Quest Design Mode is Qoder's specialized operational mode for creating structured technical documentation in the .qoder/quests/ directory. This mode transforms the AI assistant from a code implementation agent into an expert technical documentation specialist focused on producing high-level, abstract design documents through iterative collaboration with users.
For actual code implementation based on design documents, see Quest Action Mode 2.13. For general file editing rules that apply across all modes, see 2.7. For the memory system that supports design research, see 2.9.
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt1-6
When operating in Quest Design Mode, Qoder adopts a specialized identity distinct from its general coding assistant persona:
| Aspect | Quest Design Identity |
|---|---|
| Primary Role | Expert technical documentation specialist |
| Domain Expertise | Advanced software development knowledge |
| Output Focus | Design documents, not code |
| Interaction Model | Iterative collaboration with user |
| Working Directory | .qoder/quests/{designFileName}.md |
| Background Operation | Autonomous agent mode (no interactive prompting) |
The system explicitly identifies itself: "You are working on a design document as an expert technical documentation specialist with advanced software development knowledge."
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt6 Qoder/Quest Design.txt4-5
Key Restrictions:
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt99-101 Qoder/Quest Design.txt504
The design process follows a mandatory five-step workflow encoded in the system prompt:
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt64-106
The system first distinguishes between casual conversation and design requests:
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt69-74
Analyzes the codebase structure to determine project classification:
| Repository Type | Indicators | Example Files/Patterns |
|---|---|---|
| Frontend Application | React/Vue/Angular files | src/components/, package.json with UI libs |
| Backend Application | Express/Django/Spring files | routes/, models/, API frameworks |
| Full-Stack Application | Both frontend and backend | client/, server/, or monorepo structure |
| Frontend Component Library | Reusable UI components | Storybook, design tokens, lib/ exports |
| Backend Framework/Library | Reusable backend modules | Plugin systems, middleware exports |
| CLI Tool | Command-line interface | bin/ field, yargs/commander usage |
| Mobile Application | React Native/Flutter | ios/, android/, mobile-specific code |
| Desktop Application | Electron/Tauri | main.js, tauri.conf.json, desktop APIs |
| Other | Simple or uncategorized | Minimal valid files, miscellaneous projects |
Important Note: The system must determine if a project is too simple (too few valid files) and adjust documentation scope accordingly.
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt76-87
Core design work occurs in this step:
Mandatory Requirements:
.qoder/quests/{designFileName}.mdSources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt89-96
Quality control and cleanup phase:
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt98-101
Final user interaction:
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt103-105
The system includes eight specialized documentation templates that adapt structure based on detected repository type. Each template defines specific sections optimized for that project category.
Activation Criteria: Codebase uses Express, Spring Boot, Django, FastAPI, or similar backend frameworks.
Key Focus Areas:
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt109-121
Activation Criteria: Codebase uses React, Vue, Angular, or similar frontend frameworks.
| Section | Content Focus |
|---|---|
| 1. Overview | Project purpose and goals |
| 2. Technology Stack & Dependencies | Framework versions, key libraries |
| 3. Component Architecture | Component definitions, hierarchy, props/state, lifecycle, usage examples |
| 4. Routing & Navigation | Route structure and navigation patterns |
| 5. Styling Strategy | CSS-in-JS, Tailwind, or other styling approach |
| 6. State Management | Redux, Zustand, Vuex, or other state system |
| 7. API Integration Layer | Backend communication and data fetching |
| 8. Testing Strategy | Jest, Cypress, or other testing frameworks |
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt122-137
Activation Criteria: Codebase is a reusable package or module intended for distribution.
Special Emphasis:
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt139-155
Activation Criteria: Codebase extends or utilizes a major framework (React, Angular, Vue, Django, Spring, Express, etc.).
Common Sections:
Frontend Framework Specifics:
Backend Framework Specifics:
Full-Stack Framework Specifics:
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt156-181
Activation Criteria: Codebase includes both frontend and backend layers.
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt182-196
Activation Criteria: Project exports reusable UI components, uses Storybook, or defines design tokens.
Structure:
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt197-213
Activation Criteria: Project has bin field in package.json, uses yargs/commander, or provides executable scripts.
Structure:
tool-name inittool-name generatetool-name buildSources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt215-230
Activation Criteria: Project contains ios/, android/ directories, or uses React Native/Flutter.
| Section | Focus Areas |
|---|---|
| 1. App Overview & Target Platforms | iOS, Android, cross-platform details |
| 2. Code Structure | Shared vs native code organization |
| 3. Core Features | Authentication, offline storage, push notifications, camera, GPS, sensors |
| 4. State Management | Redux, MobX, or other state libraries |
| 5. API & Network Layer | Backend communication patterns |
| 6. Native Module Integration | Bridge code and native functionality |
| 7. UI Architecture & Navigation | Screen structure and navigation patterns |
| 8. Testing Strategy | Detox, Flutter Test, or other mobile testing |
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt232-248
Activation Criteria: Project includes main.js, tauri.conf.json, or uses Electron/Tauri.
Structure:
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt250-265
Activation Criteria: Project is very simple or doesn't fit known categories.
Simplified Structure:
This minimal structure prevents over-documentation of simple projects.
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt267-273
Quest Design Mode enforces a strict tool usage hierarchy with severe penalties for violations:
Critical Enforcement: The system includes $100,000,000 penalty statements (literally encoded in the prompt) for:
edit_file when search_replace is appropriateSources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt405-412 Qoder/Quest Design.txt376-384
The primary file editing tool with strict requirements:
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
file_path | string | Yes | Absolute path: B:\Download\qoder\.qoder\quests\{designFileName}.md |
replacements | array | Yes | Array of replacement operations |
replacements[].original_text | string | Yes | Text to be replaced (must be unique) |
replacements[].new_text | string | Yes | Replacement text (must differ from original) |
replacements[].replace_all | boolean | No | Replace all occurrences (default: false) |
1. UNIQUENESS:
original_text MUST be uniquely identifiable in the filereplace_all: true2. EXACT MATCHING:
3. SEQUENTIAL PROCESSING:
4. VALIDATION:
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt335-376
Line Limits:
original_text + new_text) under 600 linesRelated Changes Definition: Related changes include:
Safety Measures:
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt376-384
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt386-396
For creating new design documents only:
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
file_path | string | Yes | Absolute path: B:\Download\qoder\.qoder\quests\{designFileName}.md |
file_content | string | Yes | The content of the file |
add_last_line_newline | boolean | No | Add newline at end (default: true) |
search_replace to add contentSources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt414-433
The fallback tool for complex edits:
ONLY when explicitly instructed to use edit_file tool. Otherwise faces $100M penalty.
Uses special comment syntax to represent unchanged code:
// ... existing code ...
FIRST_EDIT
// ... existing code ...
SECOND_EDIT
// ... existing code ...
// ... existing code ... for unchanged sectionsFor deleted code, use comment markers:
// Deleted:old_code_line
Apply to all lines when deleting an entire file.
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt435-463
Semantic search for retrieving relevant codebase knowledge:
USE when:
DO NOT USE when:
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt464-492
| Good Query | Reason |
|---|---|
| "How do I implement user authentication in this system?" | Describes functionality conceptually |
| "What are the best practices for API security?" | Seeks architectural knowledge |
| "Find information about database configuration" | Topical search |
| "How to troubleshoot login issues?" | Problem-solving query |
| "What deployment options are available?" | Exploratory question |
| "Explain the architecture of this system" | High-level understanding |
| "How is the architecture of the product management function designed?" | Feature-specific architecture |
Important: The tool can only search from the project knowledge list (see 2.9 for memory categories). Do not retrieve knowledge outside this list.
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt483-491
Dual-mode code search with symbol and semantic capabilities:
Symbol Search Mode (use_symbol_search: true):
[IdentifierPattern] like "interface Person", "class Product", "getUserById"Semantic Search Mode (default):
Decision Rule: If query contains PascalCase, camelCase, or "class/interface/method + Name" → use Symbol Search
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt276-290
Regular expression search in workspace file contents:
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt302-303
Glob pattern file search:
*.go, config/*.jsonSources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt297-300
Lists directory contents for understanding file structure:
Usage Rules:
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt292-295
Reads file contents with optional dependency viewing:
Key Parameters:
view_dependencies: Boolean flag to include imported filesWhen to Set view_dependencies=true:
Responsibility: Ensure COMPLETE context. Call again if retrieved range is insufficient.
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt305-324
Fetches main content from web pages:
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt326-328
Real-time web search for current information:
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt330-333
read_file calls simultaneouslySources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt61-62 Qoder/Quest Design.txt496-498
File Editing Tools:
Terminal Execution:
run_in_terminal in parallelSources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt382
Read-Only Operations (ALWAYS PARALLELIZE):
read_file callslist_dir commandssearch_codebase queriesgrep_code searchessearch_file patternsPerformance Impact:
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt61-62 Qoder/Quest Design.txt496-498
Mandatory Refusals:
Internal Information:
Model Comparisons:
Sensitive Topics:
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt22-33
Never refer to tool names when speaking to user. Use natural language instead:
| Tool Name | Say to User |
|---|---|
search_replace | "I'll update that section..." |
create_file | "I'll create a design document..." |
read_file | "Let me check that file..." |
search_codebase | "I'll search for that functionality..." |
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt56
search_memory toolSources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt35-38
Personally Identifiable Information:
[name], [phone_number], [email], [address], [token], [requestId]Security:
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt32-33
The user's preferred language is English. Respond in English.
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt17
Each user message may include additional context:
| Context Type | Description | Relevance |
|---|---|---|
attached_files | Complete content of user-selected files | May or may not be relevant |
selected_codes | Code snippets highlighted by user | Treat as highly relevant |
git_commits | Historical git commit messages and changes | Background information |
code_change | Currently staged changes in git | Recent modifications |
other_context | Additional relevant information | Variable format |
Important: If no relevant context provided, NEVER make assumptions. Use tools to gather more information.
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt40-49
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt40-42
Hard Limit: 800 Lines
Enforcement Strategy:
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt101
Mandatory Usage:
Best Practices:
style, classDef, fill colors)Example (Simple Structure):
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt94-95 Qoder/Quest Design.txt99-106 (via Quest Action file reference)
Explicitly Forbidden Sections:
These sections are removed in Step 4 (Refine Design) to maintain focus on design content only.
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt99 Qoder/Quest Design.txt504
No Code Allowed:
Rationale: Design documents focus on architecture and structure, not implementation details.
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt100
Critical Rules:
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt52-54
Design Process Constraint:
When create_file fails due to whitelist restrictions:
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt59
Smart Parameter Handling:
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt502
Quest Design Mode is one of two operational modes:
| Aspect | Quest Design Mode | Quest Action Mode 2.13 |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Create documentation | Implement code |
| Output | Design documents | Working code |
| Location | .qoder/quests/{design}.md | Codebase files |
| Tools | Documentation-focused | Code editing tools |
| Validation | Length/structure constraints | get_problems validation |
| Testing | Not applicable | Mandatory test execution |
Workflow Connection:
.qoder/quests/<design_doc> tag in Qoder/Quest Action.txt180-184)Sources: Qoder/Quest Action.txt175-184
Design mode leverages Qoder's memory system (see 2.9) through search_memory tool:
Memory Categories Available:
user_prefer: User preferences and coding styleproject_info: Project structure and organizationproject_specification: Requirements and specificationsexperience_lessons: Learned patterns and solutionsUsage Pattern:
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt38 Qoder/Quest Design.txt468-492
Workspace Path:
b:\Download\qoder
Design Output Directory:
.qoder/quests/{designFileName}.md
Absolute Path Format:
B:\Download\qoder\.qoder\quests\{designFileName}.md
All file operations use this absolute path structure.
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt11 Qoder/Quest Design.txt19 Qoder/Quest Design.txt341
Key Differentiators:
| Characteristic | Design Mode | Action Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | Documentation specialist | Coding assistant |
| Primary Goal | Abstract design | Code implementation |
| Output Format | Markdown with diagrams | Source code files |
| Validation | Structure/length checks | Compilation/linting |
| User Interaction | Iterative collaboration | Background agent (autonomous) |
| Code Handling | Prohibited (modeling only) | Required (with tests) |
| Testing | Not applicable | Mandatory after changes |
| Memory Usage | Research and context | Codebase knowledge |
Sources: Qoder/Quest Design.txt6 Qoder/Quest Action.txt1 Qoder/Quest Action.txt4-8
Refresh this wiki