Fix spurious indentation in prompt()

mini_coding_agent.py

@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 import shutil
 import subprocess
 import sys
-import textwrap
 import urllib.error
 import urllib.request
 import uuid
@@ -22,16 +21,16 @@
     "\\\\  \\|/  /",
     "`-----'__",
 )
-HELP_DETAILS = textwrap.dedent(
-    """\
-    Commands:
-    /help    Show this help message.
-    /memory  Show the agent's distilled working memory.
-    /session Show the path to the saved session file.
-    /reset   Clear the current session history and memory.
-    /exit    Exit the agent.
-    """
-).strip()
+HELP_DETAILS = "\n".join(
+    [
+        "Commands:",
+        "/help    Show this help message.",
+        "/memory  Show the agent's distilled working memory.",
+        "/session Show the path to the saved session file.",
+        "/reset   Clear the current session history and memory.",
+        "/exit    Exit the agent.",
+    ]
+)
 MAX_TOOL_OUTPUT = 4000
 MAX_HISTORY = 12000
 IGNORED_PATH_NAMES = {".git", ".mini-coding-agent", "__pycache__", ".pytest_cache", ".ruff_cache", ".venv", "venv"}
@@ -126,21 +125,19 @@ def git(args, fallback=""):
     def text(self):
         commits = "\n".join(f"- {line}" for line in self.recent_commits) or "- none"
         docs = "\n".join(f"- {path}\n{snippet}" for path, snippet in self.project_docs.items()) or "- none"
-        return textwrap.dedent(
-            f"""\
-            Workspace:
-            - cwd: {self.cwd}
-            - repo_root: {self.repo_root}
-            - branch: {self.branch}
-            - default_branch: {self.default_branch}
-            - status:
-            {self.status}
-            - recent_commits:
-            {commits}
-            - project_docs:
-            {docs}
-            """
-        ).strip()
+        return "\n".join([
+            "Workspace:",
+            f"- cwd: {self.cwd}",
+            f"- repo_root: {self.repo_root}",
+            f"- branch: {self.branch}",
+            f"- default_branch: {self.default_branch}",
+            "- status:",
+            self.status,
+            "- recent_commits:",
+            commits,
+            "- project_docs:",
+            docs,
+        ])
 
 
 ##############################
@@ -350,49 +347,42 @@ def build_prefix(self):
                 "<final>Done.</final>",
             ]
         )
-        return textwrap.dedent(
-            f"""\
-            You are Mini-Coding-Agent, a small local coding agent running through Ollama.
-
-            Rules:
-            - Use tools instead of guessing about the workspace.
-            - Return exactly one <tool>...</tool> or one <final>...</final>.
-            - Tool calls must look like:
-              <tool>{{"name":"tool_name","args":{{...}}}}</tool>
-            - For write_file and patch_file with multi-line text, prefer XML style:
-              <tool name="write_file" path="file.py"><content>...</content></tool>
-            - Final answers must look like:
-              <final>your answer</final>
-            - Never invent tool results.
-            - Keep answers concise and concrete.
-            - If the user asks you to create or update a specific file and the path is clear, use write_file or patch_file instead of repeatedly listing files.
-            - Before writing tests for existing code, read the implementation first.
-            - When writing tests, match the current implementation unless the user explicitly asked you to change the code.
-            - New files should be complete and runnable, including obvious imports.
-            - Do not repeat the same tool call with the same arguments if it did not help. Choose a different tool or return a final answer.
-            - Required tool arguments must not be empty. Do not call read_file, write_file, patch_file, run_shell, or delegate with args={{}}.
-
-            Tools:
-            {tool_text}
-
-            Valid response examples:
-            {examples}
-
-            {self.workspace.text()}
-            """
-        ).strip()
+        rules = "\n".join([
+            "- Use tools instead of guessing about the workspace.",
+            "- Return exactly one <tool>...</tool> or one <final>...</final>.",
+            "- Tool calls must look like:",
+            '  <tool>{"name":"tool_name","args":{...}}</tool>',
+            "- For write_file and patch_file with multi-line text, prefer XML style:",
+            '  <tool name="write_file" path="file.py"><content>...</content></tool>',
+            "- Final answers must look like:",
+            "  <final>your answer</final>",
+            "- Never invent tool results.",
+            "- Keep answers concise and concrete.",
+            "- If the user asks you to create or update a specific file and the path is clear, use write_file or patch_file instead of repeatedly listing files.",
+            "- Before writing tests for existing code, read the implementation first.",
+            "- When writing tests, match the current implementation unless the user explicitly asked you to change the code.",
+            "- New files should be complete and runnable, including obvious imports.",
+            "- Do not repeat the same tool call with the same arguments if it did not help. Choose a different tool or return a final answer.",
+            "- Required tool arguments must not be empty. Do not call read_file, write_file, patch_file, run_shell, or delegate with args={}.",
+        ])
+        return "\n\n".join([
+            "You are Mini-Coding-Agent, a small local coding agent running through Ollama.",
+            "Rules:\n" + rules,
+            "Tools:\n" + tool_text,
+            "Valid response examples:\n" + examples,
+            self.workspace.text(),
+        ])
 
     def memory_text(self):
         memory = self.session["memory"]
-        return textwrap.dedent(
-            f"""\
-            Memory:
-            - task: {memory['task'] or "-"}
-            - files: {", ".join(memory["files"]) or "-"}
-            - notes:
-              {chr(10).join(f"- {note}" for note in memory["notes"]) or "- none"}
-            """
-        ).strip()
+        notes = "\n".join(f"- {note}" for note in memory["notes"]) or "- none"
+        return "\n".join([
+            "Memory:",
+            f"- task: {memory['task'] or '-'}",
+            f"- files: {', '.join(memory['files']) or '-'}",
+            "- notes:",
+            notes,
+        ])
 
     #####################################################
     #### 4) Context Reduction And Output Management #####
@@ -430,19 +420,12 @@ def history_text(self):
     #### 2) Prompt Shape And Cache Reuse (Continued) #######
     ########################################################
     def prompt(self, user_message):
-        return textwrap.dedent(
-            f"""\
-            {self.prefix}
-
-            {self.memory_text()}
-
-            Transcript:
-            {self.history_text()}
-
-            Current user request:
-            {user_message}
-            """
-        ).strip()
+        return "\n\n".join([
+            self.prefix,
+            self.memory_text(),
+            "Transcript:\n" + self.history_text(),
+            "Current user request:\n" + user_message,
+        ])
 
     ###############################################
     #### 5) Session Memory (Continued) ###########
@@ -825,15 +808,15 @@ def tool_run_shell(self, args):
             text=True,
             timeout=timeout,
         )
-        return textwrap.dedent(
-            f"""\
-            exit_code: {result.returncode}
-            stdout:
-            {result.stdout.strip() or "(empty)"}
-            stderr:
-            {result.stderr.strip() or "(empty)"}
-            """
-        ).strip()
+        return "\n".join(
+            [
+                f"exit_code: {result.returncode}",
+                "stdout:",
+                result.stdout.strip() or "(empty)",
+                "stderr:",
+                result.stderr.strip() or "(empty)",
+            ]
+        )
 
     def tool_write_file(self, args):
         path = self.path(args["path"])

tests/test_mini_coding_agent.py

@@ -254,6 +254,47 @@ def test_welcome_screen_keeps_box_shape_for_long_paths(tmp_path):
     assert "commands: Commands:" not in welcome
 
 
+def test_prompt_top_level_sections_stay_flush_left_with_multiline_content(tmp_path):
+    workspace = WorkspaceContext(
+        cwd=str(tmp_path),
+        repo_root=str(tmp_path),
+        branch="fix/prompt-indentation",
+        default_branch="main",
+        status=" M mini_coding_agent.py\n?? tests/test_prompt.py",
+        recent_commits=["abc123 first commit", "def456 second commit"],
+        project_docs={"README.md": "line1\nline2"},
+    )
+    store = SessionStore(tmp_path / ".mini-coding-agent" / "sessions")
+    agent = MiniAgent(
+        model_client=FakeModelClient([]),
+        workspace=workspace,
+        session_store=store,
+        approval_policy="auto",
+    )
+    agent.session["memory"] = {
+        "task": "verify prompt formatting",
+        "files": ["mini_coding_agent.py"],
+        "notes": ["saw inconsistent indentation", "need regression coverage"],
+    }
+    agent.record({"role": "user", "content": "inspect prompt()", "created_at": "1"})
+    agent.record(
+        {
+            "role": "tool",
+            "name": "read_file",
+            "args": {"path": "mini_coding_agent.py"},
+            "content": "    def prompt(self, user_message):\n        ...",
+            "created_at": "2",
+        }
+    )
+
+    prompt = agent.prompt("is this issue legit?")
+    lines = prompt.splitlines()
+
+    for label in ["Rules:", "Tools:", "Valid response examples:", "Workspace:", "Memory:", "Transcript:", "Current user request:"]:
+        assert label in lines
+        assert f"            {label}" not in prompt
+
+
 def _make_filler(i):
     return {"role": "tool", "name": "list_files", "args": {}, "content": "", "created_at": str(i)}