feat(cli): strip markdown formatting from final replies

cli.py

@@ -1141,6 +1141,43 @@ def _rich_text_from_ansi(text: str) -> _RichText:
     return _RichText.from_ansi(text or "")
 
 
+def _strip_markdown_syntax(text: str) -> str:
+    """Best-effort markdown marker removal for plain-text display."""
+    import re
+
+    plain = _rich_text_from_ansi(text or "").plain
+    plain = re.sub(r"^\s{0,3}(?:[-*_]\s*){3,}$", "", plain, flags=re.MULTILINE)
+    plain = re.sub(r"^\s{0,3}#{1,6}\s+", "", plain, flags=re.MULTILINE)
+    # Preserve blockquotes, lists, and checkboxes because they carry structure.
+    plain = re.sub(r"(```+|~~~+)", "", plain)
+    plain = re.sub(r"`([^`]*)`", r"\1", plain)
+    plain = re.sub(r"!\[([^\]]*)\]\([^\)]*\)", r"\1", plain)
+    plain = re.sub(r"\[([^\]]+)\]\([^\)]*\)", r"\1", plain)
+    plain = re.sub(r"\*\*\*([^*]+)\*\*\*", r"\1", plain)
+    plain = re.sub(r"___([^_]+)___", r"\1", plain)
+    plain = re.sub(r"\*\*([^*]+)\*\*", r"\1", plain)
+    plain = re.sub(r"__([^_]+)__", r"\1", plain)
+    plain = re.sub(r"\*([^*]+)\*", r"\1", plain)
+    plain = re.sub(r"_([^_]+)_", r"\1", plain)
+    plain = re.sub(r"~~([^~]+)~~", r"\1", plain)
+    plain = re.sub(r"\n{3,}", "\n\n", plain)
+    return plain.strip("\n")
+
+
+def _render_final_assistant_content(text: str, mode: str = "render"):
+    """Render final assistant content as markdown, stripped text, or raw text."""
+    from rich.markdown import Markdown
+
+    normalized_mode = str(mode or "render").strip().lower()
+    if normalized_mode == "strip":
+        return _RichText(_strip_markdown_syntax(text))
+    if normalized_mode == "raw":
+        return _rich_text_from_ansi(text or "")
+
+    plain = _rich_text_from_ansi(text or "").plain
+    return Markdown(plain)
+
+
 def _cprint(text: str):
     """Print ANSI-colored text through prompt_toolkit's native renderer.
 
@@ -1718,6 +1755,11 @@ class HermesCLI:
         
         # streaming: stream tokens to the terminal as they arrive (display.streaming in config.yaml)
         self.streaming_enabled = CLI_CONFIG["display"].get("streaming", False)
+        self.final_response_markdown = str(
+            CLI_CONFIG["display"].get("final_response_markdown", "strip")
+        ).strip().lower() or "strip"
+        if self.final_response_markdown not in {"render", "strip", "raw"}:
+            self.final_response_markdown = "strip"
 
         # Inline diff previews for write actions (display.inline_diffs in config.yaml)
         self._inline_diffs_enabled = CLI_CONFIG["display"].get("inline_diffs", True)
@@ -2762,6 +2804,8 @@ class HermesCLI:
         _tc = getattr(self, "_stream_text_ansi", "")
         while "\n" in self._stream_buf:
             line, self._stream_buf = self._stream_buf.split("\n", 1)
+            if self.final_response_markdown == "strip":
+                line = _strip_markdown_syntax(line)
             _cprint(f"{_STREAM_PAD}{_tc}{line}{_RST}" if _tc else f"{_STREAM_PAD}{line}")
 
     def _flush_stream(self) -> None:
@@ -2779,7 +2823,8 @@ class HermesCLI:
 
         if self._stream_buf:
             _tc = getattr(self, "_stream_text_ansi", "")
-            _cprint(f"{_STREAM_PAD}{_tc}{self._stream_buf}{_RST}" if _tc else f"{_STREAM_PAD}{self._stream_buf}")
+            line = _strip_markdown_syntax(self._stream_buf) if self.final_response_markdown == "strip" else self._stream_buf
+            _cprint(f"{_STREAM_PAD}{_tc}{line}{_RST}" if _tc else f"{_STREAM_PAD}{line}")
             self._stream_buf = ""
 
         # Close the response box
@@ -8367,7 +8412,7 @@ class HermesCLI:
                 else:
                     _chat_console = ChatConsole()
                     _chat_console.print(Panel(
-                        _rich_text_from_ansi(response),
+                        _render_final_assistant_content(response, mode=self.final_response_markdown),
                         title=f"[{_resp_color} bold]{label}[/]",
                         title_align="left",
                         border_style=_resp_color,

hermes_cli/config.py

@@ -565,6 +565,7 @@ DEFAULT_CONFIG = {
         "bell_on_complete": False,
         "show_reasoning": False,
         "streaming": False,
+        "final_response_markdown": "strip",  # render | strip | raw
         "inline_diffs": True,     # Show inline diff previews for write actions (write_file, patch, skill_manage)
         "show_cost": False,       # Show $ cost in the status bar (off by default)
         "skin": "default",

tests/cli/test_cli_markdown_rendering.py

@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+from io import StringIO
+
+from rich.console import Console
+from rich.markdown import Markdown
+
+from cli import _render_final_assistant_content
+
+
+def _render_to_text(renderable) -> str:
+    buf = StringIO()
+    Console(file=buf, width=80, force_terminal=False, color_system=None).print(renderable)
+    return buf.getvalue()
+
+
+def test_final_assistant_content_uses_markdown_renderable():
+    renderable = _render_final_assistant_content("# Title\n\n- one\n- two")
+
+    assert isinstance(renderable, Markdown)
+    output = _render_to_text(renderable)
+    assert "Title" in output
+    assert "one" in output
+    assert "two" in output
+
+
+def test_final_assistant_content_strips_ansi_before_markdown_rendering():
+    renderable = _render_final_assistant_content("\x1b[31m# Title\x1b[0m")
+
+    output = _render_to_text(renderable)
+    assert "Title" in output
+    assert "\x1b" not in output
+
+
+def test_final_assistant_content_can_strip_markdown_syntax():
+    renderable = _render_final_assistant_content(
+        "***Bold italic***\n~~Strike~~\n- item\n# Title\n`code`",
+        mode="strip",
+    )
+
+    output = _render_to_text(renderable)
+    assert "Bold italic" in output
+    assert "Strike" in output
+    assert "item" in output
+    assert "Title" in output
+    assert "code" in output
+    assert "***" not in output
+    assert "~~" not in output
+    assert "`" not in output
+
+
+def test_strip_mode_preserves_lists():
+    renderable = _render_final_assistant_content(
+        "**Formatting**\n- Ran prettier\n- Files changed\n- Verified clean",
+        mode="strip",
+    )
+
+    output = _render_to_text(renderable)
+    assert "- Ran prettier" in output
+    assert "- Files changed" in output
+    assert "- Verified clean" in output
+    assert "**" not in output
+
+
+def test_strip_mode_preserves_ordered_lists():
+    renderable = _render_final_assistant_content(
+        "1. First item\n2. Second item\n3. Third item",
+        mode="strip",
+    )
+
+    output = _render_to_text(renderable)
+    assert "1. First" in output
+    assert "2. Second" in output
+    assert "3. Third" in output
+
+
+def test_strip_mode_preserves_blockquotes():
+    renderable = _render_final_assistant_content(
+        "> This is quoted text\n> Another quoted line",
+        mode="strip",
+    )
+
+    output = _render_to_text(renderable)
+    assert "> This is quoted" in output
+    assert "> Another quoted" in output
+
+
+def test_strip_mode_preserves_checkboxes():
+    renderable = _render_final_assistant_content(
+        "- [ ] Todo item\n- [x] Done item",
+        mode="strip",
+    )
+
+    output = _render_to_text(renderable)
+    assert "- [ ] Todo" in output
+    assert "- [x] Done" in output
+
+
+def test_strip_mode_preserves_table_structure_while_cleaning_cell_markdown():
+    renderable = _render_final_assistant_content(
+        "| Syntax | Example |\n|---|---|\n| Bold | `**bold**` |\n| Strike | `~~strike~~` |",
+        mode="strip",
+    )
+
+    output = _render_to_text(renderable)
+    assert "| Syntax | Example |" in output
+    assert "|---|---|" in output
+    assert "| Bold | bold |" in output
+    assert "| Strike | strike |" in output
+    assert "**" not in output
+    assert "~~" not in output
+    assert "`" not in output
+
+
+def test_final_assistant_content_can_leave_markdown_raw():
+    renderable = _render_final_assistant_content("***Bold italic***", mode="raw")
+
+    output = _render_to_text(renderable)
+    assert "***Bold italic***" in output