ux(ci/github): make run summary/watch feel native to gh #259

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opened 2026-04-14 21:01:02 +00:00 by barrettruth · 1 comment

barrettruth commented

2026-04-14 21:01:02 +00:00

GitHub CI runs currently pass through a Forge-specific intermediate summary buffer built from gh run view --json. That buffer reduces a run to a compact header plus one line per job, which loses the native GitHub CLI semantics that are most useful while a run is in progress: the run-level header, the JOBS section, expanded live steps for the active job, and the ANNOTATIONS block.

We verified the difference directly while watching run 24422068076 from PR #257. Native gh run watch presents a single run-centric surface that feels coherent while the run is moving; Forge's current summary layer feels like a second product with different semantics.

The goal here is not to redesign every backend at once. It is to improve the GitHub path specifically.

Proposed direction:

replace the current GitHub-specific compact summary presentation with a native-style run surface
prefer inheriting GitHub CLI formatting/structure where practical instead of re-synthesizing a custom compact summary
preserve Forge buffer affordances like refresh, browse, and <cr> on a job line to open that job's logs
keep explicit terminal gh run watch support as the truly native watch action

Acceptance criteria:

opening a GitHub run from Forge no longer renders the current compact custom summary format
the in-buffer run view preserves the run-centric shape users expect from gh run view / gh run watch
in-progress runs continue to auto-refresh without losing cursor position
job lines remain actionable for opening logs

#176
#258

GitHub CI runs currently pass through a Forge-specific intermediate summary buffer built from `gh run view --json`. That buffer reduces a run to a compact header plus one line per job, which loses the native GitHub CLI semantics that are most useful while a run is in progress: the run-level header, the `JOBS` section, expanded live steps for the active job, and the `ANNOTATIONS` block. We verified the difference directly while watching run `24422068076` from PR #257. Native `gh run watch` presents a single run-centric surface that feels coherent while the run is moving; Forge's current summary layer feels like a second product with different semantics. The goal here is not to redesign every backend at once. It is to improve the GitHub path specifically. Proposed direction: - replace the current GitHub-specific compact summary presentation with a native-style run surface - prefer inheriting GitHub CLI formatting/structure where practical instead of re-synthesizing a custom compact summary - preserve Forge buffer affordances like refresh, browse, and `<cr>` on a job line to open that job's logs - keep explicit terminal `gh run watch` support as the truly native watch action Acceptance criteria: - opening a GitHub run from Forge no longer renders the current compact custom summary format - the in-buffer run view preserves the run-centric shape users expect from `gh run view` / `gh run watch` - in-progress runs continue to auto-refresh without losing cursor position - job lines remain actionable for opening logs Related: - #176 - #258

barrettruth commented

2026-04-14 21:35:17 +00:00

Addressed by #261 and #262. GitHub CI summaries now prefer the native run view shape, preserve actionable job/step lines, restore ANSI-derived accents, and drop whitespace-only summary lines.