Fix handling of control characters in JSON output mode and when redirecting

Author: pandemicsyn

cli/src/cli.ts

@@ -55,10 +55,13 @@ export class CLI {
 			logs.info("Initializing Kilo Code CLI...", "CLI")
 			logs.info(`Version: ${Package.version}`, "CLI")
 
-			// Set terminal title - use process.cwd() in parallel mode to show original directory
-			const titleWorkspace = this.options.parallel ? process.cwd() : this.options.workspace || process.cwd()
-			const folderName = `${basename(titleWorkspace)}${(await isGitWorktree(this.options.workspace || "")) ? " (git worktree)" : ""}`
-			process.stdout.write(`\x1b]0;Kilo Code - ${folderName}\x07`)
+			// Only set terminal title when stdout is a TTY (skip for JSON mode or redirected output)
+			if (!this.options.json && process.stdout.isTTY) {
+				// Set terminal title - use process.cwd() in parallel mode to show original directory
+				const titleWorkspace = this.options.parallel ? process.cwd() : this.options.workspace || process.cwd()
+				const folderName = `${basename(titleWorkspace)}${(await isGitWorktree(this.options.workspace || "")) ? " (git worktree)" : ""}`
+				process.stdout.write(`\x1b]0;Kilo Code - ${folderName}\x07`)
+			}
 
 			// Create Jotai store
 			this.store = createStore()

cli/src/state/hooks/useTerminal.ts

@@ -2,7 +2,12 @@ import { useAtomValue, useSetAtom } from "jotai"
 import { refreshTerminalCounterAtom, messageResetCounterAtom } from "../atoms/ui.js"
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef } from "react"
 
-export function useTerminal(): void {
+export function useTerminal(isJsonMode: boolean = false): void {
+	// Skip all terminal operations in JSON mode to prevent control sequences in output
+	if (isJsonMode) {
+		return
+	}
+
 	const width = useRef(process.stdout.columns)
 
 	const incrementResetCounter = useSetAtom(messageResetCounterAtom)

cli/src/ui/App.tsx

@@ -28,9 +28,15 @@ export interface AppProps {
 export const App: React.FC<AppProps> = ({ store, options, onExit }) => {
 	return (
 		<JotaiProvider store={store}>
-			<KeyboardProvider>
+			{(options.json && options.ci) || !process.stdout.isTTY ? (
+				// Skip KeyboardProvider when in JSON mode or when stdout is redirected
+				// to prevent terminal control sequences in output
 				<UI options={options} onExit={onExit} />
-			</KeyboardProvider>
+			) : (
+				<KeyboardProvider>
+					<UI options={options} onExit={onExit} />
+				</KeyboardProvider>
+			)}
 		</JotaiProvider>
 	)
 }

cli/src/ui/UI.tsx

@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ export const UI: React.FC<UIAppProps> = ({ options, onExit }) => {
 	const { fetchTaskHistory } = useTaskHistory()
 
 	// This clears the terminal and forces re-render of static components
-	useTerminal()
+	useTerminal((options.json && options.ci) || !process.stdout.isTTY)
 
 	// CI mode hook for automatic exit
 	const { shouldExit, exitReason } = useCIMode({