Agent

Agent Mode is Sidekick's primary AI assistant mode. It gives the AI full access to your project—reading files, writing code, searching your codebase, and running terminal commands—to help you build faster.

Overview

What Agent Can Do

In Agent Mode, the AI has access to powerful tools to help you:

File Operations

• Read Files — View any file in your project with optional line ranges
• Write File — Create new files or completely rewrite existing ones
• Edit File — Make targeted changes using find-and-replace
• Scan Folder — List directory contents recursively or shallow
• File Tree — Display your project structure

Search & Analysis

• Search Files — Full-text pattern search across your codebase
• Grep Files — Regular expression search with context
• Memory — Save and retrieve project-specific notes and context

Development

• Terminal — Execute shell commands (requires your approval)
• MCP Tools — Access external tools via Model Context Protocol
• Web Search — Search the internet for information
• Subagents — Delegate to specialized analysis agents

How to Use Agent Mode

Help me refactor the authentication logic in @src/auth/login.ts

Find all places where we handle API errors and show me the patterns used

Create a new utility function that validates email addresses

Terminal Command Approval

For security, Agent Mode requires your approval before running terminal commands.

When the AI wants to run a command, you'll see:

• The command text it wants to execute
• Skip button — Reject this command
• Run button — Execute the command
• Run & Allowlist — Run and auto-approve this command in the future

Allowlisting Commands

For commands you trust and use frequently (like npm test or git status), use Run & Allowlist. These commands will run automatically in the future without prompting.

Visual Indicators

While the AI is working, you'll see:

Each tool call displays:

• Tool name and icon
• Input parameters (what the AI requested)
• Results or output (when complete)
• Timestamp

Best Practices

Be Specific

Instead of vague requests, provide context:

Fix my code

Fix the null pointer exception in @src/utils/parser.ts 
where we access user.profile without checking if user exists

Use File Mentions

Type @ to mention specific files or folders. This gives the AI direct context:

Review @src/components/Button.tsx for accessibility issues

Search for API calls in @src/services/

Enable Extended Thinking

For complex analysis tasks, toggle Extended Thinking in the input area. The AI will take more time but produce more thorough results.

When to Use Agent Mode

Related

• Plan Mode — For strategic planning before implementation
• Browser Mode — For web automation and testing
• Custom Agents — Create specialized assistants