Modes

Agent modes change the LLM's system prompt and behavior to specialize for different tasks.

Built-in Modes

ModeDescription
codeGeneral-purpose coding assistant (default)
architectSystem design and high-level architecture
askQ&A without executing tools
debugDebugging and error diagnosis
reviewCode review and quality analysis
refactorRefactoring guidance and execution
testTest generation
autoFully autonomous execution

Usage

clawdius chat --mode architect "Design a payment system"
clawdius chat --mode debug "Why does this test fail?"
clawdius chat --mode review "Review src/main.rs"
clawdius chat --mode test "Write tests for the auth module"
clawdius chat --mode auto "Fix the CI pipeline"

Listing Modes

clawdius modes list

Showing Mode Details

clawdius modes show architect

Custom Modes

Create your own agent mode:

clawdius modes create security-review

This creates a mode configuration file that you can customize with:

  • System prompt
  • Allowed tools
  • Temperature and other model parameters
  • Custom instructions

Save to a specific path:

clawdius modes create security-review --output .clawdius/modes/

Mode Behavior

Each mode configures:

  • System prompt: Instructions that guide the LLM's behavior
  • Tool access: Which tools are available
  • Auto-approve: Whether tools execute without confirmation
  • Output style: How responses are formatted

The code mode is the default and provides full tool access with confirmation prompts. The auto mode enables auto-approve for all tool executions. The ask mode disables tool execution entirely.

Using Custom Modes

Once created, use a custom mode like a built-in one:

clawdius chat --mode security-review "Audit the authentication flow"