refactor: extract cli_config.py from cli.py (−605 lines)

[xandgate]

Extracts config loading/saving, prefill message handling, reasoning/service-tier parsing, and content-processing helpers into cli_config.py.

cli.py re-imports all moved names, so existing from cli import X call sites keep working. Tests that monkeypatched _hermes_home now patch cli_config.

Supersedes #12355 which was stale (main moved 3993 commits ahead).

What does this PR do?

Extracts the configuration cluster from cli.py (18,485 lines) into a focused cli_config.py module (641 lines), as part of the god-file modularization goal in AGENTS.md ("Refactor god-files into clean modules").

The config cluster is a self-contained group of 10 top-level functions that handle config loading/saving, prefill message resolution, and reasoning/service-tier parsing. They have clean boundaries and no dependencies on the HermesCLI class or main(). This is the first of 3 small PRs splitting the old #12355 into independently reviewable extractions.

Related Issue

Supersedes #12355 (same extraction, re-done from current main after 3,993 commits diverged). Split into 3 smaller PRs for easier review:

• Part 1: cli_config.py (this PR)
• Part 2: cli_git.py - refactor: extract cli_git.py from cli.py (−978 lines) #79789
• Part 3: cli_display.py - refactor: extract cli_display.py from cli.py (−988 lines) #79790

Type of Change

• ♻️ Refactor (no behavior change)

Changes Made

• Created cli_config.py (641 lines) with verbatim moves of:
  • _REASONING_TAGS, _strip_reasoning_tags(), _assistant_content_as_text(), _assistant_copy_text()
  • _load_prefill_messages(), _resolve_prefill_messages_file()
  • _parse_reasoning_config(), _parse_service_tier_config()
  • load_cli_config() (~491 lines), save_config_value()
• Modified cli.py (18,485 → 17,880 lines, −605 net):
  • Removed extracted function bodies
  • Added from cli_config import (...) re-import block after existing imports
• Updated 9 test files to patch cli_config._hermes_home instead of cli._hermes_home:
  • tests/cli/test_cli_init.py (4 sites)
  • tests/cli/test_cli_save_config_value.py
  • tests/hermes_cli/test_config_env_expansion.py (2 sites)
  • tests/hermes_cli/test_ignore_user_config_flags.py
  • tests/hermes_cli/test_managed_scope_cli_config.py
  • tests/hermes_cli/test_reasoning_full_command.py
  • tests/hermes_cli/test_timestamps_command.py
  • tests/test_tui_gateway_server.py

How to Test

1. python -c "import cli_config; print('ok')" — module imports cleanly
2. python -c "import cli; print('ok')" — cli.py still imports with re-exports
3. pytest tests/cli tests/hermes_cli -x →761 passed, 1 skipped, 1 pre-existing failure (test_resume_quiet_stderr.py — fails on clean main too)

Checklist

Code

• I've read the Contributing Guide
• My commit messages follow Conventional Commits (refactor: extract cli_config.py from cli.py (−605 lines))
• I searched for existing PRs to make sure this isn't a duplicate
• My PR contains only changes related to this fix/feature (no unrelated commits)
• I've run pytest tests/ -q and all tests pass (761 passed, 1 skipped; 1 pre-existing failure on clean main)
• I've added tests for my changes (updated 9 test files to patch the new module)
• I've tested on my platform: Ubuntu 24.04

Documentation & Housekeeping

• I've updated relevant documentation (README, docs/, docstrings) — or N/A
• I've updated cli-config.yaml.example if I added/changed config keys — or N/A
• I've updated CONTRIBUTING.md or AGENTS.md if I changed architecture or workflows — or N/A
• I've considered cross-platform impact (Windows, macOS) per the compatibility guide — or N/A
• I've updated tool descriptions/schemas if I changed tool behavior — or N/A

Screenshots / Logs

$ python -m pytest tests/cli tests/hermes_cli -x 
================== 1 failed, 761 passed, 1 skipped in 55.24s ==================
The 1 failure (test_resume_quiet_stderr.py) is pre-existing on clean main.

[alt-glitch]

This was generated by AI during triage.

Related: this is the focused Part 1 split of the broader open #12355 cli.py extraction. It is a subset, not a duplicate.

[xandgate]

Thanks @alt-glitch. Correct — this is the focused Part 1 of 3 PRs splitting the stale #12355 into independently reviewable extractions. Parts 2 and 3 are now open: #79789 (cli_git.py) and #79790 (cli_display.py). Each can be reviewed and merged independently.