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claude-code - 💡(How to fix) Fix Feature request: collapsible tool call output in CLI (parity with desktop app)

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The desktop app collapses tool call output by default (Bash, git, file reads, etc.) and lets users expand when needed. The CLI displays everything fully expanded, which creates significant noise for multi-step tasks.

Root Cause

The desktop app collapses tool call output by default (Bash, git, file reads, etc.) and lets users expand when needed. The CLI displays everything fully expanded, which creates significant noise for multi-step tasks.

Fix Action

Fix / Workaround

Workarounds tried

RAW_BUFFERClick to expand / collapse

Summary

The desktop app collapses tool call output by default (Bash, git, file reads, etc.) and lets users expand when needed. The CLI displays everything fully expanded, which creates significant noise for multi-step tasks.

Desired behavior

A setting or flag to collapse tool output to a single summary line (e.g. ▶ bash) in the terminal UI, with the ability to expand on demand — matching the desktop app experience.

Suggested implementation

  • New setting: "verboseOutput": false in settings.json (or similar)
  • Or a CLI flag: --collapse-tools
  • When collapsed: show one line per tool call (tool name + status)
  • Full output still accessible via expansion or scrollback

Workarounds tried

  • viewMode: "focus" — filters transcript-level, does not collapse individual tool output

Environment

  • Claude Code CLI (terminal)
  • macOS

extent analysis

TL;DR

Implement a setting or flag to collapse tool output in the CLI, similar to the desktop app experience, to reduce noise in multi-step tasks.

Guidance

  • Introduce a new setting, such as "verboseOutput": false in settings.json, to control the output verbosity.
  • Add a CLI flag, like --collapse-tools, as an alternative way to enable output collapsing.
  • When the output is collapsed, display a single line per tool call, including the tool name and status, to provide a summary.
  • Ensure that the full output remains accessible, either through expansion or scrollback, for users who need more detailed information.

Example

No specific code example is provided due to the lack of implementation details in the issue.

Notes

The proposed solution aims to align the CLI behavior with the desktop app's functionality, enhancing user experience by reducing output noise. However, the exact implementation details, such as how the expansion or scrollback functionality would work, are not specified.

Recommendation

Apply a workaround by introducing a new setting or flag to control output verbosity, as this approach directly addresses the user's need for a more manageable output in the CLI, similar to the desktop app experience.

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claude-code - 💡(How to fix) Fix Feature request: collapsible tool call output in CLI (parity with desktop app)