pi-python

Persistent Python execution for pi. Long-running scripts, local analysis, and temporary services keep running while the agent moves on, with results delivered through durable notifications and snapshots.

Why pi-python

Pi can launch Python from a shell, but that does not give the agent a durable execution lifecycle. pi-python turns each run into managed work that remains observable after the original tool call has returned.

• Keep working while Python runs — execution is detached by default and survives later tool calls, wait timeouts, tool aborts, /reload, and pi restarts.
• Know when work is ready — optional literal readiness and automatic terminal notifications remove the need for repeated polling.
• Inspect results safely — every query returns a bounded snapshot of current state and latest output without consuming the log.
• Stop the whole workload — explicit cancellation terminates the Python process and its descendants rather than leaving child processes behind.
• Readable in the TUI — source is syntax-highlighted, output previews are ANSI-safe, and active tasks remain visible with status and duration.

The extension intentionally manages independent Python processes rather than emulating a shared notebook or REPL session.

Features

Persistent Python tasks

Every Python invocation creates a persistent task and returns immediately unless the current turn explicitly needs to wait. Waiting can end at completion or at an optional case-sensitive readiness phrase, including one split across output chunks; a timeout or cancelled wait never stops the program.

The returned task ID lets the model inspect the latest snapshot, wait again, or explicitly terminate the complete process tree. Snapshots are bounded and repeatable rather than consumable. Task IDs belong to the parent session that launched them. Active tasks recover across /reload and pi restarts, and terminal records are retained for 24 hours.

Task notifications and TUI

Readiness, completion, failure, and cancellation are reported automatically. Notification state is durable and deduplicated. If the model has already retrieved complete terminal output, a later notification is reduced to compact status instead of repeating the payload.

Tool rows preserve Python syntax highlighting, ANSI-safe output previews, duration, and expandable details. The dedicated Python Tasks widget shows up to three active tasks with status, duration, and source preview.

Configuration

Configuration is optional. Create ~/.pi/agent/python.json and run /reload after changing it:

{
  "executable": "auto",
  "utf8": true,
  "unbuffered": true
}

Setting	Default	Effect
executable	"auto"	Tries python3, then python. Set an absolute path to select a specific Python 3 executable.
utf8	true	Defaults PYTHONIOENCODING=utf-8 and PYTHONUTF8=1 unless already set.
unbuffered	true	Defaults PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1 and launches Python with -u.

Environment variables override the JSON file:

Environment variable	Setting
PI_PYTHON_CONFIG	Alternate configuration file path
PI_PYTHON_EXECUTABLE	executable
PI_PYTHON_UTF8	utf8
PI_PYTHON_UNBUFFERED	unbuffered

Boolean environment values accept true/false, 1/0, yes/no, and on/off. Existing Python environment values win. Configuration is strict: unknown fields, invalid values, or an unavailable configured executable produce a visible error.

Requirements

• Node.js 22.19 or newer.
• Python 3, available as python3 or python, or selected with an absolute executable path.
• macOS, Linux, or Windows wherever pi and the selected Python runtime are available.

Installation

pi install npm:@4fu/pi-python

Try it for one run without installing:

pi -e npm:@4fu/pi-python

From source

Run npm install, then add the repository path to ~/.pi/agent/settings.json:

{
  "extensions": ["/path/to/pi-python"]
}

Run /reload in pi after changing the extension.

Development

npm install
npm test
npm pack --dry-run

The test suite covers configuration, schema validation, persistent task recovery, session ownership, snapshots, notifications, readiness matching, waits, and process-tree termination.

License

MIT