Configuration

Configuration file

The default application runs locally with SQLite and a loopback listener. Start with config/s-code.example.toml.

For an installed application, the normal first-use path is:

s-code setup
s-code doctor

This creates a private ~/.s-code/config.toml and changes only model settings when updating an existing valid file.

Validate or print the redacted effective daemon configuration:

cargo run --locked -p s-code-config -- \
  validate --component daemon --config config/s-code.example.toml
cargo run --locked -p s-code-config -- \
  print-effective --component daemon --config config/s-code.example.toml

Model editing formats

S-Code exposes one editing format and its matching system instructions to the selected model. All formats use the same permissions, revision checks and Turn undo records. Configure the format in your existing [model] table:

[model]
editing_mode = "auto"

[model.editing_overrides]
"my-fast-endpoint" = "text"
"my-local-model" = "lines"

Supported values are auto, lines, text and patch.

Automatic selection checks the final slash-separated model-name component, case-insensitively. For routed endpoints it uses provider_model, not the endpoint alias. An exact override for the selected endpoint ID takes precedence over an override for its underlying model, followed by editing_mode. An auto override restores family detection for that entry. Restart the service after changing configuration.

These defaults are compatibility heuristics, not benchmark rankings. You can force the same format across models for controlled comparisons. The selected session model determines the format for a Turn, including resumes; fallback providers receive the same schema and instructions within that Turn.

See file edits for multi-file examples and the supported patch syntax.

Precedence

Configuration precedence is defaults, an explicit configuration file, allowed development environment variables and explicit command overrides. Production profiles reject ordinary environment and command overrides. Secret values must come from explicitly named secret_references; effective configuration output redacts them.

Secrets

The browser is not a configuration or secret store. In direct-provider mode, the local daemon resolves the configured environment handle and can access that credential value. In independent-proxy mode, the proxy process owns the provider credential and the daemon connects without it. Use an external secret manager where appropriate in either topology.

Local state

The default database is ~/.s-code/state/s-code.db, not the current working directory. A fresh file automatically receives a private managed key at ~/.s-code/state/.s-code.db.storage-key; sensitive fields are stored as AES-256-GCM envelopes. Existing non-empty plaintext databases are detected and never silently rewritten. s-code doctor reports their legacy status and fails before they are treated as suitable for sensitive work.

Managed encryption limits disclosure when a database file is copied alone; it does not protect against an attacker who already controls the same operating- system account and can read the complete state directory. Use full-disk encryption and normal account security for that threat.

MCP

MCP is disabled by default. When enabled, use absolute executable paths, bounded arguments and environment-variable handles rather than secret values. Every MCP tool still enters the ordinary policy, approval and audit path.

The Preview loads actor-scoped MCP runtimes only in the local development_token authentication mode. In team_grant mode the daemon fails closed: MCP runtime capabilities are unavailable and stored, configured, Plugin-provided and OAuth-backed MCP servers are not connected. Deploy separate local daemons for actors who need MCP until the shared runtime can route every registry and authorization provider by full Organization, Team and Actor scope.

Code Mode

Set model.code_mode = true to enable optional read-only JavaScript tool orchestration. It is disabled by default. See Code Mode for the available tools, limits and visible child-call history.