Mode Map

Workcell uses these terms:

• Tier 1: A provider CLI runs fully inside the bounded Workcell runtime.
• strict: This term identifies the default managed Tier 1 mode.

The --mode option selects one of four modes.

Mode	Use	Main properties
strict	Default provider work	Workcell uses the VM and container boundary, reviewed network controls, repository control-plane masks, the provider entrypoint, and default --agent-autonomy yolo.
development	Managed interactive development	Workcell uses the same boundary and masks as strict. This mode permits managed non-provider commands and more dependency endpoints. It has lower assurance than strict.
build	Image preparation and dependency updates	This mode permits the broader network access that the build path needs.
breakglass	Higher-trust debugging	This mode requires --ack-breakglass=YYYY-MM-DD with the current UTC date. It has lower assurance than the managed modes.

Container mutability

The --container-mutability option is independent of --mode.

• ephemeral is the default. It permits package-manager changes in the disposable container and labels the session managed-mutable.
• readonly blocks package-manager writes. Use --mode strict --container-mutability readonly for the strongest managed posture.

Other defaults

• You must select an agent with --agent.
• --agent-autonomy yolo is the default. --agent-autonomy prompt is an explicit lower-assurance choice.
• --cache-profile off is the default.
• --cache-profile standard keeps workspace-scoped package and compiler caches. It does not keep secret provider state. It is an explicit lower-assurance choice.
• A strict launch prepares the reviewed runtime image when the image is missing or stale.
• An interactive launch shows a spinner and elapsed time. Use --no-spinner for plain status updates.
• Use --prepare or --prepare-only when you must prepare the image as a separate step.

See invariants.md for the controls that apply to each mode. See safe-path-expectations.md for operator examples.