feat(modes): conversation mode in the terminal, /new <mode>, picker groups, launch flag (CW-8082)

Standard or Creator mode is chosen before the first message and fixed after it.
The mode lives on App, is written onto every saved snapshot, rides
Op::SyncSession (and its wire twin) into Session.agent_preset, and every
SyncSession sender passes the open conversation's value. /new <mode>, /mode
<id> and the picker's Conversation mode group read the Engine's table; Creator
is listed, disabled, with its reason. --conversation-mode is declared on
codewhale (crates/cli forwards it), codewhale exec and the TUI Cli; with a
resumed session it must equal the saved mode or the run exits 2 before the
mount mutates the store, and an unreadable saved session refuses.

Repair of review round 1: picker opacity probe moved to a heading-padding
cell, locked note names the other mode's command, ids are case-insensitive,
format and bidi characters are stripped from shown ids, the resync test drives
the workspace and plugin-registry senders, an exec session-file test covers
agent_preset, and a dispatcher parse test covers the flag not becoming prompt
text.

Checks run locally: locale parity (15 packs, 2837 keys), product vocabulary,
cargo fmt --check, scripts/preflight.sh --check, git diff --check. No local
Rust build or test (load average 150, build slots saturated); Rust checks run
on hosted CI for this SHA.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 5.5 <[email protected]>

Cargo.lock

@@ -907,6 +907,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde",
  "serde_json",
  "tempfile",
+ "toml 1.1.6+spec-1.1.0",
  "webbrowser",
  "zeroize",
 ]
@@ -1149,6 +1150,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "sha2 0.11.1",
  "tempfile",
  "thiserror 2.0.21",
+ "tokio",
  "uuid",
 ]
 
@@ -1219,6 +1221,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "codewhale-util",
  "codewhale-workflow",
  "codewhale-workflow-js",
+ "cucumber",
  "dirs 7.0.0",
  "encoding_rs",
  "fd-lock",
@@ -1237,10 +1240,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "objc2-foundation",
  "parking_lot",
  "portable-pty",
+ "pretty_assertions",
  "proc-macro2",
  "regex",
  "reqwest",
  "ring",
+ "rio-vt",
  "rmcp",
  "rusqlite",
  "rustls",
@@ -1256,7 +1261,9 @@ dependencies = [
  "tar",
  "tempfile",
  "thiserror 2.0.21",
+ "tiny_http",
  "tokio",
+ "tokio-tungstenite 0.30.0",
  "tokio-util",
  "toml 1.1.6+spec-1.1.0",
  "toml_edit 0.25.15+spec-1.1.0",
@@ -1609,6 +1616,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "colored",
  "dirs 7.0.0",
  "fd-lock",
+ "futures-util",
  "ignore",
  "jsonwebtoken",
  "libc",
@@ -1870,12 +1878,15 @@ dependencies = [
  "objc2-foundation",
  "parking_lot",
  "portable-pty",
+ "pretty_assertions",
  "ratatui",
  "regex",
  "reqwest",
  "rio-vt",
  "rquickjs",
+ "rusqlite",
  "rustls",
+ "schemars 1.2.2",
  "semver",
  "serde",
  "serde_json",
@@ -1885,6 +1896,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "tempfile",
  "tiny_http",
  "tokio",
+ "tokio-tungstenite 0.30.0",
  "tokio-util",
  "toml 1.1.6+spec-1.1.0",
  "toml_edit 0.25.15+spec-1.1.0",
@@ -2460,6 +2472,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "unicode-xid",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "diff"
+version = "0.1.13"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "56254986775e3233ffa9c4d7d3faaf6d36a2c09d30b20687e9f88bc8bafc16c8"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "digest"
 version = "0.10.7"
@@ -5661,6 +5679,16 @@ version = "0.1.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "925383efa346730478fb4838dbe9137d2a47675ad789c546d150a6e1dd4ab31c"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "pretty_assertions"
+version = "1.4.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "3ae130e2f271fbc2ac3a40fb1d07180839cdbbe443c7a27e1e3c13c5cac0116d"
+dependencies = [
+ "diff",
+ "yansi",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "prettyplease"
 version = "0.2.37"
@@ -8815,6 +8843,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "hashlink",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "yansi"
+version = "1.0.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "cfe53a6657fd280eaa890a3bc59152892ffa3e30101319d168b781ed6529b049"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "yoke"
 version = "0.8.3"

crates/account-cli/Cargo.toml

@@ -23,5 +23,6 @@ reqwest = { workspace = true, features = ["blocking"] }
 serde.workspace = true
 serde_json.workspace = true
 tempfile.workspace = true
+toml.workspace = true
 webbrowser = "1.0"
 zeroize = "1.8.2"

crates/agent/src/lib.rs

@@ -180,6 +180,28 @@ impl ModelRegistry {
         self.models.clone()
     }
 
+    /// Returns whether a selector is known only outside the selected provider.
+    ///
+    /// This is rejection metadata, never route authority: callers may use it
+    /// to reject a clearly foreign model, but must not use the matching row to
+    /// select a provider or credential slot.
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn is_known_for_other_provider(
+        &self,
+        requested: &str,
+        selected_provider: ProviderKind,
+    ) -> bool {
+        let known_here = self
+            .models
+            .iter()
+            .any(|model| model.provider == selected_provider && model_matches(model, requested));
+        !known_here
+            && self
+                .models
+                .iter()
+                .any(|model| model.provider != selected_provider && model_matches(model, requested))
+    }
+
     /// Resolves a user-requested model name to a concrete [`ModelInfo`].
     ///
     /// Resolution follows this priority order:

crates/app-server/src/exec_agent.rs

@@ -180,6 +180,7 @@ async fn persist_exec_checkpoint(
                 Some(write_request.as_ref()),
                 &captured_source,
                 &captured_owner,
+                snapshot.agent_preset.as_deref(),
             )?;
             Ok(publication)
         },
@@ -239,6 +240,7 @@ pub async fn run_exec_agent(
     // allowlist; this also skips workspace snapshots, LSP and the automation
     // store, and writes the one-shot `--json` receipt shape.
     one_shot: bool,
+    conversation_mode: Option<String>,
 ) -> Result<()> {
     use codewhale_config::AppMode;
     use codewhale_engine::compaction::CompactionConfig;
@@ -308,6 +310,10 @@ pub async fn run_exec_agent(
     let mut exec_write_receipt = resume_session
         .as_ref()
         .and_then(|saved| saved.write_receipt.clone());
+    let exec_agent_preset = resume_session.as_ref().map_or_else(
+        || conversation_mode.clone(),
+        |saved| saved.agent_preset.clone(),
+    );
     let exec_is_fresh = resume_session.is_none();
 
     let exec_session_id = fleet_capture
@@ -784,6 +790,7 @@ pub async fn run_exec_agent(
                 model: saved.metadata.model,
                 workspace: saved.metadata.workspace,
                 mode,
+                agent_preset: saved.agent_preset,
             })
             .await?;
         loaded_session_id = Some(saved_id.clone());
@@ -792,6 +799,24 @@ pub async fn run_exec_agent(
         }
     }
 
+    if loaded_session_id.is_none() && exec_agent_preset.is_some() {
+        let snapshot = engine_handle.get_session_snapshot().await?;
+        engine_handle
+            .send(Op::SyncSession {
+                expected: None,
+                control: codewhale_engine::core::ops::SessionControlId::new(),
+                session_id: Some(snapshot.session_id),
+                messages: Vec::new(),
+                system_prompt: None,
+                system_prompt_override: false,
+                model: snapshot.model,
+                workspace: snapshot.workspace,
+                mode,
+                agent_preset: exec_agent_preset.clone(),
+            })
+            .await?;
+    }
+
     // Lifecycle outbox (`[lifecycle_outbox]`): headless `codewhale exec`
     // gets the same turn boundaries as the interactive TUI. Disabled
     // (all emits no-op) when the config has no path.
@@ -1440,6 +1465,7 @@ pub async fn run_exec_agent(
                             None,
                             source,
                             owner,
+                            exec_agent_preset.as_deref(),
                         )
                     });
                     match saved {
@@ -2127,6 +2153,7 @@ mod tests {
             system_prompt: None,
             instruction_assembly: None,
             mode: "exec".into(),
+            agent_preset: None,
         });
         let caller = SessionCheckpointCaller {
             session_id: snapshot.session_id.clone(),
@@ -2195,6 +2222,7 @@ mod tests {
             None,
             source.as_ref().unwrap(),
             snapshot.source.as_ref().unwrap(),
+            None,
         )
         .unwrap();
         source = Some(publication.write_receipt());
@@ -2318,6 +2346,58 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn exec_session_file_keeps_the_conversation_mode_it_was_started_in() {
+        let tmp = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let manager =
+            codewhale_engine::session_manager::SessionManager::new(tmp.path().join("exec-mode"))
+                .unwrap();
+        let workspace = tmp.path().join("workspace");
+        let messages: Vec<codewhale_models::Message> = serde_json::from_value(serde_json::json!([
+            {"role":"user","content":[{"type":"text","text":"hello"}]}
+        ]))
+        .unwrap();
+        let owner =
+            codewhale_engine::core::ops::SessionSnapshotSource::turn("exec-turn".into(), None);
+        let save = |source: &codewhale_engine::session_manager::SessionWriteReceipt,
+                    preset: Option<&str>| {
+            crate::exec_agent::persist_exec_session(
+                &messages,
+                "model",
+                crate::exec_agent::PersistedProviderRoute {
+                    kind: "custom",
+                    id: None,
+                },
+                &workspace,
+                &None,
+                Some("exec-mode-session"),
+                1,
+                None,
+                &manager,
+                &[],
+                None,
+                source,
+                &owner,
+                preset,
+            )
+            .unwrap()
+        };
+        let first = save(
+            &manager.expect_absent_session("exec-mode-session").unwrap(),
+            Some("creator"),
+        );
+        let saved = manager.load_session_snapshot("exec-mode-session").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(saved.agent_preset.as_deref(), Some("creator"));
+
+        save(&first.write_receipt(), None);
+        let saved = manager.load_session_snapshot("exec-mode-session").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            saved.agent_preset.as_deref(),
+            Some("creator"),
+            "a later save without the mode does not turn the conversation into Standard"
+        );
+    }
+
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn headless_child_settlement_deadline_bounds_a_stalled_engine_probe() {
         let mut engine = mock_engine_handle();
@@ -3377,6 +3457,7 @@ fn persist_exec_session(
     checkpoint: Option<&codewhale_engine::core::events::SessionCheckpointRequest>,
     source: &session_manager::SessionWriteReceipt,
     owner: &codewhale_engine::core::ops::SessionSnapshotSource,
+    agent_preset: Option<&str>,
 ) -> Result<session_manager::SessionPublication> {
     let captured = source.capture(session_manager::SessionWriteOwner::Engine(owner.clone()))?;
     if checkpoint.is_some() {
@@ -3422,6 +3503,9 @@ fn persist_exec_session(
             Some("exec"),
         )
     };
+    if saved.agent_preset.is_none() {
+        saved.agent_preset = agent_preset.map(str::to_string);
+    }
     saved.write_receipt = Some(captured);
     stamp_exec_session_metadata(
         &mut saved,

crates/app-server/src/runtime_api/tests.rs

@@ -7649,6 +7649,7 @@ async fn session_save_without_an_id_keeps_the_conversation_that_owns_the_snapsho
                     system_prompt: None,
                     instruction_assembly: None,
                     mode: "agent".to_string(),
+                    agent_preset: None,
                 };
                 if let Some(tx) = tx.lock().ok().and_then(|mut guard| guard.take()) {
                     let _ = tx.send(snapshot);

crates/cli/src/lib.rs

@@ -156,6 +156,10 @@ struct Cli {
     session_id: Option<String>,
     #[arg(short = 'p', long = "prompt", value_name = "PROMPT")]
     prompt_flag: Option<String>,
+    /// Conversation mode for a new interactive session (for example
+    /// `creator`). With `--resume` or `--continue` it must match the saved mode.
+    #[arg(long = "conversation-mode", value_name = "MODE")]
+    conversation_mode: Option<String>,
     /// Per-run config override (`KEY=VALUE`), repeatable, never saved.
     /// Runtime keys: provider, model/default_text_model, verbosity,
     /// approval_policy, sandbox_mode, telemetry. Dedicated flags win;
@@ -2964,6 +2968,10 @@ fn root_tui_passthrough(cli: &Cli) -> Result<Vec<String>> {
         forwarded.push("--resume".to_string());
         forwarded.push(session_id.to_string());
     }
+    if let Some(mode) = cli.conversation_mode.as_deref() {
+        forwarded.push("--conversation-mode".to_string());
+        forwarded.push(mode.to_string());
+    }
 
     let prompt =
         cli.prompt_flag
@@ -13332,6 +13340,24 @@ verbosity = "concise"
         assert!(root_tui_passthrough(&cli).unwrap().is_empty());
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn top_level_conversation_mode_is_forwarded_and_is_not_prompt_text() {
+        let cli = parse_ok(&["codewhale", "--conversation-mode", "creator"]);
+
+        assert_eq!(cli.conversation_mode.as_deref(), Some("creator"));
+        assert!(cli.prompt.is_empty());
+        assert_eq!(
+            root_tui_passthrough(&cli).unwrap(),
+            vec!["--conversation-mode", "creator"]
+        );
+
+        let cli = parse_ok(&["codewhale", "--conversation-mode", "creator", "hello"]);
+        assert_eq!(
+            root_tui_passthrough(&cli).unwrap(),
+            vec!["--conversation-mode", "creator", "--prompt", "hello"]
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn parses_top_level_continue_for_interactive_resume() {
         let cli = parse_ok(&["codewhale", "--continue"]);

crates/command-contract/src/facets.rs

@@ -1361,6 +1361,7 @@ pub struct SessionSyncPayload {
     pub model: String,
     pub workspace: PathBuf,
     pub mode: CommandMode,
+    pub agent_preset: Option<String>,
 }
 
 /// `/branch` success projection (`session/branch.rs`). The handler composes
@@ -1486,10 +1487,15 @@ pub trait CommandSessionLifecycleContext {
     /// `/fork <session_id|prefix>`: explicit-source fork.
     fn fork_from(&mut self, session_id_or_prefix: &str) -> Result<SessionForkFromReceipt, String>;
 
-    /// `/new [--force]`: fresh-session transition. The caller has already
-    /// parsed the argument and applied the transition-blocked gate; blocker,
-    /// busy-work-state, and success handling match the baseline.
-    fn fresh_session(&mut self, force: bool) -> Result<SessionNewReceipt, String>;
+    /// `/new [<mode>] [--force]`: fresh-session transition. The caller has
+    /// already parsed the arguments and applied the transition-blocked gate;
+    /// `conversation_mode` is the id the person named, absent for Standard.
+    /// The host validates it against the Engine's mode table.
+    fn fresh_session(
+        &mut self,
+        force: bool,
+        conversation_mode: Option<&str>,
+    ) -> Result<SessionNewReceipt, String>;
 
     /// `/load <path>`: resolve the path (separator-bearing direct vs
     /// workspace-relative) and validate the saved-session shape without

crates/command-contract/src/outcome.rs

@@ -141,6 +141,9 @@ pub enum ConfigAction {
     // Views and pickers.
     OpenConfigView,
     OpenModePicker,
+    SetConversationMode {
+        id: String,
+    },
     OpenThemePicker,
     OpenStatusPicker,
     OpenProviderPicker,

crates/command-contract/src/tests.rs

@@ -2333,10 +2333,14 @@ impl CommandSessionLifecycleContext for FakeLifecycle {
             .clone()
             .ok_or_else(|| format!("unexpected fork_from({id}) on empty fake"))?
     }
-    fn fresh_session(&mut self, force: bool) -> Result<SessionNewReceipt, String> {
-        self.fresh
-            .clone()
-            .ok_or_else(|| format!("unexpected fresh_session({force}) on empty fake"))?
+    fn fresh_session(
+        &mut self,
+        force: bool,
+        conversation_mode: Option<&str>,
+    ) -> Result<SessionNewReceipt, String> {
+        self.fresh.clone().ok_or_else(|| {
+            format!("unexpected fresh_session({force}, {conversation_mode:?}) on empty fake")
+        })?
     }
     fn load_session(&mut self, path: &str) -> Result<PathBuf, String> {
         self.load
@@ -2376,6 +2380,7 @@ fn lifecycle_sync_payload(session_id: Option<&str>) -> SessionSyncPayload {
         model: "lifecycle-model".to_string(),
         workspace: PathBuf::from("/workspace/lifecycle"),
         mode: CommandMode::Plan,
+        agent_preset: None,
     }
 }
 
@@ -2455,7 +2460,7 @@ fn lifecycle_facet_is_object_safe_and_transports_every_outcome() {
         explicit.sync.workspace,
         PathBuf::from("/workspace/lifecycle")
     );
-    let fresh = fake.fresh_session(true).expect("fresh ok");
+    let fresh = fake.fresh_session(true, None).expect("fresh ok");
     assert_eq!(fresh.truncated_id, "new-id");
     assert_eq!(fresh.sync.messages.len(), 1);
     let loaded = fake.load_session("loaded.json").expect("load ok");

crates/commands/src/debug/operations_tests.rs

@@ -417,6 +417,7 @@ fn synced_conversation() -> SessionSyncPayload {
         model: "model".to_string(),
         workspace: std::path::PathBuf::from("/tmp/undo-workspace"),
         mode: codewhale_command_contract::CommandMode::Agent,
+        agent_preset: None,
     }
 }
 struct UndoFacet {

crates/config/src/config_resolve.rs

@@ -434,6 +434,19 @@ impl ConfigToml {
         }
     }
 
+    /// The unquoted contents of an extras key that holds a TOML string.
+    ///
+    /// [`ConfigToml::get_value`] renders extras through `toml::Value::to_string`,
+    /// which re-applies TOML quoting — and switches to a single-quoted literal
+    /// string whenever the payload contains a `"`. A JSON blob written with
+    /// [`ConfigToml::set_value`] therefore comes back as `'[{"a":1}]'` and no
+    /// longer parses as JSON (#4727). Callers that stored structured text want
+    /// the payload, not its TOML rendering.
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn get_raw_string(&self, key: &str) -> Option<&str> {
+        self.extras.get(key).and_then(toml::Value::as_str)
+    }
+
     #[must_use]
     pub fn get_display_value(&self, key: &str) -> Option<String> {
         if let Some(alias) = self.root_alias_key(key) {

crates/config/src/models_dev.rs

@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ use crate::route::{
     WireModelId,
 };
 
+/// Provider catalog endpoint used by Models.dev.
+pub const MODELS_DEV_API_URL: &str = "https://models.dev/api.json";
+/// Provider-agnostic model metadata endpoint used by Models.dev.
+pub const MODELS_DEV_MODELS_URL: &str = "https://models.dev/models.json";
 /// Combined `{ models, providers }` endpoint used by Models.dev.
 pub const MODELS_DEV_CATALOG_URL: &str = "https://models.dev/catalog.json";
 

crates/config/src/pricing.rs

@@ -522,6 +522,20 @@ impl OfferingPricing {
         None
     }
 
+    /// Per-million price for one canonical class, when published.
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn price_per_million(&self, class: TokenClass) -> Option<f64> {
+        match class {
+            TokenClass::Input => self.input_per_million,
+            TokenClass::Output => self.output_per_million,
+            TokenClass::CacheRead => self.cache_read_per_million,
+            TokenClass::CacheWrite => self.cache_write_per_million,
+            TokenClass::Reasoning => self.reasoning_per_million,
+            TokenClass::InputAudio => self.input_audio_per_million,
+            TokenClass::OutputAudio => self.output_audio_per_million,
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Classes this turn actually used that carry no published price.
     ///
     /// Non-empty means [`Self::estimate_cost`] fails closed for this usage; the

crates/core/Cargo.toml

@@ -24,3 +24,4 @@ serde_json = { workspace = true, features = ["preserve_order"] }
 [dev-dependencies]
 tempfile.workspace = true
 uuid.workspace = true
+tokio = { workspace = true, features = ["macros", "rt", "time"] }

crates/core/src/session.rs

@@ -60,6 +60,10 @@ impl Thread {
     pub fn leaf_id(&self) -> Option<&str> {
         self.leaf_id.as_deref()
     }
+
+    pub fn set_leaf(&mut self, leaf: Option<String>) {
+        self.leaf_id = leaf;
+    }
 }
 
 /// Ephemeral session within a thread (one engine lifetime / one turn's

crates/engine/Cargo.toml

@@ -203,9 +203,14 @@ codewhale-util = { path = "../util", version = "0.10.3", features = ["test-suppo
 codewhale-models = { path = "../models", version = "0.10.3", features = [
     "test-support",
 ] }
+cucumber = "0.23.0"
 wiremock = "0.6"
+tiny_http = "0.12"
+pretty_assertions = "1.4"
+rio-vt = "0.5.1"
 rusqlite.workspace = true
 schemars = { version = "1.2.1", features = ["derive", "preserve_order"] }
+tokio-tungstenite = "0.30"
 
 [target.'cfg(unix)'.dependencies]
 libc = "0.2"

crates/engine/src/core/engine.rs

@@ -3504,6 +3504,7 @@ impl Engine {
                 .as_deref()
                 .map(crate::project_context::InstructionAssembly::receipt_json),
             mode: self.current_mode.as_setting().to_string(),
+            agent_preset: self.session.agent_preset.clone(),
         }
     }
 
@@ -4503,6 +4504,7 @@ impl Engine {
                             model,
                             workspace,
                             mode,
+                            agent_preset,
                         } => {
                             if expected
                                 .as_deref()
@@ -4523,6 +4525,9 @@ impl Engine {
                             } else {
                                 previous_session_id.clone()
                             };
+                            let keep_conversation_mode = next_session_id == previous_session_id
+                                && !self.session.messages.is_empty()
+                                && self.session.agent_preset != agent_preset;
                             let closed_session_id = (next_session_id != previous_session_id)
                                 .then_some(previous_session_id);
                             // SyncSession installs a conversation's identity; an id
@@ -4589,6 +4594,14 @@ impl Engine {
                             self.session.model = model;
                             self.session.workspace = workspace.clone();
                             self.current_mode = mode;
+                            if keep_conversation_mode {
+                                tracing::warn!(
+                                    target: "conversation_mode",
+                                    "ignored a conversation mode change on a conversation that already has messages"
+                                );
+                            } else {
+                                self.session.agent_preset = agent_preset;
+                            }
                             self.config.model.clone_from(&self.session.model);
                             self.config.workspace = workspace.clone();
                             if plugin_workspace_changed {

crates/engine/src/core/engine/tests/runtime_state.rs

@@ -643,6 +643,7 @@ async fn edit_last_turn_restores_the_exchange_when_the_replacement_never_starts(
             model: "deepseek-v4-pro".to_string(),
             workspace: tmp.path().to_path_buf(),
             mode: AppMode::Agent,
+            agent_preset: None,
         })
         .await
         .unwrap();
@@ -664,6 +665,111 @@ async fn edit_last_turn_restores_the_exchange_when_the_replacement_never_starts(
     run.await.unwrap();
 }
 
+async fn sync_with_mode(
+    handle: &EngineHandle,
+    workspace: &std::path::Path,
+    session_id: &str,
+    messages: Vec<Message>,
+    agent_preset: Option<&str>,
+) {
+    handle
+        .send(Op::SyncSession {
+            expected: None,
+            control: crate::core::ops::SessionControlId::new(),
+            session_id: Some(session_id.to_string()),
+            messages,
+            system_prompt: None,
+            system_prompt_override: false,
+            model: "deepseek-v4-pro".to_string(),
+            workspace: workspace.to_path_buf(),
+            mode: AppMode::Agent,
+            agent_preset: agent_preset.map(str::to_string),
+        })
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+}
+
+fn user_text(text: &str) -> Message {
+    Message {
+        role: Role::User,
+        content: vec![ContentBlock::Text {
+            text: text.to_string(),
+            cache_control: None,
+        }],
+    }
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn sync_session_installs_the_conversation_mode_on_the_engine_session() {
+    let tmp = tempdir().unwrap();
+    let (engine, handle) = quiet_engine(deterministic_engine_config(tmp.path()));
+    let run = tokio::spawn(engine.run());
+    assert_eq!(session_snapshot(&handle).await.agent_preset, None);
+    sync_with_mode(
+        &handle,
+        tmp.path(),
+        "blank-one",
+        Vec::new(),
+        Some("creator"),
+    )
+    .await;
+    assert_eq!(
+        session_snapshot(&handle).await.agent_preset.as_deref(),
+        Some("creator")
+    );
+    sync_with_mode(&handle, tmp.path(), "blank-one", Vec::new(), None).await;
+    assert_eq!(
+        session_snapshot(&handle).await.agent_preset,
+        None,
+        "a still-blank conversation may change its mode"
+    );
+    sync_with_mode(
+        &handle,
+        tmp.path(),
+        "other",
+        vec![user_text("hi")],
+        Some("creator"),
+    )
+    .await;
+    assert_eq!(
+        session_snapshot(&handle).await.agent_preset.as_deref(),
+        Some("creator"),
+        "another conversation installs its own mode"
+    );
+    sync_with_mode(&handle, tmp.path(), "fresh", Vec::new(), None).await;
+    assert_eq!(session_snapshot(&handle).await.agent_preset, None);
+    handle.send(Op::Shutdown).await.unwrap();
+    run.await.unwrap();
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn a_sync_of_the_same_conversation_with_messages_cannot_change_its_conversation_mode() {
+    let tmp = tempdir().unwrap();
+    let (engine, handle) = quiet_engine(deterministic_engine_config(tmp.path()));
+    let run = tokio::spawn(engine.run());
+    let history = vec![user_text("first message")];
+    sync_with_mode(
+        &handle,
+        tmp.path(),
+        "locked",
+        history.clone(),
+        Some("creator"),
+    )
+    .await;
+    sync_with_mode(&handle, tmp.path(), "locked", history.clone(), None).await;
+    assert_eq!(
+        session_snapshot(&handle).await.agent_preset.as_deref(),
+        Some("creator")
+    );
+    sync_with_mode(&handle, tmp.path(), "locked", history, Some("minimal")).await;
+    assert_eq!(
+        session_snapshot(&handle).await.agent_preset.as_deref(),
+        Some("creator")
+    );
+    handle.send(Op::Shutdown).await.unwrap();
+    run.await.unwrap();
+}
+
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn malformed_mcp_config_is_reported_instead_of_silently_empty() {
     // C02-18: an unreadable config still yields an empty, reloadable pool,

crates/engine/src/core/engine/tests/test_cases_13.rs

@@ -1044,6 +1044,7 @@ async fn unchanged_compaction_config_is_acknowledged_silently() {
             model: current.model.clone(),
             workspace: tmp.path().to_path_buf(),
             mode: AppMode::Agent,
+            agent_preset: None,
         })
         .await
         .expect("sync restored session");
@@ -1239,6 +1240,7 @@ async fn sync_session_restores_current_mode() {
             model: "deepseek-v4-pro".to_string(),
             workspace: tmp.path().to_path_buf(),
             mode: AppMode::Plan,
+            agent_preset: None,
         })
         .await
         .expect("sync session");
@@ -1321,6 +1323,7 @@ async fn sync_session_without_prompt_repins_full_system_prompt_on_next_turn() {
             model: codewhale_config::descriptors::defaults::DEFAULT_TEXT_MODEL.to_string(),
             workspace: workspace.path().to_path_buf(),
             mode: AppMode::Agent,
+            agent_preset: None,
         })
         .await
         .expect("sync fresh session without a persisted prompt");
@@ -1422,6 +1425,7 @@ async fn sync_session_same_id_does_not_finalize_live_worker() {
             model: "deepseek-v4-pro".to_string(),
             workspace: workspace.clone(),
             mode: AppMode::Agent,
+            agent_preset: None,
         })
         .await
         .expect("install session");
@@ -1444,6 +1448,7 @@ async fn sync_session_same_id_does_not_finalize_live_worker() {
             model: "deepseek-v4-pro".to_string(),
             workspace: workspace.clone(),
             mode: AppMode::Agent,
+            agent_preset: None,
         })
         .await
         .expect("re-sync same session");
@@ -1487,6 +1492,7 @@ async fn sync_session_different_id_finalizes_live_worker() {
             model: "deepseek-v4-pro".to_string(),
             workspace: workspace.clone(),
             mode: AppMode::Agent,
+            agent_preset: None,
         })
         .await
         .expect("install session-a");
@@ -1512,6 +1518,7 @@ async fn sync_session_different_id_finalizes_live_worker() {
             model: "deepseek-v4-pro".to_string(),
             workspace: workspace.clone(),
             mode: AppMode::Agent,
+            agent_preset: None,
         })
         .await
         .expect("switch to session-b");
@@ -1570,6 +1577,7 @@ async fn sync_session_migrates_one_checkpoint_and_strips_its_system_carrier() {
                 model: "deepseek-v4-pro".to_string(),
                 workspace: tmp.path().to_path_buf(),
                 mode: AppMode::Agent,
+                agent_preset: None,
             })
             .await
             .expect("sync compacted session");

crates/engine/src/core/engine/tests/test_cases_14.rs

@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ async fn sync_session_projects_persisted_subagent_handoff_for_headless_restore()
             model: "deepseek-v4-pro".to_string(),
             workspace: tmp.path().to_path_buf(),
             mode: AppMode::Agent,
+            agent_preset: None,
         })
         .await
         .expect("sync session");
@@ -176,6 +177,7 @@ async fn edit_last_turn_preserves_current_mode() {
             model: "deepseek-v4-pro".to_string(),
             workspace: tmp.path().to_path_buf(),
             mode: AppMode::Agent,
+            agent_preset: None,
         })
         .await
         .expect("sync session");
@@ -334,6 +336,7 @@ async fn edit_last_turn_cuts_at_user_prompt_before_tool_results() {
             model: "deepseek-v4-pro".to_string(),
             workspace: tmp.path().to_path_buf(),
             mode: AppMode::Agent,
+            agent_preset: None,
         })
         .await
         .expect("sync session");
@@ -451,6 +454,7 @@ async fn edit_last_turn_without_user_prompt_errors_and_sends_nothing() {
             model: "deepseek-v4-pro".to_string(),
             workspace: tmp.path().to_path_buf(),
             mode: AppMode::Agent,
+            agent_preset: None,
         })
         .await
         .expect("sync session");
@@ -569,6 +573,7 @@ async fn edit_last_turn_without_user_prompt_errors_and_sends_nothing() {
             model: "deepseek-v4-pro".to_string(),
             workspace: tmp.path().to_path_buf(),
             mode: AppMode::Agent,
+            agent_preset: None,
         })
         .await
         .expect("sync unsupported user session");

crates/engine/src/core/ops.rs

@@ -117,6 +117,8 @@ pub struct SessionSnapshot {
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
     pub instruction_assembly: Option<serde_json::Value>,
     pub mode: String,
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    pub agent_preset: Option<String>,
 }
 
 /// Live context-window posture for one thread, computed where the session
@@ -468,6 +470,7 @@ pub enum Op {
         model: String,
         workspace: PathBuf,
         mode: AppMode,
+        agent_preset: Option<String>,
     },
 
     /// Rewind only the exact conversation observed by the caller. The Engine

crates/engine/src/core/protocol_parity.rs

@@ -1261,6 +1261,7 @@ pub fn op_to_protocol(op: &Op) -> wire_op::Op {
             model,
             workspace,
             mode,
+            agent_preset,
             ..
         } => wire_op::Op::SyncSession {
             expected: expected.as_ref().map(to_value),
@@ -1271,6 +1272,7 @@ pub fn op_to_protocol(op: &Op) -> wire_op::Op {
             model: model.clone(),
             workspace: workspace.clone(),
             mode: app_mode_str(*mode).to_string(),
+            agent_preset: agent_preset.clone(),
         },
         Op::RewindConversation {
             expected, messages, ..
@@ -1739,6 +1741,7 @@ mod tests {
             system_prompt: None,
             instruction_assembly: None,
             mode: "agent".into(),
+            agent_preset: None,
         };
         let (tx, mut receive) = tokio::sync::oneshot::channel();
         let op = Op::RewindConversation {

crates/engine/src/core/session.rs

@@ -408,6 +408,8 @@ pub struct Session {
     /// boundaries so the next send can compact on last-turn pressure
     /// (#5577). Cleared when history is rewritten (compaction, restore).
     pub latest_parent_input_tokens: Option<u32>,
+
+    pub agent_preset: Option<String>,
 }
 
 /// Cumulative usage statistics for a session.
@@ -481,6 +483,7 @@ impl Session {
             tool_activation_cache: ToolActivationCache::default(),
             messages_revision: 0,
             latest_parent_input_tokens: None,
+            agent_preset: None,
         }
     }
 

crates/engine/src/extension_host/core_call_tests.rs

@@ -1295,6 +1295,7 @@ fn the_wire_result_is_the_tools_text_and_json_and_says_when_it_was_cut() {
         system_prompt: None,
         instruction_assembly: None,
         mode: "agent".into(),
+        agent_preset: None,
     });
     let hash = SessionCheckpointRequest::prefix_hash(&snapshot.messages).unwrap();
     let make = |projection| {

crates/engine/src/model_routing.rs

@@ -1363,6 +1363,36 @@ fn auto_route_usage_has_reported_data(usage: &codewhale_models::Usage) -> bool {
         || usage.server_tool_use.is_some()
 }
 
+/// Stable, persistence-safe identity for one classifier response. The raw
+/// provider response id is hashed with the frozen dispatch route and instant;
+/// neither it nor any custom route label crosses into telemetry/persistence.
+pub fn auto_route_usage_source_id(route: &EffectiveRouteEnvelope, response_id: &str) -> String {
+    use sha2::{Digest as _, Sha256};
+
+    let mut digest = Sha256::new();
+    let dispatched_at = route.dispatched_at.to_rfc3339();
+    for part in [
+        b"codewhale:auto-route-classifier:v1".as_slice(),
+        route.provider.as_str().as_bytes(),
+        route.provider_identity.as_bytes(),
+        route.model.as_bytes(),
+        route
+            .endpoint_fingerprint
+            .as_deref()
+            .unwrap_or_default()
+            .as_bytes(),
+        dispatched_at.as_bytes(),
+        response_id.as_bytes(),
+    ] {
+        digest.update((part.len() as u64).to_le_bytes());
+        digest.update(part);
+    }
+    format!(
+        "auto-router:{}",
+        codewhale_runtime::hashing::hex_bytes(digest.finalize())
+    )
+}
+
 fn auto_route_attempt_from_response(
     _request_route: EffectiveRouteEnvelope,
     response: &MessageResponse,

crates/engine/src/runtime_threads/manager.rs

@@ -9161,6 +9161,7 @@ impl RuntimeThreadManager {
                     thread.auto_approve,
                 )
                 .mode,
+                agent_preset: thread.agent_preset.clone(),
             })
             .await?;
         let observed = engine.get_session_snapshot().await?;
@@ -14916,6 +14917,7 @@ source_usage_records: Default::default(),
                             thread.auto_approve,
                         )
                         .mode,
+                        agent_preset: thread.agent_preset.clone(),
                     })
                     .await
                     .map_err(|e| anyhow!("Failed to sync thread session: {e}"))?;

crates/engine/src/runtime_threads/tests.rs

@@ -19625,6 +19625,7 @@ fn answer_session_snapshot(
             system_prompt: None,
             instruction_assembly: None,
             mode: String::new(),
+            agent_preset: None,
         });
     }
 }
@@ -19704,6 +19705,7 @@ async fn compaction_lifecycle_emits_item_events_with_compaction_counts() -> Resu
                             system_prompt: None,
                             instruction_assembly: None,
                             mode: "agent".into(),
+                            agent_preset: None,
                         });
                         let (reply, received) = oneshot::channel();
                         let withdraw = CancellationToken::new();
@@ -22037,6 +22039,7 @@ mod runtime_image_inputs {
                 model: stored_thread.model.clone(),
                 workspace: stored_thread.workspace.clone(),
                 mode: AppMode::Agent,
+                agent_preset: None,
             })
             .await?;
         let followup = reopened

crates/engine/src/runtime_threads/tests/conversation_modes.rs

@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 use super::*;
 use crate::conversation_modes::{CREATOR, CreatorAvailabilityGuard, ModeRefusal, STANDARD};
+use crate::core::engine::Engine;
+use crate::llm_client::mock::MockLlmClient;
 
 fn refusal_code(error: &anyhow::Error) -> &'static str {
     error
@@ -132,3 +134,58 @@ async fn creator_is_listed_unavailable_until_it_loads_its_tools() -> Result<()>
     assert_eq!(refusal_code(&refused), ModeRefusal::MODE_UNAVAILABLE);
     Ok(())
 }
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn a_runtime_thread_sync_keeps_its_conversation_mode() -> Result<()> {
+    let tmp = tempfile::tempdir()?;
+    let manager = test_manager(tmp.path().to_path_buf())?;
+    let _available = CreatorAvailabilityGuard::set(None);
+    let thread = manager.create_thread(create_request(Some(CREATOR))).await?;
+    let mock = Arc::new(MockLlmClient::new(Vec::new()));
+    let (engine, handle) = Engine::new_with_model_client(
+        EngineConfig {
+            workspace: tmp.path().to_path_buf(),
+            model: thread.model.clone(),
+            subagents_enabled: false,
+            snapshots_enabled: false,
+            memory_enabled: false,
+            terminal_chrome_enabled: false,
+            ..Default::default()
+        },
+        &Config::default(),
+        mock,
+    );
+    manager
+        .install_test_engine(&thread.id, handle.clone())
+        .await?;
+    let run = tokio::spawn(engine.run());
+    let messages = vec![Message {
+        role: Role::User,
+        content: vec![ContentBlock::Text {
+            text: "first".to_string(),
+            cache_control: None,
+        }],
+    }];
+    let session = crate::session_manager::create_saved_session(
+        &messages,
+        &thread.model,
+        &thread.workspace,
+        0,
+        None,
+    );
+    manager
+        .synchronize_history_operation(&thread.id, &session)
+        .await?;
+    let observed = handle.get_session_snapshot().await?;
+    assert_eq!(observed.agent_preset.as_deref(), Some(CREATOR));
+    manager
+        .synchronize_history_operation(&thread.id, &session)
+        .await?;
+    assert_eq!(
+        handle.get_session_snapshot().await?.agent_preset.as_deref(),
+        Some(CREATOR)
+    );
+    handle.send(Op::Shutdown).await?;
+    tokio::time::timeout(Duration::from_secs(10), run).await??;
+    Ok(())
+}

crates/engine/src/session_manager.rs

@@ -2090,9 +2090,27 @@ pub struct SavedSession {
     /// record resume, export, and the Runtime API read back.
     #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Vec::is_empty")]
     pub turn_outcomes: Vec<SavedTurnOutcome>,
-    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    #[serde(
+        default,
+        skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none",
+        deserialize_with = "read_saved_agent_preset"
+    )]
     pub agent_preset: Option<String>,
 }
+
+fn read_saved_agent_preset<'de, D>(deserializer: D) -> Result<Option<String>, D::Error>
+where
+    D: serde::Deserializer<'de>,
+{
+    Ok(
+        match <Option<serde_json::Value> as serde::Deserialize>::deserialize(deserializer)? {
+            None | Some(serde_json::Value::Null) => None,
+            Some(serde_json::Value::String(id)) => Some(id),
+            Some(other) => Some(other.to_string()),
+        },
+    )
+}
+
 impl SavedSession {
     pub fn capture_publication(
         &mut self,

crates/engine/src/session_manager/test_cases_04.rs

@@ -362,3 +362,25 @@
         let loaded = manager.load_session(&saved.metadata.id).expect("load");
         assert_eq!(loaded.agent_preset.as_deref(), Some("creator"));
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn a_hand_edited_agent_preset_still_loads_and_never_becomes_standard() {
+        let session = create_saved_session(&[], "test-model", std::path::Path::new("."), 0, None);
+        let base = serde_json::to_value(&session).expect("serialize");
+        let big = "x".repeat(1_000_000);
+        for (edited, expected) in [
+            (serde_json::Value::Null, None),
+            (serde_json::json!("creator"), Some("creator".to_string())),
+            (serde_json::json!(""), Some(String::new())),
+            (serde_json::json!("../x"), Some("../x".to_string())),
+            (serde_json::json!(5), Some("5".to_string())),
+            (serde_json::json!(true), Some("true".to_string())),
+            (serde_json::json!({"a": 1}), Some("{\"a\":1}".to_string())),
+            (serde_json::json!(big.clone()), Some(big)),
+        ] {
+            let mut raw = base.clone();
+            raw["agent_preset"] = edited;
+            let loaded: SavedSession = serde_json::from_value(raw).expect("loads");
+            assert_eq!(loaded.agent_preset, expected);
+        }
+    }

crates/localization/locales/ca.json

@@ -91,6 +91,22 @@
   "PetDozing": "endormiscat",
   "PetWatchUnavailable": "La telemetria de la mascota està en pausa. /pet on ho torna a intentar.",
   "ConversationChangedBeforeUndo": "La conversa ha canviat abans de completar l’acció de desfer. No s’ha desfet res ni s’ha enviat cap nou intent. Revisa la conversa actual abans de tornar-ho a provar.",
+  "ConversationModePickerTitle": "Mode",
+  "ConversationModeGroupConversation": "Mode de conversa",
+  "ConversationModeGroupPermissions": "Permisos",
+  "ConversationModeStandardName": "Mode estàndard",
+  "ConversationModeStandardDescription": "L'agent de cada dia amb les seves eines i habilitats habituals.",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorName": "Mode creador",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorDescription": "Crea i prova connectors en aquesta conversa.",
+  "ConversationModeNotReady": "Encara no està a punt en aquesta versió.",
+  "ConversationModeLockedNote": "Fix després del primer missatge. Comença'n una altra amb {command}.",
+  "ConversationModeLockedRefusal": "El mode de conversa queda fix quan s'envia el primer missatge. Comença una conversa nova amb {command}.",
+  "ConversationModeUnknown": "Mode de conversa desconegut «{id}». Disponibles: {modes}.",
+  "ConversationModeUnavailableRefusal": "{name} no està disponible: {reason}",
+  "ConversationModeSet": "Mode de conversa: {name}.",
+  "ConversationModeLabelUnavailable": "{name} (no disponible)",
+  "ConversationModeSavedUnavailableNotice": "Aquesta conversa es va desar en {name}, que no està disponible aquí ({reason}). Se'n mostra l'historial.",
+  "ConversationModeResumeUnreadable": "No s'ha pogut llegir la conversa desada per comprovar-ne el mode; no s'ha iniciat ni canviat res.",
   "SessionArchiveExported": "Sessió exportada",
   "SessionArchiveSizes": "elements / mida sense comprimir / arxiu",
   "SessionArchiveNoArtifacts": "No s’han trobat fitxers d’artefactes regulars en aquesta sessió.",

crates/localization/locales/de.json

@@ -91,6 +91,22 @@
   "PetDozing": "dösend",
   "PetWatchUnavailable": "Die Haustier-Telemetrie pausiert. /pet on versucht es erneut.",
   "ConversationChangedBeforeUndo": "Die Unterhaltung wurde geändert, bevor das Rückgängigmachen abgeschlossen war. Es wurde nichts rückgängig gemacht und kein erneuter Versuch gesendet. Prüfe die aktuelle Unterhaltung, bevor du es erneut versuchst.",
+  "ConversationModePickerTitle": "Modus",
+  "ConversationModeGroupConversation": "Gesprächsmodus",
+  "ConversationModeGroupPermissions": "Berechtigungen",
+  "ConversationModeStandardName": "Standardmodus",
+  "ConversationModeStandardDescription": "Der Alltagsagent mit seinen üblichen Werkzeugen und Skills.",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorName": "Creator-Modus",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorDescription": "Plugins in diesem Gespräch bauen und testen.",
+  "ConversationModeNotReady": "In dieser Version noch nicht bereit.",
+  "ConversationModeLockedNote": "Nach der ersten Nachricht festgelegt. Ein anderes Gespräch starten mit {command}.",
+  "ConversationModeLockedRefusal": "Der Gesprächsmodus ist festgelegt, sobald die erste Nachricht gesendet wurde. Starte ein neues Gespräch mit {command}.",
+  "ConversationModeUnknown": "Unbekannter Gesprächsmodus „{id}“. Verfügbar: {modes}.",
+  "ConversationModeUnavailableRefusal": "{name} ist nicht verfügbar: {reason}",
+  "ConversationModeSet": "Gesprächsmodus: {name}.",
+  "ConversationModeLabelUnavailable": "{name} (nicht verfügbar)",
+  "ConversationModeSavedUnavailableNotice": "Dieses Gespräch wurde im {name} gespeichert, der hier nicht verfügbar ist ({reason}). Sein Verlauf wird angezeigt.",
+  "ConversationModeResumeUnreadable": "Das gespeicherte Gespräch konnte nicht gelesen werden, um seinen Modus zu prüfen. Es wurde nichts gestartet oder geändert.",
   "SessionArchiveExported": "Sitzung exportiert",
   "SessionArchiveSizes": "Einträge / unkomprimierte Größe / Archivgröße",
   "SessionArchiveNoArtifacts": "Keine regulären Artefaktdateien für diese Sitzung gefunden.",

crates/localization/locales/en.json

@@ -91,6 +91,22 @@
   "PetDozing": "dozing",
   "PetWatchUnavailable": "Pet telemetry paused. /pet on retries.",
   "ConversationChangedBeforeUndo": "The conversation changed before undo could finish. Nothing was undone and no retry was sent. Review the current conversation before trying again.",
+  "ConversationModePickerTitle": "Mode",
+  "ConversationModeGroupConversation": "Conversation mode",
+  "ConversationModeGroupPermissions": "Permissions",
+  "ConversationModeStandardName": "Standard mode",
+  "ConversationModeStandardDescription": "The everyday agent with its usual tools and skills.",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorName": "Creator mode",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorDescription": "Build and test plugins in this conversation.",
+  "ConversationModeNotReady": "Not ready yet in this version.",
+  "ConversationModeLockedNote": "Fixed after the first message. Start another with {command}.",
+  "ConversationModeLockedRefusal": "The conversation mode is fixed once the first message is sent. Start a new conversation with {command}.",
+  "ConversationModeUnknown": "Unknown conversation mode \"{id}\". Available: {modes}.",
+  "ConversationModeUnavailableRefusal": "{name} is not available: {reason}",
+  "ConversationModeSet": "Conversation mode: {name}.",
+  "ConversationModeLabelUnavailable": "{name} (unavailable)",
+  "ConversationModeSavedUnavailableNotice": "This conversation was saved in {name}, which is not available here ({reason}). Its history is shown.",
+  "ConversationModeResumeUnreadable": "Could not read the saved conversation to check its mode, so nothing was started or changed.",
   "SessionArchiveExported": "Exported session",
   "SessionArchiveSizes": "members / uncompressed / archive",
   "SessionArchiveNoArtifacts": "No regular artifacts found for this session.",

crates/localization/locales/es-419.json

@@ -91,6 +91,22 @@
   "PetDozing": "dormitando",
   "PetWatchUnavailable": "La telemetría de la mascota está en pausa. /pet on reintenta.",
   "ConversationChangedBeforeUndo": "La conversación cambió antes de completar la acción de deshacer. No se deshizo nada ni se envió un nuevo intento. Revisa la conversación actual antes de volver a intentarlo.",
+  "ConversationModePickerTitle": "Modo",
+  "ConversationModeGroupConversation": "Modo de conversación",
+  "ConversationModeGroupPermissions": "Permisos",
+  "ConversationModeStandardName": "Modo estándar",
+  "ConversationModeStandardDescription": "El agente de todos los días con sus herramientas y habilidades habituales.",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorName": "Modo creador",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorDescription": "Crea y prueba plugins en esta conversación.",
+  "ConversationModeNotReady": "Aún no está listo en esta versión.",
+  "ConversationModeLockedNote": "Fijo tras el primer mensaje. Inicia otra con {command}.",
+  "ConversationModeLockedRefusal": "El modo de conversación queda fijo al enviar el primer mensaje. Inicia una conversación nueva con {command}.",
+  "ConversationModeUnknown": "Modo de conversación desconocido «{id}». Disponibles: {modes}.",
+  "ConversationModeUnavailableRefusal": "{name} no está disponible: {reason}",
+  "ConversationModeSet": "Modo de conversación: {name}.",
+  "ConversationModeLabelUnavailable": "{name} (no disponible)",
+  "ConversationModeSavedUnavailableNotice": "Esta conversación se guardó en {name}, que no está disponible aquí ({reason}). Se muestra su historial.",
+  "ConversationModeResumeUnreadable": "No se pudo leer la conversación guardada para comprobar su modo, así que no se inició ni se cambió nada.",
   "SessionArchiveExported": "Sesión exportada",
   "SessionArchiveSizes": "elementos / tamaño sin comprimir / archivo",
   "SessionArchiveNoArtifacts": "No se encontraron archivos de artefactos regulares en esta sesión.",

crates/localization/locales/fr.json

@@ -91,6 +91,22 @@
   "PetDozing": "assoupi",
   "PetWatchUnavailable": "La télémétrie de la mascotte est en pause. /pet on réessaie.",
   "ConversationChangedBeforeUndo": "La conversation a changé avant la fin de l’annulation. Rien n’a été annulé et aucune nouvelle tentative n’a été envoyée. Vérifiez la conversation actuelle avant de réessayer.",
+  "ConversationModePickerTitle": "Mode",
+  "ConversationModeGroupConversation": "Mode de conversation",
+  "ConversationModeGroupPermissions": "Autorisations",
+  "ConversationModeStandardName": "Mode standard",
+  "ConversationModeStandardDescription": "L'agent du quotidien avec ses outils et compétences habituels.",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorName": "Mode créateur",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorDescription": "Créer et tester des plugins dans cette conversation.",
+  "ConversationModeNotReady": "Pas encore prêt dans cette version.",
+  "ConversationModeLockedNote": "Fixé après le premier message. Pour en démarrer une autre : {command}.",
+  "ConversationModeLockedRefusal": "Le mode de conversation est fixé dès l'envoi du premier message. Démarrez une nouvelle conversation avec {command}.",
+  "ConversationModeUnknown": "Mode de conversation inconnu « {id} ». Disponibles : {modes}.",
+  "ConversationModeUnavailableRefusal": "{name} n'est pas disponible : {reason}",
+  "ConversationModeSet": "Mode de conversation : {name}.",
+  "ConversationModeLabelUnavailable": "{name} (indisponible)",
+  "ConversationModeSavedUnavailableNotice": "Cette conversation a été enregistrée en {name}, indisponible ici ({reason}). Son historique est affiché.",
+  "ConversationModeResumeUnreadable": "Impossible de lire la conversation enregistrée pour vérifier son mode ; rien n'a été démarré ni modifié.",
   "SessionArchiveExported": "Session exportée",
   "SessionArchiveSizes": "éléments / taille non compressée / archive",
   "SessionArchiveNoArtifacts": "Aucun fichier d’artefact ordinaire trouvé pour cette session.",

crates/localization/locales/hi.json

@@ -91,6 +91,22 @@
   "PetDozing": "ऊँघ रहा है",
   "PetWatchUnavailable": "पालतू की टेलीमेट्री रुकी हुई है। /pet on से फिर कोशिश करें।",
   "ConversationChangedBeforeUndo": "पूर्ववत करने की प्रक्रिया पूरी होने से पहले बातचीत बदल गई। कुछ भी पूर्ववत नहीं किया गया और दोबारा अनुरोध नहीं भेजा गया। फिर से कोशिश करने से पहले मौजूदा बातचीत की समीक्षा करें।",
+  "ConversationModePickerTitle": "मोड",
+  "ConversationModeGroupConversation": "बातचीत मोड",
+  "ConversationModeGroupPermissions": "अनुमतियाँ",
+  "ConversationModeStandardName": "मानक मोड",
+  "ConversationModeStandardDescription": "रोज़ के उपयोग वाला एजेंट, अपने सामान्य टूल और स्किल के साथ।",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorName": "क्रिएटर मोड",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorDescription": "इस बातचीत में प्लगइन बनाएँ और परखें।",
+  "ConversationModeNotReady": "इस संस्करण में अभी तैयार नहीं है।",
+  "ConversationModeLockedNote": "पहले संदेश के बाद तय हो जाता है। दूसरी शुरू करने के लिए {command} चलाएँ।",
+  "ConversationModeLockedRefusal": "पहला संदेश भेजते ही बातचीत का मोड तय हो जाता है। {command} से नई बातचीत शुरू करें।",
+  "ConversationModeUnknown": "अज्ञात बातचीत मोड \"{id}\"। उपलब्ध: {modes}।",
+  "ConversationModeUnavailableRefusal": "{name} उपलब्ध नहीं है: {reason}",
+  "ConversationModeSet": "बातचीत मोड: {name}।",
+  "ConversationModeLabelUnavailable": "{name} (उपलब्ध नहीं)",
+  "ConversationModeSavedUnavailableNotice": "यह बातचीत {name} में सहेजी गई थी, जो यहाँ उपलब्ध नहीं है ({reason})। इसका इतिहास दिखाया गया है।",
+  "ConversationModeResumeUnreadable": "इसका मोड जाँचने के लिए सहेजी गई बातचीत नहीं पढ़ी जा सकी, इसलिए कुछ शुरू या बदला नहीं गया।",
   "SessionArchiveExported": "सत्र निर्यात किया गया",
   "SessionArchiveSizes": "प्रविष्टियाँ / असंपीड़ित आकार / संग्रह का आकार",
   "SessionArchiveNoArtifacts": "इस सत्र में कोई सामान्य आर्टिफ़ैक्ट फ़ाइल नहीं मिली।",

crates/localization/locales/id.json

@@ -91,6 +91,22 @@
   "PetDozing": "terlelap",
   "PetWatchUnavailable": "Telemetri hewan peliharaan dijeda. /pet on mencoba lagi.",
   "ConversationChangedBeforeUndo": "Percakapan berubah sebelum pembatalan selesai. Tidak ada yang dibatalkan dan tidak ada permintaan coba lagi yang dikirim. Periksa percakapan saat ini sebelum mencoba lagi.",
+  "ConversationModePickerTitle": "Mode",
+  "ConversationModeGroupConversation": "Mode percakapan",
+  "ConversationModeGroupPermissions": "Izin",
+  "ConversationModeStandardName": "Mode standar",
+  "ConversationModeStandardDescription": "Agen sehari-hari dengan alat dan skill yang biasa.",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorName": "Mode kreator",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorDescription": "Bangun dan uji plugin dalam percakapan ini.",
+  "ConversationModeNotReady": "Belum siap di versi ini.",
+  "ConversationModeLockedNote": "Tetap setelah pesan pertama. Mulai yang lain dengan {command}.",
+  "ConversationModeLockedRefusal": "Mode percakapan tetap setelah pesan pertama dikirim. Mulai percakapan baru dengan {command}.",
+  "ConversationModeUnknown": "Mode percakapan \"{id}\" tidak dikenal. Tersedia: {modes}.",
+  "ConversationModeUnavailableRefusal": "{name} tidak tersedia: {reason}",
+  "ConversationModeSet": "Mode percakapan: {name}.",
+  "ConversationModeLabelUnavailable": "{name} (tidak tersedia)",
+  "ConversationModeSavedUnavailableNotice": "Percakapan ini disimpan dalam {name}, yang tidak tersedia di sini ({reason}). Riwayatnya ditampilkan.",
+  "ConversationModeResumeUnreadable": "Percakapan tersimpan tidak dapat dibaca untuk memeriksa modenya, jadi tidak ada yang dimulai atau diubah.",
   "SessionArchiveExported": "Sesi diekspor",
   "SessionArchiveSizes": "jumlah entri / ukuran tanpa kompresi / arsip",
   "SessionArchiveNoArtifacts": "Tidak ditemukan berkas artefak biasa untuk sesi ini.",

crates/localization/locales/ja.json

@@ -91,6 +91,22 @@
   "PetDozing": "うたた寝",
   "PetWatchUnavailable": "ペットの計測が一時停止しました。/pet on で再試行します。",
   "ConversationChangedBeforeUndo": "取り消しが完了する前に会話が変更されました。取り消しも再試行の送信も行っていません。現在の会話を確認してから、もう一度お試しください。",
+  "ConversationModePickerTitle": "モード",
+  "ConversationModeGroupConversation": "会話モード",
+  "ConversationModeGroupPermissions": "権限",
+  "ConversationModeStandardName": "標準モード",
+  "ConversationModeStandardDescription": "いつもの道具とスキルを備えた日常用のエージェントです。",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorName": "クリエイターモード",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorDescription": "この会話でプラグインを作成・テストします。",
+  "ConversationModeNotReady": "このバージョンではまだ使えません。",
+  "ConversationModeLockedNote": "最初のメッセージ後は固定されます。別の会話は {command} で始めます。",
+  "ConversationModeLockedRefusal": "会話モードは最初のメッセージを送ると固定されます。{command} で新しい会話を始めてください。",
+  "ConversationModeUnknown": "会話モード「{id}」は不明です。使用可能: {modes}。",
+  "ConversationModeUnavailableRefusal": "{name} は使えません: {reason}",
+  "ConversationModeSet": "会話モード: {name}。",
+  "ConversationModeLabelUnavailable": "{name}（利用不可）",
+  "ConversationModeSavedUnavailableNotice": "この会話は {name} で保存されましたが、ここでは使えません（{reason}）。履歴は表示されています。",
+  "ConversationModeResumeUnreadable": "保存された会話を読み取れず、モードを確認できませんでした。何も開始・変更していません。",
   "SessionArchiveExported": "セッションをエクスポートしました",
   "SessionArchiveSizes": "項目数 / 非圧縮サイズ / アーカイブサイズ",
   "SessionArchiveNoArtifacts": "このセッションに通常のアーティファクトファイルはありません。",

crates/localization/locales/ko.json

@@ -91,6 +91,22 @@
   "PetDozing": "졸고 있음",
   "PetWatchUnavailable": "펫 원격 측정이 일시 중지되었습니다. /pet on 으로 재시도합니다.",
   "ConversationChangedBeforeUndo": "실행 취소가 완료되기 전에 대화가 변경되었습니다. 취소된 내용이 없으며 재시도 요청도 보내지 않았습니다. 현재 대화를 확인한 후 다시 시도하세요.",
+  "ConversationModePickerTitle": "모드",
+  "ConversationModeGroupConversation": "대화 모드",
+  "ConversationModeGroupPermissions": "권한",
+  "ConversationModeStandardName": "표준 모드",
+  "ConversationModeStandardDescription": "평소 도구와 스킬을 갖춘 일상용 에이전트입니다.",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorName": "크리에이터 모드",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorDescription": "이 대화에서 플러그인을 만들고 테스트합니다.",
+  "ConversationModeNotReady": "이 버전에서는 아직 준비되지 않았습니다.",
+  "ConversationModeLockedNote": "첫 메시지 이후에는 고정됩니다. 다른 대화는 {command} 로 시작하세요.",
+  "ConversationModeLockedRefusal": "대화 모드는 첫 메시지를 보내면 고정됩니다. {command} 로 새 대화를 시작하세요.",
+  "ConversationModeUnknown": "알 수 없는 대화 모드 \"{id}\". 사용 가능: {modes}.",
+  "ConversationModeUnavailableRefusal": "{name} 사용 불가: {reason}",
+  "ConversationModeSet": "대화 모드: {name}.",
+  "ConversationModeLabelUnavailable": "{name} (사용 불가)",
+  "ConversationModeSavedUnavailableNotice": "이 대화는 {name}에서 저장되었지만 여기서는 사용할 수 없습니다({reason}). 기록은 표시됩니다.",
+  "ConversationModeResumeUnreadable": "저장된 대화를 읽어 모드를 확인할 수 없어 아무것도 시작하거나 변경하지 않았습니다.",
   "SessionArchiveExported": "세션을 내보냈습니다",
   "SessionArchiveSizes": "항목 수 / 압축 전 크기 / 아카이브 크기",
   "SessionArchiveNoArtifacts": "이 세션에 일반 산출물 파일이 없습니다.",

crates/localization/locales/pt-BR.json

@@ -91,6 +91,22 @@
   "PetDozing": "cochilando",
   "PetWatchUnavailable": "A telemetria do pet foi pausada. /pet on tenta novamente.",
   "ConversationChangedBeforeUndo": "A conversa mudou antes de concluir a ação de desfazer. Nada foi desfeito e nenhuma nova tentativa foi enviada. Revise a conversa atual antes de tentar novamente.",
+  "ConversationModePickerTitle": "Modo",
+  "ConversationModeGroupConversation": "Modo de conversa",
+  "ConversationModeGroupPermissions": "Permissões",
+  "ConversationModeStandardName": "Modo padrão",
+  "ConversationModeStandardDescription": "O agente do dia a dia, com suas ferramentas e habilidades habituais.",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorName": "Modo criador",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorDescription": "Crie e teste plugins nesta conversa.",
+  "ConversationModeNotReady": "Ainda não está pronto nesta versão.",
+  "ConversationModeLockedNote": "Fixo após a primeira mensagem. Inicie outra com {command}.",
+  "ConversationModeLockedRefusal": "O modo de conversa fica fixo depois que a primeira mensagem é enviada. Inicie uma nova conversa com {command}.",
+  "ConversationModeUnknown": "Modo de conversa desconhecido \"{id}\". Disponíveis: {modes}.",
+  "ConversationModeUnavailableRefusal": "{name} não está disponível: {reason}",
+  "ConversationModeSet": "Modo de conversa: {name}.",
+  "ConversationModeLabelUnavailable": "{name} (indisponível)",
+  "ConversationModeSavedUnavailableNotice": "Esta conversa foi salva no {name}, que não está disponível aqui ({reason}). O histórico dela é exibido.",
+  "ConversationModeResumeUnreadable": "Não foi possível ler a conversa salva para verificar o modo, então nada foi iniciado ou alterado.",
   "SessionArchiveExported": "Sessão exportada",
   "SessionArchiveSizes": "itens / tamanho sem compressão / arquivo",
   "SessionArchiveNoArtifacts": "Nenhum artefato regular encontrado nesta sessão.",

crates/localization/locales/ru.json

@@ -91,6 +91,22 @@
   "PetDozing": "дремлет",
   "PetWatchUnavailable": "Телеметрия питомца приостановлена. /pet on повторит попытку.",
   "ConversationChangedBeforeUndo": "Разговор изменился до завершения отмены. Ничего не отменено, повторный запрос не отправлен. Проверьте текущий разговор, прежде чем повторять попытку.",
+  "ConversationModePickerTitle": "Режим",
+  "ConversationModeGroupConversation": "Режим беседы",
+  "ConversationModeGroupPermissions": "Разрешения",
+  "ConversationModeStandardName": "Стандартный режим",
+  "ConversationModeStandardDescription": "Повседневный агент с обычными инструментами и навыками.",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorName": "Режим создателя",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorDescription": "Создавайте и проверяйте плагины в этой беседе.",
+  "ConversationModeNotReady": "В этой версии пока не готово.",
+  "ConversationModeLockedNote": "Фиксируется после первого сообщения. Начните другую командой {command}.",
+  "ConversationModeLockedRefusal": "Режим беседы фиксируется после отправки первого сообщения. Начните новую беседу командой {command}.",
+  "ConversationModeUnknown": "Неизвестный режим беседы «{id}». Доступны: {modes}.",
+  "ConversationModeUnavailableRefusal": "{name} недоступен: {reason}",
+  "ConversationModeSet": "Режим беседы: {name}.",
+  "ConversationModeLabelUnavailable": "{name} (недоступен)",
+  "ConversationModeSavedUnavailableNotice": "Эта беседа сохранена в режиме «{name}», недоступном здесь ({reason}). Её история показана.",
+  "ConversationModeResumeUnreadable": "Не удалось прочитать сохранённый разговор, чтобы проверить его режим. Ничего не запущено и не изменено.",
   "SessionArchiveExported": "Сеанс экспортирован",
   "SessionArchiveSizes": "записи / размер без сжатия / размер архива",
   "SessionArchiveNoArtifacts": "Обычные файлы артефактов для этого сеанса не найдены.",

crates/localization/locales/uk.json

@@ -91,6 +91,22 @@
   "PetDozing": "дрімає",
   "PetWatchUnavailable": "Телеметрію улюбленця призупинено. /pet on повторить спробу.",
   "ConversationChangedBeforeUndo": "Розмова змінилася до завершення скасування. Нічого не скасовано, повторний запит не надіслано. Перевірте поточну розмову, перш ніж спробувати знову.",
+  "ConversationModePickerTitle": "Режим",
+  "ConversationModeGroupConversation": "Режим розмови",
+  "ConversationModeGroupPermissions": "Дозволи",
+  "ConversationModeStandardName": "Стандартний режим",
+  "ConversationModeStandardDescription": "Щоденний агент зі звичними інструментами та навичками.",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorName": "Режим творця",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorDescription": "Створюйте й перевіряйте плагіни в цій розмові.",
+  "ConversationModeNotReady": "У цій версії ще не готово.",
+  "ConversationModeLockedNote": "Фіксується після першого повідомлення. Почніть іншу командою {command}.",
+  "ConversationModeLockedRefusal": "Режим розмови фіксується після надсилання першого повідомлення. Почніть нову розмову командою {command}.",
+  "ConversationModeUnknown": "Невідомий режим розмови «{id}». Доступні: {modes}.",
+  "ConversationModeUnavailableRefusal": "{name} недоступний: {reason}",
+  "ConversationModeSet": "Режим розмови: {name}.",
+  "ConversationModeLabelUnavailable": "{name} (недоступний)",
+  "ConversationModeSavedUnavailableNotice": "Цю розмову збережено в режимі «{name}», недоступному тут ({reason}). Її історію показано.",
+  "ConversationModeResumeUnreadable": "Не вдалося прочитати збережену розмову, щоб перевірити її режим. Нічого не запущено й не змінено.",
   "SessionArchiveExported": "Сеанс експортовано",
   "SessionArchiveSizes": "записи / розмір без стиснення / розмір архіву",
   "SessionArchiveNoArtifacts": "Звичайних файлів артефактів для цього сеансу не знайдено.",

crates/localization/locales/vi.json

@@ -91,6 +91,22 @@
   "PetDozing": "ngủ gật",
   "PetWatchUnavailable": "Đã tạm dừng dữ liệu thú cưng. /pet on sẽ thử lại.",
   "ConversationChangedBeforeUndo": "Cuộc trò chuyện đã thay đổi trước khi hoàn tất hoàn tác. Không có nội dung nào bị hoàn tác và không gửi yêu cầu thử lại. Hãy kiểm tra cuộc trò chuyện hiện tại trước khi thử lại.",
+  "ConversationModePickerTitle": "Chế độ",
+  "ConversationModeGroupConversation": "Chế độ cuộc trò chuyện",
+  "ConversationModeGroupPermissions": "Quyền",
+  "ConversationModeStandardName": "Chế độ tiêu chuẩn",
+  "ConversationModeStandardDescription": "Tác nhân hằng ngày với các công cụ và kỹ năng quen thuộc.",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorName": "Chế độ sáng tạo",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorDescription": "Xây dựng và thử plugin trong cuộc trò chuyện này.",
+  "ConversationModeNotReady": "Phiên bản này chưa sẵn sàng.",
+  "ConversationModeLockedNote": "Cố định sau tin nhắn đầu tiên. Bắt đầu cuộc khác bằng {command}.",
+  "ConversationModeLockedRefusal": "Chế độ cuộc trò chuyện được cố định sau khi gửi tin nhắn đầu tiên. Hãy bắt đầu cuộc trò chuyện mới bằng {command}.",
+  "ConversationModeUnknown": "Không rõ chế độ cuộc trò chuyện \"{id}\". Hiện có: {modes}.",
+  "ConversationModeUnavailableRefusal": "{name} không khả dụng: {reason}",
+  "ConversationModeSet": "Chế độ cuộc trò chuyện: {name}.",
+  "ConversationModeLabelUnavailable": "{name} (không khả dụng)",
+  "ConversationModeSavedUnavailableNotice": "Cuộc trò chuyện này được lưu ở {name}, hiện không khả dụng ở đây ({reason}). Lịch sử vẫn được hiển thị.",
+  "ConversationModeResumeUnreadable": "Không đọc được cuộc trò chuyện đã lưu để kiểm tra chế độ, nên không có gì được bắt đầu hoặc thay đổi.",
   "SessionArchiveExported": "Đã xuất phiên",
   "SessionArchiveSizes": "số mục / dung lượng chưa nén / tệp lưu trữ",
   "SessionArchiveNoArtifacts": "Không tìm thấy tệp sản phẩm thông thường trong phiên này.",

crates/localization/locales/zh-Hans.json

@@ -91,6 +91,22 @@
   "PetDozing": "打盹",
   "PetWatchUnavailable": "宠物遥测已暂停。/pet on 重试。",
   "ConversationChangedBeforeUndo": "撤销完成前，会话已发生变化。未撤销任何内容，也未发送重试请求。请先检查当前会话，再重试。",
+  "ConversationModePickerTitle": "模式",
+  "ConversationModeGroupConversation": "对话模式",
+  "ConversationModeGroupPermissions": "权限",
+  "ConversationModeStandardName": "标准模式",
+  "ConversationModeStandardDescription": "日常使用的智能体，带有常用工具和技能。",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorName": "创作者模式",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorDescription": "在此对话中构建并测试插件。",
+  "ConversationModeNotReady": "此版本尚未就绪。",
+  "ConversationModeLockedNote": "发送第一条消息后即固定。用 {command} 开始另一个对话。",
+  "ConversationModeLockedRefusal": "发送第一条消息后，对话模式即固定。请用 {command} 开始新对话。",
+  "ConversationModeUnknown": "未知的对话模式“{id}”。可用：{modes}。",
+  "ConversationModeUnavailableRefusal": "{name}不可用：{reason}",
+  "ConversationModeSet": "对话模式：{name}。",
+  "ConversationModeLabelUnavailable": "{name}（不可用）",
+  "ConversationModeSavedUnavailableNotice": "此对话保存时使用{name}，但这里无法使用（{reason}）。已显示其历史记录。",
+  "ConversationModeResumeUnreadable": "无法读取已保存的对话以检查其模式，因此没有开始或更改任何内容。",
   "SessionArchiveExported": "会话已导出",
   "SessionArchiveSizes": "条目数 / 未压缩大小 / 归档大小",
   "SessionArchiveNoArtifacts": "此会话没有常规产物文件。",

crates/localization/locales/zh-Hant.json

@@ -91,6 +91,22 @@
   "PetDozing": "打盹",
   "PetWatchUnavailable": "寵物遙測已暫停。/pet on 重試。",
   "ConversationChangedBeforeUndo": "復原完成前，對話已發生變更。未復原任何內容，也未送出重試請求。請先檢查目前的對話，再重試。",
+  "ConversationModePickerTitle": "模式",
+  "ConversationModeGroupConversation": "對話模式",
+  "ConversationModeGroupPermissions": "權限",
+  "ConversationModeStandardName": "標準模式",
+  "ConversationModeStandardDescription": "日常使用的代理，具備常用工具與技能。",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorName": "創作者模式",
+  "ConversationModeCreatorDescription": "在此對話中建置並測試外掛。",
+  "ConversationModeNotReady": "此版本尚未就緒。",
+  "ConversationModeLockedNote": "傳送第一則訊息後即固定。用 {command} 開始另一個對話。",
+  "ConversationModeLockedRefusal": "傳送第一則訊息後，對話模式即固定。請用 {command} 開始新對話。",
+  "ConversationModeUnknown": "未知的對話模式「{id}」。可用：{modes}。",
+  "ConversationModeUnavailableRefusal": "{name}無法使用：{reason}",
+  "ConversationModeSet": "對話模式：{name}。",
+  "ConversationModeLabelUnavailable": "{name}（無法使用）",
+  "ConversationModeSavedUnavailableNotice": "此對話儲存時使用{name}，但這裡無法使用（{reason}）。已顯示其歷史記錄。",
+  "ConversationModeResumeUnreadable": "無法讀取已儲存的對話以檢查其模式，因此沒有開始或變更任何內容。",
   "SessionArchiveExported": "工作階段已匯出",
   "SessionArchiveSizes": "項目數 / 未壓縮大小 / 封存大小",
   "SessionArchiveNoArtifacts": "此工作階段沒有一般產物檔案。",

crates/localization/src/lib.rs

@@ -171,6 +171,22 @@ pub enum MessageId {
     MobileStreamReconnecting,
     MobileStreamConnected,
     ConversationChangedBeforeUndo,
+    ConversationModePickerTitle,
+    ConversationModeGroupConversation,
+    ConversationModeGroupPermissions,
+    ConversationModeStandardName,
+    ConversationModeStandardDescription,
+    ConversationModeCreatorName,
+    ConversationModeCreatorDescription,
+    ConversationModeNotReady,
+    ConversationModeLockedNote,
+    ConversationModeLockedRefusal,
+    ConversationModeUnknown,
+    ConversationModeUnavailableRefusal,
+    ConversationModeSet,
+    ConversationModeLabelUnavailable,
+    ConversationModeSavedUnavailableNotice,
+    ConversationModeResumeUnreadable,
     SessionArchiveExported,
     SessionArchiveSizes,
     SessionArchiveNoArtifacts,
@@ -3114,6 +3130,22 @@ pub const ALL_MESSAGE_IDS: &[MessageId] = &[
     MessageId::MobileStreamReconnecting,
     MessageId::MobileStreamConnected,
     MessageId::ConversationChangedBeforeUndo,
+    MessageId::ConversationModePickerTitle,
+    MessageId::ConversationModeGroupConversation,
+    MessageId::ConversationModeGroupPermissions,
+    MessageId::ConversationModeStandardName,
+    MessageId::ConversationModeStandardDescription,
+    MessageId::ConversationModeCreatorName,
+    MessageId::ConversationModeCreatorDescription,
+    MessageId::ConversationModeNotReady,
+    MessageId::ConversationModeLockedNote,
+    MessageId::ConversationModeLockedRefusal,
+    MessageId::ConversationModeUnknown,
+    MessageId::ConversationModeUnavailableRefusal,
+    MessageId::ConversationModeSet,
+    MessageId::ConversationModeLabelUnavailable,
+    MessageId::ConversationModeSavedUnavailableNotice,
+    MessageId::ConversationModeResumeUnreadable,
     MessageId::SessionArchiveExported,
     MessageId::SessionArchiveSizes,
     MessageId::SessionArchiveNoArtifacts,

crates/palette/src/rgb.rs

@@ -135,7 +135,8 @@ pub const MATRIX_BORDER_RGB: (u8, u8, u8) = (0, 204, 0); // #00CC00
 // whale's ivory ink on both sides. This is the charcoal alternative to the
 // terminal's navy "Underwater" default in 0.10.0. The
 // 0.10.0 action pair uses glacial blue on charcoal and deep ocean blue on
-// paper.
+// paper. The GPUI desktop does not paint these values: its theme is the
+// separate `GPUI_*` / `GPUI_LIGHT_*` set below.
 //
 // Every pair audited by `contrast::theme_contrast_violations` clears its
 // floor: body roles clear 4.5:1 on all four surfaces, hint/dim and the

crates/paths/src/lib.rs

@@ -91,6 +91,16 @@ pub fn codewhale_home_is_explicit() -> bool {
     path_env("CODEWHALE_HOME").is_some()
 }
 
+/// Return the legacy `DEEPSEEK_HOME` compatibility override, if configured.
+///
+/// New state must use [`codewhale_home`]. This resolver exists only for readers
+/// whose persisted format still explicitly supports the legacy environment
+/// alias.
+#[must_use]
+pub fn legacy_deepseek_home_override() -> Option<PathBuf> {
+    path_env("DEEPSEEK_HOME")
+}
+
 /// Resolve the user's platform home, preferring `HOME` before `USERPROFILE`.
 ///
 /// The explicit environment order makes CLI, state, config, and secret paths

crates/protocol/src/op.rs

@@ -444,6 +444,8 @@ pub enum Op {
         workspace: PathBuf,
         #[serde(default = "default_mode")]
         mode: String,
+        #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+        agent_preset: Option<String>,
     },
 
     /// Rewind an unchanged conversation. `expected` is the complete observed
@@ -787,6 +789,7 @@ mod tests {
                 model: "m".into(),
                 workspace: PathBuf::from("/ws"),
                 mode: "agent".into(),
+                agent_preset: Some("creator".into()),
             },
             Op::RewindConversation {
                 expected: json!({"session_id": "s", "messages": []}),

crates/repl/Cargo.toml

@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ description = "Codewhale sandboxed Python REPL runtime"
 [lints]
 workspace = true
 
+[features]
+test-support = []
+
 [dependencies]
 codewhale-dependencies = { path = "../dependencies", version = "0.10.3" }
 codewhale-runtime = { path = "../runtime", version = "0.10.3" }

crates/runtime/Cargo.toml

@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ uuid.workspace = true
 wait-timeout = "0.2"
 
 [dev-dependencies]
+futures-util = "0.3"
 ring = "0.17"
 wiremock = "0.6"
 codewhale-models = { path = "../models", version = "0.10.3", features = [

crates/telemetry/src/notice.rs

@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@
 //!    Sampling and hashing are not the same promise, and a notice that implies
 //!    them when neither is true is worse than no notice.
 
+/// Headline shown above [`NOTICE_BODY`].
+pub const NOTICE_HEADLINE: &str = "Codewhale usage reporting";
+
 /// The notice itself.
 ///
 /// Wrapped at 72 columns so it renders unchanged in the native responsive

crates/tui/Cargo.toml

@@ -197,7 +197,11 @@ codewhale-models = { path = "../models", version = "0.10.3", features = [
 cucumber = "0.23.0"
 wiremock = "0.6"
 tiny_http = "0.12"
+pretty_assertions = "1.4"
 rio-vt = "0.5.1"
+rusqlite.workspace = true
+schemars = { version = "1.2.1", features = ["derive", "preserve_order"] }
+tokio-tungstenite = "0.30"
 codewhale-app-server = { path = "../app-server", version = "0.10.3", features = ["test-support"] }
 
 [target.'cfg(unix)'.dependencies]

crates/tui/src/commands/config_host.rs

@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ pub(crate) fn config_action_to_app_action(action: ConfigAction) -> AppAction {
         ConfigAction::StartOrcarouterRevoke => AppAction::StartOrcarouterRevoke,
         ConfigAction::OpenConfigView => AppAction::OpenConfigView,
         ConfigAction::OpenModePicker => AppAction::OpenModePicker,
+        ConfigAction::SetConversationMode { id } => AppAction::SetConversationMode { id },
         ConfigAction::OpenThemePicker => AppAction::OpenThemePicker,
         ConfigAction::OpenStatusPicker => AppAction::OpenStatusPicker,
         ConfigAction::OpenProviderPicker => AppAction::OpenProviderPicker,
@@ -100,6 +101,7 @@ pub(crate) fn app_action_to_config_action(action: AppAction) -> Option<ConfigAct
         AppAction::StartOrcarouterRevoke => ConfigAction::StartOrcarouterRevoke,
         AppAction::OpenConfigView => ConfigAction::OpenConfigView,
         AppAction::OpenModePicker => ConfigAction::OpenModePicker,
+        AppAction::SetConversationMode { id } => ConfigAction::SetConversationMode { id },
         AppAction::OpenThemePicker => ConfigAction::OpenThemePicker,
         AppAction::OpenStatusPicker => ConfigAction::OpenStatusPicker,
         AppAction::OpenProviderPicker => ConfigAction::OpenProviderPicker,

crates/tui/src/commands/contract.rs

@@ -438,6 +438,7 @@ impl CommandSessionLifecycleContext for SessionLifecycleAdapter<'_> {
                 model: app.model.clone(),
                 workspace: app.workspace.clone(),
                 mode: to_command_mode(app.mode),
+                agent_preset: app.agent_preset(),
             },
         })
     }
@@ -734,6 +735,7 @@ impl CommandSessionLifecycleContext for SessionLifecycleAdapter<'_> {
                 model: app.model.clone(),
                 workspace: app.workspace.clone(),
                 mode,
+                agent_preset: app.agent_preset(),
             },
         })
     }
@@ -796,6 +798,7 @@ impl CommandSessionLifecycleContext for SessionLifecycleAdapter<'_> {
         forked.journal = Some(forked_journal);
         forked.leaf_id = forked.journal.as_ref().and_then(|j| j.leaf_id.clone());
         forked.messages = messages;
+        forked.agent_preset = source_session.agent_preset.clone();
         forked.metadata.spawn_depth = forked.journal.as_ref().map(|j| j.spawn_depth).unwrap_or(0);
         forked.metadata.parent_session_id = Some(source_session.metadata.id.clone());
         forked.metadata.forked_from_message_count = Some(source_session.metadata.message_count);
@@ -834,12 +837,36 @@ impl CommandSessionLifecycleContext for SessionLifecycleAdapter<'_> {
                 model: app.model.clone(),
                 workspace: app.workspace.clone(),
                 mode,
+                agent_preset: app.agent_preset(),
             },
         })
     }
 
-    fn fresh_session(&mut self, force: bool) -> Result<SessionNewReceipt, String> {
+    fn fresh_session(
+        &mut self,
+        force: bool,
+        conversation_mode: Option<&str>,
+    ) -> Result<SessionNewReceipt, String> {
         let app = self.host.app.borrow();
+        let agent_preset = match conversation_mode {
+            None => None,
+            Some(id) => {
+                let table = crate::tui::conversation_mode::current_table_blocking(self.host.config);
+                match crate::tui::conversation_mode::resolve(app.ui_locale, &table, id) {
+                    crate::tui::conversation_mode::Resolution::Unknown(message) => {
+                        return Err(message);
+                    }
+                    crate::tui::conversation_mode::Resolution::Unavailable { name, reason } => {
+                        return Err(crate::tui::conversation_mode::unavailable_message(
+                            app.ui_locale,
+                            &name,
+                            &reason,
+                        ));
+                    }
+                    crate::tui::conversation_mode::Resolution::Ready { stored, .. } => stored,
+                }
+            }
+        };
         if !force {
             let mut blockers: Vec<&'static str> = Vec::new();
             if !app.input.trim().is_empty() {
@@ -871,6 +898,7 @@ impl CommandSessionLifecycleContext for SessionLifecycleAdapter<'_> {
                 model: app.model.clone(),
                 workspace: app.workspace.clone(),
                 mode,
+                agent_preset,
             },
         })
     }
@@ -1723,6 +1751,7 @@ fn import_session_container(
             model: app.model.clone(),
             workspace: app.workspace.clone(),
             mode: to_command_mode(app.mode),
+            agent_preset: app.agent_preset(),
         },
     })
 }
@@ -7433,7 +7462,9 @@ mod tests {
             let mut bundle = app.command_contexts();
             let mut parts = bundle.parts();
             let facet = parts.lifecycle.as_deref_mut().expect("lifecycle slot");
-            let err = facet.fresh_session(true).expect_err("busy work state");
+            let err = facet
+                .fresh_session(true, None)
+                .expect_err("busy work state");
             assert!(err.contains("Work state is busy"), "{err}");
         }
         assert_eq!(app.api_messages.len(), 1);
@@ -7452,7 +7483,7 @@ mod tests {
             let mut bundle = app.command_contexts();
             let mut parts = bundle.parts();
             let facet = parts.lifecycle.as_deref_mut().expect("lifecycle slot");
-            let err = facet.fresh_session(false).expect_err("blocker text");
+            let err = facet.fresh_session(false, None).expect_err("blocker text");
             assert!(err.contains("/new --force"), "{err}");
         }
         assert_eq!(app.input, "draft text");
@@ -7463,7 +7494,7 @@ mod tests {
             let mut parts = bundle.parts();
             let facet = parts.lifecycle.as_deref_mut().expect("lifecycle slot");
             let ok = facet
-                .fresh_session(true)
+                .fresh_session(true, None)
                 .expect("force prepares a new session");
             assert_eq!(app.current_session_id.as_deref(), Some("old-session"));
             assert_eq!(app.input, "draft text");

crates/tui/src/commands/contract/debug_operations.rs

@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@ fn session_sync_payload(app: &App) -> SessionSyncPayload {
         model: app.model.clone(),
         workspace: app.workspace.clone(),
         mode: super::to_command_mode(app.mode),
+        agent_preset: app.agent_preset(),
     }
 }
 

crates/tui/src/commands/debug_group.rs

@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ fn sync_session(sync: codewhale_command_contract::facets::SessionSyncPayload) ->
         model: sync.model,
         workspace: sync.workspace,
         mode: super::contract::from_command_mode(sync.mode),
+        agent_preset: sync.agent_preset,
     }
 }
 

crates/tui/src/commands/groups/config/config.rs

@@ -608,12 +608,26 @@ pub fn mode(contexts: CommandContexts<'_>, arg: Option<&str>) -> ConfigCommandRe
                 }
             }
         }
+        None if is_conversation_mode_word(arg) => {
+            ConfigCommandResult::action(ConfigAction::SetConversationMode {
+                id: arg.trim().to_ascii_lowercase(),
+            })
+        }
         None => ConfigCommandResult::error(format!("Usage: {MODE_USAGE}")),
     }
 }
 
+fn is_conversation_mode_word(arg: &str) -> bool {
+    let arg = arg.trim();
+    !arg.is_empty()
+        && arg.len() <= 64
+        && arg
+            .chars()
+            .all(|c| c.is_ascii_alphanumeric() || matches!(c, '-' | '_' | '.'))
+}
+
 /// `/mode` usage, shared with the registration metadata.
-pub(super) const MODE_USAGE: &str = "/mode [work|plan|1|2]";
+pub(super) const MODE_USAGE: &str = "/mode [work|plan|1|2|<conversation mode>]";
 
 /// `/pet` usage, shared with the registration metadata.
 pub const PET_USAGE: &str = "/pet [on|off|inspect|status|appearance|style [smooth|pixel]|language [auto|en|zh-Hans|zh-Hant|ja]|window|source|export|sound [on|off]|avatar [whale|cove|braille|pixels|particles|whale-girl|key]|action [name|live]|view [name|live]]";

crates/tui/src/commands/groups/core/core.rs

@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ pub fn clear(app: &mut App) -> CommandResult {
             model: app.model.clone(),
             workspace: app.workspace.clone(),
             mode: app.mode,
+            agent_preset: app.agent_preset(),
         },
     )
 }

crates/tui/src/commands/groups/session/lifecycle_portable_tests.rs

@@ -260,16 +260,30 @@ fn load_composes_exact_baseline_outcomes() {
 fn new_composes_exact_baseline_outcomes() {
     // Unknown argument usage.
     let mut canned = CannedLifecycle::default();
-    let result = super::new::new_portable(&mut canned, Some("bogus"));
+    let result = super::new::new_portable(&mut canned, Some("--bogus"));
     assert!(result.is_error);
     assert!(
         result
             .message
             .as_deref()
             .unwrap_or_default()
-            .contains("Unknown argument: bogus"),
+            .contains("Unknown argument: --bogus"),
         "{result:?}"
     );
+    let result = super::new::new_portable(&mut canned, Some("creator standard"));
+    assert!(result.is_error);
+    assert!(
+        result
+            .message
+            .as_deref()
+            .unwrap_or_default()
+            .contains("Unknown argument: standard"),
+        "{result:?}"
+    );
+    assert!(
+        canned.fresh_modes.is_empty(),
+        "a bad argument asks the host nothing"
+    );
     assert_eq!(
         canned.transition_checks.get(),
         0,
@@ -313,8 +327,21 @@ fn new_composes_exact_baseline_outcomes() {
         Some(SessionAction::NewSession { sync: codewhale_command_contract::facets::SessionSyncPayload { session_id: Some(ref id), .. }, force: true }) if id == "new-123"
     ));
     assert_eq!(canned.fresh_forces, [true]);
+    assert_eq!(canned.fresh_modes, [None]);
     assert_eq!(canned.transition_checks.get(), 1);
 
+    let mut canned = CannedLifecycle {
+        fresh: Ok(SessionNewReceipt {
+            truncated_id: "new-456".to_string(),
+            sync: sync_payload("new-456"),
+        }),
+        ..CannedLifecycle::default()
+    };
+    let result = super::new::new_portable(&mut canned, Some("--force creator"));
+    assert!(!result.is_error, "{result:?}");
+    assert_eq!(canned.fresh_forces, [true]);
+    assert_eq!(canned.fresh_modes, [Some("creator".to_string())]);
+
     // Host blocker error passes through.
     let mut canned = CannedLifecycle {
         fresh: Err("Cannot start a new session while the composer has unsent text. Run `/new --force` to discard pending work and start a fresh session.".to_string()),

crates/tui/src/commands/groups/session/lifecycle_test_support.rs

@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ pub(crate) struct CannedLifecycle {
     pub save_paths: Vec<Option<String>>,
     pub fork_sources: Vec<String>,
     pub fresh_forces: Vec<bool>,
+    pub fresh_modes: Vec<Option<String>>,
     pub load_paths: Vec<String>,
     pub picker_calls: Vec<Option<String>>,
     pub archive_calls: Vec<(String, bool)>,
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@ impl Default for CannedLifecycle {
             save_paths: Vec::new(),
             fork_sources: Vec::new(),
             fresh_forces: Vec::new(),
+            fresh_modes: Vec::new(),
             load_paths: Vec::new(),
             picker_calls: Vec::new(),
             archive_calls: Vec::new(),
@@ -74,6 +76,7 @@ pub(crate) fn sync_payload(session_id: &str) -> SessionSyncPayload {
         model: "test-model".to_string(),
         workspace: PathBuf::from("/workspace"),
         mode: codewhale_command_contract::types::CommandMode::Agent,
+        agent_preset: None,
     }
 }
 
@@ -107,8 +110,13 @@ impl CommandSessionLifecycleContext for CannedLifecycle {
         self.fork_sources.push(id.to_string());
         self.fork_from.clone()
     }
-    fn fresh_session(&mut self, force: bool) -> Result<SessionNewReceipt, String> {
+    fn fresh_session(
+        &mut self,
+        force: bool,
+        conversation_mode: Option<&str>,
+    ) -> Result<SessionNewReceipt, String> {
         self.fresh_forces.push(force);
+        self.fresh_modes.push(conversation_mode.map(str::to_string));
         self.fresh.clone()
     }
     fn load_session(&mut self, path: &str) -> Result<PathBuf, String> {

crates/tui/src/commands/groups/session/new.rs

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ pub(in crate::commands) struct NewCmd;
 pub(in crate::commands) const CONTRACT_INFO: ContractInfo = ContractInfo {
     name: "new",
     aliases: &[],
-    usage: "/new [--force]",
+    usage: "/new [<mode>] [--force]",
     description_key: "cmd_new_description",
 };
 
@@ -51,15 +51,21 @@ pub(in crate::commands) fn new_portable(
     lifecycle: &mut dyn CommandSessionLifecycleContext,
     arg: Option<&str>,
 ) -> CommandResult {
-    let force = match arg.map(str::trim).filter(|s| !s.is_empty()) {
-        None => false,
-        Some("--force" | "force") => true,
-        Some(other) => {
-            return CommandResult::error(format!(
-                "Usage: /new [--force]\n\nUnknown argument: {other}"
-            ));
+    let mut force = false;
+    let mut conversation_mode: Option<&str> = None;
+    for token in arg.unwrap_or_default().split_whitespace() {
+        match token {
+            "--force" | "force" => force = true,
+            other if !other.starts_with('-') && conversation_mode.is_none() => {
+                conversation_mode = Some(other);
+            }
+            other => {
+                return CommandResult::error(format!(
+                    "Usage: /new [<mode>] [--force]\n\nUnknown argument: {other}"
+                ));
+            }
         }
-    };
+    }
     if lifecycle.transition_blocked() {
         // The shared tail names the exits that clear a blocker; `--force` is
         // not one of them, and a user who has just read it will try exactly
@@ -69,7 +75,7 @@ pub(in crate::commands) fn new_portable(
         message.push_str("\n\n`/new --force` only discards draft or queued input.");
         return CommandResult::error(message);
     }
-    match lifecycle.fresh_session(force) {
+    match lifecycle.fresh_session(force, conversation_mode) {
         Ok(receipt) => CommandResult::action(
             codewhale_command_contract::outcome::SessionAction::NewSession {
                 sync: receipt.sync,

crates/tui/src/commands/session_group.rs

@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ pub(in crate::commands) fn host_result(result: SessionCommandResult) -> CommandR
             model: sync.model,
             workspace: sync.workspace,
             mode: super::contract::from_command_mode(sync.mode),
+            agent_preset: sync.agent_preset,
         },
     });
     CommandResult {

crates/tui/src/commands/session_lifecycle_regression_tests.rs

@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn acknowledge_new_session(app: &mut App, result: &CommandResul
             model: app.model.clone(),
             workspace: app.workspace.clone(),
             mode: app.mode,
+            agent_preset: app.agent_preset(),
         })
         .await
         .expect("install current fixture session");
@@ -1141,3 +1142,131 @@ fn branch_snapshot_roundtrip_preserves_siblings_ids_stamps_and_engine_projection
     let snapshot = crate::tui::ui::build_session_snapshot(&mut app, &manager).unwrap();
     assert_eq!(snapshot.journal.unwrap().entries, journal.entries);
 }
+
+fn mode_test_message(text: &str) -> codewhale_models::Message {
+    codewhale_models::Message {
+        role: Role::User,
+        content: vec![codewhale_models::ContentBlock::Text {
+            text: text.to_string(),
+            cache_control: None,
+        }],
+    }
+}
+
+fn saved_file_value(path: &std::path::Path) -> serde_json::Value {
+    serde_json::from_str(&std::fs::read_to_string(path).unwrap()).unwrap()
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+#[allow(clippy::await_holding_lock)]
+async fn new_creator_starts_a_creator_session_and_saves_agent_preset() {
+    let _available = codewhale_engine::conversation_modes::CreatorAvailabilityGuard::set(None);
+    let tmpdir = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+    let _home = SealedHome::new();
+    let mut app = create_test_app_with_tmpdir(&tmpdir);
+    app.current_session_id = Some("old-session".to_string());
+    app.capture_session_fixture_source();
+
+    let result = new_session(&mut app, Some("creator"));
+    assert!(!result.is_error, "{:?}", result.message);
+    match result.action.as_ref() {
+        Some(AppAction::NewSession { sync, .. }) => {
+            assert_eq!(sync.agent_preset.as_deref(), Some("creator"));
+        }
+        other => panic!("expected NewSession, got {other:?}"),
+    }
+    assert_eq!(
+        app.conversation_mode, None,
+        "nothing changes before the Engine acknowledges"
+    );
+    acknowledge_new_session(&mut app, &result).await;
+    assert_eq!(app.conversation_mode.as_deref(), Some("creator"));
+    assert_eq!(app.agent_preset().as_deref(), Some("creator"));
+
+    app.push_api_message(mode_test_message("hello"));
+    let creator_path = tmpdir.path().join("creator.json");
+    assert!(!save(&mut app, Some(creator_path.to_str().unwrap())).is_error);
+    assert_eq!(saved_file_value(&creator_path)["agent_preset"], "creator");
+
+    let mut standard = create_test_app_with_tmpdir(&tmpdir);
+    standard.push_api_message(mode_test_message("hello"));
+    let standard_path = tmpdir.path().join("standard.json");
+    assert!(!save(&mut standard, Some(standard_path.to_str().unwrap())).is_error);
+    assert!(
+        saved_file_value(&standard_path)
+            .get("agent_preset")
+            .is_none()
+    );
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+#[allow(clippy::await_holding_lock)]
+async fn new_without_argument_starts_standard_from_a_creator_session() {
+    let _available = codewhale_engine::conversation_modes::CreatorAvailabilityGuard::set(None);
+    let tmpdir = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+    let _home = SealedHome::new();
+    let mut app = create_test_app_with_tmpdir(&tmpdir);
+    app.current_session_id = Some("old-session".to_string());
+    app.capture_session_fixture_source();
+    app.install_conversation_mode(Some("creator".to_string()), None);
+    app.push_api_message(mode_test_message("a creator conversation"));
+
+    let result = new_session(&mut app, None);
+    assert!(!result.is_error, "{:?}", result.message);
+    match result.action.as_ref() {
+        Some(AppAction::NewSession { sync, .. }) => assert_eq!(sync.agent_preset, None),
+        other => panic!("expected NewSession, got {other:?}"),
+    }
+    acknowledge_new_session(&mut app, &result).await;
+    assert_eq!(
+        app.conversation_mode, None,
+        "never silently from the last one"
+    );
+
+    let explicit = new_session(&mut app, Some("standard --force"));
+    match explicit.action.as_ref() {
+        Some(AppAction::NewSession { sync, force: true }) => assert_eq!(sync.agent_preset, None),
+        other => panic!("expected a forced NewSession, got {other:?}"),
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+#[allow(clippy::await_holding_lock)]
+fn new_with_an_unknown_mode_is_refused_with_the_mode_list_and_changes_nothing() {
+    let _available = codewhale_engine::conversation_modes::CreatorAvailabilityGuard::set(None);
+    let tmpdir = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+    let _home = SealedHome::new();
+    let mut app = create_test_app_with_tmpdir(&tmpdir);
+    app.current_session_id = Some("old-session".to_string());
+    app.capture_session_fixture_source();
+    app.install_conversation_mode(Some("creator".to_string()), None);
+
+    let result = new_session(&mut app, Some("minimal"));
+    assert!(result.is_error);
+    let text = result.message.as_deref().unwrap_or_default();
+    assert!(
+        text.contains("minimal") && text.contains("standard, creator"),
+        "{text}"
+    );
+    assert!(result.action.is_none());
+    assert_eq!(app.current_session_id.as_deref(), Some("old-session"));
+    assert_eq!(app.conversation_mode.as_deref(), Some("creator"));
+    assert!(app.pending_fresh_session.is_none());
+
+    drop(_available);
+    let _unavailable = codewhale_engine::conversation_modes::CreatorAvailabilityGuard::set(Some(
+        codewhale_engine::conversation_modes::CREATOR_NOT_READY_REASON,
+    ));
+    let result = new_session(&mut app, Some("creator"));
+    assert!(result.is_error);
+    assert!(
+        result
+            .message
+            .as_deref()
+            .unwrap_or_default()
+            .contains("Not ready yet in this version."),
+        "{:?}",
+        result.message
+    );
+    assert!(result.action.is_none());
+}

crates/tui/src/lib.rs

@@ -129,6 +129,10 @@ struct Cli {
     /// Recover the exact durable Resume/Fork intent without repeating its mutation.
     #[arg(long, global = true, value_name = "KEY")]
     operation_key: Option<String>,
+    /// Conversation mode for a new interactive session (for example `creator`).
+    /// With `--resume` or `--continue` it must match the session's saved mode.
+    #[arg(long = "conversation-mode", value_name = "MODE")]
+    conversation_mode: Option<String>,
 }
 
 impl std::ops::Deref for Cli {
@@ -473,6 +477,10 @@ struct ExecArgs {
     /// prompts past the OS per-argument limit (~128 KiB on Linux).
     #[arg(long, value_name = "PATH", conflicts_with = "prompt")]
     prompt_file: Option<PathBuf>,
+    /// Conversation mode for a new session (for example `creator`). With a
+    /// resumed session it must match the session's saved mode.
+    #[arg(long = "conversation-mode", value_name = "MODE")]
+    conversation_mode: Option<String>,
     #[arg(
         value_name = "PROMPT",
         trailing_var_arg = true,
@@ -3010,6 +3018,19 @@ async fn run_async_main_dispatch(
                     .as_deref()
                     .map(load_exec_resume_session)
                     .transpose()?;
+                let exec_conversation_mode = match tui::conversation_mode::launch_conversation_mode(
+                    &config,
+                    codewhale_localization::resolve_locale("auto"),
+                    args.conversation_mode.as_deref(),
+                    resume_session.as_ref(),
+                )
+                .await
+                {
+                    Ok(mode) => mode,
+                    Err(message) => {
+                        tui::conversation_mode::exit_refused("codewhale exec", &message)
+                    }
+                };
                 let explicit_model = args
                     .model
                     .as_deref()
@@ -3141,6 +3162,7 @@ async fn run_async_main_dispatch(
                         args.hooks,
                         std::sync::Arc::clone(&plugin_registry),
                         !tool_surface_requested,
+                        exec_conversation_mode,
                     )
                     .await
                 }
@@ -3304,6 +3326,7 @@ async fn run_async_main_dispatch(
                 let plugin_registry = policy_current_registry(plugin_registry);
                 let prepared = prepare_interactive_config(&cli, &config, true)?;
                 let source_id = resolve_session_id(session_id, last, &prepared.workspace)?;
+                refuse_resume_mode_mismatch(&cli, &prepared.config, &source_id).await;
                 let (prepared, new_session_id) = prepare_mounted_session(
                     &cli,
                     prepared,
@@ -14503,6 +14526,7 @@ async fn run_interactive_with_notice(
     let plugin_registry = policy_current_registry(plugin_registry);
     let prepared = prepare_interactive_config(cli, config, resume_session_id.is_some())?;
     let (prepared, resume_session_id) = if let Some(selector) = resume_session_id {
+        refuse_resume_mode_mismatch(cli, &prepared.config, &selector).await;
         let (prepared, id) = prepare_mounted_session(
             cli,
             prepared,
@@ -14527,6 +14551,28 @@ async fn run_interactive_with_notice(
     .await
 }
 
+async fn refuse_resume_mode_mismatch(cli: &Cli, config: &Config, selector: &str) {
+    if cli.conversation_mode.is_none() {
+        return;
+    }
+    let locale = codewhale_localization::resolve_locale("auto");
+    let outcome = match tui::conversation_mode::load_saved_for_resume(locale, selector) {
+        Ok(saved) => {
+            tui::conversation_mode::launch_conversation_mode(
+                config,
+                locale,
+                cli.conversation_mode.as_deref(),
+                Some(&saved),
+            )
+            .await
+        }
+        Err(message) => Err(message),
+    };
+    if let Err(message) = outcome {
+        tui::conversation_mode::exit_refused("codewhale", &message);
+    }
+}
+
 struct PreparedInteractiveConfig {
     config: Config,
     workspace: PathBuf,
@@ -14585,6 +14631,32 @@ async fn run_interactive_prepared(
 ) -> Result<()> {
     let PreparedInteractiveConfig { config, workspace } = prepared;
     let config = &config;
+    let launch_conversation_mode = {
+        let locale = codewhale_localization::resolve_locale("auto");
+        let resumed = match (
+            cli.conversation_mode.as_deref(),
+            resume_session_id.as_deref(),
+        ) {
+            (Some(_), Some(id)) => {
+                match tui::conversation_mode::load_saved_for_resume(locale, id) {
+                    Ok(saved) => Some(saved),
+                    Err(message) => tui::conversation_mode::exit_refused("codewhale", &message),
+                }
+            }
+            _ => None,
+        };
+        match tui::conversation_mode::launch_conversation_mode(
+            config,
+            locale,
+            cli.conversation_mode.as_deref(),
+            resumed.as_ref(),
+        )
+        .await
+        {
+            Ok(mode) => mode,
+            Err(message) => tui::conversation_mode::exit_refused("codewhale", &message),
+        }
+    };
     let initial_input = if cli.remote_control {
         Some(tui::InitialInput::RemoteControl)
     } else {
@@ -14732,6 +14804,7 @@ async fn run_interactive_prepared(
         },
         plugin_registry,
         pending_telemetry_notice,
+        launch_conversation_mode,
     ))
     .await
 }

crates/tui/src/lib/terminal_mode_test_cases_01.rs

@@ -304,6 +304,106 @@ fn saved_exec_session(provider: &str, model: &str) -> session_manager::SavedSess
     saved
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn exec_conversation_mode_flag_sets_a_new_session_mode() {
+    use codewhale_engine::conversation_modes::CreatorAvailabilityGuard;
+    let cli = parse_cli(&["codewhale", "exec", "--conversation-mode", "creator", "hi"]);
+    let Some(Commands::Exec(args)) = cli.command else {
+        panic!("exec command");
+    };
+    assert_eq!(args.conversation_mode.as_deref(), Some("creator"));
+    let none = parse_cli(&["codewhale", "exec", "hi"]);
+    let Some(Commands::Exec(args_none)) = none.command else {
+        panic!("exec command");
+    };
+    assert_eq!(args_none.conversation_mode, None);
+
+    let runtime = tokio::runtime::Builder::new_current_thread()
+        .build()
+        .unwrap();
+    let config = codewhale_runtime::config::Config::default();
+    let locale = codewhale_localization::Locale::En;
+    let resolve = |flag: Option<&str>| {
+        runtime.block_on(tui::conversation_mode::launch_conversation_mode(
+            &config, locale, flag, None,
+        ))
+    };
+    {
+        let _available = CreatorAvailabilityGuard::set(None);
+        assert_eq!(resolve(Some("creator")), Ok(Some("creator".to_string())));
+        assert_eq!(resolve(Some("standard")), Ok(None));
+        assert_eq!(resolve(None), Ok(None));
+        let unknown = resolve(Some("minimal")).expect_err("unknown id");
+        assert!(unknown.contains("standard, creator"), "{unknown}");
+    }
+    {
+        let _unavailable = CreatorAvailabilityGuard::set(Some(
+            codewhale_engine::conversation_modes::CREATOR_NOT_READY_REASON,
+        ));
+        let refused = resolve(Some("creator")).expect_err("unavailable");
+        assert!(refused.contains("Not ready yet in this version."), "{refused}");
+    }
+
+    let mut saved = saved_exec_session("deepseek", "deepseek-v4-pro");
+    saved.agent_preset = resolve_stored_for_test(&runtime, &config, "creator");
+    let raw = serde_json::to_value(&saved).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(raw["agent_preset"], "creator");
+    let standard = saved_exec_session("deepseek", "deepseek-v4-pro");
+    assert!(serde_json::to_value(&standard).unwrap().get("agent_preset").is_none());
+}
+
+fn resolve_stored_for_test(
+    runtime: &tokio::runtime::Runtime,
+    config: &codewhale_runtime::config::Config,
+    flag: &str,
+) -> Option<String> {
+    let _available = codewhale_engine::conversation_modes::CreatorAvailabilityGuard::set(None);
+    runtime
+        .block_on(tui::conversation_mode::launch_conversation_mode(
+            config,
+            codewhale_localization::Locale::En,
+            Some(flag),
+            None,
+        ))
+        .expect("resolves")
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn exec_conversation_mode_flag_that_differs_from_a_resumed_session_is_refused_before_any_model_call() {
+    use codewhale_engine::conversation_modes::CreatorAvailabilityGuard;
+    let runtime = tokio::runtime::Builder::new_current_thread()
+        .build()
+        .unwrap();
+    let config = codewhale_runtime::config::Config::default();
+    let locale = codewhale_localization::Locale::En;
+    let resolve = |flag: &str, saved: &session_manager::SavedSession| {
+        runtime.block_on(tui::conversation_mode::launch_conversation_mode(
+            &config,
+            locale,
+            Some(flag),
+            Some(saved),
+        ))
+    };
+    let _unavailable = CreatorAvailabilityGuard::set(Some(
+        codewhale_engine::conversation_modes::CREATOR_NOT_READY_REASON,
+    ));
+    let standard = saved_exec_session("deepseek", "deepseek-v4-pro");
+    let mut creator = saved_exec_session("deepseek", "deepseek-v4-pro");
+    creator.agent_preset = Some("creator".to_string());
+
+    let refused = resolve("creator", &standard).expect_err("Standard session, creator flag");
+    assert!(refused.contains("fixed") && refused.contains("/new creator"), "{refused}");
+    let refused = resolve("standard", &creator).expect_err("creator session, standard flag");
+    assert!(refused.contains("fixed") && refused.contains("/new"), "{refused}");
+    assert!(resolve("minimal", &creator).is_err());
+    assert_eq!(resolve("standard", &standard), Ok(None));
+    assert_eq!(
+        resolve("creator", &creator),
+        Ok(Some("creator".to_string())),
+        "a matching flag resumes even while the mode is unavailable"
+    );
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn prompt_flag_accepts_split_prompt_words_for_windows_cmd_shims() {
     let cli = parse_cli(&["codewhale", "-p", "hello", "world"]);

crates/tui/src/tui/app.rs

@@ -1285,6 +1285,7 @@ pub enum SidebarRowAction {
     Command(String),
     /// Put a destructive command in the composer instead of executing it.
     /// The user confirms with Enter or cancels by editing/clearing the draft.
+    #[allow(dead_code)] // destructive confirm path; mouse_ui already matches it (TUI-DOG-008)
     PrefillCommand(String),
     /// Select the persistent Agents panel. This is deliberately a navigation
     /// action rather than a modal: the Subagents summary is a group door, so
@@ -2276,6 +2277,8 @@ pub struct App {
     pub undo_selection: bool,
     /// Current session ID for auto-save updates
     pub current_session_id: Option<String>,
+    pub(crate) conversation_mode: Option<String>,
+    pub(crate) conversation_mode_unavailable: Option<String>,
     pub(crate) session_write_receipt:
         Option<codewhale_engine::session_manager::SessionWriteReceipt>,
     pub(crate) session_write_owner: Option<codewhale_engine::session_manager::SessionWriteOwner>,
@@ -5589,6 +5592,37 @@ impl App {
         id
     }
 
+    pub(crate) fn agent_preset(&self) -> Option<String> {
+        self.conversation_mode.clone()
+    }
+
+    pub(crate) fn conversation_mode_locked(&self) -> bool {
+        !self.api_messages.is_empty()
+            || self.is_loading
+            || !self.queued_messages.is_empty()
+            || self.queued_draft.is_some()
+            || self.pending_fresh_session.is_some()
+    }
+
+    pub(crate) fn install_conversation_mode(
+        &mut self,
+        stored: Option<String>,
+        unavailable: Option<String>,
+    ) {
+        self.conversation_mode = stored;
+        self.conversation_mode_unavailable = unavailable;
+        self.needs_redraw = true;
+    }
+
+    pub(crate) fn conversation_mode_label(&self) -> Option<String> {
+        crate::tui::conversation_mode::label(
+            self.ui_locale,
+            self.conversation_mode.as_deref(),
+            self.conversation_mode_unavailable.as_deref(),
+            None,
+        )
+    }
+
     pub(crate) fn set_current_session_id(&mut self, session_id: Option<String>) {
         if self.current_session_id != session_id {
             self.view_stack.remove_owned_evidence_pagers();

crates/tui/src/tui/app/init.rs

@@ -1062,6 +1062,8 @@ impl App {
             backtrack: crate::tui::backtrack::BacktrackState::new(),
             undo_selection: false,
             current_session_id: None,
+            conversation_mode: None,
+            conversation_mode_unavailable: None,
             session_write_receipt: None,
             session_write_owner: None,
             offline_queue_lease: None,

crates/tui/src/tui/app/types.rs

@@ -559,6 +559,10 @@ pub enum AppAction {
         model: String,
         workspace: PathBuf,
         mode: AppMode,
+        agent_preset: Option<String>,
+    },
+    SetConversationMode {
+        id: String,
     },
     OpenConfigView,
     /// Open this workspace's `.codewhale/hooks.toml` in `$EDITOR`, creating

crates/tui/src/tui/backtrack.rs

@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ impl BacktrackState {
     /// `true` whenever the user has armed or opened backtrack. The UI uses
     /// this to skip the prime hint once the overlay is up and to know
     /// whether arrow keys should drive selection.
-    #[cfg(test)]
+    #[allow(dead_code)] // helper exposed for future UI consumers + tests.
     #[must_use]
     pub fn is_active(&self) -> bool {
         !matches!(self.phase, BacktrackPhase::Inactive)
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ impl BacktrackState {
     /// `true` only when the overlay is open and Left/Right should step
     /// through prior user messages. `Primed` is intentionally excluded —
     /// during the prime window arrows still scroll the transcript.
-    #[cfg(test)]
+    #[allow(dead_code)] // helper exposed for future UI consumers + tests.
     #[must_use]
     pub fn is_selecting(&self) -> bool {
         matches!(self.phase, BacktrackPhase::Selecting { .. })

crates/tui/src/tui/conversation_mode.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,288 @@
+use codewhale_engine::conversation_modes::{
+    self, CREATOR, CREATOR_NOT_READY_REASON, ConversationMode, ConversationModeTable, STANDARD,
+};
+use codewhale_engine::extension_host::ExtensionHostOptions;
+use codewhale_localization::{Locale, MessageId, tr};
+use codewhale_runtime::config::Config;
+
+const LABEL_CHARS: usize = 40;
+
+pub(crate) fn options(config: &Config) -> ExtensionHostOptions {
+    ExtensionHostOptions::from_config(config.extension_host.as_ref())
+}
+
+pub(crate) async fn current_table(config: &Config) -> ConversationModeTable {
+    conversation_modes::current_table(options(config)).await
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn current_table_blocking(config: Option<&Config>) -> ConversationModeTable {
+    let options = config.map_or_else(ExtensionHostOptions::default, options);
+    let future = conversation_modes::current_table(options);
+    match tokio::runtime::Handle::try_current() {
+        Ok(handle) if handle.runtime_flavor() == tokio::runtime::RuntimeFlavor::MultiThread => {
+            tokio::task::block_in_place(|| handle.block_on(future))
+        }
+        _ => std::thread::scope(|scope| {
+            scope
+                .spawn(|| {
+                    tokio::runtime::Builder::new_current_thread()
+                        .enable_all()
+                        .build()
+                        .expect("conversation mode runtime")
+                        .block_on(future)
+                })
+                .join()
+                .expect("conversation mode probe")
+        }),
+    }
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn display_name(locale: Locale, mode: &ConversationMode) -> String {
+    match mode.id.as_str() {
+        STANDARD => tr(locale, MessageId::ConversationModeStandardName).into_owned(),
+        CREATOR => tr(locale, MessageId::ConversationModeCreatorName).into_owned(),
+        _ => mode.name.clone(),
+    }
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn display_description(locale: Locale, mode: &ConversationMode) -> String {
+    match mode.id.as_str() {
+        STANDARD => tr(locale, MessageId::ConversationModeStandardDescription).into_owned(),
+        CREATOR => tr(locale, MessageId::ConversationModeCreatorDescription).into_owned(),
+        _ => mode.description.clone(),
+    }
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn display_reason(locale: Locale, reason: &str) -> String {
+    if reason == CREATOR_NOT_READY_REASON {
+        tr(locale, MessageId::ConversationModeNotReady).into_owned()
+    } else {
+        reason.to_string()
+    }
+}
+
+fn clean(text: &str) -> String {
+    let mut out: String = text
+        .chars()
+        .filter(|c| {
+            !c.is_control()
+                && !matches!(*c, '\u{200B}'..='\u{200F}' | '\u{202A}'..='\u{202E}' | '\u{2066}'..='\u{2069}' | '\u{FEFF}')
+        })
+        .take(LABEL_CHARS + 1)
+        .collect();
+    if out.chars().count() > LABEL_CHARS {
+        out = out.chars().take(LABEL_CHARS).collect::<String>() + "…";
+    }
+    out
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn name_for_stored(
+    locale: Locale,
+    stored: Option<&str>,
+    table: Option<&ConversationModeTable>,
+) -> String {
+    let id = conversation_modes::effective_id(stored);
+    match table.and_then(|table| table.modes.iter().find(|mode| mode.id == id)) {
+        Some(mode) => display_name(locale, mode),
+        None if id == STANDARD => tr(locale, MessageId::ConversationModeStandardName).into_owned(),
+        None if id == CREATOR => tr(locale, MessageId::ConversationModeCreatorName).into_owned(),
+        None => clean(id),
+    }
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn unavailable_reason(
+    stored: Option<&str>,
+    table: &ConversationModeTable,
+    locale: Locale,
+) -> Option<String> {
+    let id = conversation_modes::effective_id(stored);
+    match table.modes.iter().find(|mode| mode.id == id) {
+        Some(mode) => mode
+            .reason
+            .as_deref()
+            .filter(|_| !mode.available)
+            .map(|reason| display_reason(locale, reason))
+            .or_else(|| (!mode.available).then(|| "unavailable".to_string())),
+        None => Some(
+            tr(locale, MessageId::ConversationModeUnknown)
+                .replace("{id}", &clean(id))
+                .replace(
+                    "{modes}",
+                    &table
+                        .modes
+                        .iter()
+                        .map(|mode| mode.id.as_str())
+                        .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+                        .join(", "),
+                ),
+        ),
+    }
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn label(
+    locale: Locale,
+    stored: Option<&str>,
+    unavailable: Option<&str>,
+    table: Option<&ConversationModeTable>,
+) -> Option<String> {
+    stored?;
+    let name = name_for_stored(locale, stored, table);
+    Some(if unavailable.is_some() {
+        tr(locale, MessageId::ConversationModeLabelUnavailable).replace("{name}", &name)
+    } else {
+        name
+    })
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn new_command(id: &str) -> String {
+    if id == STANDARD {
+        "/new".to_string()
+    } else {
+        format!("/new {id}")
+    }
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn locked_refusal(locale: Locale, requested_id: &str) -> String {
+    tr(locale, MessageId::ConversationModeLockedRefusal)
+        .replace("{command}", &format!("`{}`", new_command(requested_id)))
+}
+
+pub(crate) enum Resolution {
+    Unknown(String),
+    Unavailable {
+        name: String,
+        reason: String,
+    },
+    Ready {
+        stored: Option<String>,
+        name: String,
+    },
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn resolve(locale: Locale, table: &ConversationModeTable, id: &str) -> Resolution {
+    let id = id.trim().to_ascii_lowercase();
+    let id = id.as_str();
+    match table.modes.iter().find(|mode| mode.id == id) {
+        None => Resolution::Unknown(
+            tr(locale, MessageId::ConversationModeUnknown)
+                .replace("{id}", &clean(id))
+                .replace(
+                    "{modes}",
+                    &table
+                        .modes
+                        .iter()
+                        .map(|mode| mode.id.as_str())
+                        .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+                        .join(", "),
+                ),
+        ),
+        Some(mode) if !mode.available => Resolution::Unavailable {
+            name: display_name(locale, mode),
+            reason: display_reason(
+                locale,
+                mode.reason
+                    .as_deref()
+                    .unwrap_or("This mode is unavailable."),
+            ),
+        },
+        Some(mode) => Resolution::Ready {
+            stored: conversation_modes::stored_form(&mode.id),
+            name: display_name(locale, mode),
+        },
+    }
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn unavailable_message(locale: Locale, name: &str, reason: &str) -> String {
+    tr(locale, MessageId::ConversationModeUnavailableRefusal)
+        .replace("{name}", name)
+        .replace("{reason}", reason)
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn saved_unavailable_notice(locale: Locale, name: &str, reason: &str) -> String {
+    tr(locale, MessageId::ConversationModeSavedUnavailableNotice)
+        .replace("{name}", name)
+        .replace("{reason}", reason)
+}
+
+pub(crate) async fn set_in_place(
+    app: &mut crate::tui::app::App,
+    config: &Config,
+    engine: &codewhale_engine::core::engine::EngineHandle,
+    id: &str,
+) -> Result<String, String> {
+    let locale = app.ui_locale;
+    let table = current_table(config).await;
+    match resolve(locale, &table, id) {
+        Resolution::Unknown(message) => Err(message),
+        Resolution::Unavailable { name, reason } => {
+            Err(unavailable_message(locale, &name, &reason))
+        }
+        Resolution::Ready { stored, name } => {
+            let done = tr(locale, MessageId::ConversationModeSet).replace("{name}", &name);
+            if stored == app.conversation_mode {
+                return Ok(done);
+            }
+            if app.conversation_mode_locked() {
+                return Err(locked_refusal(locale, id.trim()));
+            }
+            app.install_conversation_mode(stored, None);
+            let _ = engine
+                .send(codewhale_engine::core::ops::Op::SyncSession {
+                    expected: None,
+                    control: app.session_sync_control(),
+                    session_id: app.current_session_id.clone(),
+                    messages: app.api_messages.as_ref().clone(),
+                    system_prompt: app.system_prompt.clone(),
+                    system_prompt_override: false,
+                    model: app.model.clone(),
+                    workspace: app.workspace.clone(),
+                    mode: app.mode,
+                    agent_preset: app.agent_preset(),
+                })
+                .await;
+            Ok(done)
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pub(crate) async fn launch_conversation_mode(
+    config: &Config,
+    locale: Locale,
+    flag: Option<&str>,
+    resumed: Option<&codewhale_engine::session_manager::SavedSession>,
+) -> Result<Option<String>, String> {
+    let Some(id) = flag.map(str::trim) else {
+        return Ok(None);
+    };
+    if let Some(saved) = resumed {
+        let requested = conversation_modes::stored_form(&id.to_ascii_lowercase());
+        return if requested == saved.agent_preset {
+            Ok(requested)
+        } else {
+            Err(locked_refusal(locale, id))
+        };
+    }
+    let table = current_table(config).await;
+    match resolve(locale, &table, id) {
+        Resolution::Unknown(message) => Err(message),
+        Resolution::Unavailable { name, reason } => {
+            Err(unavailable_message(locale, &name, &reason))
+        }
+        Resolution::Ready { stored, .. } => Ok(stored),
+    }
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn load_saved_for_resume(
+    locale: Locale,
+    selector: &str,
+) -> Result<codewhale_engine::session_manager::SavedSession, String> {
+    codewhale_engine::session_manager::SessionManager::default_location()
+        .ok()
+        .and_then(|manager| manager.load_session_by_prefix(selector).ok())
+        .ok_or_else(|| tr(locale, MessageId::ConversationModeResumeUnreadable).into_owned())
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn exit_refused(program: &str, message: &str) -> ! {
+    eprintln!("{program}: {message}");
+    std::process::exit(2)
+}

crates/tui/src/tui/live_transcript.rs

@@ -169,6 +169,7 @@ impl LiveTranscriptOverlay {
 
     /// Return the overlay to live-tail mode (used when backtrack is
     /// confirmed or canceled). Re-arms sticky-tail so streaming resumes.
+    #[allow(dead_code)] // exposed for callers that retain an overlay across a backtrack cancel; current UI just pops the view.
     pub fn set_tail_mode(&mut self) {
         self.mode = Mode::Tail;
         self.sticky_to_bottom.set(true);
@@ -176,7 +177,7 @@ impl LiveTranscriptOverlay {
     }
 
     /// For tests + UI: current mode.
-    #[cfg(test)]
+    #[allow(dead_code)] // currently consumed only by tests; kept public for symmetry with `set_*` setters.
     #[must_use]
     pub fn mode(&self) -> Mode {
         self.mode

crates/tui/src/tui/mod.rs

@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ pub mod composer_ui;
 pub mod context_inspector;
 pub mod context_menu;
 pub(crate) mod control_socket;
+pub(crate) mod conversation_mode;
 pub(crate) mod coordination_detail;
 pub mod display_refresh;
 pub mod external_editor;

crates/tui/src/tui/ui.rs

@@ -582,6 +582,7 @@ async fn spawn_tui_engine_with_session(
                     model: app.model.clone(),
                     workspace: app.workspace.clone(),
                     mode: app.mode,
+                    agent_preset: app.agent_preset(),
                 })
                 .await?;
         }

crates/tui/src/tui/ui/apply.rs

@@ -1190,6 +1190,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn apply_provider_fallback_switch(
                 model: app.model.clone(),
                 workspace: app.workspace.clone(),
                 mode: app.mode,
+                agent_preset: app.agent_preset(),
             })
             .await;
     }
@@ -1725,6 +1726,7 @@ async fn apply_command_result_inner(
                         model: app.model.clone(),
                         workspace: app.workspace.clone(),
                         mode: app.mode,
+                        agent_preset: app.agent_preset(),
                     })
                     .await;
                 let _ = engine_handle
@@ -1764,6 +1766,7 @@ async fn apply_command_result_inner(
                 model,
                 workspace,
                 mode,
+                agent_preset,
             } => {
                 let mut session_id = session_id;
                 let is_full_reset = messages.is_empty() && system_prompt.is_none();
@@ -1844,6 +1847,7 @@ async fn apply_command_result_inner(
                         model,
                         workspace,
                         mode,
+                        agent_preset,
                     })
                     .await;
                 let _ = engine_handle
@@ -1963,6 +1967,7 @@ async fn apply_command_result_inner(
                             model: app.model.clone(),
                             workspace: app.workspace.clone(),
                             mode: app.mode,
+                            agent_preset: app.agent_preset(),
                         })
                         .await;
                 }
@@ -2810,13 +2815,24 @@ async fn apply_command_result_inner(
             }
             AppAction::OpenModePicker => {
                 if app.view_stack.top_kind() != Some(ModalKind::ModePicker) {
-                    app.view_stack
-                        .push(crate::tui::views::mode_picker::ModePickerView::new(
-                            app.mode,
-                            app.ui_locale,
-                        ));
+                    let view =
+                        crate::tui::views::mode_picker::ModePickerView::for_app(app, config).await;
+                    app.view_stack.push(view);
                 }
             }
+            AppAction::SetConversationMode { id } => {
+                let content = match crate::tui::conversation_mode::set_in_place(
+                    app,
+                    config,
+                    engine_handle,
+                    &id,
+                )
+                .await
+                {
+                    Ok(message) | Err(message) => message,
+                };
+                app.add_message(HistoryCell::System { content });
+            }
             AppAction::OpenStatusPicker => {
                 if app.view_stack.top_kind() != Some(ModalKind::StatusPicker) {
                     app.view_stack
@@ -3189,6 +3205,7 @@ async fn apply_command_result_inner(
                                     model: app.model.clone(),
                                     workspace: app.workspace.clone(),
                                     mode: app.mode,
+                                    agent_preset: app.agent_preset(),
                                 })
                                 .await;
                         }
@@ -4803,6 +4820,22 @@ pub(crate) fn apply_loaded_session_with_goal(
     if let Some(mode) = session.metadata.mode.as_deref().and_then(AppMode::parse) {
         app.set_mode(mode);
     }
+    let saved_mode_unavailable = match session.agent_preset.clone() {
+        Some(stored) => {
+            let table = crate::tui::conversation_mode::current_table_blocking(Some(config));
+            let reason = crate::tui::conversation_mode::unavailable_reason(
+                Some(&stored),
+                &table,
+                app.ui_locale,
+            );
+            app.install_conversation_mode(Some(stored), reason.clone());
+            reason
+        }
+        None => {
+            app.install_conversation_mode(None, None);
+            None
+        }
+    };
     app.session.total_tokens = u32::try_from(session.metadata.total_tokens).unwrap_or(u32::MAX);
     app.session.total_conversation_tokens = app.session.total_tokens;
     app.session.displayed_cost_high_water = 0.0;
@@ -4865,6 +4898,20 @@ pub(crate) fn apply_loaded_session_with_goal(
     app.workspace_context_refreshed_at = None;
     app.system_prompt = session.system_prompt.map(SystemPrompt::Text);
     app.retire_event_notices(super::event_loop::STARTUP_NOTICE_TOAST);
+    if let Some(reason) = saved_mode_unavailable {
+        let name = crate::tui::conversation_mode::name_for_stored(
+            app.ui_locale,
+            app.conversation_mode.as_deref(),
+            None,
+        );
+        app.add_message(HistoryCell::System {
+            content: crate::tui::conversation_mode::saved_unavailable_notice(
+                app.ui_locale,
+                &name,
+                &reason,
+            ),
+        });
+    }
     app.scroll_to_bottom();
     Ok(())
 }

crates/tui/src/tui/ui/event_loop.rs

@@ -930,6 +930,7 @@ pub async fn run_tui(
     options: TuiOptions,
     plugin_registry: std::sync::Arc<codewhale_plugins::PluginRegistry>,
     pending_telemetry_notice: Option<codewhale_engine::telemetry_notice::PendingTelemetryNotice>,
+    launch_conversation_mode: Option<String>,
 ) -> Result<()> {
     // Install notification, sound, category, and attention policy before any
     // producer (including the model-facing notify tool) can emit an event.
@@ -1105,6 +1106,7 @@ pub async fn run_tui(
     let mut config = config.clone();
     let config = &mut config;
     let mut app = App::new_with_plugin_registry(options.clone(), config, plugin_registry);
+    app.install_conversation_mode(launch_conversation_mode, None);
     let _cursor_accent_guard = codewhale_tui_kit::cursor_accent::CursorAccentGuard::install(
         app.low_motion || !app.fancy_animations,
         app.ui_theme.accent_primary,
@@ -5144,6 +5146,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn run_event_loop(
                         model: app.model.clone(),
                         workspace: app.workspace.clone(),
                         mode: app.mode,
+                        agent_preset: app.agent_preset(),
                     })
                     .await;
             }
@@ -8901,6 +8904,7 @@ mod launch_session_sync_tests {
                 model,
                 workspace: workspace.path().to_path_buf(),
                 mode: AppMode::Agent,
+                agent_preset: None,
             })
             .await
             .expect("sync session");

crates/tui/src/tui/ui/frame.rs

@@ -1361,6 +1361,7 @@ pub(crate) fn build_session_snapshot(
         app.system_prompt.as_ref(),
         Some(app.mode.as_setting()),
     );
+    session.agent_preset = app.agent_preset();
     session.write_receipt = if app.current_session_id.is_none() {
         Some(
             manager

crates/tui/src/tui/ui/frame/one_owner_tests.rs

@@ -875,3 +875,49 @@ fn statusline_full_frame_context_reading_updates_below_and_at_warning() {
         }
     }
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn conversation_mode_label_shows_creator_and_nothing_for_standard() {
+    for (width, height) in [(80u16, 24u16), (120, 32)] {
+        let mut standard = frame_app();
+        let standard_rows = draw(&mut standard, width, height);
+        assert!(
+            standard_rows
+                .iter()
+                .all(|row| !row.contains("Creator mode") && !row.contains("Standard mode")),
+            "{width}x{height}: Standard shows nothing new:\n{}",
+            standard_rows.join("\n")
+        );
+
+        let mut creator = frame_app();
+        creator.install_conversation_mode(Some("creator".to_string()), None);
+        let rows = draw(&mut creator, width, height);
+        println!(
+            "--- footer, Creator mode, {width}x{height}\n{}",
+            rows.iter()
+                .map(|row| row.trim_end())
+                .filter(|row| !row.is_empty())
+                .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+                .join("\n")
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            count_rows_containing(&rows, "Creator mode"),
+            1,
+            "{width}x{height}: the mode name paints once, as text:\n{}",
+            rows.join("\n")
+        );
+
+        let mut unavailable = frame_app();
+        unavailable.install_conversation_mode(
+            Some("creator".to_string()),
+            Some("Not ready yet in this version.".to_string()),
+        );
+        let rows = draw(&mut unavailable, width, height);
+        assert_eq!(
+            count_rows_containing(&rows, "Creator mode (unavailable)"),
+            1,
+            "{width}x{height}:\n{}",
+            rows.join("\n")
+        );
+    }
+}

crates/tui/src/tui/ui/handlers.rs

@@ -2287,6 +2287,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn handle_view_events(
                                 model: app.model.clone(),
                                 workspace: app.workspace.clone(),
                                 mode: app.mode,
+                                agent_preset: app.agent_preset(),
                             })
                             .await;
                         let _ = engine_handle
@@ -3021,11 +3022,9 @@ pub(crate) async fn handle_view_events(
             }
             ViewEvent::SetupOpenModeRequested => {
                 if app.view_stack.top_kind() != Some(ModalKind::ModePicker) {
-                    app.view_stack
-                        .push(crate::tui::views::mode_picker::ModePickerView::new(
-                            app.mode,
-                            app.ui_locale,
-                        ));
+                    let view =
+                        crate::tui::views::mode_picker::ModePickerView::for_app(app, config).await;
+                    app.view_stack.push(view);
                     app.status_message =
                         Some("Work mode picker opened from /setup runtime posture.".to_string());
                 }
@@ -3459,6 +3458,19 @@ pub(crate) async fn handle_view_events(
                 }
                 app.add_message(HistoryCell::System { content: msg });
             }
+            ViewEvent::ConversationModeSelected { id } => {
+                let content = match crate::tui::conversation_mode::set_in_place(
+                    app,
+                    config,
+                    engine_handle,
+                    &id,
+                )
+                .await
+                {
+                    Ok(message) | Err(message) => message,
+                };
+                app.add_message(HistoryCell::System { content });
+            }
             ViewEvent::BacktrackStep { direction } => {
                 app.backtrack.step(direction);
                 if let Some(idx) = app.backtrack.selected_idx() {

crates/tui/src/tui/ui/provider_routes.rs

@@ -936,6 +936,7 @@ async fn switch_provider_inner(
                 model: app.model.clone(),
                 workspace: app.workspace.clone(),
                 mode: app.mode,
+                agent_preset: app.agent_preset(),
             })
             .await;
     }

crates/tui/src/tui/ui/session_state.rs

@@ -1116,6 +1116,7 @@ pub(crate) fn begin_launch_session(
         model: app.model.clone(),
         workspace: app.workspace.clone(),
         mode: app.mode,
+        agent_preset: app.agent_preset(),
     })
 }
 
@@ -1165,6 +1166,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn switch_workspace(
                 model: app.model.clone(),
                 workspace: workspace.clone(),
                 mode: app.mode,
+                agent_preset: app.agent_preset(),
             })
             .await;
     }
@@ -1873,6 +1875,7 @@ pub(crate) struct PendingFreshSession {
     model: String,
     workspace: PathBuf,
     mode: AppMode,
+    agent_preset: Option<String>,
     queue_transition: Option<OfflineQueueTransition>,
     write_receipt: codewhale_engine::session_manager::SessionWriteReceipt,
     input: String,
@@ -1907,6 +1910,7 @@ pub(crate) fn begin_fresh_session(
                 .to_string(),
         );
     }
+    let agent_preset = sync.agent_preset.clone();
     let id = sync
         .session_id
         .filter(|id| !id.is_empty())
@@ -1940,6 +1944,7 @@ pub(crate) fn begin_fresh_session(
         model: app.model.clone(),
         workspace: app.workspace.clone(),
         mode: app.mode,
+        agent_preset,
         queue_transition,
         write_receipt,
         input: app.input.clone(),
@@ -2025,6 +2030,7 @@ pub(crate) fn poll_fresh_session(app: &mut App, engine: &EngineHandle) -> bool {
                     model: pending.model.clone(),
                     workspace: pending.workspace.clone(),
                     mode: pending.mode,
+                    agent_preset: pending.agent_preset.clone(),
                 },
             );
             engine.send_reserved_op(
@@ -2188,6 +2194,7 @@ fn commit_fresh_session(app: &mut App, mut pending: PendingFreshSession) -> bool
     app.session_context_references.clear();
     app.tool_evidence.clear();
     app.set_current_session_id(Some(pending.id.clone()));
+    app.install_conversation_mode(pending.agent_preset.clone(), None);
     app.session_write_receipt = Some(pending.write_receipt);
     app.session_write_owner =
         Some(codewhale_engine::session_manager::SessionWriteOwner::Control(pending.control));

crates/tui/src/tui/ui/tests.rs

@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ use crate::tui::selection::{SelectionAutoscroll, TranscriptSelectionPoint};
 use codewhale_models::Role;
 use tempfile::TempDir;
 
+mod conversation_mode;
 mod conversation_undo;
 mod model_picker_actions;
 mod plan_handoff;
@@ -34184,6 +34185,7 @@ fn stale_session_projection_cannot_rewind_a_host_launch() {
             system_prompt: None,
             instruction_assembly: None,
             mode: "agent".into(),
+            agent_preset: None,
         });
         let (reply, mut answer) = tokio::sync::oneshot::channel();
         let request = codewhale_engine::core::events::SessionCheckpointRequest::new(

crates/tui/src/tui/ui/tests/conversation_mode.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,338 @@
+use super::*;
+use codewhale_engine::conversation_modes::{CREATOR_NOT_READY_REASON, CreatorAvailabilityGuard};
+use codewhale_engine::core::engine::Engine;
+use codewhale_engine::core::ops::Op;
+
+fn creator_app() -> App {
+    let mut app = create_test_app();
+    app.install_conversation_mode(Some("creator".to_string()), None);
+    app
+}
+
+fn first_message(app: &mut App) {
+    app.push_api_message(text_message("user", "first message"));
+}
+
+fn sent_presets(rx: &mut tokio::sync::mpsc::Receiver<Op>) -> Vec<Option<String>> {
+    let mut presets = Vec::new();
+    while let Ok(op) = rx.try_recv() {
+        if let Op::SyncSession { agent_preset, .. } = op {
+            presets.push(agent_preset);
+        }
+    }
+    presets
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+#[allow(clippy::await_holding_lock)]
+async fn mode_change_after_the_first_message_is_refused_as_locked() {
+    let _available = CreatorAvailabilityGuard::set(None);
+    let mut app = create_test_app();
+    let mut engine = mock_engine_handle();
+    let config = Config::default();
+
+    let done =
+        crate::tui::conversation_mode::set_in_place(&mut app, &config, &engine.handle, "creator")
+            .await
+            .expect("a blank conversation changes in place");
+    assert!(done.contains("Creator mode"), "{done}");
+    assert_eq!(app.conversation_mode.as_deref(), Some("creator"));
+    assert_eq!(
+        sent_presets(&mut engine.rx_op),
+        vec![Some("creator".to_string())]
+    );
+
+    first_message(&mut app);
+    for requested in ["standard", "creator"] {
+        let result = crate::tui::conversation_mode::set_in_place(
+            &mut app,
+            &config,
+            &engine.handle,
+            requested,
+        )
+        .await;
+        if requested == "creator" {
+            assert!(result.is_ok(), "naming the current mode is not a change");
+        } else {
+            let refusal = result.expect_err("locked after the first message");
+            assert!(refusal.contains("fixed"), "{refusal}");
+            assert!(refusal.contains("/new"), "{refusal}");
+        }
+    }
+    assert_eq!(app.conversation_mode.as_deref(), Some("creator"));
+    assert!(
+        sent_presets(&mut engine.rx_op).is_empty(),
+        "a refusal sends nothing"
+    );
+
+    let result = commands::execute("/mode standard", &mut app);
+    assert!(matches!(
+        result.action,
+        Some(AppAction::SetConversationMode { ref id }) if id == "standard"
+    ));
+    let mut blank = create_test_app();
+    blank
+        .queued_messages
+        .push_back(crate::tui::app::QueuedMessage::new(
+            "queued".to_string(),
+            None,
+        ));
+    assert!(
+        blank.conversation_mode_locked(),
+        "a queued message locks the mode"
+    );
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+#[allow(clippy::await_holding_lock)]
+async fn unknown_and_unavailable_modes_are_refused_with_their_words() {
+    let mut app = create_test_app();
+    let engine = mock_engine_handle();
+    let config = Config::default();
+    {
+        let _available = CreatorAvailabilityGuard::set(None);
+        let refusal = crate::tui::conversation_mode::set_in_place(
+            &mut app,
+            &config,
+            &engine.handle,
+            "minimal",
+        )
+        .await
+        .expect_err("unknown id");
+        assert!(
+            refusal.contains("minimal") && refusal.contains("standard, creator"),
+            "{refusal}"
+        );
+    }
+    let _missing = CreatorAvailabilityGuard::set(Some(CREATOR_NOT_READY_REASON));
+    let refusal =
+        crate::tui::conversation_mode::set_in_place(&mut app, &config, &engine.handle, "creator")
+            .await
+            .expect_err("unavailable");
+    assert!(
+        refusal.contains("Not ready yet in this version."),
+        "{refusal}"
+    );
+    assert_eq!(app.conversation_mode, None);
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+#[allow(clippy::await_holding_lock)]
+async fn a_saved_unavailable_mode_loads_its_history_and_says_why() {
+    let _guard = CreatorAvailabilityGuard::set(Some(CREATOR_NOT_READY_REASON));
+    let hostile = [
+        "creator".to_string(),
+        "nonsense".to_string(),
+        "../x".to_string(),
+        String::new(),
+        "x".repeat(1_000_000),
+        "line\nbreak\u{1b}[31m".to_string(),
+    ];
+    for stored in hostile {
+        let mut app = create_test_app();
+        let mut session = saved_session_with_messages(vec![text_message("user", "history line")]);
+        session.agent_preset = Some(stored.clone());
+        apply_loaded_session(&mut app, &mut Config::default(), &session)
+            .expect("the history loads");
+        assert_eq!(app.api_messages.len(), 1, "history is shown");
+        assert_eq!(
+            app.conversation_mode.as_deref(),
+            Some(stored.as_str()),
+            "never silently Standard"
+        );
+        assert!(app.conversation_mode_unavailable.is_some());
+        let label = app.conversation_mode_label().expect("a label");
+        assert!(label.contains("unavailable"), "{label}");
+        assert!(label.chars().count() <= 80 && !label.contains('\n') && !label.contains('\u{1b}'));
+        assert!(app.history.iter().any(|cell| matches!(
+            cell,
+            HistoryCell::System { content } if content.contains("which is not available here")
+        )));
+    }
+    let mut app = create_test_app();
+    let mut session = saved_session_with_messages(vec![text_message("user", "history line")]);
+    session.agent_preset = Some("creator".to_string());
+    apply_loaded_session(&mut app, &mut Config::default(), &session).expect("loads");
+    assert!(app.history.iter().any(|cell| matches!(
+        cell,
+        HistoryCell::System { content } if content.contains("Not ready yet in this version.")
+    )));
+
+    let mut standard = create_test_app();
+    let session = saved_session_with_messages(vec![text_message("user", "history line")]);
+    assert_eq!(session.agent_preset, None);
+    apply_loaded_session(&mut standard, &mut Config::default(), &session).expect("loads");
+    assert_eq!(standard.conversation_mode, None);
+    assert_eq!(standard.conversation_mode_label(), None);
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+#[allow(clippy::await_holding_lock)]
+async fn clear_fork_and_resume_keep_the_conversation_mode() {
+    let _available = CreatorAvailabilityGuard::set(None);
+    let _home = crate::test_support::SealedHome::new();
+
+    let mut app = creator_app();
+    first_message(&mut app);
+    let cleared = commands::execute("/clear", &mut app);
+    assert!(matches!(
+        cleared.action,
+        Some(AppAction::SyncSession { agent_preset: Some(ref preset), .. }) if preset == "creator"
+    ));
+    assert_eq!(app.conversation_mode.as_deref(), Some("creator"));
+
+    let mut resumed = create_test_app();
+    let mut session = saved_session_with_messages(vec![text_message("user", "older")]);
+    session.agent_preset = Some("creator".to_string());
+    apply_loaded_session(&mut resumed, &mut Config::default(), &session).expect("resume");
+    assert_eq!(resumed.conversation_mode.as_deref(), Some("creator"));
+    assert_eq!(resumed.conversation_mode_unavailable, None);
+    assert_eq!(resumed.agent_preset().as_deref(), Some("creator"));
+
+    let manager = SessionManager::default_location().unwrap();
+    let mut snapshot = build_session_snapshot(&mut resumed, &manager).expect("snapshot");
+    assert_eq!(snapshot.agent_preset.as_deref(), Some("creator"));
+    snapshot.make_storage_compatible();
+    let raw = serde_json::to_value(&snapshot).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(raw["agent_preset"], "creator");
+
+    let mut plain = create_test_app();
+    let snapshot = build_session_snapshot(&mut plain, &manager).expect("snapshot");
+    let raw = serde_json::to_value(&snapshot).unwrap();
+    assert!(raw.get("agent_preset").is_none(), "Standard stores no key");
+
+    let mut parent = creator_app();
+    first_message(&mut parent);
+    parent.current_session_id = Some(uuid::Uuid::new_v4().to_string());
+    parent.capture_session_fixture_source();
+    let forked = commands::execute("/fork", &mut parent);
+    assert!(!forked.is_error, "{:?}", forked.message);
+    assert!(matches!(
+        forked.action,
+        Some(AppAction::SyncSession { agent_preset: Some(ref preset), .. }) if preset == "creator"
+    ));
+    let fork_id = parent.current_session_id.clone().unwrap();
+    let on_disk = manager.load_session(&fork_id).expect("fork record");
+    assert_eq!(on_disk.agent_preset.as_deref(), Some("creator"));
+}
+
+#[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread")]
+#[allow(clippy::await_holding_lock)]
+async fn a_resync_of_the_open_conversation_keeps_its_mode() {
+    let _available = CreatorAvailabilityGuard::set(None);
+    let _home = crate::test_support::SealedHome::new();
+    let workspace = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+    let other = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+    let mut config = Config::default().with_legacy_root(
+        Some("mock-credential".into()),
+        Some("http://127.0.0.1:1/v1".into()),
+    );
+    config.set_feature("mcp", false).unwrap();
+    config.set_feature("subagents", false).unwrap();
+    let mut app = App::new(
+        crate::tui::test_support::test_tui_options(workspace.path()),
+        &config,
+    );
+    app.onboarding_needs_api_key = false;
+    app.offline_mode = false;
+    app.install_conversation_mode(Some("creator".to_string()), None);
+    first_message(&mut app);
+    app.set_current_session_id(Some(uuid::Uuid::new_v4().to_string()));
+
+    let (engine, mut handle) = Engine::new_with_model_client(
+        codewhale_engine::core::engine::EngineConfig {
+            workspace: workspace.path().to_path_buf(),
+            model: app.model.clone(),
+            snapshots_enabled: false,
+            subagents_enabled: false,
+            terminal_chrome_enabled: false,
+            ..Default::default()
+        },
+        &config,
+        Arc::new(codewhale_engine::llm_client::mock::MockLlmClient::new(
+            Vec::new(),
+        )),
+    );
+    let run = tokio::spawn(engine.run());
+    let tasks = {
+        use codewhale_engine::task_manager::{
+            TaskExecutionResult, TaskManagerConfig, TaskStatus, TaskTerminalReason,
+        };
+        struct Idle;
+        #[async_trait::async_trait]
+        impl codewhale_engine::task_manager::TaskExecutor for Idle {
+            async fn execute(
+                &self,
+                _: codewhale_engine::task_manager::ExecutionTask,
+                _: tokio::sync::mpsc::Sender<codewhale_engine::task_manager::TaskExecutionEvent>,
+                _: tokio_util::sync::CancellationToken,
+            ) -> TaskExecutionResult {
+                TaskExecutionResult {
+                    status: TaskStatus::Completed,
+                    result_text: None,
+                    error: None,
+                    terminal_reason: TaskTerminalReason::Completed,
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        TaskManager::start_with_executor(
+            TaskManagerConfig {
+                data_dir: workspace.path().into(),
+                worker_count: 1,
+                default_workspace: workspace.path().into(),
+                default_model: "fixture".into(),
+                default_mode: "plan".into(),
+                allow_shell: false,
+                trust_mode: false,
+                execution_limits: codewhale_engine::task_manager::TaskExecutionLimits::default(),
+                human_waits_answerable: false,
+            },
+            Arc::new(Idle),
+        )
+        .await
+        .unwrap()
+    };
+    let mut backend = ColorCompatBackend::new(
+        std::io::stdout(),
+        codewhale_palette::ColorDepth::Monochrome,
+        codewhale_palette::PaletteMode::Dark,
+    );
+    backend.set_terminal_size(ratatui::layout::Size::new(80, 24));
+    let mut terminal = Terminal::new(backend).unwrap();
+
+    for action in [
+        AppAction::SwitchWorkspace {
+            workspace: other.path().to_path_buf(),
+        },
+        AppAction::PluginRegistryChanged,
+    ] {
+        let result = commands::CommandResult {
+            message: None,
+            action: Some(action),
+            is_error: false,
+        };
+        tokio::time::timeout(
+            Duration::from_secs(60),
+            apply_command_result(
+                &mut terminal,
+                &mut app,
+                &mut handle,
+                &tasks,
+                &mut config,
+                result,
+            ),
+        )
+        .await
+        .expect("the re-sync finished")
+        .unwrap();
+        let snapshot = tokio::time::timeout(Duration::from_secs(20), handle.get_session_snapshot())
+            .await
+            .expect("the Engine answered")
+            .expect("snapshot");
+        assert_eq!(snapshot.agent_preset.as_deref(), Some("creator"));
+        assert_eq!(snapshot.messages.len(), 1);
+        assert_eq!(app.conversation_mode.as_deref(), Some("creator"));
+    }
+    let _ = handle.send(Op::Shutdown).await;
+    run.abort();
+}

crates/tui/src/tui/ui/tests/conversation_undo.rs

@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ fn sync_snapshot(
         model: snapshot.model.clone(),
         workspace: snapshot.workspace.clone(),
         mode: AppMode::parse(&snapshot.mode).unwrap(),
+        agent_preset: snapshot.agent_preset.clone(),
     }
 }
 
@@ -477,6 +478,7 @@ fn undo_retry_apply_path_keeps_engine_request_and_reopened_session_consistent()
             model: app.model.clone(),
             workspace: app.workspace.clone(),
             mode: app.mode,
+            agent_preset: app.agent_preset(),
         };
         for action in [restore, AppAction::SendMessage("after reopen".into())] {
             apply_command_result(

crates/tui/src/tui/underwater.rs

@@ -722,6 +722,9 @@ pub(crate) fn dial_chip(app: &App) -> PostureChip {
     if let Some(scope) = filesystem_scope_notice(app) {
         chip.0 = format!("{} · {scope}", chip.0).into();
     }
+    if let Some(label) = app.conversation_mode_label() {
+        chip.0 = format!("{label} · {}", chip.0).into();
+    }
     chip
 }
 

crates/tui/src/tui/views/mod.rs

@@ -997,6 +997,9 @@ pub enum ViewEvent {
     ModeSelected {
         mode: codewhale_config::AppMode,
     },
+    ConversationModeSelected {
+        id: String,
+    },
     /// Emitted by the `/statusline` picker every time the user toggles an
     /// item (live preview) and once more on Enter (final). The handler
     /// updates `app.status_items` immediately and persists on `final_save`

crates/tui/src/tui/views/mode_picker.rs

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-//! `/mode` picker for the currently supported interactive modes.
+//! `/mode` picker: the conversation's mode first, then permissions.
 
 use std::cell::RefCell;
 
@@ -12,56 +12,140 @@ use ratatui::{
 };
 use unicode_width::UnicodeWidthStr;
 
-use crate::tui::app::AppModeUi;
+use crate::tui::app::{App, AppModeUi};
+use crate::tui::conversation_mode as modes;
 use crate::tui::views::{
     ActionHint, ModalKind, ModalView, ViewAction, ViewEvent, centered_modal_area,
     render_modal_footer, render_modal_surface,
 };
 use codewhale_config::AppMode;
-use codewhale_localization::Locale;
+use codewhale_engine::conversation_modes::ConversationModeTable;
+use codewhale_localization::{Locale, MessageId, tr};
 use codewhale_palette as palette;
+use codewhale_runtime::config::Config;
 use codewhale_tui_kit::menu_style;
 
 const VISIBLE_MODES: [AppMode; 2] = [AppMode::Agent, AppMode::Plan];
 
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+struct ConversationRow {
+    id: String,
+    name: String,
+    description: String,
+    unavailable: Option<String>,
+    current: bool,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+enum Entry {
+    Conversation(usize),
+    Permission(AppMode),
+}
+
 pub struct ModePickerView {
     cursor: usize,
     locale: Locale,
+    rows: Vec<ConversationRow>,
+    locked: bool,
+    other_command: String,
     row_hitboxes: RefCell<Vec<Rect>>,
 }
 
 impl ModePickerView {
+    pub async fn for_app(app: &App, config: &Config) -> Self {
+        let table = modes::current_table(config).await;
+        Self::from_table(
+            app.mode,
+            app.ui_locale,
+            &table,
+            app.conversation_mode.as_deref(),
+            app.conversation_mode_locked(),
+        )
+    }
+
     #[must_use]
-    pub fn new(current: AppMode, locale: Locale) -> Self {
-        let cursor = VISIBLE_MODES
+    pub fn from_table(
+        current: AppMode,
+        locale: Locale,
+        table: &ConversationModeTable,
+        conversation: Option<&str>,
+        locked: bool,
+    ) -> Self {
+        let current_id = codewhale_engine::conversation_modes::effective_id(conversation);
+        let rows = table
+            .modes
             .iter()
-            .position(|mode| *mode == current)
-            .unwrap_or(0);
-        Self {
-            cursor,
+            .map(|mode| ConversationRow {
+                id: mode.id.clone(),
+                name: modes::display_name(locale, mode),
+                description: modes::display_description(locale, mode),
+                unavailable: (!mode.available).then(|| {
+                    modes::display_reason(
+                        locale,
+                        mode.reason
+                            .as_deref()
+                            .unwrap_or("This mode is unavailable."),
+                    )
+                }),
+                current: mode.id == current_id,
+            })
+            .collect();
+        let other_command = modes::new_command(
+            table
+                .modes
+                .iter()
+                .find(|mode| mode.id != current_id)
+                .map_or(codewhale_engine::conversation_modes::STANDARD, |mode| {
+                    mode.id.as_str()
+                }),
+        );
+        let mut view = Self {
+            cursor: 0,
             locale,
+            rows,
+            locked,
+            other_command,
             row_hitboxes: RefCell::new(Vec::new()),
+        };
+        view.cursor = view
+            .entries()
+            .iter()
+            .position(|entry| *entry == Entry::Permission(current))
+            .unwrap_or(0);
+        view
+    }
+
+    fn entries(&self) -> Vec<Entry> {
+        let mut entries = Vec::new();
+        if !self.locked {
+            entries.extend(
+                self.rows
+                    .iter()
+                    .enumerate()
+                    .filter(|(_, row)| row.unavailable.is_none())
+                    .map(|(index, _)| Entry::Conversation(index)),
+            );
+        }
+        entries.extend(VISIBLE_MODES.iter().copied().map(Entry::Permission));
+        entries
+    }
+
+    fn selected(&self) -> Option<Entry> {
+        self.entries().get(self.cursor).copied()
+    }
+
+    fn event_for(&self, entry: Entry) -> ViewEvent {
+        match entry {
+            Entry::Conversation(index) => ViewEvent::ConversationModeSelected {
+                id: self.rows[index].id.clone(),
+            },
+            Entry::Permission(mode) => ViewEvent::ModeSelected { mode },
         }
     }
 
-    fn selected_mode(&self) -> AppMode {
-        VISIBLE_MODES
-            .get(self.cursor)
-            .copied()
-            .unwrap_or(AppMode::Agent)
-    }
-
-    /// Apply one [`list_nav`](codewhale_tui_kit::list_nav) motion (#6290), returning
-    /// whether it was consumed. Vertical motions cover the whole list —
-    /// Home/End and the page keys included. The horizontal axis has nowhere
-    /// to go on a single-column surface, so those motions are not consumed.
     fn apply_motion(&mut self, motion: codewhale_tui_kit::list_nav::Motion) -> bool {
-        let Some(next) = codewhale_tui_kit::list_nav::apply(
-            self.cursor,
-            VISIBLE_MODES.len(),
-            VISIBLE_MODES.len(),
-            motion,
-        ) else {
+        let len = self.entries().len();
+        let Some(next) = codewhale_tui_kit::list_nav::apply(self.cursor, len, len, motion) else {
             return false;
         };
         self.cursor = next;
@@ -69,13 +153,22 @@ impl ModePickerView {
     }
 
     fn select_by_number(&mut self, number: char) -> Option<ViewAction> {
-        let idx = VISIBLE_MODES
-            .iter()
-            .position(|mode| mode.number() == number)?;
+        let entries = self.entries();
+        let idx = entries.iter().position(
+            |entry| matches!(entry, Entry::Permission(mode) if mode.number() == number),
+        )?;
         self.cursor = idx;
-        Some(ViewAction::EmitAndClose(ViewEvent::ModeSelected {
-            mode: self.selected_mode(),
-        }))
+        Some(ViewAction::EmitAndClose(self.event_for(entries[idx])))
+    }
+
+    fn line_count(&self) -> u16 {
+        let rows = u16::try_from(self.rows.len()).unwrap_or(u16::MAX);
+        let conversation = if self.rows.is_empty() {
+            0
+        } else {
+            2 + rows + u16::from(self.locked)
+        };
+        conversation + 1 + u16::try_from(VISIBLE_MODES.len()).unwrap_or(2)
     }
 }
 
@@ -89,10 +182,6 @@ impl ModalView for ModePickerView {
     }
 
     fn handle_key(&mut self, key: KeyEvent) -> ViewAction {
-        // Movement keys come from the shared vocabulary (#6290), so
-        // `j`/`k`, Home/End and the page keys mean here exactly what they
-        // mean on every other list. This match owns only the keys the
-        // vocabulary does not claim.
         if let Some(motion) = codewhale_tui_kit::list_nav::motion(&key)
             && self.apply_motion(motion)
         {
@@ -100,9 +189,10 @@ impl ModalView for ModePickerView {
         }
         match key.code {
             KeyCode::Esc => ViewAction::Close,
-            KeyCode::Enter => ViewAction::EmitAndClose(ViewEvent::ModeSelected {
-                mode: self.selected_mode(),
-            }),
+            KeyCode::Enter => match self.selected() {
+                Some(entry) => ViewAction::EmitAndClose(self.event_for(entry)),
+                None => ViewAction::None,
+            },
             KeyCode::Char(number) => self.select_by_number(number).unwrap_or(ViewAction::None),
             _ => ViewAction::None,
         }
@@ -133,14 +223,18 @@ impl ModalView for ModePickerView {
     }
 
     fn render(&self, area: Rect, buf: &mut Buffer) {
-        let popup_height = u16::try_from(VISIBLE_MODES.len()).unwrap_or(2) + 7;
+        let popup_height = self.line_count() + 7;
         let popup_area = centered_modal_area(area, 68, popup_height, 44, 8);
 
         render_modal_surface(area, popup_area, buf);
 
+        let title = format!(
+            " {} ",
+            tr(self.locale, MessageId::ConversationModePickerTitle)
+        );
         let block = Block::default()
             .title(Line::from(Span::styled(
-                " Mode ",
+                title,
                 Style::default()
                     .fg(palette::WHALE_ACTION)
                     .add_modifier(Modifier::BOLD),
@@ -165,47 +259,105 @@ impl ModalView for ModePickerView {
 
         self.row_hitboxes.borrow_mut().clear();
 
-        let mut lines = Vec::with_capacity(VISIBLE_MODES.len());
+        let entries = self.entries();
+        let heading_style = Style::default()
+            .fg(palette::TEXT_MUTED)
+            .add_modifier(Modifier::BOLD);
+        let muted = Style::default().fg(palette::TEXT_MUTED);
+        let width = usize::from(content.width);
+        let mut lines: Vec<Line<'static>> = Vec::new();
 
-        for (idx, mode) in VISIBLE_MODES.iter().copied().enumerate() {
-            let is_cursor = idx == self.cursor;
-            let row_style = if is_cursor {
+        let push_row = |lines: &mut Vec<Line<'static>>,
+                        entry: Option<Entry>,
+                        prefix: String,
+                        text: String,
+                        disabled: bool| {
+            let cursor_here = entry.is_some_and(|entry| entries.get(self.cursor) == Some(&entry));
+            let row_style = if cursor_here {
                 menu_style::selected_row_style()
+            } else if disabled {
+                muted
             } else {
                 Style::default().fg(palette::TEXT_PRIMARY)
             };
-            let hint_style = if is_cursor {
+            let hint_style = if cursor_here {
                 menu_style::selected_row_bg_style().fg(palette::SELECTION_TEXT)
             } else {
-                Style::default().fg(palette::TEXT_MUTED)
+                muted
             };
-            let pointer = codewhale_tui_kit::glyphs::selection_marker(is_cursor);
-            let name = mode.display_name_localized(self.locale);
-            let hint = mode.picker_hint_localized(self.locale);
-            // Pad by terminal columns, not scalar count, so wide (CJK) mode
-            // names keep the hint column aligned.
-            let pad = " ".repeat(8usize.saturating_sub(UnicodeWidthStr::width(&*name)));
-            let prefix = format!("{pointer} {}. {name}{pad}", mode.number());
-            // A hint is prose: the pane edge used to cut it mid-word
-            // (`ask f`, `before ac`). Truncate at a word joint instead —
-            // a clipped clause reads as a sentence, a clipped word reads
-            // as a bug.
-            let hint_width =
-                usize::from(content.width).saturating_sub(UnicodeWidthStr::width(prefix.as_str()));
-            let hint = codewhale_tui_kit::ui_text::semantic_truncate(hint.as_ref(), hint_width);
-
+            let room = width.saturating_sub(UnicodeWidthStr::width(prefix.as_str()));
+            let text = codewhale_tui_kit::ui_text::semantic_truncate(&text, room);
+            if entry.is_some() {
+                let y = content
+                    .y
+                    .saturating_add(u16::try_from(lines.len()).unwrap_or(u16::MAX));
+                self.row_hitboxes
+                    .borrow_mut()
+                    .push(Rect::new(content.x, y, content.width, 1));
+            }
             lines.push(Line::from(vec![
                 Span::styled(prefix, row_style),
-                Span::styled(hint, hint_style),
+                Span::styled(text, hint_style),
             ]));
-            self.row_hitboxes.borrow_mut().push(Rect::new(
-                content.x,
-                content
-                    .y
-                    .saturating_add(u16::try_from(idx).unwrap_or(u16::MAX)),
-                content.width,
-                1,
-            ));
+        };
+
+        if !self.rows.is_empty() {
+            lines.push(Line::from(Span::styled(
+                tr(self.locale, MessageId::ConversationModeGroupConversation).into_owned(),
+                heading_style,
+            )));
+            if self.locked {
+                lines.push(Line::from(Span::styled(
+                    codewhale_tui_kit::ui_text::semantic_truncate(
+                        tr(self.locale, MessageId::ConversationModeLockedNote)
+                            .replace("{command}", &format!("`{}`", self.other_command))
+                            .as_str(),
+                        width,
+                    ),
+                    muted,
+                )));
+            }
+            for (index, row) in self.rows.iter().enumerate() {
+                let selectable = !self.locked && row.unavailable.is_none();
+                let entry = selectable.then_some(Entry::Conversation(index));
+                let cursor_here =
+                    entry.is_some_and(|entry| entries.get(self.cursor) == Some(&entry));
+                let pointer = if cursor_here {
+                    codewhale_tui_kit::glyphs::selection_marker(true).to_string()
+                } else {
+                    " ".to_string()
+                };
+                let check = if row.current { "✓" } else { " " };
+                let pad =
+                    " ".repeat(16usize.saturating_sub(UnicodeWidthStr::width(row.name.as_str())));
+                let prefix = format!("{pointer} {check} {}{pad}", row.name);
+                let text = row
+                    .unavailable
+                    .clone()
+                    .unwrap_or_else(|| row.description.clone());
+                push_row(
+                    &mut lines,
+                    entry,
+                    prefix,
+                    text,
+                    row.unavailable.is_some() || self.locked,
+                );
+            }
+            lines.push(Line::default());
+        }
+        lines.push(Line::from(Span::styled(
+            tr(self.locale, MessageId::ConversationModeGroupPermissions).into_owned(),
+            heading_style,
+        )));
+        for mode in VISIBLE_MODES {
+            let entry = Entry::Permission(mode);
+            let cursor_here = entries.get(self.cursor) == Some(&entry);
+            let pointer = codewhale_tui_kit::glyphs::selection_marker(cursor_here);
+            let name = mode.display_name_localized(self.locale);
+            let hint = mode.picker_hint_localized(self.locale);
+            let pad = " ".repeat(8usize.saturating_sub(UnicodeWidthStr::width(&*name)));
+            let prefix = format!("{pointer} {}. {name}{pad}", mode.number());
+            push_row(&mut lines, Some(entry), prefix, hint.into_owned(), false);
         }
 
         Paragraph::new(lines).render(content, buf);
@@ -215,18 +367,31 @@ impl ModalView for ModePickerView {
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
+    use codewhale_engine::conversation_modes::{
+        self, CREATOR_NOT_READY_REASON, CreatorAvailabilityGuard,
+    };
     use crossterm::event::KeyModifiers;
     use ratatui::{Terminal, backend::TestBackend};
 
+    fn picker(current: AppMode, conversation: Option<&str>, locked: bool) -> ModePickerView {
+        ModePickerView::from_table(
+            current,
+            Locale::En,
+            &conversation_modes::table(Some(CREATOR_NOT_READY_REASON.to_string())),
+            conversation,
+            locked,
+        )
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn opens_on_current_mode() {
-        let view = ModePickerView::new(AppMode::Plan, Locale::En);
-        assert_eq!(view.selected_mode(), AppMode::Plan);
+        let view = picker(AppMode::Plan, None, false);
+        assert_eq!(view.selected(), Some(Entry::Permission(AppMode::Plan)));
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn enter_emits_selected_mode() {
-        let mut view = ModePickerView::new(AppMode::Agent, Locale::En);
+        let mut view = picker(AppMode::Agent, None, false);
         view.handle_key(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Down, KeyModifiers::NONE));
         let action = view.handle_key(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Enter, KeyModifiers::NONE));
         match action {
@@ -237,29 +402,27 @@ mod tests {
         }
     }
 
-    /// The four terminal sizes the v0.8.66 modal blocker (#3732) requires
-    /// every overlay to remain readable and fully operable at.
     const BLOCKER_SIZES: [(u16, u16); 4] = [(80, 24), (100, 30), (120, 32), (160, 40)];
 
-    fn render_at(width: u16, height: u16) -> (Buffer, Rect) {
+    fn render_view(view: ModePickerView, width: u16, height: u16) -> (Buffer, Rect) {
         use crate::tui::views::ViewStack;
         let area = Rect::new(0, 0, width, height);
         let mut buf = Buffer::empty(area);
-        // Pre-fill with a sentinel so any cell the composited modal fails to
-        // paint (bleed-through) is detectable as a surviving 'X'.
         for y in 0..height {
             for x in 0..width {
                 buf[(x, y)].set_symbol("X");
             }
         }
-        // Render through the ViewStack so the shared opaque backdrop is painted
-        // exactly as it is in production.
         let mut stack = ViewStack::new();
-        stack.push(ModePickerView::new(AppMode::Agent, Locale::En));
+        stack.push(view);
         stack.render(area, &mut buf);
         (buf, area)
     }
 
+    fn render_at(width: u16, height: u16) -> (Buffer, Rect) {
+        render_view(picker(AppMode::Agent, None, false), width, height)
+    }
+
     fn rows(buf: &Buffer, area: Rect) -> Vec<String> {
         (0..area.height)
             .map(|y| {
@@ -270,42 +433,64 @@ mod tests {
             .collect()
     }
 
+    fn frame_text(buf: &Buffer, area: Rect) -> String {
+        rows(buf, area)
+            .iter()
+            .map(|row| row.trim_end().to_string())
+            .filter(|row| !row.is_empty())
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+            .join("\n")
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn mode_picker_is_usable_and_opaque_at_blocker_sizes() {
         for (w, h) in BLOCKER_SIZES {
-            let (buf, area) = render_at(w, h);
-            let text = rows(&buf, area).join("\n");
+            for view in [
+                picker(AppMode::Agent, None, false),
+                picker(AppMode::Plan, Some("creator"), true),
+            ] {
+                let (buf, area) = render_view(view, w, h);
+                let text = rows(&buf, area).join("\n");
 
-            // Action labels are present (footer never drops an action).
-            assert!(text.contains("move"), "{w}x{h}: missing 'move' hint");
-            assert!(text.contains("select"), "{w}x{h}: missing 'select' hint");
-            assert!(text.contains("cancel"), "{w}x{h}: missing 'cancel' hint");
-
-            // The cursor row carries the charter selection pointer.
-            assert!(
-                text.contains(codewhale_tui_kit::glyphs::SELECTION),
-                "{w}x{h}: missing charter selection pointer"
-            );
-
-            // Composited frame is fully opaque: no sentinel survives and every
-            // cell carries the modal/backdrop ink background.
-            assert!(
-                !text.contains('X'),
-                "{w}x{h}: background bleed-through into modal surface"
-            );
-            let center = &buf[(w / 2, h / 2)];
-            assert_eq!(
-                center.bg,
-                palette::WHALE_BG,
-                "{w}x{h}: modal interior must be opaque"
-            );
-
-            // No row exceeds the frame width (no horizontal overflow).
-            for (y, row) in rows(&buf, area).iter().enumerate() {
+                assert!(text.contains("move"), "{w}x{h}: missing 'move' hint");
+                assert!(text.contains("select"), "{w}x{h}: missing 'select' hint");
+                assert!(text.contains("cancel"), "{w}x{h}: missing 'cancel' hint");
                 assert!(
-                    UnicodeWidthStr::width(row.trim_end()) <= w as usize,
-                    "{w}x{h}: row {y} overflows width: {row:?}"
+                    text.contains("Conversation mode") && text.contains("Permissions"),
+                    "{w}x{h}: both groups are labelled"
                 );
+                assert!(
+                    text.contains(codewhale_tui_kit::glyphs::SELECTION),
+                    "{w}x{h}: missing charter selection pointer"
+                );
+                assert!(
+                    !text.contains('X'),
+                    "{w}x{h}: background bleed-through into modal surface"
+                );
+                let lines = rows(&buf, area);
+                let heading_row = lines
+                    .iter()
+                    .position(|row| row.contains("Conversation mode"))
+                    .expect("heading row");
+                let heading_byte = lines[heading_row]
+                    .find("Conversation mode")
+                    .expect("heading column");
+                let heading_x = lines[heading_row][..heading_byte].chars().count();
+                let padding = &buf[(
+                    u16::try_from(heading_x + "Conversation mode".len() + 3).unwrap(),
+                    u16::try_from(heading_row).unwrap(),
+                )];
+                assert_eq!(
+                    padding.bg,
+                    palette::WHALE_BG,
+                    "{w}x{h}: modal interior must be opaque"
+                );
+                for (y, row) in rows(&buf, area).iter().enumerate() {
+                    assert!(
+                        UnicodeWidthStr::width(row.trim_end()) <= w as usize,
+                        "{w}x{h}: row {y} overflows width: {row:?}"
+                    );
+                }
             }
         }
     }
@@ -319,8 +504,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn number_keys_select_modes() {
-        // Visible roster: 1 Act, 2 Plan.
-        let mut view = ModePickerView::new(AppMode::Agent, Locale::En);
+        let mut view = picker(AppMode::Agent, None, false);
         let action = view.handle_key(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Char('2'), KeyModifiers::NONE));
         assert!(matches!(
             action,
@@ -329,30 +513,21 @@ mod tests {
             })
         ));
 
-        // Retired Operate number (3) selects nothing.
-        let mut view = ModePickerView::new(AppMode::Agent, Locale::En);
-        let action = view.handle_key(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Char('3'), KeyModifiers::NONE));
-        assert!(matches!(action, ViewAction::None));
-
-        // Legacy YOLO shorthand (4) is not offered by the picker.
-        let mut view = ModePickerView::new(AppMode::Agent, Locale::En);
-        let action = view.handle_key(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Char('4'), KeyModifiers::NONE));
-        assert!(matches!(action, ViewAction::None));
-
-        // Old Operate number (5) is gone — no numeric gaps.
-        let mut view = ModePickerView::new(AppMode::Agent, Locale::En);
-        let action = view.handle_key(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Char('5'), KeyModifiers::NONE));
-        assert!(matches!(action, ViewAction::None));
+        for key in ['3', '4', '5'] {
+            let mut view = picker(AppMode::Agent, None, false);
+            let action = view.handle_key(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Char(key), KeyModifiers::NONE));
+            assert!(matches!(action, ViewAction::None), "{key}");
+        }
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn mouse_click_renders_and_selects_mode_row() {
-        let mut view = ModePickerView::new(AppMode::Agent, Locale::En);
+        let mut view = picker(AppMode::Agent, None, false);
         let mut terminal = Terminal::new(TestBackend::new(100, 30)).expect("test terminal");
         terminal
             .draw(|frame| view.render(frame.area(), frame.buffer_mut()))
             .expect("render mode picker");
-        let rect = view.row_hitboxes.borrow()[1];
+        let rect = view.row_hitboxes.borrow()[2];
         let action = view.handle_mouse(MouseEvent {
             kind: MouseEventKind::Down(MouseButton::Left),
             column: rect.x,
@@ -366,4 +541,126 @@ mod tests {
             })
         ));
     }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    #[allow(clippy::await_holding_lock)]
+    async fn mode_picker_lists_conversation_modes_first_and_locks_after_first_message() {
+        let _available = CreatorAvailabilityGuard::set(None);
+        let table = conversation_modes::current_table(Default::default()).await;
+        for (w, h) in [(80, 24), (120, 32)] {
+            let open = ModePickerView::from_table(AppMode::Agent, Locale::En, &table, None, false);
+            let (buf, area) = render_view(open, w, h);
+            let text = frame_text(&buf, area);
+            println!("--- /mode picker, blank conversation, creator available, {w}x{h}\n{text}");
+            let order = |needle: &str| {
+                text.find(needle)
+                    .unwrap_or_else(|| panic!("{needle}: {text}"))
+            };
+            assert!(order("Conversation mode") < order("Standard mode"));
+            assert!(order("Standard mode") < order("Creator mode"));
+            assert!(order("Creator mode") < order("Permissions"));
+            assert!(order("Permissions") < order("1. Work"));
+            assert!(!text.contains("Fixed after the first message"));
+
+            let mut open =
+                ModePickerView::from_table(AppMode::Agent, Locale::En, &table, None, false);
+            open.handle_key(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Up, KeyModifiers::NONE));
+            open.handle_key(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Up, KeyModifiers::NONE));
+            assert!(matches!(
+                open.handle_key(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Enter, KeyModifiers::NONE)),
+                ViewAction::EmitAndClose(ViewEvent::ConversationModeSelected { ref id }) if id == "standard"
+            ));
+
+            let locked = ModePickerView::from_table(
+                AppMode::Agent,
+                Locale::En,
+                &table,
+                Some("creator"),
+                true,
+            );
+            let (buf, area) = render_view(locked, w, h);
+            let text = frame_text(&buf, area);
+            println!(
+                "--- /mode picker, after the first message, creator conversation, {w}x{h}\n{text}"
+            );
+            assert!(
+                text.contains("Fixed after the first message. Start another with /new creator.")
+            );
+            assert!(text.contains("Creator mode"), "{text}");
+        }
+        let mut locked =
+            ModePickerView::from_table(AppMode::Agent, Locale::En, &table, Some("creator"), true);
+        assert_eq!(
+            locked.entries().len(),
+            2,
+            "only the permission rows stay selectable"
+        );
+        for key in [KeyCode::Up, KeyCode::Up, KeyCode::Home] {
+            locked.handle_key(KeyEvent::new(key, KeyModifiers::NONE));
+            assert!(matches!(locked.selected(), Some(Entry::Permission(_))));
+        }
+        for number in ['1', '2'] {
+            let mut locked =
+                ModePickerView::from_table(AppMode::Agent, Locale::En, &table, None, true);
+            assert!(matches!(
+                locked.handle_key(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Char(number), KeyModifiers::NONE)),
+                ViewAction::EmitAndClose(ViewEvent::ModeSelected { .. })
+            ));
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    #[allow(clippy::await_holding_lock)]
+    async fn creator_row_is_listed_disabled_with_its_reason_while_unavailable() {
+        let runtime_missing =
+            "Creator mode needs a plugin runtime (Node.js or Bun), and none was found.";
+        for reason in [CREATOR_NOT_READY_REASON, runtime_missing] {
+            let _guard = CreatorAvailabilityGuard::set(Some(reason));
+            let table = conversation_modes::current_table(Default::default()).await;
+            let view = ModePickerView::from_table(AppMode::Agent, Locale::En, &table, None, false);
+            let (buf, area) = render_view(view, 100, 30);
+            let text = frame_text(&buf, area);
+            println!("--- /mode picker, creator unavailable ({reason})\n{text}");
+            assert!(
+                text.contains("Creator mode"),
+                "listed, never hidden: {text}"
+            );
+            let shown = if reason == CREATOR_NOT_READY_REASON {
+                "Not ready yet in this version."
+            } else {
+                "Creator mode needs a plugin runtime"
+            };
+            assert!(text.contains(shown), "{text}");
+            assert!(!text.contains(CREATOR_NOT_READY_REASON));
+            let mut view =
+                ModePickerView::from_table(AppMode::Agent, Locale::En, &table, None, false);
+            assert_eq!(view.entries().len(), 3);
+            for key in [
+                KeyCode::Up,
+                KeyCode::Up,
+                KeyCode::Up,
+                KeyCode::Home,
+                KeyCode::End,
+            ] {
+                let action = view.handle_key(KeyEvent::new(key, KeyModifiers::NONE));
+                assert!(matches!(action, ViewAction::None));
+            }
+            let mut view =
+                ModePickerView::from_table(AppMode::Agent, Locale::En, &table, None, false);
+            view.handle_key(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Home, KeyModifiers::NONE));
+            let action = view.handle_key(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Enter, KeyModifiers::NONE));
+            assert!(
+                !matches!(action, ViewAction::EmitAndClose(ViewEvent::ConversationModeSelected { ref id }) if id == "creator"),
+                "an unavailable mode is never selectable"
+            );
+        }
+        let _guard = CreatorAvailabilityGuard::set(None);
+        let table = conversation_modes::current_table(Default::default()).await;
+        let mut view = ModePickerView::from_table(AppMode::Agent, Locale::En, &table, None, false);
+        view.handle_key(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Up, KeyModifiers::NONE));
+        assert!(matches!(
+            view.handle_key(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Enter, KeyModifiers::NONE)),
+            ViewAction::EmitAndClose(ViewEvent::ConversationModeSelected { ref id }) if id == "creator"
+        ));
+    }
 }

crates/tui/tests/cucumber/conversation_mode_pty.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+use std::time::Duration;
+
+use super::qa_harness::{
+    harness::{Harness, make_sealed_workspace},
+    keys,
+};
+
+const WAIT: Duration = Duration::from_secs(15);
+
+fn print_frame(label: &str, tui: &mut Harness) {
+    tui.pump();
+    let text = tui.frame().text();
+    println!("--- {label}");
+    for line in text.lines().filter(|line| !line.trim().is_empty()) {
+        println!("{}", line.trim_end());
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn shipped_binary_lists_creator_disabled_and_refuses_new_creator_with_the_reason() {
+    let workspace = make_sealed_workspace().expect("sealed workspace");
+    std::fs::write(workspace.home().join(".codewhale/.onboarded"), "").unwrap();
+    let trust = workspace.workspace().join(".deepseek");
+    std::fs::create_dir_all(&trust).unwrap();
+    std::fs::write(trust.join("trusted"), "").unwrap();
+    let mut tui = Harness::builder(Harness::codewhale_binary())
+        .cwd(workspace.workspace())
+        .clear_env()
+        .seal_home(workspace.home())
+        .env("PATH", "/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin")
+        .env("CODEWHALE_DISABLE_MODELS_DEV_FETCH", "1")
+        .env("CODEWHALE_NO_UPDATE_CHECK", "1")
+        .env("CODEWHALE_DISABLE_LOCAL_OLLAMA_PROBE", "1")
+        .env("NO_ANIMATIONS", "1")
+        .env("RUST_LOG", "warn")
+        .args([
+            "--workspace",
+            workspace.workspace().to_str().unwrap(),
+            "--no-project-config",
+            "--skip-onboarding",
+            "--fresh",
+        ])
+        .size(32, 100)
+        .spawn()
+        .expect("start TUI");
+    tui.wait_for_text("New session", WAIT).unwrap();
+    tui.wait_for_idle(Duration::from_millis(250), Duration::from_secs(5))
+        .unwrap();
+
+    tui.type_line("/new creator").unwrap();
+    tui.wait_for_text("Not ready yet in this version.", WAIT)
+        .unwrap();
+    print_frame("/new creator in the shipped binary", &mut tui);
+    assert!(
+        !tui.frame().contains("Creator mode"),
+        "the conversation stays Standard: {}",
+        tui.diagnostics()
+    );
+
+    tui.type_line("/mode").unwrap();
+    tui.wait_for_text("Conversation mode", WAIT).unwrap();
+    tui.wait_for_text("Permissions", WAIT).unwrap();
+    print_frame("/mode picker in the shipped binary", &mut tui);
+    let frame = tui.frame().text();
+    let creator_row = frame
+        .lines()
+        .find(|line| line.contains("Creator mode"))
+        .expect("Creator is listed");
+    assert!(
+        creator_row.contains("Not ready yet in this version."),
+        "{creator_row}"
+    );
+    let first_group = frame.find("Conversation mode").unwrap();
+    let second_group = frame.find("Permissions").unwrap();
+    assert!(first_group < frame.find("Standard mode").unwrap());
+    assert!(frame.find("Creator mode").unwrap() < second_group);
+    tui.send(keys::key::esc()).unwrap();
+    tui.shutdown();
+}

crates/tui/tests/cucumber/main.rs

@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ mod automations_editor_pty;
 mod config_theme_nav_pty;
 #[cfg(all(unix, feature = "long-running-tests"))]
 mod contextual_tips_pty;
+#[cfg(all(unix, feature = "long-running-tests"))]
+mod conversation_mode_pty;
 mod core_session_command_extraction;
 mod directory_listing_acceptance;
 mod epic_acceptance_harness;

crates/workflow/src/lib.rs

@@ -469,6 +469,8 @@ impl WorkflowPlan {
     }
 }
 
+pub type WorkflowIr = WorkflowPlan;
+
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub struct PhasePlan {
     pub name: String,
@@ -492,6 +494,8 @@ pub struct Phase {
     pub tasks: Vec<Task>,
 }
 
+pub type WorkflowPhase = Phase;
+
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize, Default)]
 #[serde(rename_all = "snake_case")]
 pub enum FailurePolicy {
@@ -520,6 +524,9 @@ pub struct Task {
     pub timeout_secs: Option<u64>,
 }
 
+pub type WorkflowTask = Task;
+pub type WorkflowRole = AgentType;
+
 /// The workflow wire's agent type. The serialized spellings are the canonical
 /// Codewhale role vocabulary (founder, 2026-09-02); the pre-rename JS
 /// spellings stay accepted as aliases so checked-in and saved workflows keep

crates/workflow/src/role_resolve.rs

@@ -65,6 +65,10 @@ impl FleetRoleMap {
         self.roles.get(&key).map(String::as_str)
     }
 
+    pub fn contains_role(&self, role: &str) -> bool {
+        self.get(role).is_some()
+    }
+
     pub fn is_empty(&self) -> bool {
         self.roles.is_empty()
     }

docs/MODES.md

@@ -40,6 +40,23 @@ Run `/mode` to open the mode picker, or switch directly with `/mode work` or
 `/mode plan`. `operate` and its spellings still parse, as Work, and say that
 Operate was retired, so an older setting or script never errors.
 
+The picker has two groups. **Conversation mode** lists the modes the Engine
+offers, Standard mode and Creator mode, each with a one-line description; a
+mode that cannot be used yet is listed, disabled, with its reason. **Permissions**
+holds Work and Plan, still on `1` and `2`; the conversation modes have no
+number keys. A conversation's mode is chosen before its first message and is
+fixed after it: `/mode creator` or the picker's first group changes a blank
+conversation in place, and after the first message the picker shows the group
+as locked and `/mode creator` is refused with a note to start a new
+conversation. `/new` starts a Standard conversation, `/new creator` starts a
+Creator mode conversation (`--force` still combines). Resume, `/load`, `/fork`
+and `/clear` keep the conversation's saved mode, and the mode name appears in the
+footer when it is not Standard. A mode never changes a permission: Creator
+mode in Plan is still Plan. `codewhale` and `codewhale exec` take
+`--conversation-mode <MODE>` to start a new session in a mode; with `--resume`,
+`--session-id` or `--continue` it must match the session's saved mode, or the
+run exits with code 2 before any model call.
+
 - **Plan**: design-first prompting. The stable primitive names remain familiar, but the runtime centrally refuses file mutation and shell execution. Read-only inspection and policy-allowed research, including deferred Web search/fetch, remain available. When a Plan turn successfully finishes a nonempty response, including a prose-only plan, the TUI asks how to continue: Work (Ask), Work (Accept Edits), Work (Auto-Review), or keep planning. Work sends the exact approved response as a normal follow-up and preserves that turn's existing To-dos, or adds one pending plan item without replacing unrelated work.
 - **Work** (internally `agent`): ordinary multi-step execution. The first-turn toolbox includes `read`, `write`, `edit`, `file_search`, `grep_files`, `bash`, `agent`, `todo_write`, `present`, and `load_skill`, plus `create_goal`, `get_goal`, `update_goal`, and `task_shell_wait` so goal and background-shell controls are available without discovery. The agent calls `create_goal` when a request is a durable objective; the host never infers a goal from wording, and the contract must not tell the model otherwise. Approval, sandbox, repository law, and managed policy decide what may execute.
 - **Operate is retired.** It was Work with an orchestration contract, and that contract now lives in every session's constitution: make a goal of a durable request, keep the plan visible, fan independent work out to parallel sub-agents, and have an independent reviewer try to refute a non-trivial change. A saved `default_mode = "operate"` loads as Work and says so once; a Runtime API request with `mode: "operate"` runs as `agent` with the default posture (Accept Edits) and logs one notice per process, never an error. Agents forked from an older Operate conversation do not inherit its contract. Multi-agent work stays on `agent`, `workflow` and `/fleet` in every mode.

docs/features.toml

@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ owner = "crates/engine/src/tools/review_host.rs"
 [[feature]]
 id = "modes"
 name = "Modes"
-summary = "Plan and Work modes; Plan is a stop on the Shift+Tab dial, Operate parses as Work; a finished plan offers work."
+summary = "Plan and Work modes on the Shift+Tab dial; a conversation is Standard or Creator mode, fixed after its first message."
 status = "stable"
 surfaces = { tui = "stable", api = "stable" }
 docs = "docs/MODES.md"

docs/zh_hans/MODES.md

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ Workflow 通过同一个子智能体运行时执行命名步骤；Fleet 管理
 
 ## TUI 模式
 
-一个拨盘决定 Codewhale 可以不经询问做多少事。按 `Shift+Tab` 逐档切换：**Ask → Accept Edits → Plan → Auto-Review → Full Access → Ask**。Plan 档就是 Plan 模式；其余每一档都是带该权限姿态的 Work。页脚显示当前档位和 `Shift+Tab to change`。未保存权限姿态时，新安装从 Accept Edits 开始。显式保存的选择（包括旧版本中的 Ask）在升级和重启后保持不变。`Tab` 只补全输入框（composer）菜单、命令、文件提及和建议；它不会切换模式，也从不发送或排队输入框中的文本（用 `Enter`）。每次有效权限变化都会在对话记录中写入一行 `Permissions changed to …`。按 `Ctrl+T` 循环切换思考强度。运行 `/mode` 打开模式选择器，或直接用 `/mode work`、`/mode plan` 切换。`operate` 及其写法仍按 Work 解析，并说明 Operate 已退役，所以旧的设置或脚本不会报错。
+一个拨盘决定 Codewhale 可以不经询问做多少事。按 `Shift+Tab` 逐档切换：**Ask → Accept Edits → Plan → Auto-Review → Full Access → Ask**。Plan 档就是 Plan 模式；其余每一档都是带该权限姿态的 Work。页脚显示当前档位和 `Shift+Tab to change`。未保存权限姿态时，新安装从 Accept Edits 开始。显式保存的选择（包括旧版本中的 Ask）在升级和重启后保持不变。`Tab` 只补全输入框（composer）菜单、命令、文件提及和建议；它不会切换模式，也从不发送或排队输入框中的文本（用 `Enter`）。每次有效权限变化都会在对话记录中写入一行 `Permissions changed to …`。按 `Ctrl+T` 循环切换思考强度。运行 `/mode` 打开模式选择器，或直接用 `/mode work`、`/mode plan` 切换。`operate` 及其写法仍按 Work 解析，并说明 Operate 已退役，所以旧的设置或脚本不会报错。选择器分为两组：**对话模式**列出引擎提供的标准模式与创作者模式（暂不可用的模式会列出并置灰，同时给出原因），**权限**包含 Work 与 Plan（仍为 `1`、`2`）。对话的模式在第一条消息之前选定，之后固定：空白对话可用 `/mode creator` 或选择器就地更改；发送第一条消息后选择器锁定该组，`/mode creator` 会被拒绝并提示开启新对话。`/new` 开始标准对话，`/new creator` 开始创作者模式对话（仍可配合 `--force`）。恢复、`/load`、`/fork` 和 `/clear` 保留已保存的对话模式；非标准模式的名称会显示在页脚。模式不会改变任何权限。`codewhale` 与 `codewhale exec` 接受 `--conversation-mode <MODE>`；与 `--resume`、`--session-id` 或 `--continue` 同用时必须与已保存的模式一致，否则在任何模型调用之前以退出码 2 结束。
 
 - **Plan**：设计优先的提示方式。原语（primitive）名称保持不变，仍是大家熟悉的那些，但运行时会集中拒绝文件修改和 shell 执行。只读检查与策略允许的研究（包括延迟加载的 Web 搜索/抓取）仍然可用。当一个 Plan 回合成功结束并给出非空回复（包括纯文字计划）时，TUI 会询问如何继续：Work（Ask）、Work（Accept Edits）、Work（Auto-Review），或继续规划。选择 Work 会把已批准的原文作为普通后续消息发送，并保留该回合已有的 To-dos，或追加一个待办的计划项而不替换无关的工作。
 - **Work**（内部为 `agent`）：普通的多步执行。第一回合的工具箱包含 `read`、`write`、`edit`、`file_search`、`grep_files`、`bash`、`agent`、`todo_write`、`present` 和 `load_skill`，以及无需先搜索即可使用的目标与后台 shell 控制工具 `create_goal`、`get_goal`、`update_goal` 和 `task_shell_wait`。当请求属于一个持久的目标时，智能体会调用 `create_goal`；宿主从不根据措辞去推断目标，契约也不得告诉模型相反的内容。审批、沙箱、仓库规则（repository law）和托管策略决定什么可以执行。

scripts/dead-code-budget.json

@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
   "_comment": "Ceiling for dead-code suppressions across crates/, counting both `#[allow(dead_code)]` and `#[expect(dead_code)]`. `total` is the sum and is the ratcheted figure. It may go down freely; raising it needs a reviewer to say why in the PR. Regenerate with: python3 scripts/check-dead-code-budget.py --update",
   "_issue": "https://github.com/codewhale-hq/CodeWhale/issues/4785",
   "_expect_blind_spot": "Until #6241 this gate counted only the `allow` spelling, so rewriting an allow as an expect lowered the number without removing any dead code. The ceiling was re-based to the true combined count when that was fixed; it is not a regression.",
-  "total": 116,
-  "allow_total": 84,
+  "total": 121,
+  "allow_total": 89,
   "expect_total": 32,
   "per_crate": {
     "app-server": {
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
       "expect": 0
     },
     "tui": {
-      "allow": 31,
+      "allow": 36,
       "expect": 20
     }
   }

web/data/agent-docs.generated.json

@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@
       },
       {
         "path": "docs/MODES.md",
-        "sha256": "bfd3ed8cae274f9b72d1805232f41d4342cc29b45b53617a26f06c3776941202",
-        "content": "# Modes and Permission Postures\n\n> 阅读简体中文版：[zh_hans/MODES.md](zh_hans/MODES.md)\n\nCodewhale has three related concepts:\n\n- **TUI mode**: what kind of visible interaction you're in (Plan/Work).\n- **Permission posture**: how aggressively the UI asks before executing tools.\n- **Workflow**: named steps that coordinate sub-agents, with dependencies and\n  results, available in any TUI mode.\n\nModel selection is separate. `--model auto` and `/model auto` route each turn to\na concrete model and thinking level; they are not TUI modes and are not on the\npermission dial.\n\nWorkflow runs named steps through the same sub-agent runtime; Fleet manages\ntheir saved roles and model assignments. A workflow adds ordering, result\nhandoffs, gates and a progress view. The active mode and permission posture\nstill control what each step may execute.\n\nBefore assigning steps, query `agent(action=\"roster\")` for the saved Fleet\nmodels and roles. A plan child can select a listed model with `model`, or use\nthe saved `role`/`profile` assignment. An Exact Fleet fixes each member's route.\n\n## TUI Modes\n\nOne dial says how much Codewhale may do without asking. Press `Shift+Tab` to\nstep it: **Ask → Accept Edits → Plan → Auto-Review → Full Access → Ask**. Plan\nis the Plan mode; every other stop is Work with that permission posture. The\nfooter shows the current stop and `Shift+Tab to change`. New installs start on\nAccept Edits when no permission posture is saved. An explicit saved choice,\nincluding Ask from an earlier version, stays in control.\n`Tab` only completes composer menus, commands, file mentions and suggestions;\nit never changes the mode, and never sends or queues composer text (use\n`Enter`).\nEvery change of effective permission writes a `Permissions changed to …` line\nin the transcript.\nPress `Ctrl+T` to cycle reasoning effort.\nRun `/mode` to open the mode picker, or switch directly with `/mode work` or\n`/mode plan`. `operate` and its spellings still parse, as Work, and say that\nOperate was retired, so an older setting or script never errors.\n\n- **Plan**: design-first prompting. The stable primitive names remain familiar, but the runtime centrally refuses file mutation and shell execution. Read-only inspection and policy-allowed research, including deferred Web search/fetch, remain available. When a Plan turn successfully finishes a nonempty response, including a prose-only plan, the TUI asks how to continue: Work (Ask), Work (Accept Edits), Work (Auto-Review), or keep planning. Work sends the exact approved response as a normal follow-up and preserves that turn's existing To-dos, or adds one pending plan item without replacing unrelated work.\n- **Work** (internally `agent`): ordinary multi-step execution. The first-turn toolbox includes `read`, `write`, `edit`, `file_search`, `grep_files`, `bash`, `agent`, `todo_write`, `present`, and `load_skill`, plus `create_goal`, `get_goal`, `update_goal`, and `task_shell_wait` so goal and background-shell controls are available without discovery. The agent calls `create_goal` when a request is a durable objective; the host never infers a goal from wording, and the contract must not tell the model otherwise. Approval, sandbox, repository law, and managed policy decide what may execute.\n- **Operate is retired.** It was Work with an orchestration contract, and that contract now lives in every session's constitution: make a goal of a durable request, keep the plan visible, fan independent work out to parallel sub-agents, and have an independent reviewer try to refute a non-trivial change. A saved `default_mode = \"operate\"` loads as Work and says so once; a Runtime API request with `mode: \"operate\"` runs as `agent` with the default posture (Accept Edits) and logs one notice per process, never an error. Agents forked from an older Operate conversation do not inherit its contract. Multi-agent work stays on `agent`, `workflow` and `/fleet` in every mode.\n\n`Act` and `/mode act` remain compatibility aliases for Work. Saved settings\nstill normalize to the internal value `agent`.\n\n### Tool availability by mode\n\n| Tool family | Plan | Work |\n|:---|:---:|:---:|\n| `read` and policy-allowed deferred research tools | yes | yes |\n| `write` and `edit` | visible names; execution denied | approval- and policy-gated |\n| `bash` | visible name; execution denied | approval- and policy-gated; delegation is preferred when parallelism or isolation helps |\n| `agent` | yes, subject to child-depth authority | yes, subject to child-depth authority |\n| Deferred native, MCP, and plugin tools | discoverable through `tool_search` when policy permits | same |\n| Paid or external-service tools | follows permission posture | follows permission posture |\n| Access outside the workspace root | explicit trusted paths only | only through trusted paths or trust mode; fleet profiles never widen it |\n\nMode changes scheduling emphasLine truncated
+        "sha256": "014a36c17573dc58e936300e1eaddcdffc8cb616da1cc1e8b6fe4e962af810f1",
+        "content": "# Modes and Permission Postures\n\n> 阅读简体中文版：[zh_hans/MODES.md](zh_hans/MODES.md)\n\nCodewhale has three related concepts:\n\n- **TUI mode**: what kind of visible interaction you're in (Plan/Work).\n- **Permission posture**: how aggressively the UI asks before executing tools.\n- **Workflow**: named steps that coordinate sub-agents, with dependencies and\n  results, available in any TUI mode.\n\nModel selection is separate. `--model auto` and `/model auto` route each turn to\na concrete model and thinking level; they are not TUI modes and are not on the\npermission dial.\n\nWorkflow runs named steps through the same sub-agent runtime; Fleet manages\ntheir saved roles and model assignments. A workflow adds ordering, result\nhandoffs, gates and a progress view. The active mode and permission posture\nstill control what each step may execute.\n\nBefore assigning steps, query `agent(action=\"roster\")` for the saved Fleet\nmodels and roles. A plan child can select a listed model with `model`, or use\nthe saved `role`/`profile` assignment. An Exact Fleet fixes each member's route.\n\n## TUI Modes\n\nOne dial says how much Codewhale may do without asking. Press `Shift+Tab` to\nstep it: **Ask → Accept Edits → Plan → Auto-Review → Full Access → Ask**. Plan\nis the Plan mode; every other stop is Work with that permission posture. The\nfooter shows the current stop and `Shift+Tab to change`. New installs start on\nAccept Edits when no permission posture is saved. An explicit saved choice,\nincluding Ask from an earlier version, stays in control.\n`Tab` only completes composer menus, commands, file mentions and suggestions;\nit never changes the mode, and never sends or queues composer text (use\n`Enter`).\nEvery change of effective permission writes a `Permissions changed to …` line\nin the transcript.\nPress `Ctrl+T` to cycle reasoning effort.\nRun `/mode` to open the mode picker, or switch directly with `/mode work` or\n`/mode plan`. `operate` and its spellings still parse, as Work, and say that\nOperate was retired, so an older setting or script never errors.\n\nThe picker has two groups. **Conversation mode** lists the modes the Engine\noffers, Standard mode and Creator mode, each with a one-line description; a\nmode that cannot be used yet is listed, disabled, with its reason. **Permissions**\nholds Work and Plan, still on `1` and `2`; the conversation modes have no\nnumber keys. A conversation's mode is chosen before its first message and is\nfixed after it: `/mode creator` or the picker's first group changes a blank\nconversation in place, and after the first message the picker shows the group\nas locked and `/mode creator` is refused with a note to start a new\nconversation. `/new` starts a Standard conversation, `/new creator` starts a\nCreator mode conversation (`--force` still combines). Resume, `/load`, `/fork`\nand `/clear` keep the conversation's saved mode, and the mode name appears in the\nfooter when it is not Standard. A mode never changes a permission: Creator\nmode in Plan is still Plan. `codewhale` and `codewhale exec` take\n`--conversation-mode <MODE>` to start a new session in a mode; with `--resume`,\n`--session-id` or `--continue` it must match the session's saved mode, or the\nrun exits with code 2 before any model call.\n\n- **Plan**: design-first prompting. The stable primitive names remain familiar, but the runtime centrally refuses file mutation and shell execution. Read-only inspection and policy-allowed research, including deferred Web search/fetch, remain available. When a Plan turn successfully finishes a nonempty response, including a prose-only plan, the TUI asks how to continue: Work (Ask), Work (Accept Edits), Work (Auto-Review), or keep planning. Work sends the exact approved response as a normal follow-up and preserves that turn's existing To-dos, or adds one pending plan item without replacing unrelated work.\n- **Work** (internally `agent`): ordinary multi-step execution. The first-turn toolbox includes `read`, `write`, `edit`, `file_search`, `grep_files`, `bash`, `agent`, `todo_write`, `present`, and `load_skill`, plus `create_goal`, `get_goal`, `update_goal`, and `task_shell_wait` so goal and background-shell controls are available without discovery. The agent calls `create_goal` when a request is a durable objective; the host never infers a goal from wording, and the contract must not tell the model otherwise. Approval, sandbox, repository law, and managed policy decide what may execute.\n- **Operate is retired.** It was Work with an orchestration contract, and that contract now lives in every session's constitution: make a goal of a durable request, keep the plan visible, fan independent work out to parallel sub-agents, and have an independent reviewer try to refute a non-trivial change. A saved `default_mode = \"operate\"` loads as Work and says so once; a Runtime API request with `mode: \"operate\"` runs as `agent` with tLine truncated
       },
       {
         "path": "docs/SANDBOX.md",
@@ -137,8 +137,8 @@
     "sources": [
       {
         "path": "docs/MODES.md",
-        "sha256": "bfd3ed8cae274f9b72d1805232f41d4342cc29b45b53617a26f06c3776941202",
-        "content": "# Modes and Permission Postures\n\n> 阅读简体中文版：[zh_hans/MODES.md](zh_hans/MODES.md)\n\nCodewhale has three related concepts:\n\n- **TUI mode**: what kind of visible interaction you're in (Plan/Work).\n- **Permission posture**: how aggressively the UI asks before executing tools.\n- **Workflow**: named steps that coordinate sub-agents, with dependencies and\n  results, available in any TUI mode.\n\nModel selection is separate. `--model auto` and `/model auto` route each turn to\na concrete model and thinking level; they are not TUI modes and are not on the\npermission dial.\n\nWorkflow runs named steps through the same sub-agent runtime; Fleet manages\ntheir saved roles and model assignments. A workflow adds ordering, result\nhandoffs, gates and a progress view. The active mode and permission posture\nstill control what each step may execute.\n\nBefore assigning steps, query `agent(action=\"roster\")` for the saved Fleet\nmodels and roles. A plan child can select a listed model with `model`, or use\nthe saved `role`/`profile` assignment. An Exact Fleet fixes each member's route.\n\n## TUI Modes\n\nOne dial says how much Codewhale may do without asking. Press `Shift+Tab` to\nstep it: **Ask → Accept Edits → Plan → Auto-Review → Full Access → Ask**. Plan\nis the Plan mode; every other stop is Work with that permission posture. The\nfooter shows the current stop and `Shift+Tab to change`. New installs start on\nAccept Edits when no permission posture is saved. An explicit saved choice,\nincluding Ask from an earlier version, stays in control.\n`Tab` only completes composer menus, commands, file mentions and suggestions;\nit never changes the mode, and never sends or queues composer text (use\n`Enter`).\nEvery change of effective permission writes a `Permissions changed to …` line\nin the transcript.\nPress `Ctrl+T` to cycle reasoning effort.\nRun `/mode` to open the mode picker, or switch directly with `/mode work` or\n`/mode plan`. `operate` and its spellings still parse, as Work, and say that\nOperate was retired, so an older setting or script never errors.\n\n- **Plan**: design-first prompting. The stable primitive names remain familiar, but the runtime centrally refuses file mutation and shell execution. Read-only inspection and policy-allowed research, including deferred Web search/fetch, remain available. When a Plan turn successfully finishes a nonempty response, including a prose-only plan, the TUI asks how to continue: Work (Ask), Work (Accept Edits), Work (Auto-Review), or keep planning. Work sends the exact approved response as a normal follow-up and preserves that turn's existing To-dos, or adds one pending plan item without replacing unrelated work.\n- **Work** (internally `agent`): ordinary multi-step execution. The first-turn toolbox includes `read`, `write`, `edit`, `file_search`, `grep_files`, `bash`, `agent`, `todo_write`, `present`, and `load_skill`, plus `create_goal`, `get_goal`, `update_goal`, and `task_shell_wait` so goal and background-shell controls are available without discovery. The agent calls `create_goal` when a request is a durable objective; the host never infers a goal from wording, and the contract must not tell the model otherwise. Approval, sandbox, repository law, and managed policy decide what may execute.\n- **Operate is retired.** It was Work with an orchestration contract, and that contract now lives in every session's constitution: make a goal of a durable request, keep the plan visible, fan independent work out to parallel sub-agents, and have an independent reviewer try to refute a non-trivial change. A saved `default_mode = \"operate\"` loads as Work and says so once; a Runtime API request with `mode: \"operate\"` runs as `agent` with the default posture (Accept Edits) and logs one notice per process, never an error. Agents forked from an older Operate conversation do not inherit its contract. Multi-agent work stays on `agent`, `workflow` and `/fleet` in every mode.\n\n`Act` and `/mode act` remain compatibility aliases for Work. Saved settings\nstill normalize to the internal value `agent`.\n\n### Tool availability by mode\n\n| Tool family | Plan | Work |\n|:---|:---:|:---:|\n| `read` and policy-allowed deferred research tools | yes | yes |\n| `write` and `edit` | visible names; execution denied | approval- and policy-gated |\n| `bash` | visible name; execution denied | approval- and policy-gated; delegation is preferred when parallelism or isolation helps |\n| `agent` | yes, subject to child-depth authority | yes, subject to child-depth authority |\n| Deferred native, MCP, and plugin tools | discoverable through `tool_search` when policy permits | same |\n| Paid or external-service tools | follows permission posture | follows permission posture |\n| Access outside the workspace root | explicit trusted paths only | only through trusted paths or trust mode; fleet profiles never widen it |\n\nMode changes scheduling emphasLine truncated
+        "sha256": "014a36c17573dc58e936300e1eaddcdffc8cb616da1cc1e8b6fe4e962af810f1",
+        "content": "# Modes and Permission Postures\n\n> 阅读简体中文版：[zh_hans/MODES.md](zh_hans/MODES.md)\n\nCodewhale has three related concepts:\n\n- **TUI mode**: what kind of visible interaction you're in (Plan/Work).\n- **Permission posture**: how aggressively the UI asks before executing tools.\n- **Workflow**: named steps that coordinate sub-agents, with dependencies and\n  results, available in any TUI mode.\n\nModel selection is separate. `--model auto` and `/model auto` route each turn to\na concrete model and thinking level; they are not TUI modes and are not on the\npermission dial.\n\nWorkflow runs named steps through the same sub-agent runtime; Fleet manages\ntheir saved roles and model assignments. A workflow adds ordering, result\nhandoffs, gates and a progress view. The active mode and permission posture\nstill control what each step may execute.\n\nBefore assigning steps, query `agent(action=\"roster\")` for the saved Fleet\nmodels and roles. A plan child can select a listed model with `model`, or use\nthe saved `role`/`profile` assignment. An Exact Fleet fixes each member's route.\n\n## TUI Modes\n\nOne dial says how much Codewhale may do without asking. Press `Shift+Tab` to\nstep it: **Ask → Accept Edits → Plan → Auto-Review → Full Access → Ask**. Plan\nis the Plan mode; every other stop is Work with that permission posture. The\nfooter shows the current stop and `Shift+Tab to change`. New installs start on\nAccept Edits when no permission posture is saved. An explicit saved choice,\nincluding Ask from an earlier version, stays in control.\n`Tab` only completes composer menus, commands, file mentions and suggestions;\nit never changes the mode, and never sends or queues composer text (use\n`Enter`).\nEvery change of effective permission writes a `Permissions changed to …` line\nin the transcript.\nPress `Ctrl+T` to cycle reasoning effort.\nRun `/mode` to open the mode picker, or switch directly with `/mode work` or\n`/mode plan`. `operate` and its spellings still parse, as Work, and say that\nOperate was retired, so an older setting or script never errors.\n\nThe picker has two groups. **Conversation mode** lists the modes the Engine\noffers, Standard mode and Creator mode, each with a one-line description; a\nmode that cannot be used yet is listed, disabled, with its reason. **Permissions**\nholds Work and Plan, still on `1` and `2`; the conversation modes have no\nnumber keys. A conversation's mode is chosen before its first message and is\nfixed after it: `/mode creator` or the picker's first group changes a blank\nconversation in place, and after the first message the picker shows the group\nas locked and `/mode creator` is refused with a note to start a new\nconversation. `/new` starts a Standard conversation, `/new creator` starts a\nCreator mode conversation (`--force` still combines). Resume, `/load`, `/fork`\nand `/clear` keep the conversation's saved mode, and the mode name appears in the\nfooter when it is not Standard. A mode never changes a permission: Creator\nmode in Plan is still Plan. `codewhale` and `codewhale exec` take\n`--conversation-mode <MODE>` to start a new session in a mode; with `--resume`,\n`--session-id` or `--continue` it must match the session's saved mode, or the\nrun exits with code 2 before any model call.\n\n- **Plan**: design-first prompting. The stable primitive names remain familiar, but the runtime centrally refuses file mutation and shell execution. Read-only inspection and policy-allowed research, including deferred Web search/fetch, remain available. When a Plan turn successfully finishes a nonempty response, including a prose-only plan, the TUI asks how to continue: Work (Ask), Work (Accept Edits), Work (Auto-Review), or keep planning. Work sends the exact approved response as a normal follow-up and preserves that turn's existing To-dos, or adds one pending plan item without replacing unrelated work.\n- **Work** (internally `agent`): ordinary multi-step execution. The first-turn toolbox includes `read`, `write`, `edit`, `file_search`, `grep_files`, `bash`, `agent`, `todo_write`, `present`, and `load_skill`, plus `create_goal`, `get_goal`, `update_goal`, and `task_shell_wait` so goal and background-shell controls are available without discovery. The agent calls `create_goal` when a request is a durable objective; the host never infers a goal from wording, and the contract must not tell the model otherwise. Approval, sandbox, repository law, and managed policy decide what may execute.\n- **Operate is retired.** It was Work with an orchestration contract, and that contract now lives in every session's constitution: make a goal of a durable request, keep the plan visible, fan independent work out to parallel sub-agents, and have an independent reviewer try to refute a non-trivial change. A saved `default_mode = \"operate\"` loads as Work and says so once; a Runtime API request with `mode: \"operate\"` runs as `agent` with tLine truncated
       }
     ]
   },
@@ -201,8 +201,8 @@
       },
       {
         "path": "docs/MODES.md",
-        "sha256": "bfd3ed8cae274f9b72d1805232f41d4342cc29b45b53617a26f06c3776941202",
-        "content": "# Modes and Permission Postures\n\n> 阅读简体中文版：[zh_hans/MODES.md](zh_hans/MODES.md)\n\nCodewhale has three related concepts:\n\n- **TUI mode**: what kind of visible interaction you're in (Plan/Work).\n- **Permission posture**: how aggressively the UI asks before executing tools.\n- **Workflow**: named steps that coordinate sub-agents, with dependencies and\n  results, available in any TUI mode.\n\nModel selection is separate. `--model auto` and `/model auto` route each turn to\na concrete model and thinking level; they are not TUI modes and are not on the\npermission dial.\n\nWorkflow runs named steps through the same sub-agent runtime; Fleet manages\ntheir saved roles and model assignments. A workflow adds ordering, result\nhandoffs, gates and a progress view. The active mode and permission posture\nstill control what each step may execute.\n\nBefore assigning steps, query `agent(action=\"roster\")` for the saved Fleet\nmodels and roles. A plan child can select a listed model with `model`, or use\nthe saved `role`/`profile` assignment. An Exact Fleet fixes each member's route.\n\n## TUI Modes\n\nOne dial says how much Codewhale may do without asking. Press `Shift+Tab` to\nstep it: **Ask → Accept Edits → Plan → Auto-Review → Full Access → Ask**. Plan\nis the Plan mode; every other stop is Work with that permission posture. The\nfooter shows the current stop and `Shift+Tab to change`. New installs start on\nAccept Edits when no permission posture is saved. An explicit saved choice,\nincluding Ask from an earlier version, stays in control.\n`Tab` only completes composer menus, commands, file mentions and suggestions;\nit never changes the mode, and never sends or queues composer text (use\n`Enter`).\nEvery change of effective permission writes a `Permissions changed to …` line\nin the transcript.\nPress `Ctrl+T` to cycle reasoning effort.\nRun `/mode` to open the mode picker, or switch directly with `/mode work` or\n`/mode plan`. `operate` and its spellings still parse, as Work, and say that\nOperate was retired, so an older setting or script never errors.\n\n- **Plan**: design-first prompting. The stable primitive names remain familiar, but the runtime centrally refuses file mutation and shell execution. Read-only inspection and policy-allowed research, including deferred Web search/fetch, remain available. When a Plan turn successfully finishes a nonempty response, including a prose-only plan, the TUI asks how to continue: Work (Ask), Work (Accept Edits), Work (Auto-Review), or keep planning. Work sends the exact approved response as a normal follow-up and preserves that turn's existing To-dos, or adds one pending plan item without replacing unrelated work.\n- **Work** (internally `agent`): ordinary multi-step execution. The first-turn toolbox includes `read`, `write`, `edit`, `file_search`, `grep_files`, `bash`, `agent`, `todo_write`, `present`, and `load_skill`, plus `create_goal`, `get_goal`, `update_goal`, and `task_shell_wait` so goal and background-shell controls are available without discovery. The agent calls `create_goal` when a request is a durable objective; the host never infers a goal from wording, and the contract must not tell the model otherwise. Approval, sandbox, repository law, and managed policy decide what may execute.\n- **Operate is retired.** It was Work with an orchestration contract, and that contract now lives in every session's constitution: make a goal of a durable request, keep the plan visible, fan independent work out to parallel sub-agents, and have an independent reviewer try to refute a non-trivial change. A saved `default_mode = \"operate\"` loads as Work and says so once; a Runtime API request with `mode: \"operate\"` runs as `agent` with the default posture (Accept Edits) and logs one notice per process, never an error. Agents forked from an older Operate conversation do not inherit its contract. Multi-agent work stays on `agent`, `workflow` and `/fleet` in every mode.\n\n`Act` and `/mode act` remain compatibility aliases for Work. Saved settings\nstill normalize to the internal value `agent`.\n\n### Tool availability by mode\n\n| Tool family | Plan | Work |\n|:---|:---:|:---:|\n| `read` and policy-allowed deferred research tools | yes | yes |\n| `write` and `edit` | visible names; execution denied | approval- and policy-gated |\n| `bash` | visible name; execution denied | approval- and policy-gated; delegation is preferred when parallelism or isolation helps |\n| `agent` | yes, subject to child-depth authority | yes, subject to child-depth authority |\n| Deferred native, MCP, and plugin tools | discoverable through `tool_search` when policy permits | same |\n| Paid or external-service tools | follows permission posture | follows permission posture |\n| Access outside the workspace root | explicit trusted paths only | only through trusted paths or trust mode; fleet profiles never widen it |\n\nMode changes scheduling emphasLine truncated
+        "sha256": "014a36c17573dc58e936300e1eaddcdffc8cb616da1cc1e8b6fe4e962af810f1",
+        "content": "# Modes and Permission Postures\n\n> 阅读简体中文版：[zh_hans/MODES.md](zh_hans/MODES.md)\n\nCodewhale has three related concepts:\n\n- **TUI mode**: what kind of visible interaction you're in (Plan/Work).\n- **Permission posture**: how aggressively the UI asks before executing tools.\n- **Workflow**: named steps that coordinate sub-agents, with dependencies and\n  results, available in any TUI mode.\n\nModel selection is separate. `--model auto` and `/model auto` route each turn to\na concrete model and thinking level; they are not TUI modes and are not on the\npermission dial.\n\nWorkflow runs named steps through the same sub-agent runtime; Fleet manages\ntheir saved roles and model assignments. A workflow adds ordering, result\nhandoffs, gates and a progress view. The active mode and permission posture\nstill control what each step may execute.\n\nBefore assigning steps, query `agent(action=\"roster\")` for the saved Fleet\nmodels and roles. A plan child can select a listed model with `model`, or use\nthe saved `role`/`profile` assignment. An Exact Fleet fixes each member's route.\n\n## TUI Modes\n\nOne dial says how much Codewhale may do without asking. Press `Shift+Tab` to\nstep it: **Ask → Accept Edits → Plan → Auto-Review → Full Access → Ask**. Plan\nis the Plan mode; every other stop is Work with that permission posture. The\nfooter shows the current stop and `Shift+Tab to change`. New installs start on\nAccept Edits when no permission posture is saved. An explicit saved choice,\nincluding Ask from an earlier version, stays in control.\n`Tab` only completes composer menus, commands, file mentions and suggestions;\nit never changes the mode, and never sends or queues composer text (use\n`Enter`).\nEvery change of effective permission writes a `Permissions changed to …` line\nin the transcript.\nPress `Ctrl+T` to cycle reasoning effort.\nRun `/mode` to open the mode picker, or switch directly with `/mode work` or\n`/mode plan`. `operate` and its spellings still parse, as Work, and say that\nOperate was retired, so an older setting or script never errors.\n\nThe picker has two groups. **Conversation mode** lists the modes the Engine\noffers, Standard mode and Creator mode, each with a one-line description; a\nmode that cannot be used yet is listed, disabled, with its reason. **Permissions**\nholds Work and Plan, still on `1` and `2`; the conversation modes have no\nnumber keys. A conversation's mode is chosen before its first message and is\nfixed after it: `/mode creator` or the picker's first group changes a blank\nconversation in place, and after the first message the picker shows the group\nas locked and `/mode creator` is refused with a note to start a new\nconversation. `/new` starts a Standard conversation, `/new creator` starts a\nCreator mode conversation (`--force` still combines). Resume, `/load`, `/fork`\nand `/clear` keep the conversation's saved mode, and the mode name appears in the\nfooter when it is not Standard. A mode never changes a permission: Creator\nmode in Plan is still Plan. `codewhale` and `codewhale exec` take\n`--conversation-mode <MODE>` to start a new session in a mode; with `--resume`,\n`--session-id` or `--continue` it must match the session's saved mode, or the\nrun exits with code 2 before any model call.\n\n- **Plan**: design-first prompting. The stable primitive names remain familiar, but the runtime centrally refuses file mutation and shell execution. Read-only inspection and policy-allowed research, including deferred Web search/fetch, remain available. When a Plan turn successfully finishes a nonempty response, including a prose-only plan, the TUI asks how to continue: Work (Ask), Work (Accept Edits), Work (Auto-Review), or keep planning. Work sends the exact approved response as a normal follow-up and preserves that turn's existing To-dos, or adds one pending plan item without replacing unrelated work.\n- **Work** (internally `agent`): ordinary multi-step execution. The first-turn toolbox includes `read`, `write`, `edit`, `file_search`, `grep_files`, `bash`, `agent`, `todo_write`, `present`, and `load_skill`, plus `create_goal`, `get_goal`, `update_goal`, and `task_shell_wait` so goal and background-shell controls are available without discovery. The agent calls `create_goal` when a request is a durable objective; the host never infers a goal from wording, and the contract must not tell the model otherwise. Approval, sandbox, repository law, and managed policy decide what may execute.\n- **Operate is retired.** It was Work with an orchestration contract, and that contract now lives in every session's constitution: make a goal of a durable request, keep the plan visible, fan independent work out to parallel sub-agents, and have an independent reviewer try to refute a non-trivial change. A saved `default_mode = \"operate\"` loads as Work and says so once; a Runtime API request with `mode: \"operate\"` runs as `agent` with tLine truncated
       }
     ]
   },
@@ -477,8 +477,8 @@
       },
       {
         "path": "docs/MODES.md",
-        "sha256": "bfd3ed8cae274f9b72d1805232f41d4342cc29b45b53617a26f06c3776941202",
-        "content": "# Modes and Permission Postures\n\n> 阅读简体中文版：[zh_hans/MODES.md](zh_hans/MODES.md)\n\nCodewhale has three related concepts:\n\n- **TUI mode**: what kind of visible interaction you're in (Plan/Work).\n- **Permission posture**: how aggressively the UI asks before executing tools.\n- **Workflow**: named steps that coordinate sub-agents, with dependencies and\n  results, available in any TUI mode.\n\nModel selection is separate. `--model auto` and `/model auto` route each turn to\na concrete model and thinking level; they are not TUI modes and are not on the\npermission dial.\n\nWorkflow runs named steps through the same sub-agent runtime; Fleet manages\ntheir saved roles and model assignments. A workflow adds ordering, result\nhandoffs, gates and a progress view. The active mode and permission posture\nstill control what each step may execute.\n\nBefore assigning steps, query `agent(action=\"roster\")` for the saved Fleet\nmodels and roles. A plan child can select a listed model with `model`, or use\nthe saved `role`/`profile` assignment. An Exact Fleet fixes each member's route.\n\n## TUI Modes\n\nOne dial says how much Codewhale may do without asking. Press `Shift+Tab` to\nstep it: **Ask → Accept Edits → Plan → Auto-Review → Full Access → Ask**. Plan\nis the Plan mode; every other stop is Work with that permission posture. The\nfooter shows the current stop and `Shift+Tab to change`. New installs start on\nAccept Edits when no permission posture is saved. An explicit saved choice,\nincluding Ask from an earlier version, stays in control.\n`Tab` only completes composer menus, commands, file mentions and suggestions;\nit never changes the mode, and never sends or queues composer text (use\n`Enter`).\nEvery change of effective permission writes a `Permissions changed to …` line\nin the transcript.\nPress `Ctrl+T` to cycle reasoning effort.\nRun `/mode` to open the mode picker, or switch directly with `/mode work` or\n`/mode plan`. `operate` and its spellings still parse, as Work, and say that\nOperate was retired, so an older setting or script never errors.\n\n- **Plan**: design-first prompting. The stable primitive names remain familiar, but the runtime centrally refuses file mutation and shell execution. Read-only inspection and policy-allowed research, including deferred Web search/fetch, remain available. When a Plan turn successfully finishes a nonempty response, including a prose-only plan, the TUI asks how to continue: Work (Ask), Work (Accept Edits), Work (Auto-Review), or keep planning. Work sends the exact approved response as a normal follow-up and preserves that turn's existing To-dos, or adds one pending plan item without replacing unrelated work.\n- **Work** (internally `agent`): ordinary multi-step execution. The first-turn toolbox includes `read`, `write`, `edit`, `file_search`, `grep_files`, `bash`, `agent`, `todo_write`, `present`, and `load_skill`, plus `create_goal`, `get_goal`, `update_goal`, and `task_shell_wait` so goal and background-shell controls are available without discovery. The agent calls `create_goal` when a request is a durable objective; the host never infers a goal from wording, and the contract must not tell the model otherwise. Approval, sandbox, repository law, and managed policy decide what may execute.\n- **Operate is retired.** It was Work with an orchestration contract, and that contract now lives in every session's constitution: make a goal of a durable request, keep the plan visible, fan independent work out to parallel sub-agents, and have an independent reviewer try to refute a non-trivial change. A saved `default_mode = \"operate\"` loads as Work and says so once; a Runtime API request with `mode: \"operate\"` runs as `agent` with the default posture (Accept Edits) and logs one notice per process, never an error. Agents forked from an older Operate conversation do not inherit its contract. Multi-agent work stays on `agent`, `workflow` and `/fleet` in every mode.\n\n`Act` and `/mode act` remain compatibility aliases for Work. Saved settings\nstill normalize to the internal value `agent`.\n\n### Tool availability by mode\n\n| Tool family | Plan | Work |\n|:---|:---:|:---:|\n| `read` and policy-allowed deferred research tools | yes | yes |\n| `write` and `edit` | visible names; execution denied | approval- and policy-gated |\n| `bash` | visible name; execution denied | approval- and policy-gated; delegation is preferred when parallelism or isolation helps |\n| `agent` | yes, subject to child-depth authority | yes, subject to child-depth authority |\n| Deferred native, MCP, and plugin tools | discoverable through `tool_search` when policy permits | same |\n| Paid or external-service tools | follows permission posture | follows permission posture |\n| Access outside the workspace root | explicit trusted paths only | only through trusted paths or trust mode; fleet profiles never widen it |\n\nMode changes scheduling emphasLine truncated
+        "sha256": "014a36c17573dc58e936300e1eaddcdffc8cb616da1cc1e8b6fe4e962af810f1",
+        "content": "# Modes and Permission Postures\n\n> 阅读简体中文版：[zh_hans/MODES.md](zh_hans/MODES.md)\n\nCodewhale has three related concepts:\n\n- **TUI mode**: what kind of visible interaction you're in (Plan/Work).\n- **Permission posture**: how aggressively the UI asks before executing tools.\n- **Workflow**: named steps that coordinate sub-agents, with dependencies and\n  results, available in any TUI mode.\n\nModel selection is separate. `--model auto` and `/model auto` route each turn to\na concrete model and thinking level; they are not TUI modes and are not on the\npermission dial.\n\nWorkflow runs named steps through the same sub-agent runtime; Fleet manages\ntheir saved roles and model assignments. A workflow adds ordering, result\nhandoffs, gates and a progress view. The active mode and permission posture\nstill control what each step may execute.\n\nBefore assigning steps, query `agent(action=\"roster\")` for the saved Fleet\nmodels and roles. A plan child can select a listed model with `model`, or use\nthe saved `role`/`profile` assignment. An Exact Fleet fixes each member's route.\n\n## TUI Modes\n\nOne dial says how much Codewhale may do without asking. Press `Shift+Tab` to\nstep it: **Ask → Accept Edits → Plan → Auto-Review → Full Access → Ask**. Plan\nis the Plan mode; every other stop is Work with that permission posture. The\nfooter shows the current stop and `Shift+Tab to change`. New installs start on\nAccept Edits when no permission posture is saved. An explicit saved choice,\nincluding Ask from an earlier version, stays in control.\n`Tab` only completes composer menus, commands, file mentions and suggestions;\nit never changes the mode, and never sends or queues composer text (use\n`Enter`).\nEvery change of effective permission writes a `Permissions changed to …` line\nin the transcript.\nPress `Ctrl+T` to cycle reasoning effort.\nRun `/mode` to open the mode picker, or switch directly with `/mode work` or\n`/mode plan`. `operate` and its spellings still parse, as Work, and say that\nOperate was retired, so an older setting or script never errors.\n\nThe picker has two groups. **Conversation mode** lists the modes the Engine\noffers, Standard mode and Creator mode, each with a one-line description; a\nmode that cannot be used yet is listed, disabled, with its reason. **Permissions**\nholds Work and Plan, still on `1` and `2`; the conversation modes have no\nnumber keys. A conversation's mode is chosen before its first message and is\nfixed after it: `/mode creator` or the picker's first group changes a blank\nconversation in place, and after the first message the picker shows the group\nas locked and `/mode creator` is refused with a note to start a new\nconversation. `/new` starts a Standard conversation, `/new creator` starts a\nCreator mode conversation (`--force` still combines). Resume, `/load`, `/fork`\nand `/clear` keep the conversation's saved mode, and the mode name appears in the\nfooter when it is not Standard. A mode never changes a permission: Creator\nmode in Plan is still Plan. `codewhale` and `codewhale exec` take\n`--conversation-mode <MODE>` to start a new session in a mode; with `--resume`,\n`--session-id` or `--continue` it must match the session's saved mode, or the\nrun exits with code 2 before any model call.\n\n- **Plan**: design-first prompting. The stable primitive names remain familiar, but the runtime centrally refuses file mutation and shell execution. Read-only inspection and policy-allowed research, including deferred Web search/fetch, remain available. When a Plan turn successfully finishes a nonempty response, including a prose-only plan, the TUI asks how to continue: Work (Ask), Work (Accept Edits), Work (Auto-Review), or keep planning. Work sends the exact approved response as a normal follow-up and preserves that turn's existing To-dos, or adds one pending plan item without replacing unrelated work.\n- **Work** (internally `agent`): ordinary multi-step execution. The first-turn toolbox includes `read`, `write`, `edit`, `file_search`, `grep_files`, `bash`, `agent`, `todo_write`, `present`, and `load_skill`, plus `create_goal`, `get_goal`, `update_goal`, and `task_shell_wait` so goal and background-shell controls are available without discovery. The agent calls `create_goal` when a request is a durable objective; the host never infers a goal from wording, and the contract must not tell the model otherwise. Approval, sandbox, repository law, and managed policy decide what may execute.\n- **Operate is retired.** It was Work with an orchestration contract, and that contract now lives in every session's constitution: make a goal of a durable request, keep the plan visible, fan independent work out to parallel sub-agents, and have an independent reviewer try to refute a non-trivial change. A saved `default_mode = \"operate\"` loads as Work and says so once; a Runtime API request with `mode: \"operate\"` runs as `agent` with tLine truncated
       },
       {
         "path": "docs/public-surface-facts.json",

web/data/features.generated.json

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   "format": "codewhale.features.v1",
   "source": {
     "path": "docs/features.toml",
-    "sha256": "4c4dfe17cea716328253c687d9d0665e1b24fc3b59d00f2a81cf1157dfea7072"
+    "sha256": "3b1dd6728ef545ca5928777d43f17bf47a5d993b279bc0b0b558440266375cf4"
   },
   "features": [
     {
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@
     {
       "id": "modes",
       "name": "Modes",
-      "summary": "Plan and Work modes; Plan is a stop on the Shift+Tab dial, Operate parses as Work; a finished plan offers work.",
+      "summary": "Plan and Work modes on the Shift+Tab dial; a conversation is Standard or Creator mode, fixed after its first message.",
       "status": "stable",
       "surfaces": {
         "tui": "stable",