Qoder CLI Core Concepts and Terminology
This page summarizes the core concepts and terminology used in the Qoder CLI documentation for quick reference.
Product and Brand
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Qoder | The AI-Native CLI brand for global users. |
| Qoder CLI | The full product name. |
qodercli | The command name entered by users in the terminal. |
General Technical Terms
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Terminal | The text-based interface environment where users interact with the CLI. |
| Subcommand | The action word following qodercli, such as login and commit. |
| Flag | Command-line arguments, such as --model and --resume. |
| Environment Variable | System variables with the QODER_ prefix used to configure CLI behavior. |
| TUI | Text User Interface, the rich interactive interface within the terminal. |
| Headless Mode | A non-interactive mode suitable for environments like CI/CD, which suppresses confirmation prompts. |
| Sandbox | An isolated execution environment that restricts file system and network access for commands. |
Authentication
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Browser Login | The recommended sign-in method, which completes OAuth authentication via a browser. |
| Qoder PAT | Personal Access Token, suitable for CI/CD or browserless environments. |
Models
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Model Key | The unique identifier used to specify a model. |
| BYOK | Bring Your Own Key, allowing users to use custom models with their own API keys. |
| Default Models | The default tiered models provided, including Lite, Efficient, Auto, Performance, and Ultimate. |
| Custom Models | Custom models that support user-provided API keys. |
| Thinking Efforts | The thinking depth configured during model inference, such as low, medium, high, xhigh, and max. |
| Fast Mode | A fast mode offered by certain models that prioritizes response speed (/fast). |
| Context Window | The maximum amount of context the model can process at once. |
Agent and Session
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Agent | An AI assistant instance that executes tasks. |
| Subagent | An independent execution unit derived from the main agent, used for parallel processing of subtasks. |
| Session | A complete interactive session. |
| Memory | Persistent information remembered by the agent across sessions, retaining user preferences and project knowledge. |
| Memory File | Files that store memory, including user-level ~/.qoder/AGENTS.md, project-level AGENTS.md and AGENTS.local.md, as well as rule files under .qoder/rules/. |
| Worktree | Git worktree isolation that allows the agent to work on an independent branch without affecting the main directory. |
| Compaction | Automatic compression of historical messages when conversations become too long, keeping them within the context window. |
| Plan Mode | A working mode where the agent formulates a plan first and executes it only after user confirmation. |
| Goal Mode | A working mode where the agent continuously executes tasks around a specified goal. |
| Dynamic Workflow | Dynamic workflows that use JavaScript scripts to orchestrate background tasks for multiple subagents. |
Tools
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Tool | A capability unit callable by the agent, such as reading/writing files, executing commands, and searching code. |
| MCP | Model Context Protocol, a tool extension protocol that allows integration with third-party tools and services. |
| MCP Server | A server implementing the MCP protocol, supporting tool discovery and invocation. |
| RepoWiki | The qodercli wiki command that generates structured Wiki documentation for a repository. |
Permissions System
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Workspace Directory | The directory where the CLI is launched. |
| Additional Directory | Additional trusted directories added to the current session via --add-dir or /add-dir. |
| Permission Mode | The permission mode that sets the confirmation principles before tool execution. |
| Default Mode | The standard mode where safe reads and internal actions are executed automatically, while sensitive operations require individual confirmation. |
| Auto-accept Edits Mode | Automatically approves file edits, while shell commands still require confirmation. |
| Auto Mode | The AI automatically determines and approves safe operations. |
| Don't Ask Mode | Denies all operations that require confirmation. |
| YOLO Mode | Bypasses permissions and automatically approves all operations. |
Plugins and Extensions
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Plugin | An installable extension package that adds new skills, hooks, or MCP servers to the CLI. |
| Plugin Marketplace | The plugin marketplace for browsing and installing community or officially released plugins. |
| Slash Command | In-session shortcut commands starting with /. |
| Skill | Reusable professional capability templates invoked via /skill-name. |
| Conditional Skill | Skills that are activated only when specific file paths match. |
| Hook | Custom logic that executes automatically when specific events occur. |
| Hook Type | The execution method of a hook, supporting shell commands, HTTP requests, prompt injection, etc. |
| Hook Event | The timing that triggers a hook, such as before/after tool execution, or at the start/end of a session. |
Configuration Files
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| User Settings | User-level configurations located at ~/.qoder/settings.json, applying to all projects. |
| Project Settings | Project-level configurations located at .qoder/settings.json, shared along with the code repository. |
| Project Local Settings | Project local configurations located at .qoder/settings.local.json, applying only to the local machine. |
Billing and Quota
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Credits | The billing unit. |
| Plan | The account's current subscription plan (such as the Qoder Plan and plan credits in /usage). |
| Plan Tier | Subscription tiers: Community, Pro, and Teams. |
| Quota | The quota allowance, including used, remaining, and total amounts. |
| Price Factor | The multiplier for credits consumed by different models. |
| Add-on Credits | Add-on credit packages purchased separately in addition to the plan credits. |
| Org Resource Package | Organizational resource packages for unified allocation of credit resources across teams/organizations. |
Integrations
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| ACP | Agent Client Protocol, the communication protocol between the CLI and IDEs. |
| SDK | Software Development Kit, the development library provided by the CLI to support third-party integrations. |
| Cloud Mode | The --remote cloud execution mode, where tasks are hosted and run in cloud virtual machines. |
| Remote Control | Real-time control of locally running agents via mobile/web, enabling remote decision-making at critical nodes. |
Next Steps
- Core concepts in detail: How Task Execution Works.
- All configuration items: Configurations, environment variables, and file paths.