Highlight priority levels (#4827)

* highlight priority levels

* add pr

3 files changed, 53 insertions, 8 deletions

diff --git a/zellij-utils/src/data.rs b/zellij-utils/src/data.rs
index 70435bac..724f0abf 100644
--- a/zellij-utils/src/data.rs
+++ b/zellij-utils/src/data.rs
@@ -1203,6 +1203,23 @@ impl Default for PaletteColor {
     }
 }
 
+/// Priority layer for plugin-supplied regex highlights.
+/// Higher-priority layers take visual precedence over lower ones
+/// when highlights overlap.  Built-in highlights (mouse selection,
+/// search results) always take precedence over all plugin layers.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Hash, PartialOrd, Ord, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+pub enum HighlightLayer {
+    Hint,           // lowest: pure pattern matching (paths, URLs, IPs)
+    Tool,           // middle: backed by runtime domain knowledge (git, docker, k8s)
+    ActionFeedback, // highest: result of an explicit user action (search, bookmarks)
+}
+
+impl Default for HighlightLayer {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        HighlightLayer::Hint
+    }
+}
+
 /// Style for a plugin-supplied regex highlight.
 /// Theme-based variants reference `style.colors.text_unselected.*`.
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
@@ -1231,6 +1248,7 @@ pub enum HighlightStyle {
 pub struct RegexHighlight {
     pub pattern: String, // key for upsert; also the regex source
     pub style: HighlightStyle,
+    pub layer: HighlightLayer,
     pub context: BTreeMap<String, String>, // arbitrary data echoed back verbatim on click
     pub on_hover: bool, // if true, only rendered when the cursor overlaps this match
     pub bold: bool,
diff --git a/zellij-utils/src/plugin_api/plugin_command.proto b/zellij-utils/src/plugin_api/plugin_command.proto
index 89836c90..0634d63e 100644
--- a/zellij-utils/src/plugin_api/plugin_command.proto
+++ b/zellij-utils/src/plugin_api/plugin_command.proto
@@ -1255,6 +1255,12 @@ message CustomIndexHighlight {
   optional uint32 bg = 2;
 }
 
+enum HighlightLayer {
+  Hint = 0;
+  Tool = 1;
+  ActionFeedback = 2;
+}
+
 message RegexHighlight {
   string pattern = 1;
   HighlightStyle style = 2;
@@ -1264,6 +1270,7 @@ message RegexHighlight {
   bool italic = 6;
   bool underline = 7;
   optional string tooltip_text = 8;
+  HighlightLayer layer = 9;
 }
 
 message SetPaneRegexHighlightsPayload {
diff --git a/zellij-utils/src/plugin_api/plugin_command.rs b/zellij-utils/src/plugin_api/plugin_command.rs
index 2ce11c99..00acb760 100644
--- a/zellij-utils/src/plugin_api/plugin_command.rs
+++ b/zellij-utils/src/plugin_api/plugin_command.rs
@@ -51,11 +51,11 @@ pub use super::generated_api::api::{
         GetTabInfoPayload, GetTabInfoResponse as ProtobufGetTabInfoResponse, GoToTabWithIdPayload,
         GroupAndUngroupPanesPayload, HideFloatingPanesPayload as ProtobufHideFloatingPanesPayload,
         HideFloatingPanesResponse as ProtobufHideFloatingPanesResponse, HidePaneWithIdPayload,
-        HighlightAndUnhighlightPanesPayload, HighlightStyle as ProtobufHighlightStyle,
-        HttpVerb as ProtobufHttpVerb, IdAndNewName, KeyToRebind, KeyToUnbind, KillSessionsPayload,
-        ListTokensResponse, LoadNewPluginPayload, MessageToPluginPayload,
-        MovePaneWithPaneIdInDirectionPayload, MovePaneWithPaneIdPayload, MovePayload,
-        NewPluginArgs as ProtobufNewPluginArgs, NewTabPayload,
+        HighlightAndUnhighlightPanesPayload, HighlightLayer as ProtobufHighlightLayer,
+        HighlightStyle as ProtobufHighlightStyle, HttpVerb as ProtobufHttpVerb, IdAndNewName,
+        KeyToRebind, KeyToUnbind, KillSessionsPayload, ListTokensResponse, LoadNewPluginPayload,
+        MessageToPluginPayload, MovePaneWithPaneIdInDirectionPayload, MovePaneWithPaneIdPayload,
+        MovePayload, NewPluginArgs as ProtobufNewPluginArgs, NewTabPayload,
         NewTabResponse as ProtobufNewTabResponse, NewTabsResponse as ProtobufNewTabsResponse,
         NewTabsWithLayoutInfoPayload,
         OpenCommandPaneBackgroundResponse as ProtobufOpenCommandPaneBackgroundResponse,
@@ -122,9 +122,9 @@ pub use super::generated_api::api::{
 use crate::data::{
     ConnectToSession, DeleteLayoutResponse, EditLayoutResponse, FloatingPaneCoordinates,
     GetFocusedPaneInfoResponse, GetPaneCwdResponse, GetPanePidResponse,
-    GetPaneRunningCommandResponse, HighlightStyle, HttpVerb, InputMode, KeyWithModifier,
-    MessageToPlugin, NewPluginArgs, PaneId, PermissionType, PluginCommand, RegexHighlight,
-    RenameLayoutResponse, SaveLayoutResponse,
+    GetPaneRunningCommandResponse, HighlightLayer, HighlightStyle, HttpVerb, InputMode,
+    KeyWithModifier, MessageToPlugin, NewPluginArgs, PaneId, PermissionType, PluginCommand,
+    RegexHighlight, RenameLayoutResponse, SaveLayoutResponse,
 };
 use crate::input::actions::Action;
 use crate::input::layout::PercentOrFixed;
@@ -2510,6 +2510,15 @@ impl TryFrom<ProtobufPluginCommand> for PluginCommand {
                                 RegexHighlight {
                                     pattern: h.pattern,
                                     style,
+                                    layer: match h.layer {
+                                        x if x == ProtobufHighlightLayer::Tool as i32 => {
+                                            HighlightLayer::Tool
+                                        },
+                                        x if x == ProtobufHighlightLayer::ActionFeedback as i32 => {
+                                            HighlightLayer::ActionFeedback
+                                        },
+                                        _ => HighlightLayer::Hint, // 0 or unknown => Hint
+                                    },
                                     context,
                                     on_hover: h.on_hover,
                                     bold: h.bold,
@@ -4167,6 +4176,17 @@ impl TryFrom<PluginCommand> for ProtobufPluginCommand {
                                         italic: h.italic,
                                         underline: h.underline,
                                         tooltip_text: h.tooltip_text,
+                                        layer: match h.layer {
+                                            HighlightLayer::Hint => {
+                                                ProtobufHighlightLayer::Hint as i32
+                                            },
+                                            HighlightLayer::Tool => {
+                                                ProtobufHighlightLayer::Tool as i32
+                                            },
+                                            HighlightLayer::ActionFeedback => {
+                                                ProtobufHighlightLayer::ActionFeedback as i32
+                                            },
+                                        },
                                     }
                                 })
                                 .collect(),