Upcoming v1.1.0: Python core, ZCode multi-instance, self-updater

[fotedev]

A quick tour of everything landing in the next tagged release — all of it is already on main under [Unreleased] in the CHANGELOG.

🐍 Python core (hybrid architecture)

The shared SQLite/JSON identity logic moved out of four embedded PowerShell here-strings into a stdlib-only Python package (src/python/ghost), invoked by the PowerShell bridges via ghost_cli.py. One implementation, one 30-case unittest suite, a dedicated python-core CI job, and no more temp .py files. A functional probe detects Python (and rejects Microsoft Store stubs and Python 2), with a winget install hint when nothing usable is found.

🪟 ZCode multi-instance: Primary + 3 branded clones

Run up to four independent ZCode windows side by side — Second (blue), Third (yellow), Fourth (green) — each with its own profile, fresh identity set, taskbar button and window title. This includes clone launchers, per-instance resets (-Target Third|Fourth|All, independent IDs per child), per-clone Desktop/Start-menu shortcuts, cross-instance chat refresh (one-shot + an error-watcher daemon that reacts to captcha/quota failures), and an app.asar patcher for icon/accent identity.

🔄 Launcher upgrades

GHOST.bat rebrand with hierarchical menus and chaining (type 2 1 3 4 to run ZCode tasks straight from the main menu), UTF-8-safe piping so non-ASCII output survives the pipe on any code page, and #Requires -Version 5.1 enforced on every .ps1 by a repo-integrity test.

⬆️ Repo self-updater

tools/update_ghost.ps1 (Maintenance menu): guarded git pull --ff-only, stash → pull → restore for dirty trees, verify-after, clean offline exit.

Try it: getting started · CLI cheat sheet · troubleshooting

Roadmap: #2 — what is planned next.