feat: add ability to edit subtask instructions

- Added edit button to subtask instructions in orchestrator mode
- Users can now modify subtask content before approval
- Reduces unnecessary LLM calls and token usage
- Implements inline editing similar to user message editing

Fixes #9593

src/core/webview/webviewMessageHandler.ts

@@ -1542,6 +1542,56 @@ export const webviewMessageHandler = async (
 			}
 			break
 		}
+		case "submitEditedSubtask": {
+			// Handle editing of subtask instructions
+			const currentCline = provider.getCurrentTask()
+			if (currentCline && message.messageTs && message.editedSubtaskContent) {
+				// Find the message with the newTask tool
+				const messageIndex = currentCline.clineMessages.findIndex(
+					(msg: ClineMessage) => msg.ts === message.messageTs,
+				)
+
+				if (messageIndex !== -1) {
+					const targetMessage = currentCline.clineMessages[messageIndex]
+
+					// Parse the tool content to update it
+					if (targetMessage.ask === "tool" && targetMessage.text) {
+						try {
+							const tool = JSON.parse(targetMessage.text)
+							if (tool.tool === "newTask") {
+								// Update the content with the edited subtask instructions
+								tool.content = message.editedSubtaskContent
+
+								// Update the message with the new content
+								currentCline.clineMessages[messageIndex].text = JSON.stringify(tool)
+
+								// Save the updated messages
+								await saveTaskMessages({
+									messages: currentCline.clineMessages,
+									taskId: currentCline.taskId,
+									globalStoragePath: provider.contextProxy.globalStorageUri.fsPath,
+								})
+
+								// Update the UI to reflect the changes
+								await provider.postStateToWebview()
+
+								// Now approve the subtask with the edited content
+								// This simulates the user clicking "Approve" after editing
+								currentCline.handleWebviewAskResponse("yesButtonClicked")
+							}
+						} catch (error) {
+							console.error("Error updating subtask instructions:", error)
+							vscode.window.showErrorMessage(
+								t("common:errors.message.error_editing_subtask", {
+									error: error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error),
+								}),
+							)
+						}
+					}
+				}
+			}
+			break
+		}
 
 		case "hasOpenedModeSelector":
 			await updateGlobalState("hasOpenedModeSelector", message.bool ?? true)

src/shared/WebviewMessage.ts

@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ export interface WebviewMessage {
 		| "deleteMessageConfirm"
 		| "submitEditedMessage"
 		| "editMessageConfirm"
+		| "submitEditedSubtask"
 		| "enableMcpServerCreation"
 		| "remoteControlEnabled"
 		| "taskSyncEnabled"
@@ -181,6 +182,7 @@ export interface WebviewMessage {
 		| "requestClaudeCodeRateLimits"
 	text?: string
 	editedMessageContent?: string
+	editedSubtaskContent?: string
 	tab?: "settings" | "history" | "mcp" | "modes" | "chat" | "marketplace" | "cloud"
 	disabled?: boolean
 	context?: string

webview-ui/src/components/chat/ChatRow.tsx

@@ -174,6 +174,10 @@ export const ChatRowContent = ({
 	const [editMode, setEditMode] = useState<Mode>(mode || "code")
 	const [editImages, setEditImages] = useState<string[]>([])
 
+	// State for editing subtask instructions
+	const [isEditingSubtask, setIsEditingSubtask] = useState(false)
+	const [editedSubtaskContent, setEditedSubtaskContent] = useState("")
+
 	// Handle message events for image selection during edit mode
 	useEffect(() => {
 		const handleMessage = (event: MessageEvent) => {
@@ -792,6 +796,30 @@ export const ChatRowContent = ({
 					</>
 				)
 			case "newTask":
+				// Handle edit button click for subtask
+				const handleEditSubtaskClick = () => {
+					setIsEditingSubtask(true)
+					setEditedSubtaskContent(tool.content || "")
+				}
+
+				// Handle cancel edit for subtask
+				const handleCancelEditSubtask = () => {
+					setIsEditingSubtask(false)
+					setEditedSubtaskContent(tool.content || "")
+				}
+
+				// Handle save edit for subtask
+				const handleSaveEditSubtask = () => {
+					setIsEditingSubtask(false)
+					// Send edited subtask content to backend
+					vscode.postMessage({
+						type: "submitEditedSubtask",
+						messageTs: message.ts,
+						editedSubtaskContent: editedSubtaskContent,
+						mode: tool.mode,
+					})
+				}
+
 				return (
 					<>
 						<div style={headerStyle}>
@@ -805,6 +833,7 @@ export const ChatRowContent = ({
 							</span>
 						</div>
 						<div
+							className="group"
 							style={{
 								marginTop: "4px",
 								backgroundColor: "var(--vscode-badge-background)",
@@ -812,6 +841,7 @@ export const ChatRowContent = ({
 								borderRadius: "4px 4px 0 0",
 								overflow: "hidden",
 								marginBottom: "2px",
+								position: "relative",
 							}}>
 							<div
 								style={{
@@ -823,13 +853,64 @@ export const ChatRowContent = ({
 									color: "var(--vscode-badge-foreground)",
 									display: "flex",
 									alignItems: "center",
-									gap: "6px",
+									justifyContent: "space-between",
 								}}>
-								<span className="codicon codicon-arrow-right"></span>
-								{t("chat:subtasks.newTaskContent")}
+								<div style={{ display: "flex", alignItems: "center", gap: "6px" }}>
+									<span className="codicon codicon-arrow-right"></span>
+									{t("chat:subtasks.newTaskContent")}
+								</div>
+								{/* Edit button for subtask instructions */}
+								{message.type === "ask" && !isStreaming && !isEditingSubtask && (
+									<div
+										className="cursor-pointer opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-opacity"
+										onClick={(e) => {
+											e.stopPropagation()
+											handleEditSubtaskClick()
+										}}
+										title={t("chat:editSubtaskInstructions")}
+										style={{
+											padding: "2px 4px",
+											borderRadius: "3px",
+											display: "flex",
+											alignItems: "center",
+											gap: "4px",
+										}}>
+										<Edit className="w-4 h-4" aria-label="Edit subtask instructions" />
+									</div>
+								)}
 							</div>
 							<div style={{ padding: "12px 16px", backgroundColor: "var(--vscode-editor-background)" }}>
-								<MarkdownBlock markdown={tool.content} />
+								{isEditingSubtask ? (
+									<div className="flex flex-col gap-2">
+										<textarea
+											value={editedSubtaskContent}
+											onChange={(e) => setEditedSubtaskContent(e.target.value)}
+											className="w-full p-2 border border-vscode-input-border bg-vscode-input-background text-vscode-input-foreground rounded"
+											style={{
+												minHeight: "200px",
+												resize: "vertical",
+												fontFamily: "var(--vscode-editor-font-family)",
+												fontSize: "var(--vscode-editor-font-size)",
+											}}
+											placeholder={t("chat:editSubtaskInstructions.placeholder")}
+											autoFocus
+										/>
+										<div className="flex gap-2 justify-end">
+											<button
+												onClick={handleCancelEditSubtask}
+												className="px-3 py-1 rounded bg-vscode-button-secondaryBackground text-vscode-button-secondaryForeground hover:bg-vscode-button-secondaryHoverBackground">
+												{t("chat:cancel")}
+											</button>
+											<button
+												onClick={handleSaveEditSubtask}
+												className="px-3 py-1 rounded bg-vscode-button-background text-vscode-button-foreground hover:bg-vscode-button-hoverBackground">
+												{t("chat:save")}
+											</button>
+										</div>
+									</div>
+								) : (
+									<MarkdownBlock markdown={tool.content} />
+								)}
 							</div>
 						</div>
 					</>