Fix Spectre markup rendering in CLI selection prompts

src/Aspire.Cli/Backchannel/AppHostConnectionResolver.cs

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 using Aspire.Cli.Interaction;
 using Aspire.Cli.Utils;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;
+using Spectre.Console;
 
 namespace Aspire.Cli.Backchannel;
 
@@ -125,7 +126,7 @@ public async Task<AppHostConnectionResult> ResolveConnectionAsync(
             var selectedDisplay = await interactionService.PromptForSelectionAsync(
                 selectPrompt,
                 choices.Select(c => c.Display).ToArray(),
-                c => c,
+                c => c.EscapeMarkup(),
                 cancellationToken);
 
             selectedConnection = choices.FirstOrDefault(c => c.Display == selectedDisplay).Connection;
@@ -148,7 +149,7 @@ public async Task<AppHostConnectionResult> ResolveConnectionAsync(
             var selectedDisplay = await interactionService.PromptForSelectionAsync(
                 selectPrompt,
                 choices.Select(c => c.Display).ToArray(),
-                c => c,
+                c => c.EscapeMarkup(),
                 cancellationToken);
 
             selectedConnection = choices.FirstOrDefault(c => c.Display == selectedDisplay).Connection;

src/Aspire.Cli/Commands/AddCommand.cs

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 using Aspire.Cli.Telemetry;
 using Aspire.Cli.Utils;
 using Semver;
+using Spectre.Console;
 using NuGetPackage = Aspire.Shared.NuGetPackageCli;
 
 namespace Aspire.Cli.Commands;
@@ -325,7 +326,7 @@ internal class AddCommandPrompter(IInteractionService interactionService) : IAdd
         // Helper to keep labels consistently formatted: "Version (source)"
         static string FormatVersionLabel((string FriendlyName, NuGetPackage Package, PackageChannel Channel) item)
         {
-            return $"{item.Package.Version} ({item.Channel.SourceDetails})";
+            return $"{item.Package.Version.EscapeMarkup()} ({item.Channel.SourceDetails.EscapeMarkup()})";
         }
 
         async Task<(string FriendlyName, NuGetPackage Package, PackageChannel Channel)> PromptForChannelPackagesAsync(
@@ -395,7 +396,7 @@ static string FormatVersionLabel((string FriendlyName, NuGetPackage Package, Pac
             var item = channelGroup.HighestVersion;
 
             rootChoices.Add((
-                Label: channel.Name,
+                Label: channel.Name.EscapeMarkup(),
                 // For explicit channels, we still show submenu but with only the highest version
                 Action: ct => PromptForChannelPackagesAsync(channel, new[] { item }, ct)
             ));
@@ -442,11 +443,11 @@ private static string PackageNameWithFriendlyNameIfAvailable((string FriendlyNam
     {
         if (packageWithFriendlyName.FriendlyName is { } friendlyName)
         {
-            return $"[bold]{friendlyName}[/] ({packageWithFriendlyName.Package.Id})";
+            return $"[bold]{friendlyName.EscapeMarkup()}[/] ({packageWithFriendlyName.Package.Id.EscapeMarkup()})";
         }
         else
         {
-            return packageWithFriendlyName.Package.Id;
+            return packageWithFriendlyName.Package.Id.EscapeMarkup();
         }
     }
 }

src/Aspire.Cli/Commands/InitCommand.cs

@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ later as needed.
             var selectedProjects = await InteractionService.PromptForSelectionsAsync(
                 "Select projects to add to the AppHost:",
                 initContext.ExecutableProjects,
-                project => Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(project.ProjectFile.Name),
+                project => Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(project.ProjectFile.Name).EscapeMarkup(),
                 cancellationToken);
 
             initContext.ExecutableProjectsToAddToAppHost = selectedProjects;
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ ServiceDefaults project contains helper code to make it easier
                         initContext.ProjectsToAddServiceDefaultsTo = await InteractionService.PromptForSelectionsAsync(
                             "Select projects to add ServiceDefaults reference to:",
                             initContext.ExecutableProjectsToAddToAppHost,
-                            project => Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(project.ProjectFile.Name),
+                            project => Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(project.ProjectFile.Name).EscapeMarkup(),
                             cancellationToken);
                         break;
                     case "none":

src/Aspire.Cli/Commands/NewCommand.cs

@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ internal class NewCommandPrompter(IInteractionService interactionService) : INew
         static string FormatPackageLabel((NuGetPackage Package, PackageChannel Channel) item)
         {
             // Keep it concise: "Version (source)"
-            return $"{item.Package.Version} ({item.Channel.SourceDetails})";
+            return $"{item.Package.Version.EscapeMarkup()} ({item.Channel.SourceDetails.EscapeMarkup()})";
         }
 
         async Task<(NuGetPackage Package, PackageChannel Channel)> PromptForChannelPackagesAsync(
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ static string FormatPackageLabel((NuGetPackage Package, PackageChannel Channel)
             var items = channelGroup.ToArray();
 
             rootChoices.Add((
-                Label: channel.Name,
+                Label: channel.Name.EscapeMarkup(),
                 Action: ct => PromptForChannelPackagesAsync(channel, items, ct)
             ));
         }
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ public virtual async Task<ITemplate> PromptForTemplateAsync(ITemplate[] validTem
         return await interactionService.PromptForSelectionAsync(
             NewCommandStrings.SelectAProjectTemplate,
             validTemplates,
-            t => t.Description,
+            t => t.Description.EscapeMarkup(),
             cancellationToken
         );
     }

src/Aspire.Cli/Commands/PipelineCommandBase.cs

@@ -804,7 +804,7 @@ private async Task HandlePromptActivityAsync(PublishingActivity activity, IAppHo
         var (value, displayText) = await InteractionService.PromptForSelectionAsync(
             promptText,
             options,
-            choice => choice.Value,
+            choice => choice.Value.EscapeMarkup(),
             cancellationToken);
 
         if (value == CustomChoiceValue)

src/Aspire.Cli/Commands/PublishCommand.cs

@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ public virtual async Task<string> PromptForPublisherAsync(IEnumerable<string> pu
         return await interactionService.PromptForSelectionAsync(
             PublishCommandStrings.SelectAPublisher,
             publishers,
-            p => p,
+            p => p.EscapeMarkup(),
             cancellationToken
         );
     }

src/Aspire.Cli/Commands/UpdateCommand.cs

@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ protected override async Task<int> ExecuteAsync(ParseResult parseResult, Cancell
                     channel = await InteractionService.PromptForSelectionAsync(
                         UpdateCommandStrings.SelectChannelPrompt,
                         allChannels,
-                        (c) => $"{c.Name} ({c.SourceDetails})",
+                        (c) => $"{c.Name.EscapeMarkup()} ({c.SourceDetails.EscapeMarkup()})",
                         cancellationToken);
                 }
                 else

src/Aspire.Cli/Interaction/ConsoleInteractionService.cs

@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ public async Task<T> PromptForSelectionAsync<T>(string promptText, IEnumerable<T
 
         var prompt = new SelectionPrompt<T>()
             .Title(promptText)
-            .UseConverter(item => choiceFormatter(item).EscapeMarkup())
+            .UseConverter(choiceFormatter)
             .AddChoices(choices)
             .PageSize(10)
             .EnableSearch();
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ public async Task<IReadOnlyList<T>> PromptForSelectionsAsync<T>(string promptTex
 
         var prompt = new MultiSelectionPrompt<T>()
             .Title(promptText)
-            .UseConverter(item => choiceFormatter(item).EscapeMarkup())
+            .UseConverter(choiceFormatter)
             .AddChoices(choices)
             .PageSize(10);
 

src/Aspire.Cli/Projects/ProjectLocator.cs

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 using Aspire.Cli.Utils;
 using Aspire.Hosting.Utils;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;
+using Spectre.Console;
 
 namespace Aspire.Cli.Projects;
 
@@ -199,7 +200,7 @@ public async Task<AppHostProjectSearchResult> UseOrFindAppHostProjectFileAsync(F
                         projectFile = await interactionService.PromptForSelectionAsync(
                             InteractionServiceStrings.SelectAppHostToUse,
                             appHostProjects,
-                            file => $"{file.Name} ({Path.GetRelativePath(executionContext.WorkingDirectory.FullName, file.FullName)})",
+                            file => $"{file.Name.EscapeMarkup()} ({Path.GetRelativePath(executionContext.WorkingDirectory.FullName, file.FullName).EscapeMarkup()})",
                             cancellationToken
                         );
                     }
@@ -277,7 +278,7 @@ public async Task<AppHostProjectSearchResult> UseOrFindAppHostProjectFileAsync(F
             selectedAppHost = multipleAppHostProjectsFoundBehavior switch
             {
                 MultipleAppHostProjectsFoundBehavior.Throw => throw new ProjectLocatorException(ErrorStrings.MultipleProjectFilesFound),
-                MultipleAppHostProjectsFoundBehavior.Prompt => await interactionService.PromptForSelectionAsync(InteractionServiceStrings.SelectAppHostToUse, results.BuildableAppHost, projectFile => $"{projectFile.Name} ({Path.GetRelativePath(executionContext.WorkingDirectory.FullName, projectFile.FullName)})", cancellationToken),
+                MultipleAppHostProjectsFoundBehavior.Prompt => await interactionService.PromptForSelectionAsync(InteractionServiceStrings.SelectAppHostToUse, results.BuildableAppHost, projectFile => $"{projectFile.Name.EscapeMarkup()} ({Path.GetRelativePath(executionContext.WorkingDirectory.FullName, projectFile.FullName).EscapeMarkup()})", cancellationToken),
                 MultipleAppHostProjectsFoundBehavior.None => null,
                 _ => selectedAppHost
             };

src/Aspire.Cli/Projects/SolutionLocator.cs

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 using Aspire.Cli.Interaction;
 using Aspire.Cli.Resources;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;
+using Spectre.Console;
 
 namespace Aspire.Cli.Projects;
 
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ internal sealed class SolutionLocator(ILogger<SolutionLocator> logger, IInteract
             var selectedSolution = await interactionService.PromptForSelectionAsync(
                 InitCommandStrings.MultipleSolutionsFound,
                 solutionFiles,
-                solutionFile => $"{solutionFile.Name} ({Path.GetRelativePath(startDirectory.FullName, solutionFile.FullName)})",
+                solutionFile => $"{solutionFile.Name.EscapeMarkup()} ({Path.GetRelativePath(startDirectory.FullName, solutionFile.FullName).EscapeMarkup()})",
                 cancellationToken);
 
             return selectedSolution;

tests/Aspire.Cli.Tests/Interaction/ConsoleInteractionServiceTests.cs

@@ -547,4 +547,70 @@ public void DisplaySubtleMessage_WithMarkupCharacters_EscapesByDefault()
         var outputString = output.ToString();
         Assert.Contains("[Module]", outputString);
     }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void SelectionPrompt_ConverterPreservesIntentionalMarkup()
+    {
+        // Arrange - verifies that PromptForSelectionAsync does NOT escape the formatter output,
+        // allowing callers to include intentional Spectre markup (e.g., [bold]...[/]).
+        // This is a regression test for https://github.com/dotnet/aspire/issues/XXXXX where
+        // blanket EscapeMarkup() in the converter broke [bold] rendering in 'aspire add'.
+        var output = new StringBuilder();
+        var console = AnsiConsole.Create(new AnsiConsoleSettings
+        {
+            Ansi = AnsiSupport.Yes,
+            ColorSystem = ColorSystemSupport.Standard,
+            Out = new AnsiConsoleOutput(new StringWriter(output))
+        });
+
+        // Build a SelectionPrompt the same way ConsoleInteractionService does,
+        // using a formatter that returns intentional markup (like AddCommand does).
+        Func<string, string> choiceFormatter = item => $"[bold]{item}[/] (Aspire.Hosting.{item})";
+
+        var prompt = new SelectionPrompt<string>()
+            .Title("Select an integration:")
+            .UseConverter(choiceFormatter)
+            .AddChoices(["PostgreSQL", "Redis"]);
+
+        // Act - verify the converter output preserves the [bold] markup
+        // by checking that the converter is the formatter itself (not wrapped with EscapeMarkup)
+        var converterOutput = choiceFormatter("PostgreSQL");
+
+        // Assert - the formatter should produce raw markup, not escaped markup
+        Assert.Equal("[bold]PostgreSQL[/] (Aspire.Hosting.PostgreSQL)", converterOutput);
+        Assert.DoesNotContain("[[bold]]", converterOutput); // Must NOT be escaped
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void SelectionPrompt_ConverterWithBracketsInData_MustBeEscapedByCaller()
+    {
+        // Arrange - verifies that callers are responsible for escaping dynamic data
+        // that may contain bracket characters, while preserving intentional markup.
+        // This tests the pattern used by AddCommand.PackageNameWithFriendlyNameIfAvailable.
+        var output = new StringBuilder();
+        var console = AnsiConsole.Create(new AnsiConsoleSettings
+        {
+            Ansi = AnsiSupport.No,
+            ColorSystem = ColorSystemSupport.NoColors,
+            Out = new AnsiConsoleOutput(new StringWriter(output))
+        });
+
+        // Simulate a package name that contains brackets (e.g., from an external source)
+        var friendlyName = "Azure Storage [Preview]";
+        var packageId = "Aspire.Hosting.Azure.Storage";
+
+        // The formatter should escape dynamic values but preserve intentional markup
+        var formattedOutput = $"[bold]{friendlyName.EscapeMarkup()}[/] ({packageId.EscapeMarkup()})";
+
+        // Assert - intentional markup preserved, dynamic brackets escaped
+        Assert.Equal("[bold]Azure Storage [[Preview]][/] (Aspire.Hosting.Azure.Storage)", formattedOutput);
+
+        // Verify Spectre can render this without throwing
+        var exception = Record.Exception(() => console.MarkupLine(formattedOutput));
+        Assert.Null(exception);
+
+        var outputString = output.ToString();
+        Assert.Contains("Azure Storage [Preview]", outputString);
+        Assert.Contains("Aspire.Hosting.Azure.Storage", outputString);
+    }
 }