Modes

A mode says who does the work in each stage: an agent, a human, or a human with an agent in the same session. The mode does not change the gates (see gates.md). The profile sets the gates.

Actors and drivers

• An actor is a human or an agent that fills a role.
• The driver of a stage is the actor that does the work in that stage.

Driver value	Meaning
agent	An agent does the work in its own session. A human answers questions only.
human	A human does the work. No agent changes files in this stage.
pair	A human does the work with an agent in the same session. The human decides each change.
checks	Programs do the work. No actor. Used only for Verify.

Roles are actor-neutral. A human or an agent can fill any role.

Separation rule for all actors

The separation rule (P2) applies to each actor, human or agent:

1. The actor that fills the implementer role MUST NOT fill the tester or reviewer role for the same item.
2. A pair session counts as one actor. The human and the agent in it are both the implementer.
3. If a human implements, an agent tester or a different human writes the tests.
4. If an agent implements, an agent in a fresh session or a human writes the tests.

Presets

Each profile has a default preset. A repo or a ticket can select a different preset or change single stage drivers (see customization.md).

Stage	agent-centric	hybrid	human-centric
Intake	agent	agent	human
Shape	agent (interviews the human)	agent (interviews the human)	human
Plan	agent	human, or pair	human, or pair
Build	agent	agent	human, or pair
Test	agent	agent	agent
Verify	checks	checks	checks
Review	agent, then human at G4	agent, then human at G4	agent, then human at G4
Deliver	agent (after G4)	human	human
Learn	human	human	human

Caption: the agent always writes the tests in human-centric mode, because the human is the implementer (separation rule 3). Verify and Learn are the same in all modes.

When to use each preset

Preset	Use when	Typical trigger	Runs where
agent-centric	The input is complete and the work is routine. Ticket in, draft PR out.	A label, a schedule, a CI event	CI or a cloud session
hybrid	A human must own the design, but an agent can do the build.	A command after G2	CI or a local session
human-centric	The work needs human judgment in the build: new design, unclear domain, or learning.	A person starts it	A local session

Rules

1. The mode MUST NOT remove or add a gate. G3 and G5 stay on in each mode.
2. The decision log is required for each stage that an agent drives. A human driver MAY skip it.
3. An agent-driven stage MUST write its state to files before its session ends (P8). A human-driven stage SHOULD do the same when the work stops for more than one day.
4. Each item records its mode and its stage drivers. The lifecycle metrics compare the modes (see lifecycle.md).
5. A stage driver can change during an item, for example from agent to pair after 3 failed loops. The change is recorded in the decision log.

Solo developer

A solo developer is often the only human. In human-centric mode, that human implements and also approves G4. This is the only exception to gate rule 3. All of these conditions MUST be true:

1. The repo config states owners.solo: true.
2. An agent reviewer in a fresh session reported on the PR.
3. All checks (G3) passed.
4. The PR records that the solo exception applied.