TLDR

This PR introduces a new write_todos_list tool that allows the agent to create and manage a checklist of tasks for complex user requests. This helps the agent track its progress, organize its work, and provides the user with visibility into the agent's plan.

Dive Deeper

The write_todos_list tool is a declarative tool that enables the agent to manage a list of tasks with the following statuses: pending, in_progress, completed, and cancelled. The agent is guided by an updated system prompt on when and how to use this tool, with a focus on using it for complex, multi-step tasks and avoiding it for simple requests.

The tool is enabled by a useWriteTodos flag in the configuration. The implementation includes the tool itself, along with comprehensive unit tests to ensure its functionality and validation logic are working correctly.

Reviewer Test Plan

To test this feature, you can enable the useWriteTodos flag in your settings and give the agent a complex task. Here are a few examples:

1. Create a new feature:

   • Prompt: add a new feature to the CLI that allows users to configure the output format of the response.
   • Expected behavior: The agent should create a todo list with steps like add a new configuration option, implement the logic to format the output, add tests for the new feature, etc.

2. Build a simple application:

   • Prompt: create a simple web app that uses the Gemini API to answer questions.
   • Expected behavior: The agent should break down the task into smaller sub-tasks and create a todo list to track its progress.

3. Debug an issue:

   • Prompt: The application is crashing when I try to upload a file. Can you help me debug and fix the issue?
   • Expected behavior: The agent should create a todo list to investigate the issue, such as reproduce the crash, examine the logs, identify the root cause, implement a fix, and verify the fix.

Fixes #4580

Testing Matrix

Linked issues / bugs