stop displaying clever messages while the CLI is working (or at least add a robust option for the user to tell it to stop)

[rachelsaunders]

What would you like to be added?

The Gemini CLI displays all these "clever" messages or jokes while it's working. Things about light sabers and existential crises and all sorts of random other things... trying to be humorous. While these are fun in the first couple instances, as the session continues, these get really annoying. And they get infuriating when the Gemini CLI inevitably starts screwing up.

Sometimes, the Gemini CLI will listen to me when I ask it to stop, but it usually quickly reverts to displaying these messages again.

Alternatively, rather than the user having to turn them off completely, I would also support the team adding some "read the room" capability to how the CLI decides to display these loading phrases (i.e., when you're screwing up, don't make a joke... just get to the work). Or maybe the CLI can just pepper them in here and there rather than every time.

Why is this needed?

This user experience makes an already frustrating experience (the Gemini CLI screwing up) even MORE frustrating.

Additional context

No response

[gemini-cli[bot]]

The user is requesting an enhancement to the user experience by providing an option to disable the informational messages displayed while the CLI is working.

[rachelsaunders]

The AI-generated summary of my Issue is incorrect. I'm not asking for the option to disable the informational messages. I'm asking for the option to stop displaying the non-informational messages. I want to know what the Gemini CLI is doing. What I do not want is a bunch of messages about random things and jokes.

[nutspiano]

Agreed, very annoying. You can add this to your config file (~/.gemini/settings.json) to disable the messages:

  "accessibility": {
    "disableLoadingPhrases": true
  }

[rachelsaunders]

hmmm... I'm not entirely sure that this is what I want, though?

Are "Loading Phrases" the information and short phrases about what it's doing? (like "formulating a better approach") Or are they the annoying phrases and jokes? (like "preparing for warp drive" or "going down a rabbit hole" or "avoiding an existential crisis")

Because I want the former, but rarely (if ever) the latter.

[nutspiano]

The setting will only disable the "witty" ones, these bastards:

export const WITTY_LOADING_PHRASES = [
  "I'm Feeling Lucky",
  'Shipping awesomeness... ',
  'Painting the serifs back on...',
  'Navigating the slime mold...',
  'Consulting the digital spirits...',
  'Reticulating splines...',

[rickeylev]

I, for one, welcome these easter eggs. It's a much welcomed bit of fun and personality from the devs that shows their passion for the product, a level for which makes me proud to be their several-times-removed colleague.

[gabor-repos]

Those messages, are really funny (especially compared to the really annoying Claude CLI similar messages). Reading some of them I really LOL.
...however this is only for a few days, and when you are in the mood and there is no need for serious focusing work. After that those messages are really just unnecessary distraction which sucks your limited focus capability. Gemini CLI is not a toy, not a social platform. Question: Would you like a fellow team mate who in every conversation, whenever he say something useful before it bombed you with random sparks? Another question: Want Gemini CLI compete Claude CLI in this arena (I mean, who is the funniest) or the code quality? Bonus question: If the answer of the question above is "...well, partly yes :-)" then: Do you really think the developers are so stupid, that is matters them? (I mean when picking the right tool)

[smola]

Some of these messages are actively deceiving the user about what gemini is doing. Some "funny phrases" are about:

• Supposedly working on certain tasks (fixing syntax, undoing/doing changes).
• Jokes about erasing data and actively introducing memory corruption (double-free) in the code.

These are not amusing. Especially when you mix them arbitrarily with serious messages about the ongoing task being prepared. When is it talking seriously and when is it "joking"? Both have the same text position and color.

[gitcnd]

jackwotherspoon left a comment (google-gemini/gemini-cli#15075) Thanks @gitcnd for the feedback.

Going to close this as a duplicate, we are looking into whether disabling witty phrases by default is the best course of action.

YES - "disabling witty phrases by default is the best course of action." - if these even have any place at all in business products, they should only ever be opt-in.

The stupid things it said the very first time I used it were extremely alarming, before I figured out these were just jokes. SUPER DUMB IDEA TO HAVE PUT THOSE IN !!!!!

[ratijas]

I, for one, welcome these easter eggs.

These are not "easter eggs". For easter eggs you need to hunt or find them in rarely reachable places etc. These messages, on the other hand, are pretty much always right in your face, every time.

What's worse, sometimes it tells genuine summary of the ongoing task, and you can't always tell when it's a useful summary and when it's just bullshitting you with "existential crysis" or whatever.