@hheei/pi-ask-user

Interactive ask_user tool for pi-coding-agent: one question or 2-4 in one prompt, multiple choice, multi-select, and freeform answers.

Packages

Package details

extensionskill

Install @hheei/pi-ask-user from npm and Pi will load the resources declared by the package manifest.

npm repohome report
$ pi install npm:@hheei/pi-ask-user
Package
@hheei/pi-ask-user
Version
0.3.0
Published
Nov 4, 2026
Downloads
517/mo · 517/wk
Author
hheei
License
MIT
Types
extension, skill
Size
105.9 KB
Dependencies
1 dependency · 3 peers
Pi manifest JSON
{
  "skills": [
    "./skills"
  ],
  "extensions": [
    "dist/index.js"
  ]
}

Security note

Pi packages can execute code and influence agent behavior. Review the source before installing third-party packages.

README

@hheei/pi-ask-user

Interactive ask_user tool for pi: one focused question, or 2-4 independent questions in one prompt, with multiple choice, multi-select, and freeform answers.

Forked from edlsh/pi-ask-user at revision df1df70 (v0.17.1). Upstream is MIT licensed; see LICENSE.

What the fork changes

  • Ships compiled dist/ through tsc instead of raw TypeScript, matching the other @hheei/pi-* packages.
  • Uses the typebox package instead of @sinclair/typebox.
  • Tests run on vitest instead of bun test.
  • Code conforms to this repo's Biome and exactOptionalPropertyTypes rules.
  • Renders only inline: upstream's centered overlay mode, its displayMode parameter, and the whole askUser settings section are gone, so the prompt always sits in pi's input dock and reports blocked to the terminal through the host.
  • Drops upstream's searchable split-pane list, optional comment stage, overlay hide shortcut, review-page scrolling, and ctrl+j/ctrl+k vim aliases: the prompt now matches pi's own select-list keys.
  • Drops the upstream pi-tern native-presentation integration. Prompts render through pi's own TUI components, and results publish presentation facts that @hheei/pi-ext-ui frames with its 0/1/2 fold levels when it is installed.

Module boundaries, invariants, and the test layout are recorded in docs/architecture/ask-user.md.

The batch contract is unchanged: context, options, allowMultiple, and allowFreeform belong on each questions entry, never at the top level. Top-level copies are ignored rather than rejected, because strict providers fill every declared property with an empty default. A one-entry questions array is unwrapped and asked as a single question instead of failing.

Install

pi install npm:@hheei/pi-ask-user

Tool

Parameter Type Default Notes
question string? — The question. With questions, it is only the batch heading
questions {question, context?, options?, allowMultiple?, allowFreeform?}[]? — 2-4 independent questions, used instead of question
context string? — Summary shown above the question
options {title, description?}[]? — Choices offered to the user
allowMultiple boolean? false Allow selecting several options
allowFreeform boolean? true Add a freeform answer row
timeout_ms integer? — Auto-dismiss after N milliseconds; the result is cancelled

Keys

Context Keys
List ↑/↓, tab/shift+tab, 1-9 jump or toggle
Single select enter choose (on the freeform row: open the editor)
Multi select space tick, enter submit
Editor enter submit, shift+enter/ctrl+j newline, esc back or cancel
Prompt ctrl+e expand or collapse context
Batch tab/shift+tab pages, 1-N jump from review, enter submit, esc cancel
Anywhere esc/ctrl+c cancel

ask:answered and ask:cancelled events carry only the question and the response kind; context and the actual answer stay in the tool result.

Skill

The package bundles the ask-user skill, which turns ask_user into a gate before high-stakes or ambiguous decisions. It is installed with the package; remove skills/ from your package list if you only want the tool.

Development

pnpm --filter @hheei/pi-ask-user run build
pnpm exec vitest run packages/pi-ask-user/test