google-gemini · galz10 · Mar 11, 2026 · Mar 5, 2026 · Mar 9, 2026 · Mar 10, 2026
diff --git a/integration-tests/background_shell_output.test.ts b/integration-tests/background_shell_output.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+/**
+ * @license
+ * Copyright 2025 Google LLC
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+ */
+
+import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, afterEach } from 'vitest';
+import { TestRig } from './test-helper.js';
+import fs from 'node:fs';
+import path from 'node:path';
+
+describe('Background Shell Output Logging', () => {
+  let rig: TestRig;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    rig = new TestRig();
+  });
+
+  afterEach(async () => await rig.cleanup());
+
+  it('should log background process output to a file', async () => {
+    await rig.setup('should log background process output to a file', {
+      settings: { tools: { core: ['run_shell_command'] } },
+    });
+
+    // We use a command that outputs something, then backgrounds, then outputs more.
+    // Since we're in the test rig, we have to be careful with how we background.
+    // The run_shell_command tool backgrounds if is_background: true is passed.
+
+    const prompt = `Please run the command "echo start && sleep 1 && echo end" in the background and tell me the PID.`;
+
+    const result = await rig.run({
+      args: [prompt],
+      // approvalMode: 'yolo' is needed to avoid interactive prompt in tests
+      approvalMode: 'yolo',
+    });
+
+    // Extract PID from result
+    const cleanResult = result.replace(
+      // eslint-disable-next-line no-control-regex
+      /[\u001b\u009b][[()#;?]*(?:[0-9]{1,4}(?:;[0-9]{0,4})*)?[0-9A-ORZcf-nqry=><]/g,
+      '',
+    );
+    const pidMatch = cleanResult.match(/PID.*?\s*(\d+)/i);
+    expect(pidMatch, `Expected PID in output: ${cleanResult}`).toBeTruthy();
+    const pid = parseInt(pidMatch![1], 10);
+
+    const logDir = path.join(
+      rig.homeDir!,
+      '.gemini',
+      'tmp',
+      'background-processes',
+    );
+    const logFilePath = path.join(logDir, `background-${pid}.log`);
+
+    // Wait for the process to finish and log output
+    // We'll poll the log file
+    let logContent = '';
+    const maxRetries = 40;
+    let retries = 0;
+
+    while (retries < maxRetries) {
+      if (fs.existsSync(logFilePath)) {
+        logContent = fs.readFileSync(logFilePath, 'utf8');
+        if (logContent.includes('end')) {
+          break;
+        }
+      }
+      await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 500));
+      retries++;
+    }
+
+    expect(logContent).toContain('start');
+    expect(logContent).toContain('end');
+
+    // Verify no ANSI escape codes are present (starting with \x1b[ or \u001b[)
+    const ansiRegex =
+      // eslint-disable-next-line no-control-regex
+      /[\u001b\u009b][[()#;?]*(?:[0-9]{1,4}(?:;[0-9]{0,4})*)?[0-9A-ORZcf-nqry=><]/g;
+    expect(logContent).not.toMatch(ansiRegex);
+
+    // Cleanup the log file after test
+    if (fs.existsSync(logFilePath)) {
+      fs.unlinkSync(logFilePath);
+    }
+  });
+});
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ import { TerminalProvider } from './ui/contexts/TerminalContext.js';
 import { setupTerminalAndTheme } from './utils/terminalTheme.js';
 import { profiler } from './ui/components/DebugProfiler.js';
 import { runDeferredCommand } from './deferred.js';
+import { cleanupBackgroundLogs } from './utils/logCleanup.js';
 import { SlashCommandConflictHandler } from './services/SlashCommandConflictHandler.js';
 
 const SLOW_RENDER_MS = 200;
@@ -358,6 +359,7 @@ export async function main() {
   await Promise.all([
     cleanupCheckpoints(),
     cleanupToolOutputFiles(settings.merged),
+    cleanupBackgroundLogs(),
   ]);
 
   const parseArgsHandle = startupProfiler.start('parse_arguments');

@@ -428,9 +428,11 @@ export const AppContainer = (props: AppContainerProps) => {
       disableMouseEvents();
 
       // Kill all background shells
-      for (const pid of backgroundShellsRef.current.keys()) {
-        ShellExecutionService.kill(pid);
-      }
+      await Promise.all(
+        Array.from(backgroundShellsRef.current.keys()).map((pid) =>
+          ShellExecutionService.kill(pid),
+        ),
+      );
 
       const ideClient = await IdeClient.getInstance();
       await ideClient.disconnect();

@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ vi.mock('@google/gemini-cli-core', async (importOriginal) => {
     ShellExecutionService: {
       resizePty: vi.fn(),
       subscribe: vi.fn(() => vi.fn()),
+      getLogFilePath: vi.fn(
+        (pid) => `~/.gemini/tmp/background-processes/background-${pid}.log`,
+      ),
+      getLogDir: vi.fn(() => '~/.gemini/tmp/background-processes'),
     },
   };
 });
@@ -221,7 +225,7 @@ describe('<BackgroundShellDisplay />', () => {
     expect(ShellExecutionService.resizePty).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
       shell1.pid,
       76,
-      21,
+      20,
     );
 
     rerender(
@@ -243,7 +247,7 @@ describe('<BackgroundShellDisplay />', () => {
     expect(ShellExecutionService.resizePty).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
       shell1.pid,
       96,
-      27,
+      26,
     );
   });
 

@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ import { useUIActions } from '../contexts/UIActionsContext.js';
 import { theme } from '../semantic-colors.js';
 import {
   ShellExecutionService,
+  shortenPath,
+  tildeifyPath,
   type AnsiOutput,
   type AnsiLine,
   type AnsiToken,
@@ -42,8 +44,14 @@ interface BackgroundShellDisplayProps {
 
 const CONTENT_PADDING_X = 1;
 const BORDER_WIDTH = 2; // Left and Right border
-const HEADER_HEIGHT = 3; // 2 for border, 1 for header
+const MAIN_BORDER_HEIGHT = 2; // Top and Bottom border
+const HEADER_HEIGHT = 1;
+const FOOTER_HEIGHT = 1;
+const TOTAL_OVERHEAD_HEIGHT =
+  MAIN_BORDER_HEIGHT + HEADER_HEIGHT + FOOTER_HEIGHT;
+const PROCESS_LIST_HEADER_HEIGHT = 3; // 1 padding top, 1 text, 1 margin bottom
 const TAB_DISPLAY_HORIZONTAL_PADDING = 4;
+const LOG_PATH_OVERHEAD = 7; // "Log: " (5) + paddingX (2)
 
 const formatShellCommandForDisplay = (command: string, maxWidth: number) => {
   const commandFirstLine = command.split('\n')[0];
@@ -79,7 +87,7 @@ export const BackgroundShellDisplay = ({
     if (!activePid) return;
 
     const ptyWidth = Math.max(1, width - BORDER_WIDTH - CONTENT_PADDING_X * 2);
-    const ptyHeight = Math.max(1, height - HEADER_HEIGHT);
+    const ptyHeight = Math.max(1, height - TOTAL_OVERHEAD_HEIGHT);
     ShellExecutionService.resizePty(activePid, ptyWidth, ptyHeight);
   }, [activePid, width, height]);
 
@@ -148,7 +156,7 @@ export const BackgroundShellDisplay = ({
 
         if (keyMatchers[Command.KILL_BACKGROUND_SHELL](key)) {
           if (highlightedPid) {
-            dismissBackgroundShell(highlightedPid);
+            void dismissBackgroundShell(highlightedPid);
             // If we killed the active one, the list might update via props
           }
           return true;
@@ -169,7 +177,7 @@ export const BackgroundShellDisplay = ({
       }
 
       if (keyMatchers[Command.KILL_BACKGROUND_SHELL](key)) {
-        dismissBackgroundShell(activeShell.pid);
+        void dismissBackgroundShell(activeShell.pid);
         return true;
       }
 
@@ -334,7 +342,10 @@ export const BackgroundShellDisplay = ({
             }}
             onHighlight={(pid) => setHighlightedPid(pid)}
             isFocused={isFocused}
-            maxItemsToShow={Math.max(1, height - HEADER_HEIGHT - 3)} // Adjust for header
+            maxItemsToShow={Math.max(
+              1,
+              height - TOTAL_OVERHEAD_HEIGHT - PROCESS_LIST_HEADER_HEIGHT,
+            )}
             renderItem={(
               item,
               { isSelected: _isSelected, titleColor: _titleColor },
@@ -381,6 +392,23 @@ export const BackgroundShellDisplay = ({
     );
   };
 
+  const renderFooter = () => {
+    const pidToDisplay = isListOpenProp
+      ? (highlightedPid ?? activePid)
+      : activePid;
+    if (!pidToDisplay) return null;
+    const logPath = ShellExecutionService.getLogFilePath(pidToDisplay);
+    const displayPath = shortenPath(
+      tildeifyPath(logPath),
+      width - LOG_PATH_OVERHEAD,
+    );
+    return (
+      <Box paddingX={1}>
+        <Text color={theme.text.secondary}>Log: {displayPath}</Text>
+      </Box>
+    );
+  };
+
   const renderOutput = () => {
     const lines = typeof output === 'string' ? output.split('\n') : output;
 
@@ -452,6 +480,7 @@ export const BackgroundShellDisplay = ({
       <Box flexGrow={1} overflow="hidden" paddingX={CONTENT_PADDING_X}>
         {isListOpenProp ? renderProcessList() : renderOutput()}
       </Box>
+      {renderFooter()}
     </Box>
   );
 };
@@ -60,6 +60,15 @@ const mockSessionStats: SessionStatsState = {
 };
 
 describe('<Footer />', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.stubEnv('SANDBOX', '');
+    vi.stubEnv('SEATBELT_PROFILE', '');
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.unstubAllEnvs();
+  });
+
   it('renders the component', () => {
     const { lastFrame } = renderWithProviders(<Footer />, {
       width: 120,
@@ -264,15 +273,6 @@ describe('<Footer />', () => {
   });
 
   describe('footer configuration filtering (golden snapshots)', () => {
-    beforeEach(() => {
-      vi.stubEnv('SANDBOX', '');
-      vi.stubEnv('SEATBELT_PROFILE', '');
-    });
-
-    afterEach(() => {
-      vi.unstubAllEnvs();
-    });
-
     it('renders complete footer with all sections visible (baseline)', () => {
       const { lastFrame } = renderWithProviders(<Footer />, {
         width: 120,

@@ -399,6 +399,7 @@ describe('<ModelStatsDisplay />', () => {
     const output = lastFrame();
     expect(output).toContain('gemini-3-pro-');
     expect(output).toContain('gemini-3-flash-');
+    expect(output).toMatchSnapshot();
   });
 
   it('should display role breakdown correctly', () => {

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ exports[`<BackgroundShellDisplay /> > highlights the focused state 1`] = `
 "┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
 │  1: npm sta...  (PID: 1001) (Focused)             Close (Ctrl+B) | Kill (Ctrl+K) | List (Ctrl+L) │
 │ Starting server...                                                                               │
+│ Log: ~/.gemini/tmp/background-processes/background-1001.log                                      │
 └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘"
 `;
 
@@ -16,20 +17,23 @@ exports[`<BackgroundShellDisplay /> > keeps exit code status color even when sel
 │   1. npm start (PID: 1001)                                                                       │
 │   2. tail -f log.txt (PID: 1002)                                                                 │
 │ ● 3. exit 0 (PID: 1003) (Exit Code: 0)                                                           │
+│ Log: ~/.gemini/tmp/background-processes/background-1003.log                                      │
 └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘"
 `;
 
 exports[`<BackgroundShellDisplay /> > renders tabs for multiple shells 1`] = `
 "┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
 │  1: npm start  2: tail -f lo...  (PID: 1001)      Close (Ctrl+B) | Kill (Ctrl+K) | List (Ctrl+L) │
 │ Starting server...                                                                               │
+│ Log: ~/.gemini/tmp/background-processes/background-1001.log                                      │
 └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘"
 `;
 
 exports[`<BackgroundShellDisplay /> > renders the output of the active shell 1`] = `
 "┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
 │  1: ...  2: ...  (PID: 1001)                      Close (Ctrl+B) | Kill (Ctrl+K) | List (Ctrl+L) │
 │ Starting server...                                                                               │
+│ Log: ~/.gemini/tmp/background-processes/background-1001.log                                      │
 └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘"
 `;
 
@@ -41,6 +45,7 @@ exports[`<BackgroundShellDisplay /> > renders the process list when isListOpenPr
 │                                                                                                  │
 │ ● 1. npm start (PID: 1001)                                                                       │
 │   2. tail -f log.txt (PID: 1002)                                                                 │
+│ Log: ~/.gemini/tmp/background-processes/background-1001.log                                      │
 └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘"
 `;
 
@@ -52,5 +57,6 @@ exports[`<BackgroundShellDisplay /> > scrolls to active shell when list opens 1`
 │                                                                                                  │
 │   1. npm start (PID: 1001)                                                                       │
 │ ● 2. tail -f log.txt (PID: 1002)                                                                 │
+│ Log: ~/.gemini/tmp/background-processes/background-1002.log                                      │
 └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘"
 `;
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ export interface UIActions {
   revealCleanUiDetailsTemporarily: (durationMs?: number) => void;
   handleWarning: (message: string) => void;
   setEmbeddedShellFocused: (value: boolean) => void;
-  dismissBackgroundShell: (pid: number) => void;
+  dismissBackgroundShell: (pid: number) => Promise<void>;
   setActiveBackgroundShellPid: (pid: number) => void;
   setIsBackgroundShellListOpen: (isOpen: boolean) => void;
   setAuthContext: (context: { requiresRestart?: boolean }) => void;

@@ -830,8 +830,8 @@ describe('useShellCommandProcessor', () => {
         result.current.registerBackgroundShell(1001, 'bg-cmd', 'initial');
       });
 
-      act(() => {
-        result.current.dismissBackgroundShell(1001);
+      await act(async () => {
+        await result.current.dismissBackgroundShell(1001);
       });
 
       expect(mockShellKill).toHaveBeenCalledWith(1001);
@@ -936,8 +936,8 @@ describe('useShellCommandProcessor', () => {
       expect(shell?.exitCode).toBe(1);
 
       // Now dismiss it
-      act(() => {
-        result.current.dismissBackgroundShell(999);
+      await act(async () => {
+        await result.current.dismissBackgroundShell(999);
       });
       expect(result.current.backgroundShellCount).toBe(0);
     });

@@ -205,11 +205,11 @@ export const useShellCommandProcessor = (
   }, [state.activeShellPtyId, activeToolPtyId, m]);
 
   const dismissBackgroundShell = useCallback(
-    (pid: number) => {
+    async (pid: number) => {
       const shell = state.backgroundShells.get(pid);
       if (shell) {
         if (shell.status === 'running') {
-          ShellExecutionService.kill(pid);
+          await ShellExecutionService.kill(pid);
         }
         dispatch({ type: 'DISMISS_SHELL', pid });
         m.backgroundedPids.delete(pid);