🐛 Use minimal startup output outside TTY

Shortcake-Parent: 2026-07-03-avoid-fancy-logs-for-non-tty-output

Author: patrick91

src/fastapi_cli/cli.py

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 from .utils.cli import (
     get_rich_toolkit,
     get_uvicorn_log_config,
+    should_use_rich_toolkit,
     should_use_rich_uvicorn_logs,
 )
 
@@ -144,15 +145,20 @@ def _run(
     forwarded_allow_ips: str | None = None,
     public_url: str | None = None,
 ) -> None:
-    with get_rich_toolkit() as toolkit:
+    use_rich = should_use_rich_toolkit()
+    with get_rich_toolkit(use_rich=use_rich) as toolkit:
         server_type = "development" if command == "dev" else "production"
 
-        toolkit.print_title(f"Starting {server_type} server 🚀", tag="FastAPI")
-        toolkit.print_line()
+        if use_rich:
+            toolkit.print_title(f"Starting {server_type} server 🚀", tag="FastAPI")
+        else:
+            toolkit.print_title("⚡️ Starting FastAPI")
 
-        toolkit.print(
-            "Searching for package file structure from directories with [blue]__init__.py[/blue] files"
-        )
+        if use_rich:
+            toolkit.print_line()
+            toolkit.print(
+                "Searching for package file structure from directories with [blue]__init__.py[/blue] files"
+            )
 
         if entrypoint and (path or app):
             toolkit.print_line()
@@ -198,69 +204,77 @@ def _run(
         module_data = import_data.module_data
         import_string = import_data.import_string
 
-        toolkit.print(f"Importing from {module_data.extra_sys_path}")
-        toolkit.print_line()
-
-        if module_data.module_paths:
-            root_tree = _get_module_tree(module_data.module_paths)
-
-            toolkit.print(root_tree, tag="module")
+        if use_rich:
+            toolkit.print(f"Importing from {module_data.extra_sys_path}")
             toolkit.print_line()
 
-        toolkit.print(
-            "Importing the FastAPI app object from the module with the following code:",
-            tag="code",
-        )
-        toolkit.print_line()
-        toolkit.print(
-            f"[underline]from [bold]{module_data.module_import_str}[/bold] import [bold]{import_data.app_name}[/bold]"
-        )
-        toolkit.print_line()
-
-        toolkit.print(
-            f"Using import string: [blue]{import_string}[/]",
-            tag="app",
-        )
+            if module_data.module_paths:
+                root_tree = _get_module_tree(module_data.module_paths)
 
-        mod_source_desc = SOURCE_DESCRIPTIONS[import_data.module_config_source]
-        app_source_desc = SOURCE_DESCRIPTIONS[import_data.app_name_config_source]
-        toolkit.print_line()
-        toolkit.print("Configuration sources:", tag="info")
-        if mod_source_desc == app_source_desc:
-            toolkit.print(f" • Import string: {mod_source_desc}")
-        else:
-            toolkit.print(f" • Module: {mod_source_desc}")
-            toolkit.print(f" • App name: {app_source_desc}")
+                toolkit.print(root_tree, tag="module")
+                toolkit.print_line()
 
-        if import_data.module_config_source == "auto-discovery":
+            toolkit.print(
+                "Importing the FastAPI app object from the module with the following code:",
+                tag="code",
+            )
             toolkit.print_line()
             toolkit.print(
-                "You can configure an entrypoint in [blue]pyproject.toml[/] for this app with:",
-                tag="tip",
+                f"[underline]from [bold]{module_data.module_import_str}[/bold] import [bold]{import_data.app_name}[/bold]"
             )
             toolkit.print_line()
+
             toolkit.print(
-                Syntax(
-                    (
-                        "[tool.fastapi]\n"
-                        f'entrypoint = "{import_data.module_data.module_import_str}:{import_data.app_name}"'
-                    ),
-                    "toml",
-                    theme="ansi_light",
-                )
+                f"Using import string: [blue]{import_string}[/]",
+                tag="app",
             )
+        else:
+            toolkit.print(f"🐍 App: [blue]{import_string}[/]")
+
+        if use_rich:
+            mod_source_desc = SOURCE_DESCRIPTIONS[import_data.module_config_source]
+            app_source_desc = SOURCE_DESCRIPTIONS[import_data.app_name_config_source]
+            toolkit.print_line()
+            toolkit.print("Configuration sources:", tag="info")
+            if mod_source_desc == app_source_desc:
+                toolkit.print(f" • Import string: {mod_source_desc}")
+            else:
+                toolkit.print(f" • Module: {mod_source_desc}")
+                toolkit.print(f" • App name: {app_source_desc}")
+
+            if import_data.module_config_source == "auto-discovery":
+                toolkit.print_line()
+                toolkit.print(
+                    "You can configure an entrypoint in [blue]pyproject.toml[/] for this app with:",
+                    tag="tip",
+                )
+                toolkit.print_line()
+                toolkit.print(
+                    Syntax(
+                        (
+                            "[tool.fastapi]\n"
+                            f'entrypoint = "{import_data.module_data.module_import_str}:{import_data.app_name}"'
+                        ),
+                        "toml",
+                        theme="ansi_light",
+                    )
+                )
 
         url = public_url.rstrip("/") if public_url else f"http://{host}:{port}"
         url_docs = f"{url}/docs"
 
-        toolkit.print_line()
-        toolkit.print(
-            f"Server started at [link={url}]{url}[/]",
-            f"Documentation at [link={url_docs}]{url_docs}[/]",
-            tag="server",
-        )
+        if use_rich:
+            toolkit.print_line()
+            toolkit.print(f"Server started at [link={url}]{url}[/]", tag="server")
+            toolkit.print(
+                f"Documentation at [link={url_docs}]{url_docs}[/]", tag="server"
+            )
+        else:
+            toolkit.print(f"🌐 Server: [link={url}]{url}[/]")
+            toolkit.print(f"📚 Docs: [link={url_docs}]{url_docs}[/]")
+            toolkit.print("")
 
-        if command == "dev":
+        if command == "dev" and use_rich:
             toolkit.print_line()
             toolkit.print(
                 "Running in development mode, for production use: [bold]fastapi run[/]",
@@ -272,9 +286,10 @@ def _run(
                 "Could not import Uvicorn, try running 'pip install uvicorn'"
             ) from None
 
-        toolkit.print_line()
-        toolkit.print("Logs:")
-        toolkit.print_line()
+        if use_rich:
+            toolkit.print_line()
+            toolkit.print("Logs:")
+            toolkit.print_line()
 
         extra_uvicorn_kwargs: dict[str, Any] = {}
         if should_use_rich_uvicorn_logs():

src/fastapi_cli/utils/cli.py

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 class CustomFormatter(DefaultFormatter):
     def __init__(self, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
         super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
-        self.toolkit = get_rich_toolkit()
+        self.toolkit = get_rich_toolkit(use_rich=True)
 
     def formatMessage(self, record: logging.LogRecord) -> str:
         message = record.getMessage()
@@ -71,7 +71,17 @@ def get_uvicorn_log_config() -> dict[str, Any]:
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
-def get_rich_toolkit() -> RichToolkit:
+def should_use_rich_toolkit() -> bool:
+    return sys.stdout.isatty()
+
+
+def get_rich_toolkit(use_rich: bool | None = None) -> RichToolkit:
+    if use_rich is None:
+        use_rich = should_use_rich_toolkit()
+
+    if not use_rich:
+        return RichToolkit()
+
     theme = RichToolkitTheme(
         style=TaggedStyle(tag_width=11),
         theme={

tests/test_cli.py

@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
-def force_rich_uvicorn_logs(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+def force_rich_output(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+    monkeypatch.setattr("fastapi_cli.cli.should_use_rich_toolkit", lambda: True)
     monkeypatch.setattr("fastapi_cli.cli.should_use_rich_uvicorn_logs", lambda: True)
 
 
@@ -71,6 +72,36 @@ def test_run_uses_uvicorn_default_log_config_without_rich_logs(
     assert "log_config" not in mock_run.call_args.kwargs
 
 
+def test_run_uses_minimal_output_without_tty(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+    monkeypatch.setattr("fastapi_cli.cli.should_use_rich_toolkit", lambda: False)
+    monkeypatch.setattr("fastapi_cli.cli.should_use_rich_uvicorn_logs", lambda: False)
+
+    with changing_dir(assets_path):
+        with patch.object(uvicorn, "run") as mock_run:
+            result = runner.invoke(app, ["run", "single_file_app.py"])
+            assert result.exit_code == 0, result.output
+            assert mock_run.called
+            assert mock_run.call_args
+
+    assert "⚡️ Starting FastAPI" in result.output
+    assert "🐍 App: single_file_app:app" in result.output
+    assert "🌐 Server: http://0.0.0.0:8000" in result.output
+    assert "📚 Docs: http://0.0.0.0:8000/docs" in result.output
+    assert "📚 Docs: http://0.0.0.0:8000/docs\n\n" in result.output
+    assert "Logs:" not in result.output
+    assert "Source:" not in result.output
+    assert "Server started at" not in result.output
+    assert "Documentation at" not in result.output
+    assert "Searching for package file structure" not in result.output
+    assert "Importing from" not in result.output
+    assert "🐍 single_file_app.py" not in result.output
+    assert "Importing the FastAPI app object" not in result.output
+    assert "Using import string:" not in result.output
+    assert "Configuration sources:" not in result.output
+    assert "You can configure an entrypoint" not in result.output
+    assert "log_config" not in mock_run.call_args.kwargs
+
+
 def test_dev_no_args_auto_discovery() -> None:
     """Test that auto-discovery works when no args and no pyproject.toml entrypoint"""
     with changing_dir(assets_path / "default_files" / "default_main"):

tests/test_cli_pyproject.py

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 from unittest.mock import patch
 
+import pytest
 import uvicorn
 from typer.testing import CliRunner
 
@@ -12,6 +13,11 @@
 assets_path = Path(__file__).parent / "assets"
 
 
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def force_rich_toolkit(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+    monkeypatch.setattr("fastapi_cli.cli.should_use_rich_toolkit", lambda: True)
+
+
 def test_dev_with_pyproject_app_config_uses() -> None:
     with (
         changing_dir(assets_path / "pyproject_config"),

tests/test_utils_cli.py

@@ -4,10 +4,13 @@
 from logging.config import dictConfig
 
 from pytest import LogCaptureFixture, MonkeyPatch
+from rich_toolkit.styles import MinimalStyle, TaggedStyle
 
 from fastapi_cli.utils.cli import (
     CustomFormatter,
+    get_rich_toolkit,
     get_uvicorn_log_config,
+    should_use_rich_toolkit,
     should_use_rich_uvicorn_logs,
 )
 
@@ -29,6 +32,36 @@ def test_should_use_rich_uvicorn_logs_is_false_without_tty(
     assert should_use_rich_uvicorn_logs() is False
 
 
+def test_get_rich_toolkit_uses_tagged_style_when_requested() -> None:
+    toolkit = get_rich_toolkit(use_rich=True)
+
+    assert isinstance(toolkit.style, TaggedStyle)
+
+
+def test_get_rich_toolkit_uses_minimal_style_without_rich() -> None:
+    toolkit = get_rich_toolkit(use_rich=False)
+
+    assert isinstance(toolkit.style, MinimalStyle)
+
+
+def test_get_rich_toolkit_uses_minimal_style_without_tty(
+    monkeypatch: MonkeyPatch,
+) -> None:
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sys, "stdout", io.StringIO())
+
+    toolkit = get_rich_toolkit()
+
+    assert isinstance(toolkit.style, MinimalStyle)
+
+
+def test_should_use_rich_toolkit_is_false_without_tty(
+    monkeypatch: MonkeyPatch,
+) -> None:
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sys, "stdout", io.StringIO())
+
+    assert should_use_rich_toolkit() is False
+
+
 def test_custom_formatter() -> None:
     formatter = CustomFormatter()