> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.devin.ai/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Devin Local > Use the Devin Local agent in Devin Desktop: the Devin CLI agent harness with subagents, sandboxing, plan mode, worktrees, and permissions. Devin Local is our next-generation agent harness shared with [Devin CLI](https://cli.devin.ai). It operates on your machine with access to your local files, tools, and environment and is the primary local agent for Devin Desktop. > **[Modes](https://docs.devin.ai/desktop/devin-local/modes.md)** > > Code, Smart, Ask, Plan, and Bypass Permissions, and how to plan before implementing. > **[Customizations](https://docs.devin.ai/desktop/devin-local/customizations.md)** > > Plugins, skills, MCP servers, hooks, and rules, and the surface that shows what a session has loaded. > **[Permissions](https://docs.devin.ai/desktop/devin-local/permissions.md)** > > Allow, ask, and deny rules, approval requests, and MCP tool permissions. > **[Worktrees](https://docs.devin.ai/desktop/devin-local/worktrees.md)** > > Run a session in a git worktree and merge its changes back into your workspace. ## Key features ### Token efficiency The Devin Local agent is built around prompt caching, so most tasks use fewer tokens for the same result. ### Subagents The Devin Local agent can spawn independent [subagents](https://docs.devin.ai/cli/subagents.md) to handle subtasks — either in the foreground or background. Subagents share tools and codebase context with the parent agent but operate in their own conversation chain. Subagents are controlled by the **Subagents (Preview)** toggle in `Devin Settings`. Beyond the built-in profiles, you can define your own subagents as markdown files under `agents/` using either layout: * **Flat file** — `agents/.md`, where the file name becomes the profile's identifier. * **Directory** — `agents//AGENT.md`, where the directory name becomes the profile's identifier. See the [subagents documentation](https://docs.devin.ai/cli/subagents.md) for where these directories are discovered and how to configure a profile. ### Sandboxing The Devin Local agent supports OS-level sandboxing. When enabled, the sandbox enforces: * **Filesystem isolation** — writable paths are derived from your [permission scopes](https://docs.devin.ai/desktop/devin-local/permissions.md), and `Read(...)` deny rules hide paths from sandboxed commands * **Network filtering** — domain allowlists and denylists control what the agent can reach Enterprise admins can enforce sandbox behavior across the organization through [team settings](https://cli.devin.ai/docs/enterprise/team-settings#sandbox-enforcement), including requiring sandbox mode for all users and configuring organization-wide domain filtering rules. ### Quick Review [Quick Review](https://docs.devin.ai/desktop/quick-review.md) is a dedicated subagent available with the Devin Local agent to get rapid feedback on changes. ## Switching your agent New tabs start with Devin Local when you haven't chosen a preferred agent. If Devin Local isn't available to you, the tab uses the first selectable [ACP agent](https://docs.devin.ai/desktop/acp.md) instead, and if no agent is available it shows the default new-tab UI and waits until one is. You can change the agent for *new* conversations at any time via the agent selector in the bottom right corner of Devin Desktop — Devin Local is selectable even while it is still connecting. ![](https://mintcdn.com/cognitionai/WE51TvKjsiyk1ZHl/desktop/assets/windsurf/devin-local-agent-switcher.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=WE51TvKjsiyk1ZHl\&q=85\&s=5206df1ec64b71ae0463d56f7453aff3) ### Agent settings If Devin Local doesn't appear in the agent selector, you might need to enable it from `Devin Settings`: 1. Open the Command Palette with `Cmd+Shift+P` (macOS) or `Ctrl+Shift+P` (Windows/Linux) 2. Open `Devin User Settings` 3. Click the "Agents" tab 4. Toggle the "Devin Local" agent on 5. Restart Devin Desktop ![](https://mintcdn.com/cognitionai/WE51TvKjsiyk1ZHl/desktop/assets/windsurf/devin-local-agent-settings.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=WE51TvKjsiyk1ZHl\&q=85\&s=b0f42c5d3d679c55c450fd9067c34303) ### Enterprise admins Devin Local is a bundled agent that Devin Desktop fetches from the server. Whether it appears in the agent selector is controlled by the **Devin Local Agent** team setting: * On **Team** and other non-enterprise plans it is available by default (unless an individual member has this access disabled). * On **Enterprise** plans it is gated, so an admin must turn it on for members. Enterprise admins manage this from the team settings dashboard: * **Devin Enterprise admins** — **Settings → Enterprise → Devin Desktop** (`app.devin.ai/org/{orgName}/settings/desktop`). Under **Features**, enable **Devin Local Agent** ("Allow members to use the Devin Local agent in Devin Desktop and delegate tasks to Devin's terminal agent via ACP"). * **Windsurf Enterprise admins** — the [Windsurf dashboard](https://windsurf.com/team/settings). Once enabled, Devin Local appears in the agent selector for all members after they restart Devin Desktop — no per-user setup or custom [ACP registry config](https://docs.devin.ai/desktop/acp.md#team-registry-configuration) is required. ## Restricted Mode When a workspace is open in **Restricted Mode**, agents are unavailable in it: Cascade, Devin Local, and every [ACP agent](https://docs.devin.ai/desktop/acp.md) are disabled, and [hooks](https://docs.devin.ai/desktop/devin-local/customizations.md#hooks) neither load nor run. Agents become available again once the workspace is no longer in Restricted Mode. ## Conversation sharing In Devin Desktop, choose **Share conversation** from the actions menu below a completed turn; in Devin CLI or another ACP client, run `/share`. The agent uploads a sanitized transcript (secrets redacted, system prompts and tool definitions dropped) and returns a link to share with your team. Sharing is only offered when your organization allows conversation sharing, you are signed in with a Devin account (not a Windsurf-only account), and the client supports sharing. ## Analytics Devin Local activity is reported in the [`cascade_runs`](https://docs.devin.ai/desktop/accounts/api-reference/cascade-analytics) data source (model usage, messages sent, and credit consumption), the [`cascade_tool_usage`](https://docs.devin.ai/desktop/accounts/api-reference/cascade-analytics) data source (per-tool call counts such as Code Edit, Run Command, Search Web, and MCP Tool), the [`cascade_lines`](https://docs.devin.ai/desktop/accounts/api-reference/cascade-analytics) data source (daily lines of code written by the agent), and the [Cascade Data source](https://docs.devin.ai/desktop/accounts/analytics-api.md#cascade-data) of the Custom Analytics API. Devin Local does not track suggested lines or "modes": an edit only runs after you approve it, so accepted lines equal suggested lines, and the `mode` field in `cascade_runs` is not populated. The Devin CLI does not report analytics for [hybrid deployments](https://devin.ai/blog/self-hosted-deployment-maintenance-mode). ## Enterprise controls Enterprise admins can configure the Devin Local agent through [team settings](https://windsurf.com/team/settings), including [new controls only available with the Devin Local agent](https://cli.devin.ai/docs/enterprise/team-settings): * **Sandbox enforcement** - Require sandbox mode for all users and configure organization-wide domain filtering rules * **Granular permissions** - Control which actions the agent can take with more fine-grained permissions * **Network enforcement** - Control network access with allowed and denied domains The organization's conversation sharing control is honored: when sharing is disabled for the organization, the Devin Local agent does not offer **Share conversation** or `/share`. Additionally, the "Enable Cascade" control can be used to disable the legacy Cascade agent entirely to ensure your team follows the new controls available with Devin CLI. ### Unsupported enterprise controls The following legacy enterprise controls are not available with the Devin Local agent: * **Restrict Tool Calls to Workspace** - by default, the Devin Local agent can only read/edit files within the workspace. Custom [permissions](https://cli.devin.ai/docs/reference/permissions) are a more flexible replacement that can be used to replicate the same rules. * **Global tool calling disabled** - If you previously disabled tool calling entirely, write an equivalent [permission policy](https://cli.devin.ai/docs/reference/permissions) for Devin CLI instead. The following legacy controls will still be enforced as a fallback if you haven't yet implemented an enterprise CLI permission config: * **Auto Run Terminal Commands** - The Devin Local agent uses its own [permissions model](https://cli.devin.ai/docs/reference/permissions) instead of auto-execution levels; we recommend using this instead, but the old control will still be enforced as a fallback. * **Terminal allow lists** - Implement an equivalent [permission policy](https://cli.devin.ai/docs/reference/permissions) for Devin CLI to allow specific terminal commands. * **Terminal deny lists** - Implement an equivalent [permission policy](https://cli.devin.ai/docs/reference/permissions) for Devin CLI to deny specific terminal commands. ## Further reading * [Devin CLI quickstart](https://cli.devin.ai/docs) * [Essential commands](https://cli.devin.ai/docs/essential-commands) * [Extensibility overview](https://cli.devin.ai/docs/extensibility) * [Team settings](https://cli.devin.ai/docs/enterprise/team-settings) This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.