pi-package

name

pi-package

description

Pi package development best practices and patterns for pi-voice. Use when planning, editing, implementing, or reviewing pi-voice extension code — adding tools, commands, event handlers, TUI components, or modifying the server. Also use when the user asks about extension architecture, pi SDK APIs, or "how should I implement" a pi-voice feature. Do not use for running tests (use pi-test skill) or server-only changes.

Pi-voice Package Development

Patterns and best practices for building the pi-voice extension.

Architecture Overview

pi-voice has two independent layers:

1. Server (extensions/server.ts) — Pure Node.js HTTP server, no pi dependencies. Manages Kokoro ONNX model lifecycle. Talks to kokoro-js only.
2. Extension (extensions/index.ts) — pi SDK integration: tools, commands, events, TUI. Talks to the server via HTTP.

The extension never touches the TTS model directly — it sends HTTP requests to the server.

Pi SDK Docs

For the complete API reference, read pi's installed docs:

npm root -g  # → <dir>/@mariozechner/pi-coding-agent/docs/

Doc	When to read
extensions.md	Adding tools, commands, events, providers
tui.md	Building custom UI components
skills.md	Authoring skills
themes.md	Creating themes
packages.md	Package distribution
session-format.md	SessionManager API, entry types

Extension Patterns

Tool Registration

The tts tool pattern — a tool that calls the TTS server and returns output:

ctx.tools.register("tts", {
  description: "Convert text to speech audio",
  parameters: Type.Object({
    text: Type.String({ description: "Text to speak" }),
  }),
  render: "text",
  execute: async (args) => {
    const response = await fetch(`http://${host}:${port}/tts`, { ... });
    // process and play audio
    return { output: "Speaking: ..." };
  },
});

Slash Command with Custom TUI

The /voice command uses ctx.ui.custom() for a full-screen settings UI:

ctx.commands.register("/voice", {
  description: "Voice settings",
  execute: async () => {
    ctx.ui.custom(renderVoiceUI, handleVoiceKey);
  },
});

The render function returns ink-compatible elements. The key handler receives key events and returns true to trigger re-render.

Event Handlers

Auto-TTS listens to agent_end and synthesizes speech:

ctx.events.on("agent_end", async (event) => {
  const text = extractLastMessage(event);
  const summary = await summarizeWithModel(ctx, text);
  await speak(summary, config);
});

State Persistence

Two-layer persistence:

• Global defaults: ~/.pi/voice/config.json (read/write with fs)
• Session overrides: ctx.session.appendEntry("voice-session", ...) (session manager)

Read global defaults at startup, layer session overrides on top.

Reference Files

Read these on demand based on the task. Do NOT load all at once.

references/EXTENSIONS.md

Complete patterns for every extension capability (tools, commands, events, TUI, rendering, providers).

references/SCHEMAS.md

Typebox schema patterns for tool parameters.

references/THEMES.md

Theme creation with all 51 color tokens.

references/SKILLS.md

Skill authoring patterns.

references/PROMPTS.md

Prompt template authoring.

Constraints

• No build step — pi loads .ts via jiti
• Peer deps use * range — @mariozechner/pi-*, typebox
• Runtime deps in dependencies — not devDependencies
• 2-space indent — enforced by biome
• Single model in server memory — extension never loads models directly