feat(cli): allow safe tools to execute concurrently while agent is busy (#21988)

packages/cli/src/ui/AppContainer.tsx

@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ import {
 import { LoginWithGoogleRestartDialog } from './auth/LoginWithGoogleRestartDialog.js';
 import { NewAgentsChoice } from './components/NewAgentsNotification.js';
 import { isSlashCommand } from './utils/commandUtils.js';
+import { parseSlashCommand } from '../utils/commands.js';
 import { useTerminalTheme } from './hooks/useTerminalTheme.js';
 import { useTimedMessage } from './hooks/useTimedMessage.js';
 import { useIsHelpDismissKey } from './utils/shortcutsHelp.js';
@@ -1289,6 +1290,18 @@ Logging in with Google... Restarting Gemini CLI to continue.
           ...pendingGeminiHistoryItems,
         ]);
 
+      if (isSlash && isAgentRunning) {
+        const { commandToExecute } = parseSlashCommand(
+          submittedValue,
+          slashCommands ?? [],
+        );
+        if (commandToExecute?.isSafeConcurrent) {
+          void handleSlashCommand(submittedValue);
+          addInput(submittedValue);
+          return;
+        }
+      }
+
       if (config.isModelSteeringEnabled() && isAgentRunning && !isSlash) {
         handleHintSubmit(submittedValue);
         addInput(submittedValue);
@@ -1332,6 +1345,8 @@ Logging in with Google... Restarting Gemini CLI to continue.
       addMessage,
       addInput,
       submitQuery,
+      handleSlashCommand,
+      slashCommands,
       isMcpReady,
       streamingState,
       messageQueue.length,

packages/cli/src/ui/commands/aboutCommand.ts

@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ export const aboutCommand: SlashCommand = {
   description: 'Show version info',
   kind: CommandKind.BUILT_IN,
   autoExecute: true,
+  isSafeConcurrent: true,
   action: async (context) => {
     const osVersion = process.platform;
     let sandboxEnv = 'no sandbox';

packages/cli/src/ui/commands/settingsCommand.ts

@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ export const settingsCommand: SlashCommand = {
   description: 'View and edit Gemini CLI settings',
   kind: CommandKind.BUILT_IN,
   autoExecute: true,
+  isSafeConcurrent: true,
   action: (_context, _args): OpenDialogActionReturn => ({
     type: 'dialog',
     dialog: 'settings',

packages/cli/src/ui/commands/statsCommand.ts

@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ export const statsCommand: SlashCommand = {
   description: 'Check session stats. Usage: /stats [session|model|tools]',
   kind: CommandKind.BUILT_IN,
   autoExecute: false,
+  isSafeConcurrent: true,
   action: async (context: CommandContext) => {
     await defaultSessionView(context);
   },
@@ -93,6 +94,7 @@ export const statsCommand: SlashCommand = {
       description: 'Show session-specific usage statistics',
       kind: CommandKind.BUILT_IN,
       autoExecute: true,
+      isSafeConcurrent: true,
       action: async (context: CommandContext) => {
         await defaultSessionView(context);
       },
@@ -102,6 +104,7 @@ export const statsCommand: SlashCommand = {
       description: 'Show model-specific usage statistics',
       kind: CommandKind.BUILT_IN,
       autoExecute: true,
+      isSafeConcurrent: true,
       action: (context: CommandContext) => {
         const { selectedAuthType, userEmail, tier } = getUserIdentity(context);
         const currentModel = context.services.config?.getModel();
@@ -125,6 +128,7 @@ export const statsCommand: SlashCommand = {
       description: 'Show tool-specific usage statistics',
       kind: CommandKind.BUILT_IN,
       autoExecute: true,
+      isSafeConcurrent: true,
       action: (context: CommandContext) => {
         context.ui.addItem({
           type: MessageType.TOOL_STATS,

packages/cli/src/ui/commands/types.ts

@@ -207,6 +207,11 @@ export interface SlashCommand {
    */
   autoExecute?: boolean;
 
+  /**
+   * Whether this command can be safely executed while the agent is busy (e.g. streaming a response).
+   */
+  isSafeConcurrent?: boolean;
+
   // Optional metadata for extension commands
   extensionName?: string;
   extensionId?: string;

packages/cli/src/ui/commands/vimCommand.ts

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ export const vimCommand: SlashCommand = {
   description: 'Toggle vim mode on/off',
   kind: CommandKind.BUILT_IN,
   autoExecute: true,
+  isSafeConcurrent: true,
   action: async (context, _args) => {
     const newVimState = await context.ui.toggleVimEnabled();
 

packages/cli/src/ui/components/InputPrompt.test.tsx

@@ -94,6 +94,12 @@ afterEach(() => {
 });
 
 const mockSlashCommands: SlashCommand[] = [
+  {
+    name: 'stats',
+    description: 'Check stats',
+    kind: CommandKind.BUILT_IN,
+    isSafeConcurrent: true,
+  },
   {
     name: 'clear',
     kind: CommandKind.BUILT_IN,
@@ -3876,6 +3882,13 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
         shouldSubmit: false,
         errorMessage: 'Slash commands cannot be queued',
       },
+      {
+        name: 'should allow concurrent-safe slash commands',
+        bufferText: '/stats',
+        shellMode: false,
+        shouldSubmit: true,
+        errorMessage: null,
+      },
       {
         name: 'should prevent shell commands',
         bufferText: 'ls',

packages/cli/src/ui/components/InputPrompt.tsx

@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ import {
   isAutoExecutableCommand,
   isSlashCommand,
 } from '../utils/commandUtils.js';
+import { parseSlashCommand } from '../../utils/commands.js';
 import * as path from 'node:path';
 import { SCREEN_READER_USER_PREFIX } from '../textConstants.js';
 import { getSafeLowColorBackground } from '../themes/color-utils.js';
@@ -408,6 +409,17 @@ export const InputPrompt: React.FC<InputPromptProps> = ({
         (isSlash || isShell) &&
         streamingState === StreamingState.Responding
       ) {
+        if (isSlash) {
+          const { commandToExecute } = parseSlashCommand(
+            trimmedMessage,
+            slashCommands,
+          );
+          if (commandToExecute?.isSafeConcurrent) {
+            inputHistory.handleSubmit(trimmedMessage);
+            return;
+          }
+        }
+
         setQueueErrorMessage(
           `${isShell ? 'Shell' : 'Slash'} commands cannot be queued`,
         );
@@ -415,7 +427,13 @@ export const InputPrompt: React.FC<InputPromptProps> = ({
       }
       inputHistory.handleSubmit(trimmedMessage);
     },
-    [inputHistory, shellModeActive, streamingState, setQueueErrorMessage],
+    [
+      inputHistory,
+      shellModeActive,
+      streamingState,
+      setQueueErrorMessage,
+      slashCommands,
+    ],
   );
 
   // Effect to reset completion if history navigation just occurred and set the text