Support conversational flows in the CLI TUI (#6293)

* Add conversational flow TUI support

* properly support tui

lib/cli/src/crewai_cli/crew_run_tui.py

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ from textual.binding import Binding, BindingType
 from textual.containers import Horizontal, Vertical, VerticalScroll
 from textual.css.query import NoMatches
 from textual.screen import ModalScreen
-from textual.widgets import Button, Footer, Header, Static
+from textual.widgets import Button, Footer, Header, Input, Static
 
 
 _SPINNER = "⠋⠙⠹⠸⠼⠴⠦⠧⠇⠏"
@@ -382,6 +382,18 @@ Screen {
     height: auto;
 }
 
+#conversation-input {
+    display: none;
+    height: 3;
+    border-top: hkey #333333;
+    background: #1c1c1c;
+    color: #e0e0e0;
+}
+
+#conversation-input:focus {
+    border-top: hkey #1F7982;
+}
+
 Header {
     background: #1c1c1c;
     color: #FF5A50;
@@ -483,6 +495,7 @@ FooterKey .footer-key--key {
         total_tasks: int = 0,
         agent_names: list[str] | None = None,
         task_names: list[str] | None = None,
+        conversational: bool = False,
     ):
         super().__init__()
         self.title = f"CrewAI — {crew_name}"
@@ -544,6 +557,13 @@ FooterKey .footer-key--key {
         self._event_handlers: list[tuple[type, Any]] = []
 
         self._crew: Any = None
+        self._flow: Any = None
+        self._is_conversational = conversational
+        self._conversation_messages: list[tuple[str, str]] = []
+        self._conversation_turns = 0
+        self._conversation_turn_in_progress = False
+        self._conversation_previous_defer_trace_finalization: bool | None = None
+        self._conversation_exit_commands = {"exit", "quit"}
         self._default_inputs: dict[str, Any] | None = None
         self._crew_result: Any = None
         self._crew_json_path: Any = None
@@ -566,6 +586,10 @@ FooterKey .footer-key--key {
                 yield Static(id="task-header")
                 with VerticalScroll(id="scroll-area"):
                     yield Static(id="main-content")
+                yield Input(
+                    placeholder="Message the flow...",
+                    id="conversation-input",
+                )
                 with VerticalScroll(id="log-panel"):
                     yield Static(id="log-content")
         yield Footer()
@@ -574,7 +598,9 @@ FooterKey .footer-key--key {
         self._start_time = time.time()
         self._subscribe()
         self._tick_timer = self.set_interval(1 / 8, self._tick)
-        if self._crew:
+        if self._is_conversational and self._flow:
+            self._start_conversational_session()
+        elif self._crew:
             self._run_crew_worker()
         elif self._crew_json_path:
             self._load_and_run_worker()
@@ -725,6 +751,140 @@ FooterKey .footer-key--key {
         self._tick_timer = self.set_interval(1 / 2, self._tick)
         self._unsubscribe_if_no_running_memory_save(wait_for_queued=True)
 
+    # ── Conversational flow execution ───────────────────────
+
+    def _start_conversational_session(self) -> None:
+        from crewai.events.listeners.tracing.utils import (
+            set_suppress_tracing_messages,
+            set_tui_mode,
+        )
+
+        set_tui_mode(True)
+        set_suppress_tracing_messages(True)
+        with self._lock:
+            self._status = "chatting"
+            self._current_step = None
+            self._elapsed_frozen = None
+            self._conversation_previous_defer_trace_finalization = getattr(
+                self._flow, "defer_trace_finalization", False
+            )
+            self._flow.defer_trace_finalization = True
+
+        try:
+            input_widget = self.query_one("#conversation-input", Input)
+            input_widget.display = True
+            input_widget.focus()
+        except Exception:  # noqa: S110
+            pass
+
+    def _finalize_conversational_session(self) -> None:
+        if not (self._is_conversational and self._flow):
+            return
+        try:
+            self._flow.finalize_session_traces()
+        except Exception:  # noqa: S110
+            pass
+        previous = self._conversation_previous_defer_trace_finalization
+        if previous is not None:
+            try:
+                self._flow.defer_trace_finalization = previous
+            except Exception:  # noqa: S110
+                pass
+
+    def on_input_submitted(self, event: Input.Submitted) -> None:
+        if event.input.id != "conversation-input":
+            return
+        if not self._is_conversational:
+            return
+
+        message = event.value.strip()
+        event.input.value = ""
+        if not message:
+            return
+        if message.lower() in self._conversation_exit_commands:
+            self._finalize_conversational_session()
+            self._unsubscribe()
+            self.exit(self._crew_result)
+            return
+        if self._conversation_turn_in_progress:
+            return
+
+        with self._lock:
+            self._conversation_messages.append(("user", message))
+            self._conversation_turn_in_progress = True
+            self._conversation_turns += 1
+            self._status = "working"
+            self._current_step = ("yellow", "Thinking…", "")
+            self._is_streaming = False
+            self._streaming_text = ""
+            self._task_full_output = ""
+            self._current_llm_text = ""
+
+        event.input.disabled = True
+        self._run_conversation_turn_worker(message)
+
+    @work(thread=True, exclusive=True, group="conversation")
+    def _run_conversation_turn_worker(self, message: str) -> None:
+        from crewai.events.listeners.tracing.utils import (
+            set_suppress_tracing_messages,
+            set_tui_mode,
+        )
+
+        set_tui_mode(True)
+        set_suppress_tracing_messages(True)
+        try:
+            result = self._flow.handle_turn(message)
+            if hasattr(result, "get_full_text") and hasattr(result, "result"):
+                for _chunk in result:
+                    pass
+                result = result.result
+            self.call_from_thread(self._on_conversation_turn_done, result)
+        except Exception as e:
+            self.call_from_thread(self._on_conversation_turn_failed, str(e))
+
+    def _on_conversation_turn_done(self, result: Any) -> None:
+        with self._lock:
+            output = self._stringify_output(result)
+            self._conversation_messages.append(("assistant", output))
+            self._crew_result = result
+            self._conversation_turn_in_progress = False
+            self._status = "chatting"
+            self._is_streaming = False
+            self._streaming_text = ""
+            self._current_step = None
+        self._enable_conversation_input()
+        self._tick()
+        self._scroll_to_result()
+
+    def _on_conversation_turn_failed(self, error: str) -> None:
+        with self._lock:
+            self._status = "failed"
+            self._error = error
+            self._conversation_turn_in_progress = False
+            self._is_streaming = False
+            self._current_step = None
+        self._enable_conversation_input()
+        self._tick()
+
+    def _enable_conversation_input(self) -> None:
+        try:
+            input_widget = self.query_one("#conversation-input", Input)
+            input_widget.disabled = False
+            input_widget.focus()
+        except Exception:  # noqa: S110
+            pass
+
+    def _stringify_output(self, result: Any) -> str:
+        raw_result = getattr(result, "raw", result)
+        if raw_result is None:
+            return ""
+        if isinstance(raw_result, str):
+            return raw_result
+        try:
+            return _json.dumps(raw_result, default=str, ensure_ascii=False)
+        except TypeError:
+            return str(raw_result)
+
     # ── Actions ─────────────────────────────────────────────
 
     def action_toggle_sidebar(self) -> None:
@@ -783,6 +943,7 @@ FooterKey .footer-key--key {
             self._refresh_log_panel()
 
     async def action_quit(self) -> None:
+        self._finalize_conversational_session()
         self._unsubscribe()
         self.exit(self._crew_result)
 
@@ -958,6 +1119,30 @@ FooterKey .footer-key--key {
         t = Text()
         sidebar_width = 30
 
+        if self._is_conversational:
+            t.append("  CONVERSATION\n", style=f"bold {_C_PRIMARY}")
+            t.append("\n")
+            if self._conversation_turn_in_progress:
+                t.append(f"  {self._spinner()} ", style=_C_PRIMARY)
+                t.append("Working\n", style=f"bold {_C_TEXT}")
+            elif self._status == "failed":
+                t.append("  ✘ Failed\n", style=_C_RED)
+            else:
+                t.append("  ● Ready\n", style=_C_GREEN)
+            t.append(f"  Turns {self._conversation_turns}\n", style=_C_DIM)
+            t.append("\n")
+            t.append("  TOKENS\n", style=f"bold {_C_PRIMARY}")
+            t.append("\n")
+            out = self._output_tokens + self._live_out_tokens
+            t.append(f"  ↑ {self._input_tokens:,}\n", style=_C_DIM)
+            t.append(f"  ↓ {out:,}\n", style=_C_DIM)
+            t.append("\n")
+            t.append("  COMMANDS\n", style=f"bold {_C_PRIMARY}")
+            t.append("\n")
+            t.append("  quit / exit\n", style=_C_DIM)
+            widget.update(t)
+            return
+
         t.append("  TASKS\n", style=f"bold {_C_PRIMARY}")
         t.append("\n")
 
@@ -1011,6 +1196,22 @@ FooterKey .footer-key--key {
         widget = self.query_one("#task-header", Static)
         t = Text()
 
+        if self._is_conversational:
+            if self._status == "failed":
+                t.append("✘ ", style=f"bold {_C_RED}")
+                t.append("Failed", style=f"bold {_C_RED}")
+                if self._error:
+                    t.append(f"\n{self._error[:120]}", style=_C_RED)
+            elif self._conversation_turn_in_progress:
+                t.append(f"{self._spinner()} ", style=_C_PRIMARY)
+                t.append("Flow is responding", style=f"bold {_C_PRIMARY}")
+            else:
+                t.append("● ", style=f"bold {_C_GREEN}")
+                t.append("Conversational flow ready", style=f"bold {_C_GREEN}")
+                t.append("  Type a message below", style=_C_DIM)
+            widget.update(t)
+            return
+
         if self._status == "completed":
             elapsed = self._elapsed_frozen or (time.time() - self._start_time)
             t.append("✔ ", style=f"bold {_C_GREEN}")
@@ -1062,6 +1263,41 @@ FooterKey .footer-key--key {
         t = Text()
         should_scroll = False
 
+        if self._is_conversational:
+            if not self._conversation_messages and not self._is_streaming:
+                t.append("  Start the conversation below.\n", style=_C_MUTED)
+            for role, content in self._conversation_messages:
+                if role == "user":
+                    t.append("\n  You\n", style=f"bold {_C_TEAL}")
+                else:
+                    t.append("\n  Assistant\n", style=f"bold {_C_PRIMARY}")
+                rendered = _format_json_in_text(_unescape_text(content))
+                for line in rendered.split("\n"):
+                    style = _C_TEXT if role == "assistant" else _C_DIM
+                    t.append(f"  {line}\n", style=style)
+
+            if self._is_streaming and self._streaming_text:
+                text = _unescape_text(self._filtered_streaming_text())
+                if text.strip():
+                    t.append("\n  Assistant\n", style=f"bold {_C_PRIMARY}")
+                    for line in text.rstrip().split("\n")[-40:]:
+                        t.append(f"  {line}\n", style=_C_TEXT)
+                    should_scroll = True
+
+            if self._status == "failed" and self._error:
+                t.append("\n  Error\n", style=f"bold {_C_RED}")
+                t.append(f"  {self._error}\n", style=_C_RED)
+
+            widget.update(t)
+            if should_scroll:
+                try:
+                    self.query_one("#scroll-area", VerticalScroll).scroll_end(
+                        animate=False
+                    )
+                except Exception:  # noqa: S110
+                    pass
+            return
+
         # Plan section
         if self._plan and self._plan.get("steps"):
             plan_title = self._plan.get("plan", "Plan")

lib/cli/src/crewai_cli/kickoff_flow.py

@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import importlib
+import inspect
+from pathlib import Path
+import subprocess
+import sys
+from typing import Any
+
+import click
+
+
+def _project_script_target(script_name: str) -> str | None:
+    try:
+        from crewai_cli.utils import read_toml
+
+        pyproject = read_toml()
+    except Exception:
+        return None
+
+    target = pyproject.get("project", {}).get("scripts", {}).get(script_name)
+    return target if isinstance(target, str) else None
+
+
+def _prepare_project_import_path() -> None:
+    cwd = Path.cwd()
+    for path in (cwd / "src", cwd):
+        path_str = str(path)
+        if path.exists() and path_str not in sys.path:
+            sys.path.insert(0, path_str)
+
+
+def _load_conversational_flow_from_kickoff_script() -> Any | None:
+    target = _project_script_target("kickoff")
+    if not target or ":" not in target:
+        return None
+
+    module_name, _callable_name = target.split(":", 1)
+    _prepare_project_import_path()
+
+    try:
+        module = importlib.import_module(module_name)
+        from crewai.flow.flow import Flow
+    except Exception:
+        return None
+
+    for value in vars(module).values():
+        if (
+            inspect.isclass(value)
+            and value is not Flow
+            and issubclass(value, Flow)
+            and getattr(value, "conversational", False)
+        ):
+            return value()
+
+    for value in vars(module).values():
+        if (
+            isinstance(value, Flow)
+            and getattr(value, "conversational", False)
+            and callable(getattr(value, "handle_turn", None))
+        ):
+            return value
+
+    return None
+
+
+def _run_conversational_flow_tui(flow: Any) -> Any:
+    from crewai_cli.crew_run_tui import CrewRunApp
+
+    app = CrewRunApp(
+        crew_name=getattr(flow, "name", None) or type(flow).__name__,
+        conversational=True,
+    )
+    app._flow = flow
+    app.run()
+
+    if app._status == "failed":
+        raise SystemExit(1)
+
+    return app._crew_result
+
+
+def kickoff_flow() -> None:
+    """
+    Kickoff the flow by running a command in the UV environment.
+    """
+    flow = _load_conversational_flow_from_kickoff_script()
+    if flow is not None:
+        _run_conversational_flow_tui(flow)
+        return
+
+    command = ["uv", "run", "kickoff"]
+
+    try:
+        result = subprocess.run(command, capture_output=False, text=True, check=True)  # noqa: S603
+
+        if result.stderr:
+            click.echo(result.stderr, err=True)
+
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
+        click.echo(f"An error occurred while running the flow: {e}", err=True)
+        click.echo(e.output, err=True)
+
+    except Exception as e:
+        click.echo(f"An unexpected error occurred: {e}", err=True)

lib/cli/src/crewai_cli/run_crew.py

@@ -604,6 +604,16 @@ def _run_flow_project(
         run_declarative_flow_in_project_env(definition=definition)
         return
 
+    from crewai_cli.kickoff_flow import (
+        _load_conversational_flow_from_kickoff_script,
+        _run_conversational_flow_tui,
+    )
+
+    flow = _load_conversational_flow_from_kickoff_script()
+    if flow is not None:
+        _run_conversational_flow_tui(flow)
+        return
+
     _execute_uv_script("kickoff", entity_type="flow")
 
 

lib/cli/tests/test_crew_run_tui.py

@@ -126,6 +126,52 @@ def test_chain_deploy_does_not_login_for_deploy_exit(monkeypatch, capsys) -> Non
     assert "Deploy failed with exit code 42" in capsys.readouterr().out
 
 
+def test_conversation_turn_done_records_assistant_message() -> None:
+    class RawResult:
+        raw = "hello from the flow"
+
+    app = CrewRunApp(conversational=True)
+    app._conversation_turn_in_progress = True
+    app._enable_conversation_input = lambda: None  # type: ignore[method-assign]
+    app._tick = lambda: None  # type: ignore[method-assign]
+    app._scroll_to_result = lambda: None  # type: ignore[method-assign]
+
+    app._on_conversation_turn_done(RawResult())
+
+    assert app._conversation_messages == [("assistant", "hello from the flow")]
+    assert app._conversation_turn_in_progress is False
+    assert app._status == "chatting"
+    assert isinstance(app._crew_result, RawResult)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_conversation_input_submits_turn() -> None:
+    class FakeFlow:
+        defer_trace_finalization = False
+
+        def handle_turn(self, message: str) -> str:
+            return f"reply: {message}"
+
+        def finalize_session_traces(self) -> None:
+            pass
+
+    app = CrewRunApp(crew_name="Demo", conversational=True)
+    app._flow = FakeFlow()
+
+    async with app.run_test() as pilot:
+        await pilot.click("#conversation-input")
+        await pilot.press("h", "i", "enter")
+        for _ in range(50):
+            await pilot.pause(0.05)
+            if app._conversation_messages[-1:] == [("assistant", "reply: hi")]:
+                break
+
+    assert app._conversation_messages == [
+        ("user", "hi"),
+        ("assistant", "reply: hi"),
+    ]
+
+
 def test_plan_step_status_updates_only_the_explicit_step() -> None:
     app = _app_with_plan()
 

lib/cli/tests/test_kickoff_flow.py

@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import sys
+
+from crewai_cli import kickoff_flow
+
+
+def test_loads_conversational_flow_from_kickoff_script(tmp_path, monkeypatch) -> None:
+    package_dir = tmp_path / "src" / "demo_chat"
+    package_dir.mkdir(parents=True)
+    (package_dir / "__init__.py").write_text("")
+    (package_dir / "main.py").write_text(
+        "\n".join(
+            [
+                "from crewai.flow import Flow",
+                "",
+                "class DemoChatFlow(Flow):",
+                "    conversational = True",
+            ]
+        )
+    )
+    (tmp_path / "pyproject.toml").write_text(
+        "\n".join(
+            [
+                "[project]",
+                'name = "demo-chat"',
+                "[project.scripts]",
+                'kickoff = "demo_chat.main:kickoff"',
+            ]
+        )
+    )
+    monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
+    sys.modules.pop("demo_chat.main", None)
+    sys.modules.pop("demo_chat", None)
+
+    flow = kickoff_flow._load_conversational_flow_from_kickoff_script()
+
+    assert flow is not None
+    assert type(flow).__name__ == "DemoChatFlow"
+    assert flow.conversational is True
+
+
+def test_kickoff_flow_falls_back_to_uv_when_no_conversational_flow(
+    monkeypatch,
+) -> None:
+    calls: list[list[str]] = []
+
+    def fake_run(command, capture_output, text, check):
+        calls.append(command)
+
+        class Result:
+            stderr = ""
+
+        return Result()
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        kickoff_flow, "_load_conversational_flow_from_kickoff_script", lambda: None
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(kickoff_flow.subprocess, "run", fake_run)
+
+    kickoff_flow.kickoff_flow()
+
+    assert calls == [["uv", "run", "kickoff"]]

lib/cli/tests/test_run_crew.py

@@ -645,6 +645,10 @@ def test_run_crew_runs_python_flow_project(monkeypatch, capsys):
         "_execute_uv_script",
         lambda script_name, **kwargs: calls.append((script_name, kwargs)),
     )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        "crewai_cli.kickoff_flow._load_conversational_flow_from_kickoff_script",
+        lambda: None,
+    )
 
     run_crew_module.run_crew()
 
@@ -652,6 +656,41 @@ def test_run_crew_runs_python_flow_project(monkeypatch, capsys):
     assert calls == [("kickoff", {"entity_type": "flow"})]
 
 
+def test_run_crew_runs_conversational_flow_tui(monkeypatch, capsys):
+    class Flow:
+        pass
+
+    flow = Flow()
+    calls = []
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(run_crew_module, "_has_json_crew", lambda: False)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        run_crew_module,
+        "read_toml",
+        lambda: {"tool": {"crewai": {"type": "flow"}}},
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        "crewai_cli.kickoff_flow._load_conversational_flow_from_kickoff_script",
+        lambda: flow,
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        "crewai_cli.kickoff_flow._run_conversational_flow_tui",
+        lambda loaded_flow: calls.append(loaded_flow),
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        run_crew_module,
+        "_execute_uv_script",
+        lambda *_args, **_kwargs: pytest.fail(
+            "conversational flows must use the TUI"
+        ),
+    )
+
+    run_crew_module.run_crew()
+
+    assert capsys.readouterr().out == ""
+    assert calls == [flow]
+
+
 def test_run_crew_rejects_filename_for_flow_project(monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.setattr(run_crew_module, "_has_json_crew", lambda: False)
     monkeypatch.setattr(