Polish Claude agent's permission label, descriptions, icons

[anthonykim1]

Resolves: #321675 and issue regarding reducing + polishing claude agent's permission.

• Align Claude Agent Host permissionMode labels with Claude Code's VS Code-facing names: Ask Before Edits, Edit Automatically, Plan Mode, Auto Mode, and Bypass Permissions.
• Remove dontAsk from the visible picker list while keeping SDK/session compatibility for existing or externally-created dontAsk values.
• Add distinct Claude permission-mode icons in both Agent Sessions and workbench chat: shield, edit, lightbulb, sparkle, and warning.
• Register the dedicated Claude permission-mode picker for new-session UI, and skip the generic enum chip for well-known Claude permissionMode schemas to avoid duplicate or generic rendering.
• Extend focused tests for hidden Don't Ask, exact labels, distinct icons, Learn More behavior, and schema compatibility.

Implementation references

• Claude Code documents the permission mode indicator labels used by IDE UI here: https://code.claude.com/docs/en/permission-modes#switch-permission-modes.
• The visible enum and descriptions in claudeAgent.ts are based on Claude's official mode behavior docs: https://code.claude.com/docs/en/permission-modes#available-modes.
• Hiding dontAsk from the interactive picker comes from Claude docs saying dontAsk is for pre-approved tools / locked-down CI and scripts, and never appears in the cycle: https://code.claude.com/docs/en/permission-modes#allow-only-pre-approved-tools-with-dontask-mode.
• Keeping bypassPermissions visible but danger-coded comes from Claude docs saying it skips prompts/checks and should only be used in isolated containers/VMs: https://code.claude.com/docs/en/permission-modes#skip-all-checks-with-bypasspermissions-mode.
• Claude schema label/description changes:

  vscode/src/vs/platform/agentHost/node/claude/claudeAgent.ts

  Lines 700 to 722 in 9ba5ad9

  	const sessionSchema = createSchema({
  	[ClaudeSessionConfigKey.PermissionMode]: schemaProperty<ClaudePermissionMode>({
  	type: 'string',
  	title: localize('claude.sessionConfig.permissionMode', "Approvals"),
  	description: localize('claude.sessionConfig.permissionModeDescription', "How Claude handles tool approvals."),
  	enum: ['default', 'acceptEdits', 'plan', 'auto', 'bypassPermissions'],
  	enumLabels: [
  	localize('claude.sessionConfig.permissionMode.default', "Ask Before Edits"),
  	localize('claude.sessionConfig.permissionMode.acceptEdits', "Edit Automatically"),
  	localize('claude.sessionConfig.permissionMode.plan', "Plan Mode"),
  	localize('claude.sessionConfig.permissionMode.auto', "Auto Mode"),
  	localize('claude.sessionConfig.permissionMode.bypassPermissions', "Bypass Permissions"),
  	],
  	enumDescriptions: [
  	localize('claude.sessionConfig.permissionMode.defaultDescription', "Claude asks before editing files."),
  	localize('claude.sessionConfig.permissionMode.acceptEditsDescription', "Claude edits files without asking, and asks before using other tools."),
  	localize('claude.sessionConfig.permissionMode.planDescription', "Claude creates a plan before making changes."),
  	localize('claude.sessionConfig.permissionMode.autoDescription', "Claude decides whether to ask for each tool operation."),
  	localize('claude.sessionConfig.permissionMode.bypassPermissionsDescription', "Claude runs all tools without asking."),
  	],
  	default: 'default',
  	sessionMutable: true,
  	}),

  .
• Agent Sessions Claude icon mapping:

  vscode/src/vs/sessions/contrib/providers/agentHost/browser/agentHostClaudePermissionModePicker.ts

  Lines 23 to 65 in 9ba5ad9

  	const CLAUDE_PERMISSION_MODE_LEARN_MORE_URL = 'https://code.claude.com/docs/en/permission-modes#available-modes';
  	const LEARN_MORE_VALUE = '__agentHostClaudePermissionModePicker.learnMore__';
  	const claudePermissionModeIcons: Record<string, ThemeIcon> = {
  	default: Codicon.shield,
  	acceptEdits: Codicon.edit,
  	plan: Codicon.lightbulb,
  	auto: Codicon.sparkle,
  	bypassPermissions: Codicon.warning,
  	};
  	function getClaudePermissionModeIcon(value: string | undefined): ThemeIcon | undefined {
  	return value ? claudePermissionModeIcons[value] : undefined;
  	}
  	export class AgentHostClaudePermissionModePicker extends AgentHostSessionEnumPicker {
  	protected readonly _property = ClaudeSessionConfigKey.PermissionMode;
  	protected readonly _pickerId = 'agentHostClaudePermissionModePicker';
  	protected readonly _telemetryId = 'NewChatAgentHostClaudePermissionModePicker';
  	constructor(
  	session: IObservable<IActiveSession | undefined>,
  	@IActionWidgetService actionWidgetService: IActionWidgetService,
  	@ISessionsProvidersService sessionsProvidersService: ISessionsProvidersService,
  	@ITelemetryService telemetryService: ITelemetryService,
  	@IHoverService hoverService: IHoverService,
  	@IOpenerService private readonly _openerService: IOpenerService,
  	) {
  	super(session, actionWidgetService, sessionsProvidersService, telemetryService, hoverService);
  	}
  	protected _isWellKnownSchema(schema: SessionConfigPropertySchema): boolean {
  	return isWellKnownClaudePermissionModeSchema(schema);
  	}
  	protected _getTriggerIcon(value: string | undefined): ThemeIcon | undefined {
  	return getClaudePermissionModeIcon(value);
  	}
  	protected _getActionItemIcon(item: IAgentHostSessionEnumPickerItem): ThemeIcon | undefined {
  	return getClaudePermissionModeIcon(item.value);
  	}

  .
• Generic config picker skip follows the existing dedicated-picker pattern for autoApprove and mode:

  vscode/src/vs/sessions/contrib/providers/agentHost/browser/agentHostSessionConfigPicker.ts

  Lines 328 to 347 in 9ba5ad9

  	// When the autoApprove property uses the well-known schema, the
  	// workbench `PermissionPickerActionItem` (registered separately for
  	// `Menus.NewSessionControl`) handles it — skip it here to avoid
  	// double-rendering. Non-conforming schemas still fall through to
  	// the generic per-property picker below.
  	if (property === SessionConfigKey.AutoApprove && isWellKnownAutoApproveSchema(schema)) {
  	continue;
  	}
  	// When the mode property uses the well-known schema, the dedicated
  	// {@link AgentHostModePicker} (registered separately for
  	// `Menus.NewSessionConfig`) handles it. Non-conforming schemas
  	// still fall through to the generic per-property picker below.
  	if (property === SessionConfigKey.Mode && isWellKnownModeSchema(schema)) {
  	continue;
  	}
  	// Claude's permissionMode has a dedicated Claude-native picker so
  	// it doesn't render as a generic enum chip.
  	if (property === ClaudeSessionConfigKey.PermissionMode && isWellKnownClaudePermissionModeSchema(schema)) {
  	continue;
  	}

  .
• New-session picker registration follows the existing action/view-item pattern:

  vscode/src/vs/sessions/contrib/providers/agentHost/browser/agentHostSessionConfigPicker.ts

  Lines 832 to 850 in 9ba5ad9

  	this._register(actionViewItemService.register(
  	Menus.NewSessionControl,
  	NEW_SESSION_PERMISSION_MODE_PICKER_ID,
  	(_action, _options, scopedInstantiationService) => {
  	const { session } = scopedInstantiationService.invokeFunction(accessor => accessor.get(ISessionInputContext));
  	return new PickerActionViewItem(scopedInstantiationService.createInstance(AgentHostClaudePermissionModePicker, session));
  	},
  	));
  	this._register(actionViewItemService.register(
  	MenuId.ChatInputSecondary,
  	RUNNING_SESSION_CONFIG_PICKER_ID,
  	this._createRunningSessionPermissionPickerFactory(),
  	));
  	this._register(actionViewItemService.register(
  	MenuId.ChatInputSecondary,
  	RUNNING_SESSION_PERMISSION_MODE_PICKER_ID,
  	(_action, _options, scopedInstantiationService) => {
  	const { session } = scopedInstantiationService.invokeFunction(accessor => accessor.get(ISessionInputContext));
  	return new PickerActionViewItem(scopedInstantiationService.createInstance(AgentHostClaudePermissionModePicker, session));

  and

  vscode/src/vs/sessions/contrib/providers/agentHost/browser/agentHostSessionConfigPicker.ts

  Lines 914 to 932 in 9ba5ad9

  	const NEW_SESSION_PERMISSION_MODE_PICKER_ID = 'sessions.agentHost.newSessionPermissionModePicker';
  	registerAction2(class extends Action2 {
  	constructor() {
  	super({
  	id: NEW_SESSION_PERMISSION_MODE_PICKER_ID,
  	title: localize2('agentHostNewSessionPermissionModePicker', "Approvals"),
  	f1: false,
  	menu: [{
  	id: Menus.NewSessionControl,
  	group: 'navigation',
  	order: 2,
  	when: ContextKeyExpr.or(IsActiveSessionLocalAgentHost, IsActiveSessionRemoteAgentHost),
  	}],
  	});
  	}
  	override async run(): Promise<void> { }
  	});

  .
• Workbench chat needed its own Claude icon mapping because the Extension Host window uses agentHostChatInputPicker.ts, not the Agent Sessions picker:

  vscode/src/vs/workbench/contrib/chat/browser/agentSessions/agentHost/agentHostChatInputPicker.ts

  Lines 46 to 80 in 9ba5ad9

  	const claudePermissionModeIcons: Record<string, ThemeIcon> = {
  	default: Codicon.shield,
  	acceptEdits: Codicon.edit,
  	plan: Codicon.lightbulb,
  	auto: Codicon.sparkle,
  	bypassPermissions: Codicon.warning,
  	};
  	interface IConfigPickerItem {
  	readonly value: string;
  	readonly label: string;
  	readonly description?: string;
  	}
  	function getConfigIcon(property: string, value: unknown | undefined): ThemeIcon | undefined {
  	if (property === SessionConfigKey.Mode) {
  	switch (value) {
  	case 'plan': return Codicon.checklist;
  	case 'autopilot': return Codicon.rocket;
  	case 'interactive': return Codicon.comment;
  	}
  	}
  	if (property === SessionConfigKey.AutoApprove) {
  	if (value === 'autopilot') {
  	return Codicon.rocket;
  	}
  	if (value === 'autoApprove') {
  	return Codicon.warning;
  	}
  	return Codicon.shield;
  	}
  	if (property === ClaudeSessionConfigKey.PermissionMode && typeof value === 'string') {
  	return claudePermissionModeIcons[value];
  	}
  	return undefined;

  .

Agents window with agent host claude:

Editor window with agent host claude:

Compare with what Claude Code does themselves via their own VS Code extension:

[Copilot]

Pull request overview

This PR updates Claude agent-host “permissionMode” presentation to use clearer labels/descriptions and consistent, distinct icons across the workbench and Agents (sessions) UI, and adjusts related tests/schema detection to match the updated mode set.

Changes:

• Add Claude permission-mode icon mappings (including new auto icon) for session config pickers.
• Update Claude permissionMode schema labels/descriptions and remove the “Don’t Ask” option from the advertised enum.
• Refactor/expand sessions-side tests to cover the updated modes and schema compatibility checks.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
src/vs/workbench/contrib/chat/browser/agentSessions/agentHost/agentHostChatInputPicker.ts	Adds Claude permission-mode icon mapping for the workbench chat-input config picker.
src/vs/sessions/contrib/providers/agentHost/test/browser/agentHostClaudePermissionModePicker.test.ts	Updates tests to validate the new Claude-native mode labels and distinct icons; refactors setup.
src/vs/sessions/contrib/providers/agentHost/test/browser/agentHost/agentHostPermissionPickerDelegate.test.ts	Adjusts schema “well-known” detection tests and ensures dontAsk-inclusive schemas remain accepted.
src/vs/sessions/contrib/providers/agentHost/browser/agentHostSessionConfigPicker.ts	Skips generic enum chip for Claude permissionMode and wires a dedicated picker action into the new-session controls.
src/vs/sessions/contrib/providers/agentHost/browser/agentHostClaudePermissionModePicker.ts	Adds icon mapping for Claude permission modes (including auto).
src/vs/platform/agentHost/node/claude/claudeAgent.ts	Updates Claude session-config schema enum/labels/descriptions for permission modes.

Copilot's findings

• Files reviewed: 6/6 changed files
• Comments generated: 3