LocalPilot

Agent, Ask & Plan

The three interaction modes and how approvals keep you in control.

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ChatGPT Claude Perplexity Gemini View as Markdown

Mode picker: Agent, Ask, Plan

Agent

The default. LocalPilot works autonomously until the task is done:

  1. Gathers context (read_file, grep_search, find_symbol, …) — read-only tools run in parallel when the model requests several at once.
  2. Edits with precise edit_file replacements (or write_file for new files).
  3. Verifies with get_diagnostics and run_command (tests, builds).
  4. Delegates separable work to subagents when useful.
  5. Stops when finished or after the iteration limit, and summarises what changed.

Every edited file is snapshotted so you can Keep / Undo / Diff afterwards.

Ask

Read-only. The model may read and search the workspace and the web but never modifies anything. Ideal for explanations, architecture questions and code review.

Plan

Read-only investigation followed by a numbered implementation plan with the files to change and the rationale. Switch to Agent and say “implement the plan” when happy.

Switch modes with the picker in the composer or /mode agent|ask|plan. Editor actions pick a sensible default (Explain → Ask, Fix → Agent).

Approvals

Action Setting Default
Run a shell command localpilot.approvals.terminal ask
Create / edit a file localpilot.approvals.write always
Delete a path localpilot.approvals.delete ask
Web search / fetch, browser_screenshot / MCP tools localpilot.approvals.network always

Values: always (auto-approve), ask (inline prompt with Allow / Allow for session / Deny), never (block).

Potentially destructive commands (rm -rf /, sudo, git push --force, …) are flagged in the approval card even when the policy is always-for-writes.

Models without native tool calling

If the selected model lacks function calling, LocalPilot injects a text protocol:

```tool_call
{"name": "read_file", "arguments": {"path": "src/app.ts"}}
```

Tool calls are parsed from the response and results are fed back as a user message. Works well with most 7B+ instruct models.

Iteration limits & cancellation

Each turn allows up to 40 model↔tool iterations (25 for subagents). Press Stop at any time; in-flight tool calls are cancelled.