Remove XML-like <task>/<feedback> wrappers; process plain user input; update code/tests

Author: hannesrudolph

src/core/mentions/__tests__/processUserContentMentions.spec.ts

@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ describe("processUserContentMentions", () => {
 			})
 		})
 
-		it("should not process text blocks without task or feedback tags", async () => {
+		it("should process text blocks without special tags", async () => {
 			const userContent = [
 				{
 					type: "text" as const,
@@ -177,8 +177,11 @@ describe("processUserContentMentions", () => {
 				fileContextTracker: mockFileContextTracker,
 			})
 
-			expect(parseMentions).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
-			expect(result[0]).toEqual(userContent[0])
+			expect(parseMentions).toHaveBeenCalled()
+			expect(result[0]).toEqual({
+				type: "text",
+				text: "parsed: Regular text without special tags",
+			})
 		})
 
 		it("should process tool_result blocks with string content", async () => {
@@ -230,7 +233,7 @@ describe("processUserContentMentions", () => {
 				fileContextTracker: mockFileContextTracker,
 			})
 
-			expect(parseMentions).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+			expect(parseMentions).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
 			expect(result[0]).toEqual({
 				type: "tool_result",
 				tool_use_id: "123",
@@ -241,7 +244,7 @@ describe("processUserContentMentions", () => {
 					},
 					{
 						type: "text",
-						text: "Regular text",
+						text: "parsed: Regular text",
 					},
 				],
 			})

src/core/mentions/processUserContentMentions.ts

@@ -39,11 +39,7 @@ export async function processUserContentMentions({
 	// should parse mentions).
 	return Promise.all(
 		userContent.map(async (block) => {
-			const shouldProcessMentions = (text: string) =>
-				text.includes("<task>") ||
-				text.includes("<feedback>") ||
-				text.includes("<answer>") ||
-				text.includes("<user_message>")
+			const shouldProcessMentions = (_text: string) => true
 
 			if (block.type === "text") {
 				if (shouldProcessMentions(block.text)) {

src/core/prompts/responses.ts

@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@ export const formatResponse = {
 	toolDenied: () => `The user denied this operation.`,
 
 	toolDeniedWithFeedback: (feedback?: string) =>
-		`The user denied this operation and provided the following feedback:\n<feedback>\n${feedback}\n</feedback>`,
+		`The user denied this operation and provided the following feedback:\n${feedback}`,
 
 	toolApprovedWithFeedback: (feedback?: string) =>
-		`The user approved this operation and provided the following context:\n<feedback>\n${feedback}\n</feedback>`,
+		`The user approved this operation and provided the following context:\n${feedback}`,
 
 	toolError: (error?: string) => `The tool execution failed with the following error:\n<error>\n${error}\n</error>`,
 
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ Otherwise, if you have not completed the task and do not need additional informa
 (This is an automated message, so do not respond to it conversationally.)`,
 
 	tooManyMistakes: (feedback?: string) =>
-		`You seem to be having trouble proceeding. The user has provided the following feedback to help guide you:\n<feedback>\n${feedback}\n</feedback>`,
+		`You seem to be having trouble proceeding. The user has provided the following feedback to help guide you:\n${feedback}`,
 
 	missingToolParameterError: (paramName: string) =>
 		`Missing value for required parameter '${paramName}'. Please retry with complete response.\n\n${toolUseInstructionsReminder}`,

src/core/task/Task.ts

@@ -1222,7 +1222,7 @@ export class Task extends EventEmitter<TaskEvents> implements TaskLike {
 		await this.initiateTaskLoop([
 			{
 				type: "text",
-				text: `<task>\n${task}\n</task>`,
+				text: task ?? "",
 			},
 			...imageBlocks,
 		])

src/core/task/__tests__/Task.spec.ts

@@ -918,8 +918,9 @@ describe("Cline", () => {
 						fileContextTracker: cline.fileContextTracker,
 					})
 
-					// Regular text should not be processed
-					expect((processedContent[0] as Anthropic.TextBlockParam).text).toBe(
+					// Regular text should be processed
+					expect((processedContent[0] as Anthropic.TextBlockParam).text).toContain("processed:")
+					expect((processedContent[0] as Anthropic.TextBlockParam).text).toContain(
 						"Regular text with 'some/path' (see below for file content)",
 					)
 
@@ -937,10 +938,11 @@ describe("Cline", () => {
 						"<feedback>Check 'some/path' (see below for file content)</feedback>",
 					)
 
-					// Regular tool result should not be processed
+					// Regular tool result should be processed now
 					const toolResult2 = processedContent[3] as Anthropic.ToolResultBlockParam
 					const content2 = Array.isArray(toolResult2.content) ? toolResult2.content[0] : toolResult2.content
-					expect((content2 as Anthropic.TextBlockParam).text).toBe(
+					expect((content2 as Anthropic.TextBlockParam).text).toContain("processed:")
+					expect((content2 as Anthropic.TextBlockParam).text).toContain(
 						"Regular tool result with 'path' (see below for file content)",
 					)
 

src/core/tools/attemptCompletionTool.ts

@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ export async function attemptCompletionTool(
 
 			toolResults.push({
 				type: "text",
-				text: `The user has provided feedback on the results. Consider their input to continue the task, and then attempt completion again.\n<feedback>\n${text}\n</feedback>`,
+				text: `The user has provided feedback on the results. Consider their input to continue the task, and then attempt completion again.\n${text}`,
 			})
 
 			toolResults.push(...formatResponse.imageBlocks(images))

src/core/tools/executeCommandTool.ts

@@ -317,8 +317,7 @@ export async function executeCommand(
 				[
 					`Command is still running in terminal from '${terminal.getCurrentWorkingDirectory().toPosix()}'.`,
 					result.length > 0 ? `Here's the output so far:\n${result}\n` : "\n",
-					`The user provided the following feedback:`,
-					`<feedback>\n${text}\n</feedback>`,
+					`The user provided the following feedback:\n${text}`,
 				].join("\n"),
 				images,
 			),

src/services/command/built-in-commands.ts

@@ -11,11 +11,9 @@ const BUILT_IN_COMMANDS: Record<string, BuiltInCommandDefinition> = {
 	init: {
 		name: "init",
 		description: "Analyze codebase and create concise AGENTS.md files for AI assistants",
-		content: `<task>
-Please analyze this codebase and create an AGENTS.md file containing:
+		content: `Please analyze this codebase and create an AGENTS.md file containing:
 1. Build/lint/test commands - especially for running a single test
 2. Code style guidelines including imports, formatting, types, naming conventions, error handling, etc.
-</task>
 
 <initialization>
   <purpose>