Dissecting the Implementation of the /goal Command (from Claude Code 2.1.139, headless version)
Source file:
2.1.139-unbundled/extracted/src/entrypoints/cli.jsReproduction goal: make the Agent keep working until the condition is met.
Implementation principle in one sentence:
/goal <cond>registerscondas a session-levelStophook (type: "prompt"). Each time the Agent wants to end a turn, this hook is evaluated; if the condition is not met, the model’s stop reason is fed back in so it keeps working, and once the condition is met, the hook is automatically cleared.Naming convention: when each identifier appears for the first time, a
/* original obfuscated name */comment is attached to make it easier to trace back to the original bundle.
1. Data Model
type ActiveGoal = {
condition: string; // Goal condition entered by the user
iterations: number; // Number of unmet attempts (Stop hook interception +1 each time)
setAt: number; // Date.now() creation time
tokensAtStart: number; // "Cumulative output token count" at creation (⚠ output tokens only; see §10)
lastReason?: string; // Stop reason provided by the model in the previous turn
};
type GoalStatusAttachment = {
type: "goal_status";
met: boolean;
condition: string;
sentinel?: boolean; // true = user-state set/clear anchor; UI does not render it, but resume flow searches for it
reason?: string; // Stop reason when unmet
iterations?: number; // Statistics when met
durationMs?: number;
tokens?: number; // Output tokens consumed during the period
};
The initial value of appState.activeGoal is undefined (cli.js L456934).
2. Constants and Copy
const MAX_CONDITION_LENGTH /* $oH */ = 4000;
const CLEAR_KEYWORDS /* l23 */ = new Set([
"clear", "stop", "off", "reset", "none", "cancel",
]);
const POLICY_GATE_MESSAGE /* i23 */ =
"/goal is disabled by your organization's policy (disableAllHooks).";
const TRUST_GATE_MESSAGE /* n23 */ =
"/goal is only available in trusted workspaces. " +
"Restart, accept the trust dialog, and try again.";
// ⭐ Runtime instruction sent to the model immediately after setting a goal (copy verbatim)
const buildGoalDirective /* uD6 */ = (condition: string): string =>
`A session-scoped Stop hook is now active with condition: "${condition}". ` +
`Briefly acknowledge the goal, then immediately start (or continue) working toward it ` +
`— treat the condition itself as your directive and do not pause to ask the user what to do. ` +
`The hook will block stopping until the condition holds. ` +
`It auto-clears once the condition is met — do not tell the user to run \`/goal clear\` after success; ` +
`that's only for clearing a goal early.`;
3. Host-Framework Contract
The target project must expose the following capabilities. /goal itself is ~150 lines; this contract layer is where the real engineering effort lies.
3.1 Session & Resource Access
function getSessionId /* k_ */ (): string; // cli.js L2288
// ⚠ Note: this is "cumulative output tokens", not "total tokens or context usage"
function getOutputTokenCount /* Wf */ (): number; // cli.js L2409
3.2 Admission Gates
function isNonInteractive /* Z8 */ (): boolean; // cli.js L2656 —— !isInteractive
function isRemoteWorkspace /* V8 */ (): boolean; // cli.js L3076
function isWorkspaceTrusted /* q3 */ (): boolean; // cli.js L149640
function isHooksDisabledByPolicy /* eu */ (): boolean;// cli.js L255357
3.3 Session-Scoped Hook Registry
This is the core of the whole mechanism. Hooks must support type: "prompt", and when the Stop hook fires, the framework must let the LLM determine whether that prompt is satisfied, then convert the result into success/blocking.
type SessionHook =
| { type: "prompt"; prompt: string }
| { type: "function"; id: string; timeout: number; callback: Function; errorMessage?: string }
| { type: "command"; command: string; /* … */ };
type HookEntry = {
matcher: string; // empty string means "no matcher" → /goal uses empty string
skillRoot?: string; // /goal uses undefined (distinct from skill-injected hooks)
hooks: SessionHook[];
};
interface SessionHooksRegistry <ruby>add(sessionId: string, event: "Stop"<rt>"SubagentStop" | /* … */,
matcher: string, hook: SessionHook, skillRoot?: string): void;
remove(sessionId: string, event: string, hook: SessionHook): void;</rt></ruby>
// See cli.js L376600 iD_ → OI7: upsert by (matcher, skillRoot)
function installHook /* iD_ */ (
setAppState: AppStateSetter,
sessionId: string,
event: "Stop",
matcher: string,
hook: SessionHook,
): void;
// Get all HookEntry items for this session and event
function getHooksForEvent /* twH */ (
state: AppState, sessionId: string, event: string,
): Map<string, HookEntry[]>;
Key semantics (contract relied on by cli.js L418198–418265):
- After a Stop hook runs, the framework yields an attachment in the message stream:
- condition satisfied →
{ type: "hook_success", stdout?, stderr? } - condition not satisfied → also includes
blockingError: { blockingError: string }, andb.stopReasongives the reason
- condition satisfied →
- The same frame’s
b.hookfield must be able to locate the corresponding{ type: "prompt", prompt: cond }hook, so/goalcan compareprompt === activeGoal.condition.
3.4 App State
interface AppStateCtx {
getAppState(): AppState;
setAppState(updater: (s: AppState) => AppState): void;
applyMessageOp(op: { type: "append"; messages: Message[] }): void;
sessionHooksRegistry: SessionHooksRegistry;
messages: Message[];
}
interface AppState <ruby>activeGoal: ActiveGoal<rt>undefined;
// … other fields</rt></ruby>
3.5 Message Helpers
function wrapAttachmentAsMessage /* z9 */ (att: GoalStatusAttachment): Message; // cli.js L423101
function makeUserMessage /* $6 */ (opts: <ruby>content: string<rt>ContentBlock[];
isMeta?: boolean;
// …</rt></ruby>): Message; // cli.js L450191
function formatBlockingError /* oV8 */ (err: { blockingError: string }): string;
// Implementation: return `Stop hook feedback:\n${err.blockingError}` // cli.js L554731
3.6 Utility Functions
function pluralize /* x6 */ (n: number, singular: string, plural?: string): string; // cli.js L9966
function firstLine /* s5 */ (text: string): string; // cut at the first \n // cli.js L10026
function formatDuration /* r7 */ (ms: number, opts: { mostSignificantOnly?: boolean }): string;
function formatTokenCount /* F4 */ (n: number): string;
3.7 Telemetry & UI Feedback
function track /* Q */ (event: string, props: Record<string, unknown>): void; // cli.js L3256
function trackWithCode /* j6 */ (event: string, code: string): void; // cli.js L43254
function showToast /* yH */ (id: "goal_set" | "goal_met"): void; // cli.js L43248
Events triggered by /goal: tengu_stop_hook_added, tengu_stop_hook_removed, tengu_goal_achieved, tengu_goal_restored_on_resume; failure prefixes: goal_set:<ruby>policy_gate<rt>trust_gate|too_long</rt></ruby>.
4. Command Registration (headless cares about the local shape)
// cli.js L540226–540237
const goalCommandNonInteractive /* gV3 */ = {
type: "local" as const,
name: "goal",
supportsNonInteractive: true,
thinClientDispatch: "post-text" as const,
description: "Set a goal — keep working until the condition is met",
argumentHint: "[<condition> | clear]",
get isHidden() { return !isNonInteractive(); },
isEnabled: () => isNonInteractive() || isRemoteWorkspace(),
load: () => Promise.resolve({ call: handleGoalText }),
};
⚠ Correction:
isNonInteractive()≠ "remote client". It is simply!g_.isInteractive. This command is shown by default in non-interactive mode and enabled in non-interactive mode or remote workspaces.
5. Command Entry Point handleGoalText (cli.js L540182–540207)
type GoalReply =
| { type: "text"; value: string }
| { type: "query"; value: string; prompt: string };
async function handleGoalText /* UV3 */ (input: string, ctx: AppStateCtx): Promise<GoalReply> {
const q = input.trim();
// (1) Empty input → show current status
if (q === "") {
const goal = ctx.getAppState().activeGoal;
if (!goal) return { type: "text", value: "No goal set. Usage: `/goal <condition>`" };
const turns = goal.iterations === 0
? "not yet evaluated"
: `${goal.iterations} ${pluralize(goal.iterations, "turn")}`;
const tail = goal.lastReason ? `\n${formatLastCheckLine(goal.lastReason)}` : "";
return { type: "text", value: `Goal active: ${goal.condition} (${turns})${tail}` };
}
// (2) clear/stop/off/reset/none/cancel → clear
if (isClearKeyword(q)) {
const cleared = clearGoal(ctx);
return { type: "text", value: cleared === null ? "No goal set" : `Goal cleared: ${cleared}` };
}
// (3) Character limit
if (q.length > MAX_CONDITION_LENGTH) {
trackWithCode("goal_set", "too_long");
return {
type: "text",
value: `Goal condition is limited to ${MAX_CONDITION_LENGTH} characters (got ${q.length})`,
};
}
// (4) Set → on failure, return error text; on success, immediately trigger a query with runtime instructions
const errMsg = setGoal(q, ctx);
if (errMsg !== null) return { type: "text", value: errMsg };
return { type: "query", value: `Goal set: ${q}`, prompt: buildGoalDirective(q) };
}
6. Core set/clear Logic (cli.js L517416–517504)
function isClearKeyword /* xD6 */ (s: string): boolean {
return CLEAR_KEYWORDS.has(s.toLowerCase());
}
function formatLastCheckLine /* hjK */ (reason: string): string {
return `Last check: ${firstLine(reason.trim())}`;
}
// Admission gate
function checkGoalGate /* Wu8 */ (): <ruby>message: string; code: "policy_gate"<rt>"trust_gate"</rt></ruby> | null {
if (isHooksDisabledByPolicy()) return { message: POLICY_GATE_MESSAGE, code: "policy_gate" };
if (!isNonInteractive() && !isWorkspaceTrusted()) {
return { message: TRUST_GATE_MESSAGE, code: "trust_gate" };
}
return null;
}
// List all Stop hooks in this session that were "injected by /goal"
function listGoalStopHooks /* mD6 */ (state: AppState, sessionId: string): SessionHook[] {
const out: SessionHook[] = [];
for (const entry of getHooksForEvent(state, sessionId, "Stop").get("Stop") ?? []) <ruby>if (entry.matcher !== ""<rt>| entry.skillRoot !== undefined) continue; // user-mode goal marker
for (const hook of entry.hooks) if (hook.type === "prompt") out.push(hook);</rt></ruby>
return out;
}
// Construct a sentinel attachment message (not rendered by the UI; only used as a resume anchor)
function makeGoalSentinelMessage /* EjK */ (met: boolean, condition: string): Message {
return {
type: "attachment",
uuid: crypto.randomUUID(),
timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
attachment: { type: "goal_status", met, sentinel: true, condition },
};
}
// Set goal — returns null on success; returns error text to display to the user on failure
function setGoal /* YoH */ (condition: string, ctx: AppStateCtx): string | null {
const gate = checkGoalGate();
if (gate !== null) {
trackWithCode("goal_set", gate.code);
return gate.message;
}
const sessionId = getSessionId();
// Only one goal hook is allowed at a time: clear the old one first
for (const old of listGoalStopHooks(ctx.getAppState(), sessionId)) {
ctx.sessionHooksRegistry.remove(sessionId, "Stop", old);
}
// ⭐ Inject condition as a prompt-type Stop hook
ctx.sessionHooksRegistry.add(
sessionId, "Stop", "",
{ type: "prompt", prompt: condition },
);
const goal: ActiveGoal = {
condition,
iterations: 0,
setAt: Date.now(),
tokensAtStart: getOutputTokenCount(),
};
ctx.setAppState(s => ({ ...s, activeGoal: goal }));
ctx.applyMessageOp({ type: "append", messages: [makeGoalSentinelMessage(false, condition)] });
track("tengu_stop_hook_added", { promptLength: condition.length, via: "goal" });
showToast("goal_set");
return null;
}
// Clear goal — returns null if none exists; otherwise returns the cleared condition
function clearGoal /* woH */ (ctx: AppStateCtx): string | null {
const sessionId = getSessionId();
const existing = listGoalStopHooks(ctx.getAppState(), sessionId);
if (existing.length === 0) return null;
const cleared = (existing[0] as { type: "prompt"; prompt: string }).prompt;
for (const h of existing) ctx.sessionHooksRegistry.remove(sessionId, "Stop", h);
ctx.setAppState(s => (s.activeGoal === undefined ? s : { ...s, activeGoal: undefined }));
ctx.applyMessageOp({ type: "append", messages: [makeGoalSentinelMessage(true, cleared)] });
track("tengu_stop_hook_removed", { via: "goal" });
return cleared;
}
7. Runtime: Stop Hook Feedback Loop (cli.js L418198–418265)
This is where “keep working until …” actually takes effect. Below are the two goal-related paths extracted from the main query loop:
// The main loop consumes the message stream produced by the hook
for await (const frame of hookStream) {
// Helper: maps the hook descriptor on the frame back to the currently registered hook
// (Z = (b) => { … }, corresponding to cli.js L418182)
const matchedHook = (frame.hook && hookStillRegistered(frame.hook)) ? frame.hook : undefined;
// ── Success path: hook did not block → treat goal as achieved ───────────────
if (frame.message?.type === "attachment") {
const att = frame.message.attachment;
const isStop = att.hookEvent === "Stop" || att.hookEvent === "SubagentStop";
if (isStop && att.type === "hook_success" && matchedHook?.type === "prompt") {
ctx.sessionHooksRegistry.remove(getSessionId(), "Stop", matchedHook);
const cur = ctx.getAppState().activeGoal;
if (cur?.condition === matchedHook.prompt) {
const iterations = cur.iterations + 1;
const durationMs = Date.now() - cur.setAt;
const tokens = getOutputTokenCount() - cur.tokensAtStart;
yield { type: "active_goal", value: undefined }; // Clear state
yield wrapAttachmentAsMessage({
type: "goal_status",
met: true,
condition: matchedHook.prompt,
reason: frame.stopReason,
iterations, durationMs, tokens,
});
track("tengu_goal_achieved", {
promptLength: matchedHook.prompt.length, iterations, durationMs, tokens,
});
showToast("goal_met");
}
}
}
// ── Failure path: hook blocks → not achieved; feed reason back to model to continue work ──
if (frame.blockingError) {
// This meta message is injected as a system prompt into the next LLM call
const feedback = makeUserMessage({
content: formatBlockingError(frame.blockingError), // "Stop hook feedback:\n<reason>"
isMeta: true,
});
yield feedback;
const cur = ctx.getAppState().activeGoal;
if (matchedHook?.type === "prompt" && cur?.condition === matchedHook.prompt) {
yield {
type: "active_goal",
value: { ...cur, iterations: cur.iterations + 1, lastReason: frame.stopReason },
};
yield wrapAttachmentAsMessage({
type: "goal_status",
met: false,
condition: matchedHook.prompt,
reason: frame.stopReason,
});
}
}
}
Key dependency (reiterated; already listed in §3.3): your Stop hook subsystem must support
type: "prompt". The framework needs to use a small LLM call to determine whether that prompt is satisfied, then choose either to “allow” (hook_success) or “block” (blockingError) accordingly. If your project currently only supports shell/function-style hooks, this is required prerequisite work that must be completed first.
8. Session Resume: Reattach the Goal on resume (cli.js L601434–601456)
Rebuild only when an unfinished goal_status is found at the end of the transcript; otherwise clear it.
// Find the most recent unmet goal anchor (including sentinel and failure feedback)
export function findGoalToRestore /* _mK */ (messages: Message[] | undefined): string | null {
if (!messages) return null;
for (let i = messages.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) <ruby>const m = messages[i];
if (m?.type !== "attachment"<rt>| m.attachment.type !== "goal_status") continue;
return m.attachment.met ? null : m.attachment.condition;</rt></ruby>
return null;
}
export function restoreGoalFromTranscript /* Rg3 */ (
messages: Message[],
setAppState: AppStateSetter,
): void {
const condition = findGoalToRestore(messages);
const gate = condition !== null ? checkGoalGate() : null;
if (gate !== null) trackWithCode("goal_set", gate.code);
if (condition === null || gate !== null) {
setAppState(s => (s.activeGoal === undefined ? s : { ...s, activeGoal: undefined }));
return;
}
installHook(setAppState, getSessionId(), "Stop", "",
{ type: "prompt", prompt: condition });
setAppState(s => ({
...s,
activeGoal: {
condition,
iterations: 0,
setAt: Date.now(),
tokensAtStart: getOutputTokenCount(),
},
}));
track("tengu_goal_restored_on_resume", { promptLength: condition.length });
}
9. End-to-End Sequence
user> /goal write a passing test for foo.ts
└─ setGoal(cond, ctx)
├─ checkGoalGate() OK
├─ sessionHooksRegistry.add(sid, "Stop", "", { type:"prompt", prompt: cond })
├─ setAppState: activeGoal = { cond, iter:0, setAt, tokensAtStart }
├─ append sentinel attachment (met:false)
└─ telemetry tengu_stop_hook_added
└─ immediately trigger query, prompt = buildGoalDirective(cond)
└─ model: "Acknowledged. Starting now…" + tool call…
model attempts to end turn
└─ Stop hook evaluates prompt
├─ met=false → blockingError(reason)
│ ├─ yield meta message "Stop hook feedback:\n<reason>"
│ ├─ activeGoal.iterations++, lastReason=reason
│ ├─ yield goal_status{met:false, reason}
│ └─ model continues working based on this
└─ met=true → hook_success
├─ sessionHooksRegistry.remove(...)
├─ activeGoal = undefined
├─ yield goal_status{met:true, iterations, durationMs, tokens}
├─ telemetry tengu_goal_achieved
└─ toast goal_met
user> /goal clear
└─ clearGoal(ctx) → remove hook + clear activeGoal + append sentinel(met:true)
## 10. Known Pitfalls / Correction Log
1. **`getOutputTokenCount` is output tokens only** — both `cur.tokensAtStart` and `goal_status.tokens` are “cumulative output tokens since the goal was set”; do not treat it as context usage.
2. **`isNonInteractive()` ≠ remote client** — it is simply `!g_.isInteractive`. The command display/enable rules are therefore: show by default in non-interactive mode; enable when non-interactive or in a remote workspace.
3. **Semantics of the trust gate** — note that `checkGoalGate` blocks only when `!isNonInteractive() && !isWorkspaceTrusted()`, i.e. it blocks `/goal` only “in interactive mode and when the workspace is untrusted”; non-interactive mode is not subject to the trust restriction.
4. **`/goal` coexists with other Stop hooks** — `listGoalStopHooks` uses `matcher === "" && skillRoot === undefined && type === "prompt"` to distinguish user-level goals, and will not clear Stop hooks injected by settings. When replicating this, this combination **must not be changed**.
5. **The sentinel must be stored in the transcript** — resume relies entirely on `findGoalToRestore` scanning `goal_status` attachments in reverse to decide whether to reattach the hook.
---
11. Minimal Implementation Checklist for Porting to Other Projects
In dependency order:
- Stop / SubagentStop hook subsystem (most important):
- Registry
add/remove(supporting thematcher+skillRootdimensions). - Support
{ type: "prompt", prompt }hooks — when triggered, use a small LLM call to determine whether the prompt holds; convert the result intohook_successorblockingError. - The main query loop consumes these results and feeds blocking feedback into the next round as a system prompt.
- Registry
- AppState field
activeGoal, with correspondingsetAppState/applyMessageOpentry points. goal_statusattachment type in the message stream, at minimum persisted into the transcript (rendering is not required).- The
/goalcommand itself (§5 + §6) — copy and paste is sufficient. - Session resume flow (§8) — call
restoreGoalFromTranscriptonce after loading the historical transcript. - Gate (
checkGoalGatefrom §6) — even for an MVP, connecting at least the trust gate is recommended. - Telemetry/Toast — optional; empty stubs are sufficient.
12. Symbol Mapping Quick Reference
| Clear Name in This Document | Original Obfuscated Name | Definition Location |
|---|---|---|
MAX_CONDITION_LENGTH | $oH | L517487 |
CLEAR_KEYWORDS | l23 | L517503 |
POLICY_GATE_MESSAGE | i23 | L517493 |
TRUST_GATE_MESSAGE | n23 | L517491 |
buildGoalDirective | uD6 | L517489 |
isClearKeyword | xD6 | L517416 |
formatLastCheckLine | hjK | L517434 |
checkGoalGate | Wu8 | L517445 |
listGoalStopHooks | mD6 | L517437 |
makeGoalSentinelMessage | EjK | L517478 |
setGoal | YoH | L517450 |
clearGoal | woH | L517465 |
handleGoalText | UV3 | L540182 |
findGoalToRestore | _mK | L601434 |
restoreGoalFromTranscript | Rg3 | L601443 |
getSessionId | k_ | L2288 |
getOutputTokenCount | Wf | L2409 |
isNonInteractive | Z8 | L2656 |
isRemoteWorkspace | V8 | L3076 |
isWorkspaceTrusted | q3 | L149640 |
isHooksDisabledByPolicy | eu | L255357 |
track | Q | L3256 |
trackWithCode | j6 | L43254 |
showToast | yH | L43248 |
pluralize | x6 | L9966 |
firstLine | s5 | L10026 |
formatDuration | r7 | L10804 |
formatTokenCount | F4 | L10844 |
getHooksForEvent | twH | L376651 |
installHook | iD_ | L376600 |
wrapAttachmentAsMessage | z9 | L423101 |
makeUserMessage | $6 | L450191 |
formatBlockingError | oV8 | L554731 |
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