Power Mode Compatibility

Power Mode Compatibility

Power Mode is the legacy command and implementation label for PopKit multi-agent coordination. New docs and planning should use Multi-Agent Coordination for the domain concept, while existing /popkit-core:power command paths remain compatibility surfaces.

The current promotion rule is conservative: do not treat Power Mode as a first-run onboarding step until setup, status, start, stop, failure modes, and handoff behavior are verified against the real implementation.

What is Power Mode?

Power Mode refers to existing PopKit surfaces that try to coordinate multiple agents for workflows that would be too slow or cumbersome with a single agent.

Use Cases:

• Large-scale refactoring across many files
• Comprehensive security audits
• Multi-component feature development
• Architecture analysis and migration

Modes of Operation

Native Async Mode (Recommended)

Requirements: Claude Code 2.1.33+ (tested through 2.1.80)

Features:

• Zero setup required
• 5+ agents via Background Task tool
• Event-driven agent lifecycle management
• Graceful shutdown with configurable timeout
• Action tracking for dashboard state
• Best for most use cases

Activation:

/popkit-core:power start

Redis Mode (Advanced)

Requirements: Redis server, Claude Code 2.1.33+ (tested through 2.1.80)

Features:

• 10+ agents with persistent coordination
• Best for very complex workflows
• Requires Redis setup

Setup:

# Install Redis
# Configure connection in .popkit/config.json

/popkit-core:power start --redis

File-Based Mode (Legacy)

Requirements: None

Features:

• 2 agents sequential
• Fallback for older Claude Code versions
• No external dependencies

Activation: Automatic fallback

Using Power Mode

1. Check Status

/popkit-core:power status

This shows:

• Current mode (Native/Redis/File)
• Active agents
• Performance metrics

2. Start Power Mode

/popkit-core:power start

3. Run Workflows

# Feature development with multiple agents
/popkit-dev:dev "Implement OAuth2" --power

# Comprehensive security audit
/popkit-ops:security scan --power

# Architecture analysis
/popkit-core:project analyze --power

4. Monitor Progress

/popkit-core:power metrics

Shows:

• Agents active
• Tasks in progress
• Completion status

5. Stop Power Mode

/popkit-core:power stop

Performance Comparison

Mode	Agents	Setup	Use Case
Native Async	5+	None	Most workflows (recommended)
Redis	10+	Redis	Very complex workflows
File-Based	2	None	Simple workflows, legacy

Compatibility Guidance

1. Prefer the Multi-Agent Coordination concept when writing new docs or plans.
2. Use /popkit-core:power only when validating today’s compatibility surface.
3. Capture executor/reviewer handoffs as explicit coordination records instead of relying on transcript context.
4. Stop and ask the human owner when a lane needs a product, credential, cost, security, or merge-gate decision.

Troubleshooting

Power Mode Won’t Start

Symptom: power start fails

Solutions:

• Check Claude Code version (need 2.1.33+, tested through 2.1.80)
• Verify Redis is running (for Redis mode)
• Check logs: /popkit-core:power status --verbose

Agents Not Responding

Symptom: Tasks stuck in progress

Solutions:

• Check individual agent logs
• Restart Power Mode
• Reduce agent count

Performance Issues

Symptom: Slow responses

Solutions:

• Switch to Native Async mode
• Reduce concurrent agents
• Check system resources

Next Steps

• Learn about Feature Development
• Explore Git Workflows
• Understand Routines