diff --git a/.claude/sessions/2026-04-06.md b/.claude/sessions/2026-04-06.md
index a6aae3d..b106ed7 100644
--- a/.claude/sessions/2026-04-06.md
+++ b/.claude/sessions/2026-04-06.md
@@ -123,4 +123,46 @@ Also raised: repopulating history from `history.jsonl` on startup (currently the
 loaded by `ConversationHistory` at construction time but the full history is displayed as
 just the raw message count — the user wants the previous conversation visible in the TUI).
 
-SOLID discussion in progress — see conversation for analysis.
+SOLID discussion complete — see conversation for full analysis.
+
+---
+
+## Session continuation 2 (same day, later still)
+
+### Architecture refactor plan finalised and merged (PR #182)
+
+Full plan at `.claude/plans/architecture-refactor.md`. Key points:
+- 13 substeps (1a–1b, 2, 3a–3c, 4a–4b, 5a–5e), each independently shippable
+- CLI+SDK works at every commit; rollback cost is always one step
+- CommandMode (5d) was added as a missing step; ScreenCoordinator becomes 5e
+- Vitest prereq removed — already present in the monorepo
+- CLAUDE.md updated to reference plan; corruption in architecture table fixed
+
+### Pairing ground rules established
+- Do NOT use this CLI session to test — risk of corrupting history or breaking the session
+- Testing: unit tests first, manual testing in a separate terminal with a separate session
+- Pair programming: Stephen navigates, Claude drives; either can call a switch
+- When ready to test manually, Claude gives an explicit prompt to run in a new terminal
+
+### Test conventions (from ~/.claude/skills/tdd/SKILL.md)
+- Files: `src/` for source, `test/*.spec.ts` for tests
+- Pattern: `const expected = ...; const actual = ...; expect(actual).toBe(expected)`
+- One assertion per `it`, group with `describe`
+- Existing `ConversationHistory.spec.ts` tests will be rewritten to this convention
+  when migrated to `Conversation.spec.ts`
+
+### Upcoming features considered for extensibility
+- #179/#97/#96: conversation history as data, separate from display/navigation —
+  ConversationDisplay should expose sealed blocks as queryable. Plan already handles this.
+- #178: file modification reminders — tool/CLI concern, hooks into FS/Exec tools,
+  injects into messages. AgentLoop needs a `beforeTurn` hook slot (leave the seam).
+- #128/#130: keybind config — easy after TerminalEditor extraction; design key
+  mapping as a data structure in step 3b, not a switch.
+
+### State at compact
+- Branch: `main`, clean, up to date (`185a4c0`)
+- **Next: step 1a** — split `Conversation` (pure data) from `ConversationStore` (file I/O)
+  - Branch off main: `feature/conversation-split`
+  - Existing `ConversationHistory.spec.ts` tests become the spec for `Conversation`
+  - Rewrite tests to follow convention, then migrate implementation
+  - `AgentRun` receives `Conversation`; `AnthropicAgent` creates both
diff --git a/apps/claude-sdk-cli/src/AppLayout.ts b/apps/claude-sdk-cli/src/AppLayout.ts
index 721d1a8..4b507ef 100644
--- a/apps/claude-sdk-cli/src/AppLayout.ts
+++ b/apps/claude-sdk-cli/src/AppLayout.ts
@@ -169,6 +169,12 @@ export class AppLayout implements Disposable {
     this.render();
   }
 
+  /** Push a sealed meta block at startup so version info appears before the first prompt. */
+  public showStartupBanner(text: string): void {
+    this.#sealedBlocks.push({ type: 'meta', content: text });
+    this.render();
+  }
+
   public exit(): void {
     this.#cleanupResize();
     this.#screen.exitAltBuffer();
diff --git a/apps/claude-sdk-cli/src/entry/main.ts b/apps/claude-sdk-cli/src/entry/main.ts
index e217048..d8935b7 100644
--- a/apps/claude-sdk-cli/src/entry/main.ts
+++ b/apps/claude-sdk-cli/src/entry/main.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { parseArgs } from 'node:util';
 import { AnthropicAuth, createAnthropicAgent } from '@shellicar/claude-sdk';
 import { RefStore } from '@shellicar/claude-sdk-tools/RefStore';
 import { AppLayout } from '../AppLayout.js';
-import { printUsage, printVersion, printVersionInfo } from '../help.js';
+import { printUsage, printVersion, printVersionInfo, startupBannerText } from '../help.js';
 import { logger } from '../logger.js';
 import { ReadLine } from '../ReadLine.js';
 import { runAgent } from '../runAgent.js';
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ const main = async () => {
 
   rl.setLayout(layout);
   layout.enter();
+  layout.showStartupBanner(startupBannerText());
 
   const agent = createAnthropicAgent({ authToken, logger, historyFile: HISTORY_FILE });
   const store = new RefStore();
diff --git a/apps/claude-sdk-cli/src/help.ts b/apps/claude-sdk-cli/src/help.ts
index 00656df..b898041 100644
--- a/apps/claude-sdk-cli/src/help.ts
+++ b/apps/claude-sdk-cli/src/help.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ export function printVersionInfo(log: Log): void {
   log(`  buildDate:  ${versionInfo.buildDate}`);
 }
 
+export function startupBannerText(): string {
+  return `claude-sdk-cli ${versionInfo.version}  ·  build ${versionInfo.buildDate}`;
+}
+
 export function printUsage(log: Log): void {
   log(`claude-sdk-cli ${versionInfo.version}`);
   log('');