Changelog
Learn about version-specific updates for Bob Shell.
What's New
Improvements
alwaysAllow MCP tools respected in Bob Shell
MCP tools listed in
alwaysAllow inside .bob/mcp.json are now automatically approved on the first tool call of a task in Bob Shell. Previously, this setting was honored only in the IDE extension.Increased task history retention
The default task retention period is now 30 days. Setting
tasks.retentionDays to 0 disables automatic cleanup so that all task history is kept indefinitely.Platform-aware auto-approve keyboard shortcut
The keyboard shortcut to toggle auto-approve is now
Alt+F on Windows, Linux, and WSL. On macOS, the shortcut remains Ctrl+F.New slash command aliases
Four slash commands now accept shorter aliases:
/history for /resume, /compact for /condense, /trust for /permissions, and /info for /status.Bug Fixes
Settings changes always require explicit approval
Writes to
.bob/settings.json and ~/.bob/*/settings.json now always require one-time explicit user approval, even when auto-approve is enabled. Auto-approve cannot be used to bypass approval for changes to Bob settings files.Auto-approve blocked for Bob home directory writes
Tool calls that write to Bob's home directory (for example,
~/.bob/) are no longer automatically approved when auto-approve mode is on. These calls always prompt for explicit approval.Workspace root resolved correctly from subdirectories
Bob Shell now prioritizes
.git over .bob when walking up the directory tree to find the workspace root. Starting Bob Shell from inside a package subdirectory that contains its own .bob/ folder no longer causes workspace-scoped skills, rules, and modes to be silently missed.MCP tool approval respects group-level permission
An MCP tool listed in the per-task allowlist is no longer auto-approved unless the
mcp permission group has also been granted for the task. Previously, the per-tool allowlist could bypass the broader group approval gate.Bob Shell no longer hangs on exit
Fixed an issue where Bob Shell did not exit cleanly after pressing
Ctrl+C. The policy-watcher process is now disposed correctly on shutdown.Deprecated --list-sessions and --limit flags restored
The
--list-sessions and --limit <number> flags that were removed in 2.0.0 are restored as silent aliases for --list-tasks. Existing scripts that use these flags continue to work without modification.Increased MCP tool payload limit
The MCP tool payload limit is increased to 300 KB. This fixes an issue where MCP servers that expose large tool definitions caused Bob Shell to fail.
New Features
Message queue
Queue follow-up messages while Bob is still responding. Press Tab to add a message to the queue; queued messages are sent automatically in order as each turn completes. Reorder or remove items from the queue at any time.
MCP management commands
Manage Model Context Protocol servers directly from the CLI with
bob mcp add, bob mcp add-json, bob mcp remove, and bob mcp list. Supports both global and workspace scopes, and stdio, SSE, and HTTP transports.Skills
Create reusable instruction sets that teach Bob new workflows and specialized tasks. Define custom workflows, add supporting files, and share skills across your team through version control. Skills were not available in Bob Shell 1.0.x.
Improvements
Redesigned settings schema
Settings are now stored at
~/.bob/settings/settings.json. The schema adds a telemetry section, an edit tool group, and clearer per-setting documentation. CLI flags and the /settings slash command override file values for the current session.Agent mode replaces Code and Advanced modes
The previous Code mode and Advanced mode have been consolidated into a single Agent mode. Agent mode takes autonomous action to complete tasks.
Expanded non-interactive output schema
The JSON output from
bob run now includes a stats object with per-session token counts, cache ratios, cost, duration, and tool call totals. Structured event types (message, tool_use, tool_result, error) make it easier to parse results in CI/CD pipelines.New Features
Custom identity provider support
Bob Shell now supports custom identity providers (IdPs), enabling organizations to authenticate using their own IdP configuration.
New Features
Support for additional data centers
Bob Shell is now available in additional data centers, expanding regional availability for your team.
Bug Fixes
Security updates and minor bug fixes
Security improvements and minor bug fixes to enhance the stability and safety of Bob Shell.
Bug Fixes
Authentication token refresh
Fixed an issue where authentication tokens were not refreshed correctly for specific scenarios.
Default authentication method
Fixed an issue where the default authentication method from user settings was not applied correctly. Bob Shell now correctly reads and applies your preferred authentication when needed.
New Features
API key authentication
Authenticate Bob Shell using an API key for programmatic and automated workflows. Use an API key in non-interactive mode for CI/CD pipelines and scripting scenarios. Configure authentication without requiring interactive IBMid login for automation tasks. Streamline integration with automated development workflows.
Improvements
Minor bug fixes
Various stability improvements and bug fixes to enhance the overall Bob Shell experience.
New Features
Terminal-based AI assistance
Bring IBM Bob's AI capabilities directly to your command line. Get intelligent assistance for command-line tasks and terminal-based workflows. Access the same context awareness and reasoning from your development partner, Bob.
Interactive and non-interactive sessions
Choose the right session type for your workflow. Use interactive sessions for conversational experiences with complex tasks. Use non-interactive sessions for automation and scripting scenarios. Invoke Bob Shell programmatically in automated workflows.
Specialized modes
Access purpose-built modes optimized for command-line scenarios. Code mode generates, modifies, and refactors code from the command line. Ask mode provides answers about your codebase and development questions. Plan mode helps design and plan implementations before running. Advanced mode provides extended capabilities including MCP tools.
Command-line tools
Accomplish complex terminal-based tasks efficiently. Read, write, and manipulate files directly from the command line. Run shell commands with intelligent error handling and validation. Monitor and control running processes and system resources.
MCP (Model Context Protocol) integration
Extend Bob Shell's capabilities with custom tools. Connect to databases and APIs from the terminal. Access specialized development and operations tools. Integrate with your organization's internal systems. Create custom automation workflows for DevOps tasks.
Custom modes and slash commands
Extend functionality for your team's needs. Define custom modes for specialized workflows. Create reusable command shortcuts. Build team-specific automation patterns. Standardize development processes across your organization.
Editor terminal support
Run Bob Shell inside terminal views of supported editors. Seamlessly integrate with your development environment.
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