feat(tui): add hidden tool activity mode

packages/coding-agent/src/config/keybindings.ts

@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ interface AppKeybindings {
 	"app.model.select": true;
 	"app.model.selectTemporary": true;
 	"app.tools.expand": true;
+	"app.tools.toggleVisibility": true;
 	"app.editor.external": true;
 	"app.message.followUp": true;
 	"app.retry": true;
@@ -124,6 +125,10 @@ export const KEYBINDINGS = {
 		defaultKeys: "ctrl+o",
 		description: "Expand tools",
 	},
+	"app.tools.toggleVisibility": {
+		defaultKeys: "ctrl+shift+o",
+		description: "Show or hide tool activity",
+	},
 	"app.editor.external": {
 		defaultKeys: "ctrl+g",
 		description: "Open external editor",

packages/coding-agent/src/config/settings-schema.ts

@@ -1018,6 +1018,17 @@ export const SETTINGS_SCHEMA = {
 		},
 	},
 
+	"display.hideToolActivity": {
+		type: "boolean",
+		default: false,
+		ui: {
+			tab: "appearance",
+			group: "Display",
+			label: "Hide Tool Activity",
+			description: "Hide model-initiated tool calls and results from the transcript",
+		},
+	},
+
 	"display.showTokenUsage": {
 		type: "boolean",
 		default: false,

packages/coding-agent/src/modes/components/assistant-message.ts

@@ -185,6 +185,7 @@ export class AssistantMessageComponent extends Container {
 	#toolImagesByCallId = new Map<string, ImageContent[]>();
 	#convertedKittyImages = new Map<string, ImageContent>();
 	#showImages = true;
+	#showToolResultImages = true;
 	#kittyConversionsInFlight = new Set<string>();
 	#transcriptBlockFinalized: boolean;
 	/**
@@ -578,6 +579,15 @@ export class AssistantMessageComponent extends Container {
 		}
 	}
 
+	/** Toggle only images produced by tool results; assistant-native images remain governed by setImagesVisible. */
+	setToolResultImagesVisible(visible: boolean): void {
+		if (this.#showToolResultImages === visible) return;
+		this.#showToolResultImages = visible;
+		if (this.#lastMessage) {
+			this.updateContent(this.#lastMessage, { transient: this.#lastUpdateTransient });
+		}
+	}
+
 	setToolResultImages(toolCallId: string, images: ImageContent[]): void {
 		if (!toolCallId) return;
 		const validImages = images.filter(img => img.type === "image" && img.data && img.mimeType);
@@ -649,6 +659,7 @@ export class AssistantMessageComponent extends Container {
 	}
 
 	#renderToolImages(): void {
+		if (!this.#showToolResultImages) return;
 		const entries = Array.from(this.#toolImagesByCallId.entries()).flatMap(([toolCallId, images]) =>
 			images.map((image, index) => ({ image, key: `${toolCallId}:${index}` })),
 		);

packages/coding-agent/src/modes/components/chat-transcript-builder.ts

@@ -190,6 +190,7 @@ export class ChatTranscriptBuilder {
 			this.#readGroup = new ReadToolGroupComponent({
 				showContentPreview: settings.get("read.toolResultPreview"),
 			});
+			this.#readGroup.setToolActivityVisible(!settings.get("display.hideToolActivity"));
 			this.#trackExpandable(this.#readGroup);
 			this.container.addChild(this.#readGroup);
 		}
@@ -321,6 +322,7 @@ export class ChatTranscriptBuilder {
 			proseOnlyThinking,
 		);
 		assistantComponent.setImagesVisible(settings.get("terminal.showImages"));
+		assistantComponent.setToolResultImagesVisible(!settings.get("display.hideToolActivity"));
 		this.#trackExpandable(assistantComponent);
 		this.container.addChild(assistantComponent);
 
@@ -353,6 +355,7 @@ export class ChatTranscriptBuilder {
 				proseOnlyThinking,
 			);
 			component.setImagesVisible(settings.get("terminal.showImages"));
+			component.setToolResultImagesVisible(!settings.get("display.hideToolActivity"));
 			this.#trackExpandable(component);
 			this.container.addChild(component);
 		};
@@ -401,6 +404,7 @@ export class ChatTranscriptBuilder {
 				this.deps.cwd,
 				content.id,
 			);
+			component.setToolActivityVisible(!settings.get("display.hideToolActivity"));
 			this.#trackExpandable(component);
 			this.container.addChild(component);
 

packages/coding-agent/src/modes/components/custom-editor.ts

@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ type ConfigurableEditorAction = Extract<
 	| "app.model.select"
 	| "app.model.selectTemporary"
 	| "app.tools.expand"
+	| "app.tools.toggleVisibility"
 	| "app.thinking.toggle"
 	| "app.editor.external"
 	| "app.history.search"
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ const DEFAULT_ACTION_KEYS: Record<ConfigurableEditorAction, KeyId[]> = {
 	"app.model.select": ["alt+m"],
 	"app.model.selectTemporary": ["alt+p"],
 	"app.tools.expand": ["ctrl+o"],
+	"app.tools.toggleVisibility": ["ctrl+shift+o"],
 	"app.thinking.toggle": ["ctrl+t"],
 	"app.editor.external": ["ctrl+g"],
 	"app.history.search": ["ctrl+r"],
@@ -550,6 +552,7 @@ export class CustomEditor extends Editor {
 	onCycleModelBackward?: () => void;
 	onSelectModel?: () => void;
 	onExpandTools?: () => void;
+	onToggleToolActivity?: () => void;
 	onToggleThinking?: () => void;
 	onExternalEditor?: () => void;
 	onHistorySearch?: () => void;
@@ -910,6 +913,12 @@ export class CustomEditor extends Editor {
 				return;
 			}
 
+			// Intercept configured tool activity visibility toggle
+			if (this.#matchesAction(canonical, "app.tools.toggleVisibility") && this.onToggleToolActivity) {
+				this.onToggleToolActivity();
+				return;
+			}
+
 			// Intercept configured backward model cycling (check before forward cycling)
 			if (this.#matchesAction(canonical, "app.model.cycleBackward") && this.onCycleModelBackward) {
 				this.onCycleModelBackward();

packages/coding-agent/src/modes/components/read-tool-group.ts

@@ -332,6 +332,7 @@ export class ReadToolGroupComponent extends Container implements ToolExecutionHa
 	#usageBatchByToolCallId = new Map<string, string>();
 	#text: Text;
 	#expanded = false;
+	#toolActivityVisible = true;
 	#showContentPreview: boolean;
 	// A read group accretes entries across multiple assistant completions for as
 	// long as the run of reads is uninterrupted. While it is the active group it
@@ -353,6 +354,10 @@ export class ReadToolGroupComponent extends Container implements ToolExecutionHa
 		this.#updateDisplay();
 	}
 
+	override render(width: number): readonly string[] {
+		if (!this.#toolActivityVisible) return [];
+		return super.render(width);
+	}
 	isTranscriptBlockFinalized(): boolean {
 		if (this.#sealed) return true;
 		if (!this.#finalized) return false;
@@ -496,6 +501,11 @@ export class ReadToolGroupComponent extends Container implements ToolExecutionHa
 		this.#updateDisplay();
 	}
 
+	setToolActivityVisible(visible: boolean): void {
+		this.#toolActivityVisible = visible;
+		super.invalidate();
+	}
+
 	getComponent(): Component {
 		return this;
 	}

packages/coding-agent/src/modes/components/tool-execution.ts

@@ -246,6 +246,7 @@ export interface ToolExecutionHandle extends Component {
 	): void;
 	setArgsComplete(toolCallId?: string): void;
 	setExpanded(expanded: boolean): void;
+	setToolActivityVisible(visible: boolean): void;
 	/** Freeze the block as final history: stop spinners and let it commit to scrollback. */
 	seal(): void;
 }
@@ -287,6 +288,7 @@ export class ToolExecutionComponent extends Container implements NativeScrollbac
 	#toolLabel: string;
 	#args: any;
 	#expanded = false;
+	#toolActivityVisible = true;
 	#showImages: boolean;
 	#editFuzzyThreshold: number | undefined;
 	#editAllowFuzzy: boolean | undefined;
@@ -901,6 +903,11 @@ export class ToolExecutionComponent extends Container implements NativeScrollbac
 		this.#updateDisplay();
 	}
 
+	setToolActivityVisible(visible: boolean): void {
+		this.#toolActivityVisible = visible;
+		super.invalidate();
+	}
+
 	setShowImages(show: boolean): void {
 		this.#showImages = show;
 		this.#updateDisplay();
@@ -960,6 +967,7 @@ export class ToolExecutionComponent extends Container implements NativeScrollbac
 	}
 
 	override render(width: number): readonly string[] {
+		if (!this.#toolActivityVisible) return [];
 		const lines = super.render(width);
 		// Update the paint-tracking flags after `super.render(width)` — the
 		// override runs on every compose the parent Container performs, so a

packages/coding-agent/src/modes/controllers/event-controller.ts

@@ -276,6 +276,7 @@ export class EventController {
 				showContentPreview: this.ctx.settings.get("read.toolResultPreview"),
 			});
 			group.setExpanded(this.ctx.toolOutputExpanded);
+			group.setToolActivityVisible(!this.ctx.hideToolActivity);
 			this.ctx.chatContainer.addChild(group);
 			this.#lastReadGroup = group;
 		}
@@ -927,6 +928,7 @@ export class EventController {
 						content.id,
 					);
 					component.setExpanded(this.ctx.toolOutputExpanded);
+					component.setToolActivityVisible(!this.ctx.hideToolActivity);
 					this.ctx.chatContainer.addChild(component);
 					this.ctx.pendingTools.set(content.id, component);
 					this.#toolTimelineComponents.set(content.id, component);
@@ -1176,6 +1178,7 @@ export class EventController {
 				event.toolCallId,
 			);
 			component.setExpanded(this.ctx.toolOutputExpanded);
+			component.setToolActivityVisible(!this.ctx.hideToolActivity);
 			this.ctx.chatContainer.addChild(component);
 			this.ctx.pendingTools.set(event.toolCallId, component);
 			this.#toolTimelineComponents.set(event.toolCallId, component);

packages/coding-agent/src/modes/controllers/input-controller.ts

@@ -8,8 +8,10 @@ import { isSettingsInitialized, settings } from "../../config/settings";
 import { resolveLocalRoot } from "../../internal-urls";
 import { AssistantMessageComponent } from "../../modes/components/assistant-message";
 import { extractImagePathFromText } from "../../modes/components/custom-editor";
+import { ReadToolGroupComponent } from "../../modes/components/read-tool-group";
 import { renderSegmentTrack } from "../../modes/components/segment-track";
 import { TinyTitleDownloadProgressComponent } from "../../modes/components/tiny-title-download-progress";
+import { ToolExecutionComponent } from "../../modes/components/tool-execution";
 import { expandEmoticons } from "../../modes/emoji-autocomplete";
 import { materializeImageReferenceLinks, shiftImageMarkers } from "../../modes/image-references";
 import { createPromptActionAutocompleteProvider } from "../../modes/prompt-action-autocomplete";
@@ -455,6 +457,11 @@ export class InputController {
 		this.ctx.editor.onCopyPrompt = () => this.handleCopyPrompt();
 		this.ctx.editor.setActionKeys("app.tools.expand", this.ctx.keybindings.getKeys("app.tools.expand"));
 		this.ctx.editor.onExpandTools = () => this.toggleToolOutputExpansion();
+		this.ctx.editor.setActionKeys(
+			"app.tools.toggleVisibility",
+			this.ctx.keybindings.getKeys("app.tools.toggleVisibility"),
+		);
+		this.ctx.editor.onToggleToolActivity = () => this.toggleToolActivityVisibility();
 		this.ctx.editor.setActionKeys("app.message.dequeue", this.ctx.keybindings.getKeys("app.message.dequeue"));
 		this.ctx.editor.onDequeue = () => this.handleDequeue();
 		this.ctx.editor.setActionKeys("app.retry", this.ctx.keybindings.getKeys("app.retry"));
@@ -1845,9 +1852,36 @@ export class InputController {
 	}
 
 	toggleToolOutputExpansion(): void {
+		if (this.ctx.hideToolActivity) {
+			const visibilityKey = this.ctx.keybindings.getDisplayString("app.tools.toggleVisibility");
+			const visibilityHint = visibilityKey ? `${visibilityKey} or /settings` : "/settings";
+			this.ctx.showStatus(`Tool activity is hidden — show it with ${visibilityHint} before expanding`);
+			return;
+		}
 		this.setToolsExpanded(!this.ctx.toolOutputExpanded);
 	}
 
+	toggleToolActivityVisibility(): void {
+		this.ctx.hideToolActivity = !this.ctx.hideToolActivity;
+		this.ctx.settings.set("display.hideToolActivity", this.ctx.hideToolActivity);
+
+		if (!this.ctx.hideToolActivity) {
+			this.ctx.toolOutputExpanded = false;
+		}
+
+		for (const child of this.ctx.chatContainer.children) {
+			if (child instanceof ToolExecutionComponent || child instanceof ReadToolGroupComponent) {
+				if (!this.ctx.hideToolActivity) child.setExpanded(false);
+				child.setToolActivityVisible(!this.ctx.hideToolActivity);
+			} else if (child instanceof AssistantMessageComponent) {
+				child.setToolResultImagesVisible(!this.ctx.hideToolActivity);
+			}
+		}
+
+		this.ctx.ui.resetDisplay();
+		this.ctx.showStatus(`Tool activity: ${this.ctx.hideToolActivity ? "hidden" : "visible"}`);
+	}
+
 	setToolsExpanded(expanded: boolean): void {
 		this.ctx.toolOutputExpanded = expanded;
 		for (const child of this.ctx.chatContainer.children) {

packages/coding-agent/src/modes/controllers/selector-controller.ts

@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ import { ModelHubComponent, type ModelRoleSelectionScope } from "../components/m
 import { ModelPickerComponent } from "../components/model-picker";
 import { OAuthSelectorComponent } from "../components/oauth-selector";
 import { PluginSelectorComponent } from "../components/plugin-selector";
+import { ReadToolGroupComponent } from "../components/read-tool-group";
 import { ResetUsageSelectorComponent } from "../components/reset-usage-selector";
 import { renderSegmentTrack } from "../components/segment-track";
 import { SessionAccountSelectorComponent } from "../components/session-account-selector";
@@ -474,6 +475,21 @@ export class SelectorController {
 				break;
 
 			// Settings with UI side effects
+			case "display.hideToolActivity": {
+				const hidden = value as boolean;
+				this.ctx.hideToolActivity = hidden;
+				if (!hidden) this.ctx.toolOutputExpanded = false;
+				for (const child of this.ctx.chatContainer.children) {
+					if (child instanceof ToolExecutionComponent || child instanceof ReadToolGroupComponent) {
+						if (!hidden) child.setExpanded(false);
+						child.setToolActivityVisible(!hidden);
+					} else if (child instanceof AssistantMessageComponent) {
+						child.setToolResultImagesVisible(!hidden);
+					}
+				}
+				this.ctx.ui.resetDisplay();
+				break;
+			}
 			case "terminal.showImages":
 			case "showImages": {
 				const visible = value as boolean;

packages/coding-agent/src/modes/interactive-mode.ts

@@ -460,6 +460,7 @@ export class InteractiveMode implements InteractiveModeContext {
 	initialChatRendered = false;
 	isBashMode = false;
 	toolOutputExpanded = false;
+	hideToolActivity = false;
 	todoExpanded = false;
 	planModeEnabled = false;
 	planModePaused = false;
@@ -778,6 +779,7 @@ export class InteractiveMode implements InteractiveModeContext {
 		// hot path where the render never gets to paint the result.
 		this.editor.setTopBorderProvider(availableWidth => this.statusLine.getTopBorder(availableWidth));
 
+		this.hideToolActivity = settings.get("display.hideToolActivity");
 		this.hideThinkingBlock = settings.get("hideThinkingBlock");
 		this.proseOnlyThinking = settings.get("proseOnlyThinking");
 

packages/coding-agent/src/modes/types.ts

@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ export interface InteractiveModeContext {
 	initialChatRendered: boolean;
 	isBashMode: boolean;
 	toolOutputExpanded: boolean;
+	hideToolActivity: boolean;
 	todoExpanded: boolean;
 	planModeEnabled: boolean;
 	vibeModeEnabled: boolean;

packages/coding-agent/src/modes/utils/hotkeys-markdown.ts

@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ export function buildHotkeysMarkdown(bindings: HotkeysMarkdownBindings): string
 		`| \`${appKey(bindings, "app.plan.toggle")}\` | Toggle plan mode |`,
 		`| \`${appKey(bindings, "app.history.search")}\` | Search prompt history |`,
 		`| \`${appKey(bindings, "app.tools.expand")}\` | Toggle tool output expansion |`,
+		`| \`${appKey(bindings, "app.tools.toggleVisibility")}\` | Toggle tool activity visibility |`,
 		`| \`${appKey(bindings, "app.thinking.toggle")}\` | Toggle thinking block visibility |`,
 		`| \`${appKey(bindings, "app.editor.external")}\` | Edit message in external editor |`,
 		`| \`${appKey(bindings, "app.retry")}\` | Retry last failed assistant turn |`,

packages/coding-agent/src/modes/utils/interactive-context-helpers.ts

@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ export function createAssistantMessageComponent(
 		ctx.proseOnlyThinking,
 	);
 	component.setImagesVisible(ctx.settings.get("terminal.showImages"));
+	component.setToolResultImagesVisible(!ctx.hideToolActivity);
 	component.setExpanded(ctx.toolOutputExpanded);
 	return component;
 }

packages/coding-agent/src/modes/utils/ui-helpers.ts

@@ -444,6 +444,7 @@ export class UiHelpers {
 									showContentPreview: this.ctx.settings.get("read.toolResultPreview"),
 								});
 								readGroup.setExpanded(this.ctx.toolOutputExpanded);
+								readGroup.setToolActivityVisible(!this.ctx.hideToolActivity);
 								this.ctx.chatContainer.addChild(readGroup);
 							}
 							readGroup.updateArgs(content.arguments, content.id);
@@ -458,6 +459,7 @@ export class UiHelpers {
 									showContentPreview: this.ctx.settings.get("read.toolResultPreview"),
 								});
 								readGroup.setExpanded(this.ctx.toolOutputExpanded);
+								readGroup.setToolActivityVisible(!this.ctx.hideToolActivity);
 								this.ctx.chatContainer.addChild(readGroup);
 							}
 							readGroup.updateArgs(content.arguments, content.id);
@@ -510,6 +512,7 @@ export class UiHelpers {
 						content.id,
 					);
 					component.setExpanded(this.ctx.toolOutputExpanded);
+					component.setToolActivityVisible(!this.ctx.hideToolActivity);
 					this.ctx.chatContainer.addChild(component);
 
 					if (hasErrorStop && errorMessage) {
@@ -578,6 +581,7 @@ export class UiHelpers {
 								showContentPreview: this.ctx.settings.get("read.toolResultPreview"),
 							});
 							readGroup.setExpanded(this.ctx.toolOutputExpanded);
+							readGroup.setToolActivityVisible(!this.ctx.hideToolActivity);
 							this.ctx.chatContainer.addChild(readGroup);
 						}
 						const args = readToolCallArgs.get(message.toolCallId);