)
+    // The fresh leaf (the drop's active pane) differs from the source pane.
+    expect(s.activePane).not.toBe(bottomPane)
+  })
+
+  it('resizeSplitIn routes a divider to its own tree', () => {
+    let s = state()
+    s = toggleBottomPanel(s)
+    const bottomPane = (s.bottomSplits as { id: string }).id
+    s = splitPane({ ...s, activePane: bottomPane }, 'row')
+    const split = s.bottomSplits as Extract<SplitNode, { kind: 'split' }>
+    s = resizeSplitIn(s, split.id, 0, 0.1)
+    const next = s.bottomSplits as Extract<SplitNode, { kind: 'split' }>
+    expect(next.sizes[0]).toBeCloseTo(0.6)
+    expect(s.splits.kind).toBe('leaf')
+  })
+
+  it('sanitize defaults the bottom fields for older persisted states and repairs a broken bottom tree', () => {
+    const base = {
+      panelOpen: true,
+      width: 400,
+      nextTerminal: 1,
+      activePane: 'pane:1',
+      expanded: [],
+      splits: {
+        kind: 'leaf',
+        id: 'pane:1',
+        active: null,
+        tabs: [{ id: 't', type: 'explorer', title: 'Explorer' }],
+      },
+    }
+    // Older persisted states lack the bottom fields: defaults, state kept.
+    const s = sanitizeState(base)
+    expect(s?.bottomOpen).toBe(false)
+    expect(s?.bottomHeight).toBe(BOTTOM_DEFAULT)
+    expect(s?.bottomSplits.kind).toBe('leaf')
+    expect((s?.bottomSplits as { tabs: SidebarTab[] }).tabs).toHaveLength(0)
+    // A malformed bottom tree is replaced with a fresh empty pane.
+    const broken = sanitizeState({ ...base, bottomSplits: 'junk' })
+    expect(broken?.splits).toBeDefined()
+    expect(broken?.bottomSplits.kind).toBe('leaf')
+    // A valid persisted bottom tree survives.
+    const withBottom = sanitizeState({
+      ...base,
+      bottomOpen: true,
+      bottomHeight: 300,
+      bottomSplits: {
+        kind: 'leaf',
+        id: 'pane:9',
+        active: 'b1',
+        tabs: [{ id: 'b1', type: 'terminal', title: 'T' }],
+      },
+    })
+    expect(withBottom?.bottomOpen).toBe(true)
+    expect(withBottom?.bottomHeight).toBe(300)
+    expect((withBottom?.bottomSplits as { tabs: SidebarTab[] }).tabs.map(t => t.id)).toEqual(['b1'])
+    // Heights are clamped to the contract range.
+    expect(sanitizeState({ ...base, bottomHeight: 10 })?.bottomHeight).toBe(BOTTOM_MIN)
+    // A stale full-height bottom panel must not squeeze the center column
+    // (the agent output area) to zero: the cap leaves it at least PANEL_MIN
+    // tall, regardless of the right panel's open state.
+    const g = globalThis as Record<string, unknown>
+    const previous = g.window
+    g.window = { innerHeight: 800 }
+    try {
+      expect(sanitizeState({ ...base, panelOpen: true, bottomHeight: 9999 })?.bottomHeight).toBe(800 - 280)
+      expect(sanitizeState({ ...base, panelOpen: false, bottomHeight: 9999 })?.bottomHeight).toBe(800 - 280)
+    } finally {
+      if (previous === undefined) delete g.window
+      else g.window = previous
+    }
+  })
+
+  it('tabOpenIn and patchTab see tabs in the bottom tree', () => {
+    let s = state()
+    s = toggleBottomPanel(s)
+    const bottomPane = (s.bottomSplits as { id: string }).id
+    s = openTabInActivePane(
+      { ...s, activePane: bottomPane },
+      { id: 'browser:1', type: 'browser', title: 'example.com', path: 'https://example.com' },
+    )
+    expect(tabOpenIn(s, 'browser:1')).toBe(true)
+    s = patchTab(s, 'browser:1', { title: 'other.com', path: 'https://other.com' })
+    const tab = allLeaves(s.bottomSplits).flatMap(leaf => leaf.tabs).find(t => t.id === 'browser:1')
+    expect(tab?.title).toBe('other.com')
+  })
+
+  it('moves a tab across panels (center merge into the other tree)', () => {
+    let s = state()
+    s = toggleBottomPanel(s)
+    const rightPane = (s.splits as { id: string }).id
+    const bottomPane = (s.bottomSplits as { id: string }).id
+    const explorerId = (s.splits as { tabs: { id: string }[] }).tabs[0]!.id
+    // Drag the explorer tab from the right panel into the bottom panel (center).
+    s = moveTabToEdge(s, rightPane, explorerId, bottomPane, 'center')
+    expect((s.bottomSplits as { tabs: SidebarTab[] }).tabs.map(t => t.id)).toContain(explorerId)
+    expect((s.splits as { tabs: SidebarTab[] }).tabs).toHaveLength(0)
+    expect(s.activePane).toBe(bottomPane)
+    // And back, inserted at an index.
+    s = moveTab(s, bottomPane, explorerId, rightPane, 0)
+    expect((s.splits as { tabs: SidebarTab[] }).tabs[0]!.id).toBe(explorerId)
+    expect((s.bottomSplits as { tabs: SidebarTab[] }).tabs).toHaveLength(0)
+  })
+
+  it('moves a tab across panels by splitting the target pane (edge drop)', () => {
+    let s = state()
+    s = toggleBottomPanel(s)
+    const rightPane = (s.splits as { id: string }).id
+    const bottomPane = (s.bottomSplits as { id: string }).id
+    const explorerId = (s.splits as { tabs: { id: string }[] }).tabs[0]!.id
+    s = moveTabToEdge(s, rightPane, explorerId, bottomPane, 'right')
+    // The source tree empties back to a leaf; the target tree splits.
+    expect(s.splits.kind).toBe('leaf')
+    expect((s.splits as { tabs: SidebarTab[] }).tabs).toHaveLength(0)
+    expect(s.bottomSplits.kind).toBe('split')
+    expect(tabOpenIn(s, explorerId)).toBe(true)
+    const split = s.bottomSplits as Extract<SplitNode, { kind: 'split' }>
+    expect(split.children.some(
+      child => child.kind === 'leaf' && (child as { tabs: SidebarTab[] }).tabs.some(t => t.id === explorerId),
+    )).toBe(true)
+    // The fresh leaf (the drop's active pane) differs from the source pane.
+    expect(s.activePane).not.toBe(rightPane)
+  })
 })
 
 describe('agent terminal reconciliation', () => {
@@ -576,6 +773,17 @@ describe('agent terminal reconciliation', () => {
     expect(tabOpenIn(s, 'agent:aaa-111')).toBe(false)
     expect(tabOpenIn(s, 'agent:bbb-222')).toBe(false)
   })
+
+  it('lands new agent terminals in the active tree (bottom panel pane)', () => {
+    let s = makeDefaultState(400, true)
+    s = toggleBottomPanel(s)
+    const bottomPane = (s.bottomSplits as { id: string }).id
+    s = { ...s, activePane: bottomPane }
+    s = reconcileAgentTerminals(s, [{ uuid: 'aaa-111', title: 'dev server' }])
+    expect(tabOpenIn(s, 'agent:aaa-111')).toBe(true)
+    expect(allLeaves(s.bottomSplits).flatMap(l => l.tabs).some(t => t.id === 'agent:aaa-111')).toBe(true)
+    expect(allLeaves(s.splits).flatMap(l => l.tabs).some(t => t.id === 'agent:aaa-111')).toBe(false)
+  })
 })
 
 describe('pty helpers', () => {
@@ -883,6 +1091,7 @@ describe('side card preferences', () => {
         defaultWidthPercent: 60,
         autoOpenSubagent: false,
         agentTerminalTools: true,
+        bottomPanelAutoTerminal: true,
         interceptOpenPath: true,
         htmlViewerNoSandbox: false,
         htmlViewerDefaultUnsafe: false,
@@ -900,6 +1109,7 @@ describe('side card preferences', () => {
         defaultWidthPercent: 33,
         autoOpenSubagent: true,
         agentTerminalTools: false,
+        bottomPanelAutoTerminal: true,
         interceptOpenPath: true,
         htmlViewerNoSandbox: false,
         htmlViewerDefaultUnsafe: false,
@@ -917,6 +1127,7 @@ describe('side card preferences', () => {
         defaultWidthPercent: 40,
         autoOpenSubagent: true,
         agentTerminalTools: false,
+        bottomPanelAutoTerminal: true,
         interceptOpenPath: true,
         htmlViewerNoSandbox: false,
         htmlViewerDefaultUnsafe: false,
@@ -963,9 +1174,9 @@ describe('side card preferences', () => {
     const store = createSidebarStore()
     // Node environment: no window → the width falls back to PANEL_DEFAULT,
     // while the open flag still follows the preference.
-    store.setPrefs({ openByDefault: false, defaultWidthPercent: 45, autoOpenSubagent: true, agentTerminalTools: false, interceptOpenPath: true, htmlViewerNoSandbox: false, htmlViewerDefaultUnsafe: false, browserNoSandbox: false, browserInterceptLinks: true, tabsEnabled: {}, viewersEnabled: {} })
+    store.setPrefs({ openByDefault: false, defaultWidthPercent: 45, autoOpenSubagent: true, agentTerminalTools: false, bottomPanelAutoTerminal: true, interceptOpenPath: true, htmlViewerNoSandbox: false, htmlViewerDefaultUnsafe: false, browserNoSandbox: false, browserInterceptLinks: true, tabsEnabled: {}, viewersEnabled: {} })
     store.setSession('fresh-session')
-    expect(store.getPrefs()).toEqual({ openByDefault: false, defaultWidthPercent: 45, autoOpenSubagent: true, agentTerminalTools: false, interceptOpenPath: true, htmlViewerNoSandbox: false, htmlViewerDefaultUnsafe: false, browserNoSandbox: false, browserInterceptLinks: true, tabsEnabled: {}, viewersEnabled: {} })
+    expect(store.getPrefs()).toEqual({ openByDefault: false, defaultWidthPercent: 45, autoOpenSubagent: true, agentTerminalTools: false, bottomPanelAutoTerminal: true, interceptOpenPath: true, htmlViewerNoSandbox: false, htmlViewerDefaultUnsafe: false, browserNoSandbox: false, browserInterceptLinks: true, tabsEnabled: {}, viewersEnabled: {} })
     const snapshot = store.getSnapshot()
     expect(snapshot.sessionId).toBe('fresh-session')
     expect(snapshot.state?.panelOpen).toBe(false)
@@ -978,7 +1189,7 @@ describe('side card preferences', () => {
 
   it('skips the default explorer tab when the explorer type is disabled', () => {
     const store = createSidebarStore()
-    store.setPrefs({ openByDefault: true, defaultWidthPercent: 30, autoOpenSubagent: true, agentTerminalTools: false, interceptOpenPath: true, htmlViewerNoSandbox: false, htmlViewerDefaultUnsafe: false, browserNoSandbox: false, browserInterceptLinks: true, tabsEnabled: { explorer: false }, viewersEnabled: {} })
+    store.setPrefs({ openByDefault: true, defaultWidthPercent: 30, autoOpenSubagent: true, agentTerminalTools: false, bottomPanelAutoTerminal: true, interceptOpenPath: true, htmlViewerNoSandbox: false, htmlViewerDefaultUnsafe: false, browserNoSandbox: false, browserInterceptLinks: true, tabsEnabled: { explorer: false }, viewersEnabled: {} })
     store.setSession('no-explorer')
     const state = store.getSnapshot().state!
     const tabs = allLeaves(state.splits).flatMap(leaf => leaf.tabs)
@@ -986,7 +1197,7 @@ describe('side card preferences', () => {
     expect(state.splits.kind).toBe('leaf')
     // Re-enabling seeds the explorer tab again.
     const openStore = createSidebarStore()
-    openStore.setPrefs({ openByDefault: true, defaultWidthPercent: 30, autoOpenSubagent: true, agentTerminalTools: false, interceptOpenPath: true, htmlViewerNoSandbox: false, htmlViewerDefaultUnsafe: false, browserNoSandbox: false, browserInterceptLinks: true, tabsEnabled: {}, viewersEnabled: {} })
+    openStore.setPrefs({ openByDefault: true, defaultWidthPercent: 30, autoOpenSubagent: true, agentTerminalTools: false, bottomPanelAutoTerminal: true, interceptOpenPath: true, htmlViewerNoSandbox: false, htmlViewerDefaultUnsafe: false, browserNoSandbox: false, browserInterceptLinks: true, tabsEnabled: {}, viewersEnabled: {} })
     openStore.setSession('with-explorer')
     const openTabs = allLeaves(openStore.getSnapshot().state!.splits).flatMap(leaf => leaf.tabs)
     expect(openTabs.map(tab => tab.type)).toEqual(['explorer'])