Settings
Settings is where you wire up the infrastructure behind every agent launch. Define which AI providers are available, create reusable presets that encode exactly how agents should run, and import or export packs to standardize your setup. Configure once, launch confidently every time.
What this page covers
- Agent Presets — Create, edit, export, and import launcher configurations
- Providers — Register AI providers and manage model availability
- Valdr Packs — Import and export packs for portable agent configurations
Agent Presets
Agent presets are saved launcher configurations. Each preset bundles a provider, model, worktree policy, environment references, and runtime config into a reusable one-click launch target. Instead of re-configuring every agent session from scratch, you pick a preset and go.
Preset table columns
| Column | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Key | Unique identifier for the preset (e.g., coder-claude, orchestrator-ollama). Used when launching agents from the UI or via MCP. |
| Provider | The AI provider this preset targets, shown with its icon (e.g., Claude, Codex, Ollama). |
| Env refs | Environment variable names the preset needs at runtime (e.g., CODEX_API_KEY). A dash means no env refs required. |
Creating a preset
Click the + button in the toolbar to open the preset form. Every field shapes how agents behave when launched with this preset:
| Field | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Key | A unique slug that identifies this preset. Set once at creation, immutable afterward. Choose something descriptive: coder-claude, reviewer-codex, orchestrator-ollama. |
| Display name | Human-readable label shown in launcher dropdowns (e.g., “Claude Coder”). |
| Provider | Which registered provider to use. The dropdown shows all providers from the Providers tab. |
| Model | Which model to use from the selected provider’s model list (e.g., Opus, Sonnet, gpt-5.4). |
| Description | Optional note about what this preset is for. Helps when you have many presets. |
| Env refs | Comma-separated environment variable names the agent session needs (e.g., CODEX_API_KEY, OPENAI_API_KEY). Valdr passes these references through to the agent runtime. Treat raw session metadata and spec exports as sensitive if they include provider settings. |
| Config JSON | Raw JSON configuration passed to the agent launcher. Controls permission modes, allowed tools, keep-alive timeouts, and other runtime behavior. |
Worktree options
The three checkboxes at the bottom of the preset form control git worktree behavior:
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Create worktree by default | When checked, every agent session launched with this preset gets its own isolated git worktree. Changes stay off your active branch until you review and merge. |
| Allow reuse existing worktree | When checked, agents can reuse a worktree from a previous session instead of creating a fresh one. Useful for multi-step workflows on the same branch. |
| Allow ad-hoc overrides | When checked, users can override worktree settings per-launch. When unchecked, the preset’s defaults are enforced. |
Export and import
Use the Export and Import buttons to move presets between machines or share them with teammates.
- Export saves all presets (or a selection) as a portable file
- Import loads presets from a file, with conflict detection if a key already exists
This makes onboarding fast — set up presets once, export, and every team member imports the same configuration. Combined with Valdr Packs and provider/preset configuration, you can standardize an entire team’s agent infrastructure in minutes.
Providers
The Providers tab is where you register the AI providers Valdr can use. Each provider entry defines a connection type, available models, and a default model. Agent presets reference these providers, so providers must be registered before you can create presets that use them.
Provider table columns
| Column | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Provider | Display name and icon (e.g., Claude Code, Codex, Ollama Local). |
| Type | The provider integration type (e.g., claude, codex, ollama). Determines how Valdr communicates with the provider. |
| Enabled | Whether this provider is available for use in presets and launches. Disable a provider to temporarily remove it without deleting the configuration. |
| Default Model | The model used when no specific model is selected (e.g., sonnet, gpt-5.4, qwen3-coder-next). |
| Models | How many models are registered under this provider. Click Edit to see and manage the full model list. |
Adding a provider
Click + to register a new provider. You need:
- A display name — what you see in dropdowns and tables
- A type — the integration protocol (
claude,codex,ollama, etc.) - At least one model — the models available through this provider
- A default model — which model to use when none is specified
Mixing cloud and local providers
Valdr treats all providers equally. Run Claude for complex coding tasks and Ollama for fast local iteration — switch between them by choosing a different preset. This gives you:
- Cost control — use cheaper or free local models for exploratory work
- Offline capability — Ollama presets work without internet
- Comparison — run the same task with different providers and compare session quality in the Agent Sessions view
Export and import
Like presets, providers support Export and Import for portable configuration. Export your provider setup and share the JSON so teammates import identical provider configurations. See Provider Configuration for the full JSON format.
Valdr Packs
The Valdr Packs tab handles import and export of .valdr-pack.tar.gz archives — portable bundles that package agents, prompts, capabilities, and configuration into a single shareable file.
Exporting a pack
- Select pack keys — choose which packs to include in the export (e.g.,
valdr) - Filter by agent handles (optional) — limit the export to specific agents (e.g.,
@executor,@reviewer) - Click Export Pack to generate the
.valdr-pack.tar.gzarchive
The exported archive includes all agents, prompts, capabilities, and configuration associated with the selected packs.
Importing a pack
Click Import Pack to load an archive. Valdr runs a conflict-aware preflight check before committing any changes:
- Detects naming conflicts with existing agents, prompts, or capabilities
- Shows what will be added, updated, or skipped
- Requires explicit confirmation before applying changes
This means you can safely import packs without worrying about overwriting your existing setup.
How settings flow into agent launches
Settings aren’t just configuration — they’re the foundation of every agent session. Here’s how the pieces connect:
- Register providers in the Providers tab (e.g., Claude, Codex, Ollama)
- Create presets in Agent Presets that reference those providers with specific models and runtime config
- Launch agents from Tasks or the Orchestrator using your presets
- Review results in Agent Sessions — every session records which preset and provider was used
Change a preset once and every future launch inherits the update. No re-configuring, no drift, no “which model was that session using?” questions.
Next steps
Ready to put your settings to work? Launch your first agent from a task and see how presets turn configuration into one-click execution.