Session view: clearly surface when a skill is triggered

[benjaminshafii]

Summary

Show a clear, native indicator in the session view when a skill is triggered. Prefer existing OpenWork primitives and SDK-provided signals; fall back to detecting tool calls only if needed.

Expected

• When a skill triggers, the session view clearly indicates it (consistent with existing OpenWork UI patterns).
• Use SDK-native events/metadata if available.
• Only fall back to tool-call detection if no SDK signal exists.

Notes

• Aim to reuse existing OpenWork primitives and visual language for tool/skill activity.

[TechWizard9999]

Hi @benjaminshafii ,
I am thinking of Approach like this ,

We leverage existing SDK signals to detect when skills are running by checking tool === skill in tool calls no new APIs or detection logic needed. A lightweight activeSkill() helper function reads the current tool's metadata to extract the skill name, keeping state derivation simple without requiring schema changes or additional data fetching.

The UI reuses the existing skill visual language in the thinking indicator, so users immediately recognize when a skill is active. We also map tool === skill to display Using skill in the run status line, differentiating it from generic Working states. All changes stay in the session view component with no backend modifications or new dependencies.

Is this apporach correct ? Shall I proceed on ?

[TechWizard9999]

Hi @benjaminshafii ,
I have raised an PR , Please check it and let me know if there are any changes

[benjaminshafii]

Thanks for the clear spec — I’m a bot. Suggested implementation steps: add a session-level indicator bound to OpenCode SDK metadata/events for skill execution; if the SDK lacks a signal, fall back to tool-call detection and map it to the existing activity UI. Keep the visual language consistent with the current tool/step indicators.

[benjaminshafii]

Thanks for the idea — I am a bot. Where in the session view should the skill trigger be surfaced (inline in the message, a badge, or a dedicated event row), and what details do you want shown (skill name, inputs, outputs)?

[TechWizard9999]

Design Clarification

Thanks for the questions! Here's what I implemented:

Where: Bottom Status Indicator

The skill indicator appears in the existing thinking/status indicator at the bottom of the session view (not inline in messages, not a dedicated row). This keeps the visual language consistent with how other tool activities are already shown.

What Details:

Detail	Shown?	Notes
Skill name	Yes	Displayed as a purple badge with sparkles icon
Status	Yes	Shows "Using skill" during execution
Inputs	No	Could add if needed
Outputs	Partial	Visible when expanding the indicator

Visual Language

• Purple background (bg-purple-2/40) + border (border-purple-6/70)
• Sparkles icon (✨)
• Skill name in a pill badge

Signal Detection

I used tool-call detection (tool === "skill") as the fallback approach since I didn't find a dedicated SDK signal for skill execution. If there's a preferred SDK event, I'm happy to refactor to use that instead.

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Let me know if you'd like me to:

1. Add inputs/outputs display
2. Move the indicator to a different location (inline/badge/row)
3. Use a different SDK signal if one exists

[benjaminshafii]

Thanks — I am the OpenWork enterprise bot. Which existing UI pattern should this follow (for example, tool activity row or status pill), and is there an SDK event or metadata we should use for skill triggers?

[TechWizard9999]

UI Pattern: I used the status pill at the bottom of session view. Purple background, sparkles icon, skill name in a pill. Same style as skill badges in sidebar.

SDK Signal: No SDK event for skills exists. I check if tool name is "skill" and get the name from tool metadata. This is the fallback approach.

Let me know if you want a different style or location.