fix: include step content in continuation prompt (closes #466)

- Add `content: string | null` to RoleStep type
- Resolve contentHash → text for the last step when building ThreadContext
- Update buildAgentPrompt to include <output> tag with step content
- Add 16k content quota with truncation
- Update tests

legacy-packages/workflow-execute/src/engine/engine.ts

@@ -531,13 +531,25 @@ export async function executeThread(
       timestamp: nowMs,
       parentState: options.parentStateHash,
     },
-    steps: input.steps.map((out, i) => ({
-      role: out.role,
-      contentHash: out.contentHash,
-      meta: out.meta,
-      refs: out.refs,
-      timestamp: replayTs?.[i] ?? prefilled?.[i]?.timestamp ?? nowMs + i,
-    })),
+    steps: await Promise.all(
+      input.steps.map(async (out, i) => {
+        // Resolve content for the last step (most relevant for the next agent).
+        // Earlier steps only carry meta summaries to avoid bloating the prompt.
+        const isLast = i === input.steps.length - 1;
+        let content: string | null = null;
+        if (isLast) {
+          content = await getContentMerklePayload(io.cas, out.contentHash);
+        }
+        return {
+          role: out.role,
+          contentHash: out.contentHash,
+          content,
+          meta: out.meta,
+          refs: out.refs,
+          timestamp: replayTs?.[i] ?? prefilled?.[i]?.timestamp ?? nowMs + i,
+        };
+      }),
+    ),
   };
 
   const runtime: WorkflowRuntime = {

legacy-packages/workflow-protocol/src/types.ts

@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ export type RoleStep<M extends RoleMeta> = {
     role: K;
     meta: M[K];
     contentHash: string;
+    content: string | null;
     refs: string[];
     timestamp: number;
   };

legacy-packages/workflow-runtime/src/build-context.ts

@@ -71,7 +71,8 @@ async function buildRoleStepsFromStates<M extends RoleMeta>(
   cas: CasStore,
 ): Promise<RoleStep<M>[]> {
   const steps: RoleStep<M>[] = [];
-  for (const st of chronologicalStates) {
+  for (let idx = 0; idx < chronologicalStates.length; idx++) {
+    const st = chronologicalStates[idx];
     if (st.payload.role === END) {
       continue;
     }
@@ -79,10 +80,13 @@ async function buildRoleStepsFromStates<M extends RoleMeta>(
     if (contentParsed === null || contentParsed.kind !== "content") {
       throw new Error(`buildThreadContext: expected content node at ${st.payload.content}`);
     }
+    // Resolve full text content for the last step only
+    const isLast = idx === chronologicalStates.length - 1;
     steps.push({
       role: st.payload.role,
       meta: st.payload.meta,
       contentHash: st.payload.content,
+      content: isLast ? contentParsed.node.payload : null,
       refs: [...contentParsed.node.refs],
       timestamp: st.payload.timestamp,
     } as RoleStep<M>);

legacy-packages/workflow-runtime/src/create-workflow.ts

@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ async function advanceOneRound<M extends RoleMeta>(
   const step = {
     role: next,
     contentHash,
+    content: contentPayload,
     meta,
     refs,
     timestamp: Date.now(),

legacy-packages/workflow-util-agent/__tests__/build-agent-prompt.test.ts

@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ describe("buildAgentPrompt", () => {
     expect(text).not.toContain("## Tools");
   });
 
-  test("single step shows hash and meta, and includes tools", async () => {
+  test("single step shows meta and content, and includes tools", async () => {
     const onlyHash = "01HASHSINGLESTEP0000000001";
     const ctx: AgentContext = {
       start: startTask("user task"),
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ describe("buildAgentPrompt", () => {
         {
           role: "coder",
           contentHash: onlyHash,
+          content: "Here is my implementation of the feature.",
           meta: { files: ["a.ts"] },
           refs: [onlyHash],
           timestamp: 2,
@@ -52,13 +53,39 @@ describe("buildAgentPrompt", () => {
     expect(text).toContain("## Task");
     expect(text).toContain("user task");
     expect(text).toContain("## Step: coder");
-    expect(text).toContain(`ContentHash: ${onlyHash}`);
     expect(text).toContain('Meta: {"files":["a.ts"]}');
+    expect(text).toContain("<output>");
+    expect(text).toContain("Here is my implementation of the feature.");
+    expect(text).toContain("</output>");
     expect(text).toContain("## Tools");
     expect(text).toContain("uncaged-workflow thread 01TEST000000000000000000TR");
   });
 
-  test("two or more steps: previous steps are meta-only; latest step includes hash", async () => {
+  test("single step with null content omits output tag", async () => {
+    const onlyHash = "01HASHSINGLESTEP0000000001";
+    const ctx: AgentContext = {
+      start: startTask("user task"),
+      depth: 0,
+      bundleHash: "TESTHASH00001",
+      threadId: "01TEST000000000000000000TR",
+      currentRole: { name: "coder", systemPrompt: "Be helpful." },
+      steps: [
+        {
+          role: "coder",
+          contentHash: onlyHash,
+          content: null,
+          meta: { files: ["a.ts"] },
+          refs: [onlyHash],
+          timestamp: 2,
+        },
+      ],
+    };
+    const text = await buildAgentPrompt(ctx);
+    expect(text).not.toContain("<output>");
+    expect(text).toContain('Meta: {"files":["a.ts"]}');
+  });
+
+  test("two or more steps: previous steps are meta-only; latest step includes content", async () => {
     const plannerHash = "01HASHPLANNER0000000000001";
     const coderHash = "01HASHCODER0000000000000001";
     const ctx: AgentContext = {
@@ -71,6 +98,7 @@ describe("buildAgentPrompt", () => {
         {
           role: "planner",
           contentHash: plannerHash,
+          content: null,
           meta: { plan: "short" },
           refs: [plannerHash],
           timestamp: 2,
@@ -78,6 +106,7 @@ describe("buildAgentPrompt", () => {
         {
           role: "coder",
           contentHash: coderHash,
+          content: "I reviewed the code and found 4 lint issues:\n1. Missing semicolon on line 42\n2. Unused import on line 3",
           meta: { done: true },
           refs: [coderHash],
           timestamp: 3,
@@ -90,10 +119,11 @@ describe("buildAgentPrompt", () => {
     expect(text).toContain("### Step 1: planner");
     expect(text).toContain('Summary: {"plan":"short"}');
     expect(text).toContain("## Latest Step: coder");
-    expect(text).toContain(`ContentHash: ${coderHash}`);
     expect(text).toContain('Meta: {"done":true}');
+    expect(text).toContain("<output>");
+    expect(text).toContain("I reviewed the code and found 4 lint issues:");
+    expect(text).toContain("</output>");
     expect(text).toContain("## Tools");
-    expect(text).toContain("uncaged-workflow thread 01TEST000000000000000000TR");
   });
 
   test("parentState null omits Parent Context section", async () => {
@@ -125,7 +155,7 @@ describe("buildAgentPrompt", () => {
     expect(text).toContain(`uncaged-workflow cas get ${parentHash}`);
   });
 
-  test("middle steps show meta summary only and latest shows hash", async () => {
+  test("middle steps show meta summary only and latest shows content", async () => {
     const ha = "01HASHA00000000000000000001";
     const hb = "01HASHB00000000000000000001";
     const hc = "01HASHC00000000000000000001";
@@ -139,6 +169,7 @@ describe("buildAgentPrompt", () => {
         {
           role: "a",
           contentHash: ha,
+          content: null,
           meta: { n: 1 },
           refs: [ha],
           timestamp: 2,
@@ -146,6 +177,7 @@ describe("buildAgentPrompt", () => {
         {
           role: "b",
           contentHash: hb,
+          content: null,
           meta: { n: 2 },
           refs: [hb],
           timestamp: 3,
@@ -153,6 +185,7 @@ describe("buildAgentPrompt", () => {
         {
           role: "c",
           contentHash: hc,
+          content: "Final output from role c",
           meta: { n: 3 },
           refs: [hc],
           timestamp: 4,
@@ -162,7 +195,35 @@ describe("buildAgentPrompt", () => {
     const text = await buildAgentPrompt(ctx);
     expect(text).toContain('Summary: {"n":1}');
     expect(text).toContain('Summary: {"n":2}');
-    expect(text).toContain(`ContentHash: ${hc}`);
     expect(text).toContain("## Latest Step: c");
+    expect(text).toContain("<output>");
+    expect(text).toContain("Final output from role c");
+    expect(text).toContain("</output>");
+  });
+
+  test("content is truncated when exceeding quota", async () => {
+    const longContent = "x".repeat(20_000);
+    const hash = "01HASHLONG000000000000000001";
+    const ctx: AgentContext = {
+      start: startTask("task"),
+      depth: 0,
+      bundleHash: "TESTHASH00001",
+      threadId: "01TEST000000000000000000TR",
+      currentRole: { name: "r", systemPrompt: "S" },
+      steps: [
+        {
+          role: "r",
+          contentHash: hash,
+          content: longContent,
+          meta: {},
+          refs: [],
+          timestamp: 2,
+        },
+      ],
+    };
+    const text = await buildAgentPrompt(ctx);
+    expect(text).toContain("<output>");
+    expect(text).toContain("... (truncated)");
+    expect(text.length).toBeLessThan(20_000);
   });
 });

packages/cli-workflow/README.md

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ workflow → thread → step → turn
 - **Workflow** (layer 1): YAML template with roles and routing graph
 - **Thread** (layer 2): Single workflow execution instance
 - **Step** (layer 3): One moderator→agent→extract cycle
-- **Turn** (layer 4): Agent-internal interactions (use `step read` or CAS to inspect)
+- **Turn** (layer 4): Agent-internal interactions (use `step show` or CAS to inspect)
 
 This package has no library `src/index.ts` — it is consumed as a CLI binary only.
 
@@ -72,7 +72,6 @@ uwf thread stop 01ARZ3NDEKTSV4RRFFQ69G5FAV
 |---------|-------------|
 | `uwf step list <thread-id>` | List all steps in a thread chronologically |
 | `uwf step show <step-hash>` | Show step metadata and frontmatter |
-| `uwf step read <step-hash> [--before N]` | Read step output as markdown |
 | `uwf step fork <step-hash>` | Fork a thread from a specific step |
 
 Examples:
@@ -80,7 +79,6 @@ Examples:
 ```bash
 uwf step list 01ARZ3NDEKTSV4RRFFQ69G5FAV
 uwf step show 32GCDE899RRQ3
-uwf step read 32GCDE899RRQ3 --before 3
 uwf step fork 32GCDE899RRQ3
 ```
 

packages/cli-workflow/src/commands/thread.ts

@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import type {
   AgentConfig,
   CasRef,
   ModeratorContext,
-  RunningThreadsOutput,
   StartNodePayload,
   StartOutput,
   StepContext,
@@ -23,12 +22,7 @@ import type {
 import { createProcessLogger, generateUlid, type ProcessLogger } from "@uncaged/workflow-util";
 import { config as loadDotenv } from "dotenv";
 import { parse, stringify } from "yaml";
-import {
-  createMarker,
-  deleteMarker,
-  isThreadRunning,
-  listRunningThreads,
-} from "../background/index.js";
+import { createMarker, deleteMarker, isThreadRunning } from "../background/index.js";
 import {
   appendThreadHistory,
   createUwfStore,
@@ -1016,8 +1010,3 @@ export async function cmdThreadCancel(
 
   return { thread: threadId, cancelled: true };
 }
-
-export async function cmdThreadRunning(storageRoot: string): Promise<RunningThreadsOutput> {
-  const threads = await listRunningThreads(storageRoot);
-  return { threads };
-}

packages/workflow-util-agent/src/build-agent-prompt.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+import type { AgentContext } from "@uncaged/workflow-runtime";
+
+/** Max characters of step content to include in the prompt. */
+const CONTENT_QUOTA = 16_000;
+
+/** Builds the full agent prompt: system instructions plus summarized thread history. */
+export async function buildAgentPrompt(ctx: AgentContext): Promise<string> {
+  const lines: string[] = [];
+  lines.push(ctx.currentRole.systemPrompt);
+  lines.push("");
+  lines.push("## Task");
+  lines.push(ctx.start.content);
+
+  const { steps } = ctx;
+  if (steps.length === 0) {
+    return lines.join("\n");
+  }
+
+  if (steps.length === 1) {
+    const s = steps[0];
+    lines.push("");
+    lines.push(`## Step: ${s.role}`);
+    lines.push("");
+    lines.push(`Meta: ${JSON.stringify(s.meta)}`);
+    appendContent(lines, s.content);
+  } else {
+    lines.push("");
+    lines.push("## Previous Steps");
+    for (let i = 0; i < steps.length - 1; i++) {
+      const s = steps[i];
+      lines.push("");
+      lines.push(`### Step ${i + 1}: ${s.role}`);
+      lines.push(`Summary: ${JSON.stringify(s.meta)}`);
+    }
+    const last = steps[steps.length - 1];
+    lines.push("");
+    lines.push(`## Latest Step: ${last.role}`);
+    lines.push("");
+    lines.push(`Meta: ${JSON.stringify(last.meta)}`);
+    appendContent(lines, last.content);
+  }
+
+  lines.push("");
+  lines.push("## Tools");
+  lines.push(
+    `Use \`uncaged-workflow thread ${ctx.threadId}\` to read full details of any previous step.`,
+  );
+
+  return lines.join("\n");
+}
+
+function appendContent(lines: string[], content: string | null | undefined): void {
+  if (content === null || content === undefined || content.trim() === "") {
+    return;
+  }
+  const truncated =
+    content.length > CONTENT_QUOTA
+      ? `${content.slice(0, CONTENT_QUOTA)}\n... (truncated)`
+      : content;
+  lines.push("");
+  lines.push("<output>");
+  lines.push(truncated);
+  lines.push("</output>");
+}

packages/workflow-util/src/cli-reference.ts

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ uwf setup --provider <name> --base-url <url> \\
 ## Workflow Commands
 
 \`\`\`
-uwf workflow put <file>           # register a workflow from YAML file
+uwf workflow add <file>           # register a workflow from YAML file
 uwf workflow show <id>            # show workflow by name or CAS hash
 uwf workflow list                 # list all registered workflows
 \`\`\`
@@ -24,20 +24,27 @@ uwf workflow list                 # list all registered workflows
 
 \`\`\`
 uwf thread start <workflow> -p <prompt>           # create a thread (no execution)
-uwf thread step <thread-id>                       # execute one moderator→agent→extract cycle
+uwf thread exec <thread-id>                       # execute one moderator→agent→extract cycle
                [--agent <cmd>]                    # override agent command
                [-c, --count <number>]             # run multiple steps (default: 1)
+               [--background]                     # run in background
 uwf thread show <thread-id>                       # show thread head pointer
-uwf thread list                                   # list active threads
-               [--all]                            # include archived threads
-uwf thread kill <thread-id>                       # terminate and archive a thread
-uwf thread steps <thread-id>                      # list all steps in a thread
+uwf thread list                                   # list threads
+               [--status <status>]                # filter: idle, running, or completed
 uwf thread read <thread-id>                       # render thread context as markdown
                [--quota <chars>]                  # max output characters (default 32000)
                [--before <step-hash>]             # load steps before this hash (exclusive)
                [--start]                          # include start step in output
-uwf thread fork <step-hash>                       # fork a thread from a specific step
-uwf thread step-details <step-hash>               # dump full detail node of a step as YAML
+uwf thread stop <thread-id>                       # stop background execution (keep thread active)
+uwf thread cancel <thread-id>                     # cancel thread (stop + move to history)
+\`\`\`
+
+## Step Commands
+
+\`\`\`
+uwf step list <thread-id>        # list all steps in a thread
+uwf step show <step-hash>        # show details of a specific step
+uwf step fork <step-hash>        # fork a thread from a specific step
 \`\`\`
 
 ## CAS Commands
@@ -78,10 +85,9 @@ uwf -V, --version                 # print version
 ## Key Concepts
 
 - **Workflow**: YAML definition with roles, conditions, and a routing graph; stored as a CAS node identified by its XXH64 hash.
-- **Thread**: A single workflow execution (ULID). State is an immutable CAS chain; active threads are indexed in \`threads.yaml\`.
-- **Step**: One moderator→agent→extract cycle. Run \`uwf thread step\` repeatedly until \`$END\`.
-- **CAS**: Content-Addressed Storage — all nodes are immutable and identified by hash.
-- **Role**: Named actor with goal, capabilities, procedure, output, and frontmatter schema; the moderator routes between roles.
-- **Edge Prompt**: Required instruction on each graph edge — the moderator's dispatch message to the agent.
+- **Thread**: A running instance of a workflow; points to a chain of CAS step nodes.
+- **Step**: One moderator→agent→extract cycle; stored as a CAS node with output + detail refs.
+- **Turn**: Agent-internal interaction (within a single step); stored per-turn in the detail node.
+- **CAS**: Content-addressable store; every artifact (workflows, steps, details, turns) is hashed.
 `;
 }