[cli] [web] Allow opening web UI without config validation, show better UI when runs can't be found

.changeset/vast-files-judge.md

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@workflow/cli": patch
+---
+
+Allow opening UI without a valid local config detected, UI will show warning and watch folder

packages/cli/src/commands/cancel.ts

@@ -32,6 +32,11 @@ export default class Cancel extends BaseCommand {
     const { flags, args } = await this.parse(Cancel);
 
     const world = await setupCliWorld(flags, this.config.version);
+    if (!world) {
+      throw new Error(
+        'Failed to connect to backend. Check your configuration.'
+      );
+    }
 
     await cancelRun(world, args.runId);
   }

packages/cli/src/commands/inspect.ts

@@ -141,15 +141,24 @@ export default class Inspect extends BaseCommand {
 
       const id = args.id;
 
-      const world = await setupCliWorld(flags, this.config.version);
+      // For web mode, allow config errors so we can open the web UI for configuration
+      const isWebMode = flags.web || resource === 'web';
+      const world = await setupCliWorld(flags, this.config.version, isWebMode);
 
       // Handle web UI mode
-      if (flags.web || resource === 'web') {
+      if (isWebMode) {
         const actualResource = resource === 'web' ? 'run' : resource;
         await launchWebUI(actualResource, id, flags, this.config.version);
         process.exit(0);
       }
 
+      // For non-web commands, we need a valid world
+      if (!world) {
+        throw new Error(
+          'Failed to connect to backend. Check your configuration.'
+        );
+      }
+
       // Convert flags to InspectCLIOptions with proper typing
       const options = toInspectOptions(flags);
 

packages/cli/src/commands/start.ts

@@ -47,6 +47,11 @@ export default class Start extends BaseCommand {
     const stringArgs = restArgs.map((arg) => String(arg));
 
     const world = await setupCliWorld(flags, this.config.version);
+    if (!world) {
+      throw new Error(
+        'Failed to connect to backend. Check your configuration.'
+      );
+    }
 
     await startRun(world, args.workflowName, flags, stringArgs);
   }

packages/cli/src/commands/web.ts

@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@ export default class Web extends BaseCommand {
 
       // Setup the CLI world to write env vars from flags
       // This ensures backend, authToken, team, project, etc. are properly set
-      await setupCliWorld(flags, this.config.version);
+      // Don't throw on config errors - let the web UI handle them
+      await setupCliWorld(flags, this.config.version, true);
 
       // Launch web UI with 'run' as the default resource
       await launchWebUI('run', id, flags, this.config.version);

packages/cli/src/lib/inspect/env.ts

@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 import { access } from 'node:fs/promises';
 import { join, resolve } from 'node:path';
-import {
-  findWorkflowDataDir,
-  possibleWorkflowDataPaths,
-} from '@workflow/utils/check-data-dir';
+import { findWorkflowDataDir } from '@workflow/utils/check-data-dir';
 import { logger } from '../config/log.js';
 import { getWorkflowConfig } from '../config/workflow-config.js';
 import { getAuth } from './auth.js';
@@ -76,6 +73,8 @@ async function findManifestPath(cwd: string) {
 /**
  * Overwrites process.env variables related to local world configuration,
  * if relevant environment variables aren't set already.
+ *
+ * Throws if the workflow data directory can not be found.
  */
 export const inferLocalWorldEnvVars = async () => {
   const envVars = getEnvVars();
@@ -93,7 +92,7 @@ export const inferLocalWorldEnvVars = async () => {
   // Infer workflow data directory
   if (!envVars.WORKFLOW_LOCAL_DATA_DIR) {
     const localResult = await findWorkflowDataDir(cwd);
-    if (localResult) {
+    if (localResult.dataDir) {
       logger.debug('Found workflow data directory:', localResult.dataDir);
       envVars.WORKFLOW_LOCAL_DATA_DIR = localResult.dataDir;
       writeEnvVars(envVars);
@@ -102,21 +101,15 @@ export const inferLocalWorldEnvVars = async () => {
       repoRoot = await findRepoRoot(cwd, cwd);
       if (repoRoot) {
         const repoResult = await findWorkflowDataDir(repoRoot);
-        if (repoResult) {
+        if (repoResult.dataDir) {
           logger.debug('Found workflow data directory:', repoResult.dataDir);
           envVars.WORKFLOW_LOCAL_DATA_DIR = repoResult.dataDir;
           writeEnvVars(envVars);
         }
       }
-
       if (!envVars.WORKFLOW_LOCAL_DATA_DIR) {
-        logger.error(
-          `No workflow data directory found in "${cwd}". Have you run any workflows yet?`
-        );
-        logger.warn(
-          `\nCheck whether your data is in any of:\n${possibleWorkflowDataPaths.map((p: string) => `  ${cwd}/${p}${repoRoot && repoRoot !== cwd ? `\n  ${repoRoot}/${p}` : ''}`).join('\n')}\n`
-        );
-        throw new Error('No workflow data directory found');
+        const message = `No workflow data directory found in "${cwd}". Have you run any workflows yet?`;
+        throw new Error(message);
       }
     }
   }

packages/cli/src/lib/inspect/output.ts

@@ -347,7 +347,11 @@ const showTable = (
   TABLE_TRUNCATE_IO_LENGTH = displaySettings.dataFieldWidth;
 
   // Show status legend if using abbreviated status
-  if (displaySettings.abbreviateStatus && visibleProps.includes('status')) {
+  if (
+    data.length > 0 &&
+    displaySettings.abbreviateStatus &&
+    visibleProps.includes('status')
+  ) {
     showStatusLegend();
   }
 

packages/cli/src/lib/inspect/setup.ts

@@ -8,6 +8,11 @@ import {
   writeEnvVars,
 } from './env.js';
 
+/**
+ * Setup CLI world configuration.
+ * If throwOnConfigError is false, will return null world with the error message
+ * instead of throwing, allowing the web UI to open for configuration.
+ */
 export const setupCliWorld = async (
   flags: {
     json: boolean;
@@ -18,8 +23,9 @@ export const setupCliWorld = async (
     project: string;
     team: string;
   },
-  version: string
-) => {
+  version: string,
+  ignoreLocalWorldConfigError = false
+): Promise<Awaited<ReturnType<typeof createWorld>> | null> => {
   setJsonMode(Boolean(flags.json));
   setVerboseMode(Boolean(flags.verbose));
 
@@ -30,9 +36,9 @@ export const setupCliWorld = async (
 
   logger.showBox(
     'green',
-    `        Workflow CLI v${version}        `,
-    `        Docs at ${docsUrl}          `,
-    chalk.yellow('This is a beta release - commands might change')
+    `Workflow CLI v${version}`,
+    `Docs at ${docsUrl}`,
+    chalk.yellow('This is a beta release')
   );
 
   logger.debug('Inferring env vars, backend:', flags.backend);
@@ -55,9 +61,25 @@ export const setupCliWorld = async (
     flags.backend === 'local' ||
     flags.backend === '@workflow/world-local'
   ) {
-    await inferLocalWorldEnvVars();
+    try {
+      await inferLocalWorldEnvVars();
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (ignoreLocalWorldConfigError) {
+        const configError =
+          error instanceof Error
+            ? error.message
+            : 'Unknown configuration error';
+        logger.warn(
+          'Failed to find valid local world configuration:',
+          configError
+        );
+        return null;
+      }
+      throw error;
+    }
   }
 
   logger.debug('Initializing world');
-  return createWorld();
+  const world = await createWorld();
+  return world;
 };

packages/cli/src/lib/inspect/web.ts

@@ -304,8 +304,9 @@ export async function launchWebUI(
   const alreadyRunning = await isServerRunning(hostUrl);
 
   if (alreadyRunning) {
-    logger.info(chalk.cyan('Web UI server is already running'));
-    logger.info(chalk.cyan(`Access at: ${hostUrl}`));
+    logger.info(
+      chalk.cyan(`Web UI server is already running on port ${webPort}.`)
+    );
   } else {
     // Start the server
     const started = await startWebServer(webPort);