feat: rename search_and_replace tool to edit and unify edit-family UI

packages/core/src/custom-tools/__tests__/custom-tool-registry.spec.ts

@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ describe("CustomToolRegistry", () => {
 			const result = await registry.loadFromDirectory(TEST_FIXTURES_DIR)
 
 			expect(result.loaded).toContain("cached")
-		}, 30000)
+		}, 120_000)
 	})
 
 	describe.sequential("loadFromDirectories", () => {

packages/types/src/tool.ts

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ export const toolNames = [
 	"read_command_output",
 	"write_to_file",
 	"apply_diff",
+	"edit",
 	"search_and_replace",
 	"search_replace",
 	"edit_file",

src/core/assistant-message/NativeToolCallParser.ts

@@ -599,11 +599,18 @@ export class NativeToolCallParser {
 				}
 				break
 
+			case "edit":
 			case "search_and_replace":
-				if (partialArgs.path !== undefined || partialArgs.operations !== undefined) {
+				if (
+					partialArgs.file_path !== undefined ||
+					partialArgs.old_string !== undefined ||
+					partialArgs.new_string !== undefined
+				) {
 					nativeArgs = {
-						path: partialArgs.path,
-						operations: partialArgs.operations,
+						file_path: partialArgs.file_path,
+						old_string: partialArgs.old_string,
+						new_string: partialArgs.new_string,
+						replace_all: this.coerceOptionalBoolean(partialArgs.replace_all),
 					}
 				}
 				break
@@ -806,11 +813,18 @@ export class NativeToolCallParser {
 					}
 					break
 
+				case "edit":
 				case "search_and_replace":
-					if (args.path !== undefined && args.operations !== undefined && Array.isArray(args.operations)) {
+					if (
+						args.file_path !== undefined &&
+						args.old_string !== undefined &&
+						args.new_string !== undefined
+					) {
 						nativeArgs = {
-							path: args.path,
-							operations: args.operations,
+							file_path: args.file_path,
+							old_string: args.old_string,
+							new_string: args.new_string,
+							replace_all: this.coerceOptionalBoolean(args.replace_all),
 						} as NativeArgsFor<TName>
 					}
 					break

src/core/assistant-message/__tests__/presentAssistantMessage-unknown-tool.spec.ts

@@ -242,4 +242,54 @@ describe("presentAssistantMessage - Unknown Tool Handling", () => {
 		expect(toolResult.is_error).toBe(true)
 		expect(toolResult.content).toContain("due to user rejecting a previous tool")
 	})
+
+	it("should not treat <editor> as XML tool markup", async () => {
+		mockTask.assistantMessageContent = [
+			{
+				type: "text",
+				content: "Please open the <editor> panel and continue.",
+				partial: false,
+			},
+		]
+
+		await presentAssistantMessage(mockTask)
+
+		expect(mockTask.say).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+			"text",
+			"Please open the <editor> panel and continue.",
+			undefined,
+			false,
+		)
+		expect(mockTask.say).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+			"error",
+			expect.stringContaining("XML tool calls are no longer supported"),
+		)
+		expect(mockTask.didAlreadyUseTool).toBe(false)
+		expect(mockTask.consecutiveMistakeCount).toBe(0)
+	})
+
+	it("should not treat <editable> as XML tool markup", async () => {
+		mockTask.assistantMessageContent = [
+			{
+				type: "text",
+				content: "Use an <editable> region in the docs example.",
+				partial: false,
+			},
+		]
+
+		await presentAssistantMessage(mockTask)
+
+		expect(mockTask.say).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+			"text",
+			"Use an <editable> region in the docs example.",
+			undefined,
+			false,
+		)
+		expect(mockTask.say).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+			"error",
+			expect.stringContaining("XML tool calls are no longer supported"),
+		)
+		expect(mockTask.didAlreadyUseTool).toBe(false)
+		expect(mockTask.consecutiveMistakeCount).toBe(0)
+	})
 })

src/core/assistant-message/presentAssistantMessage.ts

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import { listFilesTool } from "../tools/ListFilesTool"
 import { readFileTool } from "../tools/ReadFileTool"
 import { readCommandOutputTool } from "../tools/ReadCommandOutputTool"
 import { writeToFileTool } from "../tools/WriteToFileTool"
-import { searchAndReplaceTool } from "../tools/SearchAndReplaceTool"
+import { editTool } from "../tools/EditTool"
 import { searchReplaceTool } from "../tools/SearchReplaceTool"
 import { editFileTool } from "../tools/EditFileTool"
 import { applyPatchTool } from "../tools/ApplyPatchTool"
@@ -357,8 +357,9 @@ export async function presentAssistantMessage(cline: Task) {
 						return `[${block.name} for '${block.params.regex}'${
 							block.params.file_pattern ? ` in '${block.params.file_pattern}'` : ""
 						}]`
+					case "edit":
 					case "search_and_replace":
-						return `[${block.name} for '${block.params.path}']`
+						return `[${block.name} for '${block.params.file_path}']`
 					case "search_replace":
 						return `[${block.name} for '${block.params.file_path}']`
 					case "edit_file":
@@ -739,9 +740,10 @@ export async function presentAssistantMessage(cline: Task) {
 						pushToolResult,
 					})
 					break
+				case "edit":
 				case "search_and_replace":
 					await checkpointSaveAndMark(cline)
-					await searchAndReplaceTool.handle(cline, block as ToolUse<"search_and_replace">, {
+					await editTool.handle(cline, block as ToolUse<"edit">, {
 						askApproval,
 						handleError,
 						pushToolResult,
@@ -1046,6 +1048,25 @@ function containsXmlToolMarkup(text: string): boolean {
 	// Avoid regex so we don't keep legacy XML parsing artifacts around.
 	// Note: This is a best-effort safeguard; tool_use blocks without an id are rejected elsewhere.
 
+	const isTagBoundary = (char: string | undefined): boolean => {
+		if (char === undefined) {
+			return true
+		}
+		return char === ">" || char === "/" || char === " " || char === "\n" || char === "\r" || char === "\t"
+	}
+
+	const hasTagReference = (haystack: string, prefix: string): boolean => {
+		let index = haystack.indexOf(prefix)
+		while (index !== -1) {
+			const nextChar = haystack[index + prefix.length]
+			if (isTagBoundary(nextChar)) {
+				return true
+			}
+			index = haystack.indexOf(prefix, index + 1)
+		}
+		return false
+	}
+
 	// First, strip out content inside markdown code fences to avoid false positives
 	// when users paste documentation or examples containing tool tag references.
 	// This handles both fenced code blocks (```) and inline code (`).
@@ -1073,6 +1094,7 @@ function containsXmlToolMarkup(text: string): boolean {
 		"new_task",
 		"read_command_output",
 		"read_file",
+		"edit",
 		"search_and_replace",
 		"search_files",
 		"search_replace",
@@ -1082,5 +1104,5 @@ function containsXmlToolMarkup(text: string): boolean {
 		"write_to_file",
 	] as const
 
-	return toolNames.some((name) => lower.includes(`<${name}`) || lower.includes(`</${name}`))
+	return toolNames.some((name) => hasTagReference(lower, `<${name}`) || hasTagReference(lower, `</${name}`))
 }

src/core/prompts/tools/native-tools/edit.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+import type OpenAI from "openai"
+
+const EDIT_DESCRIPTION = `Performs exact string replacements in files.
+
+Usage:
+- You must use your \`Read\` tool at least once in the conversation before editing. This tool will error if you attempt an edit without reading the file.
+- When editing text from Read tool output, ensure you preserve the exact indentation (tabs/spaces) as it appears AFTER the line number prefix. The line number prefix format is: spaces + line number + tab. Everything after that tab is the actual file content to match. Never include any part of the line number prefix in the old_string or new_string.
+- ALWAYS prefer editing existing files in the codebase. NEVER write new files unless explicitly required.
+- Only use emojis if the user explicitly requests it. Avoid adding emojis to files unless asked.
+- The edit will FAIL if \`old_string\` is not unique in the file. Either provide a larger string with more surrounding context to make it unique or use \`replace_all\` to change every instance of \`old_string\`.
+- Use \`replace_all\` for replacing and renaming strings across the file. This parameter is useful if you want to rename a variable for instance.`
+
+const edit = {
+	type: "function",
+	function: {
+		name: "edit",
+		description: EDIT_DESCRIPTION,
+		parameters: {
+			type: "object",
+			properties: {
+				file_path: {
+					type: "string",
+					description: "The path of the file to edit (relative to the working directory)",
+				},
+				old_string: {
+					type: "string",
+					description:
+						"The exact text to find in the file. Must match exactly, including all whitespace, indentation, and line endings.",
+				},
+				new_string: {
+					type: "string",
+					description:
+						"The replacement text that will replace old_string. Must include all necessary whitespace and indentation.",
+				},
+				replace_all: {
+					type: "boolean",
+					description:
+						"When true, replaces ALL occurrences of old_string in the file. When false (default), only replaces the first occurrence and errors if multiple matches exist.",
+					default: false,
+				},
+			},
+			required: ["file_path", "old_string", "new_string"],
+			additionalProperties: false,
+		},
+	},
+} satisfies OpenAI.Chat.ChatCompletionTool
+
+export default edit

src/core/prompts/tools/native-tools/index.ts

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import askFollowupQuestion from "./ask_followup_question"
 import attemptCompletion from "./attempt_completion"
 import browserAction from "./browser_action"
 import codebaseSearch from "./codebase_search"
+import editTool from "./edit"
 import executeCommand from "./execute_command"
 import generateImage from "./generate_image"
 import listFiles from "./list_files"
@@ -14,7 +15,6 @@ import readCommandOutput from "./read_command_output"
 import { createReadFileTool, type ReadFileToolOptions } from "./read_file"
 import runSlashCommand from "./run_slash_command"
 import skill from "./skill"
-import searchAndReplace from "./search_and_replace"
 import searchReplace from "./search_replace"
 import edit_file from "./edit_file"
 import searchFiles from "./search_files"
@@ -63,9 +63,9 @@ export function getNativeTools(options: NativeToolsOptions = {}): OpenAI.Chat.Ch
 		createReadFileTool(readFileOptions),
 		runSlashCommand,
 		skill,
-		searchAndReplace,
 		searchReplace,
 		edit_file,
+		editTool,
 		searchFiles,
 		switchMode,
 		updateTodoList,

src/core/task/Task.ts

@@ -3580,7 +3580,7 @@ export class Task extends EventEmitter<TaskEvents> implements TaskLike {
 								const input = toolUse.nativeArgs || toolUse.params
 
 								// Use originalName (alias) if present for API history consistency.
-								// When tool aliases are used (e.g., "edit_file" -> "search_and_replace"),
+								// When tool aliases are used (e.g., "edit_file" -> "search_and_replace" -> "edit" (current canonical name)),
 								// we want the alias name in the conversation history to match what the model
 								// was told the tool was named, preventing confusion in multi-turn conversations.
 								const toolNameForHistory = toolUse.originalName ?? toolUse.name

src/core/tools/ApplyPatchTool.ts

@@ -23,6 +23,35 @@ interface ApplyPatchParams {
 export class ApplyPatchTool extends BaseTool<"apply_patch"> {
 	readonly name = "apply_patch" as const
 
+	private static readonly FILE_HEADER_MARKERS = ["*** Add File: ", "*** Delete File: ", "*** Update File: "] as const
+
+	private extractFirstPathFromPatch(patch: string | undefined): string | undefined {
+		if (!patch) {
+			return undefined
+		}
+
+		const lines = patch.split("\n")
+		const hasTrailingNewline = patch.endsWith("\n")
+		const completeLines = hasTrailingNewline ? lines : lines.slice(0, -1)
+
+		for (const rawLine of completeLines) {
+			const line = rawLine.trim()
+
+			for (const marker of ApplyPatchTool.FILE_HEADER_MARKERS) {
+				if (!line.startsWith(marker)) {
+					continue
+				}
+
+				const candidatePath = line.substring(marker.length).trim()
+				if (candidatePath.length > 0) {
+					return candidatePath
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
+		return undefined
+	}
+
 	async execute(params: ApplyPatchParams, task: Task, callbacks: ToolCallbacks): Promise<void> {
 		const { patch } = params
 		const { askApproval, handleError, pushToolResult } = callbacks
@@ -422,6 +451,11 @@ export class ApplyPatchTool extends BaseTool<"apply_patch"> {
 
 	override async handlePartial(task: Task, block: ToolUse<"apply_patch">): Promise<void> {
 		const patch: string | undefined = block.params.patch
+		const candidateRelPath = this.extractFirstPathFromPatch(patch)
+		const fallbackDisplayPath = path.basename(task.cwd) || "workspace"
+		const resolvedRelPath = candidateRelPath ?? ""
+		const absolutePath = path.resolve(task.cwd, resolvedRelPath)
+		const displayPath = candidateRelPath ? getReadablePath(task.cwd, candidateRelPath) : fallbackDisplayPath
 
 		let patchPreview: string | undefined
 		if (patch) {
@@ -432,9 +466,9 @@ export class ApplyPatchTool extends BaseTool<"apply_patch"> {
 
 		const sharedMessageProps: ClineSayTool = {
 			tool: "appliedDiff",
-			path: "",
+			path: displayPath || path.basename(task.cwd) || "workspace",
 			diff: patchPreview || "Parsing patch...",
-			isOutsideWorkspace: false,
+			isOutsideWorkspace: isPathOutsideWorkspace(absolutePath),
 		}
 
 		await task.ask("tool", JSON.stringify(sharedMessageProps), block.partial).catch(() => {})