feat(ui): show live action status on Kanban task cards

apps/backend/agents/session.py

@@ -395,20 +395,18 @@ async def run_agent_session(
 
                         # Extract meaningful tool input for display
                         if inp:
-                            if "pattern" in inp:
-                                tool_input_display = f"pattern: {inp['pattern']}"
-                            elif "file_path" in inp:
-                                fp = inp["file_path"]
-                                if len(fp) > 50:
-                                    fp = "..." + fp[-47:]
-                                tool_input_display = fp
+                            if "file_path" in inp:
+                                tool_input_display = inp["file_path"]
                             elif "command" in inp:
-                                cmd = inp["command"]
-                                if len(cmd) > 50:
-                                    cmd = cmd[:47] + "..."
-                                tool_input_display = cmd
+                                tool_input_display = inp["command"]
+                            elif "pattern" in inp:
+                                tool_input_display = f"/{inp['pattern']}/"
                             elif "path" in inp:
                                 tool_input_display = inp["path"]
+                            elif "url" in inp:
+                                tool_input_display = inp["url"]
+                            elif "query" in inp:
+                                tool_input_display = f'"{inp["query"]}"'
 
                         debug(
                             "session",

apps/backend/qa/fixer.py

@@ -162,17 +162,39 @@ async def run_qa_fixer_session(
                         # Safely extract tool input (handles None, non-dict, etc.)
                         inp = get_safe_tool_input(block)
 
+                        # DEBUG: Print what keys are in inp
+
                         if inp:
                             if "file_path" in inp:
                                 fp = inp["file_path"]
-                                if len(fp) > 50:
-                                    fp = "..." + fp[-47:]
+                                if len(fp) > 80:
+                                    fp = "..." + fp[-77:]
                                 tool_input_display = fp
                             elif "command" in inp:
                                 cmd = inp["command"]
-                                if len(cmd) > 50:
-                                    cmd = cmd[:47] + "..."
+                                if len(cmd) > 80:
+                                    cmd = cmd[:77] + "..."
                                 tool_input_display = cmd
+                            elif "pattern" in inp:
+                                pat = inp["pattern"]
+                                if len(pat) > 60:
+                                    pat = pat[:57] + "..."
+                                tool_input_display = f"/{pat}/"
+                            elif "path" in inp:
+                                p = inp["path"]
+                                if len(p) > 80:
+                                    p = "..." + p[-77:]
+                                tool_input_display = p
+                            elif "url" in inp:
+                                url = inp["url"]
+                                if len(url) > 80:
+                                    url = url[:77] + "..."
+                                tool_input_display = url
+                            elif "query" in inp:
+                                q = inp["query"]
+                                if len(q) > 60:
+                                    q = q[:57] + "..."
+                                tool_input_display = f'"{q}"'
 
                         debug(
                             "qa_fixer",

apps/backend/qa/reviewer.py

@@ -225,12 +225,17 @@ async def run_qa_agent_session(
                         # Extract tool input for display
                         if inp:
                             if "file_path" in inp:
-                                fp = inp["file_path"]
-                                if len(fp) > 50:
-                                    fp = "..." + fp[-47:]
-                                tool_input_display = fp
+                                tool_input_display = inp["file_path"]
+                            elif "command" in inp:
+                                tool_input_display = inp["command"]
                             elif "pattern" in inp:
-                                tool_input_display = f"pattern: {inp['pattern']}"
+                                tool_input_display = f"/{inp['pattern']}/"
+                            elif "path" in inp:
+                                tool_input_display = inp["path"]
+                            elif "url" in inp:
+                                tool_input_display = inp["url"]
+                            elif "query" in inp:
+                                tool_input_display = f'"{inp["query"]}"'
 
                         debug(
                             "qa_reviewer",

apps/backend/task_logger/logger.py

@@ -438,7 +438,12 @@ def tool_start(
         )
 
         if print_to_console:
-            print(f"\n[Tool: {tool_name}]", flush=True)
+            # Include truncated input for live status display
+            if display_input:
+                short_input = display_input
+                print(f"\n[Tool: {tool_name}] {short_input}", flush=True)
+            else:
+                print(f"\n[Tool: {tool_name}]", flush=True)
 
     def tool_end(
         self,

apps/frontend/src/main/agent/agent-events.ts

@@ -117,6 +117,34 @@ export class AgentEvents {
       return { phase: 'failed', message: log.trim().substring(0, 200) };
     }
 
+
+    // Live tool action detection - update message without changing phase
+    // Works in all phases to show real-time tool activity
+    const toolMatch = log.match(/\[(?:Tool|Fixer Tool|QA Tool):\s*(\w+)\]\s*(.*)?/i);
+    if (toolMatch) {
+        const toolName = toolMatch[1];
+        const details = toolMatch[2]?.trim().replace(/\r$/, '') || '';
+
+        // Build message with action verb and optional details
+        const toolVerbs: Record<string, string> = {
+          'Read': 'Reading',
+          'Edit': 'Editing',
+          'Write': 'Writing',
+          'Glob': 'Searching files',
+          'Grep': 'Searching',
+          'Bash': 'Running',
+          'Task': 'Running subagent',
+          'WebFetch': 'Fetching',
+          'WebSearch': 'Searching web'
+        };
+        const verb = toolVerbs[toolName] || ('Using ' + toolName);
+
+
+
+        const message = details ? (verb + ' ' + details) : (verb + '...');
+        return { phase: currentPhase, message };
+    }
+
     return null;
   }
 

apps/frontend/src/main/ipc-handlers/agent-events-handlers.ts

@@ -282,6 +282,7 @@ export function registerAgenteventsHandlers(
       taskProjectId
     );
 
+
     const phaseToStatus: Record<string, TaskStatus | null> = {
       idle: null,
       planning: "in_progress",

apps/frontend/src/renderer/components/TaskCard.tsx

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { useState, useEffect, useRef, useCallback, memo, useMemo } from 'react';
 import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
-import { Play, Square, Clock, Zap, Target, Shield, Gauge, Palette, FileCode, Bug, Wrench, Loader2, AlertTriangle, RotateCcw, Archive, GitPullRequest, MoreVertical } from 'lucide-react';
+import { Play, Square, Clock, Zap, Target, Shield, Gauge, Palette, FileCode, Bug, Wrench, Loader2, AlertTriangle, RotateCcw, Archive, GitPullRequest, MoreVertical, FileText, Search, FolderSearch, Terminal, Pencil } from 'lucide-react';
 import { Card, CardContent } from './ui/card';
 import { Badge } from './ui/badge';
 import { Button } from './ui/button';
@@ -44,6 +44,29 @@ const CategoryIcon: Record<TaskCategory, typeof Zap> = {
   testing: FileCode
 };
 
+// Data-driven tool styles for live action status
+const TOOL_STYLES: Array<{
+  patterns: string[];
+  icon: typeof FileText;
+  color: string;
+}> = [
+  { patterns: ['reading'], icon: FileText, color: 'text-blue-500 bg-blue-500/10' },
+  { patterns: ['searching files', 'globbing'], icon: FolderSearch, color: 'text-amber-500 bg-amber-500/10' },
+  { patterns: ['searching code', 'grep'], icon: Search, color: 'text-green-500 bg-green-500/10' },
+  { patterns: ['editing'], icon: Pencil, color: 'text-purple-500 bg-purple-500/10' },
+  { patterns: ['writing'], icon: FileCode, color: 'text-cyan-500 bg-cyan-500/10' },
+  { patterns: ['running', 'executing'], icon: Terminal, color: 'text-orange-500 bg-orange-500/10' },
+];
+
+// Helper to detect tool type from execution message and return styling
+function getToolStyleFromMessage(message: string): { icon: typeof FileText; color: string } | null {
+  const lowerMessage = message.toLowerCase();
+  const match = TOOL_STYLES.find(style =>
+    style.patterns.some(pattern => lowerMessage.startsWith(pattern))
+  );
+  return match ? { icon: match.icon, color: match.color } : null;
+}
+
 interface TaskCardProps {
   task: Task;
   onClick: () => void;
@@ -61,6 +84,14 @@ function taskCardPropsAreEqual(prevProps: TaskCardProps, nextProps: TaskCardProp
   }
 
   // Compare only the fields that affect rendering
+  // DEBUG: Log message changes
+  if (prevTask.executionProgress?.message !== nextTask.executionProgress?.message) {
+    console.log('[TaskCard memo] Message changed:', { 
+      taskId: prevTask.id,
+      prev: prevTask.executionProgress?.message, 
+      next: nextTask.executionProgress?.message 
+    });
+  }
   const isEqual = (
     prevTask.id === nextTask.id &&
     prevTask.status === nextTask.status &&
@@ -70,6 +101,7 @@ function taskCardPropsAreEqual(prevProps: TaskCardProps, nextProps: TaskCardProp
     prevTask.reviewReason === nextTask.reviewReason &&
     prevTask.executionProgress?.phase === nextTask.executionProgress?.phase &&
     prevTask.executionProgress?.phaseProgress === nextTask.executionProgress?.phaseProgress &&
+    prevTask.executionProgress?.message === nextTask.executionProgress?.message &&
     prevTask.subtasks.length === nextTask.subtasks.length &&
     prevTask.metadata?.category === nextTask.metadata?.category &&
     prevTask.metadata?.complexity === nextTask.metadata?.complexity &&
@@ -104,7 +136,7 @@ export const TaskCard = memo(function TaskCard({ task, onClick, onStatusChange }
     interval: null
   });
 
-  const isRunning = task.status === 'in_progress';
+  const isRunning = task.status === 'in_progress' || task.status === 'ai_review';
   const executionPhase = task.executionProgress?.phase;
   const hasActiveExecution = executionPhase && executionPhase !== 'idle' && executionPhase !== 'complete' && executionPhase !== 'failed';
 
@@ -137,6 +169,20 @@ export const TaskCard = memo(function TaskCard({ task, onClick, onStatusChange }
     ));
   }, [task.status, onStatusChange, t]);
 
+  // Memoize live action status to avoid recreating on every render
+  const liveActionStatus = useMemo(() => {
+    const message = task.executionProgress?.message;
+    const phase = task.executionProgress?.phase;
+    // Don't show live status for terminal phases (complete/failed)
+    if (!message || phase === 'complete' || phase === 'failed') return null;
+    const toolStyle = getToolStyleFromMessage(message);
+    return {
+      icon: toolStyle?.icon ?? Loader2,
+      colorClass: toolStyle?.color ?? 'text-muted-foreground bg-muted/50',
+      message,
+    };
+  }, [task.executionProgress?.message, task.executionProgress?.phase]);
+
   // Memoized stuck check function to avoid recreating on every render
   const performStuckCheck = useCallback(() => {
     // IMPORTANT: If the execution phase is 'complete' or 'failed', the task is NOT stuck.
@@ -480,6 +526,16 @@ export const TaskCard = memo(function TaskCard({ task, onClick, onStatusChange }
           </div>
         )}
 
+        {/* Live action status - shows current tool activity */}
+        {isRunning && !isStuck && liveActionStatus && (
+          <div className={cn("mt-2 flex items-start gap-1.5 rounded-md px-2 py-1.5 text-xs", liveActionStatus.colorClass)}>
+            <liveActionStatus.icon className="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 animate-pulse mt-0.5" />
+            <span className="break-all leading-tight">
+              {liveActionStatus.message}
+            </span>
+          </div>
+        )}
+
         {/* Footer */}
         <div className="mt-4 flex items-center justify-between">
           <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5 text-xs text-muted-foreground">

apps/frontend/src/renderer/hooks/useIpc.ts

@@ -118,6 +118,16 @@ function queueUpdate(taskId: string, update: BatchedUpdate): void {
     }
   }
 
+  // Live tool action messages bypass batching - apply immediately for real-time feedback
+  // These are short-lived status updates (Reading file..., Editing..., etc.)
+  if (update.progress?.message && storeActionsRef) {
+    const isToolActionMessage = /^(Reading|Editing|Writing|Searching|Running|Using)/.test(update.progress.message);
+    if (isToolActionMessage) {
+      storeActionsRef.updateExecutionProgress(taskId, update.progress);
+      return;
+    }
+  }
+
   // For logs, accumulate rather than replace
   let mergedLogs = existing.logs;
   if (update.logs) {

apps/frontend/src/renderer/stores/task-store.ts

@@ -365,6 +365,10 @@ export const useTaskStore = create<TaskState>((set, get) => ({
           // This prevents unnecessary re-renders from the memo comparator
           const phaseChanged = progress.phase && progress.phase !== existingProgress.phase;
 
+          // DEBUG: Log message updates
+          if (progress.message) {
+            console.log('[Store] Updating executionProgress.message:', { taskId, message: progress.message, phase: progress.phase });
+          }
           return {
             ...t,
             executionProgress: {