pi-prompt-improver

Let the model improve its own prompts before answering. pi-prompt-improver adds /improve and /improver commands to Pi Agent — it sends your task to a configurable optimizer model that returns an optimized prompt, then forwards that prompt to your active model for execution.

Features

• Two-command design — /improve <task> optimizes and runs; /improver configures the optimizer model and execution mode.
• Configurable optimizer model — pick any model available in your Pi registry via searchable TUI picker or direct provider/model reference.
• Preview/edit mode — review the optimized prompt before it reaches your active model; edit, submit, or cancel.
• Auto-run mode — skip the editor and send optimized prompts directly.
• Cross-provider safety — when the optimizer and active models are from different providers, a warning is shown before the request is sent.
• Recursive-command guard — /improve detects and blocks optimization results that would recursively invoke /improve again.
• Sensitive-data redaction — API keys and bearer tokens are redacted from optimizer error messages before they reach the user.
• Searchable model picker — custom TUI component with keyboard-driven filtering, styled as a native Pi selector.
• Atomic config persistence — settings are saved atomically (temp file + rename) with secure file permissions (0o600), surviving session deletion and spanning all projects.

Install

pi install npm:pi-prompt-improver

Or clone the repository and let Pi discover the extension via the pi field in package.json. Restart your Pi session after installing.

Manual placement

Place the extension directory in your auto-discovered extensions path:

cp -r extensions/response-improver ~/.pi/agent/extensions/response-improver

The extension is also discoverable via the pi field in this project's package.json:

"pi": {
  "extensions": ["./extensions/response-improver/index.ts"]
}

Commands

/improve <task>

Send a task description to the configured optimizer model. The optimizer generates an improved prompt, which is then sent to your active Pi model.

/improve write a migration plan for PostgreSQL to CockroachDB

If the optimizer model belongs to a different provider than your active model, a warning is shown before the request proceeds.

/improver

Configure and inspect the Response Improver settings. When run without arguments in a TUI session, opens an interactive menu:

/improver

Subcommands:

Subcommand	Description
/improver status	Show current optimizer model and execution mode
/improver model <provider/model>	Set optimizer model (e.g. deepseek/deepseek-v4-pro)
/improver preview	Switch to preview/edit mode (default)
/improver auto	Switch to auto-run mode

Tab-completion is available for subcommands — type /improver then press Tab.

Execution modes

Preview/edit (default) — /improver preview opens the optimized prompt in an editor before it is sent. You can edit the prompt, submit it, or cancel. Cancelling sends nothing.

Auto-run — /improver auto sends the optimized prompt immediately after generation, skipping the editor.

Configuration

Settings are persisted to ~/.pi/agent/response-improver/config.json using an atomic write strategy (temp file + rename) with secure permissions. Configuration survives session deletion and applies across all projects.

Optimizer model

Set the optimizer model interactively:

/improver
→ Select "Set optimizer model" in the menu

Or directly:

/improver model deepseek/deepseek-v4-pro

The model reference format is <provider>/<model-id>.

Execution mode

/improver preview      # Review before sending (default)
/improver auto         # Send immediately

Trust boundary

/improve sends your task text to the configured optimizer model provider. That provider can differ from the active provider that answers the final prompt. When the providers differ, a warning is raised before the optimizer request is sent.

The extension is explicit by design — it does not intercept ordinary prompts or automatically optimize every user message.

Failure behavior

The extension does not send an execution prompt when:

• /improve is invoked without a task
• No optimizer model is configured
• The optimizer model is unavailable or unauthenticated
• Optimizer generation fails or is cancelled
• Preview mode is active but no interactive editor is available
• The user cancels the preview editor
• The edited prompt is empty
• The optimized prompt would recursively invoke /improve

Development

The project uses Vite+, a unified toolchain built on Vite, Rolldown, Vitest, Oxlint, and Oxfmt. All checks and tests run through the vp CLI.

Setup

vp install

Validate

vp check          # Format, lint, and type-check
vp test           # Run test suite
vp run ready      # Full validation (check + test + build)

Project structure

extensions/
  response-improver/
    index.ts              # Extension entry point, session_start config validation
    commands.ts           # /improve and /improver command handlers + argument completions
    config.ts             # Config load/save with atomic writes, error utilities
    types.ts              # Shared type definitions
    model-picker.ts       # Searchable TUI model selector component
    optimizer.ts          # Optimizer prompt generation via pi-ai's complete()
    *.test.ts             # Test suite (34 tests)

Requirements

• Node.js >= 22.12.0
• Pi Agent with extension support (@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent)
• bun 1.3.14 (package manager)
• An API key for at least one model provider configured in Pi (for the active model) and optionally a different provider for the optimizer model