fix(ui): run /ask off the request path so the composer clears immediately (LC-676) #638

Merged

longjacksonle merged 1 commit from fix/LC-676-ask-async-composer into main

2026-08-04 21:14:55 +02:00

longjacksonle commented

2026-08-04 21:09:15 +02:00

Owner

Follow-up to LC-676 (the composer half). This is a SINGLE-commit PR so it can't lose a trailing commit like #636/#637 did.

Why a new PR

The async-ask commit (483646b) was pushed onto the #637 branch, but #637 was merged at its first commit (87befc8, the retrieval fix) before the async commit was picked up - the same drop that happened to #636. So the retrieval fix landed but the composer fix did not. Cherry-picked here as its own commit.

Symptom (1.png, 2.png)

After sending /ask ..., the composer keeps the typed text and the slash argument-hint stays up - for the whole answer duration - and the "The assistant is thinking..." placeholder shows in the meantime.

Root cause

handle_ask posted the placeholder and then ran the LLM synchronously, holding the /ask POST open for the whole multi-second local-model answer. The composer clears its text and dismisses the slash hint on the POST's return, so both hung until the answer resolved.

Fix

handle_ask now posts the placeholder and returns immediately, running retrieval + the LLM in a spawned task that replaces the placeholder body in place when ready. /ask answers with a fast 204 - the composer clears its text and slash hint at once - and the assistant works in the background (the placeholder is still the instant loading feedback). A failed answer resolves the placeholder to a friendly italic note instead of leaving "thinking..." forever (build_ask_answer never fails).

Tests

routes_assistant now polls for the async answer and still asserts one message (placeholder edited in place), the quiet quote, and no leftover "thinking". routes_assistant, fmt, clippy green.

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

https://claude.ai/code/session_013pGppokMfgq5W46EY2Takg

Follow-up to LC-676 (the composer half). This is a SINGLE-commit PR so it can't lose a trailing commit like #636/#637 did. ## Why a new PR The async-ask commit (`483646b`) was pushed onto the #637 branch, but #637 was merged at its first commit (`87befc8`, the retrieval fix) before the async commit was picked up - the same drop that happened to #636. So the retrieval fix landed but the composer fix did not. Cherry-picked here as its own commit. ## Symptom (1.png, 2.png) After sending `/ask ...`, the composer keeps the typed text and the slash argument-hint stays up - for the whole answer duration - and the "The assistant is thinking..." placeholder shows in the meantime. ## Root cause `handle_ask` posted the placeholder and then ran the LLM synchronously, holding the `/ask` POST open for the whole multi-second local-model answer. The composer clears its text and dismisses the slash hint on the POST's *return*, so both hung until the answer resolved. ## Fix `handle_ask` now posts the placeholder and returns immediately, running retrieval + the LLM in a spawned task that replaces the placeholder body in place when ready. `/ask` answers with a fast 204 - the composer clears its text and slash hint at once - and the assistant works in the background (the placeholder is still the instant loading feedback). A failed answer resolves the placeholder to a friendly italic note instead of leaving "thinking..." forever (`build_ask_answer` never fails). ## Tests `routes_assistant` now polls for the async answer and still asserts one message (placeholder edited in place), the quiet quote, and no leftover "thinking". routes_assistant, fmt, clippy green. 🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code) https://claude.ai/code/session_013pGppokMfgq5W46EY2Takg

longjacksonle added 1 commit

2026-08-04 21:09:15 +02:00

fix(ui): run /ask off the request path so the composer clears immediately (LC-676)

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1b463d899b

After LC-676 the /ask handler posted a "thinking..." placeholder and then ran the LLM synchronously, holding the POST open for the whole (multi-second, local-model) answer. The composer clears its text and dismisses the slash hint on the POST's *return*, so both hung for the entire answer: the box kept "/ask ..." and the argument hint stayed up until the answer resolved (ref 1.png, 2.png).

handle_ask now posts the placeholder and returns immediately, running the retrieval + LLM in a spawned task that replaces the placeholder body in place when the answer is ready. So /ask answers with a fast 204: the composer clears its text and slash hint at once, and the assistant works in the background (the placeholder is still the instant loading feedback). Errors resolve the placeholder to a friendly italic note rather than leaving "thinking..." forever (build_ask_answer never fails).

The integration test now polls for the resolved answer (the edit lands via the background task) and still asserts exactly one message (placeholder edited in place), the quiet quote, and no leftover "thinking". routes_assistant, fmt, clippy green.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_013pGppokMfgq5W46EY2Takg

longjacksonle scheduled this pull request to auto merge when all checks succeed

2026-08-04 21:09:43 +02:00