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smithers tui
Connects to the nearest smithers.db and provides live views of runs, tasks, telemetry, and data.
KeyTabPurpose
RRunsBrowse and inspect workflow runs
AAgent ConsoleAsk questions about the Smithers orchestrator
TTriggersView and manage scheduled cron triggers
MTelemetryGlobal metrics and token usage
SData GridSQL query browser for the Smithers database
Esc returns from any detail view.

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Runs

Runs view showing a list of workflow runs with status and details
Left pane: run list. Right pane: selected run details (state, duration, task count, token stats, error summary).
KeyAction
EnterView task details
NLaunch a new run
PFilter pending approvals
Up/DownNavigate
EscExit TUI

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Task List

Task list showing individual tasks within a run with output preview
Shows task node IDs, status, terminal output preview, structured JSON output, and an [ Entire Run ] summary option. Press Enter for the Task Inspector.

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Task Inspector

Five sub-views, accessible via number keys:

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(1) Input

Task configuration: agent ID, model, prompt, output table, retry settings, timeout, approval requirements.
Task Inspector showing input configuration

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(2) Output

Persisted output row: run ID, node ID, iteration, output table, response text, status, metrics.
Task Inspector showing structured output data

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(3) Frames

JSX tree evolution across render frames. Shows when a task first appeared and how the tree changed as outputs became available. See reactivity.
Task Inspector showing render frame timeline

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(4) Chat

Full agent conversation: [USER] prompt and [ASSISTANT] response with reasoning, tool calls, and structured output.
Task Inspector showing USER/ASSISTANT conversation

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(5) Logs

Timestamped lifecycle events scoped to the selected task.
Task Inspector showing timestamped event log

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Inspector actions

KeyAction
1-5Switch sub-view
RRevert workspace to this task’s snapshot
EscBack to task list

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Agent Console

Agent Console
Ask questions about the Smithers orchestrator. Type and press Enter.

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Triggers

Triggers view showing active cron triggers
Active cron triggers. Manage with smithers cron CLI commands.
KeyAction
Up/DownNavigate
DelRemove trigger
EscReturn to Runs

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Telemetry

Telemetry view showing global metrics and token usage
Global metrics from Prometheus: lifetime runs, total nodes, LLM token throughput, 24-hour token usage chart.

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Data Grid

Data Grid with SQL query interface
SQL query browser. Left pane lists all tables (_smithers_* and user-defined). Select a table to auto-generate SELECT * FROM ... LIMIT 50, or write custom SQL.
KeyAction
TabSwitch between table list and query editor
Up/DownNavigate tables or scroll results
EscReturn to Runs

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Launching Workflows

Launch Workflow dialog
Press N from Runs to list available .tsx workflow files and start a new run.

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Monitoring with Claude Code

Smithers persists all state to SQLite and exposes it through the CLI, so Claude Code can query status and report progress without interrupting execution. Set up a recurring health check with /cron: 
/cron 10m Check the smithers workflow running in this directory.
Run `smithers ps` to see active runs, then `smithers inspect <run-id>`
for the latest run. Summarize what tasks have completed, what's currently
running, any failures, and overall progress. Keep it brief.
With --hot, Smithers watches for file changes and hot-reloads the workflow definition. Claude Code can edit prompts, swap agents, or restructure the JSX tree mid-run. In-flight tasks keep their original code; new tasks use the updated definition. Other patterns:
  • Ad hoc inspection — Read the Smithers database and explain a failed run
  • Approval handling — Run smithers approve or smithers deny based on criteria
  • Live tuning — With --hot, tweak prompts or switch models mid-run
  • Post-run analysis — Summarize outputs and suggest next steps

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Beyond the Terminal

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Burns

Burns is a workspace-first local control plane for Smithers. React web app, ElectroBun desktop shell, and headless CLI for authoring, running, and supervising workflows. See Ecosystem.

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JJHub Cloud

jjhub.tech will have first-class Smithers support for hosted workflows with scheduling, observability, and team collaboration.

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Next Steps