Architect mode

Architect mode runs a planner phase and implementation phase in one command.

Why use architect mode

It is useful when you want:

• cheap/fast planning model,
• stronger implementation model,
• less manual handoff between plan and execution.

Basic command

akmon --architect \
  --planner-model llama3.2 \
  --model claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 \
  --task "Refactor database layer to use connection pooling with migration-safe rollout"

How the phases differ

Practical model strategy

• use low-cost local/cloud model for planning,
• use Haiku/Sonnet-class model for implementation complexity,
• reserve expensive models for hard reasoning bottlenecks.

Suggested usage pattern

1. run architect command,
2. inspect generated plan artifacts,
3. review first implementation diff before broad approvals,
4. continue in focused increments.

Common mistakes and troubleshooting

• Mistake: planner model too weak to map architecture.
  • Fix: upgrade planner model for complex repos.
• Mistake: no budget cap in long implement phases.
  • Fix: combine with --max-budget-usd.
• Mistake: skipping post-plan review.
  • Fix: verify plan assumptions before writes.

Related: plan mode, headless mode, configuration.