> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://penseapp.vercel.app/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Agent mode

> Run the calibrate CLI from CI and AI coding agents with machine-readable output.

Agent mode makes the `calibrate` CLI friendlier for automation and AI coding
agents: it returns **structured errors** and defaults output to **TOON** — a
compact, token-efficient format — instead of the human `pretty` view.

<Note>
  Agent mode turns on automatically when a known agent environment is detected
  (`CLAUDE_CODE`, `CURSOR_AGENT`, and similar), so you rarely set it by hand.
</Note>

## When to use it

| Use ordinary mode when                | Use agent mode when                 |
| ------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------- |
| A human is exploring at a terminal    | A script or CI job runs the command |
| You want spinners, prompts, and color | You want stable, parseable output   |
| You want a pager or table view        | An AI agent consumes the result     |

## Toggle it

Agent mode is the global `--agent-mode` flag, on by default inside agent
environments:

```bash theme={null}
# Force it on
calibrate agents list --agent-mode

# Force it off — get the human "pretty" output
calibrate agents list --agent-mode=false
```

## What changes

* **Structured errors** — failures come back as a machine-parseable object
  instead of loose prose, so an agent can branch on them.
* **TOON output by default** — `--output-format` defaults to `toon` (Token-
  Oriented Object Notation, a compact JSON-like format that uses fewer tokens).
  Override per command with `--output-format json` (or `yaml`, `table`,
  `pretty`).
* **Non-interactive by default** — pair with `--no-interactive` to disable
  auto-prompting, the explorer auto-launch, and TUI forms in unattended runs.

<Note>
  See the [global flags](/docs/cli/calibrate/overview#global-flags) for the full set
  of output and automation options.
</Note>