Execution Modes & Permissions

Verdent for VS Code provides multiple execution modes that control how the AI interacts with your files and executes commands. Each mode offers different trade-offs between control, speed, and safety.

What You’ll Learn

How each execution mode works and when to use it
Permission models and safety considerations
Mode comparison and switching strategies
Think Hard Mode for complex reasoning tasks

Key Modes Available

Manual Accept Mode

Default mode with permission requests for every protected operation. Maximum control and oversight.

Auto-Run Mode

Automatic file operations, permission required for commands. Balances speed and safety.

Skip Permission Mode

Full autonomy for isolated environments. No permission prompts for anything.

Plan Mode

Read-only planning mode. Review complete plan before execution begins.

Execution Modes

Manual Accept Mode
Auto-Run Mode
Skip Permission Mode

Manual Accept Mode is the default execution mode that provides control over file modifications and command execution.Automatic Operations:

File reading and code analysis
Directory browsing

Requires Permission:

File editing (create, modify, delete)
Command execution (terminal commands, tests, builds)

When Verdent needs to perform a protected operation, it shows what action it wants to take and which file/command is involved. You can Accept or Reject each operation.Important: Each permission is for that specific operation only. Manual Accept Mode requires approval for every protected operation throughout the session.

When to Use

Learning Verdent’s capabilities and workflow patterns
Working in unfamiliar codebases requiring careful oversight
Critical changes to production code or security-sensitive areas
Compliance requirements needing explicit approval trails

Activation

Manual Accept Mode is active by default. To switch back:

Open Permission Menu

Click “Switch Permission” button in Input Box

Select Manual Accept Mode

Choose “Manual Accept Mode” from the dropdown

Verify Activation

Button displays “Manual” to confirm mode is active

Safety Considerations

Advantages:

First-use approval per tool type (file edits, commands, tools)
Complete visibility before granting access
Maximum control and transparency

Limitations:

After first approval of a tool type, subsequent uses proceed without prompts
Approval is per tool type, not per operation
Start new sessions when working on critical code to reset tool approvals

Auto-Run Mode automatically approves file operations while requiring permission for commands. This reduces permission prompts for routine file work while maintaining safety for risky operations.Automatic:

File reading, editing, creating, deleting within workspace
Moving, renaming, organizing files within workspace
File search and navigation operations

Requires Permission:

Any command involving paths outside the current workspace
Dangerous bash commands: rm -rf, git commit, git push, etc.
Command execution (terminal, scripts, builds)
Package installation and system modifications

When to Use

Use Auto-Run For	Don’t Use For
Trusted codebases with version control	Unfamiliar codebase
Rapid prototyping and experimentation	Critical production code
Multi-file refactoring (15+ files = 15 prompts saved)	No version control safety net
Focused development minimizing interruptions	Compliance requirements

Activation

Open Permission Menu

Click “Switch Permission” button showing current mode

Select Auto-Run Mode

Choose “Auto-Run Mode” from the dropdown

Verify Activation

Button displays “Auto” to confirm mode is active

Persists across sessions and VS Code restarts. Applies globally to all workspaces.

Example Workflow

Building a POST /api/tasks endpoint:

Activate Auto-Run Mode
Submit: “Create POST /api/tasks endpoint that validates category exists, saves to database”
Verdent reads 5+ files, modifies 3 files automatically (no prompts)
Review changes in Source Control panel
Request tests: “Run the tests for the tasks API”
Permission prompt for npm test command - Accept
Add validation: “Add validation for empty titles”
Verdent edits automatically (no prompt)
Request tests again - Permission prompt - Accept
Review diffs, commit changes

Result: 3 command prompts, 0 file prompts. Manual Accept would require 4 additional file prompts.

Safety Considerations

Advantages:

Changes immediately visible in VS Code
Workspace-scoped (cannot affect system files)
Git provides rollback safety

Risks:

No file operation oversight
Unexpected scope (“Rename User to Account” might modify dozens of files)
File deletion possible during cleanup
Could modify sensitive files if prompted

Mitigation:

Use clear, specific prompts
Review Source Control panel after completions
Commit frequently for clean checkpoints
Use Plan Mode for complex operations first
Configure .gitignore to protect sensitive files

Skip Permission Mode bypasses all permission prompts, allowing complete autonomy. Only use in isolated, disposable environments.All Operations Automatic:

File operations
Command execution
Package installation
System-level operations

This mode removes all safety guardrails. Only use in completely isolated, disposable environments where mistakes have no consequences. Never use in production or any codebase you care about.

When to Use

Use Skip Permission For	NEVER Use For
Automated CI/CD pipelines in isolated containers	Production environments
Disposable development containers (deleted after experimentation)	Development environments with important code
Sandbox environments with no production connections	Any codebase you care about
Scripted workflows where human approval defeats purpose	Shared repositories
	Environments with sensitive data

Activation

Open Permission Menu

Click “Switch Permission” button

Select Skip Permission Mode

Choose “Skip Permission Mode” from the dropdown

Verify Activation

Button displays “Skip” to confirm mode is active

Safety Check Before Activating:

Is this a disposable container or VM?
Can this environment be deleted without consequences?
Is there any production or important code here?

If “no” to first two or “yes” to third, do NOT activate.

Safety Warnings

ALL safety guardrails removed:

Commands execute immediately with system permissions
Files can be modified or deleted without warning
Database operations, Git operations (including force push) proceed without approval
Could install malicious packages or expose credentials

Only Safe When:

Environment is completely disposable
No important code or data exists
No connection to production systems
You accept anything can be destroyed

Plan Mode

Plan Mode is a read-only interaction mode where Verdent analyzes code, creates detailed plans, and asks clarifying questions, but cannot modify files or execute commands until you approve.

How It Works

Analysis - Reads files automatically
Planning - Creates structured plan with todo list
Clarification - Asks questions to remove uncertainty
Approval - You review and decide to proceed
Execution - Switches to your permission mode to execute

Plan shows files to modify, implementation steps, dependencies, and verification strategy.

When to Use

Complex multi-file changes (understand scope before committing)
Unfamiliar codebases (safe exploration without risk)
Architectural decisions (review approach before implementation)
Avoiding Manual Accept fatigue (review once vs 50 individual prompts)
High-stakes production changes (full visibility before execution)

Activation

Open Mode Menu

Click “Switch Mode” button in Input Box

Select Plan Mode

Choose “Plan Mode” from the dropdown

Verify Activation

Mode indicator changes to “Plan” to confirm mode is active

When active, Verdent analyzes and creates plans but won’t modify files or execute commands until you approve. After approval, switches to your default permission mode (Manual Accept or Auto-Run).

Safety Considerations

Advantages:

Zero execution risk during planning
Full visibility before committing
Interactive clarification removes uncertainty
Safe for production analysis

Limitations:

Approval doesn’t guarantee correctness (plans can have logical errors)
Execution safety depends on chosen permission mode after approval
Plan quality depends on prompt clarity

Best Practices:

Review plans for logical errors or misunderstandings
Ask follow-up questions if unclear
Refine prompts before approving execution
Consider which permission mode will execute (Manual Accept for oversight, Auto-Run for speed)

Think Hard Mode

Think Hard Mode allocates maximum computational resources for complex reasoning tasks. The model explores multiple approaches and provides more thorough solutions. Characteristics:

Extended reasoning time
Deeper analysis of multiple solution approaches
Better handling of complex logic, edge cases, architectural decisions
Higher credit cost per request

When to Use

Use Think Hard Mode For	Don’t Use For
Complex architectural decisions with multiple trade-offs	Simple, straightforward tasks
Sophisticated debugging with multiple potential causes	Time-sensitive requests
Algorithm design requiring optimization analysis	Limited credit budget
Critical business logic where correctness is paramount	When standard mode is adequate
Performance optimization of complex bottlenecks

Activation

Think Hard Button
Natural Language (Claude)

Use the UI button for per-request activation:

Enable Think Hard

Click “Think Hard” button/toggle in Input Box

Submit Your Prompt

Type and submit your request

Single Request Only

Applies to that specific request only - not persistent

Works with all AI providers. Not persistent - must activate each time for requests requiring deep reasoning.

Include thinking keywords in your prompt:

Think: Design the optimal database schema for this multi-tenant SaaS application

Or for maximum reasoning:

Ultrathink: Analyze the trade-offs between different authentication approaches

“Think” and “ultrathink” are Claude model-specific capabilities. These keywords activate deeper reasoning in Claude models (Sonnet, Opus) but may not work with other AI providers (GPT-5, MiniMax).

Per-request activation only - not persistent like Manual Accept or Auto-Run.

Mode Comparison

Mode	Control	Speed	Best For	Avoid When
Manual Accept	Maximum	Slowest	Learning, unfamiliar code, critical changes	Trusted projects, rapid iteration
Auto-Run	Moderate	Fast	Trusted codebases, prototyping, multi-file work	Unfamiliar code, no version control
Skip Permission	None	Fastest	CI/CD, disposable containers, sandboxes	Production, important code
Plan Mode	Review-First	N/A	Complex changes, architectural decisions	Simple tasks
Think Hard	Per-Request	Slower	Complex reasoning, algorithms, critical logic	Simple tasks, time-sensitive

When to Use Each Mode

Scenario	Manual Accept	Auto-Run	Skip Permission	Plan Mode
Learning Verdent	✓
Unfamiliar codebase	✓			✓
Trusted codebase with Git		✓
Critical/production code	✓			✓
Rapid prototyping		✓
Multi-file refactoring		✓
Complex architectural planning				✓
CI/CD pipelines (isolated)			✓
Disposable containers			✓
Compliance requirements	✓

Safety Best Practices

Safety Hierarchy (Most to Least Safe)

Understanding the safety ranking of each mode helps you choose appropriately for different risk levels.

Plan Mode - Read-only until approved. Zero execution risk during planning.
Manual Accept Mode - Per-operation control with first-use approval per tool type.
Auto-Run Mode - File autonomy with command approval. Git safety net required.
Skip Permission Mode - Full autonomy. Isolated environments only.

Match your mode to the risk level: critical code uses safest modes (Plan, Manual Accept), trusted code uses faster modes (Auto-Run), disposable environments use fastest mode (Skip Permission).

General Best Practices

Essential practices that apply regardless of which execution mode you’re using.For All Modes:

Use Version Control - Initialize Git before using permissive modes, commit frequently, review diffs before committing
Write Clear Prompts - Be specific about scope, specify file boundaries explicitly, use @-mentions for context
Review Before Committing - Check Source Control panel after completions, review all diffs carefully, test changes
Start Fresh Sessions - Clear context between major tasks, reset tool approvals for sensitive work, avoid context contamination
Match Mode to Risk - Critical code → Manual Accept or Plan Mode, trusted code → Auto-Run, experiments → Auto-Run with Git, disposable → Skip Permission only

Security Reminders:

Never commit sensitive files (.env, credentials)
Configure .gitignore before using Auto-Run
Review command permissions carefully
Use Plan Mode for changes affecting security
Fresh sessions reset tool approvals in Manual Accept

Progressive Permission Model

Understanding how Verdent’s permission system works helps you use it effectively.How it works:

First use - System requests permission when you first use each tool type (file edits, command executions, tool usage)
Subsequent uses - After initial approval, that tool type proceeds without prompts for the rest of the session
New session - Starting a new session resets all approvals, allowing you to start fresh

Key principle: This model balances security with productivity. You review and approve tool types once, then work efficiently within that approval context. For sensitive work, start a new session to reset approvals.To reset approvals: Start a new session

Resource Management

Monitor token usage, credits, and performance

Best Practices: Context

Managing context windows across modes

Getting Started

Core Features

Task-Based Guides

Common Workflows

Pricing

Execution Modes & Permissions

Resource Management

Error Handling & Recovery

Best Practices

Configuration

Agents & Rules

Advanced Features

Troubleshooting

Reference

​What You’ll Learn

​Key Modes Available

Manual Accept Mode

Auto-Run Mode

Skip Permission Mode

Plan Mode

​Execution Modes

​When to Use

​Activation

​Safety Considerations

​When to Use

​Activation

​Example Workflow

​Safety Considerations

​When to Use

​Activation

​Safety Warnings

​Plan Mode

​How It Works

​When to Use

​Activation

​Safety Considerations

​Think Hard Mode

​When to Use

​Activation

​Mode Comparison

​When to Use Each Mode

​Safety Best Practices

​See Also

Resource Management

Best Practices: Context

What You’ll Learn

Key Modes Available

Execution Modes

When to Use

Activation

Safety Considerations

When to Use

Activation

Example Workflow

Safety Considerations

When to Use

Activation

Safety Warnings

Plan Mode

How It Works

When to Use

Activation

Safety Considerations

Think Hard Mode

When to Use

Activation

Mode Comparison

When to Use Each Mode

Safety Best Practices

See Also