---
slug: "Mode"
name: "Mode"
type: "Data Structures"
layer: "Infrastructure"
ref: "Mode#29d3"
sema_id: "sema:Mode#mh:SHA-256:29d368514a2a815e9790a384c2aec12bd20a30e1ee06288e0aa59fdcffea0800"
tags: ["Infrastructure","Data Structures"]
updated: 2026-11-11
mindscape: "bootstrap"
index_url: https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/index.json
url: https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Mode/
related: ["Agent","State","Transition","Aggregate","Canary","ContextSwitch","IdentityHandshake","Parallelize","SacrificialProbe","SynergisticMode","WorkerMode"]
---

# Mode

A discrete configuration of agency

Layer: Infrastructure · Category: Data Structures

## Mechanism

A primitive representing a distinct 'Stance' or 'Configuration of Agency'. Unlike [State](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/State.md) (which changes frequently), a Mode is a stable set of constraints and priors that governs how an agent processes information (e.g., Exploration Mode vs. Exploitation Mode).

## Invariants

- Stability: a Mode persists until an explicit [Transition](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Transition.md) event.
- Declares which Modes it conflicts with; an [Agent](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Agent.md) may hold any set of mutually non-conflicting Modes.

## Failure modes

- Mode Persistence Failure: [Agent](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Agent.md) fails to maintain the mode constraints over time.
- Mode Confusion: [Agent](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Agent.md) mixes behaviors from conflicting modes.

## Data schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "mode_id",
    "constraints",
    "conflicts_with"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "mode_id": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Unique identifier for this mode configuration"
    },
    "constraints": {
      "type": "array",
      "items": {
        "type": "string"
      },
      "description": "Rules governing behavior in this mode"
    },
    "priors": {
      "type": "object",
      "description": "Default assumptions active in this mode"
    },
    "active": {
      "type": "boolean",
      "description": "Whether this mode is currently engaged"
    },
    "conflicts_with": {
      "type": "array",
      "description": "Modes that cannot be held alongside this one. A hybrid stance is a Mode declaring no conflict with its partners, not an exception to exclusivity."
    }
  }
}
```

## Builds on

- [Agent](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Agent.md) (Mind; References)
- [State](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/State.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [Transition](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Transition.md) (Infrastructure; References)

## Used by

- [Aggregate](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Aggregate.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [Canary](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Canary.md) (Society; References)
- [ContextSwitch](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/ContextSwitch.md) (Society; References)
- [IdentityHandshake](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/IdentityHandshake.md) (Society; References)
- [Parallelize](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Parallelize.md) (Mind; References)
- [SacrificialProbe](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/SacrificialProbe.md) (Mind; References)
- [SynergisticMode](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/SynergisticMode.md) (Society; References)
- [WorkerMode](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/WorkerMode.md) (Society; References)

## Identity

- Sema ID: `sema:Mode#mh:SHA-256:29d368514a2a815e9790a384c2aec12bd20a30e1ee06288e0aa59fdcffea0800`
- Ref: `Mode#29d3`
- Supersedes:
  - `sema:Mode#mh:SHA-256:53e0b9650e76b57a1217da26c91dac514674d87b0f92c1c13b770e7ae2b6c826`
  - `sema:Mode#mh:SHA-256:081fc72c357b65d52cc697735a860ca98ce2b0ac13892dd94699ef8b08a04a2b`
  - `sema:Mode#mh:SHA-256:9b1aa32d63748d22e394698cfd207f41b0a054583c73dcffca92b42615ac2678`

## Links

- [Pattern page](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Mode/)
- [View in the interactive graph](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/#Mode)
- [JSON](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Mode.json)
- [Index of all patterns](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/index.json)