/coding-agent

name: coding-agent
description: Run Codex CLI, Claude Code, OpenCode, or Pi Coding Agent via background process for programmatic control.
metadata:
  {
    "bitterbot":
      { "emoji": "🧩", "requires": { "anyBins": ["claude", "codex", "opencode", "pi"] } },
  }

Coding Agent (bash-first)

Use **bash** (with optional background mode) for all coding agent work. Simple and effective.

⚠️ PTY Mode Required!

Coding agents (Codex, Claude Code, Pi) are **interactive terminal applications** that need a pseudo-terminal (PTY) to work correctly. Without PTY, you'll get broken output, missing colors, or the agent may hang.

**Always use `pty:true`** when running coding agents:

# ✅ Correct - with PTY
bash pty:true command:"codex exec 'Your prompt'"

# ❌ Wrong - no PTY, agent may break
bash command:"codex exec 'Your prompt'"

Bash Tool Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Description | | ------------ | ------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `command` | string | The shell command to run | | `pty` | boolean | **Use for coding agents!** Allocates a pseudo-terminal for interactive CLIs | | `workdir` | string | Working directory (agent sees only this folder's context) | | `background` | boolean | Run in background, returns sessionId for monitoring | | `timeout` | number | Timeout in seconds (kills process on expiry) | | `elevated` | boolean | Run on host instead of sandbox (if allowed) |

Process Tool Actions (for background sessions)

| Action | Description | | ----------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | | `list` | List all running/recent sessions | | `poll` | Check if session is still running | | `log` | Get session output (with optional offset/limit) | | `write` | Send raw data to stdin | | `submit` | Send data + newline (like typing and pressing Enter) | | `send-keys` | Send key tokens or hex bytes | | `paste` | Paste text (with optional bracketed mode) | | `kill` | Terminate the session |

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Quick Start: One-Shot Tasks

For quick prompts/chats, create a temp git repo and run:

# Quick chat (Codex needs a git repo!)
SCRATCH=$(mktemp -d) && cd $SCRATCH && git init && codex exec "Your prompt here"

# Or in a real project - with PTY!
bash pty:true workdir:~/Projects/myproject command:"codex exec 'Add error handling to the API calls'"

**Why git init?** Codex refuses to run outside a trusted git directory. Creating a temp repo solves this for scratch work.

---

The Pattern: workdir + background + pty

For longer tasks, use background mode with PTY:

# Start agent in target directory (with PTY!)
bash pty:true workdir:~/project background:true command:"codex exec --full-auto 'Build a snake game'"
# Returns sessionId for tracking

# Monitor progress
process action:log sessionId:XXX

# Check if done
process action:poll sessionId:XXX

# Send input (if agent asks a question)
process action:write sessionId:XXX data:"y"

# Submit with Enter (like typing "yes" and pressing Enter)
process action:submit sessionId:XXX data:"yes"

# Kill if needed
process action:kill sessionId:XXX

**Why workdir matters:** Agent wakes up in a focused directory, doesn't wander off reading unrelated files (like your soul.md 😅).

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Codex CLI

**Model:** `gpt-5.2-codex` is the default (set in ~/.codex/config.toml)

Flags

| Flag | Effect | | --------------- | -------------------------------------------------- | | `exec "prompt"` | One-shot execution, exits when done | | `--full-auto` | Sandboxed but auto-approves in workspace | | `--yolo` | NO sandbox, NO approvals (fastest, most dangerous) |

Building/Creating

# Quick one-shot (auto-approves) - remember PTY!
bash pty:true workdir:~/project command:"codex exec --full-auto 'Build a dark mode toggle'"

# Background for longer work
bash pty:true workdir:~/project background:true command:"codex --yolo 'Refactor the auth module'"

Reviewing PRs

**⚠️ CRITICAL: Never review PRs in Bitterbot's own project folder!** Clone to temp folder or use git worktree.

# Clone to temp for safe review
REVIEW_DIR=$(mktemp -d)
git clone https://github.com/user/repo.git $REVIEW_DIR
cd $REVIEW_DIR && gh pr checkout 130
bash pty:true workdir:$REVIEW_DIR command:"codex review --base origin/main"
# Clean up after: trash $REVIEW_DIR

# Or use git worktree (keeps main intact)
git worktree add /tmp/pr-130-review pr-130-branch
bash pty:true workdir:/tmp/pr-130-review command:"codex review --base main"

Batch PR Reviews (parallel army!)

# Fetch all PR refs first
git fetch origin '+refs/pull/*/head:refs/remotes/origin/pr/*'

# Deploy the army - one Codex per PR (all with PTY!)
bash pty:true workdir:~/project background:true command:"codex exec 'Review PR #86. git diff origin/main...origin/pr/86'"
bash pty:true workdir:~/project background:true command:"codex exec 'Review PR #87. git diff origin/main...origin/pr/87'"

# Monitor all
process action:list

# Post results to GitHub
gh pr comment <PR#> --body "<review content>"

---

Claude Code

# With PTY for proper terminal output
bash pty:true workdir:~/project command:"claude 'Your task'"

# Background
bash pty:true workdir:~/project background:true command:"claude 'Your task'"

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OpenCode

bash pty:true workdir:~/project command:"opencode run 'Your task'"

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Pi Coding Agent

# Instal