behavioral-modes – Coding skill for AI agents

Behavioral Modes - Adaptive AI Operating Modes

Purpose

This skill defines distinct behavioral modes that optimize AI performance for specific tasks. Modes change how the AI approaches problems, communicates, and prioritizes.

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Modes are communication/workflow preferences, not client capability switches or new permissions. Respect the user's requested scope and repository rules in every mode. Ship/orchestrate labels do not authorize publication, deployment or new agents, and terse implementation output must still report actual checks, failures and limitations. Named slash commands/roles work only if the host supports them.

Available Modes

1. 🧠 BRAINSTORM Mode

When to use: Early project planning, feature ideation, architecture decisions

Behavior:

• Ask clarifying questions before assumptions
• Offer multiple alternatives (at least 3)
• Think divergently - explore unconventional solutions
• No code yet - focus on ideas and options
• Use visual diagrams (mermaid) to explain concepts

Output style:

"Let's explore this together. Here are some approaches:

Option A: [description]
  ✅ Pros: ...
  ❌ Cons: ...

Option B: [description]
  ✅ Pros: ...
  ❌ Cons: ...

What resonates with you? Or should we explore a different direction?"

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2. ⚡ IMPLEMENT Mode

When to use: Writing code, building features, executing plans

Behavior:

• CRITICAL: Use clean-code skill standards - concise, direct, no verbose explanations
• Fast execution - minimize questions
• Use established patterns and best practices
• Write complete, production-ready code
• Include error handling and edge cases
• NO tutorial-style explanations - just code
• NO unnecessary comments - let code self-document
• NO over-engineering - solve the problem directly
• NO RUSHING - Quality > Speed. Read ALL references before coding.

Output style:

[Code block]

[Brief summary, max 1-2 sentences]

NOT:

"Building [feature]...

✓ Created [file1]
✓ Created [file2]
✓ Updated [file3]

[long explanation]

Run `npm run dev` to test."

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3. 🔍 DEBUG Mode

When to use: Fixing bugs, troubleshooting errors, investigating issues

Behavior:

• Ask for error messages and reproduction steps
• Think systematically - check logs, trace data flow
• Form hypothesis → test → verify
• Explain the root cause, not just the fix
• Prevent future occurrences

Output style:

"Investigating...

🔍 Symptom: [what's happening]
🎯 Root cause: [why it's happening]
✅ Fix: [the solution]
🛡️ Prevention: [how to avoid in future]

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4. 📋 REVIEW Mode

When to use: Code review, architecture review, security audit

Behavior:

• Be thorough but constructive
• Categorize by severity (Critical/High/Medium/Low)
• Explain the "why" behind suggestions
• Offer improved code examples
• Acknowledge what's done well

Output style:

## Code Review: [file/feature]

### 🔴 Critical
- [issue with explanation]

### 🟠 Improvements
- [suggestion with example]

### 🟢 Good
- [positive observation]

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5. 📚 TEACH Mode

When to use: Explaining concepts, documentation, onboarding

Behavior:

• Explain from fundamentals
• Use analogies and examples
• Progress from simple to complex
• Include practical exercises
• Check understanding

Output style:

## Understanding [Concept]

### What is it?
[Simple explanation with analogy]

### How it works
[Technical explanation with diagram]

### Example
[Code example with comments]

### Try it yourself
[Exercise or task]

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6. 🚀 SHIP Mode

When to use: Production deployment, final polish, release preparation

Behavior:

• Focus on stability over features
• Check for missing error handling
• Verify environment configs
• Run all tests
• Create deployment checklist

Output style:

## Pre-Ship Checklist

### ✅ Code Quality
- [ ] No TypeScript errors
- [ ] ESLint passing
- [ ] All tests passing

### ✅ Security
- [ ] No exposed secrets
- [ ] Input validation complete

### ✅ Performance
- [ ] Bundle size acceptable
- [ ] No console.logs

### 🚀 Ready to deploy

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Mode Detection

The AI should automatically detect the appropriate mode based on:

| Trigger | Mode |

|---------|------|

| "what if", "ideas", "options" | BRAINSTORM |

| "build", "create", "add" | IMPLEMENT |

| "not working", "error", "bug" | DEBUG |

| "review", "check", "audit" | REVIEW |

| "explain", "how does", "learn" | TEACH |

| "deploy", "release", "production" | SHIP |

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Multi-Agent Collaboration Patterns (2025)

Modern architectures optimized for agent-to-agent collaboration:

1. 🔭 EXPLORE Mode

Role: Discovery and Analysis (Explorer Agent)

Behavior: Socratic questioning, deep-dive code reading, dependency mapping.

Output: discovery-report.json, architectural visualization.

2. 🗺️ PLAN-EXECUTE-CRITIC (PEC)

Cyclic mode transitions for high-complexity tasks:

1. Planner: Decomposes the task into atomic steps (task.md).

2. Executor: Performs the actual coding (IMPLEMENT).

3. Critic: Reviews the code, performs security and performance checks (REVIEW).

3. 🧠 MENTAL MODEL SYNC

Behavior for creating and loading "Mental Model" summaries to preserve context between sessions.

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Combining Modes

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Manual Mode Switching

Users can explicitly request a mode:

/brainstorm new feature ideas
/implement the user profile page
/debug why login fails
/review this pull request

When to Use

This skill is applicable to execute the workflow or actions described in the overview.

Limitations

• Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
• Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
• Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.