Approvals and questions
How much a bot may do without asking, approval cards, the command allowlist, time limits and questions bots ask you.
Approval modes
The approval button by the message box sets how much bots on that host ask:
| Mode | What happens |
|---|---|
| Ask for approval | Reads files in the workspace freely. Asks before changing files, running commands or using the web. |
| Auto accept edits | Creates and edits files in the workspace without asking. Asks before running commands. |
| Let the model decide | The model flags risky actions and only those ask. Anything outside the workspace still asks. |
| Full access | Never asks. The model can change files and run commands anywhere on the machine the bot runs on. |
Approval cards
A card shows what the bot wants to do, why, and any paths outside the workspace. Choose:
- Allow: just this action.
- Always allow in this chat: this kind of action, for the rest of the conversation (not offered for paths outside the workspace).
- Always allow "
<command>" (commands only): the command, with any arguments, runs without asking from now on, in every chat. It's added to the host's allowlist. - Deny: the bot is told no and carries on without it.
Cards stay in the chat if you leave it, and come back when you reopen it.
The command allowlist
Settings → General lists the commands bots on that host run without asking, such as git status or npm test. Commands that are chained, piped or redirected (&&, |, >) always ask, even when each part is allowed. Pick a server in Settings to edit its list.
Waiting for an answer
Settings → General → Waiting for approval sets how long cards wait: 5 or 15 minutes, 30 minutes (the default), 1 or 4 hours, or Until the reply ends. When time runs out, the card shows No answer in time and the bot is told the request wasn't approved, so it can carry on another way or stop and explain.
Questions from bots
When a bot needs a decision, it can pause and ask you one to four questions on a card in the chat. Each question has options (pick one, or several where allowed) and a box for your own answer. With more than one question they appear one at a time with tabs, and answering moves to the next.
- Send answer gives the answers straight back to the bot, and it carries on with the same work.
- Skip tells it to decide for itself; it says what it chose.
Questions use the same waiting time as approvals. Unanswered ones count as skipped.