Setting Up YOLO Mode for Headless Agents

YOLO mode lets Claude Code agents run without any confirmation prompts. Here's how to configure it safely.

What YOLO Mode Does

By default, Claude Code asks for confirmation before running potentially dangerous commands (deleting files, running shell scripts, making network requests). YOLO mode disables these confirmations — the agent runs autonomously without stopping to ask permission.

This is essential for overnight and long-running unattended agents. An agent that stops every 10 minutes waiting for your "yes" is not an unattended agent.

Enabling YOLO Mode in amux

Register your session with the --yolo flag:

amux register myagent --dir ~/myproject --yolo

This sets the --dangerously-skip-permissions flag in the underlying Claude Code invocation. You can verify it's active by checking the session config:

amux info myagent

Scoping YOLO Mode Safely

YOLO mode is powerful but requires deliberate scoping. Best practices:

• Use git branches: Always run YOLO agents on a feature branch, never directly on main. Git is your undo button.
• Restrict the working directory: The --dir flag limits the agent's filesystem access to one directory. Don't give agents access to your entire home directory.
• Don't run YOLO agents with production credentials: Keep .env files with production database URLs out of agent-accessible directories. Use .gitignore and separate config directories.
• Review before merging: YOLO mode means the agent acts without confirmation — it does not mean you merge without review. Always review agent-generated PRs.

Claude Code's Permission Model

Even in YOLO mode, Claude Code has a layered permission model:

• Network requests: allowed by default
• File reads: always allowed in the working directory
• File writes/deletes: allowed in YOLO mode
• Shell commands: allowed in YOLO mode
• System-level operations (outside working dir): generally restricted

YOLO Mode for Different Task Types

git clone https://github.com/mixpeek/amux && cd amux && ./install.sh
amux register myproject --dir ~/Dev/myproject --yolo
amux start myproject
amux serve  # → https://localhost:8822