[ENHANCEMENT] Option to automatically show/focus terminal on command execution

[YousefBZo]

Problem (one or two sentences)

Users currently lack real-time visibility when Roo Code executes terminal commands, forcing them to manually open the terminal to monitor progress. This creates a disconnect and makes it harder to spot errors or hanging processes immediately.

Context (who is affected and when)

This affects all developers who rely on Roo Code for running build scripts, tests, or migrations. It is especially noticeable for those transitioning from Copilot or Cursor, where this visual feedback is standard.

Desired behavior (conceptual, not technical)

Add a toggle in the settings that, when enabled, automatically opens or brings the terminal into focus as soon as Roo Code starts running a command. This ensures the user can see exactly what is happening in real-time without extra clicks.

Constraints / preferences (optional)

The feature should be optional via a setting toggle (off by default) to avoid interrupting users who prefer a clean workspace. It should respect the user's existing terminal layout.

Request checklist

• I've searched existing Issues and Discussions for duplicates
• This describes a specific problem with clear context and impact

Roo Code Task Links (optional)

No response

Acceptance criteria (optional)

Given the "Auto-show terminal" setting is enabledWhen Roo Code executes a terminal commandThen the VS Code terminal panel should automatically open or gain focusAnd provide real-time output of the executionBut should NOT steal keyboard focus from the editor unless configured otherwise.

Proposed approach (optional)

Implement a new configuration flag "roo-code.terminal.autoShowOnExecute". When a command is triggered via the extension's execution engine, call the VS Code API to ensure the terminal part is visible if the flag is true.

Trade-offs / risks (optional)

The main risk is "UI clutter" for users who prefer keeping the terminal hidden. This is mitigated by making the feature strictly opt-in via settings.

[roomote-v0]

I've analyzed this issue and here's my proposed implementation plan:

Context: Currently, terminal.terminal.show(true) is already called in ExecuteCommandTool.ts (line 372) when using vscode terminals (shell integration enabled). However, when shell integration is disabled (the default), execa terminals are used and the VS Code terminal panel is never shown. Additionally, the show(true) call preserves editor focus -- there is no option to actually focus the terminal.

Proposed approach -- add a new terminalAutoShow setting:

1. Add terminalAutoShow to the shared state types (src/schemas/index.ts or wherever ExtensionState is defined) as an optional boolean, defaulting to false (opt-in).

2. Thread it through ClineProvider.ts -- persist/restore from global state like the other terminal settings (terminalShellIntegrationTimeout, terminalCommandDelay, etc.).

3. Use it in ExecuteCommandTool.ts -- In the executeCommand function, after the terminal is obtained (line 369), if terminalAutoShow is enabled:

   • For vscode terminals: already calls show(true) -- no change needed (panel is shown, editor keeps focus).
   • For execa terminals: call vscode.commands.executeCommand("workbench.panel.output.focus") or workbench.action.terminal.focus to reveal the terminal panel. Since execa terminals run in the background, the most useful behavior may be to just reveal the integrated terminal panel so the user sees something -- though execa output is not in the VS Code terminal. An alternative is to simply show the Roo Code output channel.

4. Add a UI toggle in TerminalSettings.tsx -- A checkbox "Auto-show terminal on command execution" in the Terminal section of settings, following the existing pattern for terminalShellIntegrationDisabled.

5. Handle the webview state update in webviewMessageHandler.ts -- add the new key to the state update handler, same pattern as terminalShellIntegrationDisabled.

Open question: When shell integration is disabled (execa mode, which is the default), there is no VS Code terminal to show since commands run via execa in the background. The options are:

• (a) Only auto-show for vscode terminals (shell integration enabled) -- simpler, but the setting has no effect in the default config.
• (b) When execa is used, reveal the Roo Code output panel or the terminal panel anyway -- provides visual feedback but the output appears in the chat, not the terminal.
• (c) Consider this setting as only meaningful when shell integration is enabled and document it accordingly.

I'd recommend option (c) for simplicity, or (a) with a note in the UI that this only applies when shell integration is enabled. Alternatively, we could auto-expand the command output in the chat UI when this setting is on (even with execa), which would provide the "real-time visibility" the user is looking for regardless of terminal mode.

Please mention @roomote in a comment saying that you approve this plan (and which option you prefer for the execa case), and I'll proceed with the implementation.

[YousefBZo]

@roomote I approve the plan. Please go with option (a) and (c). I want the terminal to show when it's available, and the command output in the chat to auto-expand when in execa mode. This way I can always see what's happening. Thanks!

[roomote-v0]

I've seen the approval and will proceed with option (a) + (c): auto-show the VS Code terminal when shell integration is enabled, and auto-expand command output in chat when in execa mode. I'll open a PR to share progress shortly.

[YousefBZo]

Awesome! Thank you for the update and for working on this. Looking forward to seeing the PR!

[roomote-v0]

Opened a draft PR with my attempt at addressing this: #12278

Adds a new terminalAutoShow setting (off by default) that auto-shows the VS Code terminal panel when shell integration is enabled, and auto-expands command output in chat when using the Inline Terminal. Feedback welcome!