add compact test output with step descriptions

theodore-s-beers · theodore-s-beers · commit f993c0eb50b2 · 2026-07-12T20:45:10.000-04:00
diff --git a/checks/runner.go b/checks/runner.go
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ func CLIChecks(cliData api.CLIData, overrideBaseURL string, ch chan tea.Msg) (re
 		// This is the magic of the initial message sent before executing the test
 		if step.CLICommand != nil {
 			ch <- messages.StartStepMsg{
+				Description:     step.Description,
 				CMD:             step.CLICommand.Command,
 				TmdlQuery:       step.CLICommand.StdoutFilterTmdl,
 				NoPenaltyOnFail: step.NoPenaltyOnFail,
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ func CLIChecks(cliData api.CLIData, overrideBaseURL string, ch chan tea.Msg) (re
 			interpolatedURL := InterpolateVariables(fullURL, variables)
 
 			ch <- messages.StartStepMsg{
+				Description:     step.Description,
 				URL:             interpolatedURL,
 				Method:          step.HTTPRequest.Request.Method,
 				NoPenaltyOnFail: step.NoPenaltyOnFail,
diff --git a/client/lessons.go b/client/lessons.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ type CLIData struct {
 }
 
 type CLIStep struct {
+	Description     string              `yaml:"description"`
 	CLICommand      *CLIStepCLICommand  `yaml:"cliCommand"`
 	HTTPRequest     *CLIStepHTTPRequest `yaml:"httpRequest"`
 	NoPenaltyOnFail bool                `yaml:"noPenaltyOnFail"`
diff --git a/cmd/localtest.go b/cmd/localtest.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 
 func init() {
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(localTestCmd)
+	localTestCmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&verboseOutput, "verbose", "v", false, "show detailed output for every step")
 }
 
 var localTestCmd = &cobra.Command{
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ func localTestHandler(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	}
 
 	ch := make(chan tea.Msg, 1)
-	finalise := render.StartRenderer(data, true, ch)
+	finalise := render.StartRenderer(data, true, verboseOutput, ch)
 
 	cliResults := checks.CLIChecks(data, overrideBaseURL, ch)
 	submissionEvent := checks.LocalSubmissionEvent(data, cliResults)
diff --git a/cmd/localtest_test.go b/cmd/localtest_test.go
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ func TestReadLocalCLIDataAcceptsLessonDirectory(t *testing.T) {
   - darwin
 baseURLDefault: http://localhost:3000
 steps:
-  - cliCommand:
+  - description: Prints a greeting
+    cliCommand:
       command: echo hello
       tests:
         - exitCode: 0
@@ -36,6 +37,9 @@ steps:
 	if len(data.Steps) != 1 || data.Steps[0].CLICommand == nil {
 		t.Fatalf("expected one CLI command step, got %#v", data.Steps)
 	}
+	if data.Steps[0].Description != "Prints a greeting" {
+		t.Fatalf("Description = %q, want manifest description", data.Steps[0].Description)
+	}
 	if len(data.Steps[0].CLICommand.Tests[1].StdoutContainsAll) != 1 {
 		t.Fatalf("expected stdoutContainsAll test to load")
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/run.go b/cmd/run.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ func init() {
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(runCmd)
 	runCmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&forceSubmit, "submit", "s", false, "shortcut flag to submit after running")
 	runCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&debugSubmission, "debug", false, "log submission request/response debug output")
+	runCmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&verboseOutput, "verbose", "v", false, "show detailed output for every step")
 }
 
 // runCmd represents the run command
diff --git a/cmd/submit.go b/cmd/submit.go
@@ -20,11 +20,13 @@ import (
 var (
 	forceSubmit     bool
 	debugSubmission bool
+	verboseOutput   bool
 )
 
 func init() {
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(submitCmd)
 	submitCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&debugSubmission, "debug", false, "log submission request/response debug output")
+	submitCmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&verboseOutput, "verbose", "v", false, "show detailed output for every step")
 }
 
 // submitCmd represents the submit command
@@ -73,7 +75,7 @@ func submissionHandler(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 
 	ch := make(chan tea.Msg, 1)
 	// StartRenderer and returns immediately, finalise function blocks the execution until the renderer is closed.
-	finalise := render.StartRenderer(data, isSubmit, ch)
+	finalise := render.StartRenderer(data, isSubmit, verboseOutput, ch)
 
 	cliResults := checks.CLIChecks(data, overrideBaseURL, ch)
 
diff --git a/messages/messages.go b/messages/messages.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package messages
 import api "github.com/bootdotdev/bootdev/client"
 
 type StartStepMsg struct {
+	Description     string
 	CMD             string
 	URL             string
 	Method          string
diff --git a/render/http.go b/render/http.go
@@ -56,18 +56,16 @@ func printHTTPRequestResult(result api.HTTPRequestResult) string {
 	bytes := []byte(result.BodyString)
 	contentType := http.DetectContentType(bytes)
 	if contentType == "application/json" || strings.HasPrefix(contentType, "text/") {
+		body := result.BodyString
 		var unmarshalled any
 		err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(result.BodyString), &unmarshalled)
 		if err == nil {
 			pretty, err := json.MarshalIndent(unmarshalled, "", "  ")
 			if err == nil {
-				str.Write(pretty)
-			} else {
-				str.WriteString(result.BodyString)
+				body = string(pretty)
 			}
-		} else {
-			str.WriteString(result.BodyString)
 		}
+		str.WriteString(truncateVisualOutput(body))
 	} else {
 		fmt.Fprintf(
 			&str,
diff --git a/render/models.go b/render/models.go
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ type testModel struct {
 }
 
 type stepModel struct {
-	step            string
+	description     string
+	detail          string
 	passed          *bool
 	result          *api.CLIStepResult
 	finished        bool
@@ -29,16 +30,18 @@ type rootModel struct {
 	xpReward    int
 	xpBreakdown []api.XPBreakdownItem
 	isSubmit    bool
+	verbose     bool
 	finalized   bool
 	clear       bool
 }
 
-func initModel(isSubmit bool) rootModel {
+func initModel(isSubmit bool, verbose bool) rootModel {
 	s := spinner.New()
 	s.Spinner = spinner.Dot
 	return rootModel{
 		spinner:  s,
 		isSubmit: isSubmit,
+		verbose:  verbose,
 		steps:    []stepModel{},
 	}
 }
diff --git a/render/render.go b/render/render.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package render
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
+	"strings"
 	"sync"
 
 	api "github.com/bootdotdev/bootdev/client"
@@ -42,15 +43,21 @@ func (m rootModel) Update(msg tea.Msg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 		return m, tea.Quit
 
 	case messages.StartStepMsg:
-		step := fmt.Sprintf("Running: %s", msg.CMD)
+		description := strings.TrimSpace(msg.Description)
+		detail := fmt.Sprintf("Command: %s", msg.CMD)
 		if msg.TmdlQuery != nil {
-			step += fmt.Sprintf(" (TMDL query: '%s')", *msg.TmdlQuery)
+			detail += fmt.Sprintf(" (TMDL query: '%s')", *msg.TmdlQuery)
 		}
 		if msg.CMD == "" {
-			step = fmt.Sprintf("%s %s", msg.Method, msg.URL)
+			detail = fmt.Sprintf("Request: %s %s", msg.Method, msg.URL)
+		}
+		if description == "" {
+			description = strings.TrimPrefix(detail, "Command: ")
+			description = strings.TrimPrefix(description, "Request: ")
 		}
 		m.steps = append(m.steps, stepModel{
-			step:            step,
+			description:     description,
+			detail:          detail,
 			tests:           []testModel{},
 			noPenaltyOnFail: msg.NoPenaltyOnFail,
 		})
@@ -97,9 +104,9 @@ func (m rootModel) Update(msg tea.Msg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 	}
 }
 
-func StartRenderer(data api.CLIData, isSubmit bool, ch chan tea.Msg) func(api.LessonSubmissionEvent) {
+func StartRenderer(data api.CLIData, isSubmit bool, verbose bool, ch chan tea.Msg) func(api.LessonSubmissionEvent) {
 	var wg sync.WaitGroup
-	p := tea.NewProgram(initModel(isSubmit), tea.WithoutSignalHandler())
+	p := tea.NewProgram(initModel(isSubmit, verbose), tea.WithoutSignalHandler())
 
 	wg.Add(1)
 	go func() {
diff --git a/render/view.go b/render/view.go
@@ -101,53 +101,36 @@ func (m rootModel) View() string {
 	}
 	s := m.spinner.View()
 	var str strings.Builder
-	for _, step := range m.steps {
-		str.WriteString(renderTestHeader(step.step, m.spinner, step.finished, m.isSubmit, step.passed, step.noPenaltyOnFail))
-		str.WriteString(renderTests(step.tests, s))
+	for i, step := range m.steps {
+		if m.finalized && !m.verbose && m.failure != nil && i > m.failure.FailedStepIndex {
+			break
+		}
+
+		showAllDetails := m.verbose || (!m.isSubmit && m.finalized)
+		failed := step.passed != nil && !*step.passed
+		if showAllDetails {
+			str.WriteString(renderTestHeader(step.description, m.spinner, step.finished, m.isSubmit, step.passed, step.noPenaltyOnFail))
+			fmt.Fprintf(&str, " > %s\n", step.detail)
+			str.WriteString(renderTests(step.tests, s))
+		} else {
+			str.WriteString(renderCompactStep(step, s))
+			if failed && m.finalized {
+				fmt.Fprintf(&str, "\n > %s\n", step.detail)
+				str.WriteString(renderTests(step.tests, s))
+			}
+		}
 
-		if step.sleepAfter != "" && step.finished {
+		if step.sleepAfter != "" && step.finished && showAllDetails {
 			sleepBox := borderBox.Render(fmt.Sprintf(" %s ", step.sleepAfter))
 			str.WriteString(sleepBox)
 			str.WriteByte('\n')
 		}
 
-		if step.result == nil || !m.finalized {
+		if step.result == nil || !m.finalized || (!showAllDetails && !failed) {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		if step.result.CLICommandResult != nil {
-			for _, test := range step.tests {
-				if strings.Contains(test.text, "exit code") {
-					fmt.Fprintf(&str, "\n > Command exit code: %d\n", step.result.CLICommandResult.ExitCode)
-					break
-				}
-			}
-			str.WriteString(" > Command stdout:\n\n")
-			sliced := strings.SplitSeq(step.result.CLICommandResult.Stdout, "\n")
-			i := 0
-			runeCount := 0
-			const maxLines, maxRunes = 32, 5120
-			for s := range sliced {
-				if i >= maxLines || runeCount >= maxRunes {
-					str.WriteString(gray.Render("... output visually truncated, full output captured"))
-					str.WriteByte('\n')
-					break
-				}
-				runeCount += utf8.RuneCountInString(s)
-				str.WriteString(gray.Render(s))
-				str.WriteByte('\n')
-				i++
-			}
-			str.WriteString(renderJqOutputs(step.result.CLICommandResult.JqOutputs))
-			availableVariables, expectsVariables := availableVariablesForCLIResult(*step.result.CLICommandResult)
-			if expectsVariables {
-				str.WriteString(renderVariableSection("Variables Available", availableVariables))
-			}
-		}
-
-		if step.result.HTTPRequestResult != nil {
-			str.WriteString(printHTTPRequestResult(*step.result.HTTPRequestResult))
-		}
+		str.WriteString(renderStepResult(step))
 	}
 
 	if m.result == api.VerificationResultSlugSuccess && m.isSubmit {
@@ -196,9 +179,6 @@ func (m rootModel) View() string {
 		str.WriteByte('\n')
 		str.WriteString(red.Render("Tests failed! ❌"))
 		if m.failure != nil {
-			if m.failure.FailedStepIndex >= 0 && m.failure.FailedStepIndex < len(m.steps) {
-				str.WriteString(red.Render(fmt.Sprintf("\n\nFailed Command: %s", m.steps[m.failure.FailedStepIndex].step)))
-			}
 			str.WriteString(red.Render(fmt.Sprintf("\n\nFailed Step: %v", m.failure.FailedStepIndex+1)))
 			str.WriteString(red.Render(fmt.Sprintf("\nError: %s", m.failure.ErrorMessage)))
 		} else {
@@ -215,3 +195,74 @@ func (m rootModel) View() string {
 
 	return str.String()
 }
+
+func renderCompactStep(step stepModel, spinner string) string {
+	isSubmit := true
+	line := renderTest(step.description, spinner, step.finished, &isSubmit, step.passed)
+	if step.noPenaltyOnFail {
+		line = fmt.Sprintf("%s %s", line, white.Render(safeStepIcon))
+	}
+	return line + "\n"
+}
+
+func renderStepResult(step stepModel) string {
+	var str strings.Builder
+	if step.result.CLICommandResult != nil {
+		for _, test := range step.tests {
+			if strings.Contains(strings.ToLower(test.text), "exit code") {
+				fmt.Fprintf(&str, "\n > Command exit code: %d\n", step.result.CLICommandResult.ExitCode)
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		str.WriteString(" > Command stdout:\n\n")
+		str.WriteString(gray.Render(truncateVisualOutput(step.result.CLICommandResult.Stdout)))
+		str.WriteByte('\n')
+		str.WriteString(renderJqOutputs(step.result.CLICommandResult.JqOutputs))
+		availableVariables, expectsVariables := availableVariablesForCLIResult(*step.result.CLICommandResult)
+		if expectsVariables {
+			str.WriteString(renderVariableSection("Variables Available", availableVariables))
+		}
+	}
+
+	if step.result.HTTPRequestResult != nil {
+		str.WriteString(printHTTPRequestResult(*step.result.HTTPRequestResult))
+	}
+	return str.String()
+}
+
+func truncateVisualOutput(output string) string {
+	const maxLines, maxRunes = 32, 5120
+	lines := strings.Split(output, "\n")
+	var str strings.Builder
+	runeCount := 0
+	truncated := false
+
+	for i, line := range lines {
+		if i >= maxLines || runeCount >= maxRunes {
+			truncated = true
+			break
+		}
+
+		runes := []rune(line)
+		remaining := maxRunes - runeCount
+		if len(runes) > remaining {
+			str.WriteString(string(runes[:remaining]))
+			truncated = true
+			break
+		}
+
+		str.WriteString(line)
+		runeCount += utf8.RuneCountInString(line)
+		if i < len(lines)-1 {
+			str.WriteByte('\n')
+		}
+	}
+
+	if truncated {
+		if str.Len() > 0 && !strings.HasSuffix(str.String(), "\n") {
+			str.WriteByte('\n')
+		}
+		str.WriteString("... output visually truncated")
+	}
+	return str.String()
+}
diff --git a/render/view_test.go b/render/view_test.go

Original file line number	Diff line number	Diff line change
`@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ type CLIData struct {`
`28`	`28`	`}`
`29`	`29`
`30`	`30`	`type CLIStep struct {`
	`31`	+ Description string `yaml:"description"`
`31`	`32`	CLICommand *CLIStepCLICommand `yaml:"cliCommand"`
`32`	`33`	HTTPRequest *CLIStepHTTPRequest `yaml:"httpRequest"`
`33`	`34`	NoPenaltyOnFail bool `yaml:"noPenaltyOnFail"`
Original file line number	Diff line number	Diff line change
`@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (`
`19`	`19`
`20`	`20`	`func init() {`
`21`	`21`	`rootCmd.AddCommand(localTestCmd)`
	`22`	`+ localTestCmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&verboseOutput, "verbose", "v", false, "show detailed output for every step")`
`22`	`23`	`}`
`23`	`24`
`24`	`25`	`var localTestCmd = &cobra.Command{`
`@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ func localTestHandler(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {`
`46`	`47`	`}`
`47`	`48`
`48`	`49`	`ch := make(chan tea.Msg, 1)`
`49`		`- finalise := render.StartRenderer(data, true, ch)`
	`50`	`+ finalise := render.StartRenderer(data, true, verboseOutput, ch)`
`50`	`51`
`51`	`52`	`cliResults := checks.CLIChecks(data, overrideBaseURL, ch)`
`52`	`53`	`submissionEvent := checks.LocalSubmissionEvent(data, cliResults)`
Original file line number	Diff line number	Diff line change
`@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ func init() {`
`8`	`8`	`rootCmd.AddCommand(runCmd)`
`9`	`9`	`runCmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&forceSubmit, "submit", "s", false, "shortcut flag to submit after running")`
`10`	`10`	`runCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&debugSubmission, "debug", false, "log submission request/response debug output")`
	`11`	`+ runCmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&verboseOutput, "verbose", "v", false, "show detailed output for every step")`
`11`	`12`	`}`
`12`	`13`
`13`	`14`	`// runCmd represents the run command`