@companion-ai/feynman 0.5.35 → 0.5.36

package/RELEASES.md

@@ -6,6 +6,16 @@ GitHub release notes are generated from the matching `## vX.Y.Z` section in this
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+## v0.5.36 - 2026-10-12
+
+- **A new user gets to a working model instead of a dead end.** Launching `feynman` with no model opens a menu to set one up.
+  - Typing a question there moved the selection onto Cancel: the menu treated `h`, `j`, `k` and `l` as arrow keys. Only the arrow keys move it now.
+  - Cancel used to go on to optional packages, an alphaXiv sign-in that defaulted to Yes, and pandoc, then said "Feynman is ready" with no model. It now exits and says how to add a model, and that your question was not sent.
+  - The first launch asks only for the model. Packages, alphaXiv and pandoc stay in `feynman setup`, where alphaXiv now defaults to No.
+  - Esc in a provider list goes back to the previous menu instead of ending setup.
+  - `feynman -p "…"` with no model now says how to add one, instead of pointing at Pi's `/login` and files inside `node_modules`.
+- `feynman help` drops the duplicate "Getting Started" list and calls the flag section "Options".
+
 ## v0.5.35 - 2026-10-11
 
 - **PubMed group authors keep their affiliations.** Consortium and study-group authors came back with no affiliations; they now keep them, as individual authors do. Thanks to @KennyMcSimpson (#335).

package/dist/cli.js

@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import { fetchLatestFeynmanVersion, getFeynmanUpgradeLines, isNewerVersion } fro
 import { runDoctor, runStatus } from "./setup/doctor.js";
 import { setupPreviewDependencies } from "./setup/preview.js";
 import { runSetup } from "./setup/setup.js";
+import { noModelMessage } from "./setup/prompts.js";
 import { captureTelemetryEvent, captureTelemetryException, getCliTelemetryMetadata, initializePostHogTelemetry, shutdownPostHogTelemetry, telemetryErrorProperties, telemetryFirstRunNotice, } from "./telemetry/posthog.js";
 import { ASH, printAsciiHeader, printInfo, printPanel, printSection, RESET, SAGE } from "./ui/terminal.js";
 import { createModelRuntime } from "./model/registry.js";
@@ -57,12 +58,6 @@ function printHelp(appRoot) {
         "The open source AI research agent.",
         "Use `feynman setup` first if this is a new machine.",
     ]);
-    printSection("Getting Started");
-    printInfo("feynman");
-    printInfo("feynman setup");
-    printInfo("feynman doctor");
-    printInfo("feynman model");
-    printInfo("feynman search status");
     printSection("Commands");
     for (const section of cliCommandSections) {
         for (const command of section.commands) {
@@ -73,7 +68,7 @@ function printHelp(appRoot) {
     for (const command of workflowCommands) {
         printHelpLine(formatCliWorkflowUsage(command), command.description);
     }
-    printSection("Legacy Flags");
+    printSection("Options");
     for (const flag of legacyFlags) {
         printHelpLine(flag.usage, flag.description);
     }
@@ -652,6 +647,10 @@ async function runMain(input) {
         }
         explicitModelSpec = canonicalModelSpec;
     }
+    const workflowCommandNames = new Set(readPromptSpecs(appRoot).filter((s) => s.topLevelCli).map((s) => s.name));
+    const workflowRest = appendWorkflowFlagPositionals(command, rest, values);
+    const promptOptions = resolvePiPromptOptions(command, workflowRest, values.prompt, workflowCommandNames);
+    const promptGiven = Boolean(promptOptions.oneShotPrompt || promptOptions.initialPrompt);
     const currentModelSpec = getCurrentModelSpec(feynmanSettingsPath);
     if (await shouldRunInteractiveSetup(explicitModelSpec, currentModelSpec, Boolean(process.stdin.isTTY && process.stdout.isTTY), feynmanAuthPath)) {
         await runSetup({
@@ -662,15 +661,21 @@ async function runMain(input) {
             sessionDir,
             appRoot,
             defaultThinkingLevel,
+            modelOnly: true,
         });
         if (!getCurrentModelSpec(feynmanSettingsPath)) {
+            console.error(noModelMessage(promptGiven));
+            process.exitCode = 1;
             return;
         }
         await ensureFeynmanSettings(feynmanSettingsPath, bundledSettingsPath, appRoot, defaultThinkingLevel, feynmanAuthPath);
     }
-    const workflowCommandNames = new Set(readPromptSpecs(appRoot).filter((s) => s.topLevelCli).map((s) => s.name));
-    const workflowRest = appendWorkflowFlagPositionals(command, rest, values);
-    const promptOptions = resolvePiPromptOptions(command, workflowRest, values.prompt, workflowCommandNames);
+    if (!explicitModelSpec && mode !== "rpc" && !(process.stdin.isTTY && process.stdout.isTTY)
+        && (await getAuthenticatedModelRecords(feynmanAuthPath)).length === 0) {
+        console.error(noModelMessage(promptGiven));
+        process.exitCode = 1;
+        return;
+    }
     // Pi's own session flags pass through; Feynman continues the latest
     // session only when none of them is given.
     const piArgs = [

package/dist/model/commands.js

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { randomUUID } from "node:crypto";
 import { dirname, resolve } from "node:path";
 import { promisify } from "node:util";
 import { readJson } from "../pi/settings.js";
-import { promptChoice, promptSecret, promptSelect, promptText, validateApiKeyInput } from "../setup/prompts.js";
+import { promptChoice, promptSecret, promptSelect, promptText, SetupCancelledError, validateApiKeyInput } from "../setup/prompts.js";
 import { openUrl } from "../system/open-url.js";
 import { printInfo, printSection, printSuccess, printWarning } from "../ui/terminal.js";
 import { buildModelStatusSnapshotFromRecords, chooseRecommendedModel, getAuthenticatedModelRecords, getAvailableModelRecords, getSupportedModelRecords, isProClassModelSpec, } from "./catalog.js";
@@ -911,23 +911,19 @@ export async function runModelSetup(settingsPath, authPath) {
             "Cancel",
         ];
         const selection = await promptChoice("Choose how to configure model access:", choices, 0);
-        if (selection === 0) {
-            const loggedIn = await loginModelProvider(authPath, undefined, settingsPath);
-            if (!loggedIn) {
-                status = await collectModelStatus(settingsPath, authPath);
-                continue;
-            }
-        }
-        else if (selection === 1) {
-            const configured = await configureApiKeyProvider(authPath);
-            if (!configured) {
-                status = await collectModelStatus(settingsPath, authPath);
-                continue;
-            }
-        }
-        else {
-            printInfo("Setup cancelled.");
-            return;
+        if (selection === 2)
+            throw new SetupCancelledError();
+        // Esc inside a provider list goes back to this menu instead of ending setup.
+        const done = await (selection === 0
+            ? loginModelProvider(authPath, undefined, settingsPath)
+            : configureApiKeyProvider(authPath)).catch((error) => {
+            if (error instanceof SetupCancelledError)
+                return false;
+            throw error;
+        });
+        if (!done) {
+            status = await collectModelStatus(settingsPath, authPath);
+            continue;
         }
         status = await collectModelStatus(settingsPath, authPath);
         if (status.availableModels.length === 0) {

package/dist/setup/prompts.js

@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-import { confirm as clackConfirm, intro as clackIntro, isCancel, multiselect as clackMultiselect, outro as clackOutro, password as clackPassword, select as clackSelect, text as clackText, } from "@clack/prompts";
+import { confirm as clackConfirm, intro as clackIntro, isCancel, multiselect as clackMultiselect, outro as clackOutro, password as clackPassword, select as clackSelect, text as clackText, settings as clackSettings, } from "@clack/prompts";
+// clack treats h/j/k/l as arrow keys, so a question typed into a setup menu
+// moved the selection (often onto Cancel). Only the arrow keys move it.
+for (const key of ["h", "j", "k", "l"])
+    clackSettings.aliases.delete(key);
 export class SetupCancelledError extends Error {
     constructor(message = "setup cancelled") {
         super(message);
@@ -14,6 +18,13 @@ export function nonInteractiveTerminalMessage(env = process.env, platform = proc
         "To skip the prompts, set your provider's API key variable (for example OPENAI_API_KEY or ANTHROPIC_API_KEY) and run `feynman model set <provider/model>`.",
     ].join("\n");
 }
+export function noModelMessage(promptGiven = false) {
+    return [
+        "No model is set up yet, so Feynman can't answer.",
+        "Sign in with `feynman model login`, or set ANTHROPIC_API_KEY or OPENAI_API_KEY, then run feynman again.",
+        ...(promptGiven ? ["Your question was not sent."] : []),
+    ].join("\n");
+}
 function ensureInteractiveTerminal() {
     if (!process.stdin.isTTY || !process.stdout.isTTY) {
         throw new Error(nonInteractiveTerminalMessage());

package/dist/setup/setup.js

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { buildModelStatusSnapshotFromRecords, getAvailableModelRecords, getSuppo
 import { PANDOC_FALLBACK_PATHS, resolveExecutable } from "../system/executables.js";
 import { setupPreviewDependencies } from "./preview.js";
 import { printInfo, printSection, printSuccess } from "../ui/terminal.js";
-import { isInteractiveTerminal, promptConfirm, promptIntro, promptMultiSelect, promptOutro, SetupCancelledError, } from "./prompts.js";
+import { isInteractiveTerminal, noModelMessage, promptConfirm, promptIntro, promptMultiSelect, promptOutro, SetupCancelledError, } from "./prompts.js";
 function printNonInteractiveSetupGuidance() {
     printInfo("Non-interactive terminal. Use explicit commands:");
     printInfo("  feynman model login <provider>");
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ async function maybeLoginAlpha() {
         printInfo("alphaXiv already configured.");
         return;
     }
-    const shouldLogin = await promptConfirm("Connect alphaXiv now?", true);
+    const shouldLogin = await promptConfirm("Connect alphaXiv now?", false);
     if (!shouldLogin) {
         printInfo("Skipping alphaXiv login for now.");
         return;
@@ -88,9 +88,11 @@ export async function runSetup(options) {
     try {
         await promptIntro("Feynman setup");
         await runModelSetup(options.settingsPath, options.authPath);
-        await maybeInstallOptionalPackages(options);
-        await maybeLoginAlpha();
-        await maybeInstallPreviewDependencies();
+        if (!options.modelOnly) {
+            await maybeInstallOptionalPackages(options);
+            await maybeLoginAlpha();
+            await maybeInstallPreviewDependencies();
+        }
         await ensureFeynmanSettings(options.settingsPath, options.bundledSettingsPath, options.appRoot, options.defaultThinkingLevel ?? "medium", options.authPath);
         const modelStatus = buildModelStatusSnapshotFromRecords(await getSupportedModelRecords(options.authPath), await getAvailableModelRecords(options.authPath), getCurrentModelSpec(options.settingsPath));
         printSection("Ready");
@@ -105,7 +107,12 @@ export async function runSetup(options) {
     }
     catch (error) {
         if (error instanceof SetupCancelledError) {
-            printInfo("Setup cancelled.");
+            // The first launch reports the missing model itself.
+            if (!options.modelOnly) {
+                printInfo("Setup cancelled.");
+                if (!getCurrentModelSpec(options.settingsPath))
+                    printInfo(noModelMessage());
+            }
             return;
         }
         throw error;

package/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@companion-ai/feynman",
-  "version": "0.5.35",
+  "version": "0.5.36",
   "description": "The open source AI research agent.",
   "license": "MIT",
   "type": "module",