Shell access
Shell access
Understand declared shell capabilities, host authorization, and runtime policy.
View Markdown source ↗Shell access lets an agent use command-line programs: inspect a repository, run a test, or interact with a configured process. It is powerful enough to deserve an explicit design, not just an instruction telling the model to be careful.
Ochat’s shell declarations describe runtimes and tools in ChatMD. The host decides which authority it will admit, and approval policy determines when an operation needs another decision. Begin with a narrow command and expand only when the task requires more access.
Start with a complete example
Section titled “Start with a complete example”Follow the shell-agent walkthrough.
It uses a limited pwd tool and explains how to run it with the appropriate
authorization. The declaration examples
cover more patterns, but are not all standalone prompts or universal policies.
Local and daemon hosts do not use interchangeable authorization switches. Read host modes and authorization before copying a command from one execution mode to another.
How the pieces fit together
Section titled “How the pieces fit together”| Piece | Question it answers | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Runtime declaration | Where and under what execution settings do commands run? | Runtime reference |
| Tool declaration | What command interface does the agent see? | Shell tools |
| Authority and confinement | What resources and effects are actually permitted? | Security guide |
| Host authorization | How does this local runner or daemon admit the declared access? | Host integration |
| Review and approval | Which requests need a decision, and who or what makes it? | Extensions and reviewers |
| Durable records | What is retained, audited, or interrupted across restarts? | Persistence and audit |
The workspace supplies a location, not a security boundary by itself. Review the declared filesystem and network access, the actual confinement backend, and approval policy together. Unattended agents need a deliberate noninteractive policy; removing prompts for human approval does not reduce the consequences of the commands they can run.
Operate and extend
Section titled “Operate and extend”- Management CLI: inspect and manage shell authorization and related state.
- TUI guide: security views, approvals, and navigation.
- Server permission profiles: session and client permissions alongside tool policy.
- Resource-limit helper: deployment requirements for the helper process.
- Runtime internals: implementation details for contributors.
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