agentation
agentation — Visual UI Feedback Bridge for AI Agents
The missing link between human eyes and agent code.
Instead of describing "the blue button in the sidebar," you hand the agent
.sidebar > button.primary. It cangrepfor that directly.
When to use this skill
- Human needs to point at a UI element and give feedback — without writing selectors
- Running iterative UI/UX review cycles between human and coding agent
- Building a watch-loop where agent auto-fixes every annotation a human leaves
- Capturing CSS selectors, bounding boxes, and React component trees for precise code targeting
- Autonomous design critique via
agent-browser+ self-driving pattern - Integrating visual feedback into agent hooks so annotations auto-appear in agent context
1. Architecture
agentation (monorepo)
├── agentation → npm: agentation (React toolbar component)
│ └── src/index.ts → exports Agentation component + types + utilities
└── agentation-mcp → npm: agentation-mcp (MCP server + CLI)
├── src/cli.ts → agentation-mcp CLI (init, server, doctor)
└── src/server/ → HTTP REST API (port 4747) + SSE events + MCP stdio tools
Two modes of operation:
| Mode | How it works |
|---|---|
| Copy-Paste | Human annotates → clicks Copy → pastes markdown into agent chat |
| Agent Sync | endpoint prop connects toolbar to MCP server → agent uses agentation_watch_annotations loop |
2. Installation
2.1 React Component (toolbar)
npm install agentation -D
# or: pnpm add agentation -D / yarn add agentation -D / bun add agentation -D
Requirements: React 18+, desktop browser, zero runtime deps beyond React (desktop only — no mobile)
Local-first by design: Annotations are stored locally and auto-sync when connected to the MCP server.
- Offline operation — Annotations can be created without a server
- Session continuity — Same session persists after page refresh, no duplicates
- Agent-first — resolve/dismiss is handled by the agent
2.2 MCP Server — Universal Setup (Recommended)
Fastest method — Auto-detects all installed agents and configures them (Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Windsurf, and 9+ more agents):
npx add-mcp "npx -y agentation-mcp server"
Or install manually:
npm install agentation-mcp -D
npx agentation-mcp server # HTTP :4747 + MCP stdio
npx agentation-mcp server --port 8080 # custom port
npx agentation-mcp doctor # verify setup
2.3 Claude Code — Official Skill (Minimal Setup)
Recommended for Claude Code users — automatically handles framework detection, package installation, and layout integration:
npx skills add benjitaylor/agentation
# then in Claude Code:
/agentation
3. React Component Setup
Basic (Copy-Paste mode — no server needed)
import { Agentation } from 'agentation';
function App() {
return (
<>
<YourApp />
{process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development' && <Agentation />}
</>
);
}
Next.js App Router
// app/layout.tsx
import { Agentation } from 'agentation';
export default function RootLayout({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
return (
<html>
<body>
{children}
{process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development' && (
<Agentation endpoint="http://localhost:4747" />
)}
</body>
</html>
);
}
Next.js Pages Router
// pages/_app.tsx
import { Agentation } from 'agentation';
export default function App({ Component, pageProps }) {
return (
<>
<Component {...pageProps} />
{process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development' && (
<Agentation endpoint="http://localhost:4747" />
)}
</>
);
}
Full Props Reference
| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
endpoint |
string |
— | MCP server URL for Agent Sync mode |
sessionId |
string |
— | Pre-existing session ID to join |
onAnnotationAdd |
(a: Annotation) => void |
— | Callback when annotation created |
onAnnotationDelete |
(a: Annotation) => void |
— | Callback when annotation deleted |
onAnnotationUpdate |
(a: Annotation) => void |
— | Callback when annotation edited |
onAnnotationsClear |
(a: Annotation[]) => void |
— | Callback when all cleared |
onCopy |
(markdown: string) => void |
— | Callback with markdown on copy |
onSubmit |
(output: string, annotations: Annotation[]) => void |
— | On "Send Annotations" click |
copyToClipboard |
boolean |
true |
Set false to suppress clipboard write |
onSessionCreated |
(sessionId: string) => void |
— | Called on new session creation |
webhookUrl |
string |
— | Webhook URL to receive annotation events |
4. MCP Server Setup — All Platforms
Claude Code (.claude/)
(Recommended) Official Claude Code Skill — minimal setup, auto-detects framework:
npx skills add benjitaylor/agentation
# In Claude Code:
/agentation
Alternative — CLI registration:
claude mcp add agentation -- npx -y agentation-mcp server
Alternative — config file (.claude/mcp.json for project-level, ~/.claude/claude_desktop_config.json for global):
{
"mcpServers": {
"agentation": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "agentation-mcp", "server"]
}
}
}
UserPromptSubmit hook — auto-inject pending annotations on every message.
Add to .claude/settings.json (project) or ~/.claude/settings.json (global):
{
"hooks": {
"UserPromptSubmit": [
{
"type": "command",
"command": "curl -sf --connect-timeout 1 http://localhost:4747/pending 2>/dev/null | python3 -c \"import sys,json;d=json.load(sys.stdin);c=d['count'];exit(0)if c==0 else[print(f'\\n=== AGENTATION: {c} UI annotations ===\\n'),*[print(f\\\"[{i+1}] {a['element']} ({a['elementPath']})\\n {a['comment']}\\n\\\")for i,a in enumerate(d['annotations'])],print('=== END ===\\n')]\" 2>/dev/null;exit 0"
}
]
}
}
Codex CLI (~/.codex/)
(Recommended) Add to ~/.codex/config.toml:
# Agentation MCP Server
[[mcp_servers]]
name = "agentation"
command = "npx"
args = ["-y", "agentation-mcp", "server"]
# Optional: teach Codex about watch-loop
developer_instructions = """
When user says "watch mode" or "agentation watch", call agentation_watch_annotations in a loop.
For each annotation: acknowledge it, fix the code using the elementPath CSS selector, resolve with summary.
"""
Restart Codex CLI after editing config.toml.
Gemini CLI (~/.gemini/)
(Recommended) CLI registration:
gemini mcp add agentation npx -y agentation-mcp server
# or with explicit scope
gemini mcp add -s user agentation npx -y agentation-mcp server
Alternative — config file (~/.gemini/settings.json for global, .gemini/settings.json for project):
{
"mcpServers": {
"agentation": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "agentation-mcp", "server"]
}
}
}
AfterAgent hook — trigger annotation check after each agent turn:
{
"mcpServers": {
"agentation": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "agentation-mcp", "server"]
}
},
"hooks": {
"AfterAgent": [
{
"matcher": "",
"hooks": [
{
"type": "command",
"command": "curl -sf --connect-timeout 1 http://localhost:4747/pending 2>/dev/null | python3 -c \"import sys,json;d=json.load(sys.stdin);c=d.get('count',0);[print(f'[agentation] {c} pending annotations'),exit(1)]if c>0 else exit(0)\" 2>/dev/null;exit 0",
"description": "Check for pending agentation annotations"
}
]
}
]
}
}
OpenCode (~/.config/opencode/)
(Recommended) Add to ~/.config/opencode/opencode.json:
{
"mcp": {
"agentation": {
"type": "local",
"command": ["npx", "-y", "agentation-mcp", "server"],
"environment": {
"AGENTATION_STORE": "sqlite",
"AGENTATION_EVENT_RETENTION_DAYS": "7"
}
}
}
}
Restart OpenCode after editing. MCP tools (agentation_*) will be available immediately.
Scripts (Automated Setup)
Prefer the bundled scripts before copying config blocks by hand:
| Script | Pattern | Usage |
|---|---|---|
scripts/setup-agentation-mcp.sh |
MCP registration | Register agentation-mcp for Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, and OpenCode |
scripts/verify-loop.sh |
Watch-loop verification | Validate health, annotation CRUD, and ACK → RESOLVE flow before starting watch mode |
5. MCP Tools (Agent API)
| Tool | Parameters | Description |
|---|---|---|
agentation_list_sessions |
none | List all active annotation sessions |
agentation_get_session |
sessionId: string |
Get session with all annotations |
agentation_get_pending |
sessionId: string |
Get pending annotations for a session |
agentation_get_all_pending |
none | Get pending annotations across ALL sessions |
agentation_acknowledge |
annotationId: string |
Mark annotation as acknowledged (agent is working on it) |
agentation_resolve |
annotationId: string, summary?: string |
Mark as resolved with optional summary |
agentation_dismiss |
annotationId: string, reason: string |
Dismiss with required reason |
agentation_reply |
annotationId: string, message: string |
Add reply to annotation thread |
agentation_watch_annotations |
sessionId?: string, batchWindowSeconds?: number (default 10, max 60), timeoutSeconds?: number (default 120, max 300) |
Block until new annotations arrive — core watch-loop tool |
6. Workflow Patterns
Pattern 1: Copy-Paste (Simplest, No Server)
1. Human opens app in browser
2. Clicks agentation toolbar → activates
3. Clicks element → adds comment → clicks Copy
4. Pastes markdown output into agent chat
5. Agent receives CSS selectors, elementPath, boundingBox
6. Agent greps/edits code using selector
Pattern 2: MCP Watch Loop (Recommended for iterative review)
Agent: agentation_watch_annotations (blocks up to 120s)
→ Human adds annotation in browser
→ Agent receives batch immediately
→ Agent: agentation_acknowledge(annotationId)
→ Agent makes code changes using elementPath as grep target
→ Agent: agentation_resolve(annotationId, "Changed button color to #3b82f6")
→ Agent: agentation_watch_annotations (loops again)
CLAUDE.md / GEMINI.md / Codex developer_instructions — add for automated watch:
When I say "watch mode" or "agentation watch", call agentation_watch_annotations in a loop.
For each annotation received:
1. Call agentation_acknowledge(annotationId)
2. Use elementPath to locate the code: Grep(elementPath) or search codebase for CSS class
3. Make the minimal change described in the comment
4. Call agentation_resolve(annotationId, "<brief summary of what was changed>")
Continue watching until I say stop, or until timeout.
Pattern 3: Platform-Specific Hook (Passive Injection)
The hook from Section 4 auto-appends pending annotations to every agent message — no "watch mode" needed. Works across all platforms.
Pattern 4: Autonomous Self-Driving Critique
Two-agent setup for fully autonomous UI review cycles:
Session 1 (Critic — uses agent-browser):
# Start headed browser pointing at your dev server
agent-browser open http://localhost:3000
agent-browser snapshot -i
# Agent navigates, clicks elements via agentation toolbar, adds critique
# Annotations flow to agentation MCP server automatically
Session 2 (Fixer — watches MCP):
agentation_watch_annotations → receives critique → acknowledge → edit → resolve → loop
Pattern 5: Webhook Integration
<Agentation webhookUrl="https://your-server.com/webhook" />
# or env var:
# AGENTATION_WEBHOOK_URL=https://your-server.com/webhook
7. Annotation Schema
type Annotation = {
// Core
id: string;
x: number; // % of viewport width (0-100)
y: number; // px from document top
comment: string; // User's feedback text
element: string; // Tag name: "button", "div", etc.
elementPath: string; // CSS selector: "body > main > button.cta" ← grep target
timestamp: number;
// Context
selectedText?: string;
boundingBox?: { x: number; y: number; width: number; height: number };
nearbyText?: string;
cssClasses?: string;
nearbyElements?: string;
computedStyles?: string;
fullPath?: string;
accessibility?: string;
reactComponents?: string; // "App > Dashboard > Button" ← component grep target
isMultiSelect?: boolean;
isFixed?: boolean;
// Lifecycle (server-synced)
sessionId?: string;
url?: string;
intent?: "fix" | "change" | "question" | "approve";
severity?: "blocking" | "important" | "suggestion";
status?: "pending" | "acknowledged" | "resolved" | "dismissed";
thread?: ThreadMessage[];
createdAt?: string;
updatedAt?: string;
resolvedAt?: string;
resolvedBy?: "human" | "agent";
};
Annotation lifecycle:
pending → acknowledged → resolved
↘ dismissed (requires reason)
8. HTTP REST API (port 4747)
# Sessions
POST /sessions # Create session
GET /sessions # List all sessions
GET /sessions/:id # Get session + annotations
# Annotations
POST /sessions/:id/annotations # Add annotation
GET /annotations/:id # Get annotation
PATCH /annotations/:id # Update annotation
DELETE /annotations/:id # Delete annotation
GET /sessions/:id/pending # Pending for session
GET /pending # ALL pending across sessions
# Events (SSE streaming)
GET /sessions/:id/events # Session stream
GET /events # Global stream (?domain=filter)
# Health
GET /health
GET /status
9. Configuration
Environment Variables
| Variable | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
AGENTATION_STORE |
memory or sqlite |
sqlite |
AGENTATION_WEBHOOK_URL |
Single webhook URL | — |
AGENTATION_WEBHOOKS |
Comma-separated webhook URLs | — |
AGENTATION_EVENT_RETENTION_DAYS |
Days to keep events | 7 |
SQLite storage: ~/.agentation/store.db
Platform Config Files
| Platform | Config File | MCP Key | Hook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Code | .claude/mcp.json (project) / ~/.claude/claude_desktop_config.json (global) |
mcpServers |
hooks.UserPromptSubmit in settings.json |
| Codex CLI | ~/.codex/config.toml |
[[mcp_servers]] (TOML) |
developer_instructions + notify |
| Gemini CLI | ~/.gemini/settings.json |
mcpServers |
hooks.AfterAgent in settings.json |
| OpenCode | ~/.config/opencode/opencode.json |
mcp (type: "local") |
Skills system (no hook needed) |
| Cursor / Windsurf | .cursor/mcp.json / .windsurf/mcp.json |
mcpServers |
— |
10. Programmatic Utilities
import {
identifyElement, identifyAnimationElement,
getElementPath, getNearbyText, getElementClasses,
isInShadowDOM, getShadowHost, closestCrossingShadow,
loadAnnotations, saveAnnotations, getStorageKey,
type Annotation, type Session, type ThreadMessage,
} from 'agentation';
11. jeo Integration (annotate keyword)
agentation integrates as the VERIFY_UI phase of the jeo skill.
annotateis the primary keyword;agentuiis a backward-compatible alias.
Trigger Keywords
| Keyword | Platform | Action |
|---|---|---|
annotate |
Claude Code | agentation_watch_annotations MCP blocking call |
annotate |
Codex | ANNOTATE_READY signal → jeo-notify.py HTTP polling |
annotate |
Gemini | GEMINI.md instruction: HTTP REST polling pattern |
/jeo-annotate |
OpenCode | opencode.json mcp.agentation + instructions |
agentui (deprecated) |
All platforms | Same behavior — backward-compatible alias |
UI review |
All platforms | Same as annotate |
Phase Guard
plannotator and agentation use the same blocking loop pattern but only operate in different phases:
| Tool | Allowed phase | Guard |
|---|---|---|
| plannotator | plan only |
jeo-state.json → phase === "plan" |
| agentation | verify_ui only |
jeo-state.json → phase === "verify_ui" |
jeo VERIFY_UI Evaluation Flow
jeo "<task>"
│
[1] PLAN (plannotator loop) ← approve plan.md
[2] EXECUTE (team/bmad)
[3] VERIFY
├─ agent-browser snapshot
├─ Pre-flight: GET /health → GET /sessions → GET /pending
└─ annotate → VERIFY_UI (agentation loop)
├─ ACK → FIND → FIX → RESOLVE
├─ RE-SNAPSHOT (agent-browser)
└─ update agentation fields in jeo-state.json
[4] CLEANUP
Install with jeo:
bash .agent-skills/jeo/scripts/install.sh --with-agentation
For detailed jeo integration: see jeo SKILL.md Section 3.3.1
Best Practices
- Always gate
<Agentation>withNODE_ENV === 'development'— never ship to production - Use MCP watch-loop over copy-paste for iterative cycles — eliminates context switching
- Call
agentation_acknowledgeimmediately when starting a fix — signals human - Include a
summaryinagentation_resolve— gives human traceability - Process
severity: "blocking"annotations first in the watch loop - Use
elementPathas the primary grep/search target in code — it's a valid CSS selector - Use
reactComponentsfield when the codebase is React — matches component names directly - Add the appropriate hook for your platform (Section 4) for zero-friction passive injection
- For autonomous self-driving, use
agent-browserin headed mode withagentationmounted
References
Metadata
- Version: 1.1.0
- Source: benjitaylor/agentation (PolyForm Shield 1.0.0)
- Packages:
agentation@2.2.1,agentation-mcp@1.2.0 - Last updated: 2026-03-22
- Scope: UI annotation bridge for human-agent feedback loops — Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, OpenCode