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codewhale/docs/MODES.md
T
Hunter Bown ab2c708ca7 feat: runtime API, task manager, and extensive improvements (v0.3.16)
Major Features:
- Runtime API for external integrations and turn management
- Task manager with persistence and recovery
- Shell output streaming and improved tool execution
- Error taxonomy and audit logging
- Command palette and UI enhancements

Documentation:
- Runtime API documentation
- Operations runbook
- Architecture updates

Fixes:
- Auto-compaction threshold and triggering logic
- Doctor command API key validation
- Clippy and formatting compliance
2026-02-16 10:51:39 -06:00

2.0 KiB
Raw Blame History

Modes and Approvals

DeepSeek CLI has two related concepts:

  • TUI mode: what kind of interaction youre in (Normal/Plan/Agent/YOLO).
  • Approval mode: how aggressively the UI asks before executing tools.

TUI Modes

Press Tab to cycle: Plan → Agent → YOLO → Plan.

  • Normal: chat-first. Approvals for file writes, shell, and paid tools.
  • Plan: design-first prompting. Approvals match Normal.
  • Agent: multi-step tool use. Approvals for shell and paid tools (file writes are allowed without a prompt).
  • YOLO: enables shell + trust mode and auto-approves all tools. Use only in trusted repos.

Approval Mode

You can override approval behavior at runtime:

/set approval_mode suggest
/set approval_mode auto
/set approval_mode never
  • suggest (default): uses the per-mode rules above.
  • auto: auto-approves all tools (similar to YOLO approval behavior, but without forcing YOLO mode).
  • never: blocks any tool that isnt considered safe/read-only.

Workspace Boundary and Trust Mode

By default, file tools are restricted to the --workspace directory. Enable trust mode to allow file access outside the workspace:

/trust

YOLO mode enables trust mode automatically.

MCP Behavior

MCP tools are exposed as mcp_<server>_<tool> and use the same approval flow as built-in tools. Read-only MCP helpers may auto-run in suggestive approval modes; MCP tools with possible side effects require approval.

See MCP.md.

Run deepseek --help for the canonical list. Common flags:

  • -p, --prompt <TEXT>: one-shot prompt mode (prints and exits)
  • --workspace <DIR>: workspace root for file tools
  • --yolo: start in YOLO mode
  • -r, --resume <ID|PREFIX|latest>: resume a saved session
  • -c, --continue: resume the most recent session
  • --max-subagents <N>: clamp to 1..=20
  • --profile <NAME>: select config profile
  • --config <PATH>: config file path
  • -v, --verbose: verbose logging