fix(vscode): clarify effective permissions

.changeset/quiet-permissions-speak.md

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"kilo-code": patch
+---
+
+Show effective permission defaults and clarify external-directory approvals in VS Code.

packages/kilo-vscode/tests/permission-dock-dropdown.spec.ts

@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ test.describe("Permission Dock Dropdown — external directory", () => {
     await page.waitForSelector("#storybook-root *", { state: "attached" })
     await openDropdown(page)
 
-    const text = "Read External Directory /Users/developer/projects/kilo-bench/dashboard/app/routes/*"
+    const text = "Access External Directory /Users/developer/projects/kilo-bench/dashboard/app/routes/*"
     const hint = page.locator('[data-slot="permission-hint"]')
     await expect(hint).toHaveText(text)
     await expect(hint).toHaveAttribute("title", text)

packages/kilo-vscode/tests/unit/permission-description.test.ts

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ const labels: Record<string, string> = {
   "ui.permission.toolLabel.webSearch": "Web Search",
   "ui.permission.toolLabel.list": "List",
   "ui.permission.toolLabel.bash": "Bash",
-  "ui.permission.toolLabel.externalDirectory": "Read External Directory",
+  "ui.permission.toolLabel.externalDirectory": "Access External Directory",
   "ui.permission.toolLabel.webFetch": "Web Fetch",
   "ui.permission.toolLabel.codeSearch": "Code Search",
   "ui.permission.toolLabel.todoRead": "Todo Read",
@@ -79,9 +79,9 @@ describe("describePatterns", () => {
     expect(result).toEqual({ kind: "single", text: "Edit file.ts" })
   })
 
-  test("external_directory uses Read External Directory label", () => {
+  test("external_directory uses Access External Directory label", () => {
     const result = describePatterns("external_directory", ["/home/user/project/*"], t)
-    expect(result).toEqual({ kind: "single", text: "Read External Directory /home/user/project/*" })
+    expect(result).toEqual({ kind: "single", text: "Access External Directory /home/user/project/*" })
   })
 
   test("glob tool uses Glob Search label", () => {
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ describe("describeRule", () => {
 
   test("preserves existing permission rule labels", () => {
     expect(describeRule("read", "*", t)).toBe("Read")
-    expect(describeRule("external_directory", "*", t)).toBe("Read External Directory")
+    expect(describeRule("external_directory", "*", t)).toBe("Access External Directory")
     expect(describeRule("read", "src/app.ts", t)).toBe("Read src/app.ts")
   })
 })
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ describe("resolveLabel", () => {
       grep: "Grep Search",
       list: "List",
       bash: "Bash",
-      external_directory: "Read External Directory",
+      external_directory: "Access External Directory",
       webfetch: "Web Fetch",
       websearch: "Web Search",
       codesearch: "Code Search",

packages/kilo-vscode/tests/unit/permission-editor.test.ts

@@ -3,10 +3,12 @@ import {
   addExceptionPatch,
   clearGroupedPatch,
   clearWildcardPatch,
+  DEFAULT_RULES,
   inheritedWildcard,
   mostRestrictive,
   permissionExceptions,
   removeExceptionPatch,
+  ruleset,
   setExceptionPatch,
   setGroupedPatch,
   setWildcardPatch,
@@ -45,6 +47,31 @@ describe("effectiveRuleLevel", () => {
   })
 })
 
+describe("ruleset", () => {
+  it("preserves backend defaults when config only customizes bash", () => {
+    const rules = [...DEFAULT_RULES, ...ruleset({ bash: { "*": "ask", "git status *": "allow" } })]
+
+    expect(effectiveRuleLevel(rules, "edit")).toBe("allow")
+    expect(effectiveRuleLevel(rules, "external_directory")).toBe("ask")
+    expect(effectiveRuleLevel(rules, "bash")).toBe("ask")
+    expect(effectiveRuleLevel(rules, "doom_loop")).toBe("ask")
+  })
+
+  it("applies top-level wildcards and direct rules in config order", () => {
+    const broadLast = [...DEFAULT_RULES, ...ruleset({ edit: "allow", "*": "ask" })]
+    const directLast = [...DEFAULT_RULES, ...ruleset({ "*": "ask", edit: "allow" })]
+
+    expect(effectiveRuleLevel(broadLast, "edit")).toBe("ask")
+    expect(effectiveRuleLevel(directLast, "edit")).toBe("allow")
+  })
+
+  it("skips config delete sentinels", () => {
+    expect(ruleset({ edit: null, bash: { "*": null, "git status *": "allow" } })).toEqual([
+      { permission: "bash", pattern: "git status *", action: "allow" },
+    ])
+  })
+})
+
 describe("PermissionEditor inherited wildcard state", () => {
   it("distinguishes inherited defaults from explicit wildcard rules", () => {
     expect(wildcardAction(undefined, "ask")).toBe("ask")
@@ -68,6 +95,7 @@ describe("PermissionEditor patch generation", () => {
   })
 
   it("preserves exceptions when changing wildcard overrides", () => {
+    expect(setWildcardPatch(undefined, "edit", "ask")).toEqual({ edit: "ask" })
     expect(setWildcardPatch({ "*": "deny", "src/**": "allow", "dist/**": null }, "edit", "ask")).toEqual({
       edit: { "*": "ask", "src/**": "allow" },
     })

packages/kilo-vscode/webview-ui/src/components/chat/PermissionDock.tsx

@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ export const PermissionDock: Component<{
             }}
             disabled={props.responding}
           >
-            {language.t("ui.permission.run")}
+            {language.t("ui.permission.allowOnce")}
           </Button>
           <Button
             variant="ghost"

packages/kilo-vscode/webview-ui/src/components/settings/AutoApproveTab.tsx

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { TextField } from "@kilocode/kilo-ui/text-field"
 import { useConfig } from "../../context/config"
 import { useLanguage } from "../../context/language"
 import PermissionEditor from "./PermissionEditor"
+import { DEFAULT_RULES } from "./permission-utils"
 import SettingsRow from "./SettingsRow"
 
 const AutoApproveTab: Component = () => {
@@ -54,7 +55,10 @@ const AutoApproveTab: Component = () => {
 
       <PermissionEditor
         permissions={permissions()}
+        rules={DEFAULT_RULES}
         description={language.t("settings.autoApprove.description")}
+        inherited
+        showDefaultLevel
         onChange={(patch) => updateConfig({ permission: patch })}
       />
     </div>

packages/kilo-vscode/webview-ui/src/components/settings/PermissionEditor.tsx

@@ -14,10 +14,10 @@ import {
   mostRestrictive,
   permissionExceptions,
   removeExceptionPatch,
+  ruleset,
   setExceptionPatch,
   setGroupedPatch,
   setWildcardPatch,
-  wildcardAction,
   type PermissionPatch,
 } from "./permission-utils"
 
@@ -136,12 +136,13 @@ const PermissionEditor: Component<{
   description?: string
   component?: string
   inherited?: boolean
+  showDefaultLevel?: boolean
   onChange: (patch: PermissionPatch) => void
 }> = (props) => {
   const perms = createMemo(() => props.permissions ?? {})
+  const rules = createMemo(() => [...(props.rules ?? []), ...ruleset(perms())])
 
-  const levelFor = (tool: string): PermissionLevel =>
-    wildcardAction(perms()[tool], effectiveRuleLevel(props.rules, tool))
+  const levelFor = (tool: string): PermissionLevel => effectiveRuleLevel(rules(), tool)
 
   const ruleFor = (tool: string): PermissionRule | undefined => perms()[tool]
 
@@ -205,6 +206,7 @@ const PermissionEditor: Component<{
             fallback={levelFor(tool.id)}
             inherited={props.inherited && inheritedWildcard(ruleFor(tool.id))}
             allowInherit={props.inherited}
+            showDefaultLevel={props.showDefaultLevel}
             onWildcardChange={(level) => setWildcard(tool.id, level)}
             onWildcardInherit={() => clearWildcard(tool.id)}
             onExceptionChange={(pattern, level) => setException(tool.id, pattern, level)}
@@ -220,7 +222,8 @@ const PermissionEditor: Component<{
             id={tool.id}
             descriptionKey={tool.descriptionKey}
             level={levelFor(tool.id)}
-            inherited={props.inherited && ruleFor(tool.id) === undefined}
+            inherited={props.inherited && inheritedWildcard(ruleFor(tool.id))}
+            showDefaultLevel={props.showDefaultLevel}
             onChange={(level) => setSimple(tool.id, level)}
             onInherit={() => clearSimple(tool.id)}
           />
@@ -233,7 +236,8 @@ const PermissionEditor: Component<{
             id={group.label}
             descriptionKey={group.descriptionKey}
             level={mostRestrictive(group.ids.map(levelFor))}
-            inherited={props.inherited && group.ids.every((id) => ruleFor(id) === undefined)}
+            inherited={props.inherited && group.ids.every((id) => inheritedWildcard(ruleFor(id)))}
+            showDefaultLevel={props.showDefaultLevel}
             onChange={(level) => setGrouped(group.ids, level)}
             onInherit={() => clearGrouped(group.ids)}
           />
@@ -246,7 +250,8 @@ const PermissionEditor: Component<{
             id={tool.id}
             descriptionKey={tool.descriptionKey}
             level={levelFor(tool.id)}
-            inherited={props.inherited && ruleFor(tool.id) === undefined}
+            inherited={props.inherited && inheritedWildcard(ruleFor(tool.id))}
+            showDefaultLevel={props.showDefaultLevel}
             onChange={(level) => setSimple(tool.id, level)}
             onInherit={() => clearSimple(tool.id)}
           />
@@ -261,6 +266,7 @@ const SimpleToolRow: Component<{
   descriptionKey: string
   level: PermissionLevel
   inherited?: boolean
+  showDefaultLevel?: boolean
   onChange: (level: PermissionLevel) => void
   onInherit?: () => void
 }> = (props) => {
@@ -293,6 +299,7 @@ const SimpleToolRow: Component<{
       <ActionSelect
         level={props.level}
         inherited={props.inherited}
+        showDefaultLevel={props.showDefaultLevel}
         onChange={props.onChange}
         onInherit={props.onInherit}
       />
@@ -306,6 +313,7 @@ const GranularToolRow: Component<{
   fallback: PermissionLevel
   inherited?: boolean
   allowInherit?: boolean
+  showDefaultLevel?: boolean
   onWildcardChange: (level: PermissionLevel) => void
   onWildcardInherit: () => void
   onExceptionChange: (pattern: string, level: PermissionLevel) => void
@@ -325,8 +333,6 @@ const GranularToolRow: Component<{
   const excs = createMemo(() => permissionExceptions(props.rule))
   const expanded = createMemo(() => override() ?? excs().length <= 5)
   const toggle = () => setOverride(!expanded())
-  const level = createMemo(() => wildcardAction(props.rule, props.fallback))
-
   const submit = () => {
     const val = input().trim()
     if (val) {
@@ -375,8 +381,9 @@ const GranularToolRow: Component<{
           </div>
         </div>
         <ActionSelect
-          level={level()}
+          level={props.fallback}
           inherited={props.inherited}
+          showDefaultLevel={props.showDefaultLevel}
           onChange={props.onWildcardChange}
           onInherit={props.allowInherit ? props.onWildcardInherit : undefined}
         />
@@ -524,17 +531,23 @@ const GranularToolRow: Component<{
 const ActionSelect: Component<{
   level: PermissionLevel
   inherited?: boolean
+  showDefaultLevel?: boolean
   onChange: (level: PermissionLevel) => void
   onInherit?: () => void
 }> = (props) => {
   const language = useLanguage()
   const opts = createMemo(() => (props.onInherit ? [INHERIT_OPTION, ...LEVEL_OPTIONS] : LEVEL_OPTIONS))
+  const label = (option: LevelOption) => {
+    if (option.value !== "inherit" || !props.showDefaultLevel) return language.t(option.labelKey)
+    const level = LEVEL_OPTIONS.find((item) => item.value === props.level)!
+    return `${language.t(option.labelKey)} (${language.t(level.labelKey)})`
+  }
   return (
     <Select
       options={opts()}
       current={props.inherited ? INHERIT_OPTION : LEVEL_OPTIONS.find((option) => option.value === props.level)}
       value={(option) => option.value}
-      label={(option) => language.t(option.labelKey)}
+      label={label}
       onSelect={(option) => {
         if (!option) return
         if (option.value === "inherit") {

packages/kilo-vscode/webview-ui/src/components/settings/permission-utils.ts

@@ -4,6 +4,14 @@ export type PermissionPatch = PermissionConfig
 
 const RESTRICTION_ORDER: Record<PermissionLevel, number> = { allow: 0, ask: 1, deny: 2 }
 
+// Keep wildcard defaults aligned with the CLI's base rules and Kilo Bash policy.
+export const DEFAULT_RULES: PermissionRuleItem[] = [
+  { permission: "*", pattern: "*", action: "allow" },
+  { permission: "external_directory", pattern: "*", action: "ask" },
+  { permission: "bash", pattern: "*", action: "ask" },
+  { permission: "doom_loop", pattern: "*", action: "ask" },
+]
+
 function matchTool(tool: string, pattern: string): boolean {
   if (pattern === tool || pattern === "*") return true
   if (!pattern.includes("*")) return false
@@ -20,6 +28,21 @@ export function effectiveRuleLevel(rules: PermissionRuleItem[] | undefined, tool
   return "ask"
 }
 
+export function ruleset(config: PermissionConfig): PermissionRuleItem[] {
+  const result: PermissionRuleItem[] = []
+  for (const [permission, rule] of Object.entries(config)) {
+    if (rule === null || rule === undefined) continue
+    if (typeof rule === "string") {
+      result.push({ permission, pattern: "*", action: rule })
+      continue
+    }
+    for (const [pattern, action] of Object.entries(rule)) {
+      if (action !== null) result.push({ permission, pattern, action })
+    }
+  }
+  return result
+}
+
 export function mostRestrictive(levels: PermissionLevel[]): PermissionLevel {
   return levels.reduce<PermissionLevel>(
     (best, level) => (RESTRICTION_ORDER[level] > RESTRICTION_ORDER[best] ? level : best),

packages/kilo-vscode/webview-ui/src/i18n/de.ts

@@ -643,7 +643,7 @@ export const dict = {
   "ui.permission.toolLabel.grepSearch": "Grep-Suche",
   "ui.permission.toolLabel.webSearch": "Websuche",
   "ui.permission.toolLabel.list": "Auflisten",
-  "ui.permission.toolLabel.externalDirectory": "Externes Verzeichnis lesen",
+  "ui.permission.toolLabel.externalDirectory": "Zugriff auf externen Ordner erlauben",
   "ui.permission.toolLabel.webFetch": "Web-Abruf",
   "ui.permission.toolLabel.task": "Aufgabe",
   "ui.permission.toolLabel.skill": "Fähigkeit",