fix: change --external-agent to use manager Agent delegation by default

src/praisonai/praisonai/cli/main.py

@@ -1067,6 +1067,8 @@ def parse_args(self):
         # External Agent - use external AI CLI tools
         parser.add_argument("--external-agent", type=str, choices=["claude", "gemini", "codex", "cursor"],
                           help="Use external AI CLI tool (claude, gemini, codex, cursor)")
+        parser.add_argument("--external-agent-direct", action="store_true",
+                          help="Use external agent as direct proxy (skip manager Agent delegation)")
 
         # Compare - compare different CLI modes
         parser.add_argument("--compare", type=str, help="Compare CLI modes (comma-separated: basic,tools,research,planning)")
@@ -4365,11 +4367,13 @@ def level_based_approve(function_name, arguments, risk_level):
                             existing_tools = list(mcp_tools)
                         agent_config['tools'] = existing_tools
 
-                # External Agent - Use external AI CLI tools directly
+                # External Agent - Use external AI CLI tools with manager delegation
                 if getattr(self.args, 'external_agent', None):
                     from rich.console import Console
                     ext_console = Console()
                     external_agent_name = self.args.external_agent
+                    direct = getattr(self.args, 'external_agent_direct', False)
+
                     try:
                         from .features.external_agents import ExternalAgentsHandler
                         handler = ExternalAgentsHandler(verbose=getattr(self.args, 'verbose', False))
@@ -4379,23 +4383,43 @@ def level_based_approve(function_name, arguments, risk_level):
 
                         integration = handler.get_integration(external_agent_name, workspace=workspace)
 
-                        if integration.is_available:
-                            ext_console.print(f"[bold cyan]🔌 Using external agent: {external_agent_name}[/bold cyan]")
-
-                            # Run the external agent directly instead of PraisonAI agent
+                        if not integration.is_available:
+                            ext_console.print(f"[yellow]⚠️ External agent '{external_agent_name}' is not installed[/yellow]")
+                            ext_console.print(f"[dim]Install with: {handler._get_install_instructions(external_agent_name)}[/dim]")
+                            return None
+
+                        if direct:
+                            # Pass-through proxy (original behavior, preserved as escape hatch)
+                            ext_console.print(f"[bold cyan]🔌 Using external agent (direct): {external_agent_name}[/bold cyan]")
                             import asyncio
                             try:
                                 result = asyncio.run(integration.execute(prompt))
                                 ext_console.print(f"\n[bold green]Result from {external_agent_name}:[/bold green]")
                                 ext_console.print(result)
-                                # Return empty string to avoid duplicate printing by caller
                                 return ""
                             except Exception as e:
-                                ext_console.print(f"[red]Error executing {external_agent_name}: {e}[/red]")
+                                ext_console.print(f"[red]Error executing {external_agent_name}: {e.__class__.__name__}: {e}[/red]")
                                 return None
-                        else:
-                            ext_console.print(f"[yellow]⚠️ External agent '{external_agent_name}' is not installed[/yellow]")
-                            ext_console.print(f"[dim]Install with: {handler._get_install_instructions(external_agent_name)}[/dim]")
+
+                        # NEW default: manager Agent uses external CLI as subagent tool
+                        ext_console.print(f"[bold cyan]🔌 Using external agent via manager delegation: {external_agent_name}[/bold cyan]")
+                        try:
+                            from praisonaiagents import Agent
+                            manager = Agent(
+                                name="Manager",
+                                instructions=(
+                                    f"You are a manager that delegates tasks to the {external_agent_name} subagent "
+                                    f"via the {integration.cli_command}_tool. Call the tool for coding/analysis tasks."
+                                ),
+                                tools=[integration.as_tool()],
+                                llm=agent_config.get('llm') or os.environ.get("MODEL_NAME", "gpt-4o-mini"),
+                            )
+                            result = manager.start(prompt)
+                            ext_console.print(f"\n[bold green]Manager delegation result:[/bold green]")
+                            ext_console.print(result)
+                            return ""
+                        except Exception as e:
+                            ext_console.print(f"[red]Error with manager delegation: {e.__class__.__name__}: {e}[/red]")
                             return None
                     except Exception as e:
                         ext_console.print(f"[red]Error setting up external agent: {e}[/red]")

src/praisonai/tests/integration/test_external_agent_delegation.py

@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+"""Real agentic test: --external-agent uses manager Agent delegation by default."""
+import os
+import shutil
+import subprocess
+import pytest
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(not shutil.which("claude"), reason="claude CLI not installed")
+@pytest.mark.skipif(not os.getenv("OPENAI_API_KEY"), reason="OPENAI_API_KEY required for manager LLM")
+def test_external_agent_manager_delegation_default():
+    """Real agentic test: default --external-agent uses manager Agent + subagent tool."""
+    result = subprocess.run(
+        ["praisonai", "Say hi in exactly 5 words", "--external-agent", "claude"],
+        capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=120,
+    )
+    assert result.returncode == 0
+    assert "manager delegation" in result.stdout.lower()
+    assert len(result.stdout.strip()) > 0
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(not shutil.which("claude"), reason="claude CLI not installed")
+def test_external_agent_direct_flag_preserves_proxy():
+    """Escape hatch: --external-agent-direct preserves pass-through proxy."""
+    result = subprocess.run(
+        ["praisonai", "Say hi in exactly 5 words", "--external-agent", "claude",
+         "--external-agent-direct"],
+        capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=120,
+    )
+    assert result.returncode == 0
+    assert "direct" in result.stdout.lower()
+    assert len(result.stdout.strip()) > 0