diff --git a/.changeset/fix-init-template-emoji-placeholder.md b/.changeset/fix-init-template-emoji-placeholder.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b829776
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/fix-init-template-emoji-placeholder.md
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+---
+"@labcatr/labcommitr": patch
+---
+
+fix: include emoji placeholder in generated config template
+
+- Add {emoji} placeholder to template in buildConfig function
+- Generated configs now include {emoji} in format.template field
+- Fixes issue where emojis didn't appear in commits even when enabled
+- Template now matches default config structure with emoji support
+- Ensures formatCommitMessage can properly replace emoji placeholder
diff --git a/.changeset/fix-preview-emoji-display.md b/.changeset/fix-preview-emoji-display.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3b03053
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/fix-preview-emoji-display.md
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+---
+"@labcatr/labcommitr": patch
+---
+
+fix: show actual commit message with emojis in preview
+
+- Preview now displays the exact commit message as it will be stored in Git
+- Removed emoji stripping from preview display logic
+- Users can see emojis even if terminal doesn't support emoji display
+- Ensures preview accurately reflects what will be committed to Git/GitHub
+- Fixes issue where emojis were hidden in preview on non-emoji terminals
diff --git a/.changeset/implement-emoji-detection-and-display.md b/.changeset/implement-emoji-detection-and-display.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4323432
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/implement-emoji-detection-and-display.md
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+"@labcatr/labcommitr": minor
+---
+
+feat: implement terminal emoji detection and display adaptation
+
+- Add emoji detection utility with industry-standard heuristics (CI, TERM, NO_COLOR, Windows Terminal)
+- Implement automatic emoji stripping for non-emoji terminals in Labcommitr UI
+- Always store Unicode emojis in Git commits regardless of terminal support
+- Update commit, preview, and revert commands to adapt display based on terminal capabilities
+- Ensure GitHub and emoji-capable terminals always show emojis correctly
+- Improve user experience by cleaning up broken emoji symbols on non-emoji terminals
diff --git a/.npmignore b/.npmignore
index 5a01cf7..4d95af8 100644
--- a/.npmignore
+++ b/.npmignore
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ docs/
 
 # Exclude build artifacts
 *.map
+**/*.map
+dist/**/*.map
 tsconfig.json
 .prettierrc*
 
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ae42c81..61528a5 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # @labcatr/labcommitr
 
-## 0.2.0
+## 0.3.0
 
 ### Minor Changes
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e9572a1..4ec55e1 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -316,8 +316,8 @@ See [`docs/CONFIG_SCHEMA.md`](docs/CONFIG_SCHEMA.md) for complete configuration
 **Configuration discovery:**
 
 - Searches from current directory up to project root
-- Falls back to global configuration if available
 - Uses sensible defaults if no configuration found
+- Global configuration support is planned for future releases (see [Planned Features](#planned-features))
 
 ---
 
@@ -404,10 +404,6 @@ Before implementing any changes, please follow this process:
    - Follow the project's development guidelines
    - Ensure your commits follow the project's commit message format (you can set up using `lab init`)
 
-### Development Guidelines
-
-For detailed development guidelines, coding standards, and architecture information, see [`docs/DEVELOPMENT_GUIDELINES.md`](docs/DEVELOPMENT_GUIDELINES.md).
-
 ### Questions?
 
 If you have questions or need clarification, feel free to open a discussion or issue.
@@ -416,4 +412,27 @@ If you have questions or need clarification, feel free to open a discussion or i
 
 ## Planned Features
 
-_No planned features at this time. Check back later or open an issue to suggest new features!_
+### Global Configuration
+
+Support for user-level global configuration files to enable consistent commit conventions across multiple projects. This will allow you to:
+
+- Set default commit types and preferences in a single location
+- Apply your preferred commit conventions to all projects automatically
+- Override global settings on a per-project basis when needed
+
+**Use cases:**
+
+- Developers working across multiple repositories who want consistent commit message formats
+- Teams that want to standardize commit conventions organization-wide
+- Personal projects where you want the same commit types everywhere
+
+The global configuration will be stored in OS-specific locations:
+
+- **macOS/Linux**: `~/.labcommitr.config.yaml` or XDG config directory
+- **Windows**: `%USERPROFILE%\.labcommitr.config.yaml` or AppData directory
+
+Project-specific configurations will always take precedence over global settings.
+
+---
+
+_Have a feature idea? Open an issue to suggest new features!_
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index d393821..12a6d42 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,16 +1,19 @@
 {
   "name": "@labcatr/labcommitr",
-  "version": "0.2.0",
+  "version": "0.3.0",
   "description": "Labcommitr is a solution for building standardized git commits, hassle-free!",
   "main": "dist/index.js",
   "scripts": {
     "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1",
     "build": "npx tsc",
+    "build:prod": "npx tsc && pnpm run clean:maps",
+    "clean:maps": "node scripts/clean-maps.js",
     "format": "pnpm run format:code",
     "format:ci": "pnpm run format:code",
     "format:code": "prettier -w \"**/*\" --ignore-unknown --cache",
     "version": "changeset version && pnpm install --no-frozen-lockfile && pnpm run format",
-    "dev:cli": "node dist/index-dev.js"
+    "dev:cli": "node dist/index-dev.js",
+    "prepublishOnly": "pnpm run build:prod"
   },
   "type": "module",
   "bin": {
@@ -29,6 +32,9 @@
   "homepage": "https://github.com/labcatr/labcommitr#readme",
   "author": "Trevor Fox",
   "license": "ISC",
+  "engines": {
+    "node": ">=18.0.0"
+  },
   "dependencies": {
     "@changesets/cli": "^2.29.7",
     "@clack/prompts": "^0.11.0",
@@ -56,7 +62,10 @@
     "dist/cli/commands/revert",
     "dist/cli/commands/shared",
     "dist/cli/utils",
-    "dist/lib"
+    "dist/lib",
+    "README.md",
+    "CHANGELOG.md",
+    "TESTING.md"
   ],
   "publishConfig": {
     "access": "public"
diff --git a/scripts/clean-maps.js b/scripts/clean-maps.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3c6bf08
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/clean-maps.js
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+
+/**
+ * Remove all .map files from dist directory
+ * Cross-platform solution for cleaning source maps before publishing
+ */
+
+import { readdir, stat, unlink } from "fs/promises";
+import { join } from "path";
+
+async function removeMaps(dir) {
+  try {
+    const entries = await readdir(dir, { withFileTypes: true });
+
+    for (const entry of entries) {
+      const fullPath = join(dir, entry.name);
+
+      if (entry.isDirectory()) {
+        await removeMaps(fullPath);
+      } else if (entry.isFile() && entry.name.endsWith(".map")) {
+        await unlink(fullPath);
+        console.log(`Removed: ${fullPath}`);
+      }
+    }
+  } catch (error) {
+    if (error.code !== "ENOENT") {
+      throw error;
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+const distDir = join(process.cwd(), "dist");
+removeMaps(distDir).catch((error) => {
+  console.error("Error removing source maps:", error);
+  process.exit(1);
+});
diff --git a/src/cli/commands/commit/editor.ts b/src/cli/commands/commit/editor.ts
index 37a4995..c75127c 100644
--- a/src/cli/commands/commit/editor.ts
+++ b/src/cli/commands/commit/editor.ts
@@ -11,32 +11,75 @@ import {
   unlinkSync,
   mkdtempSync,
   rmdirSync,
+  accessSync,
+  constants,
 } from "fs";
 import { join, dirname } from "path";
-import { tmpdir } from "os";
+import { tmpdir, platform } from "os";
 import { Logger } from "../../../lib/logger.js";
 
+/**
+ * Cross-platform command resolver
+ * On Windows: uses 'where' command
+ * On Unix: uses 'which' command
+ *
+ * @param command - Command name to find
+ * @returns Full path to command or null if not found
+ */
+function findCommand(command: string): string | null {
+  const isWindows = platform() === "win32";
+  const findCommand = isWindows ? "where" : "which";
+
+  try {
+    const result = spawnSync(findCommand, [command], {
+      encoding: "utf-8",
+      stdio: ["ignore", "pipe", "ignore"],
+    });
+
+    if (result.status === 0 && result.stdout) {
+      // On Windows, 'where' may return multiple paths, take the first one
+      const path = result.stdout.trim().split("\n")[0].trim();
+      return path || null;
+    }
+  } catch {
+    // Command not found or error occurred
+  }
+
+  return null;
+}
+
 /**
  * Detect available editor in priority order: nvim → vim → vi
  * Also checks $EDITOR and $VISUAL environment variables
+ * Cross-platform: works on Windows, macOS, and Linux
  */
 export function detectEditor(): string | null {
   // Check environment variables first (user preference)
   const envEditor = process.env.EDITOR || process.env.VISUAL;
   if (envEditor) {
-    // Verify the editor exists
-    const check = spawnSync("which", [envEditor], { encoding: "utf-8" });
-    if (check.status === 0) {
-      return envEditor.trim();
+    // If it's already a full path, verify it exists
+    if (envEditor.includes("/") || envEditor.includes("\\")) {
+      try {
+        accessSync(envEditor, constants.F_OK);
+        return envEditor.trim();
+      } catch {
+        // Path doesn't exist, try to find it as a command
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Try to find it as a command in PATH
+    const found = findCommand(envEditor);
+    if (found) {
+      return found;
     }
   }
 
   // Try nvim, vim, vi in order
   const editors = ["nvim", "vim", "vi"];
   for (const editor of editors) {
-    const check = spawnSync("which", [editor], { encoding: "utf-8" });
-    if (check.status === 0) {
-      return editor;
+    const found = findCommand(editor);
+    if (found) {
+      return found;
     }
   }
 
@@ -58,9 +101,11 @@ export function editInEditor(
 
   if (!editorCommand) {
     Logger.error("No editor found");
+    const isWindows = platform() === "win32";
+    const envVar = isWindows ? "%EDITOR%" : "$EDITOR";
     console.error("\n  No editor available (nvim, vim, or vi)");
     console.error(
-      "  Set $EDITOR environment variable to your preferred editor\n",
+      `  Set ${envVar} environment variable to your preferred editor\n`,
     );
     return null;
   }
diff --git a/src/cli/commands/commit/index.ts b/src/cli/commands/commit/index.ts
index 47697b0..9c6a12e 100644
--- a/src/cli/commands/commit/index.ts
+++ b/src/cli/commands/commit/index.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 import { loadConfig, ConfigError } from "../../../lib/config/index.js";
 import type { LabcommitrConfig } from "../../../lib/config/types.js";
 import { Logger } from "../../../lib/logger.js";
+import { formatForDisplay } from "../../../lib/util/emoji.js";
 import { isGitRepository } from "./git.js";
 import {
   stageAllTrackedFiles,
@@ -193,6 +194,7 @@ export async function commitAction(options: {
     }
 
     const config = configResult.config;
+    const emojiModeActive = configResult.emojiModeActive;
 
     // Step 2: Verify git repository
     if (!isGitRepository()) {
@@ -353,7 +355,11 @@ export async function commitAction(options: {
         );
 
         console.log(`${success("✓")} Commit created successfully!`);
-        console.log(`  ${commitHash} ${formattedMessage}`);
+        const displayMessage = formatForDisplay(
+          formattedMessage,
+          emojiModeActive,
+        );
+        console.log(`  ${commitHash} ${displayMessage}`);
       } catch (error: unknown) {
         // Cleanup on failure
         await cleanup({
@@ -441,7 +447,12 @@ export async function commitAction(options: {
         );
 
         // Show preview and get user action
-        action = await displayPreview(formattedMessage, body, config);
+        action = await displayPreview(
+          formattedMessage,
+          body,
+          config,
+          emojiModeActive,
+        );
 
         // Handle edit actions
         if (action === "edit-type") {
@@ -508,7 +519,11 @@ export async function commitAction(options: {
         );
 
         console.log(`${success("✓")} Commit created successfully!`);
-        console.log(`  ${commitHash} ${formattedMessage}`);
+        const displayMessage = formatForDisplay(
+          formattedMessage,
+          emojiModeActive,
+        );
+        console.log(`  ${commitHash} ${displayMessage}`);
       } catch (error: unknown) {
         // Cleanup on failure
         await cleanup({
diff --git a/src/cli/commands/commit/prompts.ts b/src/cli/commands/commit/prompts.ts
index 18de034..68e08b5 100644
--- a/src/cli/commands/commit/prompts.ts
+++ b/src/cli/commands/commit/prompts.ts
@@ -1076,6 +1076,7 @@ export async function displayPreview(
   formattedMessage: string,
   body: string | undefined,
   config?: LabcommitrConfig,
+  emojiModeActive: boolean = true,
 ): Promise<
   | "commit"
   | "edit-type"
@@ -1084,6 +1085,12 @@ export async function displayPreview(
   | "edit-body"
   | "cancel"
 > {
+  // Preview shows the actual commit message as it will be stored in Git
+  // We don't strip emojis here because the user needs to see what will be committed
+  // even if their terminal doesn't support emoji display
+  const displayMessage = formattedMessage;
+  const displayBody = body;
+
   // Start connector line using @clack/prompts
   log.info(
     `${label("preview", "green")}  ${textColors.pureWhite("Commit message preview:")}`,
@@ -1092,11 +1099,11 @@ export async function displayPreview(
   // Render content with connector lines
   // Empty line after header
   console.log(renderWithConnector(""));
-  console.log(renderWithConnector(textColors.brightCyan(formattedMessage)));
+  console.log(renderWithConnector(textColors.brightCyan(displayMessage)));
 
-  if (body) {
+  if (displayBody) {
     console.log(renderWithConnector(""));
-    const bodyLines = body.split("\n");
+    const bodyLines = displayBody.split("\n");
     for (const line of bodyLines) {
       console.log(renderWithConnector(textColors.white(line)));
     }
diff --git a/src/cli/commands/preview/index.ts b/src/cli/commands/preview/index.ts
index d1d0339..a4db6d0 100644
--- a/src/cli/commands/preview/index.ts
+++ b/src/cli/commands/preview/index.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 import { Command } from "commander";
 import { Logger } from "../../../lib/logger.js";
+import { detectEmojiSupport } from "../../../lib/util/emoji.js";
 import {
   isGitRepository,
   getCurrentBranch,
@@ -93,6 +94,9 @@ async function previewAction(options: {
       process.exit(0);
     }
 
+    // Detect emoji support for display
+    const emojiModeActive = detectEmojiSupport();
+
     // Main loop
     let exit = false;
     let viewingDetails = false;
@@ -105,7 +109,12 @@ async function previewAction(options: {
 
       if (viewingDetails && currentDetailCommit) {
         // Detail view
-        displayCommitDetails(currentDetailCommit, showBody, showFiles);
+        displayCommitDetails(
+          currentDetailCommit,
+          showBody,
+          showFiles,
+          emojiModeActive,
+        );
         console.log(
           `  ${textColors.white("Press")} ${textColors.brightYellow("b")} ${textColors.white("to toggle body,")} ${textColors.brightYellow("f")} ${textColors.white("to toggle files,")} ${textColors.brightYellow("d")} ${textColors.white("for diff,")} ${textColors.brightYellow("r")} ${textColors.white("to revert,")} ${textColors.brightYellow("←")} ${textColors.white("to go back")}`,
         );
@@ -188,6 +197,7 @@ async function previewAction(options: {
           hasMore,
           hasPreviousPage,
           hasMorePages,
+          emojiModeActive,
         );
 
         const action = await waitForListAction(
diff --git a/src/cli/commands/preview/prompts.ts b/src/cli/commands/preview/prompts.ts
index 63d0e50..cd6180e 100644
--- a/src/cli/commands/preview/prompts.ts
+++ b/src/cli/commands/preview/prompts.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 import { select, isCancel } from "@clack/prompts";
 import { labelColors, textColors } from "../init/colors.js";
+import { formatForDisplay } from "../../../lib/util/emoji.js";
 import type { CommitInfo } from "../shared/types.js";
 import { getCommitDetails, getCommitDiff } from "../shared/git-operations.js";
 import readline from "readline";
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ export function displayCommitList(
   hasMore: boolean,
   hasPreviousPage: boolean = false,
   hasMorePages: boolean = false,
+  emojiModeActive: boolean = true,
 ): void {
   console.log();
   console.log(
@@ -64,10 +66,11 @@ export function displayCommitList(
     const commit = commits[i];
     const number = i.toString();
     const mergeIndicator = commit.isMerge ? " [Merge]" : "";
+    const displaySubject = formatForDisplay(commit.subject, emojiModeActive);
     const truncatedSubject =
-      commit.subject.length > 50
-        ? commit.subject.substring(0, 47) + "..."
-        : commit.subject;
+      displaySubject.length > 50
+        ? displaySubject.substring(0, 47) + "..."
+        : displaySubject;
 
     console.log(
       `  ${textColors.brightCyan(`[${number}]`)} ${textColors.brightWhite(commit.shortHash)} ${truncatedSubject}${mergeIndicator}`,
@@ -124,6 +127,7 @@ export function displayCommitDetails(
   commit: CommitInfo,
   showBody: boolean = true,
   showFiles: boolean = true,
+  emojiModeActive: boolean = true,
 ): void {
   console.log();
   console.log(
@@ -131,7 +135,8 @@ export function displayCommitDetails(
   );
   console.log();
   console.log(`  ${textColors.brightWhite("Hash:")} ${commit.hash}`);
-  console.log(`  ${textColors.brightWhite("Subject:")} ${commit.subject}`);
+  const displaySubject = formatForDisplay(commit.subject, emojiModeActive);
+  console.log(`  ${textColors.brightWhite("Subject:")} ${displaySubject}`);
   console.log();
   console.log(
     `  ${textColors.brightWhite("Author:")} ${commit.author.name} <${commit.author.email}>`,
@@ -174,7 +179,8 @@ export function displayCommitDetails(
   if (showBody) {
     if (commit.body) {
       console.log(`  ${textColors.brightWhite("Body:")}`);
-      const bodyLines = commit.body.split("\n");
+      const displayBody = formatForDisplay(commit.body, emojiModeActive);
+      const bodyLines = displayBody.split("\n");
       bodyLines.forEach((line) => {
         console.log(`    ${line}`);
       });
diff --git a/src/cli/commands/revert/index.ts b/src/cli/commands/revert/index.ts
index f3a127f..78976ed 100644
--- a/src/cli/commands/revert/index.ts
+++ b/src/cli/commands/revert/index.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@
 import { Command } from "commander";
 import { Logger } from "../../../lib/logger.js";
 import { loadConfig } from "../../../lib/config/index.js";
+import {
+  detectEmojiSupport,
+  formatForDisplay,
+} from "../../../lib/util/emoji.js";
 import {
   isGitRepository,
   getCurrentBranch,
@@ -133,6 +137,7 @@ export async function revertCommit(
     }
 
     const config = configResult.config;
+    const emojiModeActive = configResult.emojiModeActive;
 
     // Get commit details
     const commit = getCommitDetails(commitHash);
@@ -151,7 +156,7 @@ export async function revertCommit(
 
     // Show confirmation
     clearTerminal();
-    displayRevertConfirmation(commit);
+    displayRevertConfirmation(commit, emojiModeActive);
 
     let useWorkflow = !options?.noEdit;
     if (useWorkflow) {
@@ -241,7 +246,12 @@ export async function revertCommit(
           subject,
         );
 
-        action = await displayPreview(formattedMessage, body, config);
+        action = await displayPreview(
+          formattedMessage,
+          body,
+          config,
+          emojiModeActive,
+        );
 
         if (action === "edit-type") {
           const typeResult = await promptType(config, undefined, type);
@@ -305,7 +315,11 @@ export async function revertCommit(
           hashResult.stdout?.toString().trim().substring(0, 7) || "unknown";
 
         console.log(`${success("✓")} Revert commit created successfully!`);
-        console.log(`  ${revertHash} ${formattedMessage}`);
+        const displayMessage = formatForDisplay(
+          formattedMessage,
+          emojiModeActive,
+        );
+        console.log(`  ${revertHash} ${displayMessage}`);
       } catch (error: unknown) {
         // Check if it's a conflict
         if (error instanceof Error && error.message.includes("conflict")) {
@@ -394,6 +408,9 @@ async function revertAction(options: {
       process.exit(1);
     }
 
+    // Detect emoji support for display (always detect, even if no config)
+    const emojiModeActive = detectEmojiSupport();
+
     // Check for config if --no-edit is not used (config needed for commit workflow)
     if (!options.noEdit) {
       const configResult = await loadConfig();
@@ -483,6 +500,7 @@ async function revertAction(options: {
         hasMore,
         hasPreviousPage,
         hasMorePages,
+        emojiModeActive,
       );
 
       // Build navigation hints
diff --git a/src/cli/commands/revert/prompts.ts b/src/cli/commands/revert/prompts.ts
index 40e9b07..7683c0f 100644
--- a/src/cli/commands/revert/prompts.ts
+++ b/src/cli/commands/revert/prompts.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 import { select, confirm, isCancel } from "@clack/prompts";
 import { labelColors, textColors, success, attention } from "../init/colors.js";
+import { formatForDisplay } from "../../../lib/util/emoji.js";
 import type { CommitInfo, MergeParent } from "../shared/types.js";
 
 /**
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@ export function displayRevertCommitList(
   hasMore: boolean,
   hasPreviousPage: boolean = false,
   hasMorePages: boolean = false,
+  emojiModeActive: boolean = true,
 ): void {
   console.log();
   console.log(
@@ -71,10 +73,11 @@ export function displayRevertCommitList(
     const commit = commits[i];
     const number = i.toString();
     const mergeIndicator = commit.isMerge ? " [Merge]" : "";
+    const displaySubject = formatForDisplay(commit.subject, emojiModeActive);
     const truncatedSubject =
-      commit.subject.length > 50
-        ? commit.subject.substring(0, 47) + "..."
-        : commit.subject;
+      displaySubject.length > 50
+        ? displaySubject.substring(0, 47) + "..."
+        : displaySubject;
 
     console.log(
       `  ${textColors.brightCyan(`[${number}]`)} ${textColors.brightWhite(commit.shortHash)} ${truncatedSubject}${mergeIndicator}`,
@@ -124,7 +127,10 @@ export async function promptMergeParent(
 /**
  * Display revert confirmation
  */
-export function displayRevertConfirmation(commit: CommitInfo): void {
+export function displayRevertConfirmation(
+  commit: CommitInfo,
+  emojiModeActive: boolean = true,
+): void {
   console.log();
   console.log(
     `${label("confirm", "green")}  ${textColors.pureWhite("Revert Confirmation")}`,
@@ -133,6 +139,8 @@ export function displayRevertConfirmation(commit: CommitInfo): void {
   console.log(
     `  ${textColors.brightWhite("Reverting commit:")} ${commit.shortHash}`,
   );
+  const displaySubject = formatForDisplay(commit.subject, emojiModeActive);
+  console.log(`  ${textColors.brightWhite("Original:")} ${displaySubject}`);
   console.log(`  ${textColors.brightWhite("Original:")} ${commit.subject}`);
   console.log();
   console.log(
diff --git a/src/lib/config/loader.ts b/src/lib/config/loader.ts
index bd9cac4..38e74ab 100644
--- a/src/lib/config/loader.ts
+++ b/src/lib/config/loader.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import type {
 import { ConfigError } from "./types.js";
 import { mergeWithDefaults, createFallbackConfig } from "./defaults.js";
 import { ConfigValidator } from "./validator.js";
+import { detectEmojiSupport } from "../util/emoji.js";
 
 /**
  * Configuration file names to search for (in priority order)
@@ -231,7 +232,7 @@ export class ConfigLoader {
       config: fallbackConfig,
       source: "defaults",
       loadedAt: Date.now(),
-      emojiModeActive: this.detectEmojiSupport(), // TODO: Implement emoji detection
+      emojiModeActive: this.detectEmojiSupport(fallbackConfig),
     };
   }
 
@@ -309,7 +310,7 @@ export class ConfigLoader {
       source: "project",
       path: configPath,
       loadedAt: Date.now(),
-      emojiModeActive: this.detectEmojiSupport(), // TODO: Implement emoji detection
+      emojiModeActive: this.detectEmojiSupport(processedConfig),
     };
   }
 
@@ -346,14 +347,23 @@ export class ConfigLoader {
   /**
    * Detects whether the current terminal supports emoji display
    *
-   * TODO: Implement proper emoji detection logic
-   * For now, returns true as a placeholder
+   * Combines user preference (force_emoji_detection) with terminal capability detection.
+   * User preference takes precedence over automatic detection.
    *
-   * @returns Whether emojis should be displayed
+   * @param config - The loaded configuration (may contain force_emoji_detection override)
+   * @returns Whether emojis should be displayed in the terminal
    */
-  private detectEmojiSupport(): boolean {
-    // Placeholder implementation - will be enhanced later
-    return true;
+  private detectEmojiSupport(config?: LabcommitrConfig): boolean {
+    // User override takes highest priority
+    if (
+      config?.config.force_emoji_detection !== null &&
+      config?.config.force_emoji_detection !== undefined
+    ) {
+      return config.config.force_emoji_detection;
+    }
+
+    // Automatic terminal detection
+    return detectEmojiSupport();
   }
 
   /**
@@ -444,7 +454,7 @@ export class ConfigLoader {
     } catch (error: any) {
       if (error.code === "ENOENT") {
         // File not found - this is handled upstream, but provide clear error if called directly
-        throw new (Error as any)( // TODO: Use proper ConfigError import
+        throw new ConfigError(
           `Configuration file not found: ${filePath}`,
           "The file does not exist",
           ["Run 'lab init' to create a configuration file"],
@@ -452,7 +462,7 @@ export class ConfigLoader {
         );
       } else if (error.code === "EACCES") {
         // Permission denied - provide actionable solutions
-        throw new (Error as any)( // TODO: Use proper ConfigError import
+        throw new ConfigError(
           `Cannot read configuration file: ${filePath}`,
           "Permission denied - insufficient file permissions",
           [
@@ -464,7 +474,7 @@ export class ConfigLoader {
         );
       } else if (error.code === "ENOTDIR") {
         // Path component is not a directory
-        throw new (Error as any)( // TODO: Use proper ConfigError import
+        throw new ConfigError(
           `Invalid path to configuration file: ${filePath}`,
           "A component in the path is not a directory",
           [
@@ -476,7 +486,7 @@ export class ConfigLoader {
       }
 
       // Re-throw unexpected errors with additional context
-      throw new (Error as any)( // TODO: Use proper ConfigError import
+      throw new ConfigError(
         `Failed to access configuration file: ${filePath}`,
         `System error: ${error.message}`,
         [
@@ -507,7 +517,7 @@ export class ConfigLoader {
 
       // Check for empty file (common user error)
       if (!fileContent.trim()) {
-        throw new (Error as any)( // TODO: Use proper ConfigError import
+        throw new ConfigError(
           `Configuration file is empty: ${filePath}`,
           "The file contains no content or only whitespace",
           [
@@ -529,7 +539,7 @@ export class ConfigLoader {
       // Validate that result is an object (not null, string, array, etc.)
       if (!parsed || typeof parsed !== "object" || Array.isArray(parsed)) {
         const actualType = Array.isArray(parsed) ? "array" : typeof parsed;
-        throw new (Error as any)( // TODO: Use proper ConfigError import
+        throw new ConfigError(
           `Invalid configuration structure in ${filePath}`,
           `Configuration must be a YAML object, but got ${actualType}`,
           [
@@ -544,7 +554,7 @@ export class ConfigLoader {
       // Basic structure validation - ensure required 'types' field exists
       const config = parsed as any;
       if (!Array.isArray(config.types)) {
-        throw new (Error as any)( // TODO: Use proper ConfigError import
+        throw new ConfigError(
           `Missing required 'types' field in ${filePath}`,
           "Configuration must include a 'types' array defining commit types",
           [
@@ -565,7 +575,7 @@ export class ConfigLoader {
         // Extract line and column information if available
         if (mark) {
           const lineInfo = `line ${mark.line + 1}, column ${mark.column + 1}`;
-          throw new (Error as any)( // TODO: Use proper ConfigError import
+          throw new ConfigError(
             `Invalid YAML syntax in ${filePath} at ${lineInfo}`,
             `Parsing error: ${message}`,
             [
@@ -578,7 +588,7 @@ export class ConfigLoader {
           );
         } else {
           // YAML error without specific location
-          throw new (Error as any)( // TODO: Use proper ConfigError import
+          throw new ConfigError(
             `Invalid YAML syntax in ${filePath}`,
             `Parsing error: ${message}`,
             [
@@ -599,7 +609,7 @@ export class ConfigLoader {
 
       // Handle file system errors that might occur during reading
       if (error.code === "EISDIR") {
-        throw new (Error as any)( // TODO: Use proper ConfigError import
+        throw new ConfigError(
           `Cannot read configuration: ${filePath} is a directory`,
           "Expected a file but found a directory",
           [
@@ -611,7 +621,7 @@ export class ConfigLoader {
       }
 
       // Generic error fallback with context
-      throw new (Error as any)( // TODO: Use proper ConfigError import
+      throw new ConfigError(
         `Failed to parse configuration file: ${filePath}`,
         `Unexpected error: ${error.message}`,
         [
@@ -643,7 +653,7 @@ export class ConfigLoader {
 
     // Handle common file system errors with specific guidance
     if (error.code === "ENOENT") {
-      return new (Error as any)( // TODO: Use proper ConfigError import
+      return new ConfigError(
         `No configuration found starting from ${context}`,
         "Could not locate a labcommitr configuration file in the project",
         [
@@ -655,7 +665,7 @@ export class ConfigLoader {
     }
 
     if (error.code === "EACCES") {
-      return new (Error as any)( // TODO: Use proper ConfigError import
+      return new ConfigError(
         `Permission denied while searching for configuration`,
         `Cannot access directory or file: ${error.path || context}`,
         [
@@ -667,7 +677,7 @@ export class ConfigLoader {
     }
 
     if (error.code === "ENOTDIR") {
-      return new (Error as any)( // TODO: Use proper ConfigError import
+      return new ConfigError(
         `Invalid directory structure encountered`,
         `Expected directory but found file: ${error.path || context}`,
         [
@@ -679,7 +689,7 @@ export class ConfigLoader {
 
     // Handle YAML-related errors (these should typically be caught upstream)
     if (error instanceof yaml.YAMLException) {
-      return new (Error as any)( // TODO: Use proper ConfigError import
+      return new ConfigError(
         `Configuration file contains invalid YAML syntax`,
         `YAML parsing error: ${error.message}`,
         [
@@ -692,7 +702,7 @@ export class ConfigLoader {
 
     // Handle timeout errors (e.g., from slow file systems)
     if (error.code === "ETIMEDOUT") {
-      return new (Error as any)( // TODO: Use proper ConfigError import
+      return new ConfigError(
         `Timeout while accessing configuration files`,
         "File system operation took too long to complete",
         [
@@ -709,7 +719,7 @@ export class ConfigLoader {
       ? `\n\nTechnical details:\n${error.stack}`
       : "";
 
-    return new (Error as any)( // TODO: Use proper ConfigError import
+    return new ConfigError(
       `Configuration loading failed`,
       `${errorMessage}${errorContext}`,
       [
diff --git a/src/lib/presets/index.ts b/src/lib/presets/index.ts
index 6978664..d4432d0 100644
--- a/src/lib/presets/index.ts
+++ b/src/lib/presets/index.ts
@@ -141,8 +141,8 @@ export function buildConfig(
       force_emoji_detection: null,
     },
     format: {
-      // Template is determined by style; emoji is handled at render time
-      template: "{type}({scope}): {subject}",
+      // Template includes {emoji} placeholder - will be replaced with emoji or empty string
+      template: "{emoji}{type}({scope}): {subject}",
       subject_max_length: 50,
       // Body configuration (respects user choice, defaults to optional)
       body: {
diff --git a/src/lib/util/emoji.ts b/src/lib/util/emoji.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..46c4e63
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/util/emoji.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+/**
+ * Emoji Detection and Display Utilities
+ *
+ * Provides terminal emoji support detection and emoji stripping
+ * functionality for clean display on non-emoji terminals.
+ *
+ * Industry Standard Approach:
+ * - Always store Unicode emojis in Git commits
+ * - Strip emojis from Labcommitr's UI display when terminal doesn't support them
+ * - This ensures GitHub and emoji-capable terminals show emojis correctly
+ */
+
+import { platform } from "os";
+
+/**
+ * Detects whether the current terminal supports emoji display
+ *
+ * Uses industry-standard heuristics:
+ * - Disable in CI environments (CI=true)
+ * - Disable for dumb terminals (TERM=dumb)
+ * - Disable on older Windows terminals
+ * - Check for NO_COLOR environment variable
+ * - Allow user override via FORCE_EMOJI_DETECTION
+ *
+ * @returns Whether emojis should be displayed in the terminal
+ */
+export function detectEmojiSupport(): boolean {
+  // User override (highest priority)
+  const forceDetection = process.env.FORCE_EMOJI_DETECTION;
+  if (forceDetection !== undefined) {
+    return forceDetection.toLowerCase() === "true" || forceDetection === "1";
+  }
+
+  // NO_COLOR standard (https://no-color.org/)
+  if (process.env.NO_COLOR) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  // CI environments typically don't support emojis well
+  if (process.env.CI === "true" || process.env.CI === "1") {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  // Dumb terminals don't support emojis
+  const term = process.env.TERM;
+  if (term === "dumb" || term === "unknown") {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  // Windows terminal detection
+  const isWindows = platform() === "win32";
+  if (isWindows) {
+    // Modern Windows Terminal (10+) supports emojis
+    // Older cmd.exe and PowerShell may not
+    // Check for Windows Terminal specific environment variables
+    const wtSession = process.env.WT_SESSION;
+    if (wtSession) {
+      // Windows Terminal detected - supports emojis
+      return true;
+    }
+
+    // Check for ConEmu or other modern terminals
+    const conEmu = process.env.CONEMUANSI;
+    if (conEmu === "ON") {
+      return true;
+    }
+
+    // For older Windows terminals, be conservative
+    // Check if we're in a TTY (interactive terminal)
+    if (!process.stdout.isTTY) {
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    // Default to false for older Windows (can be overridden by FORCE_EMOJI_DETECTION)
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  // Unix-like systems: check TERM variable
+  // Most modern terminals support emojis
+  if (term) {
+    // Known non-emoji terminals
+    const nonEmojiTerms = ["linux", "vt100", "vt220", "xterm-mono"];
+    if (nonEmojiTerms.includes(term.toLowerCase())) {
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    // Modern terminals typically support emojis
+    // xterm-256color, screen-256color, tmux-256color, etc.
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  // Default: assume emoji support if we have a TTY
+  return process.stdout.isTTY === true;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Strips Unicode emojis from a string for display on non-emoji terminals
+ *
+ * Uses Unicode emoji pattern matching to remove emoji characters
+ * while preserving the rest of the text.
+ *
+ * @param text - Text that may contain emojis
+ * @returns Text with emojis removed
+ */
+export function stripEmojis(text: string): string {
+  // Unicode emoji pattern matching
+  // Matches emoji characters including:
+  // - Emoticons (😀-🙏)
+  // - Symbols & Pictographs (🌀-🗿)
+  // - Transport & Map Symbols (🚀-🛿)
+  // - Flags (country flags)
+  // - Regional indicators
+  // - Variation selectors
+  const emojiPattern =
+    /[\p{Emoji}\p{Emoji_Presentation}\p{Emoji_Modifier_Base}\p{Emoji_Modifier}\p{Emoji_Component}]/gu;
+
+  return text.replace(emojiPattern, "").trim();
+}
+
+/**
+ * Conditionally strips emojis from text based on terminal support
+ *
+ * If terminal supports emojis, returns original text.
+ * If terminal doesn't support emojis, returns text with emojis stripped.
+ *
+ * @param text - Text that may contain emojis
+ * @param terminalSupportsEmojis - Whether terminal supports emoji display
+ * @returns Text with emojis conditionally stripped
+ */
+export function formatForDisplay(
+  text: string,
+  terminalSupportsEmojis: boolean,
+): string {
+  if (terminalSupportsEmojis) {
+    return text;
+  }
+  return stripEmojis(text);
+}