JSON first crews (#6131)

* feat(cli): introduce JSON crew project support and TUI enhancements

- Added support for creating and running JSON-defined crew projects, allowing users to scaffold projects with a new `create_json_crew.py` file.
- Implemented a full-screen Textual TUI for crew execution in `crew_run_tui.py`, enhancing user interaction with a two-column layout.
- Updated `run_crew.py` to prioritize JSON crew projects and added daemon mode for running without TUI.
- Introduced interactive pickers in `tui_picker.py` for improved CLI prompts.
- Enhanced validation for JSON crew files in `validate.py` to ensure proper structure and agent definitions.
- Updated `.gitignore` to exclude demo and crewai directories.

* feat: update LLM model references to gpt-5.4-mini

- Changed default LLM model from gpt-4o-mini to gpt-5.4-mini across various files, including CLI options, JSON crew configurations, and agent definitions.
- Enhanced benchmark and human feedback functionalities to utilize the new model.
- Improved user interface elements in the TUI for better interaction and feedback during execution.
- Added support for new skills directory in JSON crew project creation.

* feat(benchmark): add crew-level benchmarking functionality

- Introduced a new `benchmark` command in the CLI for crew-level benchmarking, allowing users to specify agents, models, and timeout settings.
- Implemented `CrewBenchmarkCase` to handle crew-level benchmark cases with inputs and criteria.
- Enhanced the benchmark runner to support progress tracking and detailed reporting of results for multiple models.
- Added tests for loading crew benchmark cases and validating their structure.
- Updated existing benchmark functions to accommodate the new crew-level execution model.

* feat(cli): enhance JSON crew project functionality and TUI improvements

- Added optional agent-level guardrails and advanced options in JSON crew configurations to improve output validation and flexibility.
- Updated the TUI to better handle plan step statuses, including visual indicators for task completion and failure.
- Introduced methods for parsing and managing step observation events, ensuring accurate updates to task statuses during execution.
- Enhanced validation for JSON crew projects, ensuring proper structure and error handling for agent and task definitions.
- Added comprehensive tests for new features and validation logic, ensuring robustness in JSON crew project handling.

* refactor(cli): streamline JSON crew project handling and improve validation

- Refactored JSON crew project loading and validation logic to enhance clarity and maintainability.
- Introduced utility functions for finding JSON crew files, improving code reuse across modules.
- Removed deprecated benchmark functionality and associated tests to simplify the codebase.
- Updated CLI commands to utilize the new JSON project structure, ensuring compatibility with recent changes.
- Enhanced test coverage for JSON crew project features, ensuring robust validation and error handling.

* feat(cli): enhance activity log navigation and focus management

- Added functionality to focus on the activity log when navigating through log entries.
- Implemented refresh logic for the log panel to ensure updates are displayed correctly during navigation.
- Improved keyboard navigation for log entries, allowing users to expand and scroll through logs seamlessly.
- Added tests to verify the correct behavior of log navigation and focus management in the TUI.

* feat(cli): enhance JSON crew project interaction and input handling

- Introduced a new function to enable prompt line editing for better user experience during input prompts.
- Updated the JSON crew project wizards to show interpolation hints for dynamic values, improving user guidance.
- Enhanced the handling of missing input placeholders by prompting users for required values during crew setup.
- Refactored the crew run logic to ensure proper loading and preparation of JSON-defined crews, including runtime input management.
- Added tests to verify the correct behavior of new input handling features and JSON crew project interactions.

* feat(cli): improve crew project input prompts and event handling

- Enhanced the `_prompt_text` function to allow for configurable spacing before prompts, improving user experience during input collection.
- Updated the wizards for agent and task creation to utilize the new prompt configuration, ensuring a more compact and streamlined interaction.
- Introduced new plan step lifecycle events (`PlanStepStartedEvent`, `PlanStepCompletedEvent`) to better track the execution status of plan steps.
- Refactored the step executor to emit these events during the execution of tasks, improving observability and debugging capabilities.
- Added tests to verify the correct behavior of new prompt handling and event emissions during crew project execution.

* fix: refine json-first crew interactions

* fix: prioritize common json crew tools

* fix: make json crew more tools expandable

* fix: show json crew tools by category

* feat(memory): update default embedder to OpenAI text-embedding-3-large and enhance memory compatibility

- Changed the default embedding model for Memory to OpenAI text-embedding-3-large, which uses 3072-dimensional vectors.
- Added warnings regarding compatibility issues with existing local memory stores created with 1536-dimensional embeddings.
- Updated documentation to reflect the new default embedder and its configuration options.
- Enhanced the CLI and codebase to support the new embedding model across various components, ensuring a seamless transition for users.

* fix: address PR review feedback for JSON-first crews

Review blockers:
- Forward trained_agents_file to JSON crews: crewai run -f now exports
  CREWAI_TRAINED_AGENTS_FILE for the in-process JSON crew path
- Wizard agent picker: Esc/cancel now reprompts instead of silently
  assigning the first agent
- JSON tool resolution hard-fails: unknown tool names, missing custom
  tool files, and invalid custom tool modules raise JSONProjectError
  with actionable messages instead of warn-and-continue
- Embedding dimension mismatch: LanceDB and Qdrant Edge storages raise
  EmbeddingDimensionMismatchError with reset/pin guidance instead of
  silently zero-filling vectors or returning empty search results
- Custom tool code execution documented in loader docstring and the
  scaffolded project README

CI fixes:
- ruff format across lib/
- All 133 PR-introduced mypy errors fixed (llm.py lazy-litellm and
  cli.py lazy command shims now use TYPE_CHECKING imports; textual
  is_mounted misuse fixed; pick_many overloads; misc annotations)

Bot review comments:
- Empty except blocks now have explanatory comments or debug logging
- Removed unused _C_BG/_C_PANEL/_C_BORDER globals and redundant
  import re; tests use a single import style for create_json_crew

Tests: trained-agents propagation, wizard cancel, tool resolution
failures, and dimension mismatch guidance.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

* fix: address second round of PR review comments

Cursor Bugbot:
- Wizard agent slugs: strip to [a-z0-9_] and fall back to agent_<n> so
  symbol-only roles can't produce an empty agents/.jsonc filename
- Wizard task names: dedupe against prior task names and fall back to
  task_<n> for symbol-only descriptions

CodeRabbit:
- Agent.message(): import Task explicitly at runtime instead of relying
  on the namespace injection done by crewai/__init__
- Async executor: move the native-tools-unsupported fallback from
  _ainvoke_loop_react (self-recursion) to _ainvoke_loop_native_tools,
  mirroring the sync implementation
- StepExecutor downgrade: keep the in-step conversation and append the
  text-tooling instructions instead of rebuilding messages, so completed
  native tool calls are not re-executed
- crewai-files: extension-based MIME lookup now runs before byte
  sniffing so csv/xml types are not degraded to text/plain
- Memory storages: validate every record in a save() batch against a
  consistent embedding dimension (LanceDB previously checked only the
  first record); added mixed-batch tests
- _print_post_tui_summary now typed against CrewRunApp
- Docs: Azure OpenAI default embedder change called out in the memory
  migration warning and provider table

Code quality bots:
- Removed unused _C_YELLOW/_C_CYAN (crew_run_tui) and _GREEN (tui_picker)

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

* feat(cli): accordion tool picker in JSON crew wizard

The flat tool list had grown to ~90 rows. The picker now shows:
- Common tools always visible at the top
- Every other category as a single expandable row with tool and
  selection counts (e.g. "Search & Research  (27 tools, 2 selected)")
- Expanding a category collapses the previously expanded one
- Selections persist across expand/collapse via new preselected
  support in pick_many; cursor follows the toggled category row

tui_picker gains preselected + initial_cursor options on pick_many,
and Esc in multi-select now confirms the current selection instead of
discarding it (required so collapsing can't silently drop choices).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

* refactor(cli): remove --daemon flag from crewai run

The flag only affected JSON crew projects — classic and flow projects
ignored it entirely, which made the behavior inconsistent. Removed the
option, the daemon code path (_run_json_crew_daemon), and its helper
(_load_json_crew_with_inputs).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

* test: update run command tests after --daemon removal

lib/crewai/tests/cli/test_run_crew.py still asserted the old
run_crew(trained_agents_file=..., daemon=False) call signature.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

* fix(cli): exit codes, mid-run quit, async statuses, hyphen placeholders

Addresses the latest Bugbot review round:

- Failed JSON crew runs now exit non-zero (SystemExit(1)) so scripts
  and CI don't treat failures as success, mirroring the classic path
- Quitting the TUI mid-run now ends the process (os._exit(130));
  kickoff runs in a thread worker that cannot be force-cancelled, so
  letting the CLI return would leave LLM/tool work burning tokens in
  the background
- Sidebar task statuses are now async-safe: completion/failure events
  resolve the task's own row via identity instead of assuming the most
  recently started task, and starting a task no longer blanket-marks
  earlier active rows as done
- The runtime-input prompt regex now accepts hyphenated placeholder
  names ({my-topic}), matching kickoff's interpolation pattern

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

* fix: validation safety, custom tool sandboxing, TUI log integrity, memory error surfacing

- Deploy validation no longer executes project code: validation mode
  checks tool declarations structurally (well-formed entries, custom
  tool file exists) without importing or instantiating anything.
  custom:<name> resolution only happens on the actual run path.
- custom:<name> is constrained to [A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]* and the
  resolved path must stay inside the project's tools/ directory, so
  custom:../foo or absolute-path names cannot execute code outside it.
  Tool paths resolve relative to the crew project root, not cwd.
- TUI task logs are built from per-task state captured at task start
  (idx, description, agent, start time); an out-of-order completion
  takes its output from the event and no longer steals or resets the
  current task's streamed steps/output.
- EmbeddingDimensionMismatchError now inherits ValueError instead of
  RuntimeError so background saves surface it through
  MemorySaveFailedEvent instead of silently dropping the save; the
  shutdown catch in _background_encode_batch is narrowed to the
  "cannot schedule new futures" case.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

* fix(cli): declared project type wins over crew.json presence

A flow project that also contains a crew.json(c) file now runs and
validates as the flow it declares in pyproject.toml instead of being
hijacked by the JSON crew path. Both crewai run (_has_json_crew) and
deploy validation (_is_json_crew) check tool.crewai.type; a missing or
unreadable pyproject still means a bare JSON crew project.

Also documents why StepObservationFailedEvent intentionally marks the
plan step "done": the event signals an observer failure, not a step
failure, and the executor continues past it.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

* fix(cli): type the declared_type locals so mypy stays clean

Comparing an Any-typed .get() chain returns Any, which tripped
no-any-return on the previous commit.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

---------

Co-authored-by: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

lib/cli/src/crewai_cli/cli.py

@@ -3,42 +3,94 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 from importlib.metadata import version as get_version
 import os
 import subprocess
-from typing import Any
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any
 
 import click
 from crewai_core.token_manager import TokenManager
 
-from crewai_cli.add_crew_to_flow import add_crew_to_flow
-from crewai_cli.authentication.main import AuthenticationCommand
 from crewai_cli.config import Settings
-from crewai_cli.create_crew import create_crew
-from crewai_cli.create_flow import create_flow
-from crewai_cli.crew_chat import run_chat
-from crewai_cli.deploy.main import DeployCommand
-from crewai_cli.enterprise.main import EnterpriseConfigureCommand
-from crewai_cli.evaluate_crew import evaluate_crew
-from crewai_cli.experimental.skills.main import SkillCommand
-from crewai_cli.install_crew import install_crew
-from crewai_cli.kickoff_flow import kickoff_flow
-from crewai_cli.organization.main import OrganizationCommand
-from crewai_cli.plot_flow import plot_flow
-from crewai_cli.remote_template.main import TemplateCommand
-from crewai_cli.replay_from_task import replay_task_command
-from crewai_cli.reset_memories_command import reset_memories_command
-from crewai_cli.run_crew import run_crew
-from crewai_cli.run_flow_definition import run_flow_definition
-from crewai_cli.settings.main import SettingsCommand
-from crewai_cli.task_outputs import load_task_outputs
-from crewai_cli.tools.main import ToolCommand
-from crewai_cli.train_crew import train_crew
-from crewai_cli.triggers.main import TriggersCommand
-from crewai_cli.update_crew import update_crew
 from crewai_cli.user_data import (
     _load_user_data,
     is_tracing_enabled,
     update_user_data,
 )
-from crewai_cli.utils import build_env_with_all_tool_credentials, read_toml
+from crewai_cli.utils import (
+    build_env_with_all_tool_credentials,
+    enable_prompt_line_editing,
+    read_toml,
+)
+
+
+def train_crew(*args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Any:
+    from crewai_cli.train_crew import train_crew as _train_crew
+
+    return _train_crew(*args, **kwargs)
+
+
+def evaluate_crew(*args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Any:
+    from crewai_cli.evaluate_crew import evaluate_crew as _evaluate_crew
+
+    return _evaluate_crew(*args, **kwargs)
+
+
+def replay_task_command(*args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Any:
+    from crewai_cli.replay_from_task import replay_task_command as _replay_task_command
+
+    return _replay_task_command(*args, **kwargs)
+
+
+def run_flow_definition(*args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Any:
+    from crewai_cli.run_flow_definition import (
+        run_flow_definition as _run_flow_definition,
+    )
+
+    return _run_flow_definition(*args, **kwargs)
+
+
+def run_crew(*args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Any:
+    from crewai_cli.run_crew import run_crew as _run_crew
+
+    return _run_crew(*args, **kwargs)
+
+
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    # mypy sees the real classes; at runtime the shims below defer the
+    # heavy imports until a command actually instantiates them.
+    from crewai_cli.authentication.main import AuthenticationCommand
+    from crewai_cli.deploy.main import DeployCommand
+    from crewai_cli.organization.main import OrganizationCommand
+    from crewai_cli.remote_template.main import TemplateCommand
+else:
+
+    class AuthenticationCommand:
+        def __new__(cls, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Any:
+            from crewai_cli.authentication.main import (
+                AuthenticationCommand as _AuthenticationCommand,
+            )
+
+            return _AuthenticationCommand(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    class DeployCommand:
+        def __new__(cls, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Any:
+            from crewai_cli.deploy.main import DeployCommand as _DeployCommand
+
+            return _DeployCommand(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    class TemplateCommand:
+        def __new__(cls, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Any:
+            from crewai_cli.remote_template.main import (
+                TemplateCommand as _TemplateCommand,
+            )
+
+            return _TemplateCommand(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    class OrganizationCommand:
+        def __new__(cls, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Any:
+            from crewai_cli.organization.main import (
+                OrganizationCommand as _OrganizationCommand,
+            )
+
+            return _OrganizationCommand(*args, **kwargs)
 
 
 def _get_cli_version() -> str:
@@ -91,17 +143,57 @@ def uv(uv_args: tuple[str, ...]) -> None:
 
 
 @crewai.command()
-@click.argument("type", type=click.Choice(["crew", "flow"]))
-@click.argument("name")
+@click.argument(
+    "type", required=False, default=None, type=click.Choice(["crew", "flow"])
+)
+@click.argument("name", required=False, default=None)
 @click.option("--provider", type=str, help="The provider to use for the crew")
 @click.option("--skip_provider", is_flag=True, help="Skip provider validation")
+@click.option(
+    "--classic",
+    is_flag=True,
+    help="Use classic Python/YAML project structure instead of JSON",
+)
 def create(
-    type: str, name: str, provider: str | None, skip_provider: bool = False
+    type: str | None,
+    name: str | None,
+    provider: str | None,
+    skip_provider: bool = False,
+    classic: bool = False,
 ) -> None:
     """Create a new crew, or flow."""
+    if not type:
+        from crewai_cli.tui_picker import pick
+
+        options = [
+            ("crew", "A team of AI agents working together"),
+            (
+                "flow",
+                "A deterministic workflow with full control over agents and crews",
+            ),
+        ]
+        type = pick("What would you like to create?", options)
+        if type is None:
+            raise SystemExit(0)
+        click.echo()
+    if not name:
+        enable_prompt_line_editing()
+        name = click.prompt(
+            click.style(f"  Name of your {type}", fg="cyan", bold=True),
+            prompt_suffix=click.style(" › ", fg="bright_white"),  # noqa: RUF001
+        )
     if type == "crew":
-        create_crew(name, provider, skip_provider)
+        if classic:
+            from crewai_cli.create_crew import create_crew
+
+            create_crew(name, provider, skip_provider)
+        else:
+            from crewai_cli.create_json_crew import create_json_crew
+
+            create_json_crew(name, provider, skip_provider)
     elif type == "flow":
+        from crewai_cli.create_flow import create_flow
+
         create_flow(name)
     else:
         click.secho("Error: Invalid type. Must be 'crew' or 'flow'.", fg="red")
@@ -186,6 +278,8 @@ def replay(task_id: str, trained_agents_file: str | None) -> None:
 def log_tasks_outputs() -> None:
     """Retrieve your latest crew.kickoff() task outputs."""
     try:
+        from crewai_cli.task_outputs import load_task_outputs
+
         tasks = load_task_outputs()
 
         if not tasks:
@@ -274,6 +368,8 @@ def reset_memories(
                 "Please specify at least one memory type to reset using the appropriate flags."
             )
             return
+        from crewai_cli.reset_memories_command import reset_memories_command
+
         reset_memories_command(memory, knowledge, agent_knowledge, kickoff_outputs, all)
     except Exception as e:
         click.echo(f"An error occurred while resetting memories: {e}", err=True)
@@ -296,7 +392,7 @@ def reset_memories(
     "--embedder-model",
     type=str,
     default=None,
-    help="Embedder model name (e.g. text-embedding-3-small, gemini-embedding-001).",
+    help="Embedder model name (e.g. text-embedding-3-large, gemini-embedding-001).",
 )
 @click.option(
     "--embedder-config",
@@ -351,7 +447,7 @@ def memory(
     "-m",
     "--model",
     type=str,
-    default="gpt-4o-mini",
+    default="gpt-5.4-mini",
     help="LLM Model to run the tests on the Crew. For now only accepting only OpenAI models.",
 )
 @click.option(
@@ -382,6 +478,8 @@ def test(n_iterations: int, model: str, trained_agents_file: str | None) -> None
 @click.pass_context
 def install(context: click.Context) -> None:
     """Install the Crew."""
+    from crewai_cli.install_crew import install_crew
+
     install_crew(context.args)
 
 
@@ -415,7 +513,9 @@ def install(context: click.Context) -> None:
     help='Experimental: JSON object passed to flow.kickoff(), e.g. \'{"topic":"AI"}\'.',
 )
 def run(
-    trained_agents_file: str | None, definition: str | None, inputs: str | None
+    trained_agents_file: str | None,
+    definition: str | None,
+    inputs: str | None,
 ) -> None:
     """Run the Crew or Flow."""
     if inputs is not None and definition is None:
@@ -435,6 +535,8 @@ def run(
 @crewai.command()
 def update() -> None:
     """Update the pyproject.toml of the Crew project to use uv."""
+    from crewai_cli.update_crew import update_crew
+
     update_crew()
 
 
@@ -544,6 +646,8 @@ def tool() -> None:
 @tool.command(name="create")
 @click.argument("handle")
 def tool_create(handle: str) -> None:
+    from crewai_cli.tools.main import ToolCommand
+
     tool_cmd = ToolCommand()
     tool_cmd.create(handle)
 
@@ -551,6 +655,8 @@ def tool_create(handle: str) -> None:
 @tool.command(name="install")
 @click.argument("handle")
 def tool_install(handle: str) -> None:
+    from crewai_cli.tools.main import ToolCommand
+
     tool_cmd = ToolCommand()
     tool_cmd.login()
     tool_cmd.install(handle)
@@ -567,6 +673,8 @@ def tool_install(handle: str) -> None:
 @click.option("--public", "is_public", flag_value=True, default=False)
 @click.option("--private", "is_public", flag_value=False)
 def tool_publish(is_public: bool, force: bool) -> None:
+    from crewai_cli.tools.main import ToolCommand
+
     tool_cmd = ToolCommand()
     tool_cmd.login()
     tool_cmd.publish(is_public, force)
@@ -599,6 +707,8 @@ def skill() -> None:
     help="Create skill in current dir instead of ./skills/",
 )
 def skill_create(name: str, in_project: bool) -> None:
+    from crewai_cli.experimental.skills.main import SkillCommand
+
     skill_cmd = SkillCommand()
     skill_cmd.create(name, in_project=in_project)
 
@@ -606,6 +716,8 @@ def skill_create(name: str, in_project: bool) -> None:
 @skill.command(name="install")
 @click.argument("ref")
 def skill_install(ref: str) -> None:
+    from crewai_cli.experimental.skills.main import SkillCommand
+
     skill_cmd = SkillCommand()
     skill_cmd.install(ref)
 
@@ -622,6 +734,8 @@ def skill_install(ref: str) -> None:
 @click.option("--private", "is_public", flag_value=False)
 @click.option("--org", default=None, help="Organisation slug (overrides settings).")
 def skill_publish(is_public: bool, org: str | None, force: bool) -> None:
+    from crewai_cli.experimental.skills.main import SkillCommand
+
     skill_cmd = SkillCommand()
     skill_cmd.publish(is_public, org=org, force=force)
 
@@ -629,6 +743,8 @@ def skill_publish(is_public: bool, org: str | None, force: bool) -> None:
 @skill.command(name="list")
 def skill_list() -> None:
     """List locally installed skills."""
+    from crewai_cli.experimental.skills.main import SkillCommand
+
     skill_cmd = SkillCommand()
     skill_cmd.list_cached()
 
@@ -668,6 +784,8 @@ def flow() -> None:
 @flow.command(name="kickoff")
 def flow_run() -> None:
     """Kickoff the Flow."""
+    from crewai_cli.kickoff_flow import kickoff_flow
+
     click.echo("Running the Flow")
     kickoff_flow()
 
@@ -675,6 +793,8 @@ def flow_run() -> None:
 @flow.command(name="plot")
 def flow_plot() -> None:
     """Plot the Flow."""
+    from crewai_cli.plot_flow import plot_flow
+
     click.echo("Plotting the Flow")
     plot_flow()
 
@@ -683,6 +803,8 @@ def flow_plot() -> None:
 @click.argument("crew_name")
 def flow_add_crew(crew_name: str) -> None:
     """Add a crew to an existing flow."""
+    from crewai_cli.add_crew_to_flow import add_crew_to_flow
+
     click.echo(f"Adding crew {crew_name} to the flow")
     add_crew_to_flow(crew_name)
 
@@ -695,6 +817,8 @@ def triggers() -> None:
 @triggers.command(name="list")
 def triggers_list() -> None:
     """List all available triggers from integrations."""
+    from crewai_cli.triggers.main import TriggersCommand
+
     triggers_cmd = TriggersCommand()
     triggers_cmd.list_triggers()
 
@@ -703,6 +827,8 @@ def triggers_list() -> None:
 @click.argument("trigger_path")
 def triggers_run(trigger_path: str) -> None:
     """Execute crew with trigger payload. Format: app_slug/trigger_slug"""
+    from crewai_cli.triggers.main import TriggersCommand
+
     triggers_cmd = TriggersCommand()
     triggers_cmd.execute_with_trigger(trigger_path)
 
@@ -715,6 +841,8 @@ def chat() -> None:
     click.secho(
         "\nStarting a conversation with the Crew\nType 'exit' or Ctrl+C to quit.\n",
     )
+    from crewai_cli.crew_chat import run_chat
+
     run_chat()
 
 
@@ -754,6 +882,8 @@ def enterprise() -> None:
 @click.argument("enterprise_url")
 def enterprise_configure(enterprise_url: str) -> None:
     """Configure CrewAI AMP OAuth2 settings from the provided Enterprise URL."""
+    from crewai_cli.enterprise.main import EnterpriseConfigureCommand
+
     enterprise_command = EnterpriseConfigureCommand()
     enterprise_command.configure(enterprise_url)
 
@@ -766,6 +896,8 @@ def config() -> None:
 @config.command("list")
 def config_list() -> None:
     """List all CLI configuration parameters."""
+    from crewai_cli.settings.main import SettingsCommand
+
     config_command = SettingsCommand()
     config_command.list()
 
@@ -775,6 +907,8 @@ def config_list() -> None:
 @click.argument("value")
 def config_set(key: str, value: str) -> None:
     """Set a CLI configuration parameter."""
+    from crewai_cli.settings.main import SettingsCommand
+
     config_command = SettingsCommand()
     config_command.set(key, value)
 
@@ -782,6 +916,8 @@ def config_set(key: str, value: str) -> None:
 @config.command("reset")
 def config_reset() -> None:
     """Reset all CLI configuration parameters to default values."""
+    from crewai_cli.settings.main import SettingsCommand
+
     config_command = SettingsCommand()
     config_command.reset_all_settings()
 

lib/cli/src/crewai_cli/deploy/main.py

@@ -34,6 +34,39 @@ def _run_predeploy_validation(skip_validate: bool) -> bool:
     return True
 
 
+def _display_git_repository_help() -> None:
+    """Explain how to prepare a new project for deployment."""
+    console.print(
+        "Deployment requires a Git repository with an origin remote.",
+        style="bold red",
+    )
+    console.print(
+        "CrewAI AMP deploys from the remote repository URL, so commit and push "
+        "this project first, then run deploy again.",
+        style="yellow",
+    )
+    console.print("\nSuggested setup:")
+    console.print("  git init")
+    console.print("  git add .")
+    console.print('  git commit -m "Initial crew"')
+    console.print("  git branch -M main")
+    console.print("  git remote add origin <your-repo-url>")
+    console.print("  git push -u origin main")
+
+
+def _display_git_remote_help() -> None:
+    """Explain how to add a remote to an existing Git repository."""
+    console.print("No remote repository URL found.", style="bold red")
+    console.print(
+        "CrewAI AMP deploys from the origin remote. Add a remote, push your "
+        "latest commit, then run deploy again.",
+        style="yellow",
+    )
+    console.print("\nSuggested setup:")
+    console.print("  git remote add origin <your-repo-url>")
+    console.print("  git push -u origin HEAD")
+
+
 class DeployCommand(BaseCommand, PlusAPIMixin):
     """
     A class to handle deployment-related operations for CrewAI projects.
@@ -124,14 +157,11 @@ class DeployCommand(BaseCommand, PlusAPIMixin):
         try:
             remote_repo_url = git.Repository().origin_url()
         except ValueError:
-            remote_repo_url = None
+            _display_git_repository_help()
+            return
 
         if remote_repo_url is None:
-            console.print("No remote repository URL found.", style="bold red")
-            console.print(
-                "Please ensure your project has a valid remote repository.",
-                style="yellow",
-            )
+            _display_git_remote_help()
             return
 
         self._confirm_input(env_vars, remote_repo_url, confirm)

lib/cli/src/crewai_cli/deploy/validate.py

@@ -38,6 +38,12 @@ import subprocess
 import sys
 from typing import Any
 
+from crewai.project.json_loader import (
+    JSONProjectValidationError,
+    find_crew_json_file,
+    find_json_project_file,
+    validate_crew_project,
+)
 from rich.console import Console
 
 from crewai_cli.utils import parse_toml
@@ -151,9 +157,33 @@ class DeployValidator:
     def ok(self) -> bool:
         return not self.errors
 
+    @property
+    def _is_json_crew(self) -> bool:
+        """True for JSON crew projects, deferring to the declared type.
+
+        A flow project that also contains a crew.json(c) file validates as
+        the flow it declares in pyproject.toml, not as a JSON crew.
+        """
+        if find_crew_json_file(self.project_root) is None:
+            return False
+        pyproject_path = self.project_root / "pyproject.toml"
+        if not pyproject_path.exists():
+            return True
+        try:
+            data = parse_toml(pyproject_path.read_text())
+        except Exception:
+            return True
+        declared_type: str | None = (
+            (data.get("tool") or {}).get("crewai", {}).get("type")
+        )
+        return declared_type != "flow"
+
     def run(self) -> list[ValidationResult]:
         """Run all checks. Later checks are skipped when earlier ones make
         them impossible (e.g. no pyproject.toml → no lockfile check)."""
+        if self._is_json_crew:
+            return self._run_json_checks()
+
         if not self._check_pyproject():
             return self.results
 
@@ -176,6 +206,110 @@ class DeployValidator:
 
         return self.results
 
+    def _run_json_checks(self) -> list[ValidationResult]:
+        """Validation suite for JSON-defined crew projects."""
+        crew_path = find_crew_json_file(self.project_root)
+        if crew_path is None:
+            return self.results
+
+        try:
+            project = validate_crew_project(crew_path, self.project_root / "agents")
+        except JSONProjectValidationError as e:
+            self._add(
+                Severity.ERROR,
+                "invalid_crew_json",
+                f"{crew_path.name} has invalid JSON crew configuration",
+                detail="\n".join(e.errors),
+                hint="Fix the JSON crew, agent, and task references before deploying.",
+            )
+            return self.results
+        except Exception as e:
+            self._add(
+                Severity.ERROR,
+                "invalid_crew_json",
+                f"Cannot parse {crew_path.name}",
+                detail=str(e),
+            )
+            return self.results
+
+        agents_dir = self.project_root / "agents"
+
+        self._check_pyproject()
+        self._check_lockfile()
+        self._check_env_vars_json(crew_path, agents_dir, project.agent_names)
+        self._check_version_vs_lockfile()
+
+        return self.results
+
+    def _check_env_vars_json(
+        self, crew_path: Path, agents_dir: Path, agent_names: list[str]
+    ) -> None:
+        """Check for env var references in JSON crew files."""
+        referenced: set[str] = set()
+        pattern = re.compile(r"\$\{?([A-Z][A-Z0-9_]+)\}?")
+
+        try:
+            referenced.update(pattern.findall(crew_path.read_text(errors="ignore")))
+        except OSError as exc:
+            logger.debug("Skipping unreadable crew file %s: %s", crew_path, exc)
+
+        for name in agent_names:
+            agent_path = find_json_project_file(agents_dir, name)
+            if agent_path is None:
+                continue
+            try:
+                referenced.update(
+                    pattern.findall(agent_path.read_text(errors="ignore"))
+                )
+            except OSError as exc:
+                logger.debug("Skipping unreadable agent file %s: %s", agent_path, exc)
+
+        for py_path in self.project_root.rglob("*.py"):
+            if ".venv" in py_path.parts:
+                continue
+            try:
+                text = py_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8", errors="ignore")
+            except OSError:
+                continue
+            env_pattern = re.compile(
+                r"""(?x)
+                (?:os\.environ\s*(?:\[\s*|\.get\s*\(\s*)
+                  |os\.getenv\s*\(\s*
+                  |getenv\s*\(\s*)
+                ['"]([A-Z][A-Z0-9_]*)['"]
+                """
+            )
+            referenced.update(env_pattern.findall(text))
+
+        env_file = self.project_root / ".env"
+        env_keys: set[str] = set()
+        if env_file.exists():
+            for line in env_file.read_text(errors="ignore").splitlines():
+                line = line.strip()
+                if not line or line.startswith("#") or "=" not in line:
+                    continue
+                env_keys.add(line.split("=", 1)[0].strip())
+
+        missing_known = sorted(
+            var
+            for var in referenced
+            if var in _KNOWN_API_KEY_HINTS
+            and var not in env_keys
+            and var not in os.environ
+        )
+        if missing_known:
+            self._add(
+                Severity.WARNING,
+                "env_vars_not_in_dotenv",
+                f"{len(missing_known)} referenced API key(s) not in .env",
+                detail=(
+                    "These env vars are referenced in your project but not set "
+                    f"locally: {', '.join(missing_known)}. Deploys will fail "
+                    "unless they are added to the deployment's Environment "
+                    "Variables in the CrewAI dashboard."
+                ),
+            )
+
     def _check_pyproject(self) -> bool:
         pyproject_path = self.project_root / "pyproject.toml"
         if not pyproject_path.exists():

lib/cli/src/crewai_cli/git.py

@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ class Repository:
                 ["git", "rev-parse", "--is-inside-work-tree"],  # noqa: S607
                 cwd=self.path,
                 encoding="utf-8",
+                stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL,
             )
             return True
         except subprocess.CalledProcessError:

lib/cli/src/crewai_cli/run_crew.py

@@ -1,25 +1,311 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from contextlib import AbstractContextManager, nullcontext
 from enum import Enum
+import os
+from pathlib import Path
+import re
 import subprocess
+import sys
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any
 
 import click
+from crewai.project.json_loader import find_crew_json_file
 from crewai_core.constants import CREWAI_TRAINED_AGENTS_FILE_ENV
 from packaging import version
 
-from crewai_cli.utils import build_env_with_all_tool_credentials, read_toml
+from crewai_cli.utils import (
+    build_env_with_all_tool_credentials,
+    enable_prompt_line_editing,
+    read_toml,
+)
 from crewai_cli.version import get_crewai_version
 
 
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from crewai_cli.crew_run_tui import CrewRunApp
+
+
 class CrewType(Enum):
     STANDARD = "standard"
     FLOW = "flow"
 
 
-def run_crew(trained_agents_file: str | None = None) -> None:
-    """Run the crew or flow by running a command in the UV environment.
+# Must accept the same names as the kickoff interpolation pattern in
+# crewai.utilities.string_utils (_VARIABLE_PATTERN), including hyphens —
+# otherwise placeholders are interpolated at runtime but never prompted for.
+_INPUT_PLACEHOLDER_RE = re.compile(r"(?<!{){([A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_\-]*)}(?!})")
 
-    Starting from version 0.103.0, this command can be used to run both
-    standard crews and flows. For flows, it detects the type from pyproject.toml
-    and automatically runs the appropriate command.
+
+def _has_json_crew() -> bool:
+    """Check if this is a JSON-defined crew project.
+
+    The project type declared in pyproject.toml wins: a flow project that
+    happens to contain a crew.json(c) file still runs as a flow. A missing
+    or unreadable pyproject means a bare JSON crew project.
+    """
+    if find_crew_json_file() is None:
+        return False
+    try:
+        pyproject_data = read_toml()
+    except Exception:
+        return True
+    declared_type: str | None = (
+        pyproject_data.get("tool", {}).get("crewai", {}).get("type")
+    )
+    return declared_type != "flow"
+
+
+def _extract_input_placeholders(text: str | None) -> set[str]:
+    if not text:
+        return set()
+    return set(_INPUT_PLACEHOLDER_RE.findall(text))
+
+
+def _missing_input_names(crew: Any, inputs: dict[str, Any]) -> list[str]:
+    """Return input placeholders used by a crew but not provided as defaults."""
+    placeholders: set[str] = set()
+
+    for agent in getattr(crew, "agents", []) or []:
+        placeholders.update(_extract_input_placeholders(getattr(agent, "role", None)))
+        placeholders.update(_extract_input_placeholders(getattr(agent, "goal", None)))
+        placeholders.update(
+            _extract_input_placeholders(getattr(agent, "backstory", None))
+        )
+
+    for task in getattr(crew, "tasks", []) or []:
+        placeholders.update(
+            _extract_input_placeholders(getattr(task, "description", None))
+        )
+        placeholders.update(
+            _extract_input_placeholders(getattr(task, "expected_output", None))
+        )
+        placeholders.update(
+            _extract_input_placeholders(getattr(task, "output_file", None))
+        )
+
+    return sorted(name for name in placeholders if name not in inputs)
+
+
+def _prompt_for_missing_inputs(
+    crew: Any, default_inputs: dict[str, Any]
+) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """Ask for runtime values for placeholders that lack default inputs."""
+    inputs = dict(default_inputs or {})
+    missing = _missing_input_names(crew, inputs)
+    if not missing:
+        return inputs
+
+    enable_prompt_line_editing()
+
+    click.echo()
+    click.secho("  Runtime inputs", fg="cyan", bold=True)
+    click.secho(
+        "  Values for {placeholder} references in your agents and tasks.",
+        dim=True,
+    )
+
+    for name in missing:
+        inputs[name] = click.prompt(
+            click.style(f"  {name}", fg="cyan"),
+            prompt_suffix=click.style(" > ", fg="bright_white"),
+        )
+
+    return inputs
+
+
+def _json_loading_status(message: str) -> AbstractContextManager[Any]:
+    from rich.console import Console
+    from rich.text import Text
+
+    console = Console()
+    if not console.is_terminal:
+        return nullcontext()
+    return console.status(
+        Text(f"  {message}", style="bold #1F7982"),
+        spinner="dots",
+    )
+
+
+def _load_json_crew(crew_path: Path) -> tuple[Any, dict[str, Any]]:
+    from crewai.project.crew_loader import load_crew
+
+    return load_crew(crew_path)
+
+
+def _load_json_crew_for_tui(
+    crew_path: Path,
+) -> tuple[type[Any], Any, dict[str, Any], list[str], list[str]]:
+    with _json_loading_status("Preparing crew..."):
+        from crewai_cli.crew_run_tui import CrewRunApp
+
+        crew, default_inputs = _load_json_crew(crew_path)
+        _prepare_json_crew_for_tui(crew)
+        task_names = [
+            getattr(task, "name", "") or getattr(task, "description", "")[:40] or "Task"
+            for task in crew.tasks
+        ]
+        agent_names = [
+            getattr(agent, "role", "") or getattr(agent, "name", "") or "Agent"
+            for agent in crew.agents
+        ]
+
+    return CrewRunApp, crew, default_inputs, task_names, agent_names
+
+
+def _prepare_json_crew_for_tui(crew: Any) -> None:
+    """Apply the same quiet/streaming setup used by the TUI JSON loader."""
+    crew.verbose = False
+    for agent in crew.agents:
+        agent.verbose = False
+        if hasattr(agent, "llm") and hasattr(agent.llm, "stream"):
+            agent.llm.stream = True
+
+
+def _run_json_crew(trained_agents_file: str | None = None) -> Any:
+    """Load and run a JSON-defined crew."""
+    from dotenv import load_dotenv
+
+    env_file = Path.cwd() / ".env"
+    if env_file.exists():
+        load_dotenv(env_file, override=True)
+
+    # JSON crews run in-process, so export the trained-agents file directly
+    # instead of forwarding it to a subprocess like classic crews do.
+    if trained_agents_file:
+        os.environ[CREWAI_TRAINED_AGENTS_FILE_ENV] = trained_agents_file
+
+    crew_path = find_crew_json_file()
+    if crew_path is None:
+        raise FileNotFoundError("No crew.jsonc or crew.json found")
+
+    crew_run_app_cls, crew, default_inputs, task_names, agent_names = (
+        _load_json_crew_for_tui(crew_path)
+    )
+    runtime_inputs = _prompt_for_missing_inputs(crew, default_inputs)
+
+    app = crew_run_app_cls(
+        crew_name=crew.name or "Crew",
+        total_tasks=len(crew.tasks),
+        agent_names=agent_names,
+        task_names=task_names,
+    )
+    app._crew = crew
+    app._default_inputs = runtime_inputs
+
+    app.run()
+
+    _print_post_tui_summary(app)
+
+    if app._status == "failed":
+        # Mirror the classic subprocess path: a failed crew must produce a
+        # non-zero exit code so scripts and CI don't treat it as success.
+        raise SystemExit(1)
+
+    if app._status not in ("completed", "failed"):
+        # User quit mid-run. kickoff runs in a thread worker that cannot be
+        # force-cancelled, so end the process to stop in-flight LLM and tool
+        # work instead of letting it burn tokens in the background.
+        click.secho("\n  Run cancelled.", fg="yellow")
+        sys.stdout.flush()
+        os._exit(130)
+
+    if getattr(app, "_want_deploy", False):
+        _chain_deploy()
+
+    return app._crew_result
+
+
+def _chain_deploy() -> None:
+    from rich.console import Console
+
+    console = Console()
+    try:
+        from crewai_cli.deploy.main import DeployCommand
+
+        console.print("\nStarting deployment…\n", style="bold #FF5A50")
+        DeployCommand().create_crew(confirm=False, skip_validate=True)
+    except SystemExit:
+        from crewai_cli.authentication.main import AuthenticationCommand
+
+        console.print()
+        AuthenticationCommand().login()
+        try:
+            DeployCommand().create_crew(confirm=False, skip_validate=True)
+        except Exception as e:
+            console.print(f"\nDeploy failed: {e}\n", style="bold red")
+    except Exception as e:
+        console.print(f"\nDeploy failed: {e}\n", style="bold red")
+
+
+def _print_post_tui_summary(app: CrewRunApp) -> None:
+    """Print a summary to the terminal after the Textual TUI exits."""
+    import time
+
+    from rich.console import Console
+    from rich.markdown import Markdown
+    from rich.padding import Padding
+    from rich.panel import Panel
+    from rich.text import Text
+
+    console = Console()
+    elapsed = time.time() - app._start_time
+
+    out_tokens = app._output_tokens + app._live_out_tokens
+    token_parts = []
+    if app._input_tokens:
+        token_parts.append(f"↑{app._input_tokens:,}")
+    if out_tokens:
+        token_parts.append(f"↓{out_tokens:,}")
+    token_str = "  ".join(token_parts)
+    if token_str:
+        token_str += " tokens"
+
+    crewai_red = "#FF5A50"
+    crewai_teal = "#1F7982"
+
+    if app._status == "completed":
+        summary = Text()
+        summary.append(
+            f"  ✔ Completed {app._total_tasks} tasks",
+            style=f"bold {crewai_teal}",
+        )
+        summary.append(f" in {elapsed:.1f}s", style="dim")
+        if token_str:
+            summary.append(f"  {token_str}", style="dim")
+        console.print(
+            Panel(
+                summary,
+                title=f" {app._crew_name} ",
+                title_align="left",
+                border_style=crewai_teal,
+                padding=(0, 1),
+            )
+        )
+        if app._final_output:
+            console.print()
+            console.print(Text("  Final Result", style=f"bold {crewai_teal}"))
+            console.print()
+            console.print(Padding(Markdown(app._final_output), (0, 2)))
+    elif app._status == "failed":
+        content = Text()
+        content.append("  ✘ Failed", style=f"bold {crewai_red}")
+        content.append(f" after {elapsed:.1f}s\n", style="dim")
+        if app._error:
+            content.append(f"\n  {app._error}\n", style=crewai_red)
+        console.print(
+            Panel(
+                content,
+                title=f" {app._crew_name} ",
+                title_align="left",
+                border_style=crewai_red,
+                padding=(0, 1),
+            )
+        )
+
+
+def run_crew(trained_agents_file: str | None = None) -> None:
+    """Run the crew or flow.
 
     Args:
         trained_agents_file: Optional path to a trained-agents pickle produced
@@ -27,6 +313,11 @@ def run_crew(trained_agents_file: str | None = None) -> None:
             ``CREWAI_TRAINED_AGENTS_FILE`` so agents load suggestions from this
             file instead of the default ``trained_agents_data.pkl``.
     """
+    # JSON crew projects take precedence
+    if _has_json_crew():
+        _run_json_crew(trained_agents_file=trained_agents_file)
+        return
+
     crewai_version = get_crewai_version()
     min_required_version = "0.71.0"
     pyproject_data = read_toml()

lib/cli/src/crewai_cli/tui_picker.py

@@ -0,0 +1,419 @@
+"""Arrow-key interactive pickers for CLI prompts."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from contextlib import suppress
+import sys
+from typing import overload
+
+import click
+
+
+# CrewAI brand: primary=#FF5A50 (coral), teal=#1F7982
+_CORAL = "\033[38;2;255;90;80m"  # #FF5A50
+_TEAL = "\033[38;2;31;121;130m"  # #1F7982
+_BOLD = "\033[1m"
+_DIM = "\033[2m"
+_RESET = "\033[0m"
+_HIDE_CURSOR = "\033[?25l"
+_SHOW_CURSOR = "\033[?25h"
+
+
+def _is_interactive() -> bool:
+    try:
+        return sys.stdin.isatty() and sys.stdout.isatty()
+    except Exception:
+        return False
+
+
+def _read_key() -> str:
+    if sys.platform == "win32":
+        import msvcrt
+
+        ch = msvcrt.getwch()
+        if ch in ("\x00", "\xe0"):
+            ch2 = msvcrt.getwch()
+            return {"H": "up", "P": "down"}.get(ch2, "")
+        if ch == "\r":
+            return "enter"
+        if ch == " ":
+            return "space"
+        if ch == "\x03":
+            raise KeyboardInterrupt
+        return ch
+
+    import termios
+    import tty
+
+    fd = sys.stdin.fileno()
+    old = termios.tcgetattr(fd)
+    try:
+        tty.setcbreak(fd)
+        ch = sys.stdin.read(1)
+        if ch == "\x1b":
+            seq = sys.stdin.read(2)
+            if seq == "[A":
+                return "up"
+            if seq == "[B":
+                return "down"
+            return "esc"
+        if ch in ("\r", "\n"):
+            return "enter"
+        if ch == " ":
+            return "space"
+        if ch == "\x03":
+            raise KeyboardInterrupt
+        return ch
+    finally:
+        termios.tcsetattr(fd, termios.TCSADRAIN, old)
+
+
+def _clear_lines(n: int) -> None:
+    sys.stdout.write(f"\033[{n}A")
+    for _ in range(n):
+        sys.stdout.write("\033[2K\n")
+    sys.stdout.write(f"\033[{n}A")
+    sys.stdout.flush()
+
+
+def _draw_single(labels: list[str], cursor: int, *, clear: bool = False) -> None:
+    total = len(labels)
+    if clear:
+        sys.stdout.write(f"\033[{total}A")
+    for i, label in enumerate(labels):
+        if i == cursor:
+            sys.stdout.write(f"\033[2K  {_CORAL}→{_RESET} {_BOLD}{label}{_RESET}\n")
+        else:
+            sys.stdout.write(f"\033[2K    {label}\n")
+    sys.stdout.flush()
+
+
+def _draw_multi(
+    labels: list[str],
+    cursor: int,
+    selected: set[int],
+    *,
+    action_indices: set[int] | None = None,
+    separator_indices: set[int] | None = None,
+    clear: bool = False,
+) -> None:
+    action_indices = action_indices or set()
+    separator_indices = separator_indices or set()
+    hint_text = "↑↓ navigate, space toggle, enter confirm"
+    if action_indices:
+        hint_text = "↑↓ navigate, space toggle, enter confirm, ▸ rows expand/collapse"
+    hint = f"  {_DIM}{hint_text}{_RESET}"
+    total = len(labels) + 1
+    if clear:
+        sys.stdout.write(f"\033[{total}A")
+    sys.stdout.write(f"\033[2K{hint}\n")
+    for i, label in enumerate(labels):
+        if i in separator_indices:
+            sys.stdout.write(f"\033[2K      {_TEAL}{label}{_RESET}\n")
+            continue
+        if i in action_indices:
+            check = "  "
+        elif i in selected:
+            check = f"{_CORAL}[x]{_RESET}"
+        else:
+            check = "[ ]"
+        arrow = f"{_CORAL}→{_RESET} " if i == cursor else "  "
+        bold = f"{_BOLD}{label}{_RESET}" if i == cursor else label
+        sys.stdout.write(f"\033[2K    {arrow}{check} {bold}\n")
+    sys.stdout.flush()
+
+
+def _arrow_select_one(labels: list[str]) -> int:
+    cursor = 0
+    total = len(labels)
+    sys.stdout.write(_HIDE_CURSOR)
+    sys.stdout.flush()
+    try:
+        _draw_single(labels, cursor)
+        while True:
+            key = _read_key()
+            if key == "up" and cursor > 0:
+                cursor -= 1
+                _draw_single(labels, cursor, clear=True)
+            elif key == "down" and cursor < total - 1:
+                cursor += 1
+                _draw_single(labels, cursor, clear=True)
+            elif key == "enter":
+                _clear_lines(total)
+                return cursor
+            elif key in ("esc", "q"):
+                _clear_lines(total)
+                return -1
+    finally:
+        sys.stdout.write(_SHOW_CURSOR)
+        sys.stdout.flush()
+
+
+def _arrow_select_multi(
+    labels: list[str],
+    *,
+    action_indices: set[int] | None = None,
+    separator_indices: set[int] | None = None,
+    preselected: set[int] | None = None,
+    initial_cursor: int | None = None,
+) -> tuple[list[int], int | None]:
+    total = len(labels)
+    selected: set[int] = set(preselected or ())
+    action_indices = action_indices or set()
+    separator_indices = separator_indices or set()
+    if initial_cursor is not None and 0 <= initial_cursor < total:
+        cursor = initial_cursor
+    else:
+        cursor = _first_selectable_index(total, separator_indices)
+    sys.stdout.write(_HIDE_CURSOR)
+    sys.stdout.flush()
+    try:
+        _draw_multi(
+            labels,
+            cursor,
+            selected,
+            action_indices=action_indices,
+            separator_indices=separator_indices,
+        )
+        while True:
+            key = _read_key()
+            if key == "up":
+                cursor = _next_selectable_index(cursor, -1, total, separator_indices)
+                _draw_multi(
+                    labels,
+                    cursor,
+                    selected,
+                    action_indices=action_indices,
+                    separator_indices=separator_indices,
+                    clear=True,
+                )
+            elif key == "down":
+                cursor = _next_selectable_index(cursor, 1, total, separator_indices)
+                _draw_multi(
+                    labels,
+                    cursor,
+                    selected,
+                    action_indices=action_indices,
+                    separator_indices=separator_indices,
+                    clear=True,
+                )
+            elif key == "space":
+                if cursor in action_indices:
+                    _clear_lines(total + 1)
+                    return sorted(selected), cursor
+                selected ^= {cursor}
+                _draw_multi(
+                    labels,
+                    cursor,
+                    selected,
+                    action_indices=action_indices,
+                    separator_indices=separator_indices,
+                    clear=True,
+                )
+            elif key == "enter":
+                _clear_lines(total + 1)
+                if cursor in action_indices:
+                    return sorted(selected), cursor
+                return sorted(selected), None
+            elif key in ("esc", "q"):
+                _clear_lines(total + 1)
+                return sorted(selected), None
+    finally:
+        sys.stdout.write(_SHOW_CURSOR)
+        sys.stdout.flush()
+
+
+def _numbered_select(labels: list[str]) -> int:
+    for idx, label in enumerate(labels, 1):
+        click.echo(f"    {idx}. {label}")
+    click.echo()
+    while True:
+        choice = click.prompt("  Select", type=str, default="1")
+        if choice.lower() == "q":
+            return -1
+        try:
+            num = int(choice)
+            if 1 <= num <= len(labels):
+                return num - 1
+        except ValueError:
+            # Non-numeric input falls through to the shared error message.
+            pass
+        click.secho(f"  Invalid choice. Enter 1-{len(labels)}.", fg="red")
+
+
+def _numbered_select_multi(
+    labels: list[str],
+    *,
+    action_indices: set[int] | None = None,
+    separator_indices: set[int] | None = None,
+    preselected: set[int] | None = None,
+) -> tuple[list[int], int | None]:
+    action_indices = action_indices or set()
+    separator_indices = separator_indices or set()
+    numbered_indices: list[int] = []
+    for idx, label in enumerate(labels):
+        if idx in separator_indices:
+            click.secho(f"    {label}", fg="cyan")
+            continue
+        numbered_indices.append(idx)
+        click.echo(f"    {len(numbered_indices)}. {label}")
+    click.echo()
+    raw = click.prompt(
+        "  Select (comma-separated numbers, or empty to skip)",
+        default="",
+        show_default=False,
+    )
+    if not raw.strip():
+        return sorted(preselected or ()), None
+    indices: list[int] = list(preselected or ())
+    for part in raw.split(","):
+        with suppress(ValueError):
+            num = int(part.strip())
+            if 1 <= num <= len(numbered_indices):
+                idx = numbered_indices[num - 1]
+                if idx in action_indices:
+                    return sorted(set(indices)), idx
+                indices.append(idx)
+    return sorted(set(indices)), None
+
+
+def _first_selectable_index(total: int, separator_indices: set[int]) -> int:
+    for idx in range(total):
+        if idx not in separator_indices:
+            return idx
+    return 0
+
+
+def _next_selectable_index(
+    cursor: int,
+    direction: int,
+    total: int,
+    separator_indices: set[int],
+) -> int:
+    next_cursor = cursor + direction
+    while 0 <= next_cursor < total:
+        if next_cursor not in separator_indices:
+            return next_cursor
+        next_cursor += direction
+    return cursor
+
+
+# ── Public API ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+def pick(title: str, options: list[tuple[str, str]]) -> str | None:
+    """Arrow-key single-select picker.
+
+    Args:
+        title: Header text.
+        options: List of ``(value, description)`` tuples.
+
+    Returns:
+        The *value* of the selected option, or ``None`` if cancelled.
+    """
+    labels = [f"{value:<12s} {desc}" for value, desc in options]
+
+    click.echo()
+    click.secho(f"  {title}", fg="cyan", bold=True)
+    click.echo()
+
+    if _is_interactive():
+        try:
+            idx = _arrow_select_one(labels)
+        except Exception:
+            idx = _numbered_select(labels)
+    else:
+        idx = _numbered_select(labels)
+
+    if idx < 0:
+        return None
+
+    value, _desc = options[idx]
+    click.secho(f"  ✔ {value}", fg="green")
+    return value
+
+
+def pick_one(title: str, labels: list[str]) -> int:
+    """Arrow-key single-select from plain labels.
+
+    Returns:
+        Selected index, or ``-1`` if cancelled.
+    """
+    click.echo()
+    click.secho(f"  {title}", fg="cyan")
+
+    if _is_interactive():
+        try:
+            return _arrow_select_one(labels)
+        except Exception:
+            return _numbered_select(labels)
+    return _numbered_select(labels)
+
+
+@overload
+def pick_many(
+    title: str,
+    labels: list[str],
+    *,
+    separator_indices: set[int] | None = None,
+    preselected: set[int] | None = None,
+    initial_cursor: int | None = None,
+) -> list[int]: ...
+
+
+@overload
+def pick_many(
+    title: str,
+    labels: list[str],
+    *,
+    action_indices: set[int],
+    separator_indices: set[int] | None = None,
+    preselected: set[int] | None = None,
+    initial_cursor: int | None = None,
+) -> tuple[list[int], int | None]: ...
+
+
+def pick_many(
+    title: str,
+    labels: list[str],
+    *,
+    action_indices: set[int] | None = None,
+    separator_indices: set[int] | None = None,
+    preselected: set[int] | None = None,
+    initial_cursor: int | None = None,
+) -> list[int] | tuple[list[int], int | None]:
+    """Arrow-key multi-select with checkboxes.
+
+    Returns:
+        Sorted list of selected indices, or ``(indices, action_index)`` when
+        ``action_indices`` is provided.
+    """
+    click.echo()
+    click.secho(f"  {title}", fg="cyan")
+
+    if _is_interactive():
+        try:
+            selected, action = _arrow_select_multi(
+                labels,
+                action_indices=action_indices,
+                separator_indices=separator_indices,
+                preselected=preselected,
+                initial_cursor=initial_cursor,
+            )
+        except Exception:
+            selected, action = _numbered_select_multi(
+                labels,
+                action_indices=action_indices,
+                separator_indices=separator_indices,
+                preselected=preselected,
+            )
+    else:
+        selected, action = _numbered_select_multi(
+            labels,
+            action_indices=action_indices,
+            separator_indices=separator_indices,
+            preselected=preselected,
+        )
+    if action_indices is None:
+        return selected
+    return selected, action

lib/cli/src/crewai_cli/utils.py

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ __all__ = [
     "build_env_with_all_tool_credentials",
     "build_env_with_tool_repository_credentials",
     "copy_template",
+    "enable_prompt_line_editing",
     "fetch_and_json_env_file",
     "get_project_description",
     "get_project_name",
@@ -40,6 +41,19 @@ __all__ = [
 console = Console()
 
 
+def enable_prompt_line_editing() -> None:
+    """Enable cursor movement/history editing for Click text prompts when available."""
+    try:
+        import readline
+    except ImportError:
+        return
+
+    try:
+        readline.parse_and_bind("set editing-mode emacs")
+    except Exception:  # pragma: no cover - readline backends vary by platform
+        return
+
+
 def copy_template(
     src: Path, dst: Path, name: str, class_name: str, folder_name: str
 ) -> None:

lib/cli/tests/deploy/test_deploy_main.py

@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ class TestDeployCommand(unittest.TestCase):
     @patch("crewai_cli.deploy.main.fetch_and_json_env_file")
     @patch("crewai_cli.deploy.main.git.Repository.origin_url")
     @patch("builtins.input")
+    @pytest.mark.timeout(180)
     def test_create_crew(self, mock_input, mock_git_origin_url, mock_fetch_env):
         mock_fetch_env.return_value = {"ENV_VAR": "value"}
         mock_git_origin_url.return_value = "https://github.com/test/repo.git"
@@ -165,6 +166,40 @@ class TestDeployCommand(unittest.TestCase):
             self.assertIn("Deployment created successfully!", fake_out.getvalue())
             self.assertIn("new-uuid", fake_out.getvalue())
 
+    @patch("crewai_cli.deploy.main.fetch_and_json_env_file")
+    @patch("crewai_cli.deploy.main.git.Repository")
+    def test_create_crew_without_git_repo_shows_setup_help(
+        self, mock_repository, mock_fetch_env
+    ):
+        mock_fetch_env.return_value = {"ENV_VAR": "value"}
+        mock_repository.side_effect = ValueError("not a Git repository")
+
+        with patch("sys.stdout", new=StringIO()) as fake_out:
+            self.deploy_command.create_crew(skip_validate=True)
+            output = fake_out.getvalue()
+
+        self.assertIn("Deployment requires a Git repository", output)
+        self.assertIn("git init", output)
+        self.assertIn("git remote add origin <your-repo-url>", output)
+        self.mock_client.create_crew.assert_not_called()
+
+    @patch("crewai_cli.deploy.main.fetch_and_json_env_file")
+    @patch("crewai_cli.deploy.main.git.Repository")
+    def test_create_crew_without_remote_shows_remote_help(
+        self, mock_repository, mock_fetch_env
+    ):
+        mock_fetch_env.return_value = {"ENV_VAR": "value"}
+        mock_repository.return_value.origin_url.return_value = None
+
+        with patch("sys.stdout", new=StringIO()) as fake_out:
+            self.deploy_command.create_crew(skip_validate=True)
+            output = fake_out.getvalue()
+
+        self.assertIn("No remote repository URL found.", output)
+        self.assertIn("git remote add origin <your-repo-url>", output)
+        self.assertIn("git push -u origin HEAD", output)
+        self.mock_client.create_crew.assert_not_called()
+
     def test_list_crews(self):
         mock_response = MagicMock()
         mock_response.status_code = 200

lib/cli/tests/deploy/test_validate.py

@@ -110,6 +110,45 @@ def _run_without_import_check(root: Path) -> DeployValidator:
     return v
 
 
+def _scaffold_json_crew(root: Path, *, task_agent: str = "researcher") -> None:
+    (root / "pyproject.toml").write_text(_make_pyproject(name="json_crew"))
+    (root / "uv.lock").write_text("# dummy uv lockfile\n")
+    agents_dir = root / "agents"
+    agents_dir.mkdir()
+    (agents_dir / "researcher.jsonc").write_text(
+        dedent(
+            """
+            {
+              "role": "Researcher",
+              "goal": "Research things",
+              "backstory": "Experienced researcher",
+              "llm": "openai/gpt-4o-mini"
+            }
+            """
+        ).strip()
+        + "\n"
+    )
+    (root / "crew.jsonc").write_text(
+        dedent(
+            f"""
+            {{
+              "name": "json_crew",
+              "agents": ["researcher"],
+              "tasks": [
+                {{
+                  "name": "research",
+                  "description": "Research https://example.com/a//b",
+                  "expected_output": "Findings",
+                  "agent": "{task_agent}"
+                }}
+              ]
+            }}
+            """
+        ).strip()
+        + "\n"
+    )
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "project_name, expected",
     [
@@ -129,6 +168,38 @@ def test_valid_standard_crew_project_passes(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     assert v.ok, f"expected clean run, got {v.results}"
 
 
+def test_valid_json_crew_project_passes(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    _scaffold_json_crew(tmp_path)
+    v = DeployValidator(project_root=tmp_path)
+    v.run()
+    assert "invalid_crew_json" not in _codes(v)
+
+
+def test_json_task_agent_mismatch_is_error(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    _scaffold_json_crew(tmp_path, task_agent="missing_agent")
+    v = DeployValidator(project_root=tmp_path)
+    v.run()
+    finding = next(r for r in v.results if r.code == "invalid_crew_json")
+    assert finding.severity is Severity.ERROR
+    assert "missing_agent" in finding.detail
+
+
+def test_json_runtime_fields_are_deploy_errors(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    _scaffold_json_crew(tmp_path)
+    crew_path = tmp_path / "crew.jsonc"
+    crew_path.write_text(
+        crew_path.read_text().replace(
+            '"name": "json_crew",',
+            '"name": "json_crew",\n  "id": "00000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000000",',
+        )
+    )
+    v = DeployValidator(project_root=tmp_path)
+    v.run()
+    finding = next(r for r in v.results if r.code == "invalid_crew_json")
+    assert finding.severity is Severity.ERROR
+    assert "runtime-only" in finding.detail
+
+
 def test_missing_pyproject_errors(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     v = _run_without_import_check(tmp_path)
     assert "missing_pyproject" in _codes(v)
@@ -426,4 +497,31 @@ def test_create_crew_aborts_on_validation_error(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
         cmd = DeployCommand()
         cmd.create_crew()
         assert not cmd.plus_api_client.create_crew.called
-        del mock_api  # silence unused-var lint
+        del mock_api  # silence unused-var lint
+
+
+def test_is_json_crew_defers_to_declared_flow_type(tmp_path):
+    """A flow project with a stray crew.jsonc must validate as a flow."""
+    (tmp_path / "crew.jsonc").write_text("{}")
+    (tmp_path / "pyproject.toml").write_text(
+        '[project]\nname = "demo"\nversion = "0.1.0"\n\n'
+        '[tool.crewai]\ntype = "flow"\n'
+    )
+
+    assert DeployValidator(project_root=tmp_path)._is_json_crew is False
+
+
+def test_is_json_crew_true_for_declared_crew_type(tmp_path):
+    (tmp_path / "crew.jsonc").write_text("{}")
+    (tmp_path / "pyproject.toml").write_text(
+        '[project]\nname = "demo"\nversion = "0.1.0"\n\n'
+        '[tool.crewai]\ntype = "crew"\n'
+    )
+
+    assert DeployValidator(project_root=tmp_path)._is_json_crew is True
+
+
+def test_is_json_crew_true_without_pyproject(tmp_path):
+    (tmp_path / "crew.jsonc").write_text("{}")
+
+    assert DeployValidator(project_root=tmp_path)._is_json_crew is True

lib/cli/tests/test_cli.py

@@ -94,9 +94,9 @@ def test_version_command_with_tools(runner):
 def test_test_default_iterations(evaluate_crew, runner):
     result = runner.invoke(test)
 
-    evaluate_crew.assert_called_once_with(3, "gpt-4o-mini", trained_agents_file=None)
+    evaluate_crew.assert_called_once_with(3, "gpt-5.4-mini", trained_agents_file=None)
     assert result.exit_code == 0
-    assert "Testing the crew for 3 iterations with model gpt-4o-mini" in result.output
+    assert "Testing the crew for 3 iterations with model gpt-5.4-mini" in result.output
 
 
 @mock.patch("crewai_cli.cli.evaluate_crew")

lib/cli/tests/test_create_crew.py

@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ from unittest import mock
 
 import pytest
 from click.testing import CliRunner
+import crewai_cli.create_json_crew as json_crew
+import crewai_cli.tui_picker as tui_picker
 from crewai_cli.create_crew import create_crew, create_folder_structure
 
 
@@ -345,3 +347,441 @@ def test_env_vars_are_uppercased_in_env_file(
     env_file_path = crew_path / ".env"
     content = env_file_path.read_text()
     assert "MODEL=" in content
+
+
+def test_json_wizard_defaults_to_sequential_and_memory_enabled(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        json_crew,
+        "_wizard_agent",
+        lambda **_: {
+            "name": "researcher",
+            "role": "Researcher",
+            "goal": "Research",
+            "backstory": "Researcher",
+            "llm": "openai/gpt-5.5",
+            "tools": [],
+            "planning": False,
+            "allow_delegation": False,
+        },
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        json_crew,
+        "_wizard_task",
+        lambda **_: {
+            "name": "research_task",
+            "description": "Research",
+            "expected_output": "Findings",
+            "agent": "researcher",
+            "context": [],
+        },
+    )
+
+    def confirm(label: str, default: bool = False) -> bool:
+        if label == "Enable crew memory?":
+            return default
+        return False
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(json_crew, "_confirm", confirm)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(json_crew.click, "prompt", lambda *_, **__: "")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        json_crew,
+        "pick_one",
+        lambda *_args, **_kwargs: pytest.fail("process should not be prompted"),
+    )
+
+    _agents, _tasks, settings = json_crew._wizard_agents_and_tasks(
+        skip_provider=True,
+        default_llm="openai/gpt-5.5",
+    )
+
+    assert settings == {"process": "sequential", "memory": True, "inputs": {}}
+
+
+def test_json_wizard_shows_interpolation_hint(capsys):
+    json_crew._show_interpolation_hint("tasks")
+
+    output = capsys.readouterr().out
+    assert "{placeholder}" in output
+    assert "dynamic values" in output
+    assert "{topic}" not in output
+    assert "Description >" not in output
+    assert '"description"' not in output
+
+
+def test_json_wizard_text_prompt_uses_full_prompt_for_readline(monkeypatch):
+    prompts: list[str] = []
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        json_crew, "_readline_safe_prompt", lambda prompt: f"safe:{prompt}"
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        "builtins.input", lambda prompt: prompts.append(prompt) or "Draft content"
+    )
+
+    assert json_crew._prompt_text("Goal", spacing_before=False) == "Draft content"
+    assert len(prompts) == 1
+    assert prompts[0].startswith("safe:")
+    assert "Goal" in prompts[0]
+    assert " > " in prompts[0]
+
+
+def test_json_wizard_tool_picker_prioritizes_common_tools(monkeypatch):
+    picker_calls: list[tuple[str, list[str], dict[str, object]]] = []
+
+    def pick_many(title: str, labels: list[str], **kwargs):
+        picker_calls.append((title, labels, kwargs))
+        return [1, 3], None
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(json_crew, "pick_many", pick_many)
+
+    tools = json_crew._select_tools()
+
+    assert tools == ["SerperDevTool", "DirectoryReadTool"]
+    assert len(picker_calls) == 1
+    labels = picker_calls[0][1]
+    assert 0 in picker_calls[0][2]["separator_indices"]
+    assert labels[0] == "── Common tools ──"
+    assert labels[1].strip().endswith("SerperDevTool")
+    assert labels[2].strip().endswith("ScrapeWebsiteTool")
+    assert labels[3].strip().endswith("DirectoryReadTool")
+    assert labels[4].strip().endswith("FileReadTool")
+    assert labels[5].strip().endswith("FileWriterTool")
+    assert labels[1].index("Google search") < labels[1].index("SerperDevTool")
+    assert "More tools" not in labels
+
+
+def test_json_wizard_tool_picker_collapses_categories_by_default(monkeypatch):
+    picker_calls: list[tuple[str, list[str], dict[str, object]]] = []
+
+    def pick_many(title: str, labels: list[str], **kwargs):
+        picker_calls.append((title, labels, kwargs))
+        return [], None
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(json_crew, "pick_many", pick_many)
+
+    json_crew._select_tools()
+
+    labels = picker_calls[0][1]
+    action_indices = picker_calls[0][2]["action_indices"]
+    # Categories show as collapsed action rows, not separators with tools
+    assert any(label.startswith("▸ Search & Research") for label in labels)
+    assert any(label.startswith("▸ Web Scraping") for label in labels)
+    assert not any(label.strip().endswith("BraveSearchTool") for label in labels)
+    assert len(action_indices) >= 4
+    # Only the common tools section is visible beyond the category rows
+    assert len(labels) == 1 + 5 + len(action_indices)
+
+
+def test_json_wizard_tool_picker_expands_one_category_at_a_time(monkeypatch):
+    picker_calls: list[tuple[str, list[str], dict[str, object]]] = []
+
+    def find_category_row(labels: list[str], category: str) -> int:
+        return next(
+            idx for idx, label in enumerate(labels) if category in label
+        )
+
+    def pick_many(title: str, labels: list[str], **kwargs):
+        picker_calls.append((title, labels, kwargs))
+        call_num = len(picker_calls)
+        if call_num == 1:
+            return [], find_category_row(labels, "Search & Research")
+        if call_num == 2:
+            # Search & Research is expanded; select BraveSearchTool and
+            # expand Web Scraping instead
+            brave = next(
+                idx
+                for idx, label in enumerate(labels)
+                if label.strip().endswith("BraveSearchTool")
+            )
+            return [brave], find_category_row(labels, "Web Scraping")
+        return [], None
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(json_crew, "pick_many", pick_many)
+
+    tools = json_crew._select_tools()
+
+    assert tools == ["BraveSearchTool"]
+    assert len(picker_calls) == 3
+    # Second render: Search & Research expanded, others collapsed
+    labels2 = picker_calls[1][1]
+    assert any(label.startswith("▾ Search & Research") for label in labels2)
+    assert any(label.strip().endswith("BraveSearchTool") for label in labels2)
+    assert any(label.startswith("▸ Web Scraping") for label in labels2)
+    # Third render: Web Scraping expanded, Search & Research collapsed again
+    labels3 = picker_calls[2][1]
+    assert any(label.startswith("▸ Search & Research") for label in labels3)
+    assert any(label.startswith("▾ Web Scraping") for label in labels3)
+    assert not any(label.strip().endswith("BraveSearchTool") for label in labels3)
+    # The collapsed Search & Research row reports its selection count
+    assert any(
+        "Search & Research" in label and "1 selected" in label for label in labels3
+    )
+    # Cursor returns to the toggled category row
+    assert picker_calls[2][2]["initial_cursor"] == next(
+        idx for idx, label in enumerate(labels3) if "Web Scraping" in label
+    )
+
+
+def test_json_wizard_tool_picker_preserves_selection_across_renders(monkeypatch):
+    picker_calls: list[tuple[str, list[str], dict[str, object]]] = []
+
+    def pick_many(title: str, labels: list[str], **kwargs):
+        picker_calls.append((title, labels, kwargs))
+        call_num = len(picker_calls)
+        if call_num == 1:
+            # Select a common tool, then expand a category
+            category_row = next(
+                idx for idx, label in enumerate(labels) if "Web Scraping" in label
+            )
+            return [1], category_row
+        # Confirm without touching anything else
+        return sorted(kwargs["preselected"]), None
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(json_crew, "pick_many", pick_many)
+
+    tools = json_crew._select_tools()
+
+    # The common-tool selection survived the expand re-render via preselected
+    assert tools == ["SerperDevTool"]
+    assert 1 in picker_calls[1][2]["preselected"]
+
+
+def test_json_wizard_tool_picker_lists_builtin_tools_across_categories(monkeypatch):
+    picker_calls: list[tuple[str, list[str], dict[str, object]]] = []
+    expanded_labels: list[str] = []
+
+    def pick_many(title: str, labels: list[str], **kwargs):
+        picker_calls.append((title, labels, kwargs))
+        expanded_labels.extend(labels)
+        action_indices = sorted(kwargs["action_indices"])
+        call_num = len(picker_calls)
+        if call_num <= len(action_indices):
+            # Expand the n-th category (indices shift between renders, so
+            # recompute from this render's action rows)
+            return [], action_indices[call_num - 1]
+        return [], None
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(json_crew, "pick_many", pick_many)
+
+    json_crew._select_tools()
+
+    tool_names = {
+        label.rsplit(maxsplit=1)[-1]
+        for label in expanded_labels
+        if not label.startswith(("▸", "▾", "──"))
+    }
+
+    assert {
+        "DirectorySearchTool",
+        "MDXSearchTool",
+        "XMLSearchTool",
+        "YoutubeVideoSearchTool",
+        "S3ReaderTool",
+        "E2BExecTool",
+        "TavilyResearchTool",
+        "SerplyNewsSearchTool",
+        "BrowserbaseLoadTool",
+        "PatronusEvalTool",
+    }.issubset(tool_names)
+    assert {
+        "MCPServerAdapter",
+        "MongoDBVectorSearchConfig",
+        "ScrapegraphScrapeToolSchema",
+        "SnowflakeConfig",
+    }.isdisjoint(tool_names)
+
+
+def test_multi_picker_skips_separator_on_initial_cursor(monkeypatch):
+    cursors: list[int] = []
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(tui_picker, "_read_key", lambda: "enter")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        tui_picker,
+        "_draw_multi",
+        lambda _labels, cursor, *_args, **_kwargs: cursors.append(cursor),
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(tui_picker, "_clear_lines", lambda *_args, **_kwargs: None)
+
+    assert tui_picker._arrow_select_multi(
+        ["── Common tools ──", "Google search via Serper API SerperDevTool"],
+        separator_indices={0},
+    ) == ([], None)
+    assert cursors == [1]
+
+
+def test_json_wizard_agent_attribute_prompts_are_compact(monkeypatch):
+    prompt_calls: list[tuple[str, bool]] = []
+    prompt_values = {
+        "Role": "Senior Dev Rel",
+        "Goal": "Draft content",
+        "Backstory": "Knows developer communities",
+    }
+
+    def prompt_text(
+        label: str,
+        default: str = "",
+        *,
+        spacing_before: bool = True,
+    ) -> str:
+        prompt_calls.append((label, spacing_before))
+        return prompt_values[label]
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(json_crew, "_prompt_text", prompt_text)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(json_crew, "_select_model", lambda: "openai/gpt-5.5")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(json_crew, "pick_many", lambda *_args, **_kwargs: ([], None))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(json_crew, "_confirm", lambda *_args, **_kwargs: False)
+
+    agent = json_crew._wizard_agent(agent_num=1, existing_names=[])
+
+    assert agent is not None
+    assert prompt_calls == [
+        ("Role", False),
+        ("Goal", False),
+        ("Backstory", False),
+    ]
+
+
+def test_json_wizard_task_attribute_prompts_are_compact(monkeypatch):
+    prompt_calls: list[tuple[str, bool]] = []
+    prompt_values = {
+        "Description": "Research latest release",
+        "Expected output": "Release summary",
+    }
+
+    def prompt_text(
+        label: str,
+        default: str = "",
+        *,
+        spacing_before: bool = True,
+    ) -> str:
+        prompt_calls.append((label, spacing_before))
+        return prompt_values[label]
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(json_crew, "_prompt_text", prompt_text)
+
+    task = json_crew._wizard_task(
+        task_num=1,
+        agent_names=["senior_dev_rel"],
+        prior_task_names=[],
+    )
+
+    assert task is not None
+    assert prompt_calls == [
+        ("Description", False),
+        ("Expected output", False),
+    ]
+
+
+def test_json_create_provider_preselects_default_model(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
+    with mock.patch(
+        "crewai_cli.create_json_crew._wizard_agents_and_tasks"
+    ) as mock_wizard:
+        mock_wizard.return_value = (
+            [
+                {
+                    "name": "researcher",
+                    "role": "Researcher",
+                    "goal": "Research",
+                    "backstory": "Researcher",
+                    "llm": "openai/gpt-5.5",
+                    "tools": [],
+                    "planning": False,
+                    "allow_delegation": False,
+                }
+            ],
+            [
+                {
+                    "name": "research_task",
+                    "description": "Research",
+                    "expected_output": "Findings",
+                    "agent": "researcher",
+                    "context": [],
+                }
+            ],
+            {"process": "sequential", "memory": False, "inputs": {}},
+        )
+
+        json_crew.create_json_crew("JSON Crew", provider="openai", skip_provider=True)
+
+    mock_wizard.assert_called_once_with(
+        skip_provider=True,
+        default_llm="openai/gpt-5.5",
+    )
+    assert (tmp_path / "json_crew" / "crew.jsonc").exists()
+    assert not (tmp_path / "json_crew" / "tests").exists()
+    assert not (tmp_path / "json_crew" / "config.jsonc").exists()
+
+    crew_template = (tmp_path / "json_crew" / "crew.jsonc").read_text()
+    assert (
+        '"guardrail": "Every factual claim needs context support."'
+        in crew_template
+    )
+    assert '"guardrails": [' in crew_template
+    assert '"guardrail_max_retries": 2' in crew_template
+    assert "Docs: https://docs.crewai.com/concepts/tasks" in crew_template
+    assert '"output_pydantic": null' in crew_template
+    assert '"markdown": false' in crew_template
+    assert "Docs: https://docs.crewai.com/concepts/crews" in crew_template
+    assert '"manager_agent": "researcher"' in crew_template
+    assert '"output_log_file": "crew.log"' in crew_template
+    assert "Crew-level LLM fields also accept object form" in crew_template
+    assert '"chat_llm": {"model": "llama3", "provider": "ollama"' in (
+        crew_template
+    )
+    assert "Use {placeholder} in agent or task text" in crew_template
+    assert "`crewai run` prompts for any placeholders" in crew_template
+    assert "Use {placeholder} inputs here" in crew_template
+
+    agent_template = (
+        tmp_path / "json_crew" / "agents" / "researcher.jsonc"
+    ).read_text()
+    assert "You can use {placeholder} inputs in role, goal, or backstory" in (
+        agent_template
+    )
+    assert '"role": "Senior {industry} Researcher"' in agent_template
+    assert "Optional agent-level guardrail" in agent_template
+    assert '"guardrail_max_retries": 2' in agent_template
+    assert "Docs: https://docs.crewai.com/concepts/agents" in agent_template
+    assert '"reasoning": true' in agent_template
+    assert "For custom endpoints or deployment-based providers" in agent_template
+    assert '"deployment_name": "my-deployment", "provider": "azure"' in (
+        agent_template
+    )
+    assert '"planning_config": {' in agent_template
+    assert '"llm": {"model": "deepseek-chat", "provider": "deepseek"}' in (
+        agent_template
+    )
+    assert '"knowledge_sources": []' in agent_template
+
+
+def test_json_provider_default_model_helper():
+    assert json_crew._default_model_for_provider("openai") == "openai/gpt-5.5"
+    assert json_crew._default_model_for_provider("anthropic/claude-custom") == (
+        "anthropic/claude-custom"
+    )
+    assert json_crew._default_model_for_provider("unknown") is None
+
+
+def test_json_wizard_task_reprompts_on_cancelled_agent_pick(monkeypatch):
+    """Esc on the agent picker must reprompt, not silently assign agent 0."""
+    prompts = iter(["Do the research", "A report"])
+    monkeypatch.setattr(json_crew, "_prompt_text", lambda *a, **k: next(prompts))
+
+    pick_calls: list[str] = []
+    picks = iter([-1, 1])
+
+    def fake_pick_one(title: str, labels: list[str]) -> int:
+        pick_calls.append(title)
+        return next(picks)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(json_crew, "pick_one", fake_pick_one)
+
+    task = json_crew._wizard_task(
+        task_num=1,
+        agent_names=["first_agent", "second_agent"],
+        prior_task_names=[],
+    )
+
+    assert len(pick_calls) == 2
+    assert task["agent"] == "second_agent"

lib/cli/tests/test_crew_run_tui.py

@@ -0,0 +1,796 @@
+from datetime import datetime
+import time
+
+import pytest
+
+from crewai.events.event_bus import crewai_event_bus
+from crewai.events.types.observation_events import (
+    GoalAchievedEarlyEvent,
+    PlanRefinementEvent,
+    PlanReplanTriggeredEvent,
+    PlanStepCompletedEvent,
+    PlanStepStartedEvent,
+    StepObservationCompletedEvent,
+    StepObservationFailedEvent,
+    StepObservationStartedEvent,
+)
+from crewai.events.types.tool_usage_events import (
+    ToolUsageErrorEvent,
+    ToolUsageFinishedEvent,
+    ToolUsageStartedEvent,
+)
+from crewai_cli import run_crew
+from crewai_cli.crew_run_tui import CrewRunApp
+
+
+def _app_with_plan() -> CrewRunApp:
+    app = CrewRunApp()
+    app._plan = {
+        "plan": "Demo plan",
+        "steps": [
+            {"step_number": 1, "description": "First"},
+            {"step_number": 2, "description": "Second"},
+            {"step_number": 3, "description": "Third"},
+        ],
+    }
+    app._plan_step_status = {1: "pending", 2: "pending", 3: "pending"}
+    return app
+
+
+def _log_entry(name: str) -> dict:
+    now = time.time()
+    return {
+        "tool_name": name,
+        "status": "success",
+        "args": None,
+        "result": f"{name} result",
+        "error": None,
+        "start_time": now,
+        "duration": 1.0,
+        "task_idx": 1,
+    }
+
+
+def _emit_event(event: object) -> None:
+    future = crewai_event_bus.emit(None, event)
+    if future:
+        future.result(timeout=5)
+
+
+def test_chain_deploy_skips_validation_after_auth_retry(monkeypatch) -> None:
+    create_calls: list[dict[str, object]] = []
+    login_calls: list[bool] = []
+
+    class FakeDeployCommand:
+        attempts = 0
+
+        def create_crew(self, **kwargs) -> None:
+            create_calls.append(kwargs)
+            FakeDeployCommand.attempts += 1
+            if FakeDeployCommand.attempts == 1:
+                raise SystemExit(1)
+
+    class FakeAuthenticationCommand:
+        def login(self) -> None:
+            login_calls.append(True)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr("crewai_cli.deploy.main.DeployCommand", FakeDeployCommand)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        "crewai_cli.authentication.main.AuthenticationCommand",
+        FakeAuthenticationCommand,
+    )
+
+    run_crew._chain_deploy()
+
+    assert create_calls == [
+        {"confirm": False, "skip_validate": True},
+        {"confirm": False, "skip_validate": True},
+    ]
+    assert login_calls == [True]
+
+
+def test_plan_step_status_updates_only_the_explicit_step() -> None:
+    app = _app_with_plan()
+
+    app._set_plan_step_status(2, "done")
+
+    assert app._plan_step_status == {
+        1: "pending",
+        2: "done",
+        3: "pending",
+    }
+
+
+def test_step_observation_events_update_the_explicit_step() -> None:
+    app = _app_with_plan()
+    app._subscribe()
+    try:
+        future = crewai_event_bus.emit(
+            None,
+            StepObservationStartedEvent(
+                agent_role="Agent",
+                step_number=2,
+                step_description="Second",
+            ),
+        )
+        if future:
+            future.result(timeout=5)
+
+        assert app._plan_step_status == {
+            1: "pending",
+            2: "active",
+            3: "pending",
+        }
+
+        future = crewai_event_bus.emit(
+            None,
+            StepObservationCompletedEvent(
+                agent_role="Agent",
+                step_number=2,
+                step_description="Second",
+                step_completed_successfully=True,
+            ),
+        )
+        if future:
+            future.result(timeout=5)
+    finally:
+        app._unsubscribe()
+
+    assert app._plan_step_status == {
+        1: "pending",
+        2: "done",
+        3: "pending",
+    }
+
+
+def test_plan_step_lifecycle_events_update_the_explicit_step() -> None:
+    app = _app_with_plan()
+    app._subscribe()
+    try:
+        _emit_event(
+            PlanStepStartedEvent(
+                agent_role="Agent",
+                step_number=2,
+                step_description="Second",
+            )
+        )
+
+        assert app._plan_step_status == {
+            1: "pending",
+            2: "active",
+            3: "pending",
+        }
+
+        _emit_event(
+            PlanStepCompletedEvent(
+                agent_role="Agent",
+                step_number=2,
+                step_description="Second",
+                success=True,
+                result="done",
+            )
+        )
+    finally:
+        app._unsubscribe()
+
+    assert app._plan_step_status == {
+        1: "pending",
+        2: "done",
+        3: "pending",
+    }
+
+
+def test_failed_plan_step_lifecycle_event_marks_exact_step_failed() -> None:
+    app = _app_with_plan()
+    app._subscribe()
+    try:
+        _emit_event(
+            PlanStepCompletedEvent(
+                agent_role="Agent",
+                step_number=2,
+                step_description="Second",
+                success=False,
+                error="Step failed",
+            )
+        )
+    finally:
+        app._unsubscribe()
+
+    assert app._plan_step_status == {
+        1: "pending",
+        2: "failed",
+        3: "pending",
+    }
+
+
+def test_tool_usage_events_do_not_advance_plan_steps() -> None:
+    app = _app_with_plan()
+    app._subscribe()
+    try:
+        future = crewai_event_bus.emit(
+            None,
+            ToolUsageStartedEvent(tool_name="search", tool_args={"query": "CrewAI"}),
+        )
+        if future:
+            future.result(timeout=5)
+
+        now = datetime.now()
+        future = crewai_event_bus.emit(
+            None,
+            ToolUsageFinishedEvent(
+                tool_name="search",
+                tool_args={"query": "CrewAI"},
+                started_at=now,
+                finished_at=now,
+                output="result",
+            ),
+        )
+        if future:
+            future.result(timeout=5)
+    finally:
+        app._unsubscribe()
+
+    assert app._plan_step_status == {
+        1: "pending",
+        2: "pending",
+        3: "pending",
+    }
+
+
+def test_next_tool_does_not_mark_unfinished_tool_successful() -> None:
+    app = _app_with_plan()
+    app._subscribe()
+    try:
+        _emit_event(
+            ToolUsageStartedEvent(tool_name="search", tool_args={"query": "CrewAI"}),
+        )
+        _emit_event(
+            ToolUsageStartedEvent(tool_name="scrape", tool_args={"url": "https://x"}),
+        )
+    finally:
+        app._unsubscribe()
+
+    assert app._log_entries[0]["status"] == "timeout"
+    assert app._log_entries[0]["result"] is None
+    assert app._log_entries[0]["error"] == (
+        "No result received before the next tool started"
+    )
+    assert app._log_entries[1]["status"] == "running"
+    assert app._plan_step_status == {
+        1: "pending",
+        2: "pending",
+        3: "pending",
+    }
+
+
+def test_internal_reasoning_function_call_is_hidden_from_activity_log() -> None:
+    app = _app_with_plan()
+    app._subscribe()
+    try:
+        future = crewai_event_bus.emit(
+            None,
+            ToolUsageStartedEvent(
+                tool_name="create_reasoning_plan",
+                tool_args={"plan": "Plan", "steps": [], "ready": True},
+            ),
+        )
+        if future:
+            future.result(timeout=5)
+
+        now = datetime.now()
+        future = crewai_event_bus.emit(
+            None,
+            ToolUsageFinishedEvent(
+                tool_name="create_reasoning_plan",
+                tool_args={"plan": "Plan", "steps": [], "ready": True},
+                started_at=now,
+                finished_at=now,
+                output='{"plan":"Plan","steps":[],"ready":true}',
+            ),
+        )
+        if future:
+            future.result(timeout=5)
+
+        future = crewai_event_bus.emit(
+            None,
+            ToolUsageErrorEvent(
+                tool_name="create_reasoning_plan",
+                tool_args={"plan": "Plan", "steps": [], "ready": True},
+                error="internal planning fallback",
+            ),
+        )
+        if future:
+            future.result(timeout=5)
+    finally:
+        app._unsubscribe()
+
+    assert app._log_entries == []
+    assert app._current_task_steps == []
+
+
+def test_tool_failure_does_not_override_successful_plan_step_completion() -> None:
+    app = _app_with_plan()
+    app._subscribe()
+    try:
+        _emit_event(
+            PlanStepStartedEvent(
+                agent_role="Agent",
+                step_number=1,
+                step_description="First",
+            )
+        )
+        _emit_event(
+            ToolUsageStartedEvent(
+                tool_name="search_the_internet_with_serper",
+                tool_args={"search_query": "CrewAI release"},
+                plan_step_number=1,
+                plan_step_description="First",
+            )
+        )
+        _emit_event(
+            ToolUsageErrorEvent(
+                tool_name="search_the_internet_with_serper",
+                tool_args={"search_query": "CrewAI release"},
+                plan_step_number=1,
+                plan_step_description="First",
+                error="No results",
+            )
+        )
+        _emit_event(
+            PlanStepCompletedEvent(
+                agent_role="Agent",
+                step_number=1,
+                step_description="First",
+                success=True,
+                result="Recovered with another source",
+            )
+        )
+    finally:
+        app._unsubscribe()
+
+    assert app._plan_step_status == {
+        1: "done",
+        2: "pending",
+        3: "pending",
+    }
+
+
+def test_tool_event_step_metadata_is_stored_in_activity_log() -> None:
+    app = _app_with_plan()
+    app._subscribe()
+    try:
+        _emit_event(
+            ToolUsageStartedEvent(
+                tool_name="search_the_internet_with_serper",
+                tool_args={"search_query": "CrewAI release"},
+                plan_step_number=2,
+                plan_step_description="Second",
+            )
+        )
+        now = datetime.now()
+        _emit_event(
+            ToolUsageFinishedEvent(
+                tool_name="search_the_internet_with_serper",
+                tool_args={"search_query": "CrewAI release"},
+                plan_step_number=2,
+                plan_step_description="Second",
+                started_at=now,
+                finished_at=now,
+                output="Found official source",
+            )
+        )
+    finally:
+        app._unsubscribe()
+
+    assert app._log_entries[0]["plan_step_number"] == 2
+    assert app._plan_step_status == {
+        1: "pending",
+        2: "pending",
+        3: "pending",
+    }
+
+
+def test_starting_next_tool_does_not_infer_plan_step_progress() -> None:
+    app = _app_with_plan()
+    app._subscribe()
+    try:
+        _emit_event(
+            ToolUsageStartedEvent(
+                tool_name="search_the_internet_with_serper",
+                tool_args={"search_query": "CrewAI release"},
+            )
+        )
+        _emit_event(
+            ToolUsageErrorEvent(
+                tool_name="search_the_internet_with_serper",
+                tool_args={"search_query": "CrewAI release"},
+                error="No results",
+            )
+        )
+        _emit_event(
+            ToolUsageStartedEvent(
+                tool_name="read_website_content",
+                tool_args={"url": "https://example.com"},
+            )
+        )
+    finally:
+        app._unsubscribe()
+
+    assert app._log_entries[0]["status"] == "error"
+    assert app._log_entries[1]["status"] == "running"
+    assert app._plan_step_status == {
+        1: "pending",
+        2: "pending",
+        3: "pending",
+    }
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_crew_done_does_not_mark_unfinished_tool_successful() -> None:
+    app = _app_with_plan()
+
+    async with app.run_test(size=(100, 40)) as pilot:
+        app._plan_step_status = {1: "failed", 2: "done", 3: "pending"}
+        app._log_entries = [
+            {
+                "tool_name": "search",
+                "status": "running",
+                "args": '{"query": "CrewAI"}',
+                "result": None,
+                "error": None,
+                "start_time": time.time() - 2,
+                "duration": None,
+                "task_idx": 1,
+            }
+        ]
+
+        app._on_crew_done("final output")
+        await pilot.pause()
+
+    assert app._log_entries[0]["status"] == "timeout"
+    assert app._log_entries[0]["result"] is None
+    assert app._log_entries[0]["error"] == "No result received before crew completed"
+    assert app._plan_step_status == {1: "failed", 2: "done", 3: "done"}
+
+
+def test_streamed_step_observation_updates_named_step_only() -> None:
+    app = _app_with_plan()
+
+    updated = app._try_parse_step_observation(
+        '{"step_completed_successfully":true,'
+        '"key_information_learned":"Step 2 succeeded with the official source."}'
+    )
+
+    assert updated is True
+    assert app._plan_step_status == {
+        1: "pending",
+        2: "done",
+        3: "pending",
+    }
+
+
+def test_failed_streamed_step_observation_marks_named_step_failed() -> None:
+    app = _app_with_plan()
+
+    updated = app._try_parse_step_observation(
+        '{"step_completed_successfully":false,'
+        '"key_information_learned":"Step 2 failed because the tool failed."}'
+    )
+
+    assert updated is True
+    assert app._plan_step_status == {
+        1: "pending",
+        2: "failed",
+        3: "pending",
+    }
+
+
+def test_streamed_goal_achieved_observation_collapses_remaining_steps_done() -> None:
+    app = _app_with_plan()
+
+    updated = app._try_parse_step_observation(
+        '{"step_number":2,'
+        '"step_completed_successfully":true,'
+        '"key_information_learned":"Goal is already satisfied.",'
+        '"goal_already_achieved":true}'
+    )
+
+    assert updated is True
+    assert app._plan_step_status == {
+        1: "done",
+        2: "done",
+        3: "done",
+    }
+
+
+def test_task_completion_collapses_pending_plan_steps_but_preserves_failed() -> None:
+    app = _app_with_plan()
+    app._plan_step_status = {1: "failed", 2: "done", 3: "pending"}
+
+    app._collapse_plan_on_task_done()
+
+    assert app._plan_step_status == {1: "failed", 2: "done", 3: "done"}
+
+
+def test_observation_failure_collapses_to_done_because_executor_continues() -> None:
+    app = _app_with_plan()
+    app._plan_step_status = {1: "done", 2: "active", 3: "pending"}
+    app._subscribe()
+    try:
+        future = crewai_event_bus.emit(
+            None,
+            StepObservationFailedEvent(
+                agent_role="Agent",
+                step_number=2,
+                step_description="Second",
+                error="observer timeout",
+            ),
+        )
+        if future:
+            future.result(timeout=5)
+    finally:
+        app._unsubscribe()
+
+    assert app._plan_step_status == {
+        1: "done",
+        2: "done",
+        3: "pending",
+    }
+
+
+def test_goal_achieved_event_collapses_remaining_steps_done() -> None:
+    app = _app_with_plan()
+    app._plan_step_status = {1: "done", 2: "active", 3: "pending"}
+    app._subscribe()
+    try:
+        future = crewai_event_bus.emit(
+            None,
+            GoalAchievedEarlyEvent(
+                agent_role="Agent",
+                step_number=2,
+                steps_completed=2,
+                steps_remaining=1,
+            ),
+        )
+        if future:
+            future.result(timeout=5)
+    finally:
+        app._unsubscribe()
+
+    assert app._plan_step_status == {
+        1: "done",
+        2: "done",
+        3: "done",
+    }
+
+
+def test_replan_event_keeps_old_plan_until_next_streamed_plan_replaces_it() -> None:
+    app = _app_with_plan()
+    app._subscribe()
+    try:
+        future = crewai_event_bus.emit(
+            None,
+            PlanReplanTriggeredEvent(
+                agent_role="Agent",
+                step_number=2,
+                replan_reason="Need updated sources",
+                replan_count=1,
+                completed_steps_preserved=1,
+            ),
+        )
+        if future:
+            future.result(timeout=5)
+    finally:
+        app._unsubscribe()
+
+    assert app._plan is not None
+    assert app._plan_step_status == {1: "pending", 2: "pending", 3: "pending"}
+    assert app._awaiting_replan is True
+
+    app._try_parse_plan(
+        '{"plan":"Updated plan","steps":['
+        '{"step_number":1,"description":"Updated first"},'
+        '{"step_number":2,"description":"Updated second"}]}'
+    )
+
+    assert app._plan == {
+        "plan": "Updated plan",
+        "steps": [
+            {"step_number": 1, "description": "Updated first"},
+            {"step_number": 2, "description": "Updated second"},
+        ],
+    }
+    assert app._plan_step_status == {1: "pending", 2: "pending"}
+    assert app._awaiting_replan is False
+
+
+def test_plan_refinement_updates_descriptions_without_new_statuses() -> None:
+    app = _app_with_plan()
+    app._plan_step_status = {1: "done", 2: "active", 3: "pending"}
+    app._subscribe()
+    try:
+        future = crewai_event_bus.emit(
+            None,
+            PlanRefinementEvent(
+                agent_role="Agent",
+                step_number=2,
+                refined_step_count=1,
+                refinements=["Step 3: Write the final answer from verified facts"],
+            ),
+        )
+        if future:
+            future.result(timeout=5)
+    finally:
+        app._unsubscribe()
+
+    assert app._plan_step_status == {
+        1: "done",
+        2: "done",
+        3: "pending",
+    }
+    assert app._plan["steps"][2]["description"] == (
+        "Write the final answer from verified facts"
+    )
+
+
+def test_step_observation_json_is_hidden_from_streaming_text() -> None:
+    app = _app_with_plan()
+
+    assert (
+        app._strip_step_observation_json(
+            'Visible before {"step_completed_successfully":true,'
+            '"key_information_learned":"Step 2 succeeded."} visible after'
+        )
+        == "Visible before  visible after"
+    )
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_completed_run_keeps_activity_log_keyboard_navigation_active() -> None:
+    app = CrewRunApp()
+
+    async with app.run_test(size=(100, 40)) as pilot:
+        app._log_entries = [_log_entry("search"), _log_entry("scrape")]
+
+        app._on_crew_done("final output")
+        await pilot.pause()
+
+        assert app.focused is app.query_one("#log-panel")
+
+        await pilot.press("down", "enter")
+        await pilot.pause()
+
+        assert app._log_cursor == 1
+        assert app._log_expanded == {1}
+
+        await pilot.press("up")
+        await pilot.pause()
+
+        assert app._log_cursor == 0
+
+
+class _FakeTask:
+    fingerprint = None
+
+    def __init__(self, task_id: str, name: str) -> None:
+        self.id = task_id
+        self.name = name
+        self.description = name
+
+
+def test_async_task_completion_marks_the_right_sidebar_row() -> None:
+    """Overlapping tasks: completing task 1 while task 2 runs must not
+    mark task 2 done, and starting task 2 must not mark task 1 done."""
+    from crewai.events.types.task_events import TaskCompletedEvent, TaskStartedEvent
+    from crewai.tasks.task_output import TaskOutput
+
+    app = CrewRunApp(total_tasks=2, task_names=["first", "second"])
+    app._subscribe()
+    try:
+        task1 = _FakeTask("id-1", "first")
+        task2 = _FakeTask("id-2", "second")
+
+        for task in (task1, task2):
+            future = crewai_event_bus.emit(
+                None, TaskStartedEvent(context=None, task=task)
+            )
+            if future:
+                future.result(timeout=5)
+
+        # Both started: neither prematurely done
+        assert app._task_statuses == {1: "active", 2: "active"}
+
+        future = crewai_event_bus.emit(
+            None,
+            TaskCompletedEvent(
+                output=TaskOutput(description="first", raw="done", agent="a"),
+                task=task1,
+            ),
+        )
+        if future:
+            future.result(timeout=5)
+
+        assert app._task_statuses == {1: "done", 2: "active"}
+    finally:
+        app._unsubscribe()
+
+
+def test_pop_task_state_falls_back_to_current_task() -> None:
+    app = CrewRunApp(total_tasks=2, task_names=["first", "second"])
+    app._current_task_idx = 2
+    app._current_task_desc = "second"
+
+    class _Evt:
+        task = None
+        task_name = "unknown"
+
+    state = app._pop_task_state(_Evt())
+    assert state["idx"] == 2
+    assert state["desc"] == "second"
+
+
+def test_overlapping_task_logs_keep_their_own_state() -> None:
+    """Task 1 completing after task 2 started must log its own description,
+    agent, and output — and must not steal or reset task 2's stream state."""
+    from crewai.events.types.task_events import TaskCompletedEvent, TaskStartedEvent
+    from crewai.tasks.task_output import TaskOutput
+
+    app = CrewRunApp(total_tasks=2, task_names=["first", "second"])
+    app._subscribe()
+    try:
+        task1 = _FakeTask("id-1", "first")
+        task2 = _FakeTask("id-2", "second")
+
+        for task in (task1, task2):
+            future = crewai_event_bus.emit(
+                None, TaskStartedEvent(context=None, task=task)
+            )
+            if future:
+                future.result(timeout=5)
+
+        # Task 2 is current and has streamed state in flight
+        app._task_full_output = "task two streaming output"
+        app._current_task_steps = [{"type": "llm", "summary": "thinking"}]
+
+        future = crewai_event_bus.emit(
+            None,
+            TaskCompletedEvent(
+                output=TaskOutput(
+                    description="first", raw="task one result", agent="a1"
+                ),
+                task=task1,
+            ),
+        )
+        if future:
+            future.result(timeout=5)
+
+        # Task 1's entry carries its own identity and output
+        entry1 = app._task_logs[-1]
+        assert entry1["idx"] == 1
+        assert entry1["desc"] == "first"
+        assert entry1["output"] == "task one result"
+        assert entry1["steps"] == []
+
+        # Task 2's in-flight stream state was not consumed or reset
+        assert app._task_full_output == "task two streaming output"
+        assert app._current_task_steps == [{"type": "llm", "summary": "thinking"}]
+
+        future = crewai_event_bus.emit(
+            None,
+            TaskCompletedEvent(
+                output=TaskOutput(
+                    description="second", raw="task two result", agent="a2"
+                ),
+                task=task2,
+            ),
+        )
+        if future:
+            future.result(timeout=5)
+
+        entry2 = app._task_logs[-1]
+        assert entry2["idx"] == 2
+        assert entry2["desc"] == "second"
+        assert entry2["output"] == "task two streaming output"
+        assert any(step.get("summary") == "thinking" for step in entry2["steps"])
+    finally:
+        app._unsubscribe()

lib/cli/tests/test_run_crew.py

@@ -0,0 +1,144 @@
+"""Tests for crewai_cli.run_crew JSON crew handling."""
+
+import os
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+from crewai_core.constants import CREWAI_TRAINED_AGENTS_FILE_ENV
+
+import crewai_cli.run_crew as run_crew_module
+
+
+def test_run_crew_forwards_trained_agents_file_to_json_crews(monkeypatch):
+    """crewai run -f must reach JSON crews, not only classic subprocess crews."""
+    monkeypatch.setattr(run_crew_module, "_has_json_crew", lambda: True)
+    called: dict = {}
+
+    def fake_run_json_crew(trained_agents_file=None):
+        called["trained_agents_file"] = trained_agents_file
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(run_crew_module, "_run_json_crew", fake_run_json_crew)
+
+    run_crew_module.run_crew(trained_agents_file="some.pkl")
+
+    assert called == {"trained_agents_file": "some.pkl"}
+
+
+def test_run_json_crew_exports_trained_agents_env(monkeypatch, tmp_path: Path):
+    """JSON crews run in-process, so the pickle path must land in the env var."""
+    monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
+    monkeypatch.delenv(CREWAI_TRAINED_AGENTS_FILE_ENV, raising=False)
+
+    try:
+        # No crew.json(c) in tmp_path: the loader fails *after* the env var
+        # export, which is the part under test.
+        with pytest.raises(FileNotFoundError):
+            run_crew_module._run_json_crew(trained_agents_file="some.pkl")
+        assert os.environ[CREWAI_TRAINED_AGENTS_FILE_ENV] == "some.pkl"
+    finally:
+        os.environ.pop(CREWAI_TRAINED_AGENTS_FILE_ENV, None)
+
+
+def test_run_json_crew_leaves_env_untouched_without_flag(monkeypatch, tmp_path: Path):
+    monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
+    monkeypatch.delenv(CREWAI_TRAINED_AGENTS_FILE_ENV, raising=False)
+
+    with pytest.raises(FileNotFoundError):
+        run_crew_module._run_json_crew()
+
+    assert CREWAI_TRAINED_AGENTS_FILE_ENV not in os.environ
+
+
+def test_missing_input_names_accepts_hyphenated_placeholders():
+    """The prompt regex must accept the same names kickoff interpolation does."""
+    from types import SimpleNamespace
+
+    crew = SimpleNamespace(
+        agents=[
+            SimpleNamespace(
+                role="Researcher", goal="Cover {my-topic}", backstory=""
+            )
+        ],
+        tasks=[
+            SimpleNamespace(
+                description="Write about {my-topic} for {target-audience}",
+                expected_output="Post",
+                output_file=None,
+            )
+        ],
+    )
+
+    assert run_crew_module._missing_input_names(crew, {}) == [
+        "my-topic",
+        "target-audience",
+    ]
+
+
+def _patch_tui_run(monkeypatch, status: str):
+    """Stub the TUI pieces of _run_json_crew so only exit handling runs."""
+
+    class FakeApp:
+        def __init__(self, **kwargs):
+            self._status = status
+            self._crew_result = "result" if status == "completed" else None
+            self._want_deploy = False
+
+        def run(self):
+            pass
+
+    from types import SimpleNamespace
+
+    crew = SimpleNamespace(name="Demo", tasks=[], agents=[])
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        run_crew_module, "find_crew_json_file", lambda: Path("crew.jsonc")
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        run_crew_module,
+        "_load_json_crew_for_tui",
+        lambda _path: (FakeApp, crew, {}, [], []),
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        run_crew_module, "_prompt_for_missing_inputs", lambda _crew, inputs: inputs
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(run_crew_module, "_print_post_tui_summary", lambda _app: None)
+
+
+def test_run_json_crew_failed_status_exits_nonzero(monkeypatch, tmp_path: Path):
+    monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
+    _patch_tui_run(monkeypatch, status="failed")
+
+    with pytest.raises(SystemExit) as exc_info:
+        run_crew_module._run_json_crew()
+
+    assert exc_info.value.code == 1
+
+
+def test_run_json_crew_completed_status_returns_result(monkeypatch, tmp_path: Path):
+    monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
+    _patch_tui_run(monkeypatch, status="completed")
+
+    assert run_crew_module._run_json_crew() == "result"
+
+
+def test_has_json_crew_defers_to_declared_flow_type(monkeypatch, tmp_path: Path):
+    """A flow project containing a stray crew.jsonc must still run as a flow."""
+    monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
+    (tmp_path / "crew.jsonc").write_text("{}")
+    (tmp_path / "pyproject.toml").write_text('[tool.crewai]\ntype = "flow"\n')
+
+    assert run_crew_module._has_json_crew() is False
+
+
+def test_has_json_crew_true_for_declared_crew_type(monkeypatch, tmp_path: Path):
+    monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
+    (tmp_path / "crew.jsonc").write_text("{}")
+    (tmp_path / "pyproject.toml").write_text('[tool.crewai]\ntype = "crew"\n')
+
+    assert run_crew_module._has_json_crew() is True
+
+
+def test_has_json_crew_true_without_pyproject(monkeypatch, tmp_path: Path):
+    monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
+    (tmp_path / "crew.jsonc").write_text("{}")
+
+    assert run_crew_module._has_json_crew() is True

lib/cli/tests/tools/test_main.py

@@ -157,14 +157,16 @@ def test_install_api_error(mock_get, capsys, tool_command):
     mock_get.assert_called_once_with("error-tool")
 
 
-@patch("crewai_cli.tools.main.git.Repository.fetch")
-@patch("crewai_cli.tools.main.git.Repository.is_synced", return_value=False)
-def test_publish_when_not_in_sync(mock_is_synced, mock_fetch, capsys, tool_command):
+@patch("crewai_cli.tools.main.git.Repository")
+def test_publish_when_not_in_sync(mock_repository, capsys, tool_command):
+    mock_repository.return_value.is_synced.return_value = False
+
     with raises(SystemExit):
         tool_command.publish(is_public=True)
 
     output = capsys.readouterr().out
     assert "Local changes need to be resolved before publishing" in output
+    mock_repository.return_value.is_synced.assert_called_once_with()
 
 
 @patch("crewai_cli.tools.main.get_project_name", return_value="sample-tool")