coding-agents

name	coding-agents
description	Launch supported coding agents in Supaterm tabs or panes and deliver multiline prompts safely. Use when starting Codex or another supported coding agent in Supaterm, choosing between a tab and split pane, sending a follow-up prompt, or verifying an agent launch.

Coding agents

Use a new tab for an independent task and a split pane for work beside an existing terminal. Keep repository setup and task policy outside the launch command.

Initial prompt

Read a multiline prompt from a file into one argument, then pass that argument to the agent executable. Supaterm launches the agent directly, resolves it with the caller's PATH, preserves every argument exactly, and skips shell startup files. The initial prompt travels through process arguments instead of terminal input.

prompt_file=/tmp/task-prompt.md
workspace="$PWD"
prompt="$(cat "$prompt_file")"

pane_id="$(
  sp tab new \
    --plain \
    --cwd "$workspace" \
    -- codex -- "$prompt"
)"
sp pane wait-ready "$pane_id" --timeout 10 --quiet
printf 'paneID=%s\n' "$pane_id"

The first -- ends sp options. The second ends Codex options so prompt text such as resume, review, or a leading dash remains a prompt. Use the equivalent end-of-options form with another supported <agent> executable. New tabs and panes leave focus unchanged by default. Use --focus when the new terminal should become active.

When the agent exits, the tab or pane closes.

Split pane

Target a tab or pane with --in and retain the returned pane UUID for follow-up commands:

prompt_file=/tmp/task-prompt.md
workspace="$PWD"
prompt="$(cat "$prompt_file")"
agent_executable="<agent>"
target="t:6bfc889d"

pane_id="$(
  sp pane split right \
    --plain \
    --in "$target" \
    --cwd "$workspace" \
    -- "$agent_executable" -- "$prompt"
)"
sp pane wait-ready "$pane_id" --timeout 10 --quiet
printf 'paneID=%s\n' "$pane_id"

Run each block in one shell invocation. Shell variables do not survive separate agent tool calls. For a later call, paste the printed pane UUID as a literal target. If you use --instance or --socket, repeat it on every sp call; the CLI retains no connection state.

Agent-panel forks use a different launch mode. Supaterm starts the account login shell and enters the agent's native fork command visibly. Claude, Codex, and Pi forks keep supported launch options from the source process. The pane returns to that same shell when the forked agent exits.

Follow-up prompt

Submit follow-up text through paste-aware transport:

prompt_file=/tmp/task-prompt.md
sp pane send --submit <pane-uuid> - < "$prompt_file"

--submit pastes the complete prompt, preserves embedded newlines, then presses Enter separately. This avoids interactive paste-burst handling that can turn Enter into another newline.

Do not use --newline, typed bracketed-paste escape sequences, or timing sleeps to submit a prompt.

Interrupt

Send Ctrl-C to a coding agent through the native key route:

sp pane key ctrl-c <pane-uuid>

Verify

Capture the agent pane after launch or submission:

sp pane capture --scope scrollback --lines 160 <pane-uuid>

Use the UUID printed by sp tab new --plain or sp pane split --plain; do not rediscover the pane by title.