AVL Code

Part IV — Runtime Behaviour

This part covers Chapters 15–20: work modes, the plan / todo state machines, history compaction, sub-tasks and background execution, status indicators and error messages.

15. Work modes

[!ref] Full details in the User Manual, "The five work modes".

15.1 Modes at a glance

Mode Icon Name Default persona Write files Edit Shell exec Network
auto Auto Built-in · Auto Allow Allow Allow Allow
plan Plan Built-in · Plan Deny Deny Deny Allow
prepare Prepare Built-in · Prepare Allow Allow Allow Allow
execute Execute Built-in · Execute Allow Allow Allow Allow
assess Assess Built-in · Assess Deny Deny Allow Allow

plan is strictly read-only: only read-oriented tools are allowed (read files / read code / read git / security analysis / network / skills / todos and planning itself), and no fs.exec.* at all (fs.exec.tail and fs.exec.list are unavailable in plan mode too). The restriction intersects with the tools declared by the bound persona — a persona can only narrow it, never widen it, and the Settings panel can't loosen it.

assess doesn't write project code, but it can run commands: on top of the read-oriented tools it also allows shell execution (fs.exec.*), tests / lint / SAST (verify.*), SBOM generation (sbom.*), and security analysis and threat intelligence (sec.* / vt.*), so that acceptance and review can actually be carried out. What it denies is writing and editing files (fs.write / fs.patch). Unlike plan mode, this constraint comes from the tool declaration of the persona bound to assess — rebind assess to another persona and the constraint changes with it.

15.2 Side effects of mode switch

When you switch Behaviour
Load the mode's persona Persona SOUL injected into the next turn
Apply mode's tool set Tool list re-evaluated
Insert a divider in the stream A "mode switch" event card
Plan and todo Not reset; carry over from the previous mode
Model and parameters Apply the mode's overrides; otherwise inherit workspace defaults 
plan → prepare → execute → assess

The "exit" banner between modes appears at the top of the conversation; clicking auto-loads the next mode and injects the confirmed artefacts (plan / checklist / changes) into the next turn.