Sessions and terminal

Follow execution in sessions and use the app terminal view when a task needs intervention.

Before you begin

Open the task and confirm its project. Treat terminal actions as part of that task’s review context, not as an untracked local shell session.

Find the right session

The Agent sessions page provides four controls:

Reset the filters before concluding that a session is missing.

Procedure

1. Open Sessions from project navigation, or select Session from task activity.
2. Read the task title, session state, runner summary, and plan status before opening it.
3. When a response is pending, start with the Response area. On a wide screen, the Response and Execution timeline panes can be reviewed independently; on a narrow screen, the response remains above the timeline in one scroll flow. Keyboard focus reaches the response first in either layout.
4. Use the Execution timeline for authorized session context. The response remains available while older history loads or when history is unavailable. If there is no pending response, the route keeps the normal live terminal view.
5. For an input request, enter only the requested value. If Open side chat is visible and you need clarification, open it, enter one focused question in Side chat, and wait for the reply. The original request stays visible and unanswered.
6. Close the side chat or leave it open, enter the final response in the original answer control, and select Submit answer. For a plan prompt, use Approve, Request changes, or Terminate task according to the plan decision; Plans do not offer side chat.
7. Wait for Response submitted. When authorized history was available, it remains visible for review; otherwise continue from task activity or the live terminal.

Example and expected result

If the pending request asks which file owns an empty state, you can first ask Do you need the shared component or only this route? in Side chat when that control is available. After its reply, answer only the repository-relative path and any constraint needed to disambiguate it—for example, src/components/EmptyState.tsx; keep the shared copy unchanged—then select Submit answer. Waiting for user should clear and a new terminal or activity entry should show that work resumed. The side-chat reply alone must not clear the waiting state.

Terminal output may include commands, file changes, results, and errors. Treat it as evidence for this task, not as a prompt for unrelated maintenance.

Permission guidance

Session viewing and terminal intervention may have different project permissions. Timeline history is shown only when your current permissions allow you to view it; a review request can therefore remain usable without a timeline. Side-chat access follows the same current audience as the pending question, including current group membership and project permission. Never enter a secret into an answer, side chat, transcript, or terminal prompt unless the protected app explicitly provides a secure field for it.

If a session is quiet

Symptom: no new progress appears. Likely cause: a filter hides the session, the session is waiting for approval or input, a check is running, or a side-chat reply failed or stopped. Safe recovery: reset session filters, inspect Pending request, Side chat, and task activity, then use only the offered retry or answer action or contact the project owner. If access changed, refresh and follow the read-only outcome. Do not send blank input or duplicate a message to make the session move.