Knob 3 of 5
How much leash you give the agent.
Ask each step
Pause on every edit
First try · critical files
Plan-first
Propose the plan, wait for OK
New codebase · scope matters
Auto-accept
Edits flow, shell still asks
You trust the shape
Off-leash
Runs the whole task solo
AFK · batch · milestones
Why this knob matters most
Beginners assume more autonomy is better. It isn't. Off-leash on a hard task means the agent happily goes down the wrong path for ten minutes before you notice. High autonomy pairs with clear scope and a good brief, not with difficulty.