# deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash

_Tokens: in=36064 out=3431 cost=$0.00600964_

**TL;DR**  
Q1: Don’t force every tool into the `_ui` marker pattern — that’s for agent-driven interactive elements, not output display. The right strategy is a two‑tier push: (a) ship the four quick wins from the audit this week (artifacts/documents render block, skills/knowledge shared renderer, code `<pre>`, browser screenshot `<img>`), and (b) extend the one‑file‑tool‑definitions rule to require at minimum a `render` block (`icon`, `displayName`, `summary`). That eliminates the 21% bare‑wrench tier immediately. Then incrementally add `expanded` views for the 36% pill‑only tools, prioritised by user pain (skills, knowledge, code, browser, data).  

Q2: The discovery flow is *almost* good but the single‑entry catalog is a conversion killer. A non‑technical SME sees “Connector examples (1 entry)” and loses confidence. The workspace integrations (Google, Microsoft) are strong, but the Browse modal needs 5–10 real entries (Linear, Stripe, GitHub, Notion, Slack) using public Smithery URLs. Also rename “Connector examples” → “App catalog”, replace “MCP” with “connection” in user‑facing copy, and add a brief onboarding nudge on first visit.

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## Q1 — Tool UI rendering strategy

**Recommended path: contract enforcement + incremental expanded views, not `_ui` for everything.**

The `_ui` marker pattern (`src/server/modules/chat/tools/ui.ts` + `ChatUiElement.tsx`) is designed for *agent‑driven interactive elements* (forms, choices, alerts). It’s not a general‑purpose output renderer. Forcing every tool to return `{ _ui: … }` would either require a massive expansion of the marker set (duplicating the `render.expanded` pattern) or force interactive patterns on non‑interactive outputs (e.g., code stdout). Keep `_ui` for what it does well.

**Concrete moves:**

1. **Ship the four quick wins from the audit this week** (file:line references):
   - `artifacts.ts` + `documents.ts` → add `render` block (icon + displayName). ~5 min.
   - Skills + Knowledge → one shared renderer `skills-knowledge.tsx` in `tool-renderers/`. ~30 min.
   - `run_python`/`run_shell`/`run_js` → `render.expanded` returns a `<pre>` block with monospace + copy button. ~15 min.
   - `browser_screenshot` → `render.expanded` returns `<img>` with the screenshot URL. ~10 min.

2. **Update `.claude/rules/one-file-tool-definitions.md`** to require `render` block (at minimum `icon`, `displayName`, `summary`). This is a lint‑time / review‑time rule, not a compile‑time enforcement (since `render` is optional in the type). Add a CI check that warns if a new `ToolDefinition` lacks `render`. This eliminates the 21% bare‑wrench tier for new tools.

3. **Batch‑fix existing bare tools** (the ~32 tools in the bottom tier) by adding minimal `render` blocks. Most already have a sensible icon and display name; just need `summary` to show something useful. This is a mechanical pass — can be done in one session.

4. **Prioritise expanded views for the 36% pill‑only tier** by user pain:
   - High: skills, knowledge, code, browser, data (tabular results → `show_data_table` or custom table renderer).
   - Medium: findings, entities, memories‑multi, channels, Microsoft Workspace (parallel Outlook renderer to match Gmail).
   - Low: schedule, places, todo, core — JSON is fine for small structured outputs.

5. **Do not move to MCP‑UI protocol.** The `_ui` marker pattern already serves the same purpose (structured UI elements from the agent) without the complexity of sandboxed iframes or resource‑based rendering. The current architecture is simpler, faster, and already works.

**Trade‑offs:**  
- Requiring `render` blocks adds a small overhead per tool definition, but the `summary` field is trivial and the `expanded` field can be a one‑liner that returns a `<pre>` block. The benefit (no more bare‑wrench tools) outweighs the cost.  
- The `_ui` pattern could be extended with more display components (e.g., `show_code`, `show_image`), but that would duplicate the `render.expanded` pattern. Keep `_ui` for interaction, `render.expanded` for display.

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## Q2 — Connectors discoverability

**Strengths:**  
- Workspace integrations (Google, Microsoft) are prominent and immediately actionable — the best conversion path for first‑time users.  
- The page layout is clean, with clear calls to action (“Browse apps”, “Add custom”).  
- The empty state copy is reasonable (“No apps connected yet”) and the action button is prominent.  
- The “Add custom” flow is well‑documented and handles OAuth/bearer/none gracefully.

**Weaknesses (prioritised):**  

1. **Single‑entry catalog is a conversion killer.** “Connector examples (1 entry)” signals “this is a demo, not a real product.” Even if the philosophy is to keep the catalog small, 5–10 entries (Linear, Stripe, GitHub, Notion, Slack, etc.) using public Smithery URLs would dramatically improve first‑time confidence. The code already supports this — `MCP_CATALOG` in `connector-catalog.ts` is trivial to extend.  
2. **“MCP” is meaningless to non‑technical SMEs.** The Browse modal description says “public MCP servers” and the help disclosure explains MCP. Replace “MCP” with “connection” or “app” in all user‑facing copy. Keep technical details in the help disclosure.  
3. **The Browse modal title “Connector examples” is weak.** Rename to “App catalog” or “Browse connectors”. Change description to: “Ready‑made connections for popular services. Don’t see yours? Add any connection URL below.”  
4. **No onboarding nudge on first visit.** Add a subtle banner or tooltip: “Connect your first app — try Google Workspace or browse the catalog.”  
5. **The empty state for Connected Apps is too abstract.** Show a placeholder illustration or a “Get started” card with a link to the catalog.  
6. **The catalog is hidden behind a modal.** Consider showing a short list of popular connectors directly on the page (below workspace integrations) to reduce friction. The modal can remain for the full list.

**What would convert more first‑timers:**  
- **Immediate trust:** 5+ catalog entries with real services.  
- **Clear language:** No jargon. “Connection” not “MCP”.  
- **Low friction:** Onboarding nudge + visible popular connectors.  
- **Progressive disclosure:** Workspace integrations first, then catalog, then custom.

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## What you’d ship this week

**Q1 (tool UI):**  
- Implement the four quick wins from the audit (artifacts/documents render block, skills/knowledge shared renderer, code `<pre>`, browser screenshot `<img>`).  
- Update `.claude/rules/one-file-tool-definitions.md` to require `render` block (icon, displayName, summary) for all new tools.  
- Batch‑add minimal `render` blocks to the 32 bare‑wrench tools (mechanical pass, ~1 hour).

**Q2 (connectors):**  
- Add 5 catalog entries to `connector-catalog.ts`: Linear, Stripe, GitHub, Notion, Slack (use public Smithery URLs).  
- Rename “Connector examples” → “App catalog” in `ConnectorsPage.tsx` (line ~280).  
- Replace “MCP” with “connection” in user‑facing copy in `ConnectorsPage.tsx` (header subtitle, Browse modal description, help disclosure).  
- Add a one‑time onboarding banner on first visit (check `localStorage` flag).  

Total effort: ~3–4 hours. The result: no bare‑wrench tools, a credible catalog, and a clear path from landing to first connection.