feat: Add --show-thinking flag to CLI (#311) and Show Tool Outputs in a Collapsible Pane #326

libs/deepagents-cli/deepagents_cli/config.py

@@ -59,15 +59,22 @@
 class SessionState:
     """Holds mutable session state (auto-approve mode, etc)."""
 
-    def __init__(self, auto_approve: bool = False):
+    def __init__(self, auto_approve: bool = False, show_thinking: bool = False):
         self.auto_approve = auto_approve
+        self.show_thinking = show_thinking
+        self.show_tool_outputs = False
         self.exit_hint_until: float | None = None
         self.exit_hint_handle = None
 
     def toggle_auto_approve(self) -> bool:
         """Toggle auto-approve and return new state."""
         self.auto_approve = not self.auto_approve
         return self.auto_approve
+
+    def toggle_tool_outputs(self) -> bool:
+        """Toggle tool output visibility and return new state."""
+        self.show_tool_outputs = not self.show_tool_outputs
+        return self.show_tool_outputs
 
 
 def get_default_coding_instructions() -> str:

libs/deepagents-cli/deepagents_cli/execution.py

@@ -330,6 +330,14 @@ def flush_text_buffer(*, final: bool = False) -> None:
                         tool_content = format_tool_message_content(message.content)
                         record = file_op_tracker.complete_with_message(message)
 
+                        # Display tool output if toggle is enabled
+                        if session_state.show_tool_outputs and tool_content:
+                            if spinner_active:
+                                status.stop()
+                                spinner_active = False
+                            console.print(f"    ↳ {tool_content}", style="dim cyan", markup=False)
+                            console.print()
+
                         # Reset spinner message after tool completes
                         if spinner_active:
                             status.update(f"[bold {COLORS['thinking']}]Agent is thinking...")
@@ -399,12 +407,15 @@ def flush_text_buffer(*, final: bool = False) -> None:
                         elif block_type == "reasoning":
                             flush_text_buffer(final=True)
                             reasoning = block.get("reasoning", "")
-                            if reasoning:
+                            if reasoning and session_state.show_thinking:
                                 if spinner_active:
                                     status.stop()
                                     spinner_active = False
-                                # Could display reasoning differently if desired
-                                # For now, skip it or handle minimally
+                                if not has_responded:
+                                    console.print("●", style=COLORS["agent"], markup=False, end=" ")
+                                    has_responded = True
+                                # Display reasoning in dim style
+                                console.print(reasoning, style="dim")
 
                         # Handle tool call chunks
                         elif block_type == "tool_call_chunk":

libs/deepagents-cli/deepagents_cli/input.py

@@ -158,6 +158,13 @@ def toolbar() -> list[tuple[str, str]]:
 
         parts.append((base_class, base_msg))
 
+        # Show tool output toggle state
+        parts.append(("", " | "))
+        if session_state.show_tool_outputs:
+            parts.append(("class:toolbar-blue", "tool outputs ON (CTRL+O to toggle)"))
+        else:
+            parts.append(("class:toolbar-dim", "tool outputs off (CTRL+O to toggle)"))
+
         # Show exit confirmation hint if active
         hint_until = session_state.exit_hint_until
         if hint_until is not None:
@@ -227,6 +234,14 @@ def _(event):
         session_state.toggle_auto_approve()
         # Force UI refresh to update toolbar
         event.app.invalidate()
+
+    # Bind Ctrl+O to toggle tool outputs
+    @kb.add("c-o")
+    def _(event):
+        """Toggle tool output visibility."""
+        session_state.toggle_tool_outputs()
+        # Force UI refresh to update toolbar
+        event.app.invalidate()
 
     # Bind regular Enter to submit (intuitive behavior)
     @kb.add("enter")
@@ -293,6 +308,8 @@ def _(event):
             "toolbar-green": "bg:#10b981 #000000",  # Green for auto-accept ON
             "toolbar-orange": "bg:#f59e0b #000000",  # Orange for manual accept
             "toolbar-exit": "bg:#2563eb #ffffff",  # Blue for exit hint
+            "toolbar-blue": "bg:#06b6d4 #000000",  # Cyan for tool outputs ON
+            "toolbar-dim": "bg:#6b7280 #000000",  # Gray for tool outputs off
         }
     )
 

libs/deepagents-cli/deepagents_cli/main.py

@@ -89,6 +89,11 @@ def parse_args():
         action="store_true",
         help="Auto-approve tool usage without prompting (disables human-in-the-loop)",
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--show-thinking",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="Show agent's reasoning/thinking process",
+    )
 
     return parser.parse_args()
 
@@ -123,7 +128,7 @@ async def simple_cli(agent, assistant_id: str | None, session_state, baseline_to
         console.print()
 
     console.print(
-        "  Tips: Enter to submit, Alt+Enter for newline, Ctrl+E for editor, Ctrl+T to toggle auto-approve, Ctrl+C to interrupt",
+        "  Tips: Enter to submit, Alt+Enter for newline, Ctrl+E for editor, Ctrl+T to toggle auto-approve, Ctrl+O to toggle tool outputs, Ctrl+C to interrupt",
         style=f"dim {COLORS['dim']}",
     )
     console.print()
@@ -215,7 +220,10 @@ def cli_main():
             reset_agent(args.agent, args.source_agent)
         else:
             # Create session state from args
-            session_state = SessionState(auto_approve=args.auto_approve)
+            session_state = SessionState(
+                auto_approve=args.auto_approve,
+                show_thinking=args.show_thinking
+            )
 
             # API key validation happens in create_model()
             asyncio.run(main(args.agent, session_state))

libs/deepagents-cli/deepagents_cli/ui.py

@@ -499,6 +499,7 @@ def show_interactive_help():
         "  Ctrl+E          Open in external editor (nano by default)", style=COLORS["dim"]
     )
     console.print("  Ctrl+T          Toggle auto-approve mode", style=COLORS["dim"])
+    console.print("  Ctrl+O          Toggle tool output visibility", style=COLORS["dim"])
     console.print("  Arrow keys      Navigate input", style=COLORS["dim"])
     console.print("  Ctrl+C          Cancel input or interrupt agent mid-work", style=COLORS["dim"])
     console.print()
@@ -534,7 +535,8 @@ def show_help():
     console.print()
 
     console.print("[bold]Usage:[/bold]", style=COLORS["primary"])
-    console.print("  deepagents [--agent NAME] [--auto-approve]     Start interactive session")
+    console.print("  deepagents [--agent NAME] [--auto-approve] [--show-thinking]")
+    console.print("                                             Start interactive session")
     console.print("  deepagents list                                List all available agents")
     console.print("  deepagents reset --agent AGENT                 Reset agent to default prompt")
     console.print(
@@ -555,6 +557,10 @@ def show_help():
         "  deepagents --auto-approve               # Start with auto-approve enabled",
         style=COLORS["dim"],
     )
+    console.print(
+        "  deepagents --show-thinking              # Show agent's reasoning process",
+        style=COLORS["dim"],
+    )
     console.print(
         "  deepagents list                         # List all agents", style=COLORS["dim"]
     )
@@ -589,6 +595,7 @@ def show_help():
     )
     console.print("  Ctrl+J          Insert newline (alternative)", style=COLORS["dim"])
     console.print("  Ctrl+T          Toggle auto-approve mode", style=COLORS["dim"])
+    console.print("  Ctrl+O          Toggle tool output visibility", style=COLORS["dim"])
     console.print("  Arrow keys      Navigate input", style=COLORS["dim"])
     console.print(
         "  @filename       Type @ to auto-complete files and inject content", style=COLORS["dim"]