Add `--no-context-files` (`-nc`) flag to skip AGENTS.md / CLAUDE.md loading

[quangdang46]

Add --no-context-files (-nc) flag to skip AGENTS.md / CLAUDE.md loading

Summary

Add a CLI flag that disables automatic loading of AGENTS.md / CLAUDE.md / JCODE.md context files at session start. Useful for: scripts that want a clean baseline, evaluations, reproducing user-reported bugs without their local context, and CI smoke tests.

Reference: pi --no-context-files / -nc.

Why

• Today every session inherits whatever AGENTS.md chain the cwd produces. Reproducing a bug means temporarily renaming files — error-prone.
• Required for sound benchmarks of "core jcode behavior" without project-specific overrides.
• Small, isolated change with no behavioral impact when not set.

Current state in jcode

• jcode loads AGENTS.md automatically (this very repo's AGENTS.md is consumed every session). No flag turns it off.
• Grep finds no no_context_files, no-context-files, skip_agents_md.

Implementation checklist

1. CLI flag

• Add a global flag in src/cli/args.rs:

  /// Skip loading AGENTS.md / CLAUDE.md / JCODE.md context files for this session.
  #[arg(long = "no-context-files", short = 'n', global = true)]
  pub(crate) no_context_files: bool,

  (Choose a non-conflicting short alias; -nc directly is two chars, so prefer the long form.)
• Plumb through to the existing context loader (src/prompt.rs and/or wherever AGENTS.md is consumed).

2. Env var

• Honor JCODE_NO_CONTEXT_FILES=1 as an alternate path for scripts.

3. Settings

• Add an loadContextFiles: bool = true setting in the user/project config so it can be permanently off in CI environments.

4. UX

• When skipped, log a single line at session start: Context files disabled (--no-context-files). This is critical so users don't get confused why behavior changed.

Testing

Unit

• With the flag set, the context-file loader returns an empty list even when fixture AGENTS.md is present.
• Env var path and CLI path both work; CLI overrides settings.

Manual smoke

• jcode --no-context-files run "What's in AGENTS.md?" — agent has no auto-loaded knowledge of it.

Acceptance criteria

• Flag works for jcode, jcode run, jcode serve/connect.
• Documented in --help and README.md.
• Single-line log entry confirms the flag took effect.

References

• pi: Context Files > --no-context-files.

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Implementation notes addendum (Devin gap-analysis pass, 2026-05-21)

Status

• PR feat(cli): add --no-context-files / -c flag to skip AGENTS.md and CLAUDE.md context loading #21 (open as of 2026-05-21) attempts this. Devin posted a detailed review listing blocking issues that must be fixed before merge — see feat(cli): add --no-context-files / -c flag to skip AGENTS.md and CLAUDE.md context loading #21 (comment).
• Key blocking finding: the current PR adds the --no-context-files field to Args but never reads it — the actual gating is done via env vars. The CLI flag is therefore a no-op. See the review comment for the minimal fix (translate the flag → env var in cli/startup.rs, the way args.trace is handled today).

Verified jcode code paths

• CLI args: src/cli/args.rs (already has the field as of PR feat(cli): add --no-context-files / -c flag to skip AGENTS.md and CLAUDE.md context loading #21).
• Wire-up site: src/cli/startup.rs parse_and_prepare_args() — see how args.trace is translated to JCODE_TRACE.
• Loader to skip: load_agents_md_files_from_dir() in src/prompt.rs.
• Settings (for the "permanently off in CI" path): ~/.jcode/config.toml via src/config.rs.

Acceptance criteria (carry-over from issue #9 original spec; restated for clarity)

• Both --no-context-files and JCODE_NO_CONTEXT_FILES=1 work (CLI flag overrides env which overrides settings).
• A single log line Context files disabled (--no-context-files) is emitted on session start when active.
• Settings supports loadContextFiles: bool = true.
• --no-context-files works for jcode, jcode run, jcode serve/connect.
• README and --help updated.
• Unit tests cover both flag and env-var paths.

Cross-references

• PR feat(cli): add --no-context-files / -c flag to skip AGENTS.md and CLAUDE.md context loading #21 — in-progress implementation.
• Interactive /settings UI for config inspection and edits #7 /settings — loadContextFiles is a field the settings UI should expose.