Modes

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Overview

Poolside Assistant operates in different modes that control how it interacts with your workspace. Agent mode is the default and represents the standard execution behavior. Other modes adjust how Poolside Assistant interacts with your workspace. Conversation history, workspace context, and instructions such as AGENTS.md apply across modes within a conversation. What changes between modes is Poolside Assistant’s level of access and execution capabilities.

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Agent mode

Agent mode is the standard execution mode for Poolside Assistant. In Agent mode, Poolside Assistant can:

• Read and modify files in your workspace
• Create new files
• Refactor existing code
• Run commands and tests
• Complete multi-step tasks

Agent mode is designed for active implementation work. Use it when you want Poolside Assistant to make changes, execute commands, or carry out complex tasks end-to-end.

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Chat mode

Chat mode provides conversational guidance without executing changes in your workspace. In Chat mode, Poolside Assistant can:

• Read context that you explicitly provide
• Use selected editor-derived context sources
• Answer questions
• Explain concepts
• Review ideas or approaches
• Provide examples

Chat mode does not modify files or execute commands. It responds based on the context you reference and the selected editor-derived sources available in your IDE. Use Chat mode for discussion, clarification, or lightweight guidance.

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How to switch modes

To switch modes, type / in the prompt input box or click the  /  icon to open the commands menu, and then select the mode you want. To switch between Chat mode and Agent mode, start a new conversation.