README.md

interactive-bash (pi extension)

Runs selected ! commands in a real interactive terminal so stdin works (password prompts, read -p, interactive scripts).

Why

By default, some commands run from ! may not have a true interactive TTY in all setups. This extension intercepts user_bash and executes matching commands with stdio: inherit while the TUI is temporarily suspended.

Behavior

• Intercepts user ! commands only (not agent bash tool calls)
• Uses your shell ($SHELL, fallback /bin/bash)
• Suspends pi TUI, runs command in full-screen terminal, then restores TUI

Usage

• Force interactive execution for any command:

!i ./script-that-prompts.sh
!i sudo apt update

• Inline prompt bridge for common read usage in normal ! mode:

!read -p "Project name: " name && echo "hello $name"
!read name && echo "hello $name"

• pi shows an inline ctx.ui.input prompt

• command is rewritten as name='<your input>' && echo "hello $name"

• this keeps simple prompt UX inside the pi section

• Auto-interactive detection is enabled for commands containing common patterns:

  • sudo
  • read (complex forms fall back to full interactive mode)
  • python, python3, node, bash, sh

• Force all ! commands to run interactively:

PI_INTERACTIVE_BASH_ALL=1 pi

Install

Copy this folder into a standard pi extension location:

• Global: ~/.pi/agent/extensions/interactive-bash/
• Project-local: .pi/extensions/interactive-bash/

Required file:

• index.ts

Then run /reload.

Notes

• In non-interactive modes (-p, json/rpc without UI), interactive fallback cannot run and returns an error result.
• Interactive command output is shown directly in your terminal. The session gets only a short status line.
• Inline read prompt bridging currently supports only leading forms like:
  • read -p "..." var
  • read -r -p "..." var
  • read -p '...' var
  • read var
  • read -r var
• More advanced shell constructs (read in loops/functions/heredocs/multiple reads) should use !i ....