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Build & Plan Modes

Kolega Code has two interaction modes. Press Shift+Tab to toggle between them at any time.

Build mode

Section titled “Build mode”

The default. The agent has its full toolset — it can read and edit files, run commands, browse the web, and dispatch sub-agents — and it works toward implementing whatever you ask.

Use Build mode for hands-on work: making changes, running tests, fixing bugs.

Build mode is still subject to the current permission mode. TUI sessions default to ask, so shell commands and file edits prompt before they run. Press Ctrl+P to toggle between ask and auto, or use /permissions ask, /permissions auto, and /permissions toggle.

When you choose an “always allow” approval, Kolega Code stores the local rule in .kolega/permissions.json for that project.

If gigacode is enabled, the sub-agents inside a workflow run in auto permission mode regardless of this setting — see Behavior and safety.

Plan mode

Section titled “Plan mode”

A read-only planning pass. Plan mode uses a standalone planning agent that does not edit your code. Instead it investigates, thinks through an approach, and produces a plan.

While planning, the agent can:

  • Read and search the codebase.
  • Maintain a shared task list (visible in the Planning tab).
  • Write a structured plan, which appears in the Planning tab.

When the planning agent submits a complete plan, you’re prompted to decide what happens next — typically to implement the plan or to keep discussing it. The decision is presented as a vertical, arrow-key-selectable option list.

Use Plan mode when a change is non-trivial and you want to agree on the approach before any files are touched. With gigacode on, a planning agent can fan out parallel research across the codebase; those workflow sub-agents stay read-only too.

A typical loop

Section titled “A typical loop”
  1. Start in Build mode and describe the goal.
  2. Press Shift+Tab to switch to Plan mode for anything substantial.
  3. Review the plan and shared task list in the Planning tab.
  4. Choose to implement it.
  5. Press Shift+Tab back to Build mode; the agent works through the task list, marking items complete as it goes.

Switching with slash commands

Section titled “Switching with slash commands”

You don’t have to use the keyboard shortcut — the slash commands /plan and /build switch modes too.