fix: resolve command whitelisting issues

- Fixed programmatic suggestion generation when LLM suggestions are disabled
  - CommandExecution component now properly generates suggestions from allowed patterns
  - Added proper handling for when llmGeneratedSuggestions setting is false

- Fixed settings persistence for command allow/deny lists
  - AutoApproveSettings now correctly saves patterns to globalState
  - Fixed state management to properly update both local and global state

- Improved LLM prompt to generate complete suggestions for chained commands
  - Updated execute-command prompt to handle && and || operators
  - Ensures suggestions include full command chains, not just the first part
  - Added tests to verify proper handling of complex command patterns

Author: hannesrudolph

src/core/prompts/tools/__tests__/execute-command.spec.ts

@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ describe("getExecuteCommandDescription", () => {
 		expect(description).toContain("<suggestions>")
 		expect(description).toContain("- suggestions: (optional) Command patterns for the user to allow/deny")
 		expect(description).toContain("Suggestion Guidelines")
+		// Check for chained command guidance
+		expect(description).toContain("For chained commands")
+		expect(description).toContain("cd backend && npm install")
 	})
 
 	it("should include suggestions section when disableLlmCommandSuggestions is not set", () => {

src/core/prompts/tools/execute-command.ts

@@ -37,11 +37,14 @@ Example: Requesting to execute ls in a specific directory
 	return (
 		baseDescription +
 		`
-- suggestions: (optional) Command patterns for the user to allow/deny for future auto-approval. Include 1-2 relevant patterns when executing common development commands. Use <suggest> tags.
+- suggestions: (optional) Command patterns for the user to allow/deny for future auto-approval. Use <suggest> tags.
 
 **Suggestion Guidelines:**
 - Suggestions use prefix matching (case-insensitive)
-- Include the base command (e.g., "npm", "git") and optionally a more specific pattern
+- For simple commands: Include the base command (e.g., "npm", "git") and optionally a more specific pattern
+- For chained commands (using &&, ||, ;, |): Include patterns for EACH individual command in the chain
+  - Example: For "cd backend && npm install", suggest: "cd backend && npm install", "cd", "npm install", "npm"
+- Include 2-4 relevant patterns total
 - Only suggest "*" (allow all) if explicitly requested by the user
 
 Usage:
@@ -63,6 +66,17 @@ Example: Requesting to execute npm run dev
 </suggestions>
 </execute_command>
 
+Example: Requesting to execute a chained command
+<execute_command>
+<command>cd backend && npm install</command>
+<suggestions>
+<suggest>cd backend && npm install</suggest>
+<suggest>cd</suggest>
+<suggest>npm install</suggest>
+<suggest>npm</suggest>
+</suggestions>
+</execute_command>
+
 Example: Requesting to execute ls in a specific directory
 <execute_command>
 <command>ls -la</command>

webview-ui/src/components/chat/CommandExecution.tsx

@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ export const CommandExecution = ({ executionId, text, icon, title }: CommandExec
 	const [isOutputExpanded, setIsOutputExpanded] = useState(false)
 
 	// Determine if we should show suggestions section
-	const showSuggestions = suggestions && suggestions.length > 0
+	// Always show suggestions if we have a command, either from LLM or programmatic generation
+	const showSuggestions = (suggestions && suggestions.length > 0) || !!command?.trim()
 
 	// Use suggestions if available, otherwise extract command patterns
 	const commandPatterns = useMemo(() => {
@@ -57,8 +58,8 @@ export const CommandExecution = ({ executionId, text, icon, title }: CommandExec
 			}))
 		}
 
-		// Only extract patterns if we're showing suggestions (for backward compatibility)
-		if (!showSuggestions || !command?.trim()) return []
+		// If no LLM suggestions but we have a command, extract patterns programmatically
+		if (!command?.trim()) return []
 
 		// Check if this is a chained command
 		const operators = ["&&", "||", ";", "|"]
@@ -151,7 +152,7 @@ export const CommandExecution = ({ executionId, text, icon, title }: CommandExec
 		)
 
 		return uniquePatterns
-	}, [command, suggestions, showSuggestions])
+	}, [command, suggestions])
 
 	// The command's output can either come from the text associated with the
 	// task message (this is the case for completed commands) or from the

webview-ui/src/components/chat/__tests__/CommandExecution.spec.tsx

@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ describe("CommandExecution", () => {
 		} as any)
 	})
 
-	it("should render command without suggestions", () => {
+	it("should render command with programmatic suggestions when no LLM suggestions provided", () => {
 		renderWithProviders(
 			<CommandExecution
 				executionId="test-1"
@@ -92,8 +92,20 @@ describe("CommandExecution", () => {
 			/>,
 		)
 
-		expect(screen.getByText("npm install")).toBeInTheDocument()
-		expect(screen.queryByText("Manage Command Permissions")).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+		// Check command is rendered in code block
+		const codeBlocks = screen.getAllByText("npm install")
+		expect(codeBlocks.length).toBeGreaterThan(0)
+
+		// Should show manage permissions section even without LLM suggestions
+		expect(screen.getByText("Manage Command Permissions")).toBeInTheDocument()
+
+		// Expand the section to verify programmatic patterns
+		const sectionHeader = screen.getByText("Manage Command Permissions")
+		fireEvent.click(sectionHeader)
+
+		// Should show programmatically extracted pattern
+		const patterns = screen.getAllByText("npm install")
+		expect(patterns.length).toBeGreaterThan(1) // Command + pattern
 	})
 
 	it("should render command with suggestions section collapsed by default", () => {
@@ -220,7 +232,7 @@ describe("CommandExecution", () => {
 		})
 	})
 
-	it("should handle empty suggestions tag", () => {
+	it("should handle empty suggestions tag and show programmatic patterns", () => {
 		const commandWithEmptySuggestions = "ls -la<suggestions>[]</suggestions>"
 
 		renderWithProviders(
@@ -232,8 +244,19 @@ describe("CommandExecution", () => {
 			/>,
 		)
 
-		expect(screen.getByText("ls -la")).toBeInTheDocument()
-		expect(screen.queryByText("Manage Command Permissions")).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+		// Check command is rendered
+		const codeBlocks = screen.getAllByText("ls -la")
+		expect(codeBlocks.length).toBeGreaterThan(0)
+
+		// Should still show manage permissions with programmatic patterns
+		expect(screen.getByText("Manage Command Permissions")).toBeInTheDocument()
+
+		// Expand the section to verify programmatic patterns
+		const sectionHeader = screen.getByText("Manage Command Permissions")
+		fireEvent.click(sectionHeader)
+
+		// Should show the base command pattern
+		expect(screen.getByText("ls")).toBeInTheDocument()
 	})
 
 	it("should handle suggestions with special characters", () => {
@@ -260,7 +283,7 @@ describe("CommandExecution", () => {
 		expect(screen.getByText("echo `date`")).toBeInTheDocument()
 	})
 
-	it("should handle malformed suggestions tag", () => {
+	it("should handle malformed suggestions tag and show programmatic patterns", () => {
 		const commandWithMalformedSuggestions = "pwd<suggestions>not-valid-json</suggestions>"
 
 		renderWithProviders(
@@ -273,9 +296,19 @@ describe("CommandExecution", () => {
 		)
 
 		// Should still render the command
-		expect(screen.getByText("pwd")).toBeInTheDocument()
-		// Suggestions should not be shown when JSON is invalid
-		expect(screen.queryByText("Manage Command Permissions")).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+		const codeBlocks = screen.getAllByText("pwd")
+		expect(codeBlocks.length).toBeGreaterThan(0)
+
+		// Should show manage permissions with programmatic patterns
+		expect(screen.getByText("Manage Command Permissions")).toBeInTheDocument()
+
+		// Expand the section to verify programmatic patterns
+		const sectionHeader = screen.getByText("Manage Command Permissions")
+		fireEvent.click(sectionHeader)
+
+		// Should show the base command pattern (there will be multiple pwd elements)
+		const patterns = screen.getAllByText("pwd")
+		expect(patterns.length).toBeGreaterThan(1) // Command + pattern
 	})
 
 	it("should parse suggestions from JSON array and show them when expanded", () => {

webview-ui/src/components/settings/AutoApproveSettings.tsx

@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import { X } from "lucide-react"
 
 import { useAppTranslation } from "@/i18n/TranslationContext"
 import { VSCodeCheckbox } from "@vscode/webview-ui-toolkit/react"
-import { vscode } from "@/utils/vscode"
 import { Button, Input, Slider } from "@/components/ui"
 
 import { SetCachedStateField } from "./types"
@@ -88,7 +87,7 @@ export const AutoApproveSettings = ({
 			const newCommands = [...currentCommands, commandInput]
 			setCachedStateField("allowedCommands", newCommands)
 			setCommandInput("")
-			vscode.postMessage({ type: "allowedCommands", commands: newCommands })
+			// Don't send message here - wait for Save button
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -99,7 +98,7 @@ export const AutoApproveSettings = ({
 			const newCommands = [...currentCommands, deniedCommandInput]
 			setCachedStateField("deniedCommands", newCommands)
 			setDeniedCommandInput("")
-			vscode.postMessage({ type: "deniedCommands", commands: newCommands })
+			// Don't send message here - wait for Save button
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -318,7 +317,7 @@ export const AutoApproveSettings = ({
 									onClick={() => {
 										const newCommands = (allowedCommands ?? []).filter((_, i) => i !== index)
 										setCachedStateField("allowedCommands", newCommands)
-										vscode.postMessage({ type: "allowedCommands", commands: newCommands })
+										// Don't send message here - wait for Save button
 									}}>
 									<div className="flex flex-row items-center gap-1">
 										<div>{cmd}</div>
@@ -369,7 +368,7 @@ export const AutoApproveSettings = ({
 									onClick={() => {
 										const newCommands = (deniedCommands ?? []).filter((_, i) => i !== index)
 										setCachedStateField("deniedCommands", newCommands)
-										vscode.postMessage({ type: "deniedCommands", commands: newCommands })
+										// Don't send message here - wait for Save button
 									}}>
 									<div className="flex flex-row items-center gap-1">
 										<div>{cmd}</div>

webview-ui/src/components/settings/__tests__/SettingsView.spec.tsx

@@ -458,8 +458,8 @@ describe("SettingsView - Allowed Commands", () => {
 		// Verify command was added
 		expect(screen.getByText("npm test")).toBeInTheDocument()
 
-		// Verify VSCode message was sent
-		expect(vscode.postMessage).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+		// Verify VSCode message was NOT sent yet (only on Save)
+		expect(vscode.postMessage).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith({
 			type: "allowedCommands",
 			commands: ["npm test"],
 		})
@@ -489,8 +489,8 @@ describe("SettingsView - Allowed Commands", () => {
 		// Verify command was removed
 		expect(screen.queryByText("npm test")).not.toBeInTheDocument()
 
-		// Verify VSCode message was sent
-		expect(vscode.postMessage).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith({
+		// Verify VSCode message was NOT sent yet (only on Save)
+		expect(vscode.postMessage).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith({
 			type: "allowedCommands",
 			commands: [],
 		})