cursor/skills · statusline/SKILL.md

---
name: statusline
description: >-
  Configure a custom status line in the CLI. Use when the user mentions status
  line, statusline, statusLine, CLI status bar, prompt footer customization, or
  wants to add session context above the prompt.
---
# CLI Status Line

The CLI supports a user-configurable status line rendered above the prompt. A command is spawned on each conversation update, receives a JSON payload on stdin describing the session, and its stdout is displayed as the status line. The spec is aligned with [Claude Code's status line](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/statusline).

## Configuration

Add a `statusLine` entry to `~/.cursor/cli-config.json`:

```json
{
  "statusLine": {
    "type": "command",
    "command": "~/.cursor/statusline.sh",
    "padding": 2
  }
}
```

The `command` field supports full paths, `~` expansion, and shell-style argument splitting. You can point it at a script file or use an inline command like `jq -r '...'`.

| Field | Required | Default | Description |
|-------|----------|---------|-------------|
| `type` | yes | — | Must be `"command"` |
| `command` | yes | — | Path to an executable or inline command. `~` is expanded. |
| `padding` | no | `0` | Horizontal inset (in characters) for the status line container. |
| `updateIntervalMs` | no | `300` | Minimum interval between invocations. Clamped to >= 300ms. |
| `timeoutMs` | no | `2000` | Maximum time the command may run before it is killed. |

## Stdin payload

The command receives a JSON object on stdin. The TypeScript interface is `StatusLinePayload` in `packages/agent-cli/src/hooks/use-status-line.ts`.

### Full JSON schema

```json
{
  "session_id": "abc123",
  "session_name": "my session",
  "transcript_path": "/path/to/transcript.jsonl",
  "render_width_chars": 120,
  "cwd": "/Users/me/project",
  "model": {
    "id": "claude-4-opus",
    "display_name": "Claude 4 Opus",
    "param_summary": "(Thinking)",
    "max_mode": true
  },
  "workspace": {
    "current_dir": "/Users/me/project",
    "project_dir": "/Users/me/project/.cursor/transcripts",
    "added_dirs": []
  },
  "version": "1.2.3",
  "output_style": {
    "name": "default"
  },
  "context_window": {
    "total_input_tokens": 15234,
    "total_output_tokens": null,
    "context_window_size": 200000,
    "used_percentage": 34.5,
    "remaining_percentage": 65.5,
    "current_usage": null
  },
  "vim": {
    "mode": "NORMAL"
  },
  "worktree": {
    "name": "my-feature",
    "path": "/Users/me/.cursor/worktrees/repo/my-feature"
  }
}
```

### Available fields

| Field | Description |
|-------|-------------|
| `session_id` | Unique session identifier |
| `session_name` | Custom session name. Absent if no name has been set |
| `transcript_path` | Path to conversation transcript file |
| `render_width_chars` | Usable terminal columns minus built-in padding |
| `cwd`, `workspace.current_dir` | Current working directory (both contain the same value) |
| `workspace.project_dir` | Directory where transcripts are stored |
| `workspace.added_dirs` | Additional directories (empty array for now) |
| `model.id`, `model.display_name` | Current model identifier and display name |
| `model.param_summary` | Formatted parameter summary (e.g. "(Thinking)", "High"). Absent when empty |
| `model.max_mode` | `true` when max mode is enabled. Absent otherwise |
| `version` | CLI version string |
| `output_style.name` | `"default"` or `"compact"` |
| `context_window.total_input_tokens` | Estimated input tokens (derived from used_percentage) |
| `context_window.total_output_tokens` | Cumulative output tokens (null when not tracked) |
| `context_window.context_window_size` | Maximum context window size in tokens |
| `context_window.used_percentage` | Percentage of context window used |
| `context_window.remaining_percentage` | Percentage of context window remaining |
| `context_window.current_usage` | Token counts from the last API call (null before first call) |
| `vim.mode` | `"NORMAL"` or `"INSERT"` when vim mode is enabled |
| `worktree.name` | Worktree name when running inside a worktree |
| `worktree.path` | Absolute path to the worktree directory |

### Fields that may be absent

- `session_name` — only present when a custom name has been set
- `model.param_summary` — only present when model has non-default parameters
- `model.max_mode` — only present when max mode is enabled
- `vim` — only present when vim mode is enabled
- `worktree` — only present when running in a worktree

### Fields that may be null

- `context_window.current_usage` — null before the first API call
- `context_window.used_percentage`, `context_window.remaining_percentage` — may be null early in the session

## Stdout / rendering

- **Multiple lines** are supported: each line of stdout renders as a separate row in the status area.
- **ANSI color codes** are supported (use chalk, tput, `\033[32m`, etc.).
- If the command exits non-zero with empty stdout, the status line is not updated (previous text is kept).
- If the command times out or a new update arrives while the script is running, the in-flight process is killed.
- The status line runs locally and does not consume API tokens.

## Examples

### Basic: model + context usage

```bash
#!/usr/bin/env bash
payload=$(cat)
model=$(echo "$payload" | jq -r '.model.display_name')
pct=$(echo "$payload" | jq -r '.context_window.used_percentage // 0' | cut -d. -f1)
printf "\033[90m%s  ctx %s%%\033[0m" "$model" "$pct"
```

### Context progress bar

```bash
#!/usr/bin/env bash
input=$(cat)
MODEL=$(echo "$input" | jq -r '.model.display_name')
PCT=$(echo "$input" | jq -r '.context_window.used_percentage // 0' | cut -d. -f1)

BAR_WIDTH=10
FILLED=$((PCT * BAR_WIDTH / 100))
EMPTY=$((BAR_WIDTH - FILLED))
BAR=""
[ "$FILLED" -gt 0 ] && printf -v FILL "%${FILLED}s" && BAR="${FILL// /▓}"
[ "$EMPTY" -gt 0 ] && printf -v PAD "%${EMPTY}s" && BAR="${BAR}${PAD// /░}"

echo "[$MODEL] $BAR $PCT%"
```

### Multi-line with git info

```bash
#!/usr/bin/env bash
input=$(cat)
MODEL=$(echo "$input" | jq -r '.model.display_name')
DIR=$(echo "$input" | jq -r '.workspace.current_dir')
PCT=$(echo "$input" | jq -r '.context_window.used_percentage // 0' | cut -d. -f1)

BRANCH=""
git rev-parse --git-dir > /dev/null 2>&1 && BRANCH=" | 🌿 $(git branch --show-current 2>/dev/null)"

echo -e "\033[36m[$MODEL]\033[0m 📁 ${DIR##*/}$BRANCH"
echo -e "ctx $PCT%"
```

### Inline jq command (no script file)

```json
{
  "statusLine": {
    "type": "command",
    "command": "jq -r '\"[\\(.model.display_name)] \\(.context_window.used_percentage // 0)% context\"'"
  }
}
```

## Testing

Test a script with mock input:

```bash
echo '{"model":{"display_name":"Opus"},"context_window":{"used_percentage":25}}' | ./statusline.sh
```

The command is spawned with `child_process.spawn` (no shell on Unix, `shell: true` on Windows for .cmd/.bat compatibility). Updates are debounced at the configured interval. If a new update triggers while a script is running, the in-flight process is killed via `AbortController` and the new invocation starts immediately.