Polish the tool first-run experience and allow empty multi-select submissions (#8487)

* refactor(tool_first_run): improve user prompts and allow empty selection in multi-select

* Fix lll

* Bump version and add changelog entry

* Add test

Author: JeffreyCA

cli/azd/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,14 +1,10 @@
 # Release History
 
-## 1.26.0-beta.1 (Unreleased)
-
-### Features Added
-
-### Breaking Changes
+## 1.25.4 (2026-05-29)
 
 ### Bugs Fixed
 
-### Other Changes
+- [[#8487]](https://github.com/Azure/azure-dev/pull/8487) Fix the `azd tool` first-run prompt blocking users who deselect all recommended tools, and clarify its setup wording.
 
 ## 1.25.3 (2026-05-28)
 

cli/azd/cmd/middleware/tool_first_run.go

@@ -169,9 +169,12 @@ func (m *ToolFirstRunMiddleware) runFirstRunExperience(ctx context.Context) erro
 	// Tool check banner
 	// ---------------------------------------------------------------
 	m.console.Message(ctx, "")
-	m.console.Message(ctx, output.WithBold("Checking your Azure development tools..."))
+	m.console.Message(ctx, output.WithBold("Let's get your development environment ready."))
 	m.console.Message(ctx, "")
-	m.console.Message(ctx, "Let's make sure your development environment is up to date.")
+	m.console.Message(
+		ctx,
+		"Discover and install Azure development tools such as Azure CLI, GitHub Copilot CLI, and Azure AI extensions.",
+	)
 	m.console.Message(ctx, output.WithGrayFormat(
 		"To skip this check, set %s or run %s.",
 		output.WithHighLightFormat("AZD_SKIP_FIRST_RUN=true"),
@@ -278,6 +281,8 @@ func (m *ToolFirstRunMiddleware) runFirstRunExperience(ctx context.Context) erro
 		tracing.SetUsageAttributes(
 			fields.ToolFirstRunToolsOfferedKey.Int(0),
 		)
+		m.console.Message(ctx, output.WithGrayFormat(
+			"All recommended tools are installed. You're all set!"))
 	}
 
 	tracing.SetUsageAttributes(fields.ToolFirstRunOutcomeKey.String(finalOutcome))
@@ -340,8 +345,11 @@ func (m *ToolFirstRunMiddleware) offerInstall(
 	multiSelect := uxlib.NewMultiSelect(&uxlib.MultiSelectOptions{
 		Writer:  m.console.Handles().Stdout,
 		Reader:  m.console.Handles().Stdin,
-		Message: "Select recommended tools to install:",
+		Message: "Select recommended tools to install",
 		Choices: choices,
+		// Allow proceeding without selecting any tools; the "no tools selected"
+		// path below is a valid completion of the first-run flow.
+		AllowEmptySelection: new(true),
 	})
 
 	selected, err := multiSelect.Ask(ctx)
@@ -390,7 +398,7 @@ func (m *ToolFirstRunMiddleware) offerInstall(
 
 	if len(selected) == 0 {
 		m.console.Message(ctx, output.WithGrayFormat(
-			"No tools selected.  You can install them later with 'azd tool install'."))
+			"No tools selected. You can install them later with 'azd tool install'."))
 		return "", nil
 	}
 

cli/azd/pkg/azdext/version.go

@@ -6,4 +6,4 @@ package azdext
 // Version is the semantic version of the azdext SDK package.
 // This value mirrors the CLI version in cli/version.txt and is
 // automatically updated by eng/scripts/Update-CliVersion.ps1.
-const Version = "1.26.0-beta.1"
+const Version = "1.25.4"

cli/azd/pkg/ux/multi_select.go

@@ -37,14 +37,17 @@ type MultiSelectOptions struct {
 	DisplayNumbers *bool
 	// Whether or not to disable filtering (default: true)
 	EnableFiltering *bool
+	// Whether or not to allow submitting with no options selected (default: false)
+	AllowEmptySelection *bool
 }
 
 var DefaultMultiSelectOptions MultiSelectOptions = MultiSelectOptions{
-	Writer:          os.Stdout,
-	Reader:          os.Stdin,
-	DisplayCount:    6,
-	EnableFiltering: new(true),
-	DisplayNumbers:  new(false),
+	Writer:              os.Stdout,
+	Reader:              os.Stdin,
+	DisplayCount:        6,
+	EnableFiltering:     new(true),
+	DisplayNumbers:      new(false),
+	AllowEmptySelection: new(false),
 }
 
 type MultiSelectChoice struct {
@@ -375,10 +378,12 @@ func (p *MultiSelect) validate() {
 	p.hasValidationError = false
 	p.validationMessage = ""
 
+	allowEmptySelection := p.options.AllowEmptySelection != nil && *p.options.AllowEmptySelection
+
 	if len(p.filteredChoices) == 0 {
 		p.hasValidationError = true
 		p.validationMessage = "No options found matching the filter"
-	} else if p.submitted && len(p.selectedChoices) == 0 {
+	} else if p.submitted && len(p.selectedChoices) == 0 && !allowEmptySelection {
 		p.hasValidationError = true
 		p.validationMessage = "At least one option must be selected"
 	}

cli/azd/pkg/ux/select_test.go

@@ -324,6 +324,21 @@ func TestMultiSelect_validate_no_selection(t *testing.T) {
 	)
 }
 
+func TestMultiSelect_validate_no_selection_allowed(t *testing.T) {
+	ms := NewMultiSelect(&MultiSelectOptions{
+		Message: "Pick many",
+		Choices: []*MultiSelectChoice{
+			{Value: "a", Label: "Alpha"},
+		},
+		AllowEmptySelection: new(true),
+	})
+	ms.submitted = true
+	ms.validate()
+
+	assert.False(t, ms.hasValidationError)
+	assert.Empty(t, ms.validationMessage)
+}
+
 func TestMultiSelect_validate_with_selection(t *testing.T) {
 	ms := NewMultiSelect(&MultiSelectOptions{
 		Message: "Pick many",

cli/version.txt

@@ -1 +1 @@
-1.26.0-beta.1
+1.25.4