Files
hermes-agent/tests/hermes_cli/test_goals.py
Teknium 265bd59c1d feat: /goal — persistent cross-turn goals (Ralph loop) (#18262)
Add a standing-goal slash command that keeps Hermes working toward a
user-stated objective across turns until it is achieved, paused, or
the turn budget runs out. Our take on the Ralph loop — cf. Codex CLI
0.128.0's /goal.

After each turn, a lightweight auxiliary-model judge call asks 'is
this goal satisfied by the assistant's last response?'. If not, and
we're under the turn budget (default 20), Hermes feeds a continuation
prompt back into the same session as a normal user message. Any real
user message preempts the continuation loop automatically.

Judge failures fail OPEN (continue) so a flaky judge never wedges
progress — the turn budget is the real backstop.

### Commands

- `/goal <text>`    — set a standing goal (kicks off the first turn)
- `/goal` or `/goal status` — show current state
- `/goal pause`    — pause the continuation loop
- `/goal resume`   — resume (resets turn counter)
- `/goal clear`    — drop the goal

Works on both CLI and gateway platforms via the central CommandDef
registry.

### Design invariants preserved

- **Prompt cache**: continuation prompts are regular user-role
  messages appended to history. No system-prompt mutation, no toolset
  swap.
- **Role alternation**: continuation is a user turn, never injected
  mid-tool-loop.
- **Session persistence**: goal state lives in SessionDB.state_meta
  keyed by `goal:<session_id>`, so `/resume` picks it up.
- **Mid-run safety**: on the gateway, `/goal status|pause|clear` are
  allowed mid-run (control-plane only); setting a new goal requires
  `/stop` first so we don't race a second continuation prompt against
  the current turn.

### Files

- `hermes_cli/goals.py` (new, 380 lines) — GoalManager + judge + state
- `hermes_cli/commands.py` — CommandDef entry
- `hermes_cli/config.py` — `goals.max_turns` default
- `hermes_cli/web_server.py` — dashboard category merge
- `cli.py` — /goal handler + post-turn continuation hook in
  process_loop
- `gateway/run.py` — /goal handler + post-turn continuation hook
  wrapping _handle_message_with_agent
- `tests/hermes_cli/test_goals.py` (new, 26 tests) — judge parsing,
  fail-open semantics, lifecycle, persistence, budget exhaustion
- `website/docs/reference/slash-commands.md` — docs entry
2026-04-30 23:10:20 -07:00

359 lines
14 KiB
Python

"""Tests for hermes_cli/goals.py — persistent cross-turn goals."""
from __future__ import annotations
import json
from unittest.mock import patch, MagicMock
import pytest
# ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
# Fixtures
# ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@pytest.fixture
def hermes_home(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
"""Isolated HERMES_HOME so SessionDB.state_meta writes don't clobber the real one."""
from pathlib import Path
home = tmp_path / ".hermes"
home.mkdir()
monkeypatch.setattr(Path, "home", lambda: tmp_path)
monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(home))
# Bust the goal-module's DB cache for each test so it re-resolves HERMES_HOME.
from hermes_cli import goals
goals._DB_CACHE.clear()
yield home
goals._DB_CACHE.clear()
# ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
# _parse_judge_response
# ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
class TestParseJudgeResponse:
def test_clean_json_done(self):
from hermes_cli.goals import _parse_judge_response
done, reason = _parse_judge_response('{"done": true, "reason": "all good"}')
assert done is True
assert reason == "all good"
def test_clean_json_continue(self):
from hermes_cli.goals import _parse_judge_response
done, reason = _parse_judge_response('{"done": false, "reason": "more work needed"}')
assert done is False
assert reason == "more work needed"
def test_json_in_markdown_fence(self):
from hermes_cli.goals import _parse_judge_response
raw = '```json\n{"done": true, "reason": "done"}\n```'
done, reason = _parse_judge_response(raw)
assert done is True
assert "done" in reason
def test_json_embedded_in_prose(self):
"""Some models prefix reasoning before emitting JSON — we extract it."""
from hermes_cli.goals import _parse_judge_response
raw = 'Looking at this... the agent says X. Verdict: {"done": false, "reason": "partial"}'
done, reason = _parse_judge_response(raw)
assert done is False
assert reason == "partial"
def test_string_done_values(self):
from hermes_cli.goals import _parse_judge_response
for s in ("true", "yes", "done", "1"):
done, _ = _parse_judge_response(f'{{"done": "{s}", "reason": "r"}}')
assert done is True
for s in ("false", "no", "not yet"):
done, _ = _parse_judge_response(f'{{"done": "{s}", "reason": "r"}}')
assert done is False
def test_malformed_json_fails_open(self):
"""Non-JSON → not done, with error-ish reason (so judge_goal can map to continue)."""
from hermes_cli.goals import _parse_judge_response
done, reason = _parse_judge_response("this is not json at all")
assert done is False
assert reason # non-empty
def test_empty_response(self):
from hermes_cli.goals import _parse_judge_response
done, reason = _parse_judge_response("")
assert done is False
assert reason
# ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
# judge_goal — fail-open semantics
# ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
class TestJudgeGoal:
def test_empty_goal_skipped(self):
from hermes_cli.goals import judge_goal
verdict, _ = judge_goal("", "some response")
assert verdict == "skipped"
def test_empty_response_continues(self):
from hermes_cli.goals import judge_goal
verdict, _ = judge_goal("ship the thing", "")
assert verdict == "continue"
def test_no_aux_client_continues(self):
"""Fail-open: if no aux client, we must return continue, not skipped/done."""
from hermes_cli import goals
with patch(
"agent.auxiliary_client.get_text_auxiliary_client",
return_value=(None, None),
):
verdict, _ = goals.judge_goal("my goal", "my response")
assert verdict == "continue"
def test_api_error_continues(self):
"""Judge exception → fail-open continue (don't wedge progress on judge bugs)."""
from hermes_cli import goals
fake_client = MagicMock()
fake_client.chat.completions.create.side_effect = RuntimeError("boom")
with patch(
"agent.auxiliary_client.get_text_auxiliary_client",
return_value=(fake_client, "judge-model"),
):
verdict, reason = goals.judge_goal("goal", "response")
assert verdict == "continue"
assert "judge error" in reason.lower()
def test_judge_says_done(self):
from hermes_cli import goals
fake_client = MagicMock()
fake_client.chat.completions.create.return_value = MagicMock(
choices=[
MagicMock(
message=MagicMock(content='{"done": true, "reason": "achieved"}')
)
]
)
with patch(
"agent.auxiliary_client.get_text_auxiliary_client",
return_value=(fake_client, "judge-model"),
):
verdict, reason = goals.judge_goal("goal", "agent response")
assert verdict == "done"
assert reason == "achieved"
def test_judge_says_continue(self):
from hermes_cli import goals
fake_client = MagicMock()
fake_client.chat.completions.create.return_value = MagicMock(
choices=[
MagicMock(
message=MagicMock(content='{"done": false, "reason": "not yet"}')
)
]
)
with patch(
"agent.auxiliary_client.get_text_auxiliary_client",
return_value=(fake_client, "judge-model"),
):
verdict, reason = goals.judge_goal("goal", "agent response")
assert verdict == "continue"
assert reason == "not yet"
# ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
# GoalManager lifecycle + persistence
# ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
class TestGoalManager:
def test_no_goal_initial(self, hermes_home):
from hermes_cli.goals import GoalManager
mgr = GoalManager(session_id="test-sid-1")
assert mgr.state is None
assert not mgr.is_active()
assert not mgr.has_goal()
assert "No active goal" in mgr.status_line()
def test_set_then_status(self, hermes_home):
from hermes_cli.goals import GoalManager
mgr = GoalManager(session_id="test-sid-2", default_max_turns=5)
state = mgr.set("port the thing")
assert state.goal == "port the thing"
assert state.status == "active"
assert state.max_turns == 5
assert state.turns_used == 0
assert mgr.is_active()
assert "active" in mgr.status_line().lower()
assert "port the thing" in mgr.status_line()
def test_set_rejects_empty(self, hermes_home):
from hermes_cli.goals import GoalManager
mgr = GoalManager(session_id="test-sid-3")
with pytest.raises(ValueError):
mgr.set("")
with pytest.raises(ValueError):
mgr.set(" ")
def test_pause_and_resume(self, hermes_home):
from hermes_cli.goals import GoalManager
mgr = GoalManager(session_id="test-sid-4")
mgr.set("goal text")
mgr.pause(reason="user-paused")
assert mgr.state.status == "paused"
assert not mgr.is_active()
assert mgr.has_goal()
mgr.resume()
assert mgr.state.status == "active"
assert mgr.is_active()
def test_clear(self, hermes_home):
from hermes_cli.goals import GoalManager
mgr = GoalManager(session_id="test-sid-5")
mgr.set("goal")
mgr.clear()
assert mgr.state is None
assert not mgr.is_active()
def test_persistence_across_managers(self, hermes_home):
"""Key invariant: a second manager on the same session sees the goal.
This is what makes /resume work — each session rebinds its
GoalManager and picks up the saved state.
"""
from hermes_cli.goals import GoalManager
mgr1 = GoalManager(session_id="persist-sid")
mgr1.set("do the thing")
mgr2 = GoalManager(session_id="persist-sid")
assert mgr2.state is not None
assert mgr2.state.goal == "do the thing"
assert mgr2.is_active()
def test_evaluate_after_turn_done(self, hermes_home):
"""Judge says done → status=done, no continuation."""
from hermes_cli import goals
from hermes_cli.goals import GoalManager
mgr = GoalManager(session_id="eval-sid-1")
mgr.set("ship it")
with patch.object(goals, "judge_goal", return_value=("done", "shipped")):
decision = mgr.evaluate_after_turn("I shipped the feature.")
assert decision["verdict"] == "done"
assert decision["should_continue"] is False
assert decision["continuation_prompt"] is None
assert mgr.state.status == "done"
assert mgr.state.turns_used == 1
def test_evaluate_after_turn_continue_under_budget(self, hermes_home):
from hermes_cli import goals
from hermes_cli.goals import GoalManager
mgr = GoalManager(session_id="eval-sid-2", default_max_turns=5)
mgr.set("a long goal")
with patch.object(goals, "judge_goal", return_value=("continue", "more work")):
decision = mgr.evaluate_after_turn("made some progress")
assert decision["verdict"] == "continue"
assert decision["should_continue"] is True
assert decision["continuation_prompt"] is not None
assert "a long goal" in decision["continuation_prompt"]
assert mgr.state.status == "active"
assert mgr.state.turns_used == 1
def test_evaluate_after_turn_budget_exhausted(self, hermes_home):
"""When turn budget hits ceiling, auto-pause instead of continuing."""
from hermes_cli import goals
from hermes_cli.goals import GoalManager
mgr = GoalManager(session_id="eval-sid-3", default_max_turns=2)
mgr.set("hard goal")
with patch.object(goals, "judge_goal", return_value=("continue", "not yet")):
d1 = mgr.evaluate_after_turn("step 1")
assert d1["should_continue"] is True
assert mgr.state.turns_used == 1
assert mgr.state.status == "active"
d2 = mgr.evaluate_after_turn("step 2")
# turns_used is now 2 which equals max_turns → paused
assert d2["should_continue"] is False
assert mgr.state.status == "paused"
assert mgr.state.turns_used == 2
assert "budget" in (mgr.state.paused_reason or "").lower()
def test_evaluate_after_turn_inactive(self, hermes_home):
"""evaluate_after_turn is a no-op when goal isn't active."""
from hermes_cli.goals import GoalManager
mgr = GoalManager(session_id="eval-sid-4")
d = mgr.evaluate_after_turn("anything")
assert d["verdict"] == "inactive"
assert d["should_continue"] is False
mgr.set("a goal")
mgr.pause()
d2 = mgr.evaluate_after_turn("anything")
assert d2["verdict"] == "inactive"
assert d2["should_continue"] is False
def test_continuation_prompt_shape(self, hermes_home):
"""The continuation prompt must include the goal text verbatim —
and must be safe to inject as a user-role message (prompt-cache
invariants: no system-prompt mutation)."""
from hermes_cli.goals import GoalManager
mgr = GoalManager(session_id="cont-sid")
mgr.set("port goal command to hermes")
prompt = mgr.next_continuation_prompt()
assert prompt is not None
assert "port goal command to hermes" in prompt
assert prompt.strip() # non-empty
# ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
# Smoke: CommandDef is wired
# ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
def test_goal_command_in_registry():
from hermes_cli.commands import resolve_command
cmd = resolve_command("goal")
assert cmd is not None
assert cmd.name == "goal"
def test_goal_command_dispatches_in_cli_registry_helpers():
"""goal shows up in autocomplete / help categories alongside other Session cmds."""
from hermes_cli.commands import COMMANDS, COMMANDS_BY_CATEGORY
assert "/goal" in COMMANDS
session_cmds = COMMANDS_BY_CATEGORY.get("Session", {})
assert "/goal" in session_cmds