diff --git a/apps/p2/docs/p2-notes.md b/apps/p2/docs/p2-notes.md
index b0e8e8103..35441538d 100644
--- a/apps/p2/docs/p2-notes.md
+++ b/apps/p2/docs/p2-notes.md
@@ -245,6 +245,15 @@ pi's defaults (rebindable in pi's `keybindings.json` or p2 prefs; `/hotkeys` lis
 | Ctrl+T / Ctrl+O | Show thinking / expand tool output |
 | PageUp / PageDown / Ctrl+Home / Ctrl+End | Scroll the transcript (pi-tui's alt-screen keys; Ctrl+End follows again) |
 | F1 / `/hotkeys` / `/reload` | Command palette / shortcuts / fetch the server TUI bundle into a fresh worker |
+| F2 / `/close-panel` | Move the focus into the side panel and back (Escape also returns) / close it |
+
+**Side panel.** `ctx.panel.open(id, content, title)` shows one component to the right of the screen's body (about 40%
+of the width, behind a bar; the dock stays full width), in a `ScrollView` the runtime owns. Plugins open it (Enter in
+`/artifacts` shows an artifact there when the terminal fits it; it follows new versions through `ArtifactList`). The editor keeps
+the focus; F2 (`p2.panel.focus`) moves it into the panel, where the runtime sets pi-tui's `capturesViewportInput` and
+scrolls the panel with the viewport and select keys, keeps other keys from the editor and returns the focus on Escape.
+Search stays on the transcript (the primary scroll view). Hidden below 100 columns; closed on navigation to another
+conversation and whenever the command registry changes (a facet reload), like overlays.
 
 The launcher polls the bundle version every second. A changed hash prepares a new worker while the old one remains
 active; once ready, it copies bounded UI state (selection, drafts, send retry IDs, display toggles, reading position),
diff --git a/apps/p2/plugins/artifacts/tui.ts b/apps/p2/plugins/artifacts/tui.ts
index 1ba04b757..83405ba50 100644
--- a/apps/p2/plugins/artifacts/tui.ts
+++ b/apps/p2/plugins/artifacts/tui.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Artifacts in the TUI (p2-tui-port.md P11c), after the web's artifact card, picker and viewer. The card shows the
 // title, type and version; expanded, a text or Markdown artifact shows the content the call wrote. `/artifacts` lists
 // the conversation's artifacts (`ArtifactList`): Enter shows one inline (`ArtifactContent`; Markdown rendered, HTML and
-// SVG as source), Ctrl+B opens it in the browser (launcher `openUrl`; the browser needs its own sign-in) and Ctrl+S
+// SVG as source; in the side panel, where it follows new versions, when the terminal is wide enough), Ctrl+B opens it in the browser (launcher `openUrl`; the browser needs its own sign-in) and Ctrl+S
 // downloads it (launcher `download`). The worker never fetches the `/artifact` route itself: it has no cookie.
 
 import { Markdown, Text } from "@earendil-works/pi-tui";
@@ -72,58 +72,129 @@ const artifactRenderers: ToolRenderers = {
 	},
 };
 
-/** An artifact shown inline: Markdown rendered, text and HTML/SVG source as lines. */
-function showArtifact(ctx: TuiContext, session: string, artifact: ArtifactInfo): void {
-	let content: string | undefined;
-	let status = "Loading…";
-	let cache: { width: number; lines: string[] } | undefined;
-	const lines = (width: number): string[] => {
-		if (content === undefined) return [ctx.theme.current.fg("muted", status)];
-		if (cache?.width === width) return cache.lines;
-		const body =
-			artifact.type === "markdown"
-				? new Markdown(safeText(content), 0, 0, ctx.theme.markdown).render(width)
-				: content.split("\n").map((line) => lineText(line));
-		const note =
-			artifact.type === "html" || artifact.type === "svg"
-				? [
-						ctx.theme.current.fg(
-							"warning",
-							`Source only: Ctrl+B in /artifacts opens it in the browser (${BROWSER_NOTE}).`,
-						),
-						"",
-					]
-				: [];
-		cache = { width, lines: [...note, ...body, ...(status ? ["", ctx.theme.current.fg("warning", status)] : [])] };
-		return cache.lines;
+/** Reads artifact versions of `session` through one held `ArtifactContent`, until released. */
+function contentReader(ctx: TuiContext, session: string) {
+	const ref = ctx.host.hold(ArtifactContent, { session }, BACKGROUND_CONTEXT);
+	return {
+		read: async (artifact: ArtifactInfo) => {
+			await whenLive(ref);
+			if (statusOf(ref) !== "live" || ref.variant !== "reader") throw new Error("Artifacts are not available");
+			return ref.read({ name: artifact.name, version: artifact.version }, BACKGROUND_CONTEXT);
+		},
+		release: () => ref.release(),
 	};
+}
+
+type ContentReader = ReturnType<typeof contentReader>;
+
+/**
+ * One version of an artifact as lines at a width (Markdown rendered, text and HTML/SVG source), cached per width;
+ * `load` reads a version and renders it once read.
+ */
+class ArtifactLines {
+	private content: string | undefined;
+	private status = "Loading…";
+	private cache: { width: number; lines: string[] } | undefined;
+	private readonly ctx: TuiContext;
+	private artifact: ArtifactInfo;
+	constructor(ctx: TuiContext, artifact: ArtifactInfo) {
+		this.ctx = ctx;
+		this.artifact = artifact;
+	}
+	get info(): ArtifactInfo {
+		return this.artifact;
+	}
+	/** Reads `artifact` (a version) and shows it once read; the previous version stays shown meanwhile. */
+	load(reader: ContentReader, artifact: ArtifactInfo): void {
+		void reader
+			.read(artifact)
+			.then((read) => {
+				// Reads may finish out of order: an older version never replaces a newer one.
+				if (artifact.version < this.artifact.version && this.content !== undefined) return;
+				this.artifact = artifact;
+				this.status = read.truncated ? "… truncated: Ctrl+S in /artifacts downloads all of it" : "";
+				this.content = read.content;
+			})
+			.catch((error: unknown) => {
+				this.status = message(error);
+			})
+			.finally(() => {
+				this.cache = undefined;
+				this.ctx.requestRender();
+			});
+	}
+	render(width: number): string[] {
+		const theme = this.ctx.theme.current;
+		if (this.content === undefined) return [theme.fg("muted", this.status)];
+		if (this.cache?.width === width) return this.cache.lines;
+		const body =
+			this.artifact.type === "markdown"
+				? new Markdown(safeText(this.content), 0, 0, this.ctx.theme.markdown).render(width)
+				: this.content.split("\n").map((line) => lineText(line));
+		const note =
+			this.artifact.type === "html" || this.artifact.type === "svg"
+				? [theme.fg("warning", `Source only: Ctrl+B in /artifacts opens it in the browser (${BROWSER_NOTE}).`), ""]
+				: [];
+		const status = this.status ? ["", theme.fg("warning", this.status)] : [];
+		this.cache = { width, lines: [...note, ...body, ...status] };
+		return this.cache.lines;
+	}
+	invalidate(): void {
+		this.cache = undefined;
+	}
+}
+
+/** An artifact shown inline, over the chat. */
+function showArtifact(ctx: TuiContext, session: string, artifact: ArtifactInfo): void {
+	const shown = new ArtifactLines(ctx, artifact);
 	const viewer = ctx.overlay(
 		"artifact-view",
 		new TextViewer(ctx, {
 			title: `${artifact.title} · ${artifact.type.toUpperCase()} · version ${artifact.version}`,
-			lines,
+			lines: (width) => shown.render(width),
 			onClose: () => {
-				ref.release();
+				reader.release();
 				viewer.close();
 			},
 		}),
 		{ width: "100%", anchor: "bottom-center" },
 	);
-	const ref = ctx.host.hold(ArtifactContent, { session }, BACKGROUND_CONTEXT);
-	void whenLive(ref)
-		.then(async () => {
-			if (statusOf(ref) !== "live" || ref.variant !== "reader") throw new Error("Artifacts are not available");
-			const read = await ref.read({ name: artifact.name, version: artifact.version }, BACKGROUND_CONTEXT);
-			status = read.truncated ? "… truncated: Ctrl+S in /artifacts downloads all of it" : "";
-			content = read.content;
-		})
-		.catch((error: unknown) => {
-			status = message(error);
-		})
-		.finally(() => {
-			cache = undefined;
-			ctx.requestRender();
-		});
+	const reader = contentReader(ctx, session);
+	shown.load(reader, artifact);
+}
+
+/** An artifact pinned in the side panel: it shows each new version as the conversation's artifact list reports it. */
+function pinArtifact(ctx: TuiContext, session: string, conversation: number, artifact: ArtifactInfo): void {
+	const shown = new ArtifactLines(ctx, artifact);
+	const reader = contentReader(ctx, session);
+	const list = ctx.host.hold(ArtifactList, { session, conversation }, BACKGROUND_CONTEXT);
+	let loaded = artifact.version;
+	shown.load(reader, artifact);
+	const stop = follow(list.artifacts, (value) => {
+		// The list has one entry per version.
+		const latest = (value ?? [])
+			.filter((candidate) => candidate.name === artifact.name)
+			.reduce<ArtifactInfo | undefined>(
+				(max, candidate) => (max && max.version >= candidate.version ? max : candidate),
+				undefined,
+			);
+		if (!latest || latest.version <= loaded) return;
+		loaded = latest.version;
+		shown.load(reader, latest);
+	});
+	ctx.panel.open(
+		`artifact:${artifact.name}`,
+		{
+			render: (width) => shown.render(width),
+			invalidate: () => shown.invalidate(),
+			dispose: () => {
+				stop();
+				list.release();
+				reader.release();
+			},
+		},
+		() => `${lineText(shown.info.title)} · ${shown.info.type.toUpperCase()} · v${shown.info.version}`,
+	);
 }
 
 function openArtifacts(ctx: TuiContext): void {
@@ -135,20 +206,30 @@ function openArtifacts(ctx: TuiContext): void {
 		artifacts = (value ?? []).filter((artifact) => NAME.test(artifact.name));
 		ctx.requestRender();
 	});
-	const byRow = (row: ListRow | undefined) => artifacts.find((artifact) => artifact.name === row?.key);
+	const close = () => {
+		stop();
+		list.release();
+		overlay.close();
+	};
+	// One entry per version: a row is a name and a version.
+	const keyOf = (artifact: ArtifactInfo) => `${artifact.name}:${artifact.version}`;
+	const byRow = (row: ListRow | undefined) => artifacts.find((artifact) => keyOf(artifact) === row?.key);
 	const overlay = ctx.overlay(
 		"artifacts",
 		new ListOverlay(ctx, {
 			title: () => `Artifacts (${artifacts.length})`,
 			rows: () =>
 				artifacts.map((artifact) => ({
-					key: artifact.name,
+					key: keyOf(artifact),
 					label: artifact.title,
 					detail: `${artifact.type.toUpperCase()} · v${artifact.version}`,
 				})),
 			onSelect: (row) => {
 				const artifact = byRow(row);
-				if (artifact) showArtifact(ctx, session, artifact);
+				if (!artifact) return;
+				if (!ctx.panel.fits) return showArtifact(ctx, session, artifact);
+				close();
+				pinArtifact(ctx, session, ctx.identity.conversation, artifact);
 			},
 			actions: [
 				{
@@ -180,13 +261,12 @@ function openArtifacts(ctx: TuiContext): void {
 				},
 			],
 			footer: () => [
-				ctx.theme.current.fg("dim", `  Enter shows it here; Ctrl+B opens it in the browser (${BROWSER_NOTE})`),
+				ctx.theme.current.fg(
+					"dim",
+					`  Enter shows it ${ctx.panel.fits ? "beside the chat" : "here"}; Ctrl+B opens it in the browser (${BROWSER_NOTE})`,
+				),
 			],
-			onClose: () => {
-				stop();
-				list.release();
-				overlay.close();
-			},
+			onClose: () => close(),
 		}),
 		{ width: "100%", anchor: "bottom-center" },
 	);
diff --git a/apps/p2/src/runtime/tui-context.ts b/apps/p2/src/runtime/tui-context.ts
index 8f1f1ce6c..848cd2ca3 100644
--- a/apps/p2/src/runtime/tui-context.ts
+++ b/apps/p2/src/runtime/tui-context.ts
@@ -41,6 +41,30 @@ export interface TuiOverlayHandle {
 	readonly closed: boolean;
 }
 
+export interface TuiPanelHandle {
+	readonly id: string;
+	close(): void;
+	readonly closed: boolean;
+}
+
+/** The side panel next to the screen: one at a time, hidden on narrow terminals. */
+export interface TuiPanel {
+	/**
+	 * Shows `content` in the panel under `title`, replacing what it showed (that content is disposed). The editor keeps
+	 * the focus; `p2.panel.focus` moves it into the panel. Closed on navigation to another conversation and on reload.
+	 */
+	open(id: string, content: Component & { dispose?(): void }, title: () => string): TuiPanelHandle;
+	/** Whether the terminal is wide enough to show the panel next to the screen. */
+	readonly fits: boolean;
+	/** The id of the panel's content, undefined when closed. */
+	readonly current: string | undefined;
+	/** Whether the panel has the focus (it keeps scroll keys; Escape gives the focus back). */
+	readonly focused: boolean;
+	/** Moves the focus into the panel or back to the screen. */
+	focus(focused: boolean): void;
+	close(): void;
+}
+
 /** Commands as seen from contexts: run by id, slash text, palette and help. */
 export interface TuiCommandRunner {
 	/** Runs a registered command if its `when` currently holds. Returns false if unknown or not applicable. */
@@ -115,6 +139,7 @@ export interface TuiContext extends RenderContext {
 		component: Component & Partial<Focusable> & { dispose?(): void },
 		options?: OverlayOptions,
 	): TuiOverlayHandle;
+	readonly panel: TuiPanel;
 	exit(): void;
 	reload(): void;
 	/**
diff --git a/apps/p2/src/runtime/tui.ts b/apps/p2/src/runtime/tui.ts
index 9c6b3a9d2..cf6f5d5fb 100644
--- a/apps/p2/src/runtime/tui.ts
+++ b/apps/p2/src/runtime/tui.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import type { NativeWatchable, Watchable } from "@earendil-works/chord/watch";
 import {
 	type Component,
 	type Focusable,
+	HStack,
 	type KeybindingsManager,
 	type OverlayHandle,
 	type OverlayOptions,
@@ -12,6 +13,7 @@ import {
 	VStack,
 } from "@earendil-works/pi-tui";
 import { BuiltInFooter, BuiltInHeader, type Notice, StatusLines } from "../tui/components/chrome.ts";
+import { type PanelContent, PanelFrame } from "../tui/components/panel.ts";
 import type { TranscriptAnchor } from "../tui/components/transcript.ts";
 import { formatKeyText, lineText } from "../tui/render-context.ts";
 import { ThemeRef } from "../tui/theme/ref.ts";
@@ -20,7 +22,7 @@ import { defineFacet, type FacetHost, type Host, keyedRegistry } from "./chord.t
 import { follow, UI_LINGER } from "./refs.ts";
 import { TuiAppearance } from "./tui-appearance.ts";
 import { type TuiCommand, TuiCommandDispatcher, TuiCommands, TuiSlashSources } from "./tui-commands.ts";
-import type { TuiContext, TuiGrantResult, TuiOverlayHandle, TuiRole } from "./tui-context.ts";
+import type { TuiContext, TuiGrantResult, TuiOverlayHandle, TuiPanelHandle, TuiRole } from "./tui-context.ts";
 
 export interface TuiSurface extends Component {
 	dispose(): void;
@@ -141,6 +143,9 @@ export class TuiScope {
 	}
 }
 
+/** Below this many columns the side panel is hidden: the chat would be too narrow next to it. */
+const PANEL_MIN_COLUMNS = 100;
+
 /** Host UI state stays outside replaceable facets: selection, drafts and scroll position survive reload. */
 export class TuiRuntime implements Component, Focusable {
 	private isFocused = false;
@@ -151,7 +156,11 @@ export class TuiRuntime implements Component, Focusable {
 	set focused(value: boolean) {
 		this.isFocused = value;
 		const focus = this.surfaces?.get(this.screen)?.focus;
-		if (focus) focus.focused = value;
+		if (focus) focus.focused = value && !this.panelFocused;
+	}
+	/** While the panel has the focus, pi-tui's viewport keys come here (to scroll it) instead of the transcript. */
+	get capturesViewportInput(): boolean {
+		return this.panelFocused;
 	}
 	/** This TUI's own name (`tui:<uuid>`): the viewer it counts as in session metrics. */
 	readonly name = `tui:${crypto.randomUUID()}`;
@@ -191,6 +200,8 @@ export class TuiRuntime implements Component, Focusable {
 	private stopCommands: (() => void) | undefined;
 	private changing = false;
 	private overlays: { id: string; handle: OverlayHandle; close(): void }[] = [];
+	private panel: PanelFrame | undefined;
+	private panelFocused = false;
 	onExit: () => void = () => {};
 	onReload: () => void = () => {};
 	/** The launcher bridge for C actions (set by the worker runtime); denied without one (tests, bare hosts). */
@@ -381,6 +392,20 @@ export class TuiRuntime implements Component, Focusable {
 			surface: (name) => runtime.surfaces.get(name),
 			notify: (message, kind) => runtime.notify(message, kind),
 			overlay: (id, component, options) => runtime.overlay(id, component, options),
+			panel: {
+				open: (id, content, title) => runtime.openPanel(id, content, title),
+				get fits() {
+					return runtime.panelFits();
+				},
+				get current() {
+					return runtime.panel?.id;
+				},
+				get focused() {
+					return runtime.panelFocused;
+				},
+				focus: (focused) => runtime.focusPanel(focused),
+				close: () => runtime.closePanel(),
+			},
 			exit: () => runtime.onExit(),
 			grant: (action, payload) => runtime.onGrant(action, payload),
 			prefs: {
@@ -424,6 +449,8 @@ export class TuiRuntime implements Component, Focusable {
 		if (this.connected) active.add("connected");
 		const top = this.overlays.findLast((overlay) => overlay.handle.isFocused());
 		if (top) active.add("overlay").add(`overlay:${top.id}`);
+		if (this.panelShown()) active.add("panel");
+		if (this.panelFocused) active.add("panelFocused");
 		for (const term of this.surfaces.get(this.screen)?.contexts?.() ?? []) active.add(term);
 		return active;
 	}
@@ -474,6 +501,73 @@ export class TuiRuntime implements Component, Focusable {
 	closeOverlays(): void {
 		for (const overlay of [...this.overlays].reverse()) overlay.close();
 	}
+	/** Shows `content` in the side panel, replacing (and disposing) what it showed. */
+	openPanel(id: string, content: PanelContent, title: () => string): TuiPanelHandle {
+		this.closePanel();
+		const frame = new PanelFrame(this.ctx, id, content, title);
+		this.panel = frame;
+		this.changed();
+		const runtime = this;
+		return {
+			id,
+			close: () => {
+				if (this.panel === frame) this.closePanel();
+			},
+			get closed() {
+				return runtime.panel !== frame;
+			},
+		};
+	}
+	closePanel(): void {
+		const frame = this.panel;
+		if (!frame) return;
+		this.panel = undefined;
+		this.focusPanel(false);
+		frame.content.dispose?.();
+		this.changed();
+	}
+	/** Moves the focus into the panel (`true`) or back to the screen; a hidden or closed panel never takes it. */
+	focusPanel(focused: boolean): void {
+		const next = focused && this.panelShown();
+		if (next === this.panelFocused) return;
+		this.panelFocused = next;
+		if (this.panel) this.panel.focused = next;
+		this.focused = this.isFocused;
+		this.changed();
+	}
+	/** Whether the panel is open and the terminal wide enough to show it. */
+	private panelShown(): boolean {
+		return this.panel !== undefined && this.panelFits();
+	}
+	private panelFits(): boolean {
+		return this.tui.terminal.columns >= PANEL_MIN_COLUMNS;
+	}
+	/** Keys for the focused panel: back to the screen, scrolling; false for keys it does not use. */
+	private panelInput(data: string, scroll: PanelFrame["scroll"]): boolean {
+		const page = Math.max(1, scroll.viewportHeight - 1);
+		const half = Math.max(1, Math.floor(scroll.viewportHeight / 2));
+		const steps: [string, number][] = [
+			["tui.altScreen.pageUp", -page],
+			["tui.altScreen.pageDown", page],
+			["tui.select.pageUp", -page],
+			["tui.select.pageDown", page],
+			["tui.altScreen.halfPageUp", -half],
+			["tui.altScreen.halfPageDown", half],
+			["tui.altScreen.lineUp", -1],
+			["tui.altScreen.lineDown", 1],
+			["tui.select.up", -1],
+			["tui.select.down", 1],
+		];
+		if (this.commands.matches(data, "tui.select.cancel")) this.focusPanel(false);
+		else if (this.commands.matches(data, "tui.altScreen.top")) scroll.scrollToStart();
+		else if (this.commands.matches(data, "tui.altScreen.bottom")) scroll.scrollToEnd();
+		else {
+			const step = steps.find(([id]) => this.commands.matches(data, id));
+			if (!step) return false;
+			scroll.scrollBy(step[1]);
+		}
+		return true;
+	}
 	/** Follows the slot, command and slash registries (once the host published them). */
 	async start(): Promise<void> {
 		const [sources, commands, slots] = await Promise.all([
@@ -483,8 +577,9 @@ export class TuiRuntime implements Component, Focusable {
 		]);
 		const stopSources = follow(sources, (table) => this.commands.setSources(table));
 		const stopCommands = follow(commands, (table) => {
-			// A facet reload replaces command values: overlays opened by old values close (section 7.1).
+			// A facet reload replaces command values: overlays and the panel opened by old values close (section 7.1).
 			this.closeOverlays();
+			this.closePanel();
 			this.commands.setCommands(table);
 			this.changed();
 		});
@@ -519,18 +614,25 @@ export class TuiRuntime implements Component, Focusable {
 		const surface = this.surfaces.get(this.screen);
 		const layout = surface?.layout?.();
 		const footer = this.surfaces.get("footer") ?? this.builtInFooter;
-		const parts = [surface, layout?.body, layout?.dock, layout?.header, footer, this.header];
+		const parts = [surface, layout?.body, layout?.dock, layout?.header, footer, this.header, this.panel];
 		for (const [name, other] of this.surfaces)
-			if (other.focus) other.focus.focused = name === this.screen && this.focused;
+			if (other.focus) other.focus.focused = name === this.screen && this.focused && !this.panelFocused;
 		if (parts.length === this.rootParts.length && parts.every((part, index) => part === this.rootParts[index]))
 			return;
 		this.rootParts = parts;
 		this.root.clear();
-		if (layout) this.root.addChild(layout.body, { basis: 0, grow: 1, shrink: 1, minSize: 1 });
-		else {
-			this.root.addChild(this.header, { basis: "auto", shrink: 1, minSize: 0 });
-			this.root.addChild(surface ?? this.placeholder, { basis: 0, grow: 1, shrink: 1, minSize: 1 });
-		}
+		const body = layout
+			? layout.body
+			: new VStack([
+					{ component: this.header, basis: "auto", shrink: 1, minSize: 0 },
+					{ component: surface ?? this.placeholder, basis: 0, grow: 1, shrink: 1, minSize: 1 },
+				]);
+		this.root.addChild(this.panel ? this.besidePanel(body, this.panel) : body, {
+			basis: 0,
+			grow: 1,
+			shrink: 1,
+			minSize: 1,
+		});
 		const dock = new VStack([
 			{ component: this.statusLines, shrink: 1, minSize: 0 },
 			...(layout?.dock ? [{ component: layout.dock, shrink: 1, minSize: 3 }] : []),
@@ -539,6 +641,23 @@ export class TuiRuntime implements Component, Focusable {
 		this.root.addChild(dock, { basis: "auto", grow: 0, shrink: 1, minSize: 1 });
 		this.tui.invalidate();
 	}
+	/** The screen's body with the panel on its right (about 40% of the width); the panel hides on narrow terminals. */
+	private besidePanel(body: Component, panel: PanelFrame): Component {
+		return new HStack(
+			[
+				{ component: body, basis: 0, grow: 3, shrink: 1, minSize: 40 },
+				{
+					component: panel.root,
+					basis: 0,
+					grow: 2,
+					shrink: 1,
+					minSize: 40,
+					visible: (viewport) => viewport.width >= PANEL_MIN_COLUMNS,
+				},
+			],
+			{ gap: 1 },
+		);
+	}
 	fail(error: unknown): void {
 		this.notify(error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error), "error");
 	}
@@ -556,7 +675,10 @@ export class TuiRuntime implements Component, Focusable {
 	navigate(screen: TuiRuntime["screen"], session = this.session, conversation?: number): void {
 		const next = conversation ?? (session === this.session ? this.conversation : this.mainOf(session));
 		const changed = session !== this.session || next !== this.conversation;
-		if (changed) this.closeOverlays();
+		if (changed) {
+			this.closeOverlays();
+			this.closePanel();
+		}
 		this.session = session;
 		this.conversation = next;
 		this.screen = screen;
@@ -565,7 +687,12 @@ export class TuiRuntime implements Component, Focusable {
 	}
 	handleInput(data: string): void {
 		// Section 6.2: the alt screen (stage 2) already ran; commands by context (stage 4), then the screen (stage 5).
-		if (this.commands.dispatch(data)) this.changed();
+		// A focused panel takes its keys first and never passes the rest to the screen (typing stays out of the editor).
+		const panel = this.panelFocused && this.panelShown() ? this.panel : undefined;
+		if (this.panelFocused && !panel) this.focusPanel(false);
+		if (panel) {
+			if (this.panelInput(data, panel.scroll) || this.commands.dispatch(data)) this.changed();
+		} else if (this.commands.dispatch(data)) this.changed();
 		else this.surfaces.get(this.screen)?.handleInput?.(data);
 		this.tui.requestRender();
 	}
@@ -626,6 +753,7 @@ export class TuiRuntime implements Component, Focusable {
 	}
 	dispose(): void {
 		this.closeOverlays();
+		this.closePanel();
 		this.stopCommands?.();
 		this.stopRegistry?.();
 		for (const surface of this.surfaces.values()) surface.dispose();
diff --git a/apps/p2/src/tui/components/panel.ts b/apps/p2/src/tui/components/panel.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c1e7ec4f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/p2/src/tui/components/panel.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+// The side panel's frame: a title line over a scrollable body, both behind a one-column bar that separates the panel
+// from the chat on its left. The runtime lays it out next to the screen's body and routes keys to it while focused.
+import { type Component, ScrollView, truncateToWidth, VStack } from "@earendil-works/pi-tui";
+import type { RenderContext } from "../render-context.ts";
+
+/** What a plugin shows in the panel: lines at a width, released when the panel closes. */
+export type PanelContent = Component & { dispose?(): void };
+
+export class PanelFrame {
+	readonly id: string;
+	readonly content: PanelContent;
+	readonly scroll: ScrollView;
+	/** The component the runtime lays out (title over the scroll view). */
+	readonly root: VStack;
+	focused = false;
+
+	constructor(
+		ctx: RenderContext & { hints: { key(id: string, description: string): string } },
+		id: string,
+		content: PanelContent,
+		title: () => string,
+	) {
+		this.id = id;
+		this.content = content;
+		const bar = (focused: boolean) => ctx.theme.current.fg(focused ? "accent" : "border", "│");
+		const frame = this;
+		// The bar must reach the bottom of the panel even when the content is shorter than the viewport.
+		const body: Component = {
+			render(width) {
+				const inner = Math.max(1, width - 2);
+				const lines = content.render(inner);
+				const height = Math.max(lines.length, frame.scroll.viewportHeight);
+				const prefix = `${bar(frame.focused)} `;
+				return Array.from({ length: height }, (_, row) => prefix + (lines[row] ?? ""));
+			},
+			invalidate: () => content.invalidate(),
+		};
+		this.scroll = new ScrollView(body, {
+			overscroll: "contain",
+			scrollbar: "auto",
+			scrollbarTrackStyle: (text) => ctx.theme.current.fg("scrollbarTrack", text),
+			scrollbarThumbStyle: (text) => ctx.theme.current.fg("scrollbarThumb", text),
+		});
+		const header: Component = {
+			render(width) {
+				const theme = ctx.theme.current;
+				const hint = frame.focused
+					? `  ${ctx.hints.key("tui.select.cancel", "back")}`
+					: `  ${ctx.hints.key("p2.panel.focus", "focus")}`;
+				return [truncateToWidth(`${bar(frame.focused)} ${theme.bold(title())}${hint}`, width)];
+			},
+			invalidate() {},
+		};
+		this.root = new VStack([
+			{ component: header, basis: 1, shrink: 0 },
+			{ component: this.scroll, basis: 0, grow: 1, shrink: 1, minSize: 1 },
+		]);
+	}
+}
diff --git a/apps/p2/src/tui/core-commands.ts b/apps/p2/src/tui/core-commands.ts
index 76e94b8e5..0eafec914 100644
--- a/apps/p2/src/tui/core-commands.ts
+++ b/apps/p2/src/tui/core-commands.ts
@@ -270,6 +270,20 @@ export const CORE_COMMANDS: Record<string, TuiCommand> = {
 		slash: { name: "reload" },
 		run: (ctx) => ctx.reload(),
 	},
+	"p2.panel.focus": {
+		title: "Focus the side panel or the editor",
+		category: "View",
+		keys: "f2",
+		when: "panel && !overlay",
+		run: (ctx) => ctx.panel.focus(!ctx.panel.focused),
+	},
+	"p2.panel.close": {
+		title: "Close the side panel",
+		category: "View",
+		when: "panel && !overlay",
+		slash: { name: "close-panel" },
+		run: (ctx) => ctx.panel.close(),
+	},
 	"app.tools.expand": {
 		title: "Toggle tool output",
 		category: "View",
diff --git a/apps/p2/test/p2/tui-p11.test.ts b/apps/p2/test/p2/tui-p11.test.ts
index 3116908ff..9d0735034 100644
--- a/apps/p2/test/p2/tui-p11.test.ts
+++ b/apps/p2/test/p2/tui-p11.test.ts
@@ -360,6 +360,8 @@ test("chat mode: chip, quoted replies and notes, /chat-mode (owner), /reply, @pi
 });
 
 const ESC = "\x1b";
+const F2 = "\x1bOQ";
+const PAGE_DOWN = "\x1b[6~";
 const TAB = "\t";
 const CTRL_T = "\x14";
 const CTRL_P = "\x10";
@@ -1027,10 +1029,10 @@ function contentStubs(calls: Calls): Stub[] {
 	];
 }
 
-test("artifacts: the card previews text, /artifacts shows Markdown inline, opens in the browser and downloads", async (t) => {
+test("artifacts: the card previews text, /artifacts shows Markdown inline when narrow, opens in the browser and downloads", async (t) => {
 	const calls: Calls = {};
 	const lines = Array.from({ length: 12 }, (_, index) => `line ${index + 1}`).join("\n");
-	const { screen, send, runtime } = await setup(t, {
+	const { screen, send, runtime, terminal } = await setup(t, {
 		calls,
 		worker: contentStubs(calls),
 		facets: [tuiCoreFacet, chatTui, statusTui, artifactsTui],
@@ -1051,6 +1053,8 @@ test("artifacts: the card previews text, /artifacts shows Markdown inline, opens
 	runtime.ctx.commands.run("p2.artifacts");
 	await poll(async () => (await screen()).includes("Artifacts (2)"));
 	assert.match(await screen(), /the browser needs its own sign-in/);
+	// Too narrow for the side panel: Enter shows an artifact over the chat.
+	terminal.resize(80, 24);
 	send(ENTER);
 	await poll(
 		async () => (await screen()).includes("Notes · MARKDOWN · version 2") && (await screen()).includes("Heading"),
@@ -1077,6 +1081,90 @@ test("artifacts: the card previews text, /artifacts shows Markdown inline, opens
 	await poll(() => runtime.notices.some((notice) => notice.text === "Downloaded Page"));
 });
 
+test("artifacts: Enter shows one in the side panel, which follows new versions, scrolls when focused and hides when narrow", async (t) => {
+	const calls: Calls = {};
+	let list: Cell<{ name: string; title: string; type: string; version: number }[]> | undefined;
+	const rows = Array.from({ length: 60 }, (_, index) => `row ${index + 1}`).join("\n\n");
+	const { screen, send, runtime, terminal } = await setup(t, {
+		calls,
+		worker: [
+			[
+				ArtifactList,
+				(_input, _principal, self) => {
+					// One entry per version, as the worker lists them.
+					list = self.state([
+						{ name: "notes", title: "Notes", type: "markdown", version: 1 },
+						{ name: "notes", title: "Notes", type: "markdown", version: 2 },
+					]);
+					return { variant: "reader", artifacts: list };
+				},
+			],
+			[
+				ArtifactContent,
+				() => ({
+					variant: "reader",
+					read: ({ name, version }: { name: string; version: number }) => {
+						calls.readArtifact = [...(calls.readArtifact ?? []), { name, version }];
+						const heading = version === 2 ? "Version two" : "Version three";
+						return {
+							info: { name, title: "Notes", type: "markdown", version },
+							content: `# ${heading}\n\n${rows}`,
+							truncated: false,
+						};
+					},
+				}),
+			],
+		],
+		facets: [tuiCoreFacet, chatTui, statusTui, artifactsTui],
+	});
+	runtime.ctx.commands.run("p2.artifacts");
+	await poll(async () => (await screen()).includes("Artifacts (2)"));
+	send(DOWN); // the second row: version 2 of the same artifact
+	send(ENTER);
+	await poll(
+		async () => (await screen()).includes("Notes · MARKDOWN · v2") && (await screen()).includes("Version two"),
+	);
+	assert.equal(runtime.ctx.panel.current, "artifact:notes");
+	assert(runtime.contexts().has("panel"));
+	// Beside the chat, behind its bar; the editor keeps the focus.
+	assert.match(await screen(), /│ +Version two/);
+	assert.equal(runtime.ctx.panel.focused, false);
+	assert(runtime.capturesViewportInput === false);
+
+	send(F2);
+	assert.equal(runtime.ctx.panel.focused, true);
+	assert(runtime.capturesViewportInput);
+	assert(runtime.contexts().has("panelFocused"));
+	send("x"); // typing stays out of the editor
+	send(PAGE_DOWN);
+	send(PAGE_DOWN);
+	await poll(async () => !(await screen()).includes("Version two"));
+	send(ESC);
+	assert.equal(runtime.ctx.panel.focused, false);
+	assert.equal(runtime.ctx.panel.current, "artifact:notes", "Escape only gives the focus back");
+
+	// A new version replaces the shown one.
+	list!.replace(null, [...list!.value, { name: "notes", title: "Notes", type: "markdown", version: 3 }]);
+	await poll(async () => (await screen()).includes("Notes · MARKDOWN · v3"));
+	assert.deepEqual(calls.readArtifact, [
+		{ name: "notes", version: 2 },
+		{ name: "notes", version: 3 },
+	]);
+
+	// Too narrow for a split: hidden, and it cannot take the focus.
+	terminal.resize(80, 24);
+	await poll(async () => !(await screen()).includes("Notes · MARKDOWN · v3"));
+	assert(!runtime.contexts().has("panel"));
+	send(F2);
+	assert.equal(runtime.ctx.panel.focused, false);
+	terminal.resize(100, 24);
+	await poll(async () => (await screen()).includes("Notes · MARKDOWN · v3"));
+
+	runtime.ctx.commands.run("p2.panel.close");
+	await poll(async () => !(await screen()).includes("Notes · MARKDOWN · v3"));
+	assert.equal(runtime.ctx.panel.current, undefined);
+});
+
 test("sent files: the card, /downloads previews text, saves and opens through the launcher", async (t) => {
 	const calls: Calls = {};
 	const { screen, send, runtime } = await setup(t, {