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opencode/packages/web/src/content/docs/modes.mdx
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---
title: Modes
description: Different modes for different use cases.
---
:::caution
Modes are now configured through the `agent` option in the opencode config. The
`mode` option is now deprecated. [Learn more](/docs/agents).
:::
Modes in opencode allow you to customize the behavior, tools, and prompts for different use cases.
It comes with two built-in modes: **build** and **plan**. You can customize
these or configure your own through the opencode config.
You can switch between modes during a session or configure them in your config file.
---
## Built-in
opencode comes with two built-in modes.
---
### Build
Build is the **default** mode with all tools enabled. This is the standard mode for development work where you need full access to file operations and system commands.
---
### Plan
A restricted mode designed for planning and analysis. In plan mode, the following tools are disabled by default:
- `write` - Cannot create new files
- `edit` - Cannot modify existing files
- `patch` - Cannot apply patches
- `bash` - Cannot execute shell commands
This mode is useful when you want the AI to analyze code, suggest changes, or create plans without making any actual modifications to your codebase.
---
## Switching
You can switch between modes during a session using the _Tab_ key. Or your configured `switch_mode` keybind.
See also: [Formatters](/docs/formatters) for information about code formatting configuration.
---
## Configure
You can customize the built-in modes or create your own through configuration. Modes can be configured in two ways:
### JSON Configuration
Configure modes in your `opencode.json` config file:
```json title="opencode.json"
{
"$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
"mode": {
"build": {
"model": "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-20250514",
"prompt": "{file:./prompts/build.txt}",
"tools": {
"write": true,
"edit": true,
"bash": true
}
},
"plan": {
"model": "anthropic/claude-haiku-4-20250514",
"tools": {
"write": false,
"edit": false,
"bash": false
}
}
}
}
```
### Markdown Configuration
You can also define modes using markdown files. Place them in:
- Global: `~/.config/opencode/mode/`
- Project: `.opencode/mode/`
```markdown title="~/.config/opencode/mode/review.md"
---
model: anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-20250514
temperature: 0.1
tools:
write: false
edit: false
bash: false
---
You are in code review mode. Focus on:
- Code quality and best practices
- Potential bugs and edge cases
- Performance implications
- Security considerations
Provide constructive feedback without making direct changes.
```
The markdown file name becomes the mode name (e.g., `review.md` creates a `review` mode).
Let's look at these configuration options in detail.
---
### Model
Use the `model` config to override the default model for this mode. Useful for using different models optimized for different tasks. For example, a faster model for planning, a more capable model for implementation.
```json title="opencode.json"
{
"mode": {
"plan": {
"model": "anthropic/claude-haiku-4-20250514"
}
}
}
```
---
### Temperature
Control the randomness and creativity of the AI's responses with the `temperature` config. Lower values make responses more focused and deterministic, while higher values increase creativity and variability.
```json title="opencode.json"
{
"mode": {
"plan": {
"temperature": 0.1
},
"creative": {
"temperature": 0.8
}
}
}
```
Temperature values typically range from 0.0 to 1.0:
- **0.0-0.2**: Very focused and deterministic responses, ideal for code analysis and planning
- **0.3-0.5**: Balanced responses with some creativity, good for general development tasks
- **0.6-1.0**: More creative and varied responses, useful for brainstorming and exploration
```json title="opencode.json"
{
"mode": {
"analyze": {
"temperature": 0.1,
"prompt": "{file:./prompts/analysis.txt}"
},
"build": {
"temperature": 0.3
},
"brainstorm": {
"temperature": 0.7,
"prompt": "{file:./prompts/creative.txt}"
}
}
}
```
If no temperature is specified, opencode uses model-specific defaults (typically 0 for most models, 0.55 for Qwen models).
---
### Prompt
Specify a custom system prompt file for this mode with the `prompt` config. The prompt file should contain instructions specific to the mode's purpose.
```json title="opencode.json"
{
"mode": {
"review": {
"prompt": "{file:./prompts/code-review.txt}"
}
}
}
```
This path is relative to where the config file is located. So this works for
both the global opencode config and the project specific config.
---
### Tools
Control which tools are available in this mode with the `tools` config. You can enable or disable specific tools by setting them to `true` or `false`.
```json
{
"mode": {
"readonly": {
"tools": {
"write": false,
"edit": false,
"bash": false,
"read": true,
"grep": true,
"glob": true
}
}
}
}
```
If no tools are specified, all tools are enabled by default.
---
#### Available tools
Here are all the tools can be controlled through the mode config.
| Tool | Description |
| ----------- | ----------------------- |
| `bash` | Execute shell commands |
| `edit` | Modify existing files |
| `write` | Create new files |
| `read` | Read file contents |
| `grep` | Search file contents |
| `glob` | Find files by pattern |
| `list` | List directory contents |
| `patch` | Apply patches to files |
| `todowrite` | Manage todo lists |
| `todoread` | Read todo lists |
| `webfetch` | Fetch web content |
---
## Custom modes
You can create your own custom modes by adding them to the configuration. Here are examples using both approaches:
### Using JSON configuration
```json title="opencode.json" {4-14}
{
"$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
"mode": {
"docs": {
"prompt": "{file:./prompts/documentation.txt}",
"tools": {
"write": true,
"edit": true,
"bash": false,
"read": true,
"grep": true,
"glob": true
}
}
}
}
```
### Using markdown files
Create mode files in `.opencode/mode/` for project-specific modes or `~/.config/opencode/mode/` for global modes:
```markdown title=".opencode/mode/debug.md"
---
temperature: 0.1
tools:
bash: true
read: true
grep: true
write: false
edit: false
---
You are in debug mode. Your primary goal is to help investigate and diagnose issues.
Focus on:
- Understanding the problem through careful analysis
- Using bash commands to inspect system state
- Reading relevant files and logs
- Searching for patterns and anomalies
- Providing clear explanations of findings
Do not make any changes to files. Only investigate and report.
```
```markdown title="~/.config/opencode/mode/refactor.md"
---
model: anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-20250514
temperature: 0.2
tools:
edit: true
read: true
grep: true
glob: true
---
You are in refactoring mode. Focus on improving code quality without changing functionality.
Priorities:
- Improve code readability and maintainability
- Apply consistent naming conventions
- Reduce code duplication
- Optimize performance where appropriate
- Ensure all tests continue to pass
```
---
### Use cases
Here are some common use cases for different modes.
- **Build mode**: Full development work with all tools enabled
- **Plan mode**: Analysis and planning without making changes
- **Review mode**: Code review with read-only access plus documentation tools
- **Debug mode**: Focused on investigation with bash and read tools enabled
- **Docs mode**: Documentation writing with file operations but no system commands
You might also find different models are good for different use cases.