Skill v1.0.1
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version: "1.0.1" name: kit-extensions description: Guide for creating Kit extensions. Use when the user asks to build, create, or modify a Kit extension, add a custom tool, slash command, widget, keyboard shortcut, editor interceptor, tool renderer, or hook into any Kit lifecycle event.
Kit Extensions Development Guide
Kit extensions are single-file Go programs interpreted at runtime by Yaegi. They hook into Kit's lifecycle, register custom tools and slash commands, display widgets, intercept editor input, render tool output, register and switch color themes, and more.
Extensions can be distributed via git repositories using kit install. Repos can contain single extensions or collections of multiple extensions.
Extension Structure
Every extension must export a package main with an Init(api ext.API) function:
//go:build ignorepackage mainimport "kit/ext"func Init(api ext.API) {// Register event handlers, tools, commands, etc.}
The //go:build ignore tag prevents go build from compiling the file directly.
Extension Locations
Extensions are auto-loaded from these directories:
~/.config/kit/extensions/*.go(global, single files)~/.config/kit/extensions/*/main.go(global, subdirectories).kit/extensions/*.go(project-local, single files).kit/extensions/*/main.go(project-local, subdirectories)
Or loaded explicitly:
kit -e path/to/extension.gokit --extension path/to/extension.go
Import Path
Extensions import the Kit API as "kit/ext". The full standard library is available plus os/exec for subprocess spawning.
API Overview
The Init function receives an ext.API object for registering handlers, and event handlers receive an ext.Context with runtime capabilities.
Lifecycle Events
Kit provides 21 lifecycle events. Each handler receives an event struct and a Context.
Session Events
// Fired when session is loaded/created.api.OnSessionStart(func(e ext.SessionStartEvent, ctx ext.Context) {// e.SessionID string})// Fired when Kit is shutting down. Use for cleanup.api.OnSessionShutdown(func(e ext.SessionShutdownEvent, ctx ext.Context) {// No fields.})
Agent Turn Events
// Before agent starts processing. Can inject system prompt or text.api.OnBeforeAgentStart(func(e ext.BeforeAgentStartEvent, ctx ext.Context) *ext.BeforeAgentStartResult {// e.Prompt string// Return nil to pass through.// Return &ext.BeforeAgentStartResult{SystemPrompt: &s} to augment system prompt.// Return &ext.BeforeAgentStartResult{InjectText: &s} to inject text before prompt.return nil})// Agent loop has started.api.OnAgentStart(func(e ext.AgentStartEvent, ctx ext.Context) {// e.Prompt string})// Agent finished responding. Carries per-turn aggregates so observer-style// extensions don't need to maintain parallel bookkeeping.api.OnAgentEnd(func(e ext.AgentEndEvent, ctx ext.Context) {// e.Response string// e.StopReason string — "error" (on failure), "completed" (when LLM returns// empty stop reason), or the raw LLM provider value passed through// (e.g. "stop", "length" (max output tokens hit), "tool-calls", "content-filter").// To detect errors, check e.StopReason == "error".// Do NOT compare against "completed" for success — instead check != "error".//// Per-turn aggregates (computed by Kit's runtime):// e.ToolCallCount int — total tool invocations this turn// e.ToolNames []string — tool names in call order (duplicates preserved)// e.LLMCallCount int — LLM round-trips / tool-loop iterations// e.InputTokensDelta int — sum of input tokens across LLM calls this turn// e.OutputTokensDelta int// e.CacheReadTokensDelta int// e.CacheWriteTokensDelta int// e.CostDelta float64 — USD cost (zero when pricing unknown / OAuth)// e.DurationMs int64 — wall-clock duration AgentStart→AgentEnd})// Per-LLM-call usage — fires after each provider round-trip with token + cost// deltas attributed to that specific call. A single turn typically produces// multiple LLMUsageEvents (one per tool-loop iteration). Use this for accurate// budget enforcement that needs to react between calls instead of waiting// for the turn to finish.api.OnLLMUsage(func(e ext.LLMUsageEvent, ctx ext.Context) {// e.InputTokens, e.OutputTokens int// e.CacheReadTokens, e.CacheWriteTokens int// e.Cost float64 — USD; zero when pricing unknown / OAuth// e.Model, e.Provider string — model used for THIS call// (may differ across calls if SetModel was called)// e.StepNumber int — zero-based step index in this turn// e.FinishReason string — "stop" / "tool_calls" / "length" / ...// e.RequestID string — optional provider correlation id (may be empty)})
Tool Events
// Before a tool executes. Can block the call.api.OnToolCall(func(e ext.ToolCallEvent, ctx ext.Context) *ext.ToolCallResult {// e.ToolName string// e.ToolCallID string// e.Input string — JSON-encoded parameters// e.Source string — "llm" or "user"// Return nil to allow.// Return &ext.ToolCallResult{Block: true, Reason: "..."} to block.return nil})// Tool execution started (informational only).api.OnToolExecutionStart(func(e ext.ToolExecutionStartEvent, ctx ext.Context) {// e.ToolName string})// Tool execution ended (informational only).api.OnToolExecutionEnd(func(e ext.ToolExecutionEndEvent, ctx ext.Context) {// e.ToolName string})// After a tool returns. Can modify the result.api.OnToolResult(func(e ext.ToolResultEvent, ctx ext.Context) *ext.ToolResultResult {// e.ToolName string// e.Input string// e.Content string// e.IsError bool// Return nil to pass through.// Return &ext.ToolResultResult{Content: &s} to replace content.// Return &ext.ToolResultResult{IsError: &b} to change error status.return nil})
Tool Call Input Streaming Events
These events fire during the LLM's tool argument generation phase, before the tool call is fully parsed and before OnToolCall fires. They enable UIs to show tool activity immediately rather than waiting for the full argument JSON to finish streaming.
// Fires when the LLM begins generating tool call arguments.// The tool name is known but the full argument JSON is still streaming.api.OnToolCallInputStart(func(e ext.ToolCallInputStartEvent, ctx ext.Context) {// e.ToolCallID string — stable ID for correlating tool lifecycle events// e.ToolName string — name of the tool being called// e.ToolKind string — "execute", "edit", "read", "search", "agent"ctx.PrintInfo("Tool starting: " + e.ToolName)})// Fires for each streamed fragment of tool call arguments.// Useful for live-previewing artifact content or showing a progress indicator.api.OnToolCallInputDelta(func(e ext.ToolCallInputDeltaEvent, ctx ext.Context) {// e.ToolCallID string// e.Delta string — JSON fragment of tool arguments})// Fires when tool argument streaming is complete, before the tool call// is parsed and execution begins. Transition UI from "generating args"// to "executing".api.OnToolCallInputEnd(func(e ext.ToolCallInputEndEvent, ctx ext.Context) {// e.ToolCallID string})
Full tool lifecycle order: OnToolCallInputStart → OnToolCallInputDelta (repeated) → OnToolCallInputEnd → OnToolCall → OnToolExecutionStart → OnToolOutput (optional, repeated) → OnToolExecutionEnd → OnToolResult
Input Events
// User submitted input. Can handle or transform it.api.OnInput(func(e ext.InputEvent, ctx ext.Context) *ext.InputResult {// e.Text string// e.Source string — "interactive", "cli", "script", "queue"// Return nil to pass through to agent.// Return &ext.InputResult{Action: "handled"} to consume without sending to agent.// Return &ext.InputResult{Action: "transform", Text: "new text"} to rewrite.return nil})
Streaming Events
api.OnMessageStart(func(e ext.MessageStartEvent, ctx ext.Context) {})api.OnMessageUpdate(func(e ext.MessageUpdateEvent, ctx ext.Context) {// e.Chunk string — streaming text chunk})api.OnMessageEnd(func(e ext.MessageEndEvent, ctx ext.Context) {// e.Content string — full message content})
Model Events
api.OnModelChange(func(e ext.ModelChangeEvent, ctx ext.Context) {// e.NewModel string// e.PreviousModel string// e.Source string — "extension" or "user"})
Context Filtering
// Before messages are sent to the LLM. Can filter, reorder, or inject messages.api.OnContextPrepare(func(e ext.ContextPrepareEvent, ctx ext.Context) *ext.ContextPrepareResult {// e.Messages []ext.ContextMessage// Each ContextMessage has: Index int, Role string, Content string// Index -1 means a new injected message (not from session).// Return nil to pass through.// Return &ext.ContextPrepareResult{Messages: msgs} to replace the context window.return nil})
Session Control Events
// Before forking the session tree. Can cancel.api.OnBeforeFork(func(e ext.BeforeForkEvent, ctx ext.Context) *ext.BeforeForkResult {// e.TargetID string, e.IsUserMessage bool, e.UserText stringreturn nil // or &ext.BeforeForkResult{Cancel: true, Reason: "..."}})// Before switching/clearing session. Can cancel.api.OnBeforeSessionSwitch(func(e ext.BeforeSessionSwitchEvent, ctx ext.Context) *ext.BeforeSessionSwitchResult {// e.Reason string — "new" or "clear"return nil // or &ext.BeforeSessionSwitchResult{Cancel: true, Reason: "..."}})// Before context compaction. Can cancel.api.OnBeforeCompact(func(e ext.BeforeCompactEvent, ctx ext.Context) *ext.BeforeCompactResult {// e.EstimatedTokens, e.ContextLimit int// e.UsagePercent float64, e.MessageCount int, e.IsAutomatic boolreturn nil // or &ext.BeforeCompactResult{Cancel: true, Reason: "..."}})
Custom Events
// Subscribe to custom events emitted by other extensions.api.OnCustomEvent("event-name", func(data string) {// data is arbitrary string payload})// Emit from Context:ctx.EmitCustomEvent("event-name", "payload")
Registering Tools
Tools are functions the LLM can invoke:
api.RegisterTool(ext.ToolDef{Name: "current_time",Description: "Get the current date and time",Parameters: `{"type":"object","properties":{}}`,Execute: func(input string) (string, error) {return time.Now().Format(time.RFC3339), nil},})
For long-running tools with cancellation and progress:
api.RegisterTool(ext.ToolDef{Name: "slow_task",Description: "A long-running task with progress reporting",Parameters: `{"type":"object","properties":{"query":{"type":"string"}}}`,ExecuteWithContext: func(input string, tc ext.ToolContext) (string, error) {for i := 0; i < 10; i++ {if tc.IsCancelled() {return "cancelled", nil}tc.OnProgress(fmt.Sprintf("Step %d/10...", i+1))time.Sleep(time.Second)}return "done", nil},})
Parameters must be a JSON Schema string. The input argument is the JSON-encoded parameters from the LLM.
Registering Slash Commands
Commands are user-facing actions invoked with /name in the input:
api.RegisterCommand(ext.CommandDef{Name: "echo",Description: "Echo back the provided text",Execute: func(args string, ctx ext.Context) (string, error) {ctx.PrintInfo("You said: " + args)return "", nil},// Optional tab-completion:Complete: func(prefix string, ctx ext.Context) []string {return []string{"hello", "world"}},})
Slash commands run in a dedicated goroutine (not a tea.Cmd), so they can safely block on prompts, I/O, etc.
Registering Keyboard Shortcuts
api.RegisterShortcut(ext.ShortcutDef{Key: "ctrl+alt+p",Description: "Toggle plan mode",}, func(ctx ext.Context) {// handler runs when shortcut is pressed})
Registering Options
Options are configurable values resolved from env vars, config, or defaults:
api.RegisterOption(ext.OptionDef{Name: "my-setting",Description: "Controls something",Default: "false",})// Read at runtime (resolution: env KIT_OPT_MY_SETTING > config options.my-setting > default):val := ctx.GetOption("my-setting")// Set at runtime:ctx.SetOption("my-setting", "true")
Context API Reference
The ext.Context struct provides runtime capabilities via function fields.
Output
ctx.Print("plain text") // plain outputctx.PrintInfo("styled info block") // bordered info blockctx.PrintError("styled error block") // red error blockctx.PrintBlock(ext.PrintBlockOpts{ // custom styled blockText: "content",BorderColor: "#a6e3a1",Subtitle: "my-ext",})ctx.RenderMessage("renderer-name", "content") // use a registered message renderer
Message Injection
ctx.SendMessage("prompt text") // inject message and trigger agent turn (queued)ctx.CancelAndSend("new prompt") // cancel current turn, clear queue, send new message
Widgets
Persistent UI elements displayed above or below the input area:
ctx.SetWidget(ext.WidgetConfig{ID: "my-widget",Placement: ext.WidgetAbove, // or ext.WidgetBelowContent: ext.WidgetContent{Text: "Status: Active",Markdown: false, // set true for markdown rendering},Style: ext.WidgetStyle{BorderColor: "#a6e3a1", // hex colorNoBorder: false,},Priority: 0, // lower values render first})ctx.RemoveWidget("my-widget")
Header and Footer
ctx.SetHeader(ext.HeaderFooterConfig{Content: ext.WidgetContent{Text: "My Header"},Style: ext.WidgetStyle{BorderColor: "#89b4fa"},})ctx.RemoveHeader()ctx.SetFooter(ext.HeaderFooterConfig{Content: ext.WidgetContent{Text: "My Footer"},Style: ext.WidgetStyle{BorderColor: "#585b70"},})ctx.RemoveFooter()
Status Bar
ctx.SetStatus("key", "PLAN MODE", 10) // key, text, priority (lower = further left)ctx.RemoveStatus("key")
Interactive Prompts
These block until the user responds (safe in slash commands and goroutines):
// Selection listresult := ctx.PromptSelect(ext.PromptSelectConfig{Message: "Pick one:",Options: []string{"Option A", "Option B", "Option C"},})if !result.Cancelled {// result.Value string, result.Index int}// Yes/No confirmationresult := ctx.PromptConfirm(ext.PromptConfirmConfig{Message: "Are you sure?",DefaultValue: false,})if !result.Cancelled {// result.Value bool}// Text inputresult := ctx.PromptInput(ext.PromptInputConfig{Message: "Enter name:",Placeholder: "my-project",Default: "",})if !result.Cancelled {// result.Value string}// Multi-select (toggle with spacebar, confirm with enter)result := ctx.PromptMultiSelect(ext.PromptMultiSelectConfig{Message: "Select extensions to install:",Options: []string{"git", "todo", "weather"},DefaultSelected: []int{0, 1, 2}, // pre-selected indices; nil = all selected})if !result.Cancelled {// result.Values []string — selected option texts// result.Indices []int — selected option indices}
Overlay Dialogs
Modal dialogs with optional action buttons:
result := ctx.ShowOverlay(ext.OverlayConfig{Title: "Confirmation",Content: ext.WidgetContent{Text: "Are you sure you want to proceed?", Markdown: true},Style: ext.OverlayStyle{BorderColor: "#f38ba8"},Width: 60, // 0 = 60% of terminal widthMaxHeight: 20, // 0 = 80% of terminal heightAnchor: ext.OverlayCenter, // or ext.OverlayTopCenter, ext.OverlayBottomCenterActions: []string{"Confirm", "Cancel"},})if !result.Cancelled {// result.Action string, result.Index int}
Editor Interceptor
Wrap the built-in text input with custom key handling and rendering:
ctx.SetEditor(ext.EditorConfig{HandleKey: func(key string, currentText string) ext.EditorKeyAction {if key == "ctrl+s" {return ext.EditorKeyAction{Type: ext.EditorKeySubmit, SubmitText: currentText}}return ext.EditorKeyAction{Type: ext.EditorKeyPassthrough}},Render: func(width int, defaultContent string) string {return "[custom] " + defaultContent},})ctx.ResetEditor() // remove interceptorctx.SetEditorText("prefilled") // set editor text content
EditorKeyAction types:
ext.EditorKeyPassthrough— let the default editor handle the keyext.EditorKeyConsumed— swallow the key, do nothingext.EditorKeyRemap— remap to a different key:EditorKeyAction{Type: ext.EditorKeyRemap, RemappedKey: "up"}ext.EditorKeySubmit— submit text:EditorKeyAction{Type: ext.EditorKeySubmit, SubmitText: "text"}
UI Visibility
ctx.SetUIVisibility(ext.UIVisibility{HideStartupMessage: true,HideStatusBar: true,HideSeparator: true,HideInputHint: true,})
Session Data
stats := ctx.GetContextStats() // .EstimatedTokens, .ContextLimit, .UsagePercent, .MessageCountmsgs := ctx.GetMessages() // []ext.SessionMessage on current branchpath := ctx.GetSessionPath() // file path of session JSONL// Append-only log in the session tree (fork-aware, walked on every branch read):id, err := ctx.AppendEntry("my-type", "data string")entries := ctx.GetEntries("my-type") // []ext.ExtensionEntry{ID, EntryType, Data, Timestamp}
Session State (last-write-wins)
Key-value store scoped to the session, persisted to a sidecar file (<session>.ext-state.json) outside the conversation tree. Reads are O(1) (no branch walk), writes don't grow the JSONL, and the store is not duplicated on fork. State is invisible to the LLM and survives session resume. For ephemeral / in-memory sessions, state lives only in memory.
ctx.SetState("myext:budget-cap", "10.00") // last write winsval, ok := ctx.GetState("myext:budget-cap") // (string, bool)ctx.DeleteState("myext:budget-cap") // no-op if missingkeys := ctx.ListState() // []string, unspecified order
When to use which:
| Need | Use | |
|---|---|---|
| Snapshot state ("current value of X") | SetState / GetState | |
| Audit log / event history | AppendEntry / GetEntries | |
| One-shot per-turn signal | enriched AgentEndEvent fields | |
| Per-LLM-call observation | OnLLMUsage event |
Namespace keys with your extension name (e.g. "myext:budget-cap") to avoid collisions across extensions.
Model Management
err := ctx.SetModel("anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-20250514")models := ctx.GetAvailableModels() // []ext.ModelInfoEntry
Tool Management
tools := ctx.GetAllTools() // []ext.ToolInfo{Name, Description, Source, Enabled}ctx.SetActiveTools([]string{"read", "grep"}) // restrict to these tools onlyctx.SetActiveTools(nil) // re-enable all tools
LLM Completions
Make standalone LLM calls (bypasses the agent tool loop):
resp, err := ctx.Complete(ext.CompleteRequest{Model: "", // empty = current modelSystem: "You are ...", // optional system promptPrompt: "Summarize...", // the promptMaxTokens: 1000, // 0 = provider defaultOnChunk: func(chunk string) { /* streaming */ },})// resp.Text, resp.InputTokens, resp.OutputTokens, resp.Model
TUI Suspension
Temporarily release the terminal for interactive subprocesses:
ctx.SuspendTUI(func() {cmd := exec.Command("vim", "file.go")cmd.Stdin = os.Stdincmd.Stdout = os.Stdoutcmd.Stderr = os.Stderrcmd.Run()})
Themes
Register, switch, and list color themes at runtime:
// Register a custom theme (empty fields inherit from default).ctx.RegisterTheme("neon", ext.ThemeColorConfig{Primary: ext.ThemeColor{Light: "#CC00FF", Dark: "#FF00FF"},Secondary: ext.ThemeColor{Light: "#0088CC", Dark: "#00FFFF"},Success: ext.ThemeColor{Light: "#00CC44", Dark: "#00FF66"},Warning: ext.ThemeColor{Light: "#CCAA00", Dark: "#FFFF00"},Error: ext.ThemeColor{Light: "#CC0033", Dark: "#FF0055"},Info: ext.ThemeColor{Light: "#0088CC", Dark: "#00CCFF"},Text: ext.ThemeColor{Light: "#111111", Dark: "#F0F0F0"},Background: ext.ThemeColor{Light: "#F0F0F0", Dark: "#0A0A14"},MdKeyword: ext.ThemeColor{Light: "#CC00FF", Dark: "#FF00FF"},MdString: ext.ThemeColor{Light: "#00CC44", Dark: "#00FF66"},MdComment: ext.ThemeColor{Light: "#888888", Dark: "#555555"},})// Switch to a theme by name (built-in, file-based, or extension-registered).err := ctx.SetTheme("neon")// List all available theme names.names := ctx.ListThemes() // []string
ThemeColorConfig fields:
| Field | Description | |
|---|---|---|
Primary | Main brand/accent color | |
Secondary | Secondary accent | |
Success | Success states | |
Warning | Warning states | |
Error | Error/critical states | |
Info | Informational states | |
Text | Primary text | |
Muted | Dimmed text | |
VeryMuted | Very dimmed text | |
Background | Base background | |
Border | Panel borders | |
MutedBorder | Subtle dividers | |
System | System messages | |
Tool | Tool-related elements | |
Accent | Secondary highlight | |
Highlight | Highlighted regions | |
MdHeading | Markdown headings | |
MdLink | Markdown links | |
MdKeyword | Syntax: keywords | |
MdString | Syntax: strings | |
MdNumber | Syntax: numbers | |
MdComment | Syntax: comments |
Each field is an ext.ThemeColor with Light and Dark hex strings. Kit ships 22 built-in themes: kitt, catppuccin, dracula, tokyonight, nord, gruvbox, monokai, solarized, github, one-dark, rose-pine, ayu, material, everforest, kanagawa, amoled, synthwave, vesper, flexoki, matrix, vercel, zenburn.
Users can also drop .yml/.yaml/.json theme files in ~/.config/kit/themes/ (global) or .kit/themes/ (project-local). Extension-registered themes take highest precedence.
Application Control
ctx.Exit() // graceful shutdownerr := ctx.ReloadExtensions() // hot-reload all extensions from disk
Context Fields
ctx.SessionID // stringctx.CWD // string — current working directoryctx.Model // string — active model namectx.Interactive // bool — true if running in TUI mode
Tool Renderers
Customize how tool calls are displayed in the TUI:
api.RegisterToolRenderer(ext.ToolRenderConfig{ToolName: "bash",DisplayName: "Shell", // replaces auto-capitalized nameBorderColor: "#89b4fa",Background: "",BodyMarkdown: true, // render body through markdownRenderHeader: func(toolArgs string, width int) string {var args struct{ Command string `json:"command"` }json.Unmarshal([]byte(toolArgs), &args)return "$ " + args.Command},RenderBody: func(toolResult string, isError bool, width int) string {if isError {return "ERROR: " + toolResult}return toolResult},})
Message Renderers
Define named output styles for ctx.RenderMessage():
api.RegisterMessageRenderer(ext.MessageRendererConfig{Name: "success",Render: func(content string, width int) string {return " " + content // green checkmark prefix},})// Usage in handlers:ctx.RenderMessage("success", "All tests passed")
Critical Yaegi Constraints
No Named Function References in Struct Fields
Yaegi has a bug where named function references assigned to struct fields return zero values across the interpreter boundary. Always use anonymous closure literals:
// WRONG - will silently return zero values:func myHandler(key, text string) ext.EditorKeyAction {return ext.EditorKeyAction{Type: ext.EditorKeyPassthrough}}ctx.SetEditor(ext.EditorConfig{HandleKey: myHandler})// CORRECT - use anonymous closure:ctx.SetEditor(ext.EditorConfig{HandleKey: func(key, text string) ext.EditorKeyAction {return ext.EditorKeyAction{Type: ext.EditorKeyPassthrough}},})
This applies to ALL struct fields that take function values: ToolDef.Execute, CommandDef.Execute, EditorConfig.HandleKey, EditorConfig.Render, ToolRenderConfig.RenderHeader, ToolRenderConfig.RenderBody, etc.
No Interfaces Across the Boundary
All extension-facing API types are concrete structs, never interfaces. Yaegi crashes on interface wrapper generation.
Package-Level Variables for State
Yaegi supports package-level variables captured in closures. This is the standard way to maintain state across event callbacks:
package mainimport "kit/ext"var callCount intvar lastTool stringfunc Init(api ext.API) {api.OnToolResult(func(e ext.ToolResultEvent, ctx ext.Context) *ext.ToolResultResult {callCount++lastTool = e.ToolNamereturn nil})}
Common Patterns
Pattern: Tool Call Blocking
Block dangerous operations by intercepting tool calls:
api.OnToolCall(func(tc ext.ToolCallEvent, ctx ext.Context) *ext.ToolCallResult {if tc.ToolName == "bash" {var input struct{ Command string `json:"command"` }json.Unmarshal([]byte(tc.Input), &input)if strings.Contains(input.Command, "rm -rf") {return &ext.ToolCallResult{Block: true,Reason: "Dangerous command blocked",}}}return nil})
Pattern: System Prompt Injection
Augment the agent's behavior by injecting instructions:
api.OnBeforeAgentStart(func(_ ext.BeforeAgentStartEvent, ctx ext.Context) *ext.BeforeAgentStartResult {prompt := "Always respond with bullet points."return &ext.BeforeAgentStartResult{SystemPrompt: &prompt}})
Pattern: Background Processing with SendMessage
Run work in a goroutine and inject results back:
api.RegisterCommand(ext.CommandDef{Name: "run",Description: "Run a command in the background",Execute: func(args string, ctx ext.Context) (string, error) {go func() {out, err := exec.Command("sh", "-c", args).CombinedOutput()if err != nil {ctx.SendMessage(fmt.Sprintf("Command failed: %s\n%s", err, out))return}ctx.SendMessage(fmt.Sprintf("Command output:\n```\n%s\n```", out))}()return "Running in background...", nil},})
Pattern: Ephemeral Context Injection
Inject information into every LLM turn without persisting in session history:
api.OnContextPrepare(func(e ext.ContextPrepareEvent, ctx ext.Context) *ext.ContextPrepareResult {data, err := os.ReadFile(".kit/context.md")if err != nil {return nil}injected := ext.ContextMessage{Index: -1, // -1 = new message, not from sessionRole: "system",Content: string(data),}msgs := append([]ext.ContextMessage{injected}, e.Messages...)return &ext.ContextPrepareResult{Messages: msgs}})
Pattern: Live Widget Updates
Update a widget periodically from a goroutine:
api.OnSessionStart(func(_ ext.SessionStartEvent, ctx ext.Context) {go func() {ticker := time.NewTicker(time.Second)defer ticker.Stop()for range ticker.C {ctx.SetWidget(ext.WidgetConfig{ID: "clock",Placement: ext.WidgetAbove,Content: ext.WidgetContent{Text: time.Now().Format("15:04:05")},Style: ext.WidgetStyle{BorderColor: "#89b4fa"},})}}()})
Pattern: Custom Theme with Slash Command
Register a theme and provide a slash command shortcut to activate it:
api.OnSessionStart(func(_ ext.SessionStartEvent, ctx ext.Context) {ctx.RegisterTheme("neon", ext.ThemeColorConfig{Primary: ext.ThemeColor{Light: "#CC00FF", Dark: "#FF00FF"},Secondary: ext.ThemeColor{Light: "#0088CC", Dark: "#00FFFF"},Success: ext.ThemeColor{Light: "#00CC44", Dark: "#00FF66"},Warning: ext.ThemeColor{Light: "#CCAA00", Dark: "#FFFF00"},Error: ext.ThemeColor{Light: "#CC0033", Dark: "#FF0055"},Info: ext.ThemeColor{Light: "#0088CC", Dark: "#00CCFF"},Text: ext.ThemeColor{Light: "#111111", Dark: "#F0F0F0"},Background: ext.ThemeColor{Light: "#F0F0F0", Dark: "#0A0A14"},})})api.RegisterCommand(ext.CommandDef{Name: "neon",Description: "Switch to the neon cyberpunk theme",Execute: func(args string, ctx ext.Context) (string, error) {if err := ctx.SetTheme("neon"); err != nil {return "", err}return "Neon theme activated!", nil},})
Pattern: Spawning Kit as a Sub-Agent
Use ctx.SpawnSubagent to spawn an isolated child Kit instance. The subagent runs as a subprocess with --json --no-extensions flags, ensuring isolation.
Blocking mode — waits for completion:
_, result, err := ctx.SpawnSubagent(ext.SubagentConfig{Prompt: "Analyze the test files and summarize coverage",Model: "anthropic/claude-haiku-3-5-20241022", // empty = parent's modelSystemPrompt: "You are a test analysis expert.",Timeout: 2 * time.Minute, // 0 = 5 minute defaultBlocking: true,})if err != nil {ctx.PrintError("spawn failed: " + err.Error())return}if result.Error != nil {ctx.PrintError("subagent failed: " + result.Error.Error())return}ctx.PrintInfo("Result:\n" + result.Response)// result.Elapsed, result.ExitCode, result.SessionID// result.Usage.InputTokens, result.Usage.OutputTokens (if available)
Background mode — returns immediately with a handle:
handle, _, err := ctx.SpawnSubagent(ext.SubagentConfig{Prompt: "Write unit tests for UserService",OnOutput: func(chunk string) {// Live stderr streaming (progress, tool calls, etc.)},OnEvent: func(event ext.SubagentEvent) {// Real-time events: "text", "reasoning", "tool_call",// "tool_result", "tool_execution_start", "tool_execution_end",// "turn_start", "turn_end"// event.Type, event.Content, event.ToolName, event.ToolArgs, etc.},OnComplete: func(result ext.SubagentResult) {ctx.SendMessage("Subagent finished:\n" + result.Response)},})// handle.Kill() — terminate the subagent// handle.Wait() — block until completion, returns SubagentResult// <-handle.Done() — channel that closes on completion
SubagentConfig fields:
| Field | Type | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
Prompt | string | Task instruction (required) | |
Model | string | Override model ("provider/model"), empty = parent's | |
SystemPrompt | string | Custom system prompt, empty = default | |
Timeout | time.Duration | Execution limit, 0 = 5 minutes | |
Blocking | bool | Wait for completion vs return handle | |
NoSession | bool | Don't persist subagent session file | |
ParentSessionID | string | Link to parent session (optional) | |
OnOutput | func(string) | Stderr streaming callback | |
OnEvent | func(SubagentEvent) | Real-time event callback | |
OnComplete | func(SubagentResult) | Completion callback |
SubagentResult fields:
| Field | Type | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
Response | string | Final text response | |
Error | error | Non-nil on failure | |
ExitCode | int | Process exit code (0 = success) | |
Elapsed | time.Duration | Total execution time | |
Usage | *SubagentUsage | Token usage (InputTokens, OutputTokens) | |
SessionID | string | Subagent's session ID (if persisted) |
You can also spawn Kit as a raw subprocess for simpler cases:
kit --quiet --no-session --no-extensions --system-prompt "You are a reviewer" --model anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-20250514 "Review this code"
Testing Extensions
Kit provides a testing package to help you write unit tests for your extensions:
package mainimport ("testing""github.com/mark3labs/kit/pkg/extensions/test""github.com/mark3labs/kit/internal/extensions")func TestMyExtension(t *testing.T) {harness := test.New(t)harness.LoadFile("my-ext.go")// Test event handlers_, err := harness.Emit(extensions.SessionStartEvent{SessionID: "test"})if err != nil {t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)}// Verify behavior with assertionstest.AssertPrinted(t, harness, "session started")test.AssertWidgetSet(t, harness, "my-widget")// Test tool blockingresult, _ := harness.Emit(extensions.ToolCallEvent{ToolName: "dangerous"})test.AssertBlocked(t, result, "not allowed")}
Key testing patterns:
- Load extensions with
LoadFile()orLoadString()for inline code - Emit events with
Emit()to trigger handlers - Verify with 25+ assertion helpers:
AssertWidgetSet(),AssertToolRegistered(),AssertPrintInfo(), etc. - Mock prompts by setting results on
harness.Context().SetPromptSelectResult() - Test multiple scenarios per extension with isolated harness instances
See examples/extensions/tool-logger_test.go for a complete example with 14 test cases.
CLI Testing Commands
# Validate syntax of all discovered extensionskit extensions validate# List loaded extensionskit extensions list# Run with a specific extensionkit -e path/to/extension.go# Run with multiple extensionskit -e ext1.go -e ext2.go# Disable all extensionskit --no-extensions# Generate an example extension scaffoldkit extensions init
Distributing Extensions via Git Repositories
Extensions can be distributed and installed from git repositories using kit install. This enables sharing extensions with others and maintaining versioned collections.
Repository Structure
Extensions support two organization patterns within a repo:
Single-file extensions (simple, standalone):
my-extension-repo/├── weather.go # Single extension file├── todo.go # Another extension└── README.md # Installation and usage docs
Multi-file extensions (with main.go entry point):
my-extension-repo/├── git-tools/│ ├── main.go # Entry point│ ├── helpers.go # Supporting code│ └── config.go # Configuration├── todo/│ ├── main.go # Entry point│ └── storage.go # Storage logic└── README.md
Hybrid approach (single files + subdirectories with main.go):
my-extensions/├── weather.go # Single file extension├── calculator.go # Single file extension├── git-tools/│ ├── main.go # Multi-file extension│ └── utils.go└── README.md
Installing from Git
Users install extensions using the kit install command:
# Install from GitHub (latest)kit install github.com/user/repo# Pin to a specific version/tagkit install github.com/user/repo@v1.0.0kit install github.com/user/repo@mainkit install github.com/user/repo@abc1234# Install locally in project (./.kit/git/)kit install github.com/user/repo --local# Interactive selection for repos with multiple extensionskit install github.com/user/collection --select
Supported URL formats:
github.com/user/repo— Shorthand (defaults to HTTPS)git:github.com/user/repo— Git prefix formathttps://github.com/user/repo— HTTPS URLssh://git@github.com/user/repo— SSH URLgit@github.com:user/repo— SSH shorthand
Managing Installed Extensions
# Update an installed extension (skips pinned versions)kit install github.com/user/repo --update# Remove an installed extensionkit install github.com/user/repo --uninstall# List all loaded extensionskit extensions list# Validate all extensionskit extensions validate
Extension Selection
For repos containing multiple extensions, users can select which to install:
# Interactive selectionkit install github.com/user/collection --select
This prompts the user to choose which extensions to install. Selected extensions are recorded in the manifest, and only those are loaded at runtime (others in the repo are ignored).
README Template for Extension Repos
Include this in your extension repo's README.md:
# My Kit ExtensionsA collection of extensions for [Kit](https://github.com/mark3labs/kit).## Installation### Install all extensions\`\`\`bashkit install github.com/username/repo\`\`\`### Install specific extensions\`\`\`bashkit install github.com/username/repo --select\`\`\`### Install locally in a project\`\`\`bashkit install github.com/username/repo --local\`\`\`## Extensions### Extension NameDescription of what it does.-**Path**: `./ext-name/main.go` or `./ext-name.go`-**Commands**: `/command-name`-**Tools**: `tool_name`## Requirements-Kit vX.Y.Z+-Any other dependencies## Update\`\`\`bashkit install github.com/username/repo --update\`\`\`
Storage Locations
Installed extensions are stored at:
- Global:
~/.local/share/kit/git/<host>/<owner>/<repo>/ - Project-local:
./.kit/git/<host>/<owner>/<repo>/ - Manifest:
packages.jsonin respective directories
Complete Example: Plan Mode
A full extension that restricts the agent to read-only tools, with a slash command, keyboard shortcut, option, status bar indicator, and system prompt injection:
//go:build ignorepackage mainimport ("strings""kit/ext")func Init(api ext.API) {readOnlyTools := []string{"read", "grep", "find", "ls"}var planActive boolapi.RegisterOption(ext.OptionDef{Name: "plan",Description: "Start in plan mode (read-only tools)",Default: "false",})api.RegisterShortcut(ext.ShortcutDef{Key: "ctrl+alt+p",Description: "Toggle plan/explore mode",}, func(ctx ext.Context) {planActive = !planActiveapplyMode(ctx, planActive, readOnlyTools)})api.RegisterCommand(ext.CommandDef{Name: "plan",Description: "Toggle plan/explore mode",Execute: func(args string, ctx ext.Context) (string, error) {planActive = !planActiveapplyMode(ctx, planActive, readOnlyTools)return "", nil},})api.OnSessionStart(func(_ ext.SessionStartEvent, ctx ext.Context) {if strings.ToLower(ctx.GetOption("plan")) == "true" {planActive = trueapplyMode(ctx, true, readOnlyTools)}})api.OnBeforeAgentStart(func(_ ext.BeforeAgentStartEvent, ctx ext.Context) *ext.BeforeAgentStartResult {if !planActive {return nil}prompt := `You are in PLAN MODE (read-only). You can ONLY read and search.Focus on understanding, analysis, and generating plans.`return &ext.BeforeAgentStartResult{SystemPrompt: &prompt}})}func applyMode(ctx ext.Context, active bool, tools []string) {if active {ctx.SetActiveTools(tools)ctx.SetStatus("plan-mode", "PLAN MODE (read-only)", 10)ctx.PrintInfo("Plan mode ON")} else {ctx.SetActiveTools(nil)ctx.RemoveStatus("plan-mode")ctx.PrintInfo("Plan mode OFF")}}
Bridged SDK APIs (New)
Extensions can now access powerful internal SDK capabilities that enable advanced features like conversation tree navigation, dynamic skill loading, template parsing, and model resolution.
Tree Navigation
Navigate the conversation tree, summarize branches, and implement "fresh context" loops:
// Get a specific node by ID with full metadata and childrennode := ctx.GetTreeNode("entry-id")// node.ID, node.ParentID, node.Type ("message"/"branch_summary"/etc)// node.Role, node.Content, node.Model, node.Children ([]string)// Get the current branch from root to leafbranch := ctx.GetCurrentBranch() // []ext.TreeNode// Get child entry IDs of a nodechildren := ctx.GetChildren("entry-id") // []string// Navigate/fork to a different entry in the treeresult := ctx.NavigateTo("entry-id") // ext.TreeNavigationResult{Success, Error}// Summarize a range of the branch using LLMsummary := ctx.SummarizeBranch("from-id", "to-id") // string// Collapse a branch range into a summary entry (fresh context primitive)result := ctx.CollapseBranch("from-id", "to-id", "summary text")
Skill Loading
Load and inject skills dynamically at runtime:
// Discover skills from standard locationsresult := ctx.DiscoverSkills() // ext.SkillLoadResult{Skills, Error}// Standard locations: ~/.config/kit/skills/, .kit/skills/, .agents/skills/// Load a specific skill fileskill, err := ctx.LoadSkill("/path/to/skill.md") // (*ext.Skill, error string)// skill.Name, skill.Description, skill.Content, skill.Tags, skill.When// Load all skills from a directoryresult := ctx.LoadSkillsFromDir("/path/to/skills") // ext.SkillLoadResult// Inject a skill as context (pre-loads for next turn)err := ctx.InjectSkillAsContext("skill-name") // error string// Inject a skill file directlyerr := ctx.InjectRawSkillAsContext("/path/to/skill.md") // error string// Get all discovered skillsskills := ctx.GetAvailableSkills() // []ext.Skill
Template Parsing
Parse and render templates with variable substitution:
// Parse a template to extract {{variables}}tpl := ctx.ParseTemplate("name", "Hello {{name}}, welcome to {{place}}!")// tpl.Name, tpl.Content, tpl.Variables ([]string)// Render a template with variable valuesvars := map[string]string{"name": "Alice", "place": "Kit"}rendered := ctx.RenderTemplate(tpl, vars) // "Hello Alice, welcome to Kit!"// Parse command-line style argumentspattern := ext.ArgumentPattern{Positional: []string{"command", "target"}, // $1, $2Rest: "args", // $@Flags: map[string]string{"--loop": "loop", "-f": "force"},}result := ctx.ParseArguments("deploy staging --loop 5", pattern)// result.Vars["command"] = "deploy"// result.Vars["target"] = "staging"// result.Flags["--loop"] = "5"// Simple positional argument parsing ($1, $2, $@)args := ctx.SimpleParseArguments("deploy staging --force", 2)// args[0] = "deploy staging --force" (full input)// args[1] = "deploy" ($1)// args[2] = "staging" ($2)// args[3] = "--force" ($@)// Evaluate model conditionals with wildcardsmatches := ctx.EvaluateModelConditional("claude-*") // bool// Patterns: * matches any, ? matches single char, comma = OR// Render content with <if-model> conditionalscontent := `<if-model is="claude-*">Hi Claude<else>Hi there</if-model>`rendered := ctx.RenderWithModelConditionals(content) // based on current model
Model Resolution
Resolve model fallback chains and query capabilities:
// Resolve a chain of model preferences (tries each until available)result := ctx.ResolveModelChain([]string{"anthropic/claude-opus-4","anthropic/claude-sonnet-4","openai/gpt-4o",})// result.Model (selected), result.Capabilities, result.Attempted, result.Error// Get capabilities for a specific modelcaps, err := ctx.GetModelCapabilities("anthropic/claude-sonnet-4")// caps.Provider, caps.ModelID, caps.ContextLimit, caps.Reasoning, caps.Streaming// Check if a model is available (provider exists)available := ctx.CheckModelAvailable("anthropic/claude-sonnet-4") // bool// Get current provider/model IDprovider := ctx.GetCurrentProvider() // "anthropic"modelID := ctx.GetCurrentModelID() // "claude-sonnet-4"
Key Files for Reference
- `internal/extensions/api.go` — Complete API type definitions
- `internal/extensions/runner.go` — Event dispatch and state management
- `internal/extensions/loader.go` — Yaegi interpreter setup
- `internal/extensions/symbols.go` — All types exported to extensions
- `pkg/extensions/test/` — Testing package with harness, mocks, and assertions
- `examples/extensions/tool-logger_test.go` — Complete test example
- `examples/extensions/` — 25+ working example extensions