Merge pull request #882 from ximot/feature/open-dashboard-tool

feat: Add open_dashboard MCP tool for on-demand dashboard opening

docs/01-about/035_tools.md

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ Note that in most configurations, only a subset of these tools will be enabled s
 * `list_dir`: Lists files and directories in the given directory (optionally with recursion).
 * `list_memories`: Lists memories in Serena's project-specific memory store.
 * `onboarding`: Performs onboarding (identifying the project structure and essential tasks, e.g. for testing or building).
+* `open_dashboard`: Opens the Serena web dashboard in the default web browser.
 * `prepare_for_new_conversation`: Provides instructions for preparing for a new conversation (in order to continue with th
   e necessary context).
 * `read_file`: Reads a file within the project directory.

docs/02-usage/060_dashboard.md

@@ -15,8 +15,21 @@ Serena comes with built-in tools for monitoring and managing the current session
 * the **GUI tool** (disabled by default)
   
   The GUI tool is a native application window which displays logs.
+  It furthermore allows you to shut down the agent and to access the dashboard's URL (if it is running). 
 
   This is mainly supported on Windows, but it may also work on Linux; macOS is unsupported.
 
 Both can be configured in Serena's [configuration](050_configuration) file (`serena_config.yml`).
 If enabled, they will automatically be opened as soon as the Serena agent/MCP server is started.
+For the dashboard, this can be disabled if desired (see below).
+
+## Disabling Automatic Browser Opening
+
+If you prefer not to have the dashboard open automatically (e.g., to avoid focus stealing), you can disable it
+by setting `web_dashboard_open_on_launch: False` in your `serena_config.yml`.
+
+When automatic opening is disabled, you can still access the dashboard by:
+* asking the LLM to "open the Serena dashboard", which will open the dashboard in your default browser
+  (the tool `open_dashboard` is enabled for this purpose, provided that the dashboard is active, 
+  not opened by default and the GUI tool, which can provide the URL, is not enabled)
+* navigating directly to the URL (see above)

src/serena/agent.py

@@ -2,11 +2,10 @@
 The Serena Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server
 """
 
-import multiprocessing
 import os
 import platform
+import subprocess
 import sys
-import webbrowser
 from collections.abc import Callable
 from logging import Logger
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Optional, TypeVar
@@ -24,7 +23,7 @@ from serena.ls_manager import LanguageServerManager
 from serena.project import Project
 from serena.prompt_factory import SerenaPromptFactory
 from serena.task_executor import TaskExecutor
-from serena.tools import ActivateProjectTool, GetCurrentConfigTool, ReplaceContentTool, Tool, ToolMarker, ToolRegistry
+from serena.tools import ActivateProjectTool, GetCurrentConfigTool, OpenDashboardTool, ReplaceContentTool, Tool, ToolMarker, ToolRegistry
 from serena.util.gui import system_has_usable_display
 from serena.util.inspection import iter_subclasses
 from serena.util.logging import MemoryLogHandler
@@ -189,6 +188,9 @@ class SerenaAgent:
         # project-specific instances, which will be initialized upon project activation
         self._active_project: Project | None = None
 
+        # dashboard URL (set when dashboard is started)
+        self._dashboard_url: str | None = None
+
         # adjust log level
         serena_log_level = self.serena_config.log_level
         if Logger.root.level != serena_log_level:
@@ -247,8 +249,21 @@ class SerenaAgent:
         self._check_shell_settings()
 
         # determine the base toolset defining the set of exposed tools (which e.g. the MCP shall see),
-        # limited by the Serena config, the context (which is fixed for the session) and JetBrains mode
-        tool_inclusion_definitions: list[ToolInclusionDefinition] = [self.serena_config, self._context]
+        # determined by the
+        #   * dashboard availability/opening on launch
+        #   * Serena config,
+        #   * the context (which is fixed for the session)
+        #   * single-project mode reductions (if applicable)
+        #   * JetBrains mode
+        tool_inclusion_definitions: list[ToolInclusionDefinition] = []
+        if (
+            self.serena_config.web_dashboard
+            and not self.serena_config.web_dashboard_open_on_launch
+            and not self.serena_config.gui_log_window_enabled
+        ):
+            tool_inclusion_definitions.append(ToolInclusionDefinition(included_optional_tools=[OpenDashboardTool.get_name_from_cls()]))
+        tool_inclusion_definitions.append(self.serena_config)
+        tool_inclusion_definitions.append(self._context)
         if self._context.single_project:
             tool_inclusion_definitions.extend(self._single_project_context_tool_inclusion_definitions(project))
         if self.serena_config.language_backend == LanguageBackend.JETBRAINS:
@@ -292,16 +307,10 @@ class SerenaAgent:
             if dashboard_host == "0.0.0.0":
                 dashboard_host = "localhost"
             dashboard_url = f"http://{dashboard_host}:{port}/dashboard/index.html"
+            self._dashboard_url = dashboard_url
             log.info("Serena web dashboard started at %s", dashboard_url)
             if self.serena_config.web_dashboard_open_on_launch:
-                if not system_has_usable_display():
-                    log.warning("Not opening the Serena web dashboard automatically because no usable display was detected.")
-                else:
-                    # open the dashboard URL in the default web browser (using a separate process to control
-                    # output redirection)
-                    process = multiprocessing.Process(target=self._open_dashboard, args=(dashboard_url,))
-                    process.start()
-                    process.join(timeout=1)
+                self.open_dashboard()
             # inform the GUI window (if any)
             if self._gui_log_viewer is not None:
                 self._gui_log_viewer.set_dashboard_url(dashboard_url)
@@ -393,17 +402,34 @@ class SerenaAgent:
         log.debug(f"Recording tool usage for tool '{tool_name}'")
         self._tool_usage_stats.record_tool_usage(tool_name, input_str, output_str)
 
-    @staticmethod
-    def _open_dashboard(url: str) -> None:
-        # Redirect stdout and stderr file descriptors to /dev/null,
-        # making sure that nothing can be written to stdout/stderr, even by subprocesses
-        null_fd = os.open(os.devnull, os.O_WRONLY)
-        os.dup2(null_fd, sys.stdout.fileno())
-        os.dup2(null_fd, sys.stderr.fileno())
-        os.close(null_fd)
+    def get_dashboard_url(self) -> str | None:
+        """
+        :return: the URL of the web dashboard, or None if the dashboard is not running
+        """
+        return self._dashboard_url
 
-        # open the dashboard URL in the default web browser
-        webbrowser.open(url)
+    def open_dashboard(self) -> bool:
+        """
+        Opens the Serena web dashboard in the default web browser.
+
+        :return: a message indicating success or failure
+        """
+        if self._dashboard_url is None:
+            raise Exception("Dashboard is not running.")
+
+        if not system_has_usable_display():
+            log.warning("Not opening the Serena web dashboard because no usable display was detected.")
+            return False
+
+        # Use a subprocess to avoid any output from webbrowser.open being written to stdout
+        subprocess.Popen(
+            [sys.executable, "-c", f"import webbrowser; webbrowser.open({self._dashboard_url!r})"],
+            stdin=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+            stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+            stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+            start_new_session=True,  # Detach from parent process
+        )
+        return True
 
     def get_project_root(self) -> str:
         """

src/serena/resources/serena_config.template.yml

@@ -10,9 +10,8 @@ language_backend: LSP
 gui_log_window: False
 # whether to open a graphical window with Serena's logs.
 # This is mainly supported on Windows and (partly) on Linux; not available on macOS.
-# If you want to see the logs in a web browser, use the `web_dashboard` option instead.
-# Limitations: doesn't seem to work with the community version of Claude Desktop for Linux
-# Might also cause problems with some MCP clients - if you have any issues, try disabling this
+# If you prefer a browser-based tool, use the `web_dashboard` option instead.
+# Further information: https://oraios.github.io/serena/02-usage/060_dashboard.html
 #
 # Being able to inspect logs is useful both for troubleshooting and for monitoring the tool calls,
 # especially when using the agno playground, since the tool calls are not always shown,
@@ -26,17 +25,21 @@ gui_log_window: False
 
 web_dashboard: True
 # whether to open the Serena web dashboard (which will be accessible through your web browser) that
-# shows Serena's current session logs - as an alternative to the GUI log window which
-# is supported on all platforms.
+# provides access to Serena's configuration and state as well as the current session logs.
+# The web dashboard is supported on all platforms.
+# Further information: https://oraios.github.io/serena/02-usage/060_dashboard.html
 
 web_dashboard_listen_address: 127.0.0.1
 # The address where the web dashboard will listen on
 
 web_dashboard_open_on_launch: True
 # whether to open a browser window with the web dashboard when Serena starts (provided that web_dashboard
-# is enabled). If set to False, you can still open the dashboard manually by navigating to
-# http://localhost:24282/dashboard/ in your web browser (24282 = 0x5EDA, SErena DAshboard).
-# If you have multiple instances running, a higher port will be used; try port 24283, 24284, etc.
+# is enabled).
+# If set to false, you can still open the dashboard manually by
+# a) telling the LLM to "open the dashboard" (provided that the open_dashboard tool is enabled) or by
+# b) manually navigating to http://localhost:24282/dashboard/ in your web browser (actual port
+#    may be higher if you have multiple instances running; try ports 24283, 24284, etc.)
+# See also: https://oraios.github.io/serena/02-usage/060_dashboard.html
 
 log_level: 20
 # the minimum log level for the GUI log window and the dashboard (10 = debug, 20 = info, 30 = warning, 40 = error)

src/serena/tools/config_tools.py

@@ -2,6 +2,22 @@ from serena.config.context_mode import SerenaAgentMode
 from serena.tools import Tool, ToolMarkerDoesNotRequireActiveProject, ToolMarkerOptional
 
 
+class OpenDashboardTool(Tool, ToolMarkerOptional, ToolMarkerDoesNotRequireActiveProject):
+    """
+    Opens the Serena web dashboard in the default web browser.
+    The dashboard provides logs, session information, and tool usage statistics.
+    """
+
+    def apply(self) -> str:
+        """
+        Opens the Serena web dashboard in the default web browser.
+        """
+        if self.agent.open_dashboard():
+            return f"Serena web dashboard has been opened in the user's default web browser: {self.agent.get_dashboard_url()}"
+        else:
+            return f"Serena web dashboard could not be opened automatically; tell the user to open it via {self.agent.get_dashboard_url()}"
+
+
 class ActivateProjectTool(Tool, ToolMarkerDoesNotRequireActiveProject):
     """
     Activates a project based on the project name or path.