How to switch modes
If an invalid or missing value is ever encountered, the system falls back to
balanced.
Permissive — fast iteration, security opt-in
Best for: prototyping, throwaway scripts, demos, or early exploration where you just want to move fast.- The agent still writes reasonably secure code by default (input validation, no hardcoded secrets, etc.), but it won’t stop to run security checks or scans on its own.
- Security reviews only happen if you explicitly ask for one (e.g., “can you check this for vulnerabilities?”).
- Nothing will interrupt your flow to run extra checks.
Keep in mind: Since checks aren’t automatic, issues could slip through unless you ask for a review before shipping.
Balanced — recommended default
Best for: everyday development. This is the mode you’ll use most of the time.- The agent thinks about security while planning your feature, not just after the fact.
- After meaningful code changes, it automatically runs a security review — but skips it for things like documentation updates or purely cosmetic changes, so you’re not slowed down unnecessarily.
- If something serious is found (critical/high severity) in code it just wrote, it fixes it right away.
- For less urgent findings, or issues in code it didn’t just write, it will ask you what you’d like to do before making changes.
Trade-off: Good balance of safety and speed for typical feature work; trivial changes aren’t slowed down by scanning.
Strict — maximum protection, every change checked
Best for: sensitive projects — authentication, payments, personal data, infrastructure, or anything under compliance requirements.- Security design tasks are planned upfront, before any code is written.
- Every file change, no matter how small, triggers a full security review.
- Critical, high, and medium severity issues are fixed immediately and re-checked to confirm resolution.
- Low-severity issues are flagged and you’re asked whether you want them addressed.
- Switching to Strict mode mid-session also applies the stricter workflow to security findings from earlier turns in the current session.
Keep in mind: This is the most thorough option — expect more security-related steps and occasional questions as you work.
Quick comparison
Which mode should I use?
Tip: If you start something in Permissive mode and decide to ship it, switch to Balanced or Strict and ask for a full review before merging — this ensures nothing gets missed just because you were moving fast earlier.