Reference
Tools index
What omp can do, what is available by default, and where to turn capabilities and approvals on or off.
Ask for the outcome
You normally do not choose or call a tool yourself. Tell omp what you want in ordinary language:
Find where checkout retries are configured, change the default to three, and verify the behavior.omp chooses the suitable search, editing, and execution capabilities. Name a capability only when you want to constrain the approach, such as “inspect this without running it,” “use the browser because the page requires sign-in,” or “do not use the shell.”
Use /tools in a session to see the capabilities that are actually available to the current model and project. This is the authoritative live view: settings, installed programs, model support, task depth, custom tools, and connected MCP servers can all change it.
Control what is available
- Open
/settingsand use Tools → Available Tools for persistent on/off switches. Related controls also live under Files, Shell, Memory, and Tasks. See Settings. - Start a restricted session with
omp --tools read,glob,grep, or with no built-ins usingomp --no-tools. A command-line restriction applies only to that session. - Use
omp --approval-mode always-ask,write, oryolofor a session. The persistent equivalents aretools.approvalModeand per-capabilitytools.approval.<name>policies (allow,prompt, ordeny). See Approvals. tools.xdevis on by default. It keeps less-frequently-used and dynamically discovered capabilities in an on-demand catalog rather than loading every description up front. Turning it off changes presentation, not what is permitted.
The approval classes below describe potential impact:
- Read inspects state without intentionally changing it.
- Write can change files or durable user data.
- Exec can run code, control a process, use a network account, or operate an application.
- Mixed depends on the action. For example, GitHub reading is Read while checkout or push is Exec.
The built-in approval mode currently defaults to yolo, which automatically allows all three classes. Choose always-ask if you want confirmation before Write and Exec actions, or deny a capability completely with a per-capability policy.
A project, plugin, custom tool, or MCP server is still code you must trust; an approval prompt is not a sandbox.
Explore code, files, and information
| Capability (selection name) | What you can ask for | Availability and prerequisites | Class | Configure / learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Read files and resources (read) | Explain files or directories; extract text from documents, notebooks, archives, images, SQLite databases, supported internal URLs, and known web pages. | On by default. Web-page reading also requires fetch.enabled (on by default); SSH and some image/PDF processing can execute local helpers. | Read; some remote/conversion paths are Exec | Working with files |
Find paths (glob) | Locate files and directories by name or glob pattern. | On by default with glob.enabled. | Read | Working with files |
Search contents (grep) | Search local or supported remote content with regular expressions and context. | On by default with grep.enabled. | Read; SSH search is Exec | Working with files |
Search code structurally (ast_grep) | Find syntax shapes independent of whitespace and formatting. | Off by default; enable astGrep.enabled. | Read | Structural edits |
Use language intelligence (lsp) | Find definitions and references, inspect symbols and diagnostics, apply code actions, and perform semantic renames. | On by default with lsp.enabled; the relevant language server must be installed or configured. --no-lsp disables it for a session. | Mixed: inspection is Read; fixes and renames are Write | Code intelligence |
Understand images (inspect_image) | Describe or answer questions about a local image through a vision-capable model. | inspect_image.mode defaults to auto: exposed when the active model cannot inspect images natively. Set it to on or off explicitly. Requires an available vision model. | Read | Settings |
Search the live web (web_search) | Research a topic and return current results with source links. | On by default with web_search.enabled; at least one configured search provider must be available. | Read | Web & browser |
Work with GitHub (github) | Read repositories, files, issues, PRs and diffs; search GitHub; check out PRs, push changes, and watch Actions. | Off by default; enable github.enabled. Requires the gh CLI and authentication for private or mutating operations. | Mixed: views/search are Read; checkout, push, and other account actions are Exec | GitHub |
Change code and run work
| Capability (selection name) | What you can ask for | Availability and prerequisites | Class | Configure / learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Make precise edits (edit) | Modify existing text files with checked, line-anchored patches. | On by default. | Write | Working with files |
Create or replace content (write) | Create or replace files and supported archive entries, or update supported SQLite rows and user-authored internal resources. | On by default. Also carries on-demand capability requests when tools.xdev is enabled. | Write; internal-resource updates may be treated as Read | Working with files |
Apply structural rewrites (ast_edit) | Preview syntax-aware codemods and then accept or reject them. | On by default with astEdit.enabled; ast-grep support must be available. A preview does not change files until approved. | Write | Structural edits |
Run shell commands (bash) | Build, test, inspect Git state, run one-off programs, and interact with a terminal process. | On by default with bash.enabled; --no-pty disables interactive PTY execution. Long commands can move to the background automatically. | Exec | Working with files |
Compute in a persistent kernel (eval) | Analyze data or run iterative Python, JavaScript, Ruby, or Julia computations while preserving state between steps. | Python and JavaScript backends are allowed by default; Ruby and Julia are opt-in. At least one allowed runtime must be reachable. | Exec | Working with files |
Debug programs (debug) | Launch or attach a debugger, set breakpoints, step, and inspect threads, stack frames, scopes, and variables. | On by default with debug.enabled, but appears only when a suitable DAP adapter/configuration is available. | Mixed: inspection is Read; launch and process control are Exec | Debugging |
Automate a browser (browser) | Open interactive or JavaScript-heavy pages, use authenticated tabs, fill forms, click controls, and capture screenshots. | On by default with browser.enabled. omp can launch a browser or attach through CDP, the browser relay, or a supported cmux surface; relay use requires its browser extension. | Exec | Web & browser |
Control the desktop (computer) | Inspect screens and accessibility state, then operate host applications with keyboard and pointer input. | Off by default; enable computer.enabled. Requires the supported desktop helper and OS screen-recording/accessibility permissions. | Mixed: inspection is Read; input is Exec | Computer control |
Scan for security findings (security_scan) | Plan and run native security checks and inspect published findings. | Off by default; enable security.enabled. Individual scanners may require their own installed binaries or credentials. | Exec | Security |
Generate or edit images (generate_image) | Create an image from a description or transform supplied images. | Off by default; enable generate_image.enabled. Requires credentials for a supported image provider. | Write | Settings |
Generate speech (tts) | Turn text into an audio file with local speech generation or a configured voice provider. | Off by default; enable speechgen.enabled. The selected path may require a local model download or provider credentials. | Write | Settings |
Coordinate, supervise, and recover
| Capability (selection name) | What you can ask for | Availability and prerequisites | Class | Configure / learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Answer a structured question (ask) | Let omp pause for a choice, confirmation, or missing detail when it cannot safely derive the answer. | On by default with ask.enabled; notification and timeout behavior are configurable. | Read | Settings |
Track phases (todo) | Keep a visible multi-step checklist and mark work blocked, active, or complete. | On by default with todo.enabled; goal/subagent modes may use their own completion surface instead. | Read | Subagents |
Delegate work (task) | Fan independent work out to specialist subagents, optionally in isolated workspaces, and collect their results. | Available by default while task.maxRecursionDepth permits another level (default depth: 2). Agent definitions and spawn policy can further restrict choices. | Exec | Subagents |
Coordinate peers and processes (hub) | Message peer agents, follow or cancel background jobs, and supervise shared long-running processes such as dev servers and debuggers. | Available when collaboration is possible at the current task depth. Process supervision also depends on launch.enabled (on by default). | Mixed: status and peer messages are Read; starting or driving processes is Exec | Subagents |
Save and return to context (checkpoint, rewind) | Mark a conversational checkpoint and later return the session to it. | Both are off by default and enabled together with checkpoint.enabled; primarily available to top-level sessions. | Read | Settings |
Remember and improve
Memory is off by default. Choose a backend under /settings → Memory before expecting these capabilities in /tools.
| Capability (selection name) | What you can ask for | Availability and prerequisites | Class | Configure / learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Recall durable knowledge (recall) | Retrieve relevant facts or past lessons. | Available with the hindsight or mnemopi backend. | Read | Memory |
Retain durable knowledge (retain) | Save a fact, decision, or lesson for future sessions. | Available with the hindsight or mnemopi backend. | Read under the memory service's own policy | Memory |
Reflect across memories (reflect) | Synthesize or relate stored knowledge. | Available with the hindsight or mnemopi backend. | Read | Memory |
Maintain Mnemopi memory (memory_edit) | Inspect, update, merge, or remove records in the local Mnemopi store. | Available only with the mnemopi backend. | Read under the memory subsystem's own policy | Memory |
Capture a reusable lesson (learn) | Save a lesson and, when useful, turn it into a managed skill. | Off by default; requires autolearn.enabled and a local, hindsight, or mnemopi memory backend. | Mixed: memory-only capture can be Read; files or skills are Write | Memory |
Maintain managed skills (manage_skill) | Create, improve, inspect, or retire auto-learned skills. | Off by default with autolearn.enabled; normally exposed only in a top-level session. | Write | Skills |
Outcome-oriented built-in workflows
These are user entry points rather than general-purpose tools, but they may use several capabilities above on your behalf.
| Workflow | First action | What it does | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Code review | Run /review, then choose a base branch, uncommitted changes, a commit, a PR, or custom instructions. | Distributes a diff across reviewer agents and returns prioritized findings. | Review |
| Commit | Run omp commit; add --dry-run when you only want a preview. | Analyzes changes, proposes conventional commit grouping and changelog updates, then commits; pushing is opt-in. | Commit |
| Goal mode | Run /guided-goal for an interview, or /goal when the objective is already clear. | Keeps working toward one durable, budgeted objective across turns. Its mode-only helper appears only while goal mode needs it. | Goal mode |
| Plan mode | Run /plan before asking for a risky or ambiguous implementation. | Restricts the planning phase to read-only exploration and presents a plan for review before execution. | Plan mode |
| Vibe mode | Run /vibe [prompt] to start direct persistent fast/good worker sessions. | Turns the main session into a director that starts, steers, verifies, and stops persistent workers. | Vibe mode |
| Autoresearch | Add an autoresearch.sh benchmark harness to a clean Git worktree, then run /autoresearch [goal]. | Runs repeated benchmark-backed experiments on a dedicated autoresearch/* branch. Some reset/discard controls are destructive; review the dashboard and baseline first. | Modes |
Internal completion and reasoning helpers used by goal mode, subagents, or some model families are intentionally not user-selectable capabilities and are not shown as things to configure.
Add capabilities
The live /tools list can contain more than the built-ins above:
| Source | How it becomes available | Trust and configuration |
|---|---|---|
| Custom tools | omp discovers user- or project-authored JavaScript/TypeScript tools when a session starts. | They run as your user. Review project code before loading it; see Custom tools. |
| MCP servers | Connected servers publish their own tools and resources; project .mcp.json/mcp.json discovery is allowed by default. | A server may reach external accounts or execute local code. Configure and authenticate it through MCP. |
| Extensions and plugins | Trusted extensions can register tools; plugins can bundle tools with commands, agents, rules, or server configuration. | Inspect the source and declared contents before enabling it; see Extensions and Plugins. |
| Host applications | SDK, RPC, and ACP hosts can supply capabilities for their session. | Availability and approval are controlled by that host; see SDK, RPC, and ACP. |
Report a capability problem
Automated tool QA (xd://report_issue) is on by default with dev.autoqa. When omp detects behavior that contradicts a capability's documented contract, it can record a report; the first report asks whether you consent to sharing it. Use omp grievances to inspect recorded reports, and change Tools → Developer → Auto QA in /settings to disable reporting. This support path does not give omp another way to modify your project.
If a capability you expected is missing, check /tools, then its enable setting and prerequisite above. Restart the session after changing discovered tool, extension, plugin, or MCP configuration so the live catalog can be rebuilt.
Working with files
Explore, edit, search, and manage files and directories.
Approvals
Control prompts and permissions for tool actions.
MCP
Connect Model Context Protocol servers and capabilities.
Custom tools
Author and discover custom JavaScript and TypeScript tools.
Source: omp.sh — MIT, Stencil Labs. Initially imported on 2026-10-03; updates via automatic sync.
Get started
Reference
OMP Docs· always in sync with upstream