feat(core): append write_file suggestion when shell commands with heredocs fail

packages/core/src/tools/shell.test.ts

@@ -237,24 +237,6 @@ describe('ShellTool', () => {
       ).toThrow(/Path not in workspace/);
     });
 
-    it('should throw an error for a command with a heredoc (EOF)', () => {
-      expect(() =>
-        shellTool.build({ command: "cat << 'EOF'\nhello\nEOF" }),
-      ).toThrow(/Large heredoc detected/);
-      expect(() =>
-        shellTool.build({ command: 'cat <<EOF\nhello\nEOF' }),
-      ).toThrow(/Large heredoc detected/);
-      expect(() =>
-        shellTool.build({ command: 'cat << EOF\nhello\nEOF' }),
-      ).toThrow(/Large heredoc detected/);
-      expect(() =>
-        shellTool.build({ command: 'cat <<-EOF\nhello\nEOF' }),
-      ).toThrow(/Large heredoc detected/);
-      expect(() =>
-        shellTool.build({ command: 'cat <<\\\\EOF\\nhello\\nEOF' }),
-      ).toThrow(/Large heredoc detected/);
-    });
-
     it('should return an invocation for a valid absolute directory path', () => {
       const invocation = shellTool.build({
         command: 'ls',
@@ -488,6 +470,38 @@ describe('ShellTool', () => {
       expect(result.error?.message).toBe('command failed');
     });
 
+    it('should include write_file suggestion when a command with a heredoc fails', async () => {
+      const invocation = shellTool.build({
+        command: "cat << 'EOF'\nhello\nEOF",
+      });
+      const promise = invocation.execute(mockAbortSignal);
+      resolveShellExecution({
+        exitCode: 1,
+        output: 'bash: syntax error',
+      });
+
+      const result = await promise;
+      expect(result.llmContent).toContain(
+        "Suggestion: Large heredoc detected. Please use the 'write_file' tool for better reliability.",
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('should NOT include write_file suggestion when a command with a heredoc succeeds', async () => {
+      const invocation = shellTool.build({
+        command: "cat << 'EOF'\nhello\nEOF",
+      });
+      const promise = invocation.execute(mockAbortSignal);
+      resolveShellExecution({
+        exitCode: 0,
+        output: 'hello',
+      });
+
+      const result = await promise;
+      expect(result.llmContent).not.toContain(
+        "Suggestion: Large heredoc detected. Please use the 'write_file' tool for better reliability.",
+      );
+    });
+
     it('should throw an error for invalid parameters', () => {
       expect(() => shellTool.build({ command: '' })).toThrow(
         'Command cannot be empty.',

packages/core/src/tools/shell.ts

@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ import type { AgentLoopContext } from '../config/agent-loop-context.js';
 
 export const OUTPUT_UPDATE_INTERVAL_MS = 1000;
 
+const HEREDOC_REGEX = /<<[-]?\s*['"\\\]?EOF['"]?/;
+
 // Delay so user does not see the output of the process before the process is moved to the background.
 const BACKGROUND_DELAY_MS = 200;
 
@@ -430,6 +432,11 @@ export class ShellToolInvocation extends BaseToolInvocation<
         } else {
           llmContent += ' There was no output before it was cancelled.';
         }
+
+        if (HEREDOC_REGEX.test(this.params.command)) {
+          llmContent +=
+            "\nSuggestion: Large heredoc detected. Please use the 'write_file' tool for better reliability.";
+        }
       } else if (this.params.is_background || result.backgrounded) {
         llmContent = `Command moved to background (PID: ${result.pid}). Output hidden. Press Ctrl+B to view.`;
         data = {
@@ -468,6 +475,17 @@ export class ShellToolInvocation extends BaseToolInvocation<
           llmContentParts.push(`Process Group PGID: ${result.pid}`);
         }
 
+        const failed =
+          !!result.error ||
+          !!result.signal ||
+          (result.exitCode !== null && result.exitCode !== 0);
+
+        if (failed && HEREDOC_REGEX.test(this.params.command)) {
+          llmContentParts.push(
+            "Suggestion: Large heredoc detected. Please use the 'write_file' tool for better reliability.",
+          );
+        }
+
         llmContent = llmContentParts.join('\n');
       }
 
@@ -692,10 +710,6 @@ export class ShellTool extends BaseDeclarativeTool<
       return 'Command cannot be empty.';
     }
 
-    if (/<<[-]?\s*['"\\\]?EOF['"]?/.test(params.command)) {
-      return "Large heredoc detected. Please use the 'write_file' tool for better reliability.";
-    }
-
     if (params.dir_path) {
       const resolvedPath = path.resolve(
         this.context.config.getTargetDir(),