feat: present Ask User as a native builtin in the tools dialog

It ships with the app and pauses the run like a first-class feature, so it
belongs with the builtins (Run Code, Web Search, Memory, ...) rather than in
the third-party plugin list — while its mechanics stay exactly a plugin's:

- BuiltinId += 'ask_user_question' (documented exception: a native TOOL, not
  a capability; selection reads agent.tools, the toggle emits tool-add/remove
  patches instead of a capability field)
- buildCatalog surfaces it as a builtin gated on the same signals as before
  (tools capability on + the server lists the plugin, i.e. not admin-filtered)
  and skips it in the plugin loop so it never double-lists
- On-theme icon: lucide MessageCircleQuestion in a teal chip via the builtin
  icon map, matching the other native entries; the bespoke purple SVG and the
  manifest icon field are gone
- i18n'd name/description keys like the other builtins

api/app/clients/tools/manifest.json

@@ -94,7 +94,6 @@
     "name": "Ask User",
     "pluginKey": "ask_user_question",
     "description": "Let the agent pause mid-run to ask you a clarifying question and wait for your answer.",
-    "icon": "assets/ask-user-question.svg",
     "agentsOnly": true,
     "authConfig": []
   },

client/public/assets/ask-user-question.svg

@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none">
-  <rect width="24" height="24" rx="6" fill="#7C3AED"/>
-  <path d="M12 4.75c-3.31 0-6 2.32-6 5.18 0 1.63.87 3.08 2.24 4.03-.08.65-.35 1.5-1.04 2.29a.4.4 0 0 0 .32.66c1.5-.06 2.63-.63 3.36-1.19.36.06.74.09 1.12.09 3.31 0 6-2.32 6-5.18s-2.69-5.18-6-5.18Z" fill="#fff"/>
-  <path d="M11.98 12.05c-.4 0-.68-.28-.68-.67v-.09c0-.72.4-1.12.93-1.48.51-.35.73-.55.73-.94 0-.44-.35-.74-.89-.74-.42 0-.73.19-.94.55-.16.24-.36.35-.63.35-.4 0-.63-.26-.63-.58 0-.13.03-.25.08-.37.3-.71 1.13-1.19 2.19-1.19 1.32 0 2.26.73 2.26 1.86 0 .74-.37 1.16-.98 1.56-.52.34-.72.56-.74.99-.03.44-.28.75-.7.75Zm-.01 2.1a.83.83 0 0 1-.84-.83c0-.46.37-.83.84-.83.46 0 .83.37.83.83a.83.83 0 0 1-.83.83Z" fill="#7C3AED"/>
-</svg>

client/src/components/SidePanel/Agents/Tools/items/__tests__/catalog.spec.ts

@@ -57,6 +57,30 @@ describe('buildCatalog', () => {
     expect(systemDefined?.kind === 'builtin' && systemDefined.userProvidedAuth).toBe(false);
   });
 
+  test('surfaces ask_user_question as a BUILTIN (not a plugin) when the server lists it', () => {
+    const askPlugin = makePlugin({ pluginKey: 'ask_user_question', name: 'Ask User' });
+    const items = buildCatalog({ ...toolInputs, regularTools: [askPlugin] });
+    const builtin = items.find((i) => i.kind === 'builtin' && i.id === 'ask_user_question');
+    expect(builtin).toBeDefined();
+    expect(builtin?.iconKey).toBe('ask_user_question');
+    // never double-listed in the plugin section
+    expect(items.find((i) => i.kind === 'tool' && i.id === 'ask_user_question')).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  test('omits the ask_user_question builtin when the server filtered it or tools are off', () => {
+    const askPlugin = makePlugin({ pluginKey: 'ask_user_question', name: 'Ask User' });
+    // admin filtered (not in regularTools)
+    expect(
+      buildCatalog(toolInputs).find((i) => i.kind === 'builtin' && i.id === 'ask_user_question'),
+    ).toBeUndefined();
+    // tools capability off
+    expect(
+      buildCatalog({ ...emptyInputs, regularTools: [askPlugin] }).find(
+        (i) => i.kind === 'builtin' && i.id === 'ask_user_question',
+      ),
+    ).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
   test('hides MCP items when the user lacks MCP permission', () => {
     const map = new Map();
     map.set('srv', { serverName: 'srv', isConfigured: true, tools: [] });

client/src/components/SidePanel/Agents/Tools/items/__tests__/mutations.spec.ts

@@ -152,3 +152,24 @@ describe('skillsEnabledTransition', () => {
     expect(skillsEnabledTransition([], undefined)).toBeUndefined();
   });
 });
+
+describe('computeToggleAction — ask_user_question builtin', () => {
+  const item = {
+    kind: 'builtin',
+    id: 'ask_user_question',
+    iconKey: 'ask_user_question',
+    name: 'com_ui_ask_user',
+    description: 'com_agents_ask_user_info',
+  } as const;
+
+  test('toggles agent.tools, never a capability field', () => {
+    expect(computeToggleAction(item as never, { selected: false })).toEqual({
+      type: 'tool-add',
+      id: 'ask_user_question',
+    });
+    expect(computeToggleAction(item as never, { selected: true })).toEqual({
+      type: 'tool-remove',
+      id: 'ask_user_question',
+    });
+  });
+});

client/src/components/SidePanel/Agents/Tools/items/__tests__/selectors.spec.ts

@@ -224,3 +224,28 @@ describe('matchesMcpServer', () => {
     expect(matchesMcpServer('search_mcp_github_extra', 'github_extra')).toBe(true);
   });
 });
+
+describe('selection — ask_user_question builtin rides agent.tools', () => {
+  const catalogWithAsk: AgentItem[] = [
+    ...sampleCatalog,
+    {
+      kind: 'builtin',
+      id: 'ask_user_question',
+      name: 'com_ui_ask_user',
+      description: 'com_agents_ask_user_info',
+      iconKey: 'ask_user_question',
+    },
+  ];
+
+  test('selected iff agent.tools contains the tool (no capability field involved)', () => {
+    const selected = deriveSelectedItems(
+      { ...emptyFormState, tools: ['ask_user_question'] },
+      catalogWithAsk,
+      [],
+    );
+    expect(selected.map((i) => i.id)).toContain('ask_user_question');
+
+    const none = deriveSelectedItems(emptyFormState, catalogWithAsk, []);
+    expect(none.map((i) => i.id)).not.toContain('ask_user_question');
+  });
+});

client/src/components/SidePanel/Agents/Tools/items/catalog.ts

@@ -118,6 +118,27 @@ export function buildCatalog(inputs: BuildCatalogInputs): AgentItem[] {
     });
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Native tool presented with the builtins (it ships with the app and pauses
+   * the run like a first-class feature), while remaining an `agent.tools`
+   * entry mechanically. Availability = the plugin listing itself: it appears
+   * only when the `tools` capability is on AND the server lists the plugin
+   * (i.e. the admin didn't filter it) — the same gates as the plugin section
+   * it graduated from.
+   */
+  if (
+    enabled.has(AgentCapabilities.tools) &&
+    inputs.regularTools.some((plugin) => plugin.pluginKey === 'ask_user_question')
+  ) {
+    items.push({
+      kind: 'builtin',
+      id: 'ask_user_question',
+      iconKey: 'ask_user_question',
+      name: 'com_ui_ask_user',
+      description: 'com_agents_ask_user_info',
+    });
+  }
+
   if (inputs.showMemory) {
     items.push({
       kind: 'builtin',
@@ -150,6 +171,9 @@ export function buildCatalog(inputs: BuildCatalogInputs): AgentItem[] {
 
   if (enabled.has(AgentCapabilities.tools)) {
     for (const plugin of inputs.regularTools) {
+      if (plugin.pluginKey === 'ask_user_question') {
+        continue; // surfaced as a builtin above — don't double-list as a plugin
+      }
       items.push({
         kind: 'tool',
         id: plugin.pluginKey,

client/src/components/SidePanel/Agents/Tools/items/icons.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import {
   Code,
+  MessageCircleQuestion,
   Globe,
   Brain,
   Sparkles,
@@ -45,6 +46,10 @@ const BUILTIN_ICONS: Record<string, ItemIcon> = {
     Icon: Brain,
     colorClass: 'bg-indigo-500/15 text-indigo-600 dark:text-indigo-300',
   },
+  ask_user_question: {
+    Icon: MessageCircleQuestion,
+    colorClass: 'bg-teal-500/15 text-teal-600 dark:text-teal-300',
+  },
 };
 
 const KIND_FALLBACK_ICONS: Record<AgentItem['kind'], ItemIcon> = {

client/src/components/SidePanel/Agents/Tools/items/mutations.ts

@@ -13,8 +13,13 @@ export type TogglePatch =
   | { type: 'action-remove'; actionId: string };
 
 function builtinTogglePatch(id: string, selected: boolean): TogglePatch {
-  // Every BuiltinId string equals its AgentCapabilities enum value, so the id
-  // is already the form field name.
+  if (id === 'ask_user_question') {
+    // Native tool presented as a builtin — it has no capability field; the
+    // toggle edits agent.tools exactly like a plugin.
+    return selected ? { type: 'tool-remove', id } : { type: 'tool-add', id };
+  }
+  // Every other BuiltinId string equals its AgentCapabilities enum value, so
+  // the id is already the form field name.
   const field = id as AgentCapabilities;
   if (id === 'artifacts') {
     return { type: 'builtin', field, value: selected ? '' : ArtifactModes.DEFAULT };

client/src/components/SidePanel/Agents/Tools/items/selectors.ts

@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ function isBuiltinSelected(item: AgentItem, form: FormSelection): boolean {
       return Boolean(form.artifacts);
     case 'context':
       return form.context_files.length > 0;
+    case 'ask_user_question':
+      // Native tool presented as a builtin — selection lives in agent.tools.
+      return form.tools.includes('ask_user_question');
     default:
       return false;
   }

client/src/components/SidePanel/Agents/Tools/items/types.ts

@@ -14,7 +14,14 @@ export type BuiltinId =
   | `${AgentCapabilities.file_search}`
   | `${AgentCapabilities.artifacts}`
   | `${AgentCapabilities.memory}`
-  | `${AgentCapabilities.context}`;
+  | `${AgentCapabilities.context}`
+  /**
+   * Native tool, not a capability: PRESENTED with the builtins (it ships with
+   * the app and pauses the run, like a first-class feature), but selection and
+   * toggling ride `agent.tools` exactly like a plugin — see the special cases
+   * in `selectors.ts` / `mutations.ts`.
+   */
+  | 'ask_user_question';
 
 export type AgentItemStatus = 'needs_setup';
 

client/src/locales/en/translation.json

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
   "com_a11y_summarize_completed": "Context summarized.",
   "com_a11y_summarize_failed": "Summarization failed, continuing with available context.",
   "com_a11y_summarize_started": "Summarizing context.",
+  "com_agents_ask_user_info": "Lets the agent pause mid-run to ask you a clarifying question and wait for your answer.",
   "com_agents_agent_card_label": "{{name}} agent. {{description}}",
   "com_agents_all": "All Agents",
   "com_agents_all_category": "All",
@@ -856,6 +857,7 @@
   "com_ui_artifacts_options": "Artifacts Options",
   "com_ui_artifacts_subtext": "Lets the agent render React, HTML, SVG, Markdown, and Mermaid as interactive artifacts in a side panel instead of plain code blocks.",
   "com_ui_ascending": "Asc",
+  "com_ui_ask_user": "Ask User",
   "com_ui_asked_a_question": "Asked a question",
   "com_ui_assistant": "Assistant",
   "com_ui_assistant_delete_error": "There was an error deleting the assistant",