Merge branch 'claude/serene-ptolemy-36ca25': background subagent tool activity (#829)

src/server/__tests__/translateCliMessage.agentToolActivity.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'bun:test'
+import { translateCliMessage } from '../ws/handler.js'
+
+// A background (async) agent's tool activity arrives on the parent stdout
+// stream as a system/agent_tool_activity SDK event. translateCliMessage must
+// re-emit it as a normal tool_use_complete / tool_result carrying the parent
+// Agent tool_use_id, so the desktop groups it under the agent card exactly
+// like a synchronous subagent (childToolCallsByParent). Regression guard for
+// the "background subagents stuck on 'no tool activity'" bug.
+describe('translateCliMessage: agent_tool_activity', () => {
+  it('re-emits a background tool_use as tool_use_complete with the parent id', () => {
+    const out = translateCliMessage(
+      {
+        type: 'system',
+        subtype: 'agent_tool_activity',
+        task_id: 'agent-1',
+        tool_use_id: 'toolu_parent',
+        activity: {
+          kind: 'tool_use',
+          tool_name: 'Bash',
+          tool_use_id: 'toolu_child',
+          input: { command: 'ls' },
+        },
+      },
+      'session-1',
+    )
+    expect(out).toEqual([
+      {
+        type: 'tool_use_complete',
+        toolName: 'Bash',
+        toolUseId: 'toolu_child',
+        input: { command: 'ls' },
+        parentToolUseId: 'toolu_parent',
+      },
+    ])
+  })
+
+  it('re-emits a background tool_result with the parent id', () => {
+    const out = translateCliMessage(
+      {
+        type: 'system',
+        subtype: 'agent_tool_activity',
+        task_id: 'agent-1',
+        tool_use_id: 'toolu_parent',
+        activity: {
+          kind: 'tool_result',
+          tool_use_id: 'toolu_child',
+          content: 'done',
+          is_error: true,
+        },
+      },
+      'session-1',
+    )
+    expect(out).toEqual([
+      {
+        type: 'tool_result',
+        toolUseId: 'toolu_child',
+        content: 'done',
+        isError: true,
+        parentToolUseId: 'toolu_parent',
+      },
+    ])
+  })
+
+  it('returns nothing for an unknown activity kind', () => {
+    const out = translateCliMessage(
+      {
+        type: 'system',
+        subtype: 'agent_tool_activity',
+        task_id: 'agent-1',
+        tool_use_id: 'toolu_parent',
+        activity: { kind: 'mystery' },
+      },
+      'session-1',
+    )
+    expect(out).toEqual([])
+  })
+})

src/server/ws/handler.ts

@@ -1825,6 +1825,34 @@ export function translateCliMessage(cliMsg: any, sessionId: string): ServerMessa
           },
         ]
       }
+      if (subtype === 'agent_tool_activity') {
+        // Tool activity streamed from a background (async) agent. Re-emit as a
+        // normal tool_use_complete / tool_result carrying the parent Agent
+        // tool_use_id, so the desktop groups it under the agent card exactly
+        // like a synchronous subagent (childToolCallsByParent).
+        const activity = cliMsg.activity
+        const parentToolUseId =
+          typeof cliMsg.tool_use_id === 'string' ? cliMsg.tool_use_id : undefined
+        if (activity?.kind === 'tool_use') {
+          return [{
+            type: 'tool_use_complete',
+            toolName: activity.tool_name,
+            toolUseId: activity.tool_use_id,
+            input: activity.input,
+            parentToolUseId,
+          }]
+        }
+        if (activity?.kind === 'tool_result') {
+          return [{
+            type: 'tool_result',
+            toolUseId: activity.tool_use_id,
+            content: activity.content,
+            isError: activity.is_error === true,
+            parentToolUseId,
+          }]
+        }
+        return []
+      }
       if (subtype === 'session_state_changed') {
         return [{
           type: 'system_notification',

src/tools/AgentTool/agentToolUtils.test.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-import { afterEach, describe, expect, test } from 'bun:test'
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, spyOn, test } from 'bun:test'
+import * as sdkEventQueue from '../../utils/sdkEventQueue.js'
 import type { AppState } from '../../state/AppState.js'
 import { IDLE_SPECULATION_STATE } from '../../state/AppStateStore.js'
 import { createTaskStateBase } from '../../Task.js'
@@ -10,8 +11,9 @@ import {
   getCommandQueue,
   resetCommandQueue,
 } from '../../utils/messageQueueManager.js'
-import { createAssistantMessage } from '../../utils/messages.js'
+import { createAssistantMessage, createUserMessage } from '../../utils/messages.js'
-import { runAsyncAgentLifecycle } from './agentToolUtils.js'
+import { extractAgentToolActivities, runAsyncAgentLifecycle } from './agentToolUtils.js'
+import { SYNTHETIC_OUTPUT_TOOL_NAME } from '../SyntheticOutputTool/SyntheticOutputTool.js'
 
 describe('runAsyncAgentLifecycle', () => {
   afterEach(() => {
@@ -92,4 +94,151 @@ describe('runAsyncAgentLifecycle', () => {
     )
     expect(String(getCommandQueue()[0]?.value)).toContain('Review complete.')
   })
+
+  test('streams a background agent\'s tool activity tagged with the parent tool_use id', async () => {
+    const emitSpy = spyOn(sdkEventQueue, 'emitAgentToolActivity').mockImplementation(
+      () => {},
+    )
+    try {
+      const taskId = 'agent-activity'
+      const abortController = new AbortController()
+      const task: LocalAgentTaskState = {
+        ...createTaskStateBase(taskId, 'local_agent', 'Probe', 'toolu_parent'),
+        status: 'running',
+        agentId: taskId,
+        prompt: 'Probe',
+        agentType: 'general-purpose',
+        abortController,
+        retrieved: false,
+        lastReportedToolCount: 0,
+        lastReportedTokenCount: 0,
+        isBackgrounded: true,
+        pendingMessages: [],
+        retain: false,
+        diskLoaded: false,
+      }
+      let appState = {
+        tasks: { [taskId]: task },
+        toolPermissionContext: getEmptyToolPermissionContext(),
+        speculation: IDLE_SPECULATION_STATE,
+      } as unknown as AppState
+      const setAppState = (updater: (prev: AppState) => AppState): void => {
+        appState = updater(appState)
+      }
+      const toolUseMsg = createAssistantMessage({
+        content: [
+          { type: 'tool_use', id: 'toolu_child', name: 'Bash', input: { command: 'ls' } },
+        ],
+      }) as Message
+      const toolResultMsg = createUserMessage({
+        content: [
+          { type: 'tool_result', tool_use_id: 'toolu_child', content: 'files', is_error: false },
+        ],
+      }) as Message
+      async function* makeStream(): AsyncGenerator<Message, void> {
+        yield toolUseMsg
+        yield toolResultMsg
+      }
+
+      await Promise.race([
+        runAsyncAgentLifecycle({
+          taskId,
+          abortController,
+          makeStream,
+          metadata: {
+            prompt: 'Probe',
+            resolvedAgentModel: 'test-model',
+            isBuiltInAgent: true,
+            startTime: Date.now(),
+            agentType: 'general-purpose',
+            isAsync: true,
+          },
+          description: 'Probe',
+          toolUseContext: {
+            options: { tools: [] },
+            toolUseId: 'toolu_parent',
+            getAppState: () => appState,
+          } as unknown as ToolUseContext,
+          rootSetAppState: setAppState,
+          agentIdForCleanup: taskId,
+          enableSummarization: false,
+          getWorktreeResult: () => new Promise(() => {}),
+        }).then(() => 'completed'),
+        new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(() => resolve('timed-out'), 50)),
+      ])
+
+      expect(emitSpy.mock.calls).toContainEqual([
+        taskId,
+        'toolu_parent',
+        { kind: 'tool_use', tool_name: 'Bash', tool_use_id: 'toolu_child', input: { command: 'ls' } },
+      ])
+      expect(emitSpy.mock.calls).toContainEqual([
+        taskId,
+        'toolu_parent',
+        { kind: 'tool_result', tool_use_id: 'toolu_child', content: 'files', is_error: false },
+      ])
+    } finally {
+      emitSpy.mockRestore()
+    }
+  })
+})
+
+describe('extractAgentToolActivities', () => {
+  test('extracts tool_use blocks from an assistant message', () => {
+    const message = createAssistantMessage({
+      content: [
+        { type: 'text', text: 'Running a command' },
+        { type: 'tool_use', id: 'toolu_1', name: 'Bash', input: { command: 'ls' } },
+      ],
+    }) as Message
+    expect(extractAgentToolActivities(message)).toEqual([
+      { kind: 'tool_use', tool_name: 'Bash', tool_use_id: 'toolu_1', input: { command: 'ls' } },
+    ])
+  })
+
+  test('skips the internal StructuredOutput tool', () => {
+    const message = createAssistantMessage({
+      content: [
+        { type: 'tool_use', id: 'toolu_1', name: SYNTHETIC_OUTPUT_TOOL_NAME, input: {} },
+        { type: 'tool_use', id: 'toolu_2', name: 'Read', input: { file_path: '/a' } },
+      ],
+    }) as Message
+    expect(extractAgentToolActivities(message)).toEqual([
+      { kind: 'tool_use', tool_name: 'Read', tool_use_id: 'toolu_2', input: { file_path: '/a' } },
+    ])
+  })
+
+  test('extracts tool_result blocks from a user message', () => {
+    const message = createUserMessage({
+      content: [
+        { type: 'tool_result', tool_use_id: 'toolu_1', content: 'output', is_error: false },
+      ],
+    }) as Message
+    expect(extractAgentToolActivities(message)).toEqual([
+      { kind: 'tool_result', tool_use_id: 'toolu_1', content: 'output', is_error: false },
+    ])
+  })
+
+  test('marks errored tool_result blocks', () => {
+    const message = createUserMessage({
+      content: [
+        { type: 'tool_result', tool_use_id: 'toolu_1', content: 'boom', is_error: true },
+      ],
+    }) as Message
+    expect(extractAgentToolActivities(message)).toEqual([
+      { kind: 'tool_result', tool_use_id: 'toolu_1', content: 'boom', is_error: true },
+    ])
+  })
+
+  test('returns empty for string-only user content', () => {
+    const message = createUserMessage({ content: 'just text' }) as Message
+    expect(extractAgentToolActivities(message)).toEqual([])
+  })
+
+  test('returns empty for an assistant message with no tool_use', () => {
+    const message = createAssistantMessage({
+      content: [{ type: 'text', text: 'no tools here' }],
+    }) as Message
+    expect(extractAgentToolActivities(message)).toEqual([])
+  })
 })

src/tools/AgentTool/agentToolUtils.ts

@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ import {
   classifyYoloAction,
 } from '../../utils/permissions/yoloClassifier.js'
 import { emitTaskProgress as emitTaskProgressEvent } from '../../utils/task/sdkProgress.js'
+import { emitAgentToolActivity, type AgentToolActivity } from '../../utils/sdkEventQueue.js'
+import { SYNTHETIC_OUTPUT_TOOL_NAME } from '../SyntheticOutputTool/SyntheticOutputTool.js'
 import { isInProcessTeammate } from '../../utils/teammateContext.js'
 import { getTokenCountFromUsage } from '../../utils/tokens.js'
 import { EXIT_PLAN_MODE_V2_TOOL_NAME } from '../ExitPlanModeTool/constants.js'
@@ -366,6 +368,48 @@ export function getLastToolUseName(message: MessageType): string | undefined {
   return block?.type === 'tool_use' ? block.name : undefined
 }
 
+/**
+ * Extract the tool_use / tool_result blocks from a background agent message so
+ * they can be streamed to the desktop as the agent's tool activity. Skips the
+ * internal StructuredOutput tool (matches updateProgressFromMessage) and
+ * non-array user content (string-only messages carry no tool_result).
+ */
+export function extractAgentToolActivities(
+  message: MessageType,
+): AgentToolActivity[] {
+  if (message.type === 'assistant') {
+    const activities: AgentToolActivity[] = []
+    for (const block of message.message.content) {
+      if (block.type === 'tool_use' && block.name !== SYNTHETIC_OUTPUT_TOOL_NAME) {
+        activities.push({
+          kind: 'tool_use',
+          tool_name: block.name,
+          tool_use_id: block.id,
+          input: block.input,
+        })
+      }
+    }
+    return activities
+  }
+  if (message.type === 'user') {
+    const content = message.message.content
+    if (!Array.isArray(content)) return []
+    const activities: AgentToolActivity[] = []
+    for (const block of content) {
+      if (block.type === 'tool_result') {
+        activities.push({
+          kind: 'tool_result',
+          tool_use_id: block.tool_use_id,
+          content: block.content,
+          is_error: block.is_error === true,
+        })
+      }
+    }
+    return activities
+  }
+  return []
+}
+
 export function emitTaskProgress(
   tracker: ProgressTracker,
   taskId: string,
@@ -579,6 +623,19 @@ export async function runAsyncAgentLifecycle({
         getProgressUpdate(tracker),
         rootSetAppState,
       )
+      // Stream this background agent's tool activity to the desktop so its
+      // card shows tool_use/tool_result in real time (childToolCallsByParent),
+      // instead of being stuck on "no tool activity". Synchronous subagents
+      // surface activity through the normal in-loop progress path; background
+      // agents are detached (void runAsyncAgentLifecycle), so we route through
+      // the SDK event queue → stdout → ws handler, tagged with the parent
+      // Agent tool_use_id so the UI groups it under the right card.
+      const parentToolUseId = toolUseContext.toolUseId
+      if (parentToolUseId) {
+        for (const activity of extractAgentToolActivities(message)) {
+          emitAgentToolActivity(taskId, parentToolUseId, activity)
+        }
+      }
       const lastToolName = getLastToolUseName(message)
       if (lastToolName) {
         emitTaskProgress(

src/utils/sdkEventQueue.ts

@@ -66,11 +66,45 @@ type SessionStateChangedEvent = {
   state: 'idle' | 'running' | 'requires_action'
 }
 
+// A single tool_use / tool_result produced by a background (async) agent.
+export type AgentToolActivity =
+  | {
+      kind: 'tool_use'
+      tool_name: string
+      tool_use_id: string
+      input: unknown
+    }
+  | {
+      kind: 'tool_result'
+      tool_use_id: string
+      content: unknown
+      is_error: boolean
+    }
+
+// Emitted per tool_use / tool_result produced by a BACKGROUND (async) agent.
+// Background agents run detached from the main query loop (void
+// runAsyncAgentLifecycle), so their tool activity never reaches the parent's
+// stdout stream the way a synchronous subagent's progress messages do —
+// which is why the desktop shows their cards stuck on "no tool activity".
+// Draining these into the output stream lets the desktop handler re-emit them
+// as tool_use_complete / tool_result carrying the parent Agent tool_use_id, so
+// the UI groups them under the agent card (childToolCallsByParent) exactly
+// like a synchronous subagent. Does NOT trigger the LLM loop.
+type AgentToolActivityEvent = {
+  type: 'system'
+  subtype: 'agent_tool_activity'
+  task_id: string
+  // Parent Agent tool_use id — the card this activity belongs under.
+  tool_use_id: string
+  activity: AgentToolActivity
+}
+
 export type SdkEvent =
   | TaskStartedEvent
   | TaskProgressEvent
   | TaskNotificationSdkEvent
   | SessionStateChangedEvent
+  | AgentToolActivityEvent
 
 const MAX_QUEUE_SIZE = 1000
 const queue: SdkEvent[] = []
@@ -133,3 +167,25 @@ export function emitTaskTerminatedSdk(
     usage: opts?.usage,
   })
 }
+
+/**
+ * Emit one tool_use / tool_result produced by a background (async) agent so
+ * the desktop can render it under the parent Agent card in real time.
+ *
+ * No-op in interactive (TUI) mode — enqueueSdkEvent only queues in
+ * headless/streaming mode (the desktop's CLI subprocess), and synchronous
+ * subagents already surface their activity through the normal progress path.
+ */
+export function emitAgentToolActivity(
+  taskId: string,
+  parentToolUseId: string,
+  activity: AgentToolActivity,
+): void {
+  enqueueSdkEvent({
+    type: 'system',
+    subtype: 'agent_tool_activity',
+    task_id: taskId,
+    tool_use_id: parentToolUseId,
+    activity,
+  })
+}