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Agent Mode Overview

Agent Mode in AiderDesk transforms the application into a powerful, autonomous assistant capable of handling complex software engineering tasks. Powered by the Vercel AI SDK, the agent can plan, reason, and utilize a suite of tools to achieve its goals with minimal human intervention.

Key Capabilities​

  • Autonomous Task Execution: The agent can break down a high-level request (e.g., "refactor the authentication logic") into a series of concrete steps.
  • Tool Utilization: It can use a wide range of tools, including built-in Power Tools for file system operations, Aider Tools for code manipulation, and external tools via MCP Servers.
  • Configurable Profiles: Tailor the agent's behavior, capabilities, and LLM settings for different tasks using Agent Profiles.
  • Transparent Operation: Observe the agent's thought process, the tools it chooses, and the results of its actions directly in the chat interface.

Autonomy Modes​

When working in Agent Mode, you control how much freedom the agent has to act on your behalf. The Autonomy Selector in the prompt field lets you choose between three modes, each balancing automation and control differently.

Manual​

Every tool execution and plan requires your explicit approval before proceeding. The agent will present its planned actions and wait for you to approve each one.

Best for: Unfamiliar codebases, risky operations, or when you want full oversight of every step the agent takes.

Guided​

The agent plans before acting and presents its plan for your approval. Once a plan is approved, tool executions within that plan are auto-approved, allowing the agent to work through the steps without interruption.

Best for: Everyday development — you stay in control of the overall direction while the agent executes the details efficiently.

Autonomous​

The agent plans and executes without interruption until the task is complete. No approval dialogs are shown — the agent works independently from start to finish.

Best for: Trusted, well-understood tasks where you want to step away and let the agent complete the work on its own.

Locking the Autonomy Mode​

By default, each new task starts in Guided mode. If you find yourself switching to the same mode every time, you can lock the autonomy mode by clicking the lock icon next to the selector. When locked, all newly created tasks will start in your chosen mode instead of the default.

To learn how to use Agent Mode, see How to Use Agent Mode.