feat(coding-agent): add --no-context-files flag

closes #3253

packages/coding-agent/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Added
+
+- Added `--no-context-files` (`-nc`) to disable `AGENTS.md` and `CLAUDE.md` context file discovery and loading ([#3253](https://github.com/badlogic/pi-mono/issues/3253))
+
 ### Fixed
 
 - Fixed flaky `edit-tool-no-full-redraw` TUI tests by waiting for asynchronous preview and preflight error rendering instead of relying on fixed render ticks.

packages/coding-agent/README.md

@@ -278,6 +278,8 @@ Pi loads `AGENTS.md` (or `CLAUDE.md`) at startup from:
 
 Use for project instructions, conventions, common commands. All matching files are concatenated.
 
+Disable context file loading with `--no-context-files` (or `-nc`).
+
 ### System Prompt
 
 Replace the default system prompt with `.pi/SYSTEM.md` (project) or `~/.pi/agent/SYSTEM.md` (global). Append without replacing via `APPEND_SYSTEM.md`.
@@ -529,6 +531,7 @@ Available built-in tools: `read`, `bash`, `edit`, `write`, `grep`, `find`, `ls`
 | `--no-prompt-templates` | Disable prompt template discovery |
 | `--theme <path>` | Load theme (repeatable) |
 | `--no-themes` | Disable theme discovery |
+| `--no-context-files`, `-nc` | Disable AGENTS.md and CLAUDE.md context file discovery |
 
 Combine `--no-*` with explicit flags to load exactly what you need, ignoring settings.json (e.g., `--no-extensions -e ./my-ext.ts`).
 

packages/coding-agent/src/cli/args.ts

@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ export interface Args {
 	noPromptTemplates?: boolean;
 	themes?: string[];
 	noThemes?: boolean;
+	noContextFiles?: boolean;
 	listModels?: string | true;
 	offline?: boolean;
 	verbose?: boolean;
@@ -150,6 +151,8 @@ export function parseArgs(args: string[]): Args {
 			result.noPromptTemplates = true;
 		} else if (arg === "--no-themes") {
 			result.noThemes = true;
+		} else if (arg === "--no-context-files" || arg === "-nc") {
+			result.noContextFiles = true;
 		} else if (arg === "--list-models") {
 			// Check if next arg is a search pattern (not a flag or file arg)
 			if (i + 1 < args.length && !args[i + 1].startsWith("-") && !args[i + 1].startsWith("@")) {
@@ -240,6 +243,7 @@ ${chalk.bold("Options:")}
   --no-prompt-templates, -np     Disable prompt template discovery and loading
   --theme <path>                 Load a theme file or directory (can be used multiple times)
   --no-themes                    Disable theme discovery and loading
+  --no-context-files, -nc        Disable AGENTS.md and CLAUDE.md discovery and loading
   --export <file>                Export session file to HTML and exit
   --list-models [search]         List available models (with optional fuzzy search)
   --verbose                      Force verbose startup (overrides quietStartup setting)

packages/coding-agent/src/core/resource-loader.ts

@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ export interface DefaultResourceLoaderOptions {
 	noSkills?: boolean;
 	noPromptTemplates?: boolean;
 	noThemes?: boolean;
+	noContextFiles?: boolean;
 	systemPrompt?: string;
 	appendSystemPrompt?: string[];
 	extensionsOverride?: (base: LoadExtensionsResult) => LoadExtensionsResult;
@@ -163,6 +164,7 @@ export class DefaultResourceLoader implements ResourceLoader {
 	private noSkills: boolean;
 	private noPromptTemplates: boolean;
 	private noThemes: boolean;
+	private noContextFiles: boolean;
 	private systemPromptSource?: string;
 	private appendSystemPromptSource?: string[];
 	private extensionsOverride?: (base: LoadExtensionsResult) => LoadExtensionsResult;
@@ -220,6 +222,7 @@ export class DefaultResourceLoader implements ResourceLoader {
 		this.noSkills = options.noSkills ?? false;
 		this.noPromptTemplates = options.noPromptTemplates ?? false;
 		this.noThemes = options.noThemes ?? false;
+		this.noContextFiles = options.noContextFiles ?? false;
 		this.systemPromptSource = options.systemPrompt;
 		this.appendSystemPromptSource = options.appendSystemPrompt;
 		this.extensionsOverride = options.extensionsOverride;
@@ -448,7 +451,9 @@ export class DefaultResourceLoader implements ResourceLoader {
 			}
 		}
 
-		const agentsFiles = { agentsFiles: loadProjectContextFiles({ cwd: this.cwd, agentDir: this.agentDir }) };
+		const agentsFiles = {
+			agentsFiles: this.noContextFiles ? [] : loadProjectContextFiles({ cwd: this.cwd, agentDir: this.agentDir }),
+		};
 		const resolvedAgentsFiles = this.agentsFilesOverride ? this.agentsFilesOverride(agentsFiles) : agentsFiles;
 		this.agentsFiles = resolvedAgentsFiles.agentsFiles;
 

packages/coding-agent/src/main.ts

@@ -538,6 +538,7 @@ export async function main(args: string[], options?: MainOptions) {
 				noSkills: parsed.noSkills,
 				noPromptTemplates: parsed.noPromptTemplates,
 				noThemes: parsed.noThemes,
+				noContextFiles: parsed.noContextFiles,
 				systemPrompt: parsed.systemPrompt,
 				appendSystemPrompt: parsed.appendSystemPrompt,
 				extensionFactories: options?.extensionFactories,

packages/coding-agent/test/args.test.ts

@@ -231,6 +231,18 @@ describe("parseArgs", () => {
 		});
 	});
 
+	describe("--no-context-files flag", () => {
+		test("parses --no-context-files flag", () => {
+			const result = parseArgs(["--no-context-files"]);
+			expect(result.noContextFiles).toBe(true);
+		});
+
+		test("parses -nc shorthand", () => {
+			const result = parseArgs(["-nc"]);
+			expect(result.noContextFiles).toBe(true);
+		});
+	});
+
 	describe("--verbose flag", () => {
 		test("parses --verbose flag", () => {
 			const result = parseArgs(["--verbose"]);

packages/coding-agent/test/resource-loader.test.ts

@@ -276,6 +276,17 @@ Content`,
 			expect(agentsFiles.some((f) => f.path.includes("AGENTS.md"))).toBe(true);
 		});
 
+		it("should skip AGENTS.md and CLAUDE.md discovery when noContextFiles is true", async () => {
+			writeFileSync(join(cwd, "AGENTS.md"), "# Project Guidelines\n\nBe helpful.");
+			writeFileSync(join(cwd, "CLAUDE.md"), "# Claude Guidelines\n\nBe helpful.");
+
+			const loader = new DefaultResourceLoader({ cwd, agentDir, noContextFiles: true });
+			await loader.reload();
+
+			const { agentsFiles } = loader.getAgentsFiles();
+			expect(agentsFiles).toEqual([]);
+		});
+
 		it("should discover SYSTEM.md from cwd/.pi", async () => {
 			const piDir = join(cwd, ".pi");
 			mkdirSync(piDir, { recursive: true });