v0.2.1: earcons — audio feedback tones (eyes-free confirmation)

short confirmation tones on daemon events so the user gets eyes-free "did it hear me?"
feedback without watching the terminal. NOT TTS — short pre-generated .wav beeps.

- audio_out.py — reusable audio-OUT module (the reverse of audio.py's capture, the
  less-tested WSLg direction). three-tier player: paplay-first (a SEPARATE process, so
  it doesn't contend with the sounddevice mic stream on the duplex-flaky WSLg bridge),
  then in-process sounddevice, then powershell.exe SoundPlayer. best-effort per-backend
  volume. plays a wav path and knows nothing about events — v0.3 TTS reuses it.
- sound.py — Earcons: the single event->tone map (wake/accept/no_match/submit) gated by
  [sound] config (master enabled + per-event flags). daemon._handle wiring: an injected
  command plays accept (submit plays submit); no-match / target-missing / unknown-context
  plays no_match; pure daemon-control commands (list/version/…) play nothing.
- sounds/ — committed earcon wavs + generate.py (regen-only). committed (not generated
  at install) so the package is self-contained and a missing tone can never appear.
  packaged via pyproject [tool.setuptools.package-data].
- [sound] config: enabled (master, on), on_wake (OFF by default — bleed/chatty),
  on_accept/on_no_match/on_submit (on), volume (0-1 best-effort), [sound.files] overrides.
- claudedo test-tone — plays each tone, the audio-OUT gate (mirrors test-audio).
- install.sh now also checks RDPSink (audio-out) alongside RDPSource.

INVARIANT: earcons are fire-and-forget on a worker thread and NEVER block or break the
inject path. a missing tone file or dead speaker logs once and is swallowed, never
raised — a broken speaker must never stop "claudedo yes" from injecting.

de-risks the WSLg audio-OUT path that v0.3 TTS-readback will reuse.

Signed-off-by: disqualifier <dev@disqualifier.me>

README.md

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ mic (WSLg/PulseAudio RDPSource)
   -> faster-whisper (local STT, on-device)
   -> wake gate: utterance must start with a wake phrase, else DISCARD locally
   -> grammar match (yes/no/one..four/approve/deny/send/type/space/backspace/erase/
-                    mode/set/target/unset/list/cancel)
+                    mode/set/target/unset/list/context/reload/system/cancel)
   -> resolve target session (one-shot > sticky ~/.claude-active > auto/none)
   -> tmux send-keys -t <session> "<keys>"
   -> log the action to the watched terminal ([session]/[SYSTEM]/[VOICE], colored)
@@ -79,10 +79,12 @@ claudedo start --check    # run a mic check before listening
 claudedo start --mode ptt # push-to-talk instead (desk-only — see Modes)
 claudedo status           # running? mode? target session?
 claudedo stop             # stop a running daemon
+claudedo reload           # reload config.toml + contexts.toml in a running daemon
 claudedo set <name>       # set the sticky target -> claude-<name> (alias: switch)
 claudedo unset            # clear the sticky target
 claudedo list             # list running claude-* sessions
 claudedo test-audio       # verify the mic capture path
+claudedo test-tone        # play each earcon (verify the audio-OUT path)
 ```
 
 ### Modes
@@ -107,7 +109,9 @@ Wake phrases (listen mode), fuzzy-matched. The default list is **"claudedo"**,
 no token for the coined word "claudedo" and renders it as real words ("claude do"),
 so that spelling is listed explicitly. Matching is lenient (case/space-insensitive).
 Add the spellings you actually see (turn on `print_heard` to find them). In PTT mode
-the wake phrase is optional.
+the wake phrase is optional. When a command's wake phrase matched loosely (e.g. you
+said "okay clouds"), the heard line notes which phrase it assumed —
+`heard "okay clouds list" -> LIST (wake: okay claude)`.
 
 | Say | Does |
 |---|---|
@@ -125,6 +129,13 @@ the wake phrase is optional.
 | `target <name> <command>` | **one-shot** override: run that command on `claude-<name>` for this utterance only; sticky default unchanged |
 | `unset` (alias `unsticky`) | clear the sticky target |
 | `list` | list running `claude-*` sessions to the daemon console |
+| `context <name> <instruction>` (alias `prepare`) | inject a `contexts.toml` blurb as a preamble + the dictated instruction, then **wait** (no submit — say "send") |
+| `reload` | re-read `config.toml` + `contexts.toml` live (no daemon restart, model stays loaded) |
+| `system status` | print mode / target / model / context count to the console (daemon-control; never injects) |
+| `system reload [config\|contexts]` | reload one or both config files |
+| `commands` (alias `help`/`menu`) | print the voice-command menu to the console |
+| `customs` (alias `custom`) | list the loaded context names |
+| `version` | print the claudedo version to the console |
 | `cancel` / `escape` | back out of a prompt |
 
 Optional filler (`select` / `use` / `choose`) may precede any command and is ignored:
@@ -167,6 +178,70 @@ cck <name>   # kill claude-<name>
 cckl         # kill all claude-* sessions
 ```
 
+## Contexts (named reference blurbs)
+
+`contexts.toml` holds named reference snippets you can inject ahead of a dictated
+instruction with the **`context <name> <instruction>`** voice command (alias
+`prepare`). It lives next to `config.toml`
+(`$CLAUDEDO_CONTEXTS` → `~/.config/claudedo/contexts.toml` → `./contexts.toml`); a
+missing file just means no contexts (the feature is opt-in).
+
+```toml
+[contexts]
+webhooks = "discord webhooks — test: <url> (safe to spam), live: <url> (real, careful)"
+testing  = "use the test/staging resources only, never touch prod"
+```
+
+Saying `context webhooks send a test message` injects the `webhooks` blurb as a
+preamble, then the dictated instruction, and **waits** — nothing is auto-submitted. You
+say `send` to submit (**read-before-send**; Claude's own permission prompt is the
+backstop for anything consequential). A bare `context webhooks` injects just the blurb.
+One context per command (no stacking yet); an unknown name announces and injects
+nothing.
+
+Names are **spoken and fuzzy-matched**, so keep them simple and distinct — they're
+looked up on a despaced/lowercased key, so `web hooks` / `web-hooks` / `webhooks` all
+resolve the same block. Assembly is config-gated: `behavior.context_multiline` (default
+`true`) puts the blurb and instruction on separate lines via a Shift+Enter soft newline;
+set it `false` to flatten onto one line with `context_separator` (default `" — "`) if
+Shift+Enter is unreliable in your terminal.
+
+Edit `contexts.toml`, then say **`reload`** (or run `claudedo reload`) — it re-reads
+`config.toml` and `contexts.toml` live without restarting the daemon or reloading the
+Whisper model. The **`system`** namespace gives daemon-control by voice without touching
+Claude: `system status` (mode / target / model / context count) and `system reload
+[config|contexts]`.
+
+## Earcons (audio feedback tones)
+
+Short confirmation tones play on key events so you get **eyes-free feedback** — "did it
+hear me?" — without watching the terminal. They're tones, not speech (not TTS): a bright
+blip when a command is accepted/injected, a low buzz when nothing matched, a rising chime
+on submit, and an optional blip on wake. Tones are short (<300ms) and quiet, and they're
+**additive** to the console feed — mute them and read at the desk, or hear them eyes-free.
+
+Verify the audio-OUT path (the reverse of `test-audio`, and the less-tested direction on
+WSLg) with:
+
+```bash
+claudedo test-tone        # plays each tone through WSLg — the audio-out gate
+```
+
+Tones play through WSLg's PulseAudio sink, **paplay-first** (a separate process, so it
+doesn't contend with the sounddevice mic stream), falling back to in-process sounddevice,
+then `powershell.exe` on the Windows host. Playback is **fire-and-forget**: a dead speaker
+or a missing tone file logs once and is ignored — audio-out can never block or break a
+command (`claudedo yes` injects whether or not the speaker works).
+
+Configure under `[sound]`: `enabled` (master, default on), per-event `on_wake` (default
+**off** — a blip right before you speak can bleed into the command capture, and it's
+chatty), `on_accept` / `on_no_match` / `on_submit` (default on), and `volume` (0.0–1.0,
+best-effort — scaled for sounddevice, `--volume` for paplay, ignored by the PowerShell
+fallback). A `[sound.files]` table can point any event at your own `.wav`. The shipped
+tones live in the package (`claudedo/sounds/*.wav`); `claudedo/sounds/generate.py` is a
+synthetic-beep fallback that can regenerate a placeholder set (it does **not** reproduce
+the shipped tones — running it overwrites them with plain beeps).
+
 ## The confirmed Claude Code keymap
 
 The keystrokes in [`keys.py`](src/claudedo/keys.py) were confirmed **empirically**
@@ -187,27 +262,35 @@ If Claude Code changes its prompt UI, re-confirm against a live session and upda
 Everything tunable lives in [`config.toml`](config.toml): wake phrases, mode + PTT
 key, Whisper model/language/device, `[vad]` endpointing, and `[behavior]`
 (`type_autosend`, fuzzy thresholds, `filler_words`, `auto_target`, `print_heard`).
-The default model is **`medium`** (best accuracy for the coined wake word on a strong
-CPU); `small` is faster/less accurate, `large-v3` most accurate. `claudedo -c <path>
-...` points at a specific config; otherwise it searches `$CLAUDEDO_CONFIG`,
-`~/.config/claudedo/config.toml`, then `./config.toml`.
+The default model is **`small.en`** (the English-only small model — ~1s/command on a
+strong CPU, more accurate on English than multilingual `small` at the same speed);
+`medium`/`medium.en` are more accurate but ~3× slower (noticeable lag), `base.en` is
+snappier/less accurate, `large-v3` most accurate/slowest. Every `heard` line shows the
+STT latency as `(<ms>/<audio>s)` so you can see what a model change costs. VAD
+endpointing ends a capture after `[vad].silence_ms` (700) of trailing silence, capped
+at `max_seconds` (15). `claudedo -c <path> ...` points at a specific config; otherwise
+it searches
+`$CLAUDEDO_CONFIG`, `~/.config/claudedo/config.toml`, then `./config.toml`.
 
 - **STT biasing.** The transcriber is seeded with an `initial_prompt` built from the
   configured wake phrases + command vocabulary (one source — `grammar.vocabulary()`),
   so Whisper is conditioned to expect "claudedo" and the command words.
-- **Split fuzzy thresholds.** `wake_fuzzy_threshold` (default `0.6`, lenient) vs
+- **Split fuzzy thresholds.** `wake_fuzzy_threshold` (default `0.65`, lenient) vs
   `command_fuzzy_threshold` (default `0.8`, tight). The asymmetry is deliberate: a
   false *wake* is cheap (it wakes, finds no command, does nothing), but a false
   *command* fires the wrong action. Prefer expanding command synonyms over loosening
   the command threshold.
 - **`[vad]` endpointing.** Capture starts on speech and ends after `silence_ms`
-  (default 800) of trailing silence — Alexa-style record-until-pause — capped at
-  `max_seconds` (default 10). The pause both ends a command and separates it from
+  (default 700) of trailing silence — Alexa-style record-until-pause — capped at
+  `max_seconds` (default 15). The pause both ends a command and separates it from
   following chatter (the chatter is a separate capture the wake gate discards).
 - **`auto_target`** (default `false`): with no sticky target and one session running,
   `false` does nothing and asks you to `set`; `true` auto-uses that session.
 - **`print_heard`** (default `false`, debug): prints non-wake transcripts so you can
   see how Whisper renders your wake word, then tune the wake list/threshold.
+- **`context_multiline`** (default `true`) / **`context_separator`** (default `" — "`):
+  how the `context` command assembles the blurb and instruction — a Shift+Enter soft
+  newline between them, or (when `false`) flattened onto one line with the separator.
 
 ## Requirements
 

config.toml

@@ -21,10 +21,12 @@ mode = "listen"
 ptt_key = "space"
 
 [stt]
-# faster-whisper model size. "medium" is the default — biggest accuracy gain for the
-# coined wake word ("claudedo" / "claude do") and fine on a strong cpu. "small" is
-# faster but less accurate; "large-v3" is most accurate if medium still struggles.
-model = "medium"
+# faster-whisper model size. "small.en" is the default — the English-only small model
+# (~1s/command on a strong cpu, more accurate on english than multilingual "small" at
+# the same speed). "medium"/"medium.en" are more accurate but ~3x slower (noticeable
+# lag); "large-v3" is most accurate and slowest. drop to "base.en" for max snappiness
+# (less accurate). bump only if recognition is poor.
+model = "small.en"
 language = "en"
 # mic device: "auto", or a sounddevice device index (integer) / substring of a
 # device name. run `claudedo test-audio` to list devices.
@@ -46,9 +48,10 @@ min_utterance = 0.3
 # onset and ends after this much trailing silence — the natural end of an utterance.
 # a real pause both ends the command AND separates it from following chatter (the
 # chatter becomes a separate capture that the wake gate then discards).
-silence_ms = 800
-# hard cap so continuous noise can't record forever.
-max_seconds = 10.0
+silence_ms = 700
+# hard cap so continuous noise can't record forever (also the ceiling for a long
+# dictated `type` phrase).
+max_seconds = 15.0
 
 [behavior]
 # dictation never auto-submits: "type <phrase>" inserts literal text only; you say
@@ -58,7 +61,7 @@ type_autosend = false
 # wakes, finds no command, does nothing), so wake is lenient; a false COMMAND fires
 # the WRONG action, so commands stay tight. lower = more lenient = more matches.
 # prefer expanding command synonyms over loosening command_fuzzy_threshold.
-wake_fuzzy_threshold = 0.6
+wake_fuzzy_threshold = 0.65
 command_fuzzy_threshold = 0.8
 # optional filler words that may precede a command and are ignored for matching:
 # "select yes" / "use yes" behave like "yes". (a filler word followed by a digit is
@@ -75,3 +78,37 @@ auto_target = false
 # how Whisper renders your wake word, then turn it OFF. default false: non-wake speech
 # is discarded without ever printing the transcript.
 print_heard = false
+
+# how the `context <name> <dictation>` command assembles the blurb + instruction.
+# true (default): blurb, a soft newline (Shift+Enter — needs the extended-keys tmux
+# settings install.sh appends), then the instruction. if Shift+Enter is at all flaky
+# in your terminal (it submits or does nothing), set false to flatten onto one line
+# with context_separator between blurb and instruction — the blank line is cosmetic,
+# not worth a submit risk. either way the assembled text is NEVER auto-submitted.
+context_multiline = true
+# separator inserted between blurb and instruction when context_multiline = false.
+context_separator = " — "
+
+[sound]
+# earcons — short confirmation tones on daemon events so you get eyes-free feedback
+# ("did it hear me?") without watching the terminal. tones are SHORT (<300ms) and quiet;
+# they play OUT through WSLg's PulseAudio sink (paplay-first, sounddevice fallback, then
+# powershell.exe). additive to the console feed — mute these and read at the desk, or
+# hear them eyes-free. a dead speaker never blocks/breaks a command (fire-and-forget).
+enabled = true
+# blip when a wake phrase is recognized. OFF by default: a blip right before you speak
+# the command can bleed into its capture, and it's chatty. turn on only if you want it.
+on_wake = false
+# positive blip when a command is recognized/injected.
+on_accept = true
+# distinct lower buzz when nothing matched or the target was missing (did nothing).
+on_no_match = true
+# rising chime when a send/submit is injected.
+on_submit = true
+# best-effort 0.0-1.0 (scaled for sounddevice, --volume for paplay; ignored by the
+# powershell fallback, which has no volume control).
+volume = 0.5
+# optional per-event overrides to swap in your own .wav files, e.g.:
+#   [sound.files]
+#   accept = "~/sounds/my_accept.wav"
+[sound.files]

contexts.toml

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# claudedo contexts — named reference blurbs you can inject ahead of a dictated
+# instruction with the `context <name> <instruction>` voice command (alias `prepare`).
+#
+# the named blurb is injected as a preamble, then your dictated instruction, and the
+# daemon WAITS — nothing is auto-submitted. you say "send" to submit (read-before-send;
+# claude's own permission prompt is the backstop for anything consequential).
+#
+# names are SPOKEN and fuzzy-matched, so keep them simple, distinct, single words
+# (a-z, 0-9; spaces/hyphens/underscores are stripped for matching, so "web hooks",
+# "web-hooks" and "webhooks" all resolve the same block). values are free-form text.
+#
+# edit this file, then say "reload" (or run `claudedo reload`) — no daemon restart,
+# the whisper model is not reloaded.
+
+[contexts]
+webhooks = "discord webhooks — test: <url> (safe to spam), live: <url> (real, careful)"
+testing  = "use the test/staging resources only, never touch prod"
+discord  = "discord.py 2.x; bot token in .env as BOT_TOKEN; guild id 12345"

install.sh

@@ -57,9 +57,14 @@ say "verifying audio path"
 if pactl info >/dev/null 2>&1; then
     DEFAULT_SRC="$(pactl info | sed -n 's/^Default Source: //p')"
     echo "  Default Source: ${DEFAULT_SRC:-<none>}"
+    DEFAULT_SINK="$(pactl info | sed -n 's/^Default Sink: //p')"
+    echo "  Default Sink:   ${DEFAULT_SINK:-<none>}"
     if ! pactl list sources short 2>/dev/null | grep -q RDPSource; then
         warn "RDPSource not listed by pactl — mic may not be bridged. check Windows mic permission."
     fi
+    if ! pactl list sinks short 2>/dev/null | grep -q RDPSink; then
+        warn "RDPSink not listed by pactl — earcon/TTS audio-OUT may not play. run 'claudedo test-tone' to check."
+    fi
 else
     warn "pactl info failed — pulseaudio-utils installed but no server reachable yet."
 fi
@@ -106,6 +111,18 @@ else
     echo "  $CONF_DIR/config.toml already current"
 fi
 
+# install the contexts.toml template (named blurbs for the `context` voice command).
+# same policy: copy only if absent, else drop a .new — never clobber edited contexts.
+if [ ! -f "$CONF_DIR/contexts.toml" ]; then
+    install -m 0644 "$REPO_DIR/contexts.toml" "$CONF_DIR/contexts.toml"
+    echo "  wrote $CONF_DIR/contexts.toml"
+elif ! cmp -s "$REPO_DIR/contexts.toml" "$CONF_DIR/contexts.toml"; then
+    install -m 0644 "$REPO_DIR/contexts.toml" "$CONF_DIR/contexts.toml.new"
+    echo "  kept your $CONF_DIR/contexts.toml; new default written to contexts.toml.new (diff to merge)"
+else
+    echo "  $CONF_DIR/contexts.toml already current"
+fi
+
 # wire EVERY rc that exists (the user may have both zsh and bash).
 wired_any=0
 for RC in "$HOME/.zshrc" "$HOME/.bashrc"; do

pyproject.toml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
 
 [project]
 name = "claudedo"
-version = "0.1.3"
+version = "0.2.1"
 description = "voice-control daemon for claude code (local STT -> tmux send-keys)"
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ claudedo = "claudedo.__main__:main"
 [tool.setuptools]
 package-dir = { "" = "src" }
 
+[tool.setuptools.package-data]
+"claudedo.sounds" = ["*.wav"]
+
 [tool.setuptools.packages.find]
 where = ["src"]
 

src/claudedo/__init__.py

@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 """claudedo — voice-control daemon for claude code (local STT -> tmux send-keys)"""
 
-__version__ = "0.1.3"
+__version__ = "0.2.1"

src/claudedo/__main__.py

@@ -97,6 +97,44 @@ def cmd_stop(_args: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
     return 1
 
 
+def cmd_test_tone(args: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
+    config = _load_or_die(args.config)
+    from . import audio_out, sound
+
+    print("== claudedo test-tone ==")
+    if not audio_out.available():
+        print("no audio-out backend found (paplay / powershell.exe).", file=sys.stderr)
+        print("install pulseaudio-utils (run install.sh) for paplay.", file=sys.stderr)
+        return 1
+    earcons = sound.Earcons(config)
+    print(f"playing each tone via WSLg audio-out (volume {config.sound_volume}) — listen ...")
+    ok = True
+    for event in sound.event_names():
+        path = earcons.tone_path(event)
+        if path is None or not Path(path).is_file():
+            print(f"  {event:9} MISSING ({path})")
+            ok = False
+            continue
+        print(f"  {event:9} {path.name} ...", flush=True)
+        played = audio_out.play_blocking(path, volume=config.sound_volume)
+        if not played:
+            print(f"  {event:9} FAILED to play", file=sys.stderr)
+            ok = False
+    if not ok:
+        print("some tones did not play — audio-out may be unavailable.", file=sys.stderr)
+        return 1
+    print("audio-out OK (all tones played).")
+    return 0
+
+
+def cmd_reload(_args: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
+    if daemon.reload_running():
+        print("signalled claudedo to reload config + contexts")
+        return 0
+    print("claudedo is not running")
+    return 1
+
+
 def cmd_status(_args: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
     pid = daemon.read_pid()
     if pid is None:
@@ -222,8 +260,12 @@ def build_parser() -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
     sp.set_defaults(func=cmd_start)
 
     sub.add_parser("stop", help="stop a running daemon").set_defaults(func=cmd_stop)
+    sub.add_parser("reload", help="reload config + contexts in a running daemon"
+                   ).set_defaults(func=cmd_reload)
     sub.add_parser("status", help="show daemon status").set_defaults(func=cmd_status)
     sub.add_parser("test-audio", help="verify the mic capture path").set_defaults(func=cmd_test_audio)
+    sub.add_parser("test-tone", help="play each earcon (verify the audio-out path)"
+                   ).set_defaults(func=cmd_test_tone)
     sub.add_parser("install", help="re-run the bootstrap (install.sh)").set_defaults(func=cmd_install)
     sub.add_parser("unset", help="clear the sticky target session").set_defaults(func=cmd_unset)
     sub.add_parser("list", help="list running claude-* sessions").set_defaults(func=cmd_list)

src/claudedo/audio_out.py

@@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
+"""audio output — play short .wav files through the WSLg/PulseAudio sink (RDPSink).
+
+the reverse direction of audio.py's mic capture, and the less-tested path on WSLg. a
+three-tier player picks the first backend that works and remembers it:
+
+  1. paplay (pulseaudio-utils) — a SEPARATE process hitting PulseAudio directly. this
+     is the primary on purpose: the daemon captures with sounddevice (an open input
+     stream in listen mode), so keeping OUTPUT in a separate process avoids stacking
+     input+output in one lib on a bridge known to be duplex-flaky.
+  2. sounddevice sd.play() — in-process fallback if paplay is absent.
+  3. powershell.exe SoundPlayer — last resort via the Windows host (no volume control).
+
+both earcons (sound.py) and future v0.3 TTS readback play through this module — keep it
+generic (it plays a wav path, it knows nothing about events). playback is fire-and-
+forget on a worker thread: a missing file or a dead speaker logs once and is swallowed,
+never raised, so audio-out can NEVER block or break the inject path.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import logging
+import shutil
+import subprocess
+import threading
+import wave
+from pathlib import Path
+
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+_PAPLAY = "paplay"
+_POWERSHELL = "powershell.exe"
+
+_backend_lock = threading.Lock()
+_chosen_backend: str | None = None
+_warned = False
+
+
+def _have(cmd: str) -> bool:
+    return shutil.which(cmd) is not None
+
+
+def _clamp_volume(volume: float) -> float:
+    return max(0.0, min(1.0, float(volume)))
+
+
+def _play_paplay(path: Path, volume: float) -> bool:
+    """play via paplay; volume scaled through --volume (0-65536 linear)"""
+    vol = int(_clamp_volume(volume) * 65536)
+    proc = subprocess.run(
+        [_PAPLAY, f"--volume={vol}", str(path)],
+        stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL, stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+    )
+    if proc.returncode != 0:
+        log.debug("paplay failed: %s", proc.stderr.decode("utf-8", "replace").strip())
+        return False
+    return True
+
+
+def _play_sounddevice(path: Path, volume: float) -> bool:
+    """play via sounddevice (in-process fallback); volume scales the samples"""
+    try:
+        import numpy as np
+        import sounddevice as sd
+    except Exception as exc:
+        log.debug("sounddevice unavailable: %s", exc)
+        return False
+    try:
+        with wave.open(str(path), "rb") as wf:
+            sr = wf.getframerate()
+            frames = wf.readframes(wf.getnframes())
+        data = np.frombuffer(frames, dtype="<i2").astype(np.float32) / 32768.0
+        data = data * _clamp_volume(volume)
+        sd.play(data, sr)
+        sd.wait()
+        return True
+    except Exception as exc:
+        log.debug("sounddevice playback failed: %s", exc)
+        return False
+
+
+def _play_powershell(path: Path, _volume: float) -> bool:
+    """play via the Windows host (last resort). SoundPlayer has no volume control,
+    so volume is ignored on this backend (documented best-effort)."""
+    if not _have(_POWERSHELL):
+        return False
+    try:
+        win = subprocess.run(["wslpath", "-w", str(path)], stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+                             stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL)
+        winpath = win.stdout.decode("utf-8", "replace").strip() if win.returncode == 0 else str(path)
+        script = f"(New-Object Media.SoundPlayer '{winpath}').PlaySync()"
+        proc = subprocess.run([_POWERSHELL, "-NoProfile", "-Command", script],
+                              stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL, stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL)
+        return proc.returncode == 0
+    except Exception as exc:
+        log.debug("powershell playback failed: %s", exc)
+        return False
+
+
+_BACKENDS = {
+    "paplay": _play_paplay,
+    "sounddevice": _play_sounddevice,
+    "powershell": _play_powershell,
+}
+_ORDER = ("paplay", "sounddevice", "powershell")
+
+
+def _play_sync(path: Path, volume: float) -> bool:
+    """play a wav synchronously, choosing/remembering a working backend. returns
+    whether playback succeeded; never raises."""
+    global _chosen_backend, _warned
+    if not path.is_file():
+        log.debug("tone file missing: %s", path)
+        return False
+
+    with _backend_lock:
+        order = (_chosen_backend,) + _ORDER if _chosen_backend else _ORDER
+    tried = []
+    for name in order:
+        if name in tried:
+            continue
+        tried.append(name)
+        if name == "paplay" and not _have(_PAPLAY):
+            continue
+        if _BACKENDS[name](path, volume):
+            with _backend_lock:
+                _chosen_backend = name
+            return True
+
+    with _backend_lock:
+        if not _warned:
+            _warned = True
+            log.warning("audio-out unavailable (tried %s) — continuing silently; "
+                        "tones disabled for this run", ", ".join(tried))
+    return False
+
+
+def play(path: str | Path, volume: float = 1.0, blocking: bool = False) -> None:
+    """play a wav file. fire-and-forget by default (a worker thread), so a slow or
+    dead speaker never delays the caller. set blocking=True only for test-tone, where
+    we want to play tones in sequence and report the result.
+
+    failures are swallowed (logged once) — audio-out must never break a command.
+    """
+    p = Path(path)
+    if blocking:
+        _play_sync(p, volume)
+        return
+    threading.Thread(target=_play_sync, args=(p, volume), daemon=True).start()
+
+
+def play_blocking(path: str | Path, volume: float = 1.0) -> bool:
+    """synchronous play that returns success — for test-tone's audio-out gate"""
+    return _play_sync(Path(path), volume)
+
+
+def available() -> bool:
+    """true if any audio-out backend is present (best-effort, paplay/powershell)"""
+    return _have(_PAPLAY) or _have(_POWERSHELL)

src/claudedo/config.py

@@ -17,7 +17,10 @@ except ModuleNotFoundError:
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 _VALID_MODES = ("listen", "ptt")
-_VALID_MODELS = ("tiny", "base", "small", "medium", "large-v2", "large-v3")
+_VALID_MODELS = (
+    "tiny", "base", "small", "medium", "large-v1", "large-v2", "large-v3",
+    "tiny.en", "base.en", "small.en", "medium.en",
+)
 
 DEFAULT_CONFIG_PATHS = (
     Path(os.environ.get("CLAUDEDO_CONFIG", "")) if os.environ.get("CLAUDEDO_CONFIG") else None,
@@ -53,6 +56,15 @@ class Config:
     filler_words: tuple[str, ...]
     auto_target: bool
     print_heard: bool
+    context_multiline: bool
+    context_separator: str
+    sound_enabled: bool
+    sound_on_wake: bool
+    sound_on_accept: bool
+    sound_on_no_match: bool
+    sound_on_submit: bool
+    sound_volume: float
+    sound_files: dict[str, str]
     source_path: Path | None = field(default=None)
 
 
@@ -99,7 +111,7 @@ def load_config(explicit: str | os.PathLike | None = None) -> Config:
     if mode not in _VALID_MODES:
         raise ConfigError(f"[input].mode must be one of {_VALID_MODES}, got {mode!r}")
 
-    model = _require(raw, "stt", "model", (str,), "medium")
+    model = _require(raw, "stt", "model", (str,), "small.en")
     if model not in _VALID_MODELS:
         log.warning("unknown stt model %r — passing through to faster-whisper", model)
 
@@ -114,23 +126,34 @@ def load_config(explicit: str | os.PathLike | None = None) -> Config:
         samplerate=int(_require(raw, "audio", "samplerate", (int,), 16000)),
         channels=int(_require(raw, "audio", "channels", (int,), 1)),
         silence_threshold=float(_require(raw, "audio", "silence_threshold", (int, float), 0.012)),
-        vad_silence_ms=int(_require(raw, "vad", "silence_ms", (int,), 800)),
-        vad_max_seconds=float(_require(raw, "vad", "max_seconds", (int, float), 10.0)),
+        vad_silence_ms=int(_require(raw, "vad", "silence_ms", (int,), 700)),
+        vad_max_seconds=float(_require(raw, "vad", "max_seconds", (int, float), 15.0)),
         min_utterance=float(_require(raw, "audio", "min_utterance", (int, float), 0.3)),
         type_autosend=bool(_require(raw, "behavior", "type_autosend", (bool,), False)),
-        wake_fuzzy_threshold=float(_require(raw, "behavior", "wake_fuzzy_threshold", (int, float), 0.6)),
+        wake_fuzzy_threshold=float(_require(raw, "behavior", "wake_fuzzy_threshold", (int, float), 0.65)),
         command_fuzzy_threshold=float(_require(raw, "behavior", "command_fuzzy_threshold",
                                                (int, float), 0.8)),
         filler_words=tuple(_require(raw, "behavior", "filler_words", (list,),
                                     ["select", "use", "choose"])),
         auto_target=bool(_require(raw, "behavior", "auto_target", (bool,), False)),
         print_heard=bool(_require(raw, "behavior", "print_heard", (bool,), False)),
+        context_multiline=bool(_require(raw, "behavior", "context_multiline", (bool,), True)),
+        context_separator=str(_require(raw, "behavior", "context_separator", (str,), " — ")),
+        sound_enabled=bool(_require(raw, "sound", "enabled", (bool,), True)),
+        sound_on_wake=bool(_require(raw, "sound", "on_wake", (bool,), False)),
+        sound_on_accept=bool(_require(raw, "sound", "on_accept", (bool,), True)),
+        sound_on_no_match=bool(_require(raw, "sound", "on_no_match", (bool,), True)),
+        sound_on_submit=bool(_require(raw, "sound", "on_submit", (bool,), True)),
+        sound_volume=float(_require(raw, "sound", "volume", (int, float), 0.5)),
+        sound_files=dict(_require(raw, "sound", "files", (dict,), {})),
         source_path=path,
     )
     for label, val in (("wake_fuzzy_threshold", cfg.wake_fuzzy_threshold),
                        ("command_fuzzy_threshold", cfg.command_fuzzy_threshold)):
         if not 0.0 < val <= 1.0:
             raise ConfigError(f"[behavior].{label} must be in (0, 1]")
+    if not 0.0 <= cfg.sound_volume <= 1.0:
+        raise ConfigError("[sound].volume must be in [0, 1]")
     if cfg.vad_silence_ms <= 0 or cfg.vad_max_seconds <= 0:
         raise ConfigError("[vad].silence_ms and max_seconds must be positive")
     if cfg.samplerate <= 0 or cfg.channels <= 0:

src/claudedo/console.py

@@ -18,12 +18,16 @@ _COLORS = {
     "red": "\033[31m",
     "yellow": "\033[33m",
     "cyan": "\033[36m",
+    "blue": "\033[34m",
+    "brightblue": "\033[94m",
+    "magenta": "\033[35m",
     "dim": "\033[2m",
     "bold": "\033[1m",
 }
 
 SYSTEM = "SYSTEM"
 VOICE = "VOICE"
+HELP = "HELP"
 
 
 class Console:
@@ -45,7 +49,17 @@ class Console:
             return text
         return f"{_COLORS[color]}{text}{RESET}"
 
+    def paint(self, text: str, color: str | None) -> str:
+        """public colorizer for pre-coloring a fragment of a message (e.g. a command
+        word) before passing it to emit() with color=None"""
+        return self._paint(text, color)
+
     def emit(self, prefix: str, message: str, color: str | None = None) -> None:
         """print one line: ``HH:MM:SS [prefix] message`` (message optionally colored)"""
         line = f"{self._stamp()} {self._paint(f'[{prefix}]', 'dim')} {self._paint(message, color)}"
         print(line, file=self.stream, flush=True)
+
+    def line(self, message: str, color: str | None = None) -> None:
+        """print a bare continuation line (no timestamp/prefix) — for multi-row blocks
+        like the help menu, indented under a preceding header"""
+        print(self._paint(message, color), file=self.stream, flush=True)

src/claudedo/contexts.py

@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+"""load named context blocks from contexts.toml into a typed lookup.
+
+contexts are user-edited reference blurbs (claude.md-style snippets) keyed by simple
+spoken names. the ``context``/``prepare`` voice command injects a named blurb ahead of
+a dictated instruction (read-before-send: never auto-submitted). mirrors config.py's
+load/validate pattern; a missing file is an empty set, not an error.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import logging
+import os
+import re
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+from pathlib import Path
+
+try:
+    import tomllib as _toml
+except ModuleNotFoundError:
+    import tomli as _toml
+
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+_NAME_RE = re.compile(r"^[a-z0-9][a-z0-9 _-]*$")
+
+DEFAULT_CONTEXTS_PATHS = (
+    Path(os.environ.get("CLAUDEDO_CONTEXTS", "")) if os.environ.get("CLAUDEDO_CONTEXTS") else None,
+    Path.home() / ".config" / "claudedo" / "contexts.toml",
+    Path.cwd() / "contexts.toml",
+)
+
+
+class ContextsError(Exception):
+    """raised on an unparseable or invalid contexts.toml"""
+
+
+@dataclass
+class Contexts:
+    """validated named context blocks (name -> blurb), normalized for spoken lookup"""
+
+    blocks: dict[str, str] = field(default_factory=dict)
+    source_path: Path | None = field(default=None)
+
+    def __len__(self) -> int:
+        return len(self.blocks)
+
+    def names(self) -> list[str]:
+        """the context names, sorted (for status / listing)"""
+        return sorted(self.blocks)
+
+    def get(self, name: str) -> str | None:
+        """look up a blurb by its normalized (lowercased, despaced) name, or None.
+
+        names are matched on a lowercase, space/underscore/hyphen-stripped key so a
+        spoken "web hooks" resolves the configured ``webhooks``/``web-hooks`` block.
+        """
+        return self.blocks.get(_key(name))
+
+
+def _key(name: str) -> str:
+    return re.sub(r"[ _-]+", "", name.strip().lower())
+
+
+def find_contexts_path(explicit: str | os.PathLike | None = None) -> Path | None:
+    """resolve the contexts.toml path, or None if no file exists (not an error)"""
+    candidates: list[Path] = []
+    if explicit:
+        candidates.append(Path(explicit))
+    candidates.extend(p for p in DEFAULT_CONTEXTS_PATHS if p)
+    for path in candidates:
+        if path.is_file():
+            return path
+    return None
+
+
+def load_contexts(explicit: str | os.PathLike | None = None) -> Contexts:
+    """load contexts.toml from the first existing default path (or an explicit one).
+
+    a missing file yields an empty Contexts (the feature is opt-in). names must be
+    simple words (matchable) and values must be non-empty strings; a bad entry raises
+    ContextsError so the user sees a clear message rather than a silent drop.
+    """
+    path = find_contexts_path(explicit)
+    if path is None:
+        return Contexts(blocks={}, source_path=None)
+
+    try:
+        with open(path, "rb") as fh:
+            raw = _toml.load(fh)
+    except _toml.TOMLDecodeError as exc:
+        raise ContextsError(f"could not parse {path}: {exc}") from exc
+
+    table = raw.get("contexts", {})
+    if not isinstance(table, dict):
+        raise ContextsError("[contexts] must be a table of name = \"blurb\" entries")
+
+    blocks: dict[str, str] = {}
+    for name, value in table.items():
+        if not isinstance(name, str) or not _NAME_RE.match(name.lower()):
+            raise ContextsError(f"context name {name!r} must be simple words (a-z, 0-9, space/-/_)")
+        if not isinstance(value, str) or not value.strip():
+            raise ContextsError(f"context {name!r} must be a non-empty string")
+        key = _key(name)
+        if key in blocks:
+            raise ContextsError(f"context {name!r} collides with another name on the spoken key {key!r}")
+        blocks[key] = value.strip()
+
+    return Contexts(blocks=blocks, source_path=path)

src/claudedo/daemon.py

@@ -16,9 +16,11 @@ import sys
 import time
 from pathlib import Path
 
-from . import audio, grammar, inject, target
-from .config import Config
-from .console import SYSTEM, VOICE, Console
+from . import __version__, audio, grammar, inject, keys, target
+from .config import Config, ConfigError, load_config
+from .console import HELP, SYSTEM, VOICE, Console
+from .contexts import Contexts, ContextsError, load_contexts
+from .sound import Earcons
 from .stt import Transcriber
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -76,6 +78,16 @@ def stop_running() -> bool:
     return True
 
 
+def reload_running() -> bool:
+    """signal a running daemon (SIGHUP) to reload config + contexts. returns whether
+    one was found. no-op on platforms without SIGHUP."""
+    pid = read_pid()
+    if pid is None or not hasattr(signal, "SIGHUP"):
+        return False
+    os.kill(pid, signal.SIGHUP)
+    return True
+
+
 class _PTTKey:
     """desk-only push-to-talk: 'held' while the configured key is down in the
     daemon's own terminal. there is deliberately NO global hotkey — a system-wide
@@ -112,20 +124,35 @@ class Daemon:
         self.config = config
         self.mode = config.mode
         self._stop = False
+        self._reload_pending = False
         self._transcriber: Transcriber | None = None
         self._device: int | None = None
         self._ptt = _PTTKey()
         self._pending: dict[str, int] = {}
         self._console = Console()
+        self._contexts = Contexts()
+        self._earcons = Earcons(config)
+        self._last_stt_ms = 0.0
+        self._last_audio_s = 0.0
 
     def _install_signals(self) -> None:
         signal.signal(signal.SIGTERM, self._on_signal)
         signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, self._on_signal)
+        if hasattr(signal, "SIGHUP"):
+            signal.signal(signal.SIGHUP, self._on_reload_signal)
 
     def _on_signal(self, _signum, _frame) -> None:
         log.info("stop requested")
         self._stop = True
 
+    def _on_reload_signal(self, _signum, _frame) -> None:
+        """SIGHUP from `claudedo reload` -> reload both config files on the next tick.
+
+        the actual reload runs in the loop (not the handler) so it never races a
+        capture/transcribe; the handler only sets the flag.
+        """
+        self._reload_pending = True
+
     def stopped(self) -> bool:
         return self._stop
 
@@ -138,11 +165,21 @@ class Daemon:
             compute_type="auto",
             initial_prompt=grammar.initial_prompt(cfg.wake_phrases),
         )
+        self._load_contexts()
         if audio.warm_up(cfg.samplerate, cfg.channels, self._device):
             log.info("mic warmed up (source live)")
         else:
             log.warning("mic warm-up saw only silence — check mic permission / RDPSource")
 
+    def _load_contexts(self) -> None:
+        """(re)load contexts.toml, leaving the loaded model untouched. a parse error is
+        logged and leaves the previous set in place rather than crashing the loop."""
+        try:
+            self._contexts = load_contexts()
+        except ContextsError as exc:
+            log.warning("contexts.toml invalid, keeping previous set: %s", exc)
+            self._console.emit(SYSTEM, f"contexts.toml error (kept previous): {exc}", "red")
+
     def _capture(self):
         cfg = self.config
         if self.mode == "ptt":
@@ -167,89 +204,230 @@ class Daemon:
         parsed = grammar.parse(transcript, cfg.wake_phrases, cfg.wake_fuzzy_threshold,
                                cfg.command_fuzzy_threshold, require_wake, filler=cfg.filler_words)
         if parsed is None or parsed.action is None:
-            self._console.emit(VOICE, f'heard "{transcript}" -> no command matched', "yellow")
+            if parsed is not None:
+                self._earcons.play("wake")
+            self._console.emit(VOICE, f'heard "{transcript}" -> no command matched {self._timing()}',
+                               "yellow")
+            self._earcons.play("no_match")
             return
         action = parsed.action
+        self._earcons.play("wake")
 
+        # a command was recognized — echo what we heard (green) before acting. note the
+        # matched wake phrase (magenta) when the transcript didn't literally contain it
+        # (so a loose match like "okay clouds" -> "okay claude" is visible).
+        head = self._console.paint(f'heard "{transcript}" -> {self._describe(action)}', "green")
+        note = ""
+        if parsed.wake and parsed.wake.replace(" ", "") not in transcript.lower().replace(" ", ""):
+            note = (self._console.paint(" (wake: ", "green")
+                    + self._console.paint(parsed.wake, "magenta")
+                    + self._console.paint(")", "green"))
+        tail = self._console.paint(f" {self._timing()}", "green")
+        self._console.emit(VOICE, f"{head}{note}{tail}")
+
+        def blue(s):
+            return self._console.paint(s, "brightblue")
         if action.name == "mode":
             new_mode = str(action.arg)
             if new_mode != self.mode:
                 self.mode = new_mode
-                self._console.emit(SYSTEM, f"mode -> {new_mode}", "cyan")
+                self._console.emit(SYSTEM, f"{blue('mode')} -> {new_mode}")
                 self._refresh_state()
             return
         if action.name == "set":
             session = target.set_target(str(action.arg))
             self._pending.pop(session, None)
-            self._console.emit(SYSTEM, f"set sticky -> {session}", "cyan")
+            self._console.emit(SYSTEM, f"{blue('set sticky')} -> {session}")
             self._refresh_state()
             return
         if action.name == "unset":
             target.unset_target()
-            self._console.emit(SYSTEM, "unset (cleared)", "cyan")
+            self._console.emit(SYSTEM, f"{blue('unset')} (cleared)")
             self._refresh_state()
             return
         if action.name == "list":
             sessions = target.list_sessions()
-            self._console.emit(SYSTEM, "list -> " + (", ".join(sessions) if sessions else "(none running)"))
+            self._console.emit(SYSTEM, f"{blue('list')} -> "
+                               + (", ".join(sessions) if sessions else "(none running)"))
+            return
+        if action.name == "commands":
+            self._console.emit(HELP, "voice commands:")
+            for usage, desc in grammar.command_menu():
+                self._console.line(f"    {self._console.paint(f'{usage:<26}', 'brightblue')} {desc}")
+            return
+        if action.name == "customs":
+            names = self._contexts.names()
+            listed = ", ".join(names) if names else "(none — edit contexts.toml)"
+            self._console.emit(SYSTEM, f"contexts: {listed}")
+            return
+        if action.name == "version":
+            self._console.emit(SYSTEM, f"claudedo {__version__}")
             return
         if action.name == "debug":
             self._console.emit(VOICE, f'debug: "{action.arg}"', "yellow")
             return
+        if action.name == "reload":
+            self._do_reload(str(action.arg))
+            return
+        if action.name == "system":
+            self._do_system(action.arg)
+            return
+        if action.name == "context":
+            name = str(action.arg[0])
+            if self._contexts.get(name) is None:
+                self._console.emit(VOICE, f"no context named '{name}' -> did nothing", "red")
+                self._earcons.play("no_match")
+                return
 
         session, reason = target.resolve(parsed.one_shot, auto_target=cfg.auto_target)
         if session is None:
             self._console.emit(VOICE, f'heard "{transcript}" -> {reason} -> '
                                f'{self._describe(action)} did nothing', "red")
+            self._earcons.play("no_match")
             return
-        self._inject(session, transcript, reason, action)
+        if action.name == "context":
+            self._inject_context(session, action)
+            return
+        self._inject(session, action)
 
-    def _inject(self, session: str, transcript: str, reason: str, action) -> None:
+    def _inject(self, session: str, action) -> None:
         """run a resolved command against `session`, tracking the uncommitted-input
-        buffer so backspace/erase delete only back to the last submit boundary"""
-        heard = f'heard "{transcript}" ({reason})'
+        buffer so backspace/erase delete only back to the last submit boundary.
+
+        the 'heard ...' echo is already printed by _handle and the [session] prefix
+        names the target, so these lines just report the keystrokes injected. the
+        earcon fires here (a real injection): submit chimes the submit tone, every
+        other injected command the accept tone.
+        """
         name = action.name
+        self._earcons.play("submit" if name == "submit" else "accept")
 
         if name == "type":
             text = str(action.arg)
             inject.send_literal(session, text)
             self._pending[session] = self._pending.get(session, 0) + len(text)
             if self.config.type_autosend:
-                inject.send_named(session, inject.keys.SUBMIT)
+                inject.send_named(session, keys.SUBMIT)
                 self._pending[session] = 0
-            self._console.emit(session, f"{heard} -> typed {text!r}"
+            self._console.emit(session, f"typed {text!r}"
                                + (" + send" if self.config.type_autosend else ""), "green")
             return
         if name == "space":
             n = int(action.arg)
             inject.perform(session, action)
             self._pending[session] = self._pending.get(session, 0) + n
-            self._console.emit(session, f"{heard} -> space x{n}", "green")
+            self._console.emit(session, f"space x{n}", "green")
             return
         if name == "backspace":
-            have = self._pending.get(session, 0)
-            n = min(int(action.arg), have)
+            n = int(action.arg)
             if n:
-                inject.perform(session, grammar.Action("backspace", n))
-                self._pending[session] = have - n
-            self._console.emit(session, f"{heard} -> backspace x{n}"
-                               + ("" if n == int(action.arg) else " (capped at boundary)"), "green")
+                inject.perform(session, action)
+                self._pending[session] = max(0, self._pending.get(session, 0) - n)
+            self._console.emit(session, f"backspace x{n}", "green")
             return
         if name == "erase":
             n = self._pending.get(session, 0)
             if n:
                 inject.perform(session, grammar.Action("erase", n))
                 self._pending[session] = 0
-            self._console.emit(session, f"{heard} -> erase x{n} (to last boundary)", "green")
+            self._console.emit(session, f"erase x{n} (to last boundary)", "green")
             return
 
         inject.perform(session, action)
         if name == "submit":
             self._pending[session] = 0
-        self._console.emit(session, f"{heard} -> {self._describe(action)}", "green")
+        self._console.emit(session, f"injected {self._describe(action)}", "green")
+
+    def _inject_context(self, session: str, action) -> None:
+        """inject a named context blurb ahead of the dictated instruction, then WAIT.
+
+        read-before-send: never auto-submits — the user says ``send`` separately, and
+        claude's own permission prompt is the backstop for anything consequential.
+        routes through inject.send_literal (the same path as ``type``) and tracks the
+        uncommitted-input buffer so backspace/erase still bound to the last boundary.
+
+        assembly (config behavior.context_multiline): true -> blurb, a soft Shift+Enter
+        newline, then the instruction; false -> blurb + context_separator + instruction
+        flattened onto one line. a bare ``context <name>`` (no dictation) injects just
+        the blurb. the soft newline does not count toward the editable-char buffer.
+        """
+        cfg = self.config
+        name, dictation = str(action.arg[0]), str(action.arg[1])
+        blurb = self._contexts.get(name) or ""
+
+        self._earcons.play("accept")
+        inject.send_literal(session, blurb)
+        chars = len(blurb)
+        if dictation:
+            if cfg.context_multiline:
+                inject.send_named(session, keys.NEWLINE)
+            else:
+                inject.send_literal(session, cfg.context_separator)
+                chars += len(cfg.context_separator)
+            inject.send_literal(session, dictation)
+            chars += len(dictation)
+        self._pending[session] = self._pending.get(session, 0) + chars
+
+        shape = "blurb" if not dictation else "blurb + dictation"
+        self._console.emit(session, f"context '{name}' -> {shape} (waiting for send)", "green")
+
+    def _do_reload(self, scope: str) -> None:
+        """re-read config.toml and/or contexts.toml live without reinitializing the
+        loaded whisper model (the slow part). scope: all|config|contexts."""
+        did = []
+        if scope in ("all", "config"):
+            try:
+                new_cfg = load_config()
+                self._apply_config(new_cfg)
+                did.append("config")
+            except ConfigError as exc:
+                self._console.emit(SYSTEM, f"config reload failed (kept previous): {exc}", "red")
+        if scope in ("all", "contexts"):
+            self._load_contexts()
+            did.append("contexts")
+        what = " + ".join(did) if did else "nothing"
+        blue = self._console.paint("reloaded", "brightblue")
+        self._console.emit(SYSTEM, f"{blue} {what} ({len(self._contexts)} contexts)")
+
+    def _apply_config(self, new_cfg: Config) -> None:
+        """swap in a reloaded config, preserving the runtime mode the user may have
+        toggled by voice and leaving the already-loaded transcriber untouched."""
+        new_cfg.mode = self.mode
+        self.config = new_cfg
+        self._earcons.update(new_cfg)
+
+    def _do_system(self, arg) -> None:
+        """daemon-control namespace (never injects to claude): status / reload."""
+        if isinstance(arg, tuple) and arg and arg[0] == "reload":
+            self._do_reload(str(arg[1]))
+            return
+        if isinstance(arg, tuple) and arg and arg[0] == "unknown":
+            self._console.emit(SYSTEM, f"unknown system command '{arg[1]}'", "red")
+            return
+        if arg == "status":
+            cfg = self.config
+            sticky = target.read_active() or "(none)"
+            blue = self._console.paint("status", "brightblue")
+            self._console.emit(SYSTEM, f"{blue}: mode {self.mode}, sticky {sticky}, "
+                               f"model {cfg.stt_model}, {len(self._contexts)} contexts")
+            return
+        self._console.emit(SYSTEM, f"unknown system command {arg!r}", "red")
+
+    def _timing(self) -> str:
+        """compact STT latency suffix for heard lines (transcribe ms on audio secs)"""
+        return f"({self._last_stt_ms:.0f}ms/{self._last_audio_s:.1f}s)"
 
     @staticmethod
     def _describe(action) -> str:
+        if action.name == "context":
+            name, dictation = action.arg
+            tail = " + dictation" if dictation else ""
+            return f"CONTEXT('{name}'{tail})"
+        if action.name == "system":
+            arg = action.arg
+            if isinstance(arg, tuple):
+                return f"SYSTEM({arg[0]} {arg[1]})"
+            return f"SYSTEM({arg})"
         if action.arg is None:
             return action.name.upper()
         return f"{action.name.upper()}({action.arg})"
@@ -270,8 +448,9 @@ class Daemon:
         target_now = target.read_active() or "(none — run cc / set <name>)"
         self._console.emit(SYSTEM, f"claudedo {self.mode} mode — Ctrl-C to stop", "bold")
         self._console.emit(SYSTEM, f"model {cfg.stt_model} ({cfg.stt_language}) · mic {dev} · "
-                           f"target {target_now}")
-        self._console.emit(SYSTEM, "wake: " + ", ".join(cfg.wake_phrases))
+                           f"target {target_now} · {len(self._contexts)} contexts")
+        wakes = ", ".join(self._console.paint(p, "magenta") for p in cfg.wake_phrases)
+        self._console.emit(SYSTEM, f"wake: {wakes}")
 
     def _refresh_state(self) -> None:
         write_state(os.getpid(), self.mode, target.read_active())
@@ -286,17 +465,23 @@ class Daemon:
             self._refresh_state()
             self._print_startup()
             while not self._stop:
+                if self._reload_pending:
+                    self._reload_pending = False
+                    self._do_reload("all")
                 audio_chunk = self._capture()
                 if self._stop:
                     break
                 if audio_chunk is None:
                     continue
+                t0 = time.monotonic()
                 transcript = self._transcriber.transcribe(audio_chunk, self.config.samplerate)
+                self._last_stt_ms = (time.monotonic() - t0) * 1000.0
+                self._last_audio_s = audio_chunk.size / self.config.samplerate
                 if not transcript:
                     continue
                 if self.mode == "listen" and not self._has_wake(transcript):
                     if self.config.print_heard:
-                        self._console.emit(VOICE, f'heard (dropped) "{transcript}"', "red")
+                        self._console.emit(VOICE, f'heard (dropped) "{transcript}" {self._timing()}', "red")
                     else:
                         self._console.emit(VOICE, "dropped: non-wake speech (not recorded)", "dim")
                     continue

src/claudedo/grammar.py

@@ -50,14 +50,23 @@ _STICKY_VERBS = ("set", "sticky", "switch")
 _ONESHOT_VERBS = ("target",)
 _UNSET_VERBS = ("unset", "unsticky")
 _LIST_VERBS = ("list", "sessions")
+_COMMANDS_VERBS = ("commands", "help", "menu")
+_CUSTOMS_VERBS = ("customs", "custom")
+_VERSION_VERBS = ("version",)
 _SELECT_VERBS = ("select", "option", "choose", "number")
+_CONTEXT_VERBS = ("context", "prepare")
+_RELOAD_VERBS = ("reload",)
+_SYSTEM_VERBS = ("system",)
+_RELOAD_SCOPES = ("config", "contexts")
 
 # every command/synonym word, for biasing the STT toward the vocabulary we expect.
 _COMMAND_WORDS = (
     _YES_VERBS + _NO_VERBS + _APPROVE_VERBS + _DENY_VERBS + _SUBMIT_VERBS
     + _CANCEL_VERBS + _TYPE_VERBS + _BACKSPACE_VERBS + _SPACE_VERBS + _ADD_VERBS
     + _ERASE_VERBS + _DEBUG_VERBS + _MODE_VERBS + _STICKY_VERBS + _ONESHOT_VERBS + _UNSET_VERBS
-    + _LIST_VERBS + _SELECT_VERBS + ("ptt", "listen")
+    + _LIST_VERBS + _COMMANDS_VERBS + _CUSTOMS_VERBS + _VERSION_VERBS
+    + _CONTEXT_VERBS + _RELOAD_VERBS + _SYSTEM_VERBS + _RELOAD_SCOPES
+    + _SELECT_VERBS + ("ptt", "listen")
     + ("one", "two", "three", "four")
 )
 DEFAULT_FILLER = ("select", "use", "choose")
@@ -68,9 +77,12 @@ class Action:
     """a matched command: a name plus an optional argument.
 
     names: yes, no, select, approve, deny, submit, type, space, backspace, erase,
-    cancel, mode, set, unset, list. arg carries the select index (int), the literal
-    text for ``type``, the count for ``space``/``backspace`` (int), the mode for
-    ``mode``, or the session short-name for ``set``.
+    cancel, mode, set, unset, list, context, reload, system. arg carries the select
+    index (int), the literal text for ``type``, the count for ``space``/``backspace``
+    (int), the mode for ``mode``, the session short-name for ``set``, a
+    ``(name, dictation)`` tuple for ``context``, the scope string for ``reload``
+    (``"all"``/``"config"``/``"contexts"``), or the system control for ``system``
+    (``"status"`` or a ``("reload", scope)`` tuple).
     """
 
     name: str
@@ -83,11 +95,14 @@ class ParsedCommand:
 
     one_shot is the session short-name from a leading ``target <name>`` (this command
     only; does not change the sticky default), or None. action is the command to run,
-    or None if nothing matched after the wake phrase / one-shot / filler.
+    or None if nothing matched after the wake phrase / one-shot / filler. wake is the
+    configured wake phrase that matched (e.g. "okay claude" for a heard "okay clouds"),
+    or None.
     """
 
     one_shot: str | None
     action: Action | None
+    wake: str | None = None
 
 
 def normalize(text: str) -> str:
@@ -121,6 +136,36 @@ def initial_prompt(wake_phrases: list[str]) -> str:
     return ", ".join(vocabulary(wake_phrases))
 
 
+def command_menu() -> list[tuple[str, str]]:
+    """the voice command menu as (usage, description) rows, for the `commands` cmd.
+
+    a small curated list keyed off the verb groups — the speakable command surface,
+    NOT the cc shell kit.
+    """
+    return [
+        ("yes / no", "answer a yes/no prompt"),
+        ("one..four", "pick numbered option 1-4"),
+        ("approve / deny", "allow / deny a permission prompt"),
+        ("send", "submit (Enter)"),
+        ("cancel", "back out (Escape)"),
+        ("type <text>", "insert literal text (no submit)"),
+        ("space [n] / add a space", "insert n spaces"),
+        ("backspace [n]", "delete n chars (to last submit)"),
+        ("erase", "wipe the current input"),
+        ("debug <text>", "echo to console (no inject)"),
+        ("set <name>", "sticky target -> claude-<name>"),
+        ("target <name> <cmd>", "one-shot to another session"),
+        ("unset / list", "clear sticky / list sessions"),
+        ("mode ptt|listen", "switch input mode"),
+        ("context <name> <text>", "inject a contexts.toml blurb + dictation (no submit)"),
+        ("reload", "re-read config.toml + contexts.toml live"),
+        ("system status", "print mode/target/model/contexts to the console"),
+        ("system reload [config|contexts]", "reload one or both config files"),
+        ("commands / customs", "this menu / list loaded contexts"),
+        ("version", "print the claudedo version"),
+    ]
+
+
 def _ratio(a: str, b: str) -> float:
     return SequenceMatcher(None, a, b).ratio()
 
@@ -131,13 +176,15 @@ def _wake_variants(phrase: str) -> set[str]:
     return {norm, norm.replace(" ", "")}
 
 
-def strip_wake(transcript: str, wake_phrases: list[str], threshold: float,
-               require_wake: bool) -> str | None:
-    """return the command remainder after the wake phrase.
+def strip_wake_match(transcript: str, wake_phrases: list[str], threshold: float,
+                     require_wake: bool) -> tuple[str | None, str | None]:
+    """return (command remainder, matched wake phrase).
 
-    if ``require_wake`` (listen mode) and no wake phrase is found at the start,
-    return None so the daemon discards the utterance. if not required (ptt mode),
-    a leading wake phrase is stripped when present but its absence is fine.
+    if ``require_wake`` (listen mode) and no wake phrase is found at the start, the
+    remainder is None so the daemon discards the utterance. if not required (ptt
+    mode), a leading wake phrase is stripped when present but its absence is fine.
+    the matched phrase is the configured wake phrase that best matched (e.g. "okay
+    claude" for a heard "okay clouds"), or None when none matched.
 
     matches leniently on a despaced prefix (whisper splits/joins the coined word
     inconsistently) but always slices the remainder on a WORD boundary of the
@@ -145,10 +192,11 @@ def strip_wake(transcript: str, wake_phrases: list[str], threshold: float,
     """
     norm = normalize(transcript)
     if not norm:
-        return None if require_wake else ""
+        return (None, None) if require_wake else ("", None)
     words = norm.split(" ")
 
     best_remainder: str | None = None
+    best_phrase: str | None = None
     best_score = 0.0
     for phrase in wake_phrases:
         variants = _wake_variants(phrase)
@@ -162,10 +210,18 @@ def strip_wake(transcript: str, wake_phrases: list[str], threshold: float,
                 if score >= threshold and score > best_score:
                     best_score = score
                     best_remainder = " ".join(words[take:]).strip()
+                    best_phrase = phrase
 
     if best_remainder is not None:
-        return best_remainder
-    return None if require_wake else norm
+        return best_remainder, best_phrase
+    return (None, None) if require_wake else (norm, None)
+
+
+def strip_wake(transcript: str, wake_phrases: list[str], threshold: float,
+               require_wake: bool) -> str | None:
+    """return the command remainder after the wake phrase (None if no wake in listen
+    mode). thin wrapper over strip_wake_match for callers that don't need the phrase"""
+    return strip_wake_match(transcript, wake_phrases, threshold, require_wake)[0]
 
 
 def _fuzzy_in(token: str, options: tuple[str, ...], threshold: float) -> bool:
@@ -188,6 +244,39 @@ def _leading_count(rest: list[str], default: int = 1) -> int:
     return default
 
 
+def _match_reload(rest: list[str], threshold: float, bare_default: str) -> Action | None:
+    """map the tokens after a ``reload`` verb to a reload Action.
+
+    bare reload -> the caller's default scope ("all" for the bare command, the
+    ``("reload", scope)`` tuple for ``system reload``). a trailing ``config``/
+    ``contexts`` narrows the scope; an unrecognized scope falls back to the default.
+    """
+    scope = bare_default
+    if rest and _fuzzy_in(rest[0], ("config", "configuration"), threshold):
+        scope = "config"
+    elif rest and _fuzzy_in(rest[0], ("contexts", "context"), threshold):
+        scope = "contexts"
+    return Action("reload", scope)
+
+
+def _match_system(rest: list[str], threshold: float) -> Action | None:
+    """map the tokens after the reserved ``system`` word to a daemon-control Action.
+
+    the ``system`` namespace never injects into claude. v0.2.0 scope: ``status`` and
+    ``reload [config|contexts]``. unknown controls return a ``system`` Action with an
+    ``("unknown", word)`` arg so the daemon can report it rather than silently drop.
+    """
+    if not rest:
+        return Action("system", "status")
+    head = rest[0]
+    if _fuzzy_in(head, _RELOAD_VERBS, threshold):
+        inner = _match_reload(rest[1:], threshold, bare_default="all")
+        return Action("system", ("reload", inner.arg))
+    if _fuzzy_in(head, ("status", "state"), threshold):
+        return Action("system", "status")
+    return Action("system", ("unknown", head))
+
+
 def match_command(remainder: str, threshold: float) -> Action | None:
     """map a normalized command remainder to an Action, or None if unrecognized.
 
@@ -202,6 +291,15 @@ def match_command(remainder: str, threshold: float) -> Action | None:
     head = tokens[0]
     rest = tokens[1:]
 
+    if _fuzzy_in(head, _SYSTEM_VERBS, threshold):
+        return _match_system(rest, threshold)
+    if _fuzzy_in(head, _RELOAD_VERBS, threshold):
+        return _match_reload(rest, threshold, bare_default="all")
+    if _fuzzy_in(head, _CONTEXT_VERBS, threshold) and rest:
+        name = rest[0]
+        dictation = " ".join(rest[1:]).strip()
+        return Action("context", (name, dictation))
+
     if head in _INDEX_WORDS:
         return Action("select", _INDEX_WORDS[head])
 
@@ -252,8 +350,14 @@ def match_command(remainder: str, threshold: float) -> Action | None:
         return Action("set", name) if name else None
     if _fuzzy_in(head, _UNSET_VERBS, threshold) and not rest:
         return Action("unset")
+    if _fuzzy_in(head, _CUSTOMS_VERBS, threshold):
+        return Action("customs")
+    if _fuzzy_in(head, _COMMANDS_VERBS, threshold):
+        return Action("commands")
     if _fuzzy_in(head, _LIST_VERBS, threshold):
         return Action("list")
+    if _fuzzy_in(head, _VERSION_VERBS, threshold):
+        return Action("version")
 
     return None
 
@@ -283,7 +387,7 @@ def parse(transcript: str, wake_phrases: list[str], wake_threshold: float,
     ParsedCommand with action=None means a wake phrase was present but no command
     matched.
     """
-    remainder = strip_wake(transcript, wake_phrases, wake_threshold, require_wake)
+    remainder, wake = strip_wake_match(transcript, wake_phrases, wake_threshold, require_wake)
     if remainder is None:
         return None
 
@@ -295,4 +399,4 @@ def parse(transcript: str, wake_phrases: list[str], wake_threshold: float,
 
     tokens = _strip_filler(tokens, filler, command_threshold)
     action = match_command(" ".join(tokens), command_threshold)
-    return ParsedCommand(one_shot=one_shot, action=action)
+    return ParsedCommand(one_shot=one_shot, action=action, wake=wake)

src/claudedo/keys.py

@@ -37,6 +37,13 @@ DENY = ["3"]
 SUBMIT = ["Enter"]
 CANCEL = ["Escape"]
 
+# NEWLINE is a soft newline inside the input box that does NOT submit — Shift+Enter,
+# which tmux names ``S-Enter`` (requires the extended-keys / xterm extkeys tmux
+# settings install.sh appends). used to separate a context blurb from the dictated
+# instruction in multiline assembly; if it proves flaky the daemon flattens to one
+# line with a separator instead (behavior.context_multiline = false).
+NEWLINE = ["S-Enter"]
+
 # BACKSPACE deletes one char left; SPACE inserts one literal space. both are emitted
 # repeatedly for `backspace <n>` / `space <n>` and for `erase` (n = the daemon's
 # tracked uncommitted-input count). BSpace is tmux's name for the backspace key.

src/claudedo/sound.py

@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+"""earcons — short confirmation tones on daemon events, the eyes-free feedback layer.
+
+the single place that maps an event name to its tone file and the per-event enable
+flag. additive to the console feed (it does not replace the printed lines): at the desk
+mute tones and read; eyes-free, hear them. playback goes through audio_out (paplay-first,
+fire-and-forget) so a dead speaker never blocks or breaks a command.
+
+events:
+  wake      — a wake phrase was recognized (off by default — a blip right before you
+              speak the command can bleed into its capture; keep it off unless wanted)
+  accept    — a command was recognized/injected
+  no_match  — nothing matched, or the target was missing (did nothing)
+  submit    — a send/submit was injected
+
+tone files live in the packaged sounds/ dir; a per-event config override may point at a
+user file instead. a missing file is swallowed by audio_out (logged once), never raised.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import logging
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from . import audio_out
+from .config import Config
+
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+_SOUNDS_DIR = Path(__file__).resolve().parent / "sounds"
+
+_EVENT_FILES = {
+    "wake": "wake.wav",
+    "accept": "accepted.wav",
+    "no_match": "no_match.wav",
+    "submit": "sent.wav",
+}
+
+_EVENT_FLAGS = {
+    "wake": "on_wake",
+    "accept": "on_accept",
+    "no_match": "on_no_match",
+    "submit": "on_submit",
+}
+
+
+class Earcons:
+    """resolves daemon events to tones and plays them per the [sound] config"""
+
+    def __init__(self, config: Config) -> None:
+        self._apply(config)
+
+    def update(self, config: Config) -> None:
+        """re-read the [sound] config after a live reload"""
+        self._apply(config)
+
+    def _apply(self, config: Config) -> None:
+        self.enabled = config.sound_enabled
+        self.volume = config.sound_volume
+        self._flags = {
+            "wake": config.sound_on_wake,
+            "accept": config.sound_on_accept,
+            "no_match": config.sound_on_no_match,
+            "submit": config.sound_on_submit,
+        }
+        self._overrides = dict(config.sound_files)
+
+    def _resolve(self, event: str) -> Path | None:
+        override = self._overrides.get(event) or self._overrides.get(_EVENT_FLAGS[event])
+        if override:
+            return Path(override).expanduser()
+        name = _EVENT_FILES.get(event)
+        return _SOUNDS_DIR / name if name else None
+
+    def play(self, event: str) -> None:
+        """play the tone for an event if enabled (master + per-event). fire-and-forget;
+        unknown/disabled events and missing files are silently no-ops."""
+        if not self.enabled or not self._flags.get(event, False):
+            return
+        path = self._resolve(event)
+        if path is None:
+            return
+        audio_out.play(path, volume=self.volume, blocking=False)
+
+    def tone_path(self, event: str) -> Path | None:
+        """the resolved tone path for an event (for test-tone), ignoring enable flags"""
+        return self._resolve(event)
+
+
+def event_names() -> list[str]:
+    """the earcon event names in a stable order (for test-tone iteration)"""
+    return ["wake", "accept", "no_match", "submit"]

src/claudedo/sounds/__init__.py

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+"""earcon tone assets (committed .wav files) + their generator (generate.py)"""

src/claudedo/sounds/generate.py

@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+"""synthetic-beep FALLBACK generator for the earcon .wav tones.
+
+WARNING: the shipped tones in this directory are now CUSTOM CURATED recordings
+(edge-trimmed + loudness-normalized to ~-16 dB RMS with a -1 dBTP ceiling), NOT this
+script's output. running this script OVERWRITES those real tones with plain synthetic
+beeps — only do so if you deliberately want to fall back to generated placeholders. it
+is kept as a bootstrap fallback so the package can always self-generate a tone set (the
+"a missing tone must never break a command" guarantee), not as the source of the
+committed wavs.
+
+run ``python -m claudedo.sounds.generate`` (or ``python generate.py`` from this dir) to
+write placeholder beeps. each is a short, quiet, fade-enveloped sine/triangle at a
+distinct pitch so the four events are ear-distinguishable:
+
+  wake      — soft single mid blip (off by default; least intrusive)
+  accepted  — bright single high note (heard you, sent it)
+  no_match  — low two-note falling buzz (heard you, but nothing matched / error)
+  sent      — two-note rising chime (submitted to claude)
+
+kept SHORT (<300ms) and quiet (amplitude 0.4) — confirmations, not alarms.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import struct
+import wave
+from pathlib import Path
+
+SAMPLE_RATE = 44100
+AMPLITUDE = 0.4
+
+HERE = Path(__file__).resolve().parent
+
+
+def _tone(freq: float, dur: float) -> list[float]:
+    import math
+
+    n = int(SAMPLE_RATE * dur)
+    fade = max(1, int(SAMPLE_RATE * 0.01))
+    out = []
+    for i in range(n):
+        env = min(1.0, i / fade, (n - i) / fade)
+        out.append(math.sin(2.0 * math.pi * freq * (i / SAMPLE_RATE)) * env * AMPLITUDE)
+    return out
+
+
+def _silence(dur: float) -> list[float]:
+    return [0.0] * int(SAMPLE_RATE * dur)
+
+
+def _write(name: str, samples: list[float]) -> Path:
+    path = HERE / name
+    with wave.open(str(path), "wb") as wf:
+        wf.setnchannels(1)
+        wf.setsampwidth(2)
+        wf.setframerate(SAMPLE_RATE)
+        clipped = (max(-1.0, min(1.0, s)) for s in samples)
+        wf.writeframes(b"".join(struct.pack("<h", int(s * 32767)) for s in clipped))
+    return path
+
+
+def generate() -> list[Path]:
+    """(re)write all earcon wavs; return the written paths"""
+    tones = {
+        "wake.wav": _tone(660.0, 0.12),
+        "accepted.wav": _tone(988.0, 0.14),
+        "no_match.wav": _tone(330.0, 0.10) + _silence(0.03) + _tone(247.0, 0.12),
+        "sent.wav": _tone(784.0, 0.10) + _silence(0.02) + _tone(1175.0, 0.12),
+    }
+    return [_write(name, samples) for name, samples in tones.items()]
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    for p in generate():
+        print(f"wrote {p}")