diff --git a/daemon.go b/daemon.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1fffeaa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/daemon.go
@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// TrackedSession holds a session's info alongside state-transition tracking.
+type TrackedSession struct {
+	Info      SessionInfo
+	PrevState string
+}
+
+// SessionRegistry maintains an in-memory index of active sessions.
+// It tracks WaitingSince transitions: when a session moves to "Needs Input",
+// the timestamp is recorded; when it leaves that state, it is cleared.
+type SessionRegistry struct {
+	mu       sync.RWMutex
+	sessions map[string]*TrackedSession
+}
+
+func NewRegistry() *SessionRegistry {
+	return &SessionRegistry{
+		sessions: make(map[string]*TrackedSession),
+	}
+}
+
+// Update adds or refreshes a session in the registry.
+// WaitingSince is set when transitioning to "Needs Input" and cleared otherwise.
+func (r *SessionRegistry) Update(info SessionInfo) {
+	r.mu.Lock()
+	defer r.mu.Unlock()
+
+	existing, ok := r.sessions[info.SessionID]
+	if !ok {
+		existing = &TrackedSession{}
+		r.sessions[info.SessionID] = existing
+	}
+
+	isWaiting := info.State == "Needs Input"
+	wasWaiting := existing.PrevState == "Needs Input"
+
+	if isWaiting && !wasWaiting {
+		now := time.Now()
+		info.WaitingSince = &now
+	} else if isWaiting && wasWaiting {
+		// Keep existing timestamp
+		info.WaitingSince = existing.Info.WaitingSince
+	}
+	// If not waiting, WaitingSince stays nil (default)
+
+	existing.Info = info
+	existing.PrevState = info.State
+}
+
+// List returns a snapshot of all tracked sessions.
+func (r *SessionRegistry) List() []SessionInfo {
+	r.mu.RLock()
+	defer r.mu.RUnlock()
+
+	result := make([]SessionInfo, 0, len(r.sessions))
+	for _, ts := range r.sessions {
+		result = append(result, ts.Info)
+	}
+	return result
+}
+
+// RemoveStale removes sessions whose SessionID is not in activeIDs.
+func (r *SessionRegistry) RemoveStale(activeIDs map[string]bool) {
+	r.mu.Lock()
+	defer r.mu.Unlock()
+
+	for id := range r.sessions {
+		if !activeIDs[id] {
+			delete(r.sessions, id)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// LabelStore persists user-assigned labels in a JSON file.
+type LabelStore struct {
+	mu     sync.RWMutex
+	labels map[string]string
+	path   string
+}
+
+// NewLabelStore loads labels from path. Returns an empty store if the file does not exist.
+func NewLabelStore(path string) (*LabelStore, error) {
+	ls := &LabelStore{
+		labels: make(map[string]string),
+		path:   path,
+	}
+
+	data, err := os.ReadFile(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			return ls, nil
+		}
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(data, &ls.labels); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return ls, nil
+}
+
+// Set assigns a label to a session and persists to disk.
+func (ls *LabelStore) Set(sessionID, label string) error {
+	ls.mu.Lock()
+	defer ls.mu.Unlock()
+
+	ls.labels[sessionID] = label
+	return ls.save()
+}
+
+// Get returns the label for a session, or empty string if not found.
+func (ls *LabelStore) Get(sessionID string) string {
+	ls.mu.RLock()
+	defer ls.mu.RUnlock()
+
+	return ls.labels[sessionID]
+}
+
+func (ls *LabelStore) save() error {
+	data, err := json.MarshalIndent(ls.labels, "", "  ")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	dir := filepath.Dir(ls.path)
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(dir, 0o755); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return os.WriteFile(ls.path, data, 0o644)
+}
diff --git a/protocol.go b/protocol.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1595577
--- /dev/null
+++ b/protocol.go
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// Request is the JSON message sent by a client to the daemon over the Unix socket.
+type Request struct {
+	Action string          `json:"action"` // "list", "switch", "label", "stop"
+	Args   json.RawMessage `json:"args,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// Response is the JSON message sent back by the daemon.
+type Response struct {
+	OK       bool          `json:"ok"`
+	Error    string        `json:"error,omitempty"`
+	Sessions []SessionInfo `json:"sessions,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// SessionInfo is the wire format for a session in IPC responses.
+type SessionInfo struct {
+	PID          int        `json:"pid"`
+	SessionID    string     `json:"session_id"`
+	Cwd          string     `json:"cwd"`
+	GitBranch    string     `json:"git_branch"`
+	State        string     `json:"state"`
+	Preview      string     `json:"preview"`
+	Workspace    string     `json:"workspace"`
+	Label        string     `json:"label,omitempty"`
+	WaitingSince *time.Time `json:"waiting_since,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// SwitchArgs carries the query for workspace switching.
+type SwitchArgs struct {
+	Query string `json:"query"`
+}
+
+// LabelArgs carries the session ID and label for the label action.
+type LabelArgs struct {
+	SessionID string `json:"session_id"`
+	Label     string `json:"label"`
+}
diff --git a/types.go b/types.go
index 8212789..2ef3070 100644
--- a/types.go
+++ b/types.go
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 package main
 
+import "time"
+
 // SessionState represents the current activity state of a Claude Code session.
 type SessionState int
 
@@ -32,11 +34,14 @@ type Process struct {
 
 // Session represents a Claude Code session enriched with JSONL metadata.
 type Session struct {
-	Process   Process
-	SessionID string
-	GitBranch string
-	State     SessionState
-	Preview   string // last lines of output
-	CwdPath   string // process cwd
-	Worktree  string // git worktree (may differ from cwd)
+	Process      Process
+	SessionID    string
+	GitBranch    string
+	State        SessionState
+	Preview      string     // last lines of output
+	CwdPath      string     // process cwd
+	Worktree     string     // git worktree (may differ from cwd)
+	Workspace    string     // i3 workspace number
+	Label        string     // user-assigned label
+	WaitingSince *time.Time // when session started waiting for input
 }