pi-tool-display plugin
An extension for the Pi coding agent that folds tool calls into compact lines and renders file edits as readable diffs
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- MIT
Extended access
Why this level
- The extension runs inside the Pi process and overrides the rendering of built-in tools
- Read, search and MCP results are hidden by default, so unwanted output may go unnoticed
Install
Manual install
pi install npm:pi-tool-displayThe Pi coding agent must be installed. The `/tool-display` command opens settings.
Access and checks
How we reviewExtended accessThe tool runs code or makes network calls and only reads external data.
- The extension runs inside the Pi process and overrides the rendering of built-in tools
- Read, search and MCP results are hidden by default, so unwanted output may go unnoticed
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
pi-tool-display redoes how the Pi agent's work looks in the terminal, in the style of OpenCode. By default calls to built-in tools such as read, grep and bash take one line each, and long output is folded or truncated. MCP calls have three modes: hide the result, show a summary or show a preview. Noisy tools from other extensions can be switched to the generic look by a setting, and MCP gets its own choice. File edits appear as diffs with syntax highlighting, in a split or unified layout that shrinks for a narrow pane. While an edit or write call is still streaming in, the extension draws a preview diff. There are three presets: opencode, balanced and verbose. The extension also changes the model's thinking labels and can optionally draw a native frame around the user message.
Who it is for. For Pi users who are tired of long tool output in the terminal and want compact lines with diffs only where they matter.
Good fit when
- read and grep output fills half the screen and you want one line per call
- You want to see file edits as a diff with line numbers and highlighting while the agent is still writing the call
- You need to hide or fold long MCP tool replies and keep only a summary in the line
- You want to switch the look without editing config: `/tool-display preset balanced` changes the preset
- Several extensions render output and you need to turn ownership off for particular tools so they do not clash
Not a fit when
- You do not work in Pi: the extension is written for that agent and does not load elsewhere
- You need the full output of every tool for debugging: folded output has to be opened by hand, or you switch to the verbose preset
- You are used to the standard expanded Pi view: the extension changes how calls are presented across the board
Example request
Switch the output to the balanced preset: summaries for reads and searches, and keep file edits as diffs.Limitations
The extension works only with Pi and changes how built-in tools render across the board. Main settings are available in the `/tool-display` window, and advanced ones live in the extension's config.json file. Preview diffs appear only for calls inside the project workspace. The MCP mode item appears when MCP is available in the environment. If you run other extensions that render output, ownership can be turned off for particular tools so that they do not clash with pi-tool-display. The repository tests cover diff rendering, tool overrides and reload behavior.
How to disable. Restore the default look with `/tool-display reset` or remove the package from Pi. If the extension sits in `~/.pi/agent/extensions/pi-tool-display`, delete that folder and restart the agent.
FAQ
How do I install pi-tool-display?
Run `pi install npm:pi-tool-display` or `pi install git:github.com/MasuRii/pi-tool-display`. You can also drop the folder into `~/.pi/agent/extensions/pi-tool-display` or a project `.pi/extensions/`.
How do the opencode, balanced and verbose presets differ?
opencode is the default and hides read, search and MCP output, while balanced shows summaries with line and match counts. verbose gives larger previews: 12 preview lines and 20 lines of bash output.
How do I turn on MCP tool output?
In the `/tool-display` window pick an MCP output mode: hidden, summary or preview.
How do I get preview diffs of edits?
They are on already: while an edit or write call is still streaming, the extension shows "pending edit", "pending overwrite" or "pending create" for files in the workspace.
Can other extensions use pi-tool-display?
Yes. The pi-tool-display/tool-display-api-consumer subpath exposes decorateToolForDisplay and decorateMcpToolForDisplay, which give a foreign tool the generic or MCP look.
Discussion
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README in short
The README puts the presets and bash output modes into tables so you can compare them before installing. For authors of their own extensions it describes an adapter interface that queues a tool decoration until the API becomes available.