[codex exec] Add item.started and support it for command execution (#4250)

Adds a new `item.started` event to `codex exec` and implements it for
command_execution item type.

```jsonl
{"type":"session.created","session_id":"019982d1-75f0-7920-b051-e0d3731a5ed8"}
{"type":"item.completed","item":{"id":"item_0","item_type":"reasoning","text":"**Executing commands securely**\n\nI'm thinking about how the default harness typically uses \"bash -lc,\" while historically \"bash\" is what we've been using. The command should be executed as a string in our CLI, so using \"bash -lc 'echo hello'\" is optimal but calling \"echo hello\" directly feels safer. The sandbox makes sure environment variables like CODEX_SANDBOX_NETWORK_DISABLED=1 are set, so I won't ask for approval. I just need to run \"echo hello\" and correctly present the output."}}
{"type":"item.completed","item":{"id":"item_1","item_type":"reasoning","text":"**Preparing for tool calls**\n\nI realize that I need to include a preamble before making any tool calls. So, I'll first state the preamble in the commentary channel, then proceed with the tool call. After that, I need to present the final message along with the output. It's possible that the CLI will show the output inline, but I must ensure that I present the result clearly regardless. Let's move forward and get this organized!"}}
{"type":"item.completed","item":{"id":"item_2","item_type":"assistant_message","text":"Running `echo` to confirm shell access and print output."}}
{"type":"item.started","item":{"id":"item_3","item_type":"command_execution","command":"bash -lc echo hello","aggregated_output":"","exit_code":null,"status":"in_progress"}}
{"type":"item.completed","item":{"id":"item_3","item_type":"command_execution","command":"bash -lc echo hello","aggregated_output":"hello\n","exit_code":0,"status":"completed"}}
{"type":"item.completed","item":{"id":"item_4","item_type":"assistant_message","text":"hello"}}
```

codex-rs/exec/src/exec_events.rs

@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ use ts_rs::TS;
 pub enum ConversationEvent {
     #[serde(rename = "session.created")]
     SessionCreated(SessionCreatedEvent),
+    #[serde(rename = "item.started")]
+    ItemStarted(ItemStartedEvent),
     #[serde(rename = "item.completed")]
     ItemCompleted(ItemCompletedEvent),
     #[serde(rename = "error")]
@@ -20,6 +22,12 @@ pub struct SessionCreatedEvent {
     pub session_id: String,
 }
 
+/// Payload describing the start of an existing conversation item.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize, PartialEq, Eq, TS)]
+pub struct ItemStartedEvent {
+    pub item: ConversationItem,
+}
+
 /// Payload describing the completion of an existing conversation item.
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize, PartialEq, Eq, TS)]
 pub struct ItemCompletedEvent {
@@ -85,7 +93,8 @@ pub enum CommandExecutionStatus {
 pub struct CommandExecutionItem {
     pub command: String,
     pub aggregated_output: String,
-    pub exit_code: i32,
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    pub exit_code: Option<i32>,
     pub status: CommandExecutionStatus,
 }
 

codex-rs/exec/src/experimental_event_processor_with_json_output.rs

@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ use crate::exec_events::ConversationItemDetails;
 use crate::exec_events::FileChangeItem;
 use crate::exec_events::FileUpdateChange;
 use crate::exec_events::ItemCompletedEvent;
+use crate::exec_events::ItemStartedEvent;
 use crate::exec_events::PatchApplyStatus;
 use crate::exec_events::PatchChangeKind;
 use crate::exec_events::ReasoningItem;
@@ -32,14 +33,22 @@ use codex_core::protocol::PatchApplyEndEvent;
 use codex_core::protocol::SessionConfiguredEvent;
 use codex_core::protocol::TaskCompleteEvent;
 use tracing::error;
+use tracing::warn;
 
 pub struct ExperimentalEventProcessorWithJsonOutput {
     last_message_path: Option<PathBuf>,
     next_event_id: AtomicU64,
-    running_commands: HashMap<String, Vec<String>>,
+    // Tracks running commands by call_id, including the associated item id.
+    running_commands: HashMap<String, RunningCommand>,
     running_patch_applies: HashMap<String, PatchApplyBeginEvent>,
 }
 
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+struct RunningCommand {
+    command: String,
+    item_id: String,
+}
+
 impl ExperimentalEventProcessorWithJsonOutput {
     pub fn new(last_message_path: Option<PathBuf>) -> Self {
         Self {
@@ -114,10 +123,38 @@ impl ExperimentalEventProcessorWithJsonOutput {
         })]
     }
     fn handle_exec_command_begin(&mut self, ev: &ExecCommandBeginEvent) -> Vec<ConversationEvent> {
-        self.running_commands
+        let item_id = self.get_next_item_id();
-            .insert(ev.call_id.clone(), ev.command.clone());
 
-        Vec::new()
+        let command_string = match shlex::try_join(ev.command.iter().map(String::as_str)) {
+            Ok(command_string) => command_string,
+            Err(e) => {
+                warn!(
+                    call_id = ev.call_id,
+                    "Failed to stringify command: {e:?}; skipping item.started"
+                );
+                ev.command.join(" ")
+            }
+        };
+
+        self.running_commands.insert(
+            ev.call_id.clone(),
+            RunningCommand {
+                command: command_string.clone(),
+                item_id: item_id.clone(),
+            },
+        );
+
+        let item = ConversationItem {
+            id: item_id,
+            details: ConversationItemDetails::CommandExecution(CommandExecutionItem {
+                command: command_string,
+                aggregated_output: String::new(),
+                exit_code: None,
+                status: CommandExecutionStatus::InProgress,
+            }),
+        };
+
+        vec![ConversationEvent::ItemStarted(ItemStartedEvent { item })]
     }
 
     fn handle_patch_apply_begin(&mut self, ev: &PatchApplyBeginEvent) -> Vec<ConversationEvent> {
@@ -167,23 +204,26 @@ impl ExperimentalEventProcessorWithJsonOutput {
     }
 
     fn handle_exec_command_end(&mut self, ev: &ExecCommandEndEvent) -> Vec<ConversationEvent> {
-        let command = self
+        let Some(RunningCommand { command, item_id }) = self.running_commands.remove(&ev.call_id)
-            .running_commands
+        else {
-            .remove(&ev.call_id)
+            warn!(
-            .map(|command| command.join(" "))
+                call_id = ev.call_id,
-            .unwrap_or_default();
+                "ExecCommandEnd without matching ExecCommandBegin; skipping item.completed"
+            );
+            return Vec::new();
+        };
         let status = if ev.exit_code == 0 {
             CommandExecutionStatus::Completed
         } else {
             CommandExecutionStatus::Failed
         };
         let item = ConversationItem {
-            id: self.get_next_item_id(),
+            id: item_id,
 
             details: ConversationItemDetails::CommandExecution(CommandExecutionItem {
                 command,
                 aggregated_output: ev.aggregated_output.clone(),
-                exit_code: ev.exit_code,
+                exit_code: Some(ev.exit_code),
                 status,
             }),
         };

codex-rs/exec/tests/event_processor_with_json_output.rs

@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ use codex_exec::exec_events::ConversationEvent;
 use codex_exec::exec_events::ConversationItem;
 use codex_exec::exec_events::ConversationItemDetails;
 use codex_exec::exec_events::ItemCompletedEvent;
+use codex_exec::exec_events::ItemStartedEvent;
 use codex_exec::exec_events::PatchApplyStatus;
 use codex_exec::exec_events::PatchChangeKind;
 use codex_exec::exec_events::ReasoningItem;
@@ -156,7 +157,20 @@ fn exec_command_end_success_produces_completed_command_item() {
         }),
     );
     let out_begin = ep.collect_conversation_events(&begin);
-    assert!(out_begin.is_empty());
+    assert_eq!(
+        out_begin,
+        vec![ConversationEvent::ItemStarted(ItemStartedEvent {
+            item: ConversationItem {
+                id: "item_0".to_string(),
+                details: ConversationItemDetails::CommandExecution(CommandExecutionItem {
+                    command: "bash -lc 'echo hi'".to_string(),
+                    aggregated_output: String::new(),
+                    exit_code: None,
+                    status: CommandExecutionStatus::InProgress,
+                }),
+            },
+        })]
+    );
 
     // End (success) -> item.completed (item_0)
     let end_ok = event(
@@ -178,9 +192,9 @@ fn exec_command_end_success_produces_completed_command_item() {
             item: ConversationItem {
                 id: "item_0".to_string(),
                 details: ConversationItemDetails::CommandExecution(CommandExecutionItem {
-                    command: "bash -lc echo hi".to_string(),
+                    command: "bash -lc 'echo hi'".to_string(),
                     aggregated_output: "hi\n".to_string(),
-                    exit_code: 0,
+                    exit_code: Some(0),
                     status: CommandExecutionStatus::Completed,
                 }),
             },
@@ -202,7 +216,20 @@ fn exec_command_end_failure_produces_failed_command_item() {
             parsed_cmd: Vec::new(),
         }),
     );
-    assert!(ep.collect_conversation_events(&begin).is_empty());
+    assert_eq!(
+        ep.collect_conversation_events(&begin),
+        vec![ConversationEvent::ItemStarted(ItemStartedEvent {
+            item: ConversationItem {
+                id: "item_0".to_string(),
+                details: ConversationItemDetails::CommandExecution(CommandExecutionItem {
+                    command: "sh -c 'exit 1'".to_string(),
+                    aggregated_output: String::new(),
+                    exit_code: None,
+                    status: CommandExecutionStatus::InProgress,
+                }),
+            },
+        })]
+    );
 
     // End (failure) -> item.completed (item_0)
     let end_fail = event(
@@ -224,9 +251,9 @@ fn exec_command_end_failure_produces_failed_command_item() {
             item: ConversationItem {
                 id: "item_0".to_string(),
                 details: ConversationItemDetails::CommandExecution(CommandExecutionItem {
-                    command: "sh -c exit 1".to_string(),
+                    command: "sh -c 'exit 1'".to_string(),
                     aggregated_output: String::new(),
-                    exit_code: 1,
+                    exit_code: Some(1),
                     status: CommandExecutionStatus::Failed,
                 }),
             },
@@ -234,6 +261,27 @@ fn exec_command_end_failure_produces_failed_command_item() {
     );
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn exec_command_end_without_begin_is_ignored() {
+    let mut ep = ExperimentalEventProcessorWithJsonOutput::new(None);
+
+    // End event arrives without a prior Begin; should produce no conversation events.
+    let end_only = event(
+        "c1",
+        EventMsg::ExecCommandEnd(ExecCommandEndEvent {
+            call_id: "no-begin".to_string(),
+            stdout: String::new(),
+            stderr: String::new(),
+            aggregated_output: String::new(),
+            exit_code: 0,
+            duration: Duration::from_millis(1),
+            formatted_output: String::new(),
+        }),
+    );
+    let out = ep.collect_conversation_events(&end_only);
+    assert!(out.is_empty());
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn patch_apply_success_produces_item_completed_patchapply() {
     let mut ep = ExperimentalEventProcessorWithJsonOutput::new(None);