6. What the agent does in your project
In Agent mode, the AI acts on the open project through Aefos's internal MCP server, which exposes the IDE's capabilities as tools. You don't need to memorize any of this — the agent uses the tools on its own — but it helps to know what it can do.
What it can do
| Area | Examples of what the agent does |
|---|---|
| Code | Read, insert, replace, and edit unit snippets |
| Build & Run | Compile, run with the debugger, stop execution, view compiler errors |
| Git | Status, log, current branch |
| Project | Project tree, units, packages, search paths |
| Form Designer (live) | Add/remove components on the open form, set properties, create event handlers |
| Refactor | Rename, scaffolding |
All changes go through consent + inline diff + audit (see Using the Chat).
The Design ↔ Code "magic"
Delphi's big differentiator is having Design (Form Designer) and Code (the editor). Aefos respects that automatically:
- When the agent makes a design change (e.g. adding a button), the IDE flips to Design and you see the component appear instantly.
- When it makes a code change (e.g. inserting a method), the IDE flips to Code.
- Read actions (read design/code, build, git, search) do not move your view.
The result is a fluid sequence: you ask for a component and watch the IDE flip to Design; ask for code and watch it flip to Code.
The "live" designer
Form reads and changes operate on the live designer — not the stale .dfm on
disk. So what the agent reads and changes is exactly what you see on screen.
Create an event handler in one step
The agent can create an event handler atomically with AddEventHandler — it
creates the method in the correct section of the form and wires the event in the
.dfm in a single step, exactly like the designer's double-click.
Full build → run → stop control
From the Chat, the agent can save everything, clean, compile, run with the debugger, and stop the application — a complete cycle without you leaving the conversation.
➡️ Next: Using the Terminal