352 lines
12 KiB
Markdown
352 lines
12 KiB
Markdown
# @eko24ive/pi-ask
|
|
|
|
`@eko24ive/pi-ask` is an ask tool that cares about your answers.
|
|
|
|
It lets an agent pause, ask structured questions in a terminal UI, and continue with normalized answers instead of guessing.
|
|
|
|
https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/a74827fb-6093-412a-895f-69f9514bc4fe
|
|
|
|
## Install
|
|
|
|
```bash
|
|
pi install npm:@eko24ive/pi-ask
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
You can also install from git:
|
|
|
|
```bash
|
|
pi install git:github.com/eko24ive/pi-ask
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
## Features
|
|
|
|
Once installed, this package gives the agent a native way to ask for clarification instead of guessing.
|
|
|
|
- 🧭 Familiar ask-style interface: tabbed questions, single/multi select, and preview mode
|
|
- ✍️ Inline free-form `Type your own` answers
|
|
- 📝 Question-level and option-level notes
|
|
- 👀 Review tab with `Submit`, `Elaborate`, and `Cancel`
|
|
- 💬 Elaboration flow to capture note-based clarification before final submission
|
|
- ⌨️ Fast keyboard-first interaction (also mobile-friendly in remote sessions)
|
|
|
|
## Feature walkthrough
|
|
|
|
### Multi-question flow (tabs)
|
|
Move across several related questions in one ask flow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
### Single-select question
|
|
Pick one option when answers are mutually exclusive.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
### Multi-select question
|
|
Choose multiple options when several answers apply.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
### Preview mode
|
|
Use a dedicated preview pane when options need richer detail.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
### Custom answer (`Type your own`)
|
|
Capture free-form input inline without leaving the flow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
### Option notes
|
|
Attach clarification notes to a specific option (`n`).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
### Question notes
|
|
Add notes at question level for broader context (`Shift+N`).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
### Review tab — Submit
|
|
Review all answers before returning them to the agent.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
### Review tab — Elaborate
|
|
Ask the agent to elaborate on notes before finalizing choices.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
## Use
|
|
|
|
After installation, the package registers one tool: `ask_user`.
|
|
|
|
That is enough for the agent to gain this clarification capability. The extension already injects prompt guidance that encourages the agent to call `ask_user` when requirements are ambiguous or user preference matters, instead of guessing.
|
|
|
|
This package also includes an optional skill profile at `skills/ask-user/SKILL.md` (`ask-user-decision-gate`) for stricter decision-gate behavior in high-stakes or ambiguous boundaries.
|
|
|
|
You can still add your own agent instruction if you want to further reinforce when and how the tool should be used.
|
|
|
|
Use `type: "preview"` only when every option includes `preview` text for a dedicated preview pane. Descriptions alone are not enough.
|
|
|
|
### Optional extra agent instruction
|
|
|
|
```text
|
|
If you need clarification, prefer `ask_user` over guessing.
|
|
|
|
Ask 1-3 concise questions.
|
|
Use short tab labels.
|
|
Prefer 2-4 options per question.
|
|
Include descriptions for each option.
|
|
Use `type: "single"` unless multiple options can genuinely apply.
|
|
Use `type: "multi"` only when the user may need to select several answers.
|
|
Always include a non-empty `value` for every option.
|
|
Use `type: "preview"` only when every option includes non-empty `preview` text for the preview panel.
|
|
After answers are returned, continue the task using those answers explicitly.
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
## Tool input
|
|
|
|
`ask_user` accepts:
|
|
|
|
```ts
|
|
{
|
|
title?: string,
|
|
questions: [
|
|
{
|
|
id: string,
|
|
label?: string,
|
|
prompt: string,
|
|
type?: "single" | "multi" | "preview",
|
|
required?: boolean,
|
|
options: [
|
|
{
|
|
value: string,
|
|
label: string,
|
|
description?: string,
|
|
preview?: string
|
|
}
|
|
]
|
|
}
|
|
]
|
|
}
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
### Example tool call payload
|
|
|
|
```json
|
|
{
|
|
"title": "Implementation preferences",
|
|
"questions": [
|
|
{
|
|
"id": "style",
|
|
"label": "Style",
|
|
"prompt": "How should I frame the next prompt?",
|
|
"type": "single",
|
|
"options": [
|
|
{
|
|
"value": "minimal",
|
|
"label": "Minimal",
|
|
"description": "A short, direct question with few options."
|
|
},
|
|
{
|
|
"value": "balanced",
|
|
"label": "Balanced",
|
|
"description": "A standard prompt with a bit more context."
|
|
},
|
|
{
|
|
"value": "rich",
|
|
"label": "Rich",
|
|
"description": "A more descriptive prompt with extra detail."
|
|
}
|
|
]
|
|
},
|
|
{
|
|
"id": "frameworks",
|
|
"label": "Frontend",
|
|
"prompt": "Which frontend frameworks have you used?",
|
|
"type": "multi",
|
|
"options": [
|
|
{ "value": "react", "label": "React", "description": "Most popular UI library" },
|
|
{ "value": "vue", "label": "Vue", "description": "Progressive framework for building UIs" },
|
|
{ "value": "svelte", "label": "Svelte", "description": "Compiler-based approach" }
|
|
]
|
|
}
|
|
]
|
|
}
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
## Returned result
|
|
|
|
The returned result now also includes:
|
|
|
|
```ts
|
|
{
|
|
error?: {
|
|
kind: "invalid_input"
|
|
issues: Array<{ path: string; message: string }>
|
|
}
|
|
mode: "submit" | "elaborate"
|
|
continuation?: {
|
|
strategy: "refine_only" | "resume"
|
|
affectedQuestionIds: string[]
|
|
preservedAnswers: Record<string, AskResultAnswer>
|
|
questionStates: Record<string, {
|
|
status: "answered" | "needs_clarification" | "unanswered"
|
|
}>
|
|
}
|
|
elaboration?: {
|
|
instruction: string
|
|
nextAction: "clarify" | "clarify_then_reask"
|
|
items: Array<
|
|
| {
|
|
target: { kind: "question" }
|
|
question: {
|
|
id: string
|
|
label: string
|
|
prompt: string
|
|
type: "single" | "multi" | "preview"
|
|
options: Array<{
|
|
value: string
|
|
label: string
|
|
description?: string
|
|
preview?: string
|
|
}>
|
|
}
|
|
answered: boolean
|
|
answer?: AskResultAnswer
|
|
note: string
|
|
}
|
|
| {
|
|
target: { kind: "option"; optionValue: string }
|
|
question: {
|
|
id: string
|
|
label: string
|
|
prompt: string
|
|
type: "single" | "multi" | "preview"
|
|
options: Array<{
|
|
value: string
|
|
label: string
|
|
description?: string
|
|
preview?: string
|
|
}>
|
|
}
|
|
option: {
|
|
value: string
|
|
label: string
|
|
description?: string
|
|
preview?: string
|
|
}
|
|
selected: boolean
|
|
answered: boolean
|
|
answer?: AskResultAnswer
|
|
note: string
|
|
}
|
|
>
|
|
}
|
|
}
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
The returned `details.answers[questionId]` object may include:
|
|
|
|
```ts
|
|
{
|
|
values: string[]
|
|
labels: string[]
|
|
indices: number[]
|
|
customText?: string
|
|
note?: string
|
|
optionNotes?: Record<string, string>
|
|
}
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
Behavior details:
|
|
|
|
- payloads are validated before the UI opens: question ids must be unique, option values must be unique within a question, and required text fields must not be blank
|
|
- preview questions require preview text for every option; descriptions alone are not enough, and invalid preview payloads suggest adding preview text or switching to `type: "single"`
|
|
- `required` defaults to `false` and remains advisory only
|
|
- question-level notes are submitted whenever authored
|
|
- option notes can be authored for any active option during the UI flow
|
|
- only notes for currently selected options are included in the submitted result
|
|
- deselecting an option keeps its note in UI state, so re-selecting it restores the note
|
|
- empty note text clears the note
|
|
- on single-select questions, saving a free-form answer replaces selected options for that question
|
|
- on multi-select questions, saving a free-form answer keeps other selected options intact
|
|
- on multi-select questions, submitted `values` and `labels` keep selected options first and append the free-form answer last when both exist
|
|
- invalid payloads return `details.error.kind === "invalid_input"` with structured `issues` and a transcript-friendly `Invalid ask_user payload:` message
|
|
- unanswered questions are omitted from `details.answers`
|
|
- in elaborate mode, `details.answers` contains only committed answers; note-only entries move into `details.elaboration.items`
|
|
- `details.continuation.strategy === "refine_only"` means the next ask should refine the current flow instead of restarting it
|
|
- `details.continuation.preservedAnswers` contains prior answers that should be carried forward without re-asking
|
|
- `details.continuation.affectedQuestionIds` lists the only questions that should be revisited
|
|
- `details.continuation.questionStates` marks each question as `answered`, `needs_clarification`, or `unanswered`
|
|
- submit review tab now offers `Submit`, `Elaborate`, and `Cancel`
|
|
- on the review tab, number hotkeys `1`, `2`, and `3` trigger `Submit`, `Elaborate`, and `Cancel`
|
|
- while `Submit` or `Cancel` is highlighted on the review tab, notes are previewed only for questions with selected answers
|
|
- while `Elaborate` is highlighted on the review tab, the preview expands to show all question notes and all option notes, including notes on unselected options
|
|
- choosing `Elaborate` finishes immediately and returns `mode: "elaborate"`
|
|
- `details.elaboration.items` includes all question notes and all option notes, even for unselected options
|
|
- every elaboration item carries the full normalized question and option list for that question, so the agent can resolve referential notes like `above` without relying on chat memory alone
|
|
- `details.elaboration.instruction` explicitly tells the agent to answer the clarification directly first, then re-ask only the affected questions if needed
|
|
- after clarification, agents should prefer another structured follow-up over plain-text multiple choice if a decision is still unresolved
|
|
- once prior answers narrow the branch, agents should bundle the next 2-3 related unresolved decisions into one follow-up ask when possible instead of asking a long chain of one-question follow-ups
|
|
- elaborate summary/result text now emits direct note-specific lines such as `User asked to elaborate on question "Which option would you like to select?" option "Option A" with note "why this one?"`
|
|
- when the free-form option is selected, it becomes an inline input row with the selected-tab background style spanning the full width
|
|
- while editing a note or free-form answer, arrow keys and `Tab` stay inside the editor while text is present so the typing cursor can move naturally
|
|
- when a note or free-form editor is empty, `Up`/`Down` navigate options and `Tab`/`Shift+Tab`/`Left`/`Right` navigate tabs without closing the editor first
|
|
- free-form answer editors support pi-style `@` file path autocomplete for quickly mentioning project files
|
|
- `Esc` closes the editor and returns to navigation mode
|
|
- `Ctrl+C` dismisses the entire ask flow immediately, even from note/free-form editing, without saving the current draft
|
|
- use `n` for the active option note and `Shift+N` for the current question note
|
|
- `Space` toggles the active option on single-select questions too, but does not auto-advance
|
|
|
|
If pi runs without UI, `ask_user` returns a `Needs user input` message plus normalized pending questions in `details.questions` so a caller can re-ask them manually.
|
|
|
|
## Local development
|
|
|
|
### Run locally in pi
|
|
|
|
```bash
|
|
pi -e ./src/index.ts
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
### Install dependencies
|
|
|
|
```bash
|
|
pnpm install
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
### Development commands
|
|
|
|
```bash
|
|
pnpm format
|
|
pnpm lint
|
|
pnpm check
|
|
pnpm typecheck
|
|
pnpm test
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
### Commit workflow
|
|
|
|
This repo uses `lefthook`, Commitizen, conventional commitlint, and semantic-release.
|
|
|
|
Recommended flow:
|
|
|
|
```bash
|
|
pnpm commit
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
## Project layout
|
|
|
|
- `src/` — TypeScript extension implementation
|
|
- `tests/` — behavior-focused tests
|
|
- `docs/` — small docs set for contract and architecture
|
|
- `docs/media/` — repository-only README media assets
|
|
|
|
## Documentation
|
|
|
|
Docs stay intentionally small:
|
|
|
|
- `docs/README.md` — index
|
|
- `docs/contract.md` — external behavior
|
|
- `docs/architecture.md` — module boundaries and invariants
|