Pass context for CLI/app

app/backend/main.py

@@ -80,8 +80,9 @@ async def stream_chat(request: Request) -> Response:
     accept = request.headers.get("accept", SSE_CONTENT_TYPE)
     run_input = AGUIAdapter.build_run_input(body)
 
-    # Restore qa_history from incoming state (look under namespaced key)
+    # Restore session state from incoming AG-UI state (look under namespaced key)
     initial_qa_history: list[QAResponse] = []
+    initial_context: str | None = None
     state = getattr(run_input, "state", None)
     if state:
         chat_state = state.get(AGUI_STATE_KEY, state)
@@ -89,6 +90,7 @@ async def stream_chat(request: Request) -> Response:
             initial_qa_history = [
                 QAResponse(**qa) for qa in chat_state.get("qa_history", [])
             ]
+        initial_context = chat_state.get("initial_context")
 
     # Build deps with session state
     thread_id = getattr(run_input, "thread_id", None)
@@ -98,6 +100,7 @@ async def stream_chat(request: Request) -> Response:
         session_state=ChatSessionState(
             session_id=thread_id or "",
             qa_history=initial_qa_history,
+            initial_context=initial_context,
         ),
         state_key=AGUI_STATE_KEY,
     )

haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/app.py

@@ -376,6 +376,7 @@ class HaikuRAGApp:
         cite: bool = False,
         deep: bool = False,
         filter: str | None = None,
+        initial_context: str | None = None,
     ):
         """Ask a question using the RAG system.
 
@@ -384,6 +385,7 @@ class HaikuRAGApp:
             cite: Include citations in the answer
             deep: Use deep QA mode (multi-step reasoning)
             filter: SQL WHERE clause to filter documents
+            initial_context: Optional background context for the question
         """
         async with HaikuRAG(
             db_path=self.db_path,
@@ -394,7 +396,9 @@ class HaikuRAGApp:
             citations = []
             if deep:
                 graph = build_research_graph(config=self.config)
-                context = ResearchContext(original_question=question)
+                context = ResearchContext(
+                    original_question=question, initial_context=initial_context
+                )
                 state = ResearchState.from_config(
                     context=context,
                     config=self.config,
@@ -423,7 +427,14 @@ class HaikuRAGApp:
                 else:
                     self.console.print("[yellow]No answer generated.[/yellow]")
             else:
-                answer, citations = await self.client.ask(question, filter=filter)
+                system_prompt = (
+                    f"BACKGROUND CONTEXT:\n{initial_context}"
+                    if initial_context
+                    else None
+                )
+                answer, citations = await self.client.ask(
+                    question, system_prompt=system_prompt, filter=filter
+                )
 
                 self.console.print(f"[bold blue]Question:[/bold blue] {question}")
                 self.console.print()
@@ -433,12 +444,18 @@ class HaikuRAGApp:
                     for renderable in format_citations_rich(citations):
                         self.console.print(renderable)
 
-    async def research(self, question: str, filter: str | None = None):
+    async def research(
+        self,
+        question: str,
+        filter: str | None = None,
+        initial_context: str | None = None,
+    ):
         """Run research via the pydantic-graph pipeline.
 
         Args:
             question: The research question
             filter: SQL WHERE clause to filter documents
+            initial_context: Optional background context for the research
         """
         async with HaikuRAG(
             db_path=self.db_path,
@@ -451,7 +468,9 @@ class HaikuRAGApp:
             self.console.print()
 
             graph = build_research_graph(config=self.config)
-            context = ResearchContext(original_question=question)
+            context = ResearchContext(
+                original_question=question, initial_context=initial_context
+            )
             state = ResearchState.from_config(context=context, config=self.config)
             state.search_filter = filter
             deps = ResearchDeps(client=client)

haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/chat/__init__.py

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ def run_chat(
     db_path: Path | None = None,
     read_only: bool = False,
     before: datetime | None = None,
+    initial_context: str | None = None,
 ) -> None:
     """Run the chat TUI.
 
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ def run_chat(
         db_path: Path to the LanceDB database. If None, uses default from config.
         read_only: Whether to open the database in read-only mode.
         before: Query database as it existed before this datetime.
+        initial_context: Optional background context for the conversation.
     """
     try:
         from haiku.rag.chat.app import ChatApp
@@ -27,5 +29,7 @@ def run_chat(
     if db_path is None:
         db_path = config.storage.data_dir / "haiku.rag.lancedb"
 
-    app = ChatApp(db_path, read_only=read_only, before=before)
+    app = ChatApp(
+        db_path, read_only=read_only, before=before, initial_context=initial_context
+    )
     app.run()

haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/chat/app.py

@@ -85,12 +85,17 @@ class ChatApp(App):  # type: ignore[misc]
     ]
 
     def __init__(
-        self, db_path: Path, read_only: bool = False, before: datetime | None = None
+        self,
+        db_path: Path,
+        read_only: bool = False,
+        before: datetime | None = None,
+        initial_context: str | None = None,
     ) -> None:
         super().__init__()
         self.db_path = db_path
         self.read_only = read_only
         self.before = before
+        self.initial_context = initial_context
         self.client: HaikuRAG | None = None
         self.config = get_config()
         self.agent: Agent[ChatDeps, str] | None = None
@@ -121,7 +126,10 @@ class ChatApp(App):  # type: ignore[misc]
 
         # Create agent and session state
         self.agent = create_chat_agent(self.config)
-        self.session_state = ChatSessionState(session_id=str(uuid.uuid4()))
+        self.session_state = ChatSessionState(
+            session_id=str(uuid.uuid4()),
+            initial_context=self.initial_context,
+        )
 
         # Focus the input field
         self.query_one(Input).focus()
@@ -266,8 +274,11 @@ class ChatApp(App):  # type: ignore[misc]
         self._last_citations.clear()
         self._selected_citation_idx = None
         self._message_history.clear()
-        # Reset session state for fresh conversation
+        # Reset session state for fresh conversation (preserve initial_context)
-        self.session_state = ChatSessionState(session_id=str(uuid.uuid4()))
+        self.session_state = ChatSessionState(
+            session_id=str(uuid.uuid4()),
+            initial_context=self.initial_context,
+        )
 
     def action_focus_input(self) -> None:
         """Focus the input field, or cancel if processing."""

haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/cli.py

@@ -338,9 +338,34 @@ def ask(
         "-f",
         help="SQL WHERE clause to filter documents (e.g., \"uri LIKE '%arxiv%'\")",
     ),
+    context: str | None = typer.Option(
+        None,
+        "--context",
+        help="Background context for the question",
+    ),
+    context_file: Path | None = typer.Option(
+        None,
+        "--context-file",
+        help="Path to a file containing background context",
+    ),
 ):
+    # Resolve initial context from flag or file
+    initial_context: str | None = None
+    if context_file:
+        initial_context = context_file.read_text()
+    elif context:
+        initial_context = context
+
     app = create_app(db)
-    asyncio.run(app.ask(question=question, cite=cite, deep=deep, filter=filter))
+    asyncio.run(
+        app.ask(
+            question=question,
+            cite=cite,
+            deep=deep,
+            filter=filter,
+            initial_context=initial_context,
+        )
+    )
 
 
 @cli.command("research", help="Run multi-agent research and output a concise report")
@@ -357,9 +382,28 @@ def research(
         "-f",
         help="SQL WHERE clause to filter documents (e.g., \"uri LIKE '%arxiv%'\")",
     ),
+    context: str | None = typer.Option(
+        None,
+        "--context",
+        help="Background context for the research",
+    ),
+    context_file: Path | None = typer.Option(
+        None,
+        "--context-file",
+        help="Path to a file containing background context",
+    ),
 ):
+    # Resolve initial context from flag or file
+    initial_context: str | None = None
+    if context_file:
+        initial_context = context_file.read_text()
+    elif context:
+        initial_context = context
+
     app = create_app(db)
-    asyncio.run(app.research(question=question, filter=filter))
+    asyncio.run(
+        app.research(question=question, filter=filter, initial_context=initial_context)
+    )
 
 
 @cli.command("settings", help="Display current configuration settings")
@@ -547,12 +591,32 @@ def chat(
         "--db",
         help="Path to the LanceDB database file",
     ),
+    context: str | None = typer.Option(
+        None,
+        "--context",
+        help="Initial context/background information for the conversation",
+    ),
+    context_file: Path | None = typer.Option(
+        None,
+        "--context-file",
+        help="Path to a file containing initial context",
+    ),
 ):
     """Launch the chat TUI for conversational RAG."""
     from haiku.rag.chat import run_chat
 
     db_path = db if db else get_config().storage.data_dir / "haiku.rag.lancedb"
-    run_chat(db_path, read_only=_read_only, before=_before)
+
+    # Resolve initial context from flag or file
+    initial_context: str | None = None
+    if context_file:
+        initial_context = context_file.read_text()
+    elif context:
+        initial_context = context
+
+    run_chat(
+        db_path, read_only=_read_only, before=_before, initial_context=initial_context
+    )
 
 
 @cli.command(

tests/test_app.py

@@ -304,7 +304,9 @@ async def test_ask_without_cite(app: HaikuRAGApp, monkeypatch):
     with patch("haiku.rag.app.HaikuRAG", return_value=mock_client):
         await app.ask("test question")
 
-    mock_client.ask.assert_called_once_with("test question", filter=None)
+    mock_client.ask.assert_called_once_with(
+        "test question", system_prompt=None, filter=None
+    )
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
@@ -333,7 +335,9 @@ async def test_ask_with_cite(app: HaikuRAGApp, monkeypatch):
     with patch("haiku.rag.app.HaikuRAG", return_value=mock_client):
         await app.ask("test question", cite=True)
 
-    mock_client.ask.assert_called_once_with("test question", filter=None)
+    mock_client.ask.assert_called_once_with(
+        "test question", system_prompt=None, filter=None
+    )
     # Verify print was called (once for answer, once for citations)
     assert mock_print.call_count >= 1