Pi CLI Workspace

Pi CLI and workspace

Answer only from pi-mono/ sources listed below. If something is not in the tree, say you cannot confirm from the corpus.

Grounding (read in order)

1. pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/README.md — product surface, commands, customization.
2. pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/docs/skills.md — skill locations, /skill:name, frontmatter, collisions.
3. pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/docs/settings.md — settings locations and keys.
4. pi-mono/AGENTS.md — maintainer rules when editing pi-mono itself.
5. pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/docs/compaction.md — auto-compaction triggers, cut-point algorithm, reserveTokens/keepRecentTokens settings, chained compactions, branch summarization.
6. pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/docs/session.md — JSONL session format, ~/.pi/agent/sessions/ paths, entry types (message, compaction, branch_summary, custom, label), buildSessionContext() assembly.
7. pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/docs/tree.md — /tree vs /fork, branch navigation, summarization options, tree UI keybindings.
8. pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/docs/providers.md — subscription OAuth (/login), API-key providers, auth.json, env-var credential table, cloud providers (Azure, Bedrock, Vertex).
9. pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/docs/models.md — models.json for Ollama/vLLM/LM Studio, compat flags, modelOverrides, provider-level config.
10. pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/docs/custom-provider.md — extension-registered providers via registerProvider(), OAuth flows, proxy patterns.
11. pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/docs/terminal-setup.md — Kitty keyboard protocol, Ghostty/iTerm/terminal keybinding caveats.
12. pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/docs/tmux.md — tmux extended-keys / csi-u so modified keys work inside pi.
13. pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/docs/windows.md — Windows bash discovery order (shellPath setting, Git Bash, PATH).
14. pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/docs/termux.md — running pi on Android via Termux (install, clipboard, storage).
15. pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/docs/shell-aliases.md — non-interactive bash and shellCommandPrefix to expand aliases from dotfiles.
16. pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/docs/development.md — local development setup, pi-test.sh, fork/rebrand via piConfig, test commands.
17. Implementation (for precedence and prompt wiring):
    • pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/src/core/package-manager.ts — resourcePrecedenceRank comment block (ordering intent).
    • pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/src/core/resource-loader.ts — reload() skill path merge (cliEnabledSkills, enabledSkills, additionalSkillPaths).
    • pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/src/core/skills.ts — loadSkills, formatSkillsForPrompt, name collision handling.
    • pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/src/core/system-prompt.ts — default harness text and hasRead gate for skills XML.
    • pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/src/core/agent-session.ts — _expandSkillCommand inlines /skill:name body.
18. pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/README.md §Editor — @ fuzzy-search, Tab completion, Ctrl+V image paste, !/!! bash commands.
19. pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/README.md §Message Queue — steering (Enter) vs follow-up (Alt+Enter), steeringMode/followUpMode/transport settings.
20. pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/README.md §Modes, §CLI Reference — interactive, -p/--print, --mode json, --mode rpc, piped stdin.
21. pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/README.md §CLI Reference — full flag table, @files, --tools, --no-tools, --no-extensions, --no-skills, --no-prompt-templates, --no-themes, resource control.
22. pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/README.md §Environment Variables — PI_CODING_AGENT_DIR, PI_PACKAGE_DIR, PI_SKIP_VERSION_CHECK, PI_CACHE_RETENTION, VISUAL/EDITOR.
23. pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/README.md §Philosophy — what core intentionally omits (no MCP, no sub-agents, no permission popups, no plan mode, no built-in todos, no background bash); everything buildable via extensions.

Invariants

• Skill name collisions: first registered name wins; later paths emit collision diagnostics (pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/src/core/skills.ts). Path order is assembled in resource-loader.ts then fed to loadSkills.
• Resource precedence rank (lower = earlier in sorted package-manager lists): project local (0), project auto (1), user local (2), user auto (3), package (4) — pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/src/core/package-manager.ts.
• Merged skill paths: mergePaths([...cliEnabledSkills, ...enabledSkills], additionalSkillPaths) — CLI paths appear before package-manager lists; see pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/src/core/resource-loader.ts.
• <available_skills> is appended to the system prompt only when the read tool is among selected tools — pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/src/core/system-prompt.ts.
• Default system prompt already points models at packaged docs paths (readmePath, docsPath, examples) — pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/src/core/system-prompt.ts. This skill adds workspace and precedence detail, not a duplicate README.
• Session format version is v3 (tree-based id/parentId); buildSessionContext assembles compaction summary + branch summary + messages after the compaction point — see pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/docs/session.md.
• Compaction cut-point selection avoids splitting tool results; firstKeptEntryId links chained compactions — see pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/docs/compaction.md.
• Credential resolution order: --api-key flag > auth.json > environment variables > models.json custom keys — see pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/docs/providers.md.
• SYSTEM.md / APPEND_SYSTEM.md: Replace the default system prompt with .pi/SYSTEM.md (project) or ~/.pi/agent/SYSTEM.md (global). Append without replacing via APPEND_SYSTEM.md at the same locations. Context files and skills are still appended after override — pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/README.md §Context Files.
• Message queue: Enter queues a steering message (delivered between tool calls); Alt+Enter queues a follow-up (delivered after the agent finishes all work). Escape aborts; Alt+Up retrieves queued messages. Settings: steeringMode and followUpMode ("one-at-a-time" default vs "all"); transport ("sse", "websocket", "auto") — pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/README.md §Message Queue, pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/docs/settings.md.
• Built-in tools: Default four: read, bash, edit, write. Additional available: grep, find, ls. Control via --tools <list> (e.g., --tools read,grep,find,ls for read-only) and --no-tools (disables all built-in; extension tools still work) — pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/README.md §Tool Options.
• Editor features: @ fuzzy-searches project files; Tab completes paths; Ctrl+V pastes images (Alt+V on Windows); !command runs and sends output to LLM; !!command runs without sending — pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/README.md §Editor, pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/docs/keybindings.md.
• Print mode: -p/--print for non-interactive stdout output. Reads piped stdin: cat README.md | pi -p "Summarize". Combine with --mode json for JSON-line output — pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/README.md §Modes.
• CLI session flags: -c/--continue (most recent session), -r/--resume (browse/select), --session <path> (specific file or partial UUID), --fork <path> (fork from CLI), --no-session (ephemeral), --session-dir <dir> (custom storage) — pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/README.md §Session Options.
• @files CLI arguments: Prefix files with @ on CLI: pi @screenshot.png "What's in this?", pi @code.ts @test.ts "Review". Included as part of the initial message — pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/README.md §File Arguments.
• Resource control flags: --no-extensions, --no-skills, --no-prompt-templates, --no-themes disable auto-discovery. -e/--extension, --skill, --prompt-template, --theme for explicit loading. Combine --no-* with explicit flags for exact control (e.g., --no-extensions -e ./my-ext.ts) — pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/README.md §Resource Options.
• Model shorthand: --model provider/id (e.g., openai/gpt-4o), --model name:thinking (e.g., sonnet:high), --models <patterns> for Ctrl+P cycling, --list-models — pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/README.md §Model Options.
• Slash commands (full interactive list): /login, /logout, /model, /scoped-models, /settings, /resume, /new, /name, /session, /tree, /fork, /compact, /copy, /export, /share, /reload, /hotkeys, /changelog, /quit. Extensions register custom commands; skills expose /skill:name; prompt templates expand via /templatename — pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/README.md §Commands.
• Environment variables: PI_CODING_AGENT_DIR (override config dir), PI_PACKAGE_DIR (override package dir), PI_SKIP_VERSION_CHECK, PI_CACHE_RETENTION (long for extended prompt cache), VISUAL/EDITOR (external editor for Ctrl+G) — pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/README.md §Environment Variables.
• Philosophy (what pi intentionally omits): No MCP (use CLI tools or extensions), no sub-agents (use tmux or extensions), no permission popups (use container or extension), no plan mode (use files or extension), no built-in to-dos, no background bash (use tmux). Everything is buildable via extensions — pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/README.md §Philosophy.

Workflows

• Find where a skill is discovered: Walk docs/skills.md locations, then cross-check package-manager.ts auto-discovery and settings.json skills arrays.
• Explain shadowing: Combine resourcePrecedenceRank ordering with mergePaths / loadSkills "first name wins" using file citations only.
• User forced load: /skill:name expansion — pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/src/core/agent-session.ts.
• Debug compaction: Read compaction.md algorithm; check reserveTokens / keepRecentTokens in settings.json; trace chained compactions via firstKeptEntryId.
• Add custom model: Follow models.md minimal example for Ollama/vLLM/LM Studio; check compat flags for non-standard OpenAI-compatible servers.
• Session archaeology: Parse .jsonl using the switch example in session.md; navigate branches via /tree per tree.md.
• Configure providers: Check providers.md for subscription OAuth (/login) vs API-key flow; see auth.json layout and env-var table.
• Platform setup: For tmux, read tmux.md (extended-keys); for Windows, windows.md (shellPath); for Android, termux.md; for terminal quirks, terminal-setup.md.
• Shell aliases: Read shell-aliases.md for shellCommandPrefix to make pi's bash tool see dotfile aliases.
• Develop pi from source: Read development.md for clone/build/test and pi-test.sh runner.
• Control tools: Use --tools read,grep,find,ls for read-only mode; --no-tools to disable all built-in tools (extension tools still work). Default is read,bash,edit,write.
• Non-interactive mode: pi -p "prompt" or cat file | pi -p "Summarize" for CI/scripts. Combine with --mode json for machine-readable JSON-line output.
• Custom system prompt: Place .pi/SYSTEM.md in a project or ~/.pi/agent/SYSTEM.md globally to replace the default prompt. Use APPEND_SYSTEM.md at the same locations to append without replacing.

Anti-patterns

• Do not invent MCP or sub-agent behavior as "built into core"; check pi-mono/packages/coding-agent/README.md philosophy section for what core omits.
• Do not claim exact merge behavior without citing resource-loader.ts and skills.ts.
• Do not describe compaction cut-point behavior from memory; cite compaction.md algorithm section.
• Do not guess credential resolution order; cite providers.md for the exact precedence.