Agents app
Documentation

Version Latest

Starting and reviewing a task

Start a session in the Agents app, choose the folder, isolation, engine, permissions and model, set your intent and context, then review the agent's changes, give feedback and apply them.

This page walks through one task from start to applied change.

1. Start a new session

Choose New Session (or New Session in Folder...). The new-session view opens with the chat at full width.

Above the input, choose:

PickerChoice
WorkspaceThe folder to work in. Open Folder... adds one; no workspace makes a quick chat. Before an agent works in a folder you are told: "An agent session will be able to read files, run commands, and make changes in this folder."
RepositoryThe repository, when the workspace holds several
HarnessThe engine that runs the session, for example Claude or Codex
IsolationNew Worktree creates a separate copy for the session on a new branch; Branch works in the existing repository
BranchFor a new worktree, the base branch (the current branch's upstream when there is one, otherwise the default branch); for Branch, the branch to check out

Inside the input, depending on the engine: Add Context (files, folders and other attachments), Agent, Mode, Permissions and Model.

Your choice of Permissions or Mode is a preference: your organisation's policy wins over it, and bypass modes are turned off under governance. Each action is still decided when the agent takes it.

Set your intent

When your organisation's policy requires an intent for the repository, the new-session toolbar asks for one before the session starts: the work item from your tracker and the requirements the task addresses. The agent host refuses sessions in that repository until it is set, including sessions in a worktree. See Intent, projects and releases.

Choose organisation context

When your organisation uses the Context Platform, the new-session toolbar has Context lens, Context snapshot and Context status entries. They set the selection the first request of the next session takes. Without a selection, the space of the project the repository belongs to is used. See Organisation context.

2. Describe the task and submit

Write the task in the input and submit. The session appears in the sessions list. While it runs:

  • Needs approval: when an action needs approval, the session shows the rule and the reason and waits for you. See Approvals and governance.
  • Needs input: the session row and section show when an agent is waiting for you.
  • The agent's terminals do not inherit your credentials, and tool results are redacted before they reach the model. See Secrets and agent terminals.

You can start other sessions meanwhile. See Sessions and parallel work.

3. Review the changes

The side pane opens on Changes when the session reports its first file changes.

  • Changes is a multi-diff of every file the session changed, with a Branch Changes dropdown and diff statistics. Collapse All Diffs and Expand All Diffs help with long changes; the changes tree lists the files.
  • The Changes pill in the session header opens the Changes tab from anywhere.
  • Files shows a file or the explorer; Browser is the integrated browser. + adds a tab.
  • The detail panel on the right shows the branch's changes and checks for Changes, or the file explorer for Files.

Give feedback on a line

In the diff, choose Add Feedback on a line or range, write a comment, and Add or Add and Submit. Feedback comments are attached to your next message to the agent, so it can fix what you pointed at.

Keep or discard

Keeping what an agent changed is itself an action your organisation's policy decides. When a control or approval rule covers the change set (for example two reviewers for safety-classified code), keeping it needs signed approvals from other enrolled people: choose Request Approval in the dialog, commit .neuralinverse/records, and try again once they have signed. See Approvals and signatures.

4. Apply the result

ActionWhen
Apply Changes to Parent RepositoryThe session worked in a worktree: merges the worktree's branch into the parent repository ("Applied changes to parent repository."). If the parent has diverged, the merge fails and you resolve the conflicts by hand.
Create PROpen a pull request for the session's branch. See Pull requests.
Open in EditorContinue in the Editor with the session's folder and chat. See Working with the Editor.

Once the git hooks are installed, commits made in the app and in its terminals carry your intent's Work-Item: trailer, and the commit gate runs as for any commit.

Layout shortcuts

The side pane has three states (editor and detail, detail only, editor only) and can be closed for a chat-only view. On macOS:

ShortcutAction
⌥⌘LToggle Details (when Changes or Files is active)
⌥⌘EMaximise or restore the editor area
⇧⌘K BAdd a Browser tab
⌘K SAdd a Search tab (workspace sessions)
⌘K BAdd a Files tab

Hide Editor and Show Editor in the tab strip collapse and restore the editor content while keeping the detail panel. Toggle Side Panel closes or opens the whole side pane. Toggle Sessions List collapses the list on the left.

Last reviewed 17 October 2026View as Markdown

Starting and reviewing a task · Docs · Neural Inverse