together-code/FILE_PERMISSION_SYSTEM.md

AI-powered coding assistant that plans, then builds

# 🔒 File Permission System

Together Code now implements a comprehensive file permission system that gives users complete control over what files are created or modified.

## ✨ Key Features

### 🔍 **Pre-Write File Analysis**
- **Existing File Detection**: Automatically identifies which files already exist
- **File Status Indicators**: Clear visual distinction between new and modified files
- **Content Preview**: Shows file contents before writing

### 🎛️ **Granular Permission Control**
- **Individual Selection**: Choose exactly which files to create/modify
- **Batch Operations**: Approve all, reject all, or select subset
- **Safe Defaults**: All files selected by default, easy to deselect

### 📋 **Interactive Permission Dialog**

```
🔒 File Permission Required

The following files will be created/modified:

► ✅ 📄 [CREATE] src/components/TodoApp.tsx
  ⬜ 📝 [MODIFY] package.json
  ⬜ 📄 [CREATE] src/types/Todo.ts

Selected: 1/3 files
New files: 1
Modified files: 0

Navigation:
  ↑/↓ Select file • SPACE Toggle selection

Actions:
  A - Approve all files
  S - Approve selected files only (1)
  ENTER - Approve selected
  N/ESC - Reject and cancel
```

## 🎯 **User Experience**

### **Clear File Status**
- 📄 **[CREATE]** - New file (green)
- 📝 **[MODIFY]** - Existing file will be overwritten (yellow)

### **Easy Navigation**
- **Arrow Keys**: Navigate through file list
- **Space**: Toggle individual file selection
- **Visual Selection**: ✅ selected, ⬜ unselected

### **Flexible Actions**
- **A**: Approve all files instantly
- **S**: Approve only selected files
- **ENTER**: Approve based on current selection
- **N/ESC**: Reject and continue without writing files

### **File Preview**
When a file is selected (highlighted), shows:
```
Preview:
import React from 'react';
import { useState } from 'react';

interface TodoItem {
  id: number;
...
```

## 🛡️ **Safety Features**

### **Automatic Backups**
- **Before Overwrite**: Creates `.backup.timestamp` copies of existing files
- **No Data Loss**: Original files preserved before modification
- **Timestamped**: Multiple backups with unique timestamps

### **Selective Writing**
- **Partial Approval**: Write only approved files
- **Skip Dangerous Changes**: Deselect risky modifications
- **Continue Execution**: Process continues with approved files only

## 🔄 **Workflow Integration**

### **Step-by-Step Process**
1. **AI Generates Code**: Creates code for current step
2. **File Analysis**: Detects existing files and conflicts
3. **Permission Request**: Shows interactive file dialog
4. **User Decision**: Approve, reject, or customize selection
5. **Safe Writing**: Writes approved files with backups
6. **Step Completion**: Continues to next step

### **Smart Continuation**
- **No Files**: Steps without file creation skip permission dialog
- **All Approved**: Quick approval continues automatically
- **Partial Approval**: Continues with written files only
- **Full Rejection**: Continues without writing any files

## 📊 **File Operations**

### **Supported Operations**
- ✅ **Create new files**: Full path creation with directories
- ✅ **Modify existing files**: With automatic backup
- ✅ **Batch operations**: Multiple files in one step
- ✅ **Selective writing**: Individual file control

### **File Detection**
```typescript
// Automatically detects:
const existingFiles = await fileWriter.checkExistingFiles(parsedFiles);

// Results in clear status indicators:
📄 [CREATE] new-file.ts        // File doesn't exist
📝 [MODIFY] existing-file.ts   // File exists and will be overwritten
```

## 🎨 **Visual Design**

### **Color Coding**
- **Green**: New files (safe to create)
- **Yellow**: Modified files (requires attention)
- **Cyan**: Currently selected file
- **Gray**: Unselected files

### **Status Icons**
- ✅ Selected for writing
- ⬜ Not selected
- 📄 New file
- 📝 Existing file
- ► Current selection

## 🚀 **Benefits**

### **For Users**
- **Full Control**: Never surprised by file changes
- **Safety**: Automatic backups prevent data loss
- **Transparency**: See exactly what will be modified
- **Flexibility**: Choose exactly what to create/modify

### **For Development**
- **Confidence**: Review changes before they happen
- **Iteration**: Easy to reject risky changes and continue
- **Learning**: Understand what the AI is creating
- **Customization**: Fine-tune exactly what gets written

The file permission system ensures that Together Code never makes unexpected changes to your filesystem, giving you complete control over your development process!