feat(berdctl): select Auto modes for child chats

distro/skills/berd-help/references/berdctl.md

@@ -23,3 +23,28 @@ organized as `berdctl <noun> <verb>` (for example `berdctl session list`,
   recall.
 
 Use `berdctl session send` for an ordinary message from another session. Use `berdctl session notify` for an automated event such as a monitor update; it appears as a collapsed activity entry and still reaches the agent as context. Both commands support queueing, steering, source attribution, and idempotent delivery.
+
+## Child sessions with Auto routing
+
+Discover configured Goose Auto modes with
+`berdctl info models --harness-id goose --json`. The Goose entry's `auto_modes`
+array contains each mode's `id`, display `name`, and `is_default`; these ids are
+not concrete `models[].model_id` values.
+
+Create a child/sub-session with an explicit configured mode:
+
+```sh
+berdctl session create --prompt "Investigate this task" --harness-id goose \
+  --auto-mode-id <configured-mode-id> --json
+```
+
+For Auto Balanced, use the id of the configured Balanced mode, not its display
+name. Auto selects a model for each fresh prompt, rather than pinning one model
+for the whole child session. Do not combine `--auto-mode-id` with `--model-id`
+or a non-Goose harness. `--agent-id` may supply persona instructions while Auto
+selects the model. Creation and session metadata report `auto_mode_id`.
+
+There is no automatic inference from the parent or active UI session. Without
+`--auto-mode-id`, existing creation behavior is unchanged: the configured Auto
+default applies only when harness, model, and agent are all omitted. Pass the
+mode explicitly when delegating so the child's intended routing is unambiguous.

src-tauri/crates/berdctl/api-surface-feedback.json

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
       "description": "Manage the user's chat sessions: create (fire-and-forget, on any installed agent harness), send, notify, open, list, get, rename, move, move to group, clear project, send to a live voice Spokesperson, dismiss voice handoffs, fork, archive.",
       "actions": {
         "create": {
-          "description": "Create a new chat session on any installed agent harness and send the prompt in it. Fire-and-forget: returns the session id immediately and the session runs in the background without changing what the user sees; the user can open it themselves. Use --from to give the delegating session or tool a concise visible label on the initial message. Only check on it later (action \"get\") if the user asks.",
+          "description": "Create a new chat session on any installed agent harness and send the prompt in it. Fire-and-forget: returns the session id immediately and the session runs in the background without changing what the user sees; the user can open it themselves. Use --from to give the delegating session or tool a concise visible label on the initial message. Use --auto-mode-id to select a configured Goose Auto mode explicitly; no parent or active UI session selection is inferred. Only check on it later (action \"get\") if the user asks.",
           "fields": [
             {
               "name": "prompt",
@@ -28,6 +28,13 @@
               "kind": "string",
               "description": "Id of the model to use (from `berdctl info models`)."
             },
+            {
+              "name": "auto_mode_id",
+              "required": false,
+              "kind": "string",
+              "description": "Configured Goose Auto mode id (from `berdctl info models --harness-id goose`). Routes each fresh prompt; cannot combine with --model-id or a non-Goose harness. With --agent-id, keeps persona instructions while Auto selects the model.",
+              "min": 1
+            },
             {
               "name": "agent_id",
               "required": false,
@@ -75,6 +82,11 @@
                 "description": "Id of the model to use (from `berdctl info models`).",
                 "type": "string"
               },
+              "auto_mode_id": {
+                "description": "Configured Goose Auto mode id (from `berdctl info models --harness-id goose`). Routes each fresh prompt; cannot combine with --model-id or a non-Goose harness. With --agent-id, keeps persona instructions while Auto selects the model.",
+                "type": "string",
+                "minLength": 1
+              },
               "agent_id": {
                 "description": "Id of the agent (persona) to use (from `berdctl agent list`).",
                 "type": "string"
@@ -1445,7 +1457,7 @@
           }
         },
         "list_models": {
-          "description": "List the models available per agent harness (same source as the app's model picker); omit harness_id to cover every ready harness in one call. Use a model_id (and its harness_id) when creating a session.",
+          "description": "List the models available per agent harness (same source as the app's model picker); omit harness_id to cover every ready harness in one call. Goose also lists configured Auto modes separately in auto_modes. Use --auto-mode-id for those ids, or --model-id for a concrete model when creating a session.",
           "fields": [
             {
               "name": "harness_id",

src-tauri/crates/berdctl/api-surface.json

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
       "description": "Manage the user's chat sessions: create (fire-and-forget, on any installed agent harness), send, notify, open, list, get, rename, move, move to group, clear project, send to a live voice Spokesperson, dismiss voice handoffs, fork, archive.",
       "actions": {
         "create": {
-          "description": "Create a new chat session on any installed agent harness and send the prompt in it. Fire-and-forget: returns the session id immediately and the session runs in the background without changing what the user sees; the user can open it themselves. Use --from to give the delegating session or tool a concise visible label on the initial message. Only check on it later (action \"get\") if the user asks.",
+          "description": "Create a new chat session on any installed agent harness and send the prompt in it. Fire-and-forget: returns the session id immediately and the session runs in the background without changing what the user sees; the user can open it themselves. Use --from to give the delegating session or tool a concise visible label on the initial message. Use --auto-mode-id to select a configured Goose Auto mode explicitly; no parent or active UI session selection is inferred. Only check on it later (action \"get\") if the user asks.",
           "fields": [
             {
               "name": "prompt",
@@ -28,6 +28,13 @@
               "kind": "string",
               "description": "Id of the model to use (from `berdctl info models`)."
             },
+            {
+              "name": "auto_mode_id",
+              "required": false,
+              "kind": "string",
+              "description": "Configured Goose Auto mode id (from `berdctl info models --harness-id goose`). Routes each fresh prompt; cannot combine with --model-id or a non-Goose harness. With --agent-id, keeps persona instructions while Auto selects the model.",
+              "min": 1
+            },
             {
               "name": "agent_id",
               "required": false,
@@ -75,6 +82,11 @@
                 "description": "Id of the model to use (from `berdctl info models`).",
                 "type": "string"
               },
+              "auto_mode_id": {
+                "description": "Configured Goose Auto mode id (from `berdctl info models --harness-id goose`). Routes each fresh prompt; cannot combine with --model-id or a non-Goose harness. With --agent-id, keeps persona instructions while Auto selects the model.",
+                "type": "string",
+                "minLength": 1
+              },
               "agent_id": {
                 "description": "Id of the agent (persona) to use (from `berdctl agent list`).",
                 "type": "string"
@@ -1336,7 +1348,7 @@
           }
         },
         "list_models": {
-          "description": "List the models available per agent harness (same source as the app's model picker); omit harness_id to cover every ready harness in one call. Use a model_id (and its harness_id) when creating a session.",
+          "description": "List the models available per agent harness (same source as the app's model picker); omit harness_id to cover every ready harness in one call. Goose also lists configured Auto modes separately in auto_modes. Use --auto-mode-id for those ids, or --model-id for a concrete model when creating a session.",
           "fields": [
             {
               "name": "harness_id",

src-tauri/crates/berdctl/cli-surface-feedback.json

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
         "create": {
           "action": "create",
           "about": "Create a new chat session and send a prompt in it (fire-and-forget)",
-          "afterHelp": "Examples:\n  berdctl session create --prompt \"Triage the failing nightly build\" \\\n    --harness-id claude-acp --from \"the release orchestrator\" --json\n  berdctl session create --prompt \"Implement the fix\" \\\n    --project-id <project-id> --startup-name my-feature\n\nResult:\n  {\"session_id\": \"...\", \"title\": \"...\", \"harness_id\": \"...\",\n   \"send_status\": \"dispatched\"}\n  The session runs in the background; the user's view does not change. Check\n  progress later with `berdctl session get --session-id <session_id>`."
+          "afterHelp": "Examples:\n  berdctl session create --prompt \"Triage the failing nightly build\" \\\n    --harness-id claude-acp --from \"the release orchestrator\" --json\n  berdctl session create --prompt \"Implement the fix\" \\\n    --project-id <project-id> --startup-name my-feature\n\n  berdctl session create --prompt \"Investigate\" \\\n    --harness-id goose --auto-mode-id <configured-mode-id> --json\n\nResult:\n  {\"session_id\": \"...\", \"title\": \"...\", \"harness_id\": \"...\",\n   \"auto_mode_id\": \"...\"|null, \"send_status\": \"dispatched\"}\n  The session runs in the background; the user's view does not change. Check\n  progress later with `berdctl session get --session-id <session_id>`."
         },
         "send": {
           "action": "send",
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
         "get": {
           "action": "get",
           "about": "Read one session's metadata and optionally its latest messages",
-          "afterHelp": "Example:\n  berdctl session get --session-id <session-id> --messages 5 --json\n\nResult:\n  {\"session_id\": \"...\", \"title\": \"...\", \"harness_id\": \"...\",\n   \"model_id\": \"...\"|null, \"agent_id\": \"...\"|null,\n   \"project_id\": \"...\"|null, \"working_dir\": \"...\"|null,\n   \"created_at\": \"...\", \"updated_at\": \"...\", \"archived\": false,\n   \"is_running\": false, \"is_open_in_window\": false,\n   \"chat_state\": \"idle\", \"message_count\": 12,\n   \"messages\": [{\"role\": \"user\"|\"assistant\"|null, \"text\": \"...\"}, ...]}\n  \"messages\" is present only when --messages > 0; each message text is\n  truncated to 2000 chars."
+          "afterHelp": "Example:\n  berdctl session get --session-id <session-id> --messages 5 --json\n\nResult:\n  {\"session_id\": \"...\", \"title\": \"...\", \"harness_id\": \"...\",\n   \"model_id\": \"...\"|null, \"agent_id\": \"...\"|null, \"auto_mode_id\": \"...\"|null,\n   \"project_id\": \"...\"|null, \"working_dir\": \"...\"|null,\n   \"created_at\": \"...\", \"updated_at\": \"...\", \"archived\": false,\n   \"is_running\": false, \"is_open_in_window\": false,\n   \"chat_state\": \"idle\", \"message_count\": 12,\n   \"messages\": [{\"role\": \"user\"|\"assistant\"|null, \"text\": \"...\"}, ...]}\n  \"messages\" is present only when --messages > 0; each message text is\n  truncated to 2000 chars."
         },
         "rename": {
           "action": "rename",
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@
         "models": {
           "action": "list_models",
           "about": "List the models available per agent harness",
-          "afterHelp": "Example:\n  berdctl info models --harness-id goose --json\n\nResult:\n  {\"harnesses\": [{\"harness_id\": \"...\",\n                  \"models\": [{\"model_id\": \"...\", \"name\": \"...\",\n                              \"provider\": \"...\"?}],\n                  \"warning\": \"...\"?}]}\n  Use a model_id (with its harness) as --model-id when creating a session.\n  \"warning\" appears when a stale cached list was served or when the harness\n  manages its model outside the app."
+          "afterHelp": "Example:\n  berdctl info models --harness-id goose --json\n\nResult:\n  {\"harnesses\": [{\"harness_id\": \"...\",\n                  \"models\": [{\"model_id\": \"...\", \"name\": \"...\",\n                              \"provider\": \"...\"?}],\n                  \"auto_modes\": [{\"id\": \"...\", \"name\": \"...\", \"is_default\": true}]?,\n                  \"warning\": \"...\"?}]}\n  Use a model_id (with its harness) as --model-id when creating a session.\n  Goose auto_modes ids are not model ids; pass one as --auto-mode-id to route\n  each fresh prompt. auto_modes is omitted for non-Goose harnesses.\n  \"warning\" appears when a stale cached list was served or when the harness\n  manages its model outside the app."
         },
         "context": {
           "action": "get_context",

src-tauri/crates/berdctl/cli-surface.json

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
         "create": {
           "action": "create",
           "about": "Create a new chat session and send a prompt in it (fire-and-forget)",
-          "afterHelp": "Examples:\n  berdctl session create --prompt \"Triage the failing nightly build\" \\\n    --harness-id claude-acp --from \"the release orchestrator\" --json\n  berdctl session create --prompt \"Implement the fix\" \\\n    --project-id <project-id> --startup-name my-feature\n\nResult:\n  {\"session_id\": \"...\", \"title\": \"...\", \"harness_id\": \"...\",\n   \"send_status\": \"dispatched\"}\n  The session runs in the background; the user's view does not change. Check\n  progress later with `berdctl session get --session-id <session_id>`."
+          "afterHelp": "Examples:\n  berdctl session create --prompt \"Triage the failing nightly build\" \\\n    --harness-id claude-acp --from \"the release orchestrator\" --json\n  berdctl session create --prompt \"Implement the fix\" \\\n    --project-id <project-id> --startup-name my-feature\n\n  berdctl session create --prompt \"Investigate\" \\\n    --harness-id goose --auto-mode-id <configured-mode-id> --json\n\nResult:\n  {\"session_id\": \"...\", \"title\": \"...\", \"harness_id\": \"...\",\n   \"auto_mode_id\": \"...\"|null, \"send_status\": \"dispatched\"}\n  The session runs in the background; the user's view does not change. Check\n  progress later with `berdctl session get --session-id <session_id>`."
         },
         "send": {
           "action": "send",
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
         "get": {
           "action": "get",
           "about": "Read one session's metadata and optionally its latest messages",
-          "afterHelp": "Example:\n  berdctl session get --session-id <session-id> --messages 5 --json\n\nResult:\n  {\"session_id\": \"...\", \"title\": \"...\", \"harness_id\": \"...\",\n   \"model_id\": \"...\"|null, \"agent_id\": \"...\"|null,\n   \"project_id\": \"...\"|null, \"working_dir\": \"...\"|null,\n   \"created_at\": \"...\", \"updated_at\": \"...\", \"archived\": false,\n   \"is_running\": false, \"is_open_in_window\": false,\n   \"chat_state\": \"idle\", \"message_count\": 12,\n   \"messages\": [{\"role\": \"user\"|\"assistant\"|null, \"text\": \"...\"}, ...]}\n  \"messages\" is present only when --messages > 0; each message text is\n  truncated to 2000 chars."
+          "afterHelp": "Example:\n  berdctl session get --session-id <session-id> --messages 5 --json\n\nResult:\n  {\"session_id\": \"...\", \"title\": \"...\", \"harness_id\": \"...\",\n   \"model_id\": \"...\"|null, \"agent_id\": \"...\"|null, \"auto_mode_id\": \"...\"|null,\n   \"project_id\": \"...\"|null, \"working_dir\": \"...\"|null,\n   \"created_at\": \"...\", \"updated_at\": \"...\", \"archived\": false,\n   \"is_running\": false, \"is_open_in_window\": false,\n   \"chat_state\": \"idle\", \"message_count\": 12,\n   \"messages\": [{\"role\": \"user\"|\"assistant\"|null, \"text\": \"...\"}, ...]}\n  \"messages\" is present only when --messages > 0; each message text is\n  truncated to 2000 chars."
         },
         "rename": {
           "action": "rename",
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@
         "models": {
           "action": "list_models",
           "about": "List the models available per agent harness",
-          "afterHelp": "Example:\n  berdctl info models --harness-id goose --json\n\nResult:\n  {\"harnesses\": [{\"harness_id\": \"...\",\n                  \"models\": [{\"model_id\": \"...\", \"name\": \"...\",\n                              \"provider\": \"...\"?}],\n                  \"warning\": \"...\"?}]}\n  Use a model_id (with its harness) as --model-id when creating a session.\n  \"warning\" appears when a stale cached list was served or when the harness\n  manages its model outside the app."
+          "afterHelp": "Example:\n  berdctl info models --harness-id goose --json\n\nResult:\n  {\"harnesses\": [{\"harness_id\": \"...\",\n                  \"models\": [{\"model_id\": \"...\", \"name\": \"...\",\n                              \"provider\": \"...\"?}],\n                  \"auto_modes\": [{\"id\": \"...\", \"name\": \"...\", \"is_default\": true}]?,\n                  \"warning\": \"...\"?}]}\n  Use a model_id (with its harness) as --model-id when creating a session.\n  Goose auto_modes ids are not model ids; pass one as --auto-mode-id to route\n  each fresh prompt. auto_modes is omitted for non-Goose harnesses.\n  \"warning\" appears when a stale cached list was served or when the harness\n  manages its model outside the app."
         },
         "context": {
           "action": "get_context",

src-tauri/crates/berdctl/src/main.rs

@@ -416,6 +416,29 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn session_create_maps_auto_mode_id_onto_the_wire() {
+        let (command, args) = wire_of(&[
+            "berdctl",
+            "session",
+            "create",
+            "--prompt",
+            "hi",
+            "--harness-id",
+            "goose",
+            "--auto-mode-id",
+            "custom-balanced",
+        ]);
+        assert_eq!(command, "sessions");
+        assert_eq!(
+            Value::Object(args),
+            serde_json::json!({
+                "action": "create", "prompt": "hi", "harness_id": "goose",
+                "auto_mode_id": "custom-balanced",
+            })
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn project_create_collects_repeated_working_dirs() {
         let (command, args) = wire_of(&[
@@ -641,8 +664,9 @@ mod tests {
 it. Fire-and-forget: returns the session id immediately and the session runs in
 the background without changing what the user sees; the user can open it
 themselves. Use --from to give the delegating session or tool a concise visible
-label on the initial message. Only check on it later (action "get") if the user
-asks.
+label on the initial message. Use --auto-mode-id to select a configured Goose
+Auto mode explicitly; no parent or active UI session selection is inferred. Only
+check on it later (action "get") if the user asks.
 
 Usage: berdctl session create [OPTIONS] --prompt <PROMPT>
 
@@ -657,6 +681,12 @@ Options:
       --model-id <MODEL_ID>
           Id of the model to use (from `berdctl info models`).
 
+      --auto-mode-id <AUTO_MODE_ID>
+          Configured Goose Auto mode id (from `berdctl info models --harness-id
+          goose`). Routes each fresh prompt; cannot combine with --model-id or a
+          non-Goose harness. With --agent-id, keeps persona instructions while
+          Auto selects the model.
+
       --agent-id <AGENT_ID>
           Id of the agent (persona) to use (from `berdctl agent list`).
 
@@ -687,9 +717,12 @@ Examples:
   berdctl session create --prompt "Implement the fix" \
     --project-id <project-id> --startup-name my-feature
 
+  berdctl session create --prompt "Investigate" \
+    --harness-id goose --auto-mode-id <configured-mode-id> --json
+
 Result:
   {"session_id": "...", "title": "...", "harness_id": "...",
-   "send_status": "dispatched"}
+   "auto_mode_id": "..."|null, "send_status": "dispatched"}
   The session runs in the background; the user's view does not change. Check
   progress later with `berdctl session get --session-id <session_id>`.
 "#;