refactor(agents): replace engine-based character configuration with persona-based system

- Migrated from engine-specific character configurations to a persona-based system for improved flexibility and clarity.
- Updated agent mapping to use personas, enabling more dynamic assignments of visual and behavior traits.
- Refactored `output-window` and related utilities to reflect persona-based logic for agents.
- Simplified and streamlined agent character configuration files and type definitions.

Author: hadywalied

config/agent-characters.json

@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 {
-  "engines": {
-    "claude": {
-      "name": "Claude",
+  "personas": {
+    "friendly": {
       "baseFace": "(˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)",
       "expressions": {
         "thinking": "(╭ರ_•́)",
@@ -16,8 +15,7 @@
         "idle": ["Ready when you are", "Waiting..."]
       }
     },
-    "codex": {
-      "name": "Codex",
+    "analytical": {
       "baseFace": "[•_•]",
       "expressions": {
         "thinking": "[•_•]~",
@@ -32,24 +30,7 @@
         "idle": ["Standing by", "Awaiting input"]
       }
     },
-    "cursor": {
-      "name": "Cursor",
-      "baseFace": "⌨_⌨",
-      "expressions": {
-        "thinking": "⌨~⌨",
-        "tool": "⌨!⌨",
-        "error": "⌨x⌨",
-        "idle": "⌨_⌨"
-      },
-      "phrases": {
-        "thinking": ["Thinking...", "Processing..."],
-        "tool": ["Executing...", "Working..."],
-        "error": ["Error", "Something went wrong"],
-        "idle": ["Ready", "Waiting..."]
-      }
-    },
-    "auggie": {
-      "name": "Auggie",
+    "cheerful": {
       "baseFace": "◕‿◕",
       "expressions": {
         "thinking": "◕~◕",
@@ -64,24 +45,7 @@
         "idle": ["Here to help!", "Ready for action"]
       }
     },
-    "mistral": {
-      "name": "Mistral",
-      "baseFace": "≋_≋",
-      "expressions": {
-        "thinking": "≋~≋",
-        "tool": "≋!≋",
-        "error": "≋x≋",
-        "idle": "≋_≋"
-      },
-      "phrases": {
-        "thinking": ["Analyzing...", "Processing..."],
-        "tool": ["Running...", "Executing..."],
-        "error": ["Error detected", "Retrying..."],
-        "idle": ["Awaiting", "Standing by"]
-      }
-    },
-    "opencode": {
-      "name": "OpenCode",
+    "technical": {
       "baseFace": "{•_•}",
       "expressions": {
         "thinking": "{•~•}",
@@ -96,8 +60,7 @@
         "idle": ["Ready", "Waiting..."]
       }
     },
-    "ccr": {
-      "name": "CCR",
+    "precise": {
       "baseFace": "<•_•>",
       "expressions": {
         "thinking": "<•~•>",
@@ -106,27 +69,37 @@
         "idle": "<•_•>"
       },
       "phrases": {
-        "thinking": ["Thinking...", "Processing..."],
-        "tool": ["Running...", "Working..."],
-        "error": ["Error", "Retrying..."],
-        "idle": ["Ready", "Waiting..."]
+        "thinking": ["Evaluating...", "Checking..."],
+        "tool": ["Validating...", "Running checks..."],
+        "error": ["Issue detected", "Reviewing..."],
+        "idle": ["Ready", "Monitoring..."]
       }
     }
   },
-  "defaults": {
-    "name": "Agent",
-    "baseFace": "(•_•)",
-    "expressions": {
-      "thinking": "(•_•)?",
-      "tool": "(•_•)!",
-      "error": "(•_•);;",
-      "idle": "(•_•)"
-    },
-    "phrases": {
-      "thinking": ["Thinking..."],
-      "tool": ["Working..."],
-      "error": ["Error"],
-      "idle": ["Ready"]
-    }
-  }
+  "agents": {
+    "bmad-analyst": "friendly",
+    "bmad-pm": "analytical",
+    "bmad-ux": "cheerful",
+    "bmad-architect": "analytical",
+    "bmad-epics": "analytical",
+    "bmad-tea": "precise",
+    "bmad-readiness": "precise",
+    "bmad-sprints": "cheerful",
+    "bmad-stories": "cheerful",
+    "bmad-dev": "technical",
+    "bmad-po": "analytical",
+    "cm-workflow-builder": "friendly",
+    "init": "friendly",
+    "principal-analyst": "analytical",
+    "blueprint-orchestrator": "analytical",
+    "plan-agent": "analytical",
+    "task-breakdown": "technical",
+    "context-manager": "technical",
+    "code-generation": "technical",
+    "task-sanity-check": "precise",
+    "runtime-prep": "technical",
+    "git-commit": "technical",
+    "plan-fallback": "analytical"
+  },
+  "defaultPersona": "friendly"
 }

src/cli/tui/routes/workflow/components/output/output-window.tsx

@@ -166,10 +166,11 @@ export function OutputWindow(props: OutputWindowProps) {
     return themeCtx.theme.warning
   }
 
-  // Get display name/engine/model (controller when delegated or controller view, step agent otherwise)
+  // Get display name/engine/model/id (controller when delegated or controller view, step agent otherwise)
   const displayName = () => isControllerActive() ? props.controllerState!.name : props.currentAgent?.name
   const displayEngine = () => isControllerActive() ? props.controllerState!.engine : props.currentAgent?.engine
   const displayModel = () => isControllerActive() ? props.controllerState!.model : props.currentAgent?.model
+  const displayAgentId = () => isControllerActive() ? props.controllerState!.id : props.currentAgent?.id
 
   // Derive activity from agent status, with log-based refinement when running
   const derivedActivity = (): ActivityType => {
@@ -194,9 +195,9 @@ export function OutputWindow(props: OutputWindowProps) {
     return "idle"
   }
 
-  // Get character face and phrase based on engine and derived activity
-  const currentFace = () => getFace(displayEngine() ?? "default", derivedActivity())
-  const currentPhrase = () => getPhrase(displayEngine() ?? "default", derivedActivity())
+  // Get character face and phrase based on agent ID and derived activity
+  const currentFace = () => getFace(displayAgentId() ?? "default", derivedActivity())
+  const currentPhrase = () => getPhrase(displayAgentId() ?? "default", derivedActivity())
 
   // Check if we have something to display (agent or controller in controller view)
   const hasDisplayContent = () => props.currentAgent != null || isControllerViewMode()

src/cli/tui/shared/config/agent-characters.ts

@@ -3,12 +3,13 @@
  *
  * Loads and caches the agent characters configuration,
  * providing helper functions for accessing faces and phrases.
+ * Uses a persona-based system where agents map to personas.
  */
 
 import * as path from "node:path"
 import { existsSync, readFileSync } from "node:fs"
 import { resolvePackageRoot } from "../../../../shared/runtime/root.js"
-import type { ActivityType, AgentCharactersConfig, EngineCharacter } from "./agent-characters.types.js"
+import type { ActivityType, AgentCharactersConfig, Persona } from "./agent-characters.types.js"
 
 let cachedConfig: AgentCharactersConfig | null = null
 
@@ -59,8 +60,7 @@ export function loadAgentCharactersConfig(): AgentCharactersConfig {
  * Returns a minimal default config when the JSON file is unavailable
  */
 function getDefaultConfig(): AgentCharactersConfig {
-  const defaults: EngineCharacter = {
-    name: "Agent",
+  const defaultPersona: Persona = {
     baseFace: "(•_•)",
     expressions: {
       thinking: "(•_•)?",
@@ -75,32 +75,36 @@ function getDefaultConfig(): AgentCharactersConfig {
       idle: ["Ready"],
     },
   }
-  return { engines: {}, defaults }
+  return {
+    personas: { default: defaultPersona },
+    agents: {},
+    defaultPersona: "default",
+  }
 }
 
 /**
- * Gets the character configuration for a specific engine
- * Falls back to defaults if engine not found
+ * Gets the persona configuration for a specific agent
+ * Looks up agent -> persona mapping, falls back to defaultPersona
  */
-export function getCharacter(engineId: string): EngineCharacter {
+export function getCharacter(agentId: string): Persona {
   const config = loadAgentCharactersConfig()
-  const normalizedId = engineId.toLowerCase()
-  return config.engines[normalizedId] ?? config.defaults
+  const personaName = config.agents[agentId] ?? config.defaultPersona
+  return config.personas[personaName] ?? config.personas[config.defaultPersona] ?? getDefaultConfig().personas.default
 }
 
 /**
- * Gets the face expression for a specific engine and activity
+ * Gets the face expression for a specific agent and activity
  */
-export function getFace(engineId: string, activity: ActivityType): string {
-  const character = getCharacter(engineId)
+export function getFace(agentId: string, activity: ActivityType): string {
+  const character = getCharacter(agentId)
   return character.expressions[activity] ?? character.baseFace
 }
 
 /**
- * Gets a random phrase for a specific engine and activity
+ * Gets a random phrase for a specific agent and activity
  */
-export function getPhrase(engineId: string, activity: ActivityType): string {
-  const character = getCharacter(engineId)
+export function getPhrase(agentId: string, activity: ActivityType): string {
+  const character = getCharacter(agentId)
   const phrases = character.phrases[activity]
   if (!phrases || phrases.length === 0) {
     return activity === "idle" ? "Ready" : "..."

src/cli/tui/shared/config/agent-characters.types.ts

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  * Agent Characters Configuration Types
  *
  * Defines the types for configurable ASCII art faces and phrases
- * that give personality to different AI engines.
+ * that give personality to different agents via personas.
  */
 
 /**
@@ -11,11 +11,9 @@
 export type ActivityType = "thinking" | "tool" | "error" | "idle"
 
 /**
- * Configuration for a single engine's character
+ * Configuration for a persona's visual character
  */
-export interface EngineCharacter {
-  /** Display name for the engine */
-  name: string
+export interface Persona {
   /** Default face when no specific activity */
   baseFace: string
   /** ASCII art faces for different activities */
@@ -28,8 +26,10 @@ export interface EngineCharacter {
  * Full agent characters configuration
  */
 export interface AgentCharactersConfig {
-  /** Character configs keyed by engine ID */
-  engines: Record<string, EngineCharacter>
-  /** Default character for unknown engines */
-  defaults: EngineCharacter
+  /** Persona definitions keyed by persona name */
+  personas: Record<string, Persona>
+  /** Agent ID to persona name mapping */
+  agents: Record<string, string>
+  /** Default persona for unmapped agents */
+  defaultPersona: string
 }