TUI Commands

This page explains what each Tandem TUI command does, when to use it, and the most common examples.

Tip: type / in chat to open command autocomplete.

Command Syntax

<required> means you must provide a value.
[optional] means the value is optional.
For JSON arguments, use valid JSON (double quotes around keys/strings).

Global Keybindings

These work from most TUI screens.

Key	What it does
`Ctrl+C`	In chat: cancel active run. Press again within 1.5s to quit.
`Ctrl+X`	Quit Tandem TUI immediately.
`Ctrl+N`	Create a new agent pane in chat.
`Ctrl+W`	Close active agent pane.
`Ctrl+U`	Page up in transcript/content.
`Ctrl+D`	Page down in transcript/content.
`Ctrl+Y`	Copy latest assistant response to clipboard.

Key	What it does
`n`	Create a new session.
`j` / `Down`	Select next session.
`k` / `Up`	Select previous session.
`d` / `Delete`	Delete selected session.
`Enter`	Open selected session.
`q`	Quit TUI.

Chat Keys

Key	What it does
`Enter`	Send current prompt.
`Shift+Enter` / `Alt+Enter`	Insert newline in composer.
`Tab` / `Shift+Tab`	Next/previous agent pane.
`Alt+1..9`	Jump directly to agent `A1..A9`.
`Alt+M`	Cycle mode (`ask`, `plan`, `coder`, etc).
`Alt+G`	Toggle Focus/Grid view.
`[` / `]`	Previous/next grid page.
`Alt+R`	Open Request Center.
`Alt+I`	Queue steering interrupt message.
`F1`	Help modal.
`F2`	Open docs.

Request Center Keys

When requests are pending:

Key	What it does
`Enter`	Confirm current request choice/answer.
`r`	Reject current request.
`Esc`	Close request center.
`Space`	Toggle selected option (questions) or cycle permission choice.
`Left` / `Right`	Move choice cursor (question options or permission choice).
`1..9`	Select option by number (when available).
`Up` / `Down`	For question requests: move option cursor. For permission requests: move request cursor.
`Ctrl+Up` / `Ctrl+Down`	Move previous/next request explicitly.
`Ctrl+E`	Expand/collapse compact request panel.

Slash Commands

Basics

`/help`

Show built-in command help.

/help

`/engine status`

Show engine health, version, mode, endpoint, and connection source.

/engine status

`/engine restart`

Restart the engine process and reconnect.

/engine restart

`/engine token` and `/engine token show`

Show masked engine token or full token.

/engine token
/engine token show

`/diff`

Open the current workspace git diff in the pager overlay.

/diff

`/files [query]`

Open fuzzy file search and insert the selected path as an @mention.

/files
/files src/client

`/edit`

Edit the current draft in $VISUAL or $EDITOR, then return to the TUI.

/edit

`/workspace [show|use <path>]`

Show or switch the active workspace directory used by the current TUI process.

/workspace
/workspace show
/workspace use /path/to/your/workspace
/workspace use ~/projects/tandem

Engine Context Runs

`/context_runs`

List context runs from the engine.

/context_runs

`/context_run_create <json>`

Create a new context run.

/context_run_create {"objective":"Summarize the run plan","workspace":"/path/to/your/workspace"}

`/context_run_get <run_id>`

Show the current state of a context run.

/context_run_get run_123

`/context_run_events <run_id>`

Stream recent events for a context run.

/context_run_events run_123

`/context_run_pause <run_id>`

Pause a running context run.

/context_run_pause run_123

`/context_run_resume <run_id>`

Resume a paused context run.

/context_run_resume run_123

`/context_run_cancel <run_id>`

Cancel a context run.

/context_run_cancel run_123

`/context_run_blackboard <run_id>`

Show the blackboard summary for a context run.

/context_run_blackboard run_123

`/context_run_next <run_id>`

Ask the engine to choose the next step.

/context_run_next run_123

`/context_run_replay <run_id>`

Replay a context run from events/checkpoints.

/context_run_replay run_123

`/context_run_lineage <run_id>`

Show decision lineage for a context run.

/context_run_lineage run_123

`/context_run_bind <run_id>`

Bind active agent todo updates to a context run.

/context_run_bind run_123

`/context_run_sync_tasks <run_id>`

Sync current TUI tasks into context run steps.

/context_run_sync_tasks run_123

Sessions and Chat

`/sessions`

List available sessions with IDs.

/sessions

`/new [title...]`

Create a new session. If title is omitted, default title is used.

/new
/new Release prep

`/use <session_id>`

Switch current chat to an existing session.

/use 1aa70178-...

`/recent`

List recently used slash commands and show replay helpers.

/recent

`/recent run <index>`

Replay a previously used slash command by its 1-based index.

/recent run 1

`/recent clear`

Clear stored recent slash-command history.

/recent clear

`/title <new title...>`

Rename current session.

/title Plan for March launch

`/prompt <text...>`

Send text to current session (same as typing normally, but explicit).

/prompt Summarize this repository architecture.

`/messages [limit]`

Show historical messages from current session.

/messages
/messages 30

`/cancel`

Cancel active run in current session.

/cancel

`/last_error`

Show most recent prompt/system error for current session.

/last_error

`/copy`

Copy latest assistant response to clipboard.

/copy

Agent Commands

`/agent new`

Create additional agent pane (multi-agent chat view).

/agent new

`/agent list`

List agent panes, status, and bound session IDs.

/agent list

`/agent use <A#>`

Switch active agent pane.

/agent use A2

`/agent close`

Close active agent pane.

/agent close

`/agent fanout [n]`

Ensure n agents exist and switch to Grid view. Default is 4.

If a goal is provided (/agent fanout [n] <goal...>), TUI dispatches a coordinated team kickoff to workers.
If current mode is plan, fanout auto-switches mode to orchestrate.

/agent fanout
/agent fanout 4
/agent fanout 6
/agent fanout 4 ship vps stress-lab improvements

Modes

`/modes`

List available modes.

/modes

`/mode`

Show current mode.

/mode

`/mode <name>`

Set mode (ask, plan, coder, explore, immediate, orchestrate).

/mode plan
/mode coder

Providers and Models

`/providers`

List providers known by engine and whether configured.

/providers

`/provider <id>`

Set active provider for new requests.

/provider openrouter

`/models [provider]`

List models for active or specified provider.

/models
/models openrouter

`/model <model_id>`

Set active model.

/model z-ai/glm-5

Keys and Credentials

`/keys`

Show configured provider auth/key status.

/keys

`/key set <provider> <api_key>`

Set provider key.

/key set openrouter sk-or-...

`/key remove <provider>`

Remove stored provider key.

/key remove openrouter

`/key test <provider>`

Test connectivity for a provider.

/key test openrouter

Request Approval and Questions

`/requests`

Open request center for pending permission/question requests.

/requests

`/approve <request_id> [always]`

Approve tool permission request once or persistently.

/approve req_123
/approve req_123 always

`/approve all`

Approve all pending requests in current session.

/approve all

`/deny <request_id>`

Deny a permission request.

/deny req_123

`/answer <question_id> <reply>`

Send freeform answer text to a question request.

/answer q_456 Proceed with option 2.

Tools and Queue Control

`/tool <name> <json_args>`

Pass-through tool call directly to engine.

/tool webfetch {"url":"https://tandem.ac/","return":"text"}

`/steer <message>`

Queue steering message to redirect active run.

/steer Focus only on tests that currently fail.

`/followup <message>`

Queue follow-up message after active run completes.

/followup Next, generate a rollout checklist.

`/queue`

Show steering/follow-up queue state.

/queue

`/queue clear`

Clear queued steering and follow-up messages.

/queue clear

Task Commands (Local Task List Panel)

`/task add <description...>`

Add local task item.

/task add write smoke tests for auth flow

`/task done <id>` `/task fail <id>` `/task work <id>` `/task pending <id>`

Update task status.

/task work task-3
/task done task-3

`/task pin <id>`

Pin/unpin task in list.

/task pin task-2

`/task list`

List current tasks and statuses.

/task list

Routines

`/routines`

List routines.

/routines

`/routine_create <id> <interval_seconds> <entrypoint>`

Create interval routine.

/routine_create nightly-summary 86400 mission.default

`/routine_edit <id> <interval_seconds>`

Update routine schedule.

/routine_edit nightly-summary 43200

`/routine_pause <id>` `/routine_resume <id>`

Pause/resume routine execution.

/routine_pause nightly-summary
/routine_resume nightly-summary

`/routine_run_now <id> [count]`

Trigger routine immediately.

/routine_run_now nightly-summary
/routine_run_now nightly-summary 3

`/routine_delete <id>`

Delete routine.

/routine_delete nightly-summary

`/routine_history <id> [limit]`

Show routine run history.

/routine_history nightly-summary
/routine_history nightly-summary 20

Missions

`/missions`

List missions.

/missions

`/mission_create <title> :: <goal> [:: work_item_title]`

Create mission quickly from inline text.

/mission_create Release prep :: Ship v0.3.20 safely :: Final QA pass

`/mission_get <mission_id>`

Show mission details.

/mission_get mission_abc

`/mission_event <mission_id> <event_json>`

Apply raw mission event JSON.

/mission_event mission_abc {"type":"mission_started"}

`/mission_start <mission_id>`

Shortcut mission started event.

/mission_start mission_abc

`/mission_review_ok <mission_id> <work_item_id> [approval_id]`

Approve review gate.

/mission_review_ok mission_abc work_1

`/mission_test_ok <mission_id> <work_item_id> [approval_id]`

Approve test gate.

/mission_test_ok mission_abc work_1

`/mission_review_no <mission_id> <work_item_id> [reason]`

Deny review gate with optional reason.

/mission_review_no mission_abc work_1 "needs docs updates"

Agent-Team (Orchestration)

`/agent-team`

Show agent-team dashboard summary.

/agent-team

`/agent-team missions`

List mission rollups for agent-team subsystem.

/agent-team missions

`/agent-team instances [mission_id]`

List running instances, optionally scoped to one mission.

/agent-team instances
/agent-team instances mission_abc

`/agent-team approvals`

List pending agent-team approvals.

/agent-team approvals

`/agent-team approve spawn <approval_id> [reason]`

Approve spawn approval request.

/agent-team approve spawn appr_123

`/agent-team deny spawn <approval_id> [reason]`

Deny spawn approval request.

/agent-team deny spawn appr_123 "resource limit"

`/agent-team approve tool <request_id>`

Approve tool permission request from agent-team run.

/agent-team approve tool req_987

`/agent-team deny tool <request_id>`

Deny tool permission request from agent-team run.

/agent-team deny tool req_987

Config

`/config`

Print current engine/TUI config snapshot.

/config

Practical Workflows

Start a clean Plan-mode session

/new plan website migration
/mode plan
/provider openrouter
/model z-ai/glm-5

Force 4-agent execution layout

/agent fanout 4

Resolve pending requests quickly

/requests
/approve all

TUI Commands

Command Syntax

Global Keybindings

Main Menu Keys (Sessions Screen)

Chat Keys

Request Center Keys

Slash Commands

Basics

/help

/engine status

/engine restart

/engine token and /engine token show

/diff

/files [query]

/edit

/workspace [show|use <path>]

Engine Context Runs

/context_runs

/context_run_create <json>

/context_run_get <run_id>

/context_run_events <run_id>

/context_run_pause <run_id>

/context_run_resume <run_id>

/context_run_cancel <run_id>

/context_run_blackboard <run_id>

/context_run_next <run_id>

/context_run_replay <run_id>

/context_run_lineage <run_id>

/context_run_bind <run_id>

/context_run_sync_tasks <run_id>

Sessions and Chat

/sessions

/new [title...]

/use <session_id>

/recent

/recent run <index>

/recent clear

/title <new title...>

/prompt <text...>

/messages [limit]

/cancel

/last_error

/copy