@saadnvd1/agent-os 0.3.521 → 0.3.524

package/components/Chat/Tools.tsx

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 "use client";
 
 import { createContext, useContext, useEffect } from "react";
-import { Check, ChevronRight, Loader2, Square, X } from "lucide-react";
+import { Check, ChevronRight, Layers, Loader2, Square, X } from "lucide-react";
 import type { FileDiff, ToolBody } from "@/lib/chat/events";
 import type { ToolItem } from "@/lib/chat/group";
 import { lineDiff, shortPath, type DiffLine } from "@/lib/chat/diff";
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { needsBody } from "@/lib/chat/bodyCache";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 import { formatElapsed } from "@/lib/chat/elapsed";
 import { Highlighted } from "./Code";
+import { BackgroundButton, BackgroundState, useBackground } from "./background";
 import { useNow } from "./useNow";
 import { useRowState } from "./rowState";
 
@@ -48,6 +49,18 @@ export function StatusIcon({ status }: { status: ToolItem["status"] }) {
   return <Check className="text-muted-foreground/70 h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0" />;
 }
 
+// The status of a call; one moved to the background and still running there
+// shows as handed off instead of done.
+export function ToolIcon({ tool }: { tool: ToolItem }) {
+  const bg = useBackground();
+  const task = tool.backgroundTaskId
+    ? bg.taskById(tool.backgroundTaskId)
+    : undefined;
+  if (tool.backgroundTaskId && (!task || task.status === "running"))
+    return <Layers className="text-muted-foreground h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0" />;
+  return <StatusIcon status={tool.status} />;
+}
+
 const TONE: Record<DiffLine["op"], string> = {
   " ": "text-muted-foreground",
   "-": "bg-red-500/10 text-red-700 dark:text-red-300",
@@ -139,17 +152,24 @@ function ToolRow({ tool }: { tool: ToolItem }) {
   );
   return (
     <div data-item={tool.id}>
-      <button
-        type="button"
-        onClick={() => setOpen(!open)}
-        className="hover:bg-foreground/[0.04] flex min-h-9 w-full items-center gap-2 rounded-lg px-1.5 text-left md:min-h-7"
-      >
-        <StatusIcon status={tool.status} />
-        <span className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate font-mono text-xs">
-          {tool.title}
-        </span>
-        <Elapsed tool={tool} />
-      </button>
+      <div className="hover:bg-foreground/[0.04] flex items-center gap-1 rounded-lg pr-1">
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          onClick={() => setOpen(!open)}
+          className="flex min-h-9 min-w-0 flex-1 items-center gap-2 px-1.5 text-left md:min-h-7"
+        >
+          <ToolIcon tool={tool} />
+          <span className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate font-mono text-xs">
+            {tool.title}
+          </span>
+          {tool.backgroundTaskId ? (
+            <BackgroundState tool={tool} />
+          ) : (
+            <Elapsed tool={tool} />
+          )}
+        </button>
+        <BackgroundButton tool={tool} />
+      </div>
       {open && <ToolDetail tool={tool} />}
     </div>
   );
@@ -161,39 +181,50 @@ export function ToolGroup({ tools }: { tools: ToolItem[] }) {
   const failed = tools.filter((t) => t.status === "error").length;
   const stopped = tools.filter((t) => t.status === "stopped").length;
   const edits = tools.filter((t) => t.diff || t.hasDiff).length;
+  const moved = tools.filter((t) => t.backgroundTaskId).length;
   const [open, setOpen] = useRowState(`steps:${tools[0].id}`, false);
   const latest =
     tools.findLast((t) => t.status === "running") ?? tools[tools.length - 1];
   return (
     <div className="bg-foreground/[0.025] rounded-xl px-2 py-1">
-      <button
-        type="button"
-        onClick={() => setOpen(!open)}
-        className="text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground flex min-h-10 w-full items-center gap-2 px-1.5 text-left text-xs md:min-h-8"
-      >
-        <ChevronRight
-          className={cn(
-            "h-3 w-3 shrink-0 transition-transform",
-            open && "rotate-90"
+      <div className="flex items-center gap-1">
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          onClick={() => setOpen(!open)}
+          className="text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground flex min-h-10 min-w-0 flex-1 items-center gap-2 px-1.5 text-left text-xs md:min-h-8"
+        >
+          <ChevronRight
+            className={cn(
+              "h-3 w-3 shrink-0 transition-transform",
+              open && "rotate-90"
+            )}
+          />
+          {running ? (
+            <Loader2 className="text-primary h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 animate-spin" />
+          ) : null}
+          <span className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate">
+            {running
+              ? latest.title
+              : `${tools.length} step${tools.length === 1 ? "" : "s"}`}
+            {!running &&
+              edits > 0 &&
+              ` · ${edits} edit${edits === 1 ? "" : "s"}`}
+          </span>
+          {running && <Elapsed tool={latest} />}
+          {failed > 0 && (
+            <span className="text-destructive">{failed} failed</span>
           )}
-        />
-        {running ? (
-          <Loader2 className="text-primary h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 animate-spin" />
-        ) : null}
-        <span className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate">
-          {running
-            ? latest.title
-            : `${tools.length} step${tools.length === 1 ? "" : "s"}`}
-          {!running && edits > 0 && ` · ${edits} edit${edits === 1 ? "" : "s"}`}
-        </span>
-        {running && <Elapsed tool={latest} />}
-        {failed > 0 && (
-          <span className="text-destructive">{failed} failed</span>
-        )}
-        {stopped > 0 && failed === 0 && (
-          <span className="text-muted-foreground/70">stopped</span>
-        )}
-      </button>
+          {stopped > 0 && failed === 0 && (
+            <span className="text-muted-foreground/70">stopped</span>
+          )}
+          {!running && moved > 0 && (
+            <span className="text-muted-foreground/70">
+              {moved} in background
+            </span>
+          )}
+        </button>
+        {running && <BackgroundButton tool={latest} />}
+      </div>
       {open && (
         <div className="pb-1">
           {tools.map((t) => (

package/components/Chat/background.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+"use client";
+
+import { createContext, useContext } from "react";
+import { Check, ChevronRight, Layers, Loader2, X } from "lucide-react";
+import type { ChatItem } from "@/lib/chat/events";
+import type { ToolItem } from "@/lib/chat/group";
+import { backgroundable } from "@/lib/chat/background";
+import { formatElapsed } from "@/lib/chat/elapsed";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+import { useNow } from "./useNow";
+
+type Task = Extract<ChatItem, { kind: "task" }>;
+
+export interface BackgroundValue {
+  // The agent can move a call to the background.
+  supported: boolean;
+  // The task a tool call started, by the call's id.
+  taskOfTool: (toolUseId: string) => Task | undefined;
+  taskById: (taskId: string) => Task | undefined;
+  // Calls asked to move and not yet answered ("all" for the shortcut).
+  moving: ReadonlySet<string>;
+  send: (toolUseId?: string) => void;
+  // Opens the tray on that task.
+  reveal: (taskId: string) => void;
+}
+
+const none: BackgroundValue = {
+  supported: false,
+  taskOfTool: () => undefined,
+  taskById: () => undefined,
+  moving: new Set(),
+  send: () => {},
+  reveal: () => {},
+};
+
+export const Background = createContext<BackgroundValue>(none);
+export const useBackground = () => useContext(Background);
+
+// Moves the call it sits on to the background. Only there while that can
+// work: after a few seconds of running, so quick commands never show it.
+export function BackgroundButton({ tool }: { tool: ToolItem }) {
+  const bg = useBackground();
+  const running = tool.status === "running";
+  const now = useNow(running && bg.supported);
+  if (!backgroundable(bg.supported, tool, bg.taskOfTool(tool.id), now))
+    return null;
+  const moving = bg.moving.has(tool.id) || bg.moving.has("all");
+  return (
+    <button
+      type="button"
+      disabled={moving}
+      onClick={(e) => {
+        e.stopPropagation();
+        bg.send(tool.id);
+      }}
+      title="Run in background (Ctrl+B)"
+      aria-label="Run in background"
+      className="text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground hover:bg-foreground/[0.06] animate-in fade-in flex h-11 shrink-0 items-center gap-1.5 rounded-md px-2.5 text-xs duration-150 disabled:opacity-70 md:h-7 md:px-2"
+    >
+      {moving ? (
+        <Loader2 className="h-3.5 w-3.5 animate-spin" />
+      ) : (
+        <Layers className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
+      )}
+      <span className="hidden sm:inline">
+        {moving ? "Moving…" : "Background"}
+      </span>
+    </button>
+  );
+}
+
+// Where a call that went to the background stands: running there (opens
+// the tray on it), or how it ended.
+export function BackgroundState({ tool }: { tool: ToolItem }) {
+  const bg = useBackground();
+  const task = tool.backgroundTaskId
+    ? bg.taskById(tool.backgroundTaskId)
+    : undefined;
+  const running = task?.status === "running";
+  const now = useNow(running);
+  if (!tool.backgroundTaskId) return null;
+  if (!task || running)
+    return (
+      <button
+        type="button"
+        onClick={(e) => {
+          e.stopPropagation();
+          bg.reveal(tool.backgroundTaskId!);
+        }}
+        className="text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground flex shrink-0 items-center gap-1 text-[11px]"
+      >
+        in background
+        <ChevronRight className="h-3 w-3" />
+      </button>
+    );
+  const failed = task.status === "failed";
+  const took = formatElapsed((task.endedAt ?? now) - task.createdAt);
+  return (
+    <span
+      className={cn(
+        "text-muted-foreground flex shrink-0 items-center gap-1 text-[11px]",
+        failed && "text-destructive"
+      )}
+    >
+      {failed ? <X className="h-3 w-3" /> : <Check className="h-3 w-3" />}
+      {task.status === "stopped"
+        ? "stopped in background"
+        : failed
+          ? "failed in background"
+          : "ran in background"}
+      <span className="font-mono tabular-nums">· {took}</span>
+    </span>
+  );
+}

package/data/chat/useChat.ts

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
+import { toast } from "sonner";
 import { markRunning } from "../statuses/stream";
 import type {
   ApprovalDecision,
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ import type {
 } from "@/lib/chat/events";
 import type { SearchResult } from "@/lib/chat/find";
 import { addBody, touchBody } from "@/lib/chat/bodyCache";
+import { backgroundFailure } from "@/lib/chat/background";
 
 // The index of the item with `id`, searched from the end: what changes is
 // almost always the latest.
@@ -164,6 +166,12 @@ export function useChat(
   const [taskOutputs, setTaskOutputs] = useState<Record<string, string | null>>(
     {}
   );
+  const [canBackground, setCanBackground] = useState(false);
+  // The calls asked to move to the background and not yet answered
+  // ("all" for the shortcut).
+  const [movingToBackground, setMovingToBackground] = useState<
+    ReadonlySet<string>
+  >(new Set());
   const onUndoneRef = useRef(onUndone);
   useEffect(() => {
     onUndoneRef.current = onUndone;
@@ -245,8 +253,28 @@ export function useChat(
           setModelState(m.model);
           setAccessState(m.access);
           setPlanState(m.plan);
+          setCanBackground(!!m.background);
         } else if (m.type === "context") {
           setContext(m.context);
+        } else if (m.type === "background_result") {
+          const key = m.toolUseId ?? "all";
+          setMovingToBackground((prev) => {
+            if (!prev.has(key)) return prev;
+            const next = new Set(prev);
+            next.delete(key);
+            return next;
+          });
+          const all = itemsRef.current;
+          const tool = all.find((i) => i.id === m.toolUseId);
+          const task = all.find(
+            (i) => i.kind === "task" && i.toolUseId === m.toolUseId
+          );
+          const message = backgroundFailure(
+            m,
+            tool?.kind === "tool" ? tool : undefined,
+            task?.kind === "task" ? task : undefined
+          );
+          if (message) toast(message, { duration: 2500 });
         } else if (m.type === "task_output") {
           setTaskOutputs((prev) => ({ ...prev, [m.taskId]: m.text }));
         } else if (m.type === "undo_preview") {
@@ -389,6 +417,15 @@ export function useChat(
     wsRef.current?.send(JSON.stringify({ type: "stop_task", taskId }));
   }, []);
 
+  // One call (or, with none given, every call that blocks the turn) goes to
+  // the background; the answer comes back as a toast only if it failed.
+  const backgroundTask = useCallback((toolUseId?: string) => {
+    const key = toolUseId ?? "all";
+    if (!wsRef.current) return;
+    setMovingToBackground((prev) => new Set(prev).add(key));
+    wsRef.current.send(JSON.stringify({ type: "background_task", toolUseId }));
+  }, []);
+
   const queueEdit = useCallback((id: string, text: string) => {
     wsRef.current?.send(JSON.stringify({ type: "queue_edit", id, text }));
   }, []);
@@ -496,6 +533,9 @@ export function useChat(
     undoPreview,
     clearUndo: () => setUndoPreview(null),
     stopTask,
+    canBackground,
+    backgroundTask,
+    movingToBackground,
     loadTaskOutput,
     taskOutputs,
     queue,

package/lib/chat/activity.ts

@@ -48,7 +48,9 @@ export function track(live: Live, e: WorkerEvent): void {
       a.tools.set(e.item.id, { label: e.item.title, since: e.item.createdAt });
     else a.tools.delete(e.item.id);
   } else if (e.type === "item" && e.item.kind === "task" && !e.item.ambient) {
-    if (e.item.status === "running") a.tasks.add(e.item.taskId);
+    // One still blocking its tool call is counted as that tool.
+    if (e.item.status === "running" && e.item.backgrounded !== false)
+      a.tasks.add(e.item.taskId);
     else a.tasks.delete(e.item.taskId);
   }
 }
@@ -65,7 +67,7 @@ export function restoreActivity(sessionId: string, state: ChatState) {
       activity.tools.set(i.id, { label: i.title, since: i.createdAt });
   }
   for (const i of runningItems(sessionId, "task"))
-    if (!i.ambient) activity.tasks.add(i.taskId);
+    if (!i.ambient && i.backgrounded !== false) activity.tasks.add(i.taskId);
   return activity;
 }
 

package/lib/chat/background.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+import type { ChatItem } from "./events";
+
+type Tool = Extract<ChatItem, { kind: "tool" }>;
+type Task = Extract<ChatItem, { kind: "task" }>;
+
+// A call has to have run this long before it's offered: a quick command
+// never flashes the button.
+export const BACKGROUND_AFTER_MS = 3000;
+
+// Whether a running call can be moved to the background now: the agent can
+// do it, and the call is the one blocking its turn.
+export function backgroundable(
+  supported: boolean,
+  tool: Pick<Tool, "status" | "createdAt">,
+  task: Pick<Task, "status" | "backgrounded"> | undefined,
+  now: number
+): boolean {
+  return (
+    supported &&
+    tool.status === "running" &&
+    task?.status === "running" &&
+    task.backgrounded === false &&
+    now - tool.createdAt >= BACKGROUND_AFTER_MS
+  );
+}
+
+// Ctrl+B, nothing else held, and only while there is something to move;
+// otherwise the key is left to the page.
+export function backgroundKey(
+  e: {
+    key: string;
+    ctrlKey: boolean;
+    metaKey: boolean;
+    altKey: boolean;
+    shiftKey: boolean;
+    repeat?: boolean;
+    isComposing?: boolean;
+  },
+  available: boolean
+): boolean {
+  return (
+    available &&
+    e.key.toLowerCase() === "b" &&
+    e.ctrlKey &&
+    !(e.metaKey || e.altKey || e.shiftKey || e.repeat || e.isComposing)
+  );
+}
+
+// Errors that mean the agent never got the request.
+const UNREACHED = new Set(["unsupported", "unavailable", "timeout"]);
+
+// What to tell the reader when moving a call didn't happen; null when it did.
+export function backgroundFailure(
+  result: { ok: boolean; error?: string },
+  tool: Pick<Tool, "status"> | undefined,
+  task: Pick<Task, "backgrounded"> | undefined
+): string | null {
+  if (result.ok) return null;
+  if (result.error) {
+    return UNREACHED.has(result.error) || /went away/.test(result.error)
+      ? "Couldn't reach the agent. Try again"
+      : "Background tasks are turned off for this session";
+  }
+  if (tool && tool.status !== "running") return "That step already finished";
+  if (task?.backgrounded) return "Already running in the background";
+  return "Nothing to move to the background yet";
+}
+
+// The last line of a task's output that says anything.
+export function outputTail(text: string | null | undefined): string | null {
+  const lines = text?.split("\n") ?? [];
+  for (let i = lines.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
+    const line = lines[i].trim();
+    if (line) return line;
+  }
+  return null;
+}

package/lib/chat/driver.ts

@@ -82,6 +82,10 @@ export interface ChatConversation {
   setPlan(plan: boolean): Promise<void>;
   respond(id: string, answer: ApprovalDecision): void;
   stopTask(taskId: string): Promise<void>;
+  // Moves a blocking call (a Bash command or a subagent) to the background,
+  // the one with that tool_use id or every one when none is given. False
+  // when there was nothing to move.
+  backgroundTask?(toolUseId?: string): Promise<boolean>;
   // Puts files back as they were before a message (dryRun: only say what).
   undo(checkpoint: string, dryRun: boolean): Promise<UndoResult>;
   close(): void;
@@ -99,6 +103,8 @@ export interface ChatDriver {
   // as Claude does. Without it, a turn's end is that point: a message sent
   // mid-turn joins the turn or is run before it ends.
   atRest?: boolean;
+  // Can move a blocking call to the background (backgroundTask).
+  backgroundTasks?: boolean;
   start(options: ChatStartOptions): ChatConversation;
   // What the agent offers in a folder (its commands, skills and models),
   // without starting a conversation. Ends whatever it started once `signal`

package/lib/chat/drivers/claude-mapper.ts

@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ export type ClaudeMessage = {
   usage?: { tool_uses?: number };
   skip_transcript?: boolean;
   ambient?: boolean;
+  is_backgrounded?: boolean;
+  // task_updated.
+  patch?: { is_backgrounded?: boolean };
   // prompt_suggestion: the agent's guess at the next message.
   suggestion?: string;
   // session_state_changed.
@@ -98,6 +101,10 @@ export function toCommand(c: SdkCommand): ChatCommand {
 
 const now = () => Date.now();
 
+// "Command was manually backgrounded by user with ID: abc. Output is being
+// written to: ..." (also "running in background with ID: abc").
+const BACKGROUND_NOTICE = /^[^\n]*background(?:ed)?[^\n]*? with ID: (\w+)/;
+
 const INTERRUPT_NOTICE =
   /doesn't want to proceed with this tool use|Request interrupted by user/i;
 
@@ -220,6 +227,8 @@ export class ClaudeMapper {
               },
             ]
           : [];
+      case "task_updated":
+        return this.taskMoved(m);
       case "task_started":
       case "task_progress":
       case "task_notification":
@@ -264,6 +273,7 @@ export class ClaudeMapper {
       taskType: m.task_type ?? prev?.taskType,
       subagentType: m.subagent_type ?? prev?.subagentType,
       status: done ? (m.status ?? "completed") : "running",
+      backgrounded: m.is_backgrounded ?? prev?.backgrounded,
       endedAt: done ? now() : undefined,
       summary: m.summary ?? prev?.summary,
       outputFile: m.output_file ?? prev?.outputFile,
@@ -276,6 +286,16 @@ export class ClaudeMapper {
     return [{ type: "item", item }];
   }
 
+  // A foreground task moved to the background (or back).
+  private taskMoved(m: ClaudeMessage): DriverEvent[] {
+    const prev = m.task_id ? this.tasks.get(m.task_id) : undefined;
+    const to = m.patch?.is_backgrounded;
+    if (!prev || to === undefined || prev.backgrounded === to) return [];
+    const item: TaskItem = { ...prev, backgrounded: to };
+    this.tasks.set(prev.taskId, item);
+    return [{ type: "item", item }];
+  }
+
   // Items are created on their first text, so blocks that never send any
   // (hidden thinking, empty starts) never show up as empty bubbles.
   private stream(m: ClaudeMessage): DriverEvent[] {
@@ -401,20 +421,38 @@ export class ClaudeMapper {
       // An interrupt answers the running tool with a notice meant for the
       // model, not the reader.
       const stopped = b.is_error && INTERRUPT_NOTICE.test(text);
+      const moved = stopped ? undefined : this.movedTask(b.tool_use_id, text);
       const done = stopped
         ? { ...tool, status: "stopped" as const, output: undefined }
-        : {
-            ...tool,
-            status: b.is_error ? ("error" as const) : ("done" as const),
-            output: clipOutput(text),
-            endedAt: now(),
-          };
+        : moved
+          ? {
+              ...tool,
+              status: "done" as const,
+              // The notice is for the model; the task has the output.
+              output: undefined,
+              endedAt: now(),
+              backgroundTaskId: moved,
+            }
+          : {
+              ...tool,
+              status: b.is_error ? ("error" as const) : ("done" as const),
+              output: clipOutput(text),
+              endedAt: now(),
+            };
       this.tools.delete(b.tool_use_id);
       out.push({ type: "item", item: done });
     }
     return out;
   }
 
+  // The task a tool call became when it went to the background, from the
+  // task it started or, failing that, the notice it was answered with.
+  private movedTask(toolUseId: string, text: string): string | undefined {
+    for (const t of this.tasks.values())
+      if (t.toolUseId === toolUseId && t.backgrounded === true) return t.taskId;
+    return BACKGROUND_NOTICE.exec(text)?.[1];
+  }
+
   private result(m: ClaudeMessage): DriverEvent[] {
     const out: DriverEvent[] = [];
     // Tools still open when the turn ends were cut off.

package/lib/chat/drivers/claude.ts

@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ export function writtenPlanFile(m: ClaudeMessage): string | undefined {
 
 export const claudeDriver: ChatDriver = {
   id: "claude",
+  backgroundTasks: true,
 
   // Claude Code reports its commands, skills and models while starting up,
   // before any message, so a short-lived start tells the composer what's
@@ -349,6 +350,9 @@ export const claudeDriver: ChatDriver = {
       async stopTask(taskId) {
         await q.stopTask(taskId);
       },
+      backgroundTask(toolUseId) {
+        return q.backgroundTasks(toolUseId);
+      },
       async undo(checkpoint, dryRun) {
         const r = await q.rewindFiles(checkpoint, { dryRun });
         return {

package/lib/chat/events.ts

@@ -165,6 +165,8 @@ export type ChatItem =
       deferred?: boolean;
       hasOutput?: boolean;
       hasDiff?: boolean;
+      // The task this call became when it was moved to the background.
+      backgroundTaskId?: string;
     })
   | (Base & {
       kind: "todos";
@@ -233,6 +235,9 @@ export type ChatItem =
       taskType?: string;
       subagentType?: string;
       status: "running" | "completed" | "failed" | "stopped";
+      // False while it still blocks the tool call that started it; unset
+      // means it runs in the background.
+      backgrounded?: boolean;
       endedAt?: number;
       summary?: string;
       outputFile?: string;
@@ -353,10 +358,18 @@ export type ChatServerMessage =
       access: ChatAccess;
       // Plan mode: on, or null when the session can't use it.
       plan: boolean | null;
+      // Whether a blocking call can be moved to the background.
+      background?: boolean;
     }
   | { type: "context"; context: ChatContext | null }
   | { type: "undo_preview"; from: string; preview: UndoPreview }
   | { type: "task_output"; taskId: string; text: string | null }
+  | {
+      type: "background_result";
+      toolUseId?: string;
+      ok: boolean;
+      error?: string;
+    }
   | { type: "undone"; from: string; text: string };
 
 // What a browser sends.
@@ -379,6 +392,7 @@ export type ChatClientMessage =
   | ({ type: "respond"; id: string } & ApprovalDecision)
   | { type: "undo"; from: string; dryRun?: boolean }
   | { type: "stop_task"; taskId: string }
+  | { type: "background_task"; toolUseId?: string }
   | { type: "task_output"; taskId: string }
   // Older items, from before a page's cursor.
   | { type: "history"; before: number }

package/lib/chat/registry.ts

@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ export interface Live {
   canQueue?: boolean;
   // Whether it takes "fresh" (a fresh start the reader asked for).
   canFresh?: boolean;
+  // Whether it takes "background_task" (an older worker drops it).
+  canBackground?: boolean;
   // From an older build and idle: retired once its guess at the next
   // message is in, or this fires.
   retiring?: NodeJS.Timeout;

package/lib/chat/runner.ts

@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import type {
   ApprovalDecision,
   ChatContext,
   ChatImage,
+  ChatServerMessage,
   ChatState,
   Compacting,
   SentBy,
@@ -304,6 +305,7 @@ async function ensureLive(sessionId: string, spawn = true): Promise<Live> {
       canPlan: !!hello.caps?.includes("plan"),
       canQueue: !!hello.caps?.includes("queue"),
       canFresh: !!hello.caps?.includes("fresh"),
+      canBackground: !!hello.caps?.includes("background"),
     };
     // From an older build and busy, or running background work: it goes at
     // its next turn boundary, by itself if it can. Messages meanwhile wait
@@ -836,6 +838,24 @@ export function stopChatTask(sessionId: string, taskId: string): void {
   registry.live.get(sessionId)?.worker.command({ type: "stop_task", taskId });
 }
 
+// Moves a blocking call to the background and says how that went.
+export async function backgroundChatTask(
+  sessionId: string,
+  toolUseId: string | undefined,
+  reply: (m: ChatServerMessage) => void
+): Promise<void> {
+  const live = registry.live.get(sessionId);
+  const r = live?.canBackground
+    ? await live.worker.background(toolUseId)
+    : { error: "unavailable" };
+  reply({
+    type: "background_result",
+    toolUseId,
+    ok: !!r.ok,
+    ...(r.error && { error: r.error }),
+  });
+}
+
 export function chatTaskOutput(
   sessionId: string,
   taskId: string