dumps: per-user data dir + timestamped names; Restore builtin loads a dump into the live session. dump.outPath resolves $PARDES_DUMP verbatim (the snapshot harness pins /tmp/pardes-dump.zon so dump/load/restore goldens stay deterministic), else $XDG_DATA_HOME|~/.local/share /pardes/pardes-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.zon (dir mkdir-ed; wall clock via libc clock_gettime — std.time.timestamp is gone in 0.16). After write_dump the shell reports the written path back (core.setLastDump) and the topbar grows "Restore <path>": middle-clicking Restore reloads the last dump, and "Restore <path>" executed anywhere takes the path as its first argument (onSelect prefix match). Core stays sans-IO: the builtin stashes restore_req; each shell consumes takeRestore() after drainEffects and swaps in initFromDump at the current screen size (pre-sized: dump panes never greet), tearing down the live ptys (tty: cancel reader + close + gen bump; gui: SIGKILL, the gen-guarded eof closes the old fds). Web ignores it. New restore.snap golden: KEEPME survives the restore, GONESOON echoed after Dump does not, the topbar word appears then resets. 29/29.

8 files changed, 221 insertions, 11 deletions

diff --git a/next-steps.txt b/next-steps.txt
index 09a48f08..ef7b06a2 100644
--- a/next-steps.txt
+++ b/next-steps.txt
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 - the cursor's line number in the gutter gets a different bg/fg (tagline style)
 - opening a file at a specific line centers the line if possible
 - keyboard movement implements scroll_offset (vim/helix scrolloff)
-- generalize n/N: look the next/prev tty line that yields a look result (search becomes a special case)
+- REWORK n/N on tty: n/N only MOVE the selection between lookable whitespace-tokens (multiple per line, e.g. ls output: AAAA.txt -> BBBB.txt), opening nothing; Return looks the selected token (dir -> listed terminal, file -> pane); navigation continues with n/N+Return in what opened
 - dumps go to a per-user data dir (zig stdlib app-data path), not /tmp, with timestamped filenames so they never overwrite; new Restore builtin loads a dump file (first argument)
 - horizontal scroll: no scrollbar, just horizontal mouse wheel + modal movements (scrolloff applies); minimal, goal is only to read the whole text
 - cursor looks different in insert vs normal mode, in all pane types (tty and file); the tagline is always insert mode (normal makes no sense there)
diff --git a/src/dump.zig b/src/dump.zig
index 9c1dceec..bff8af21 100644
--- a/src/dump.zig
+++ b/src/dump.zig
@@ -1,7 +1,36 @@
 const std = @import("std");
 const builtin = @import("builtin");
 
-pub const default_path = "/tmp/pardes-dump.zon";
+/// Where the next dump goes. $PARDES_DUMP wins verbatim (the snapshot harness
+/// pins it for deterministic goldens); else $XDG_DATA_HOME|~/.local/share
+/// /pardes/pardes-<utc>.zon — timestamped so dumps never overwrite each other.
+/// Creates the pardes dir (parents assumed; a failure surfaces at open).
+pub fn outPath(buf: *[1024:0]u8) ?[:0]const u8 {
+    if (std.c.getenv("PARDES_DUMP")) |p|
+        return std.fmt.bufPrintSentinel(buf, "{s}", .{std.mem.span(p)}, 0) catch null;
+    var dir_buf: [900]u8 = undefined;
+    const dir = if (std.c.getenv("XDG_DATA_HOME")) |x|
+        std.fmt.bufPrint(&dir_buf, "{s}/pardes", .{std.mem.span(x)}) catch return null
+    else if (std.c.getenv("HOME")) |h|
+        std.fmt.bufPrint(&dir_buf, "{s}/.local/share/pardes", .{std.mem.span(h)}) catch return null
+    else
+        return null;
+    var dz: [901:0]u8 = undefined;
+    @memcpy(dz[0..dir.len], dir);
+    dz[dir.len] = 0;
+    _ = std.c.mkdir(dz[0..dir.len :0], 0o755); // EEXIST is fine
+    var ts: std.c.timespec = undefined;
+    _ = std.c.clock_gettime(.REALTIME, &ts);
+    const es: std.time.epoch.EpochSeconds = .{ .secs = @intCast(@max(0, ts.sec)) };
+    const yd = es.getEpochDay().calculateYearDay();
+    const md = yd.calculateMonthDay();
+    const ds = es.getDaySeconds();
+    return std.fmt.bufPrintSentinel(buf, "{s}/pardes-{d:0>4}{d:0>2}{d:0>2}-{d:0>2}{d:0>2}{d:0>2}.zon", .{
+        dir,                    yd.year,                   md.month.numeric(),
+        @as(u8, md.day_index) + 1, ds.getHoursIntoDay(),   ds.getMinutesIntoHour(),
+        ds.getSecondsIntoMinute(),
+    }, 0) catch null;
+}
 pub const magic = "pardes-dump";
 pub const version: u32 = 1;
 pub const max_panes: usize = 16;
diff --git a/src/gui.zig b/src/gui.zig
index 2653a056..15631efa 100644
--- a/src/gui.zig
+++ b/src/gui.zig
@@ -614,7 +614,7 @@ fn runNative(init: std.process.Init, opts_in: pardes.Options) !void {
         opts.cols = @intCast(@max(1, @divTrunc(@as(u32, @intCast(@max(pw, 1))), cell_w)));
         opts.rows = @intCast(@max(1, @divTrunc(@as(u32, @intCast(@max(ph, 1))), cell_h)));
     }
-    const core = if (opts.load_path) |lp| blk: {
+    var core = if (opts.load_path) |lp| blk: {
         const bytes = try @import("look.zig").readFile(gpa, lp);
         defer gpa.free(bytes);
         break :blk try pardes.Pardes.initFromDump(gpa, opts, bytes);
@@ -684,6 +684,24 @@ fn runNative(init: std.process.Init, opts_in: pardes.Options) !void {
         // 4. effects
         drainEffects(core, &ptys, &gens, gpa, &queue, &g, true);
         if (core.quit) break;
+        // Restore builtin: swap in a core rebuilt from the dump; kill the live
+        // shells (their detached readers wake on child death; gens bumped so
+        // the stale eofs close the old fds without touching the replay panes)
+        if (core.takeRestore()) |rp| blk: {
+            const bytes = look.readFile(gpa, rp) catch break :blk;
+            defer gpa.free(bytes);
+            var o = core.opts;
+            o.cols = core.screen_w;
+            o.rows = core.screen_h; // pre-size: dump panes never greet
+            const nc = pardes.Pardes.initFromDump(gpa, o, bytes) catch break :blk;
+            for (&ptys) |*slot| if (slot.*) |pt| {
+                _ = libc.kill(pt.pid, libc.SIG.KILL);
+                slot.* = null;
+            };
+            for (&gens) |*g2| g2.* +%= 1;
+            core.deinit();
+            core = nc;
+        }
         // 5. live cwd for tags/look: cheap /proc readlink per pane, per frame
         pollCwds(core, &ptys);
         // 6. the grid follows the window (covers WINDOW_RESIZED and test resizes)
@@ -1482,9 +1500,12 @@ fn drainEffects(
         },
         .write_dump => {
             const out = core.dump_out orelse continue;
-            const fd = libc.open(pardes.dump.default_path, .{ .ACCMODE = .WRONLY, .CREAT = true, .TRUNC = true }, @as(libc.mode_t, 0o644));
+            var pbuf: [1024:0]u8 = undefined;
+            const path = pardes.dump.outPath(&pbuf) orelse continue;
+            const fd = libc.open(path, .{ .ACCMODE = .WRONLY, .CREAT = true, .TRUNC = true }, @as(libc.mode_t, 0o644));
             if (fd < 0) continue;
             writeFd(fd, out);
+            core.setLastDump(path);
             _ = libc.close(fd);
         },
         .set_clipboard => {
diff --git a/src/pardes.zig b/src/pardes.zig
index 9842362f..a2cfe1c6 100644
--- a/src/pardes.zig
+++ b/src/pardes.zig
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ const file_pane_tail = " " ++ file_pane_builtins_str;
 
 // Builtins: executing the name (middle-click / Tab) runs the action through the
 // ONE dispatcher (onSelect + actOnSelection), no matter where the name appears.
-const SelectAction = enum { none, send, newcol, delcol, del, save, tutor, kill, debug, colors, nextcolor, dump };
+const SelectAction = enum { none, send, newcol, delcol, del, save, tutor, kill, debug, colors, nextcolor, dump, restore };
 const Builtin = struct { name: []const u8, action: SelectAction };
 const builtins = [_]Builtin{
     .{ .name = "Kill", .action = .kill },
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ const builtins = [_]Builtin{
     .{ .name = "Colors", .action = .colors },
     .{ .name = "NextColor", .action = .nextcolor },
     .{ .name = "Dump", .action = .dump },
+    .{ .name = "Restore", .action = .restore },
     .{ .name = "Save", .action = .save },
     .{ .name = "Del", .action = .del },
     .{ .name = "Delcol", .action = .delcol },
@@ -66,6 +67,8 @@ fn onSelect(button: Mouse.Button, text: []const u8) SelectAction {
     inline for (builtins) |b| {
         if (std.mem.eql(u8, cmd, b.name)) return b.action;
     }
+    // Restore takes the dump path as its first argument
+    if (std.mem.startsWith(u8, cmd, "Restore ") or std.mem.startsWith(u8, cmd, "Restore\t")) return .restore;
     return .send;
 }
 
@@ -340,8 +343,9 @@ pub const Effect = union(enum) {
     /// write this pane's file content to its path; the shell reads both off
     /// the core (content is unbounded, effects are fixed-size values)
     save_file: struct { pane: u8 },
-    /// a serialized state dump is ready in core.dump_out; write it to
-    /// dump.default_path (acme-style: another instance loads it with -l)
+    /// a serialized state dump is ready in core.dump_out; write it to the
+    /// path dump.outPath resolves (acme-style: another instance loads it
+    /// with -l, or the Restore builtin loads it into this one)
     write_dump,
     /// the yank register changed; the shell reads it off the core (OSC 52 out)
     set_clipboard,
@@ -663,6 +667,13 @@ pub const Pardes = struct {
     yank: ?[]u8 = null,
     /// the last serialized dump (gpa-owned), read by the write_dump effect
     dump_out: ?[]u8 = null,
+    /// where the shell wrote the last dump (shell reports back after
+    /// write_dump); shown in the topbar as `Restore <path>`
+    last_dump: ?[]const u8 = null,
+    /// a Restore builtin wants this dump loaded into the live session; the
+    /// shell consumes it via takeRestore each frame (core stays sans-IO)
+    restore_req: ?[]const u8 = null,
+    restore_buf: [1024]u8 = undefined,
 
     surface: Surface = .{},
     /// per-update scratch (paneCursorLines, selection text); reset each update
@@ -710,6 +721,7 @@ pub const Pardes = struct {
         const gpa = p.gpa;
         if (p.yank) |y| gpa.free(y);
         if (p.dump_out) |d| gpa.free(d);
+        if (p.last_dump) |d| gpa.free(d);
         if (p.chord_arg) |a| gpa.free(a);
         p.effects.deinit(gpa);
         p.scratch.deinit();
@@ -717,6 +729,29 @@ pub const Pardes = struct {
         gpa.destroy(p);
     }
 
+    /// shell feedback after write_dump: remember where the dump landed (the
+    /// topbar grows a `Restore <path>` word pointing at it)
+    pub fn setLastDump(p: *Pardes, path: []const u8) void {
+        const copy = p.gpa.dupe(u8, path) catch return;
+        if (p.last_dump) |old| p.gpa.free(old);
+        p.last_dump = copy;
+    }
+
+    /// the shell polls this each frame: a pending Restore's dump path, or null
+    pub fn takeRestore(p: *Pardes) ?[]const u8 {
+        const r = p.restore_req;
+        p.restore_req = null;
+        return r;
+    }
+
+    /// the topbar line: the fixed builtins, plus `Restore <path>` once a dump
+    /// exists — render and click dispatch must agree on this exact string
+    fn topbar(p: *Pardes, buf: []u8) []const u8 {
+        if (p.last_dump) |d|
+            return std.fmt.bufPrint(buf, topbar_str ++ " Restore {s}", .{d}) catch topbar_str;
+        return topbar_str;
+    }
+
     fn deinitPane(p: *Pardes, pane: *Pane) void {
         if (pane.image) |*iv| {
             p.gpa.free(iv.path);
@@ -2374,7 +2409,8 @@ pub const Pardes = struct {
                         // global tagbar: MIDDLE runs the command under the click
                         // (a stray left click must never Kill)
                         if (m.button == .middle) {
-                            const word = wordAtCol(topbar_str, mcol);
+                            var tb_buf: [1200]u8 = undefined;
+                            const word = wordAtCol(p.topbar(&tb_buf), mcol);
                             if (word.len > 0) p.actOnSelection(.middle, p.active, word, null);
                         }
                         return;
@@ -2870,6 +2906,14 @@ pub const Pardes = struct {
             .colors => p.colors_on = !p.colors_on,
             .nextcolor => p.theme_idx = (p.theme_idx + 1) % themes.len,
             .dump => p.dumpState() catch {},
+            .restore => {
+                var it = std.mem.tokenizeAny(u8, std.mem.trim(u8, txt, " \t\r\n"), " \t");
+                _ = it.next(); // the word "Restore"
+                const path = it.next() orelse (p.last_dump orelse return);
+                if (path.len > p.restore_buf.len) return;
+                @memcpy(p.restore_buf[0..path.len], path);
+                p.restore_req = p.restore_buf[0..path.len];
+            },
             .kill => {
                 p.quit = true;
                 p.emit(.quit);
@@ -3335,7 +3379,8 @@ pub const Pardes = struct {
 
         // global tagbar: full width, top row
         s.fill(0, 0, s.cols, TOPBAR_H, .{ .bg = .{ .rgb = th.tag_bg } });
-        _ = s.print(0, 0, s.cols, topbar_str, .{ .fg = .{ .rgb = th.tag_fg }, .bg = .{ .rgb = th.tag_bg } });
+        var tb_buf: [1200]u8 = undefined;
+        _ = s.print(0, 0, s.cols, p.topbar(&tb_buf), .{ .fg = .{ .rgb = th.tag_fg }, .bg = .{ .rgb = th.tag_bg } });
 
         // resize-handle hint / drag previews: a dash overlay that keeps the
         // underlying colors (border drags + hover), or the move indicator
diff --git a/src/tty.zig b/src/tty.zig
index 97f10a7a..c62ace3d 100644
--- a/src/tty.zig
+++ b/src/tty.zig
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ pub fn run(init: std.process.Init, opts: pardes.Options) !void {
     pardes.image.start(io, gpa);
     defer pardes.image.stop();
 
-    const core = if (opts.load_path) |lp| blk: {
+    var core = if (opts.load_path) |lp| blk: {
         const bytes = try look.readFile(gpa, lp);
         defer gpa.free(bytes);
         break :blk try pardes.Pardes.initFromDump(gpa, opts, bytes);
@@ -193,6 +193,27 @@ pub fn run(init: std.process.Init, opts: pardes.Options) !void {
         drainEffects(core, &ptys, &gens, io, gpa, &loop, &vx, &tty, true);
         if (core.quit) break;
 
+        // Restore builtin: swap in a core rebuilt from the dump; the live
+        // shells die with their masters (readers canceled, gens bumped so
+        // their late eofs never touch the replay panes)
+        if (core.takeRestore()) |rp| blk: {
+            const bytes = look.readFile(gpa, rp) catch break :blk;
+            defer gpa.free(bytes);
+            var o = core.opts;
+            o.cols = core.screen_w;
+            o.rows = core.screen_h; // pre-size: dump panes never greet
+            const nc = pardes.Pardes.initFromDump(gpa, o, bytes) catch break :blk;
+            for (&ptys, 0..) |*slot, pid| if (slot.*) |*pt| {
+                pt.reader.cancel(io) catch {};
+                _ = libc.close(pt.file.handle);
+                slot.* = null;
+                gens[pid] +%= 1;
+            };
+            kitty_handles = @splat(null);
+            core.deinit();
+            core = nc;
+        }
+
         // live cwd for tags/look: cheap per-pane lookup, per frame
         for (&ptys, 0..) |*slot, id| if (slot.*) |pt| {
             var lbuf: [1024]u8 = undefined;
@@ -310,10 +331,13 @@ fn drainEffects(
         },
         .write_dump => {
             const out = core.dump_out orelse continue;
-            const fd = libc.open(pardes.dump.default_path, .{ .ACCMODE = .WRONLY, .CREAT = true, .TRUNC = true }, @as(libc.mode_t, 0o644));
+            var pbuf: [1024:0]u8 = undefined;
+            const path = pardes.dump.outPath(&pbuf) orelse continue;
+            const fd = libc.open(path, .{ .ACCMODE = .WRONLY, .CREAT = true, .TRUNC = true }, @as(libc.mode_t, 0o644));
             if (fd < 0) continue;
             writeFd(fd, out);
             _ = libc.close(fd);
+            core.setLastDump(path);
         },
         .set_clipboard => {
             // mirror the core's yank register out via OSC 52
diff --git a/test/snapshot.zig b/test/snapshot.zig
index 10aa0c86..54ba0271 100644
--- a/test/snapshot.zig
+++ b/test/snapshot.zig
@@ -130,6 +130,10 @@ fn runScript(arena: std.mem.Allocator, exe_z: [:0]const u8, script_path: []const
     _ = setenv("HOME", try arena.dupeZ(u8, home), 1);
     _ = setenv("TERM", "xterm-256color", 1);
     _ = setenv("LC_ALL", "C", 1);
+    // pin the dump path: live runs use a timestamped file under the user data
+    // dir (dump.outPath), which would make the dump/load/restore goldens
+    // nondeterministic
+    _ = setenv("PARDES_DUMP", "/tmp/pardes-dump.zon", 1);
     if (chdirRc(try arena.dupeZ(u8, work)) < 0) return error.ChdirFailed;
 
     var out: std.ArrayList(u8) = .empty;
diff --git a/test/snapshots/restore.golden b/test/snapshots/restore.golden
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6b8c4d7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/snapshots/restore.golden
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+== snap dumped grid=100x30 cursor=4,5
+|Kill Newcol Tutor Debug Colors NextColor Dump Restore /tmp/pardes-dump.zon
+|  TTY /tmp/pardes-snap/restore/cwd Del
+|  $ ls
+|  $ echo KEEP''ME
+|  KEEPME
+|  $
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+== snap restored grid=100x30 cursor=4,5
+|Kill Newcol Tutor Debug Colors NextColor Dump
+|  TTY /tmp/pardes-snap/restore/cwd Del
+|  $ ls
+|  $ echo KEEP''ME
+|  KEEPME
+|  $
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
+|
diff --git a/test/snapshots/restore.snap b/test/snapshots/restore.snap
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8a677877
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/snapshots/restore.snap
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# Dump writes to the resolved dump path ($PARDES_DUMP here; a timestamped file
+# under ~/.local/share/pardes in live runs) and the topbar grows Restore <path>;
+# middle-click Restore loads that dump back into the live session: output on
+# screen at Dump time survives (pty history), later output does not
+start 30 100
+wait 8000 Kill Newcol
+stable 700 20000
+key c-b
+stable 600 8000
+text echo KEEP''ME
+key enter
+wait 8000 KEEPME
+stable 700 10000
+press middle 42 1
+release middle 42 1
+stable 700 10000
+snap dumped
+text echo GONE''SOON
+key enter
+wait 8000 GONESOON
+stable 700 10000
+press middle 48 1
+release middle 48 1
+stable 900 15000
+snap restored