■ AGENT MODES // SCOPED AUTHORITY

Six modes, six permission scopes

Every mission runs in exactly one mode. Each mode declares the tools it may use, the tools it may never use, and the independent verification its output must pass before completion.

Plan Mode

Decompose complex goals, map dependencies, surface uncertainty and define acceptance criteria before code changes begin.

Primary mission

Construct a validated, topologically sorted task DAG with explicit input/output boundaries and acceptance verification criteria.

Allowed tools

filesystem.read

ast.symbol_search

repo.dependency_tree

policy.read

Restricted tools

filesystem.write (BLOCKED)

shell.execute (BLOCKED)

git.commit (BLOCKED)

Verification requirement

Plan DAG must satisfy schema validation, contain no circular dependencies, and define unit tests for every executable task unit.

Repo Audit → Map Impact Radius → Generate Work Units → Define Test Gates → Await Operator Approval

Code Mode

Implement scoped changes across files while preserving repository conventions and explicit tool boundaries.

Primary mission

Synthesize minimal, idiomatic, and defensively structured code edits targeted strictly at the active task unit.

Allowed tools

filesystem.read

filesystem.write

lsp.diagnostics

git.diff

Restricted tools

network.http (ASK)

git.push (BLOCKED)

secrets.view (BLOCKED)

Verification requirement

Every modified file must compile cleanly, pass syntax linter checks, and preserve code style guidelines.

Inspect Context → Propose Surgical Diffs → Apply Incremental Edits → Check Compiler Diagnostics → Stage Diffs

Debug Mode

Trace failures through logs, tests and code paths, then produce evidence-backed hypotheses and fixes.

Primary mission

Formulate falsifiable hypotheses for runtime exceptions, isolated test failures, or performance regressions and verify resolutions.

Allowed tools

filesystem.read

filesystem.write

shell.run_test

log.analyze

debugger.trace

Restricted tools

deploy.production (BLOCKED)

db.drop (BLOCKED)

git.force_push (BLOCKED)

Verification requirement

A reproducing unit test must fail before the fix and pass unconditionally after applying the patch.

Reproduce Failure → Isolate Stacktrace → Formulate Hypothesis → Test Minimal Fix → Confirm No Regressions

Review Mode

Evaluate diffs for correctness, maintainability, regressions and missing tests without self-certifying the authoring agent.

Primary mission

Provide an adversarial, independent assessment of code quality, performance anti-patterns, boundary errors, and test coverage.

Allowed tools

git.diff

filesystem.read

coverage.report

ast.complexity_metrics

Restricted tools

filesystem.write (BLOCKED)

shell.execute (BLOCKED)

git.merge (BLOCKED)

Verification requirement

Zero unaddressed critical severity flags and confirmed test coverage over newly added code branches.

Fetch Staged Diff → Inspect Edge Cases → Evaluate Complexity → Review Error Handling → Issue Structured Verdict

Security Mode

Inspect trust boundaries, unsafe tool use, injection paths, secrets exposure and dependency risk.

Primary mission

Hunt for OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities, unauthorized egress points, tainted data flows, hardcoded secrets, and supply chain CVEs.

Allowed tools

secret.scan

sast.semgrep

deps.audit

taint.trace

filesystem.read

Restricted tools

network.egress (BLOCKED)

filesystem.write (READ-ONLY)

shell.raw_eval (BLOCKED)

Verification requirement

Cryptographic attestation certifying zero critical CVEs and zero high-entropy secret leaks in staged artifacts.

Scan Hardcoded Secrets → Trace Untrusted Inputs → Check Dependency CVEs → Audit Egress Endpoints → Sign Security Seal

Ask Mode

Explore a codebase or architecture without changing it—useful for onboarding, design review and repository understanding.

Primary mission

Answer architectural inquiries, trace data lifecycles, and explain subsystem interactions with accurate line references.

Allowed tools

filesystem.read

symbol.find_references

git.blame

diagram.export

Restricted tools

filesystem.write (BLOCKED)

shell.execute (BLOCKED)

git.write (BLOCKED)

Verification requirement

Every generated explanation must reference verified, existing repository file paths and symbol names.

Parse Query → Search Symbol Index → Trace Control Flow → Synthesize Architecture Summary → Cite Verified Files