CLI(V1): start new conversations without exiting CLI using /new command (#11262)

Co-authored-by: openhands <openhands@all-hands.dev>

openhands-cli/openhands_cli/agent_chat.py

@@ -6,14 +6,15 @@ Provides a conversation interface with an AI agent using OpenHands patterns.
 
 import sys
 
-from prompt_toolkit import print_formatted_text
-from prompt_toolkit.formatted_text import HTML
-
 from openhands.sdk import (
+    BaseConversation,
     Message,
     TextContent,
 )
 from openhands.sdk.conversation.state import AgentExecutionStatus
+from prompt_toolkit import print_formatted_text
+from prompt_toolkit.formatted_text import HTML
+
 from openhands_cli.runner import ConversationRunner
 from openhands_cli.setup import MissingAgentSpec, setup_conversation
 from openhands_cli.tui.settings.mcp_screen import MCPScreen
@@ -26,6 +27,30 @@ from openhands_cli.user_actions import UserConfirmation, exit_session_confirmati
 from openhands_cli.user_actions.utils import get_session_prompter
 
 
+def _start_fresh_conversation(resume_conversation_id: str | None = None) -> BaseConversation:
+    """Start a fresh conversation by creating a new conversation instance.
+    
+    Handles the complete conversation setup process including settings screen
+    if agent configuration is missing.
+
+    Args:
+        resume_conversation_id: Optional conversation ID to resume
+
+    Returns:
+        BaseConversation: A new conversation instance
+    """
+    conversation = None
+    settings_screen = SettingsScreen()
+
+    while not conversation:
+        try:
+            conversation = setup_conversation(resume_conversation_id)
+        except MissingAgentSpec:
+            settings_screen.handle_basic_settings(escapable=False)
+    
+    return conversation
+
+
 def _restore_tty() -> None:
     """
     Ensure terminal modes are reset in case prompt_toolkit cleanup didn't run.
@@ -62,15 +87,7 @@ def run_cli_entry(resume_conversation_id: str | None = None) -> None:
         EOFError: If EOF is encountered
     """
 
-    conversation = None
-    settings_screen = SettingsScreen()
-
-    while not conversation:
-        try:
-            conversation = setup_conversation(resume_conversation_id)
-        except MissingAgentSpec:
-            settings_screen.handle_basic_settings(escapable=False)
-
+    conversation = _start_fresh_conversation(resume_conversation_id)
     display_welcome(conversation.id, bool(resume_conversation_id))
 
     # Create conversation runner to handle state machine logic
@@ -118,6 +135,22 @@ def run_cli_entry(resume_conversation_id: str | None = None) -> None:
                 display_welcome(conversation.id)
                 continue
 
+            elif command == '/new':
+                try:
+                    # Start a fresh conversation (no resume ID = new conversation)
+                    conversation = _start_fresh_conversation()
+                    runner = ConversationRunner(conversation)
+                    display_welcome(conversation.id, resume=False)
+                    print_formatted_text(
+                        HTML('<green>✓ Started fresh conversation</green>')
+                    )
+                    continue
+                except Exception as e:
+                    print_formatted_text(
+                        HTML(f'<red>Error starting fresh conversation: {e}</red>')
+                    )
+                    continue
+
             elif command == '/help':
                 display_help()
                 continue

openhands-cli/openhands_cli/tui/tui.py

@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ COMMANDS = {
     '/exit': 'Exit the application',
     '/help': 'Display available commands',
     '/clear': 'Clear the screen',
+    '/new': 'Start a fresh conversation',
     '/status': 'Display conversation details',
     '/confirm': 'Toggle confirmation mode on/off',
     '/resume': 'Resume a paused conversation',

openhands-cli/tests/test_new_command.py

@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+"""Tests for the /new command functionality."""
+
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
+from uuid import UUID
+from openhands_cli.agent_chat import _start_fresh_conversation
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
+from prompt_toolkit.input.defaults import create_pipe_input
+from prompt_toolkit.output.defaults import DummyOutput
+from openhands_cli.setup import MissingAgentSpec
+from openhands_cli.user_actions import UserConfirmation
+
+@patch('openhands_cli.agent_chat.setup_conversation')
+def test_start_fresh_conversation_success(mock_setup_conversation):
+    """Test that _start_fresh_conversation creates a new conversation successfully."""
+    # Mock the conversation object
+    mock_conversation = MagicMock()
+    mock_conversation.id = UUID('12345678-1234-5678-9abc-123456789abc')
+    mock_setup_conversation.return_value = mock_conversation
+
+    # Call the function
+    result = _start_fresh_conversation()
+
+    # Verify the result
+    assert result == mock_conversation
+    mock_setup_conversation.assert_called_once_with(None)
+
+
+@patch('openhands_cli.agent_chat.SettingsScreen')
+@patch('openhands_cli.agent_chat.setup_conversation')
+def test_start_fresh_conversation_missing_agent_spec(
+    mock_setup_conversation,
+    mock_settings_screen_class
+):
+    """Test that _start_fresh_conversation handles MissingAgentSpec exception."""
+    # Mock the SettingsScreen instance
+    mock_settings_screen = MagicMock()
+    mock_settings_screen_class.return_value = mock_settings_screen
+
+    # Mock setup_conversation to raise MissingAgentSpec on first call, then succeed
+    mock_conversation = MagicMock()
+    mock_conversation.id = UUID('12345678-1234-5678-9abc-123456789abc')
+    mock_setup_conversation.side_effect = [
+        MissingAgentSpec("Agent spec missing"),
+        mock_conversation
+    ]
+
+    # Call the function
+    result = _start_fresh_conversation()
+
+    # Verify the result
+    assert result == mock_conversation
+    # Should be called twice: first fails, second succeeds
+    assert mock_setup_conversation.call_count == 2
+    # Settings screen should be called once
+    mock_settings_screen.handle_basic_settings.assert_called_once_with(escapable=False)
+
+
+
+
+
+@patch('openhands_cli.agent_chat.exit_session_confirmation')
+@patch('openhands_cli.agent_chat.get_session_prompter')
+@patch('openhands_cli.agent_chat.setup_conversation')
+@patch('openhands_cli.agent_chat.ConversationRunner')
+def test_new_command_resets_confirmation_mode(
+    mock_runner_cls,
+    mock_setup_conversation,
+    mock_get_session_prompter,
+    mock_exit_confirm,
+):
+    # Auto-accept the exit prompt to avoid interactive UI and EOFError
+    mock_exit_confirm.return_value = UserConfirmation.ACCEPT
+
+    conv1 = MagicMock(); conv1.id = UUID('aaaaaaaa-aaaa-aaaa-aaaa-aaaaaaaaaaaa')
+    conv2 = MagicMock(); conv2.id = UUID('bbbbbbbb-bbbb-bbbb-bbbb-bbbbbbbbbbbb')
+    mock_setup_conversation.side_effect = [conv1, conv2]
+
+    # Distinct runner instances for each conversation
+    runner1 = MagicMock(); runner1.is_confirmation_mode_enabled = True
+    runner2 = MagicMock(); runner2.is_confirmation_mode_enabled = False
+    mock_runner_cls.side_effect = [runner1, runner2]
+
+    # Real session fed by a pipe (no interactive confirmation now)
+    from openhands_cli.user_actions.utils import get_session_prompter as real_get_session_prompter
+    with create_pipe_input() as pipe:
+        output = DummyOutput()
+        session = real_get_session_prompter(input=pipe, output=output)
+        mock_get_session_prompter.return_value = session
+
+        from openhands_cli.agent_chat import run_cli_entry
+        # Trigger /new, then /status, then /exit (exit will be auto-accepted)
+        for ch in "/new\r/status\r/exit\r":
+            pipe.send_text(ch)
+
+        run_cli_entry(None)
+
+    # Assert we switched to a new runner for conv2
+    assert mock_runner_cls.call_count == 2
+    assert mock_runner_cls.call_args_list[0].args[0] is conv1
+    assert mock_runner_cls.call_args_list[1].args[0] is conv2

openhands-cli/tests/test_tui.py

@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ def test_commands_dict() -> None:
         '/exit',
         '/help',
         '/clear',
+        '/new',
         '/status',
         '/confirm',
         '/resume',