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CLI command structure still has legacy and v3 plan lifecycles - removal of legacy CLI commands #4181

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opened 2026-04-06 18:39:59 +00:00 by CoreRasurae · 1 comment
CoreRasurae commented 2026-04-06 18:39:59 +00:00
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  • Commit Message: fix(cli): remove legacy plan commands from help output
  • Branch: fix/cli-legacy-removal

Background and Context

CleverAgents supports two incompatible plan lifecycle modes:

  1. Legacy mode (agents tell → agents build → agents apply): Human-readable plan names, deprecated workflow
  2. V3 mode (agents plan use → agents plan execute → agents plan apply): ULID-based plan IDs, current architecture

These workflows are intentionally separated and cannot be mixed. However, the CLI help output does not clearly distinguish between them, and the specification (docs/specification.md and ADR-021) documents only the v3 command structure. This creates confusion for users and inconsistency in architectural documentation.

Current Behavior

Problem 1: Missing specification documentation

  • No architectural guidance on the legacy → v3 transition

Problem 2: No visual separation in CLI help

  • agents plan --help shows v3 commands
  • Legacy commands exist as top-level agents tell, agents build, etc., with no clear grouping
  • Help output doesn't indicate legacy status or deprecation
  • Users cannot easily understand command hierarchy or which workflow to use

Problem 3: Inconsistent command naming

  • Legacy workflow references agents apply in output (lines 942-943 in plan.py)
  • V3 has agents plan apply <PLAN_ID>
  • Legacy apply command itself is not implemented as a CLI command—only as internal functions
  • This creates a gap: users are told to run agents apply but must use agents build + (missing command)

Expected Behavior

  1. Remove all label commands from the CLI:

    • Legacy commands are to be removed from the CLI application
    • V3 commands should be the only shown

  2. Specification documents both workflows:

    • docs/specification.md or a ADR documents should not reference legacy commands in any way
    • if they make sure to create a Forgejo issue to handle those

  3. CLI help clearly indicates command status:

    • Remove legacy commands from the help and documentation

Acceptance Criteria

  • Help output for agents plan --help only shows v3 commands in a group or frame
  • The command group is labeled ("V3 Plan Lifecycle")
  • docs/specification.md or a related document clearly documents v3 CLI structures
  • Migration guidance from legacy to v3 is provided in a dedicated guide
  • Example help output before and after demonstrates the improvement

Supporting Information

Key files involved:

  • src/cleveragents/cli/commands/plan.py (lines 56-72: error message showing incompatibility; lines 844-1319: legacy commands; lines 1598-4000: v3 commands)
  • docs/specification.md (CLI Commands section, lines 199-368)
  • docs/adr/ADR-021-cli-and-output-rendering.md (command structure definition)

Error message acknowledging the gap:
The existing error message (lines 56-72 in plan.py) already documents incompatibility but only appears on failure, not in --help.

Subtasks

  • Analyze current CLI help rendering in src/cleveragents/cli/commands/plan.py and src/cleveragents/cli/formatting.py
  • Design new help output structure with only v3 section
  • Add migration guide from legacy to v3 in a dedicated guide (Legacy_to_V3_Guide.md)
  • Remove legacy command help text
  • Tests (Behave): Verify help output contains expected sections and labels
  • Verify coverage >=97% via nox -s coverage_report
  • Run nox (all default sessions), fix any errors

Definition of Done

This issue is complete when:

  • All subtasks above are completed and checked off
  • Help output for agents plan --help clearly documents v3 commands only and they are visually grouped with appropriate labeling
  • Migration guidance from legacy to v3 is documented
  • All new functionality is covered by tests (unit and integration)
  • Test coverage remains >=97%
  • All Behave scenarios pass
  • A Git commit is created where the first line of the commit message matches the Commit Message in Metadata exactly
  • The commit is pushed to the remote on the fix/cli-legacy-removal branch
  • A pull request is submitted to master, reviewed, and merged before this issue is marked State/Completed

Before/After Example (Proposed)

BEFORE (current help output - conceptual):

$ agents plan --help

Usage: agents plan [OPTIONS] COMMAND [ARGS]...

Commands:
  apply      Apply a plan, transitioning from Execute to Apply phase...
  artifacts  Show artifacts from a plan execution...
  cancel     Cancel a non-terminal plan...
  execute    Begin execution of the strategy...
  list       List plans with optional filters...
  new        Create a new empty plan and switch to it...
  status     Show plan status / details...
  use        Create plan from action + project(s)...

Problems: No separation. new command mixed in. No deprecation indicators.

AFTER (proposed):

$ agents plan --help

╭─ Plan Lifecycle (V3 ) ─────────────────────────────╮
│ Plans are ULID-identified                                                                        │
│ and progress through: Strategize → Execute → Apply                     │
│                                                                                                                     │
│   use        Create a v3 plan from an action + project(s)                      │
│   execute    Run strategize and execute phases                                 │
│   apply      Commit changes (Execute → Apply)                                  │
│   list       List all v3 plans with filtering                                                  │
│   status     Show detailed plan status                                                   │
│   cancel     Cancel a non-terminal plan                                                │
│   diff       Show the unified diff of plan changes                                 │
│   artifacts  Show plan artifacts and sandbox refs                              │
│   errors     Show error decisions and recovery hints                         │
│   explain    Explain a specific decision                                                  │
│   tree       Show the decision tree for a plan                                        │
│   correct    Correct a decision in a completed plan                            │
│   prompt     Send guidance to continue execution                            │
│   resume     Resume a paused plan                                                      │ 
│   rollback   Rollback to a previous checkpoint                                    │
│   revert     Revert plan to previous phase                                            │
╰───────────────────────────────────────────╯

Improvements: Clear visual identification, status indicators, migration guidance.

## Metadata - **Commit Message**: `fix(cli): remove legacy plan commands from help output` - **Branch**: `fix/cli-legacy-removal` ## Background and Context CleverAgents supports two incompatible plan lifecycle modes: 1. **Legacy mode** (`agents tell` → `agents build` → `agents apply`): Human-readable plan names, deprecated workflow 2. **V3 mode** (`agents plan use` → `agents plan execute` → `agents plan apply`): ULID-based plan IDs, current architecture These workflows are intentionally separated and cannot be mixed. However, the CLI help output does not clearly distinguish between them, and the specification (docs/specification.md and ADR-021) documents only the v3 command structure. This creates confusion for users and inconsistency in architectural documentation. ## Current Behavior **Problem 1: Missing specification documentation** - No architectural guidance on the legacy → v3 transition **Problem 2: No visual separation in CLI help** - `agents plan --help` shows v3 commands - Legacy commands exist as top-level `agents tell`, `agents build`, etc., with no clear grouping - Help output doesn't indicate legacy status or deprecation - Users cannot easily understand command hierarchy or which workflow to use **Problem 3: Inconsistent command naming** - Legacy workflow references `agents apply` in output (lines 942-943 in plan.py) - V3 has `agents plan apply <PLAN_ID>` - Legacy `apply` command itself is not implemented as a CLI command—only as internal functions - This creates a gap: users are told to run `agents apply` but must use `agents build` + (missing command) ## Expected Behavior 1. **Remove all label commands from the CLI**: - Legacy commands are to be removed from the CLI application - V3 commands should be the only shown 2. **Specification documents both workflows**: - docs/specification.md or a ADR documents should not reference legacy commands in any way - if they make sure to create a Forgejo issue to handle those 3. **CLI help clearly indicates command status**: - Remove legacy commands from the help and documentation ## Acceptance Criteria - [ ] Help output for `agents plan --help` only shows v3 commands in a group or frame - [ ] The command group is labeled ("V3 Plan Lifecycle") - [ ] docs/specification.md or a related document clearly documents v3 CLI structures - [ ] Migration guidance from legacy to v3 is provided in a dedicated guide - [ ] Example help output before and after demonstrates the improvement ## Supporting Information **Key files involved:** - `src/cleveragents/cli/commands/plan.py` (lines 56-72: error message showing incompatibility; lines 844-1319: legacy commands; lines 1598-4000: v3 commands) - `docs/specification.md` (CLI Commands section, lines 199-368) - `docs/adr/ADR-021-cli-and-output-rendering.md` (command structure definition) **Error message acknowledging the gap:** The existing error message (lines 56-72 in plan.py) already documents incompatibility but only appears on failure, not in `--help`. ## Subtasks - [ ] Analyze current CLI help rendering in `src/cleveragents/cli/commands/plan.py` and `src/cleveragents/cli/formatting.py` - [ ] Design new help output structure with only v3 section - [ ] Add migration guide from legacy to v3 in a dedicated guide (Legacy_to_V3_Guide.md) - [ ] Remove legacy command help text - [ ] Tests (Behave): Verify help output contains expected sections and labels - [ ] Verify coverage >=97% via `nox -s coverage_report` - [ ] Run `nox` (all default sessions), fix any errors ## Definition of Done This issue is complete when: - All subtasks above are completed and checked off - Help output for `agents plan --help` clearly documents v3 commands only and they are visually grouped with appropriate labeling - Migration guidance from legacy to v3 is documented - All new functionality is covered by tests (unit and integration) - Test coverage remains >=97% - All Behave scenarios pass - A Git commit is created where the **first line** of the commit message matches the Commit Message in Metadata exactly - The commit is pushed to the remote on the `fix/cli-legacy-removal` branch - A pull request is submitted to `master`, reviewed, and merged before this issue is marked `State/Completed` --- ## Before/After Example (Proposed) **BEFORE** (current help output - conceptual): ``` $ agents plan --help Usage: agents plan [OPTIONS] COMMAND [ARGS]... Commands: apply Apply a plan, transitioning from Execute to Apply phase... artifacts Show artifacts from a plan execution... cancel Cancel a non-terminal plan... execute Begin execution of the strategy... list List plans with optional filters... new Create a new empty plan and switch to it... status Show plan status / details... use Create plan from action + project(s)... ``` Problems: No separation. `new` command mixed in. No deprecation indicators. **AFTER** (proposed): ``` $ agents plan --help ╭─ Plan Lifecycle (V3 ) ─────────────────────────────╮ │ Plans are ULID-identified │ │ and progress through: Strategize → Execute → Apply │ │ │ │ use Create a v3 plan from an action + project(s) │ │ execute Run strategize and execute phases │ │ apply Commit changes (Execute → Apply) │ │ list List all v3 plans with filtering │ │ status Show detailed plan status │ │ cancel Cancel a non-terminal plan │ │ diff Show the unified diff of plan changes │ │ artifacts Show plan artifacts and sandbox refs │ │ errors Show error decisions and recovery hints │ │ explain Explain a specific decision │ │ tree Show the decision tree for a plan │ │ correct Correct a decision in a completed plan │ │ prompt Send guidance to continue execution │ │ resume Resume a paused plan │ │ rollback Rollback to a previous checkpoint │ │ revert Revert plan to previous phase │ ╰───────────────────────────────────────────╯ ``` Improvements: Clear visual identification, status indicators, migration guidance.
CoreRasurae commented 2026-04-06 18:40:50 +00:00
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Parent Epic Link Pending

This issue describes an architectural gap in CLI command structure and documentation. Per CONTRIBUTING.md guidelines, it should be linked to a suitable parent Epic.

Suggested Parent Epics

  1. #364 - Epic: Additional CLI Commands & UX (currently closed/completed)

    • Most directly relevant: covers CLI commands, action/plan extensions, and output rendering
    • Status: Closed as of v3.1.0 completion (2026-02-28)
    • Could be reopened for this scope, or this could be a follow-up to that epic

  2. #933 - Epic: A2A Protocol Compliance (open, v3.4.0 milestone)

    • Broader scope: ensures all CLI commands route through A2A protocol operations
    • Includes specification/documentation updates
    • Parent epic for protocol-level work

Architecture

This issue represents work that should be captured as a Child Issue of whichever epic covers CLI/UX/presentation layer improvements. The work specifically addresses:

  • Specification gap: Legacy vs v3 command structures undocumented
  • CLI UX gap: No visual separation of deprecated vs current commands
  • Architectural clarity: Need explicit documentation of intentional incompatibility

Next Steps for Maintainer

Please assign this issue to the appropriate parent epic using Forgejo's dependency system. Once verified and milestone-assigned, this issue will be ready for implementation.

Issue #4181 Status: Awaiting epic link assignment (State: Unverified) | Labels: State/Unverified, Type/Bug, Priority/Backlog, needs feedback

## Parent Epic Link Pending This issue describes an **architectural gap** in CLI command structure and documentation. Per CONTRIBUTING.md guidelines, it should be linked to a suitable parent Epic. ### Suggested Parent Epics 1. **#364 - Epic: Additional CLI Commands & UX** (currently closed/completed) - Most directly relevant: covers CLI commands, action/plan extensions, and output rendering - Status: Closed as of v3.1.0 completion (2026-02-28) - Could be reopened for this scope, or this could be a follow-up to that epic 2. **#933 - Epic: A2A Protocol Compliance** (open, v3.4.0 milestone) - Broader scope: ensures all CLI commands route through A2A protocol operations - Includes specification/documentation updates - Parent epic for protocol-level work ### Architecture This issue represents work that should be captured as a **Child Issue** of whichever epic covers CLI/UX/presentation layer improvements. The work specifically addresses: - **Specification gap**: Legacy vs v3 command structures undocumented - **CLI UX gap**: No visual separation of deprecated vs current commands - **Architectural clarity**: Need explicit documentation of intentional incompatibility ### Next Steps for Maintainer Please assign this issue to the appropriate parent epic using Forgejo's dependency system. Once verified and milestone-assigned, this issue will be ready for implementation. --- **Issue #4181 Status**: Awaiting epic link assignment (State: Unverified) | Labels: State/Unverified, Type/Bug, Priority/Backlog, needs feedback
CoreRasurae changed title from CLI command structure lacks separation and documentation between legacy and v3 plan lifecycles to CLI command structure still has legacy and v3 plan lifecycles - removal of legacy CLI commands 2026-04-07 16:01:41 +00:00
HAL9000 added the
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HAL9000 added this to the v3.5.0 milestone 2026-04-09 03:12:36 +00:00
HAL9000 was assigned by CoreRasurae 2026-04-09 17:54:00 +00:00
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aditya (Aditya Chhabra) aleenaumair (Aleena Umair) brent.edwards (Brent Edwards) CoreRasurae (Luis Mendes) drew (Drew Morris) eugen.thaci (Eugen Thaci) freemo (Jeffrey Phillips Freeman) HAL9000 (HAL 9000) HAL9001 (HAL9001) hamza.khyari (Hamza Khyari) hurui200320 (Rui Hu) justin.morris khird (Kyle Hird) org.cleveragents
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#4182 Epic: Legacy CLI command removal and full verification of CLI interface and workflows
cleveragents/cleveragents-core
#4379 test(cli): add Behave scenarios verifying CLI help output sections and V3-only command structure
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#10800 fix: remove legacy CLI command tests after plan.py cleanup
cleveragents/cleveragents-core
Reference: cleveragents/cleveragents-core#4181
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