How to edit or switch the configuration from Sidekicks

This guide shows how to change the configuration file from the Settings panel, and how to open another configuration file. It assumes you know the configuration format.

Edit the current file

Click Settings in the status bar (bottom right). The panel shows the file's path and its text.
Type your change. Keys are suggested as you type (Ctrl+Space to ask), from the same schema Sidekicks validates with; after theme: or type: , the possible values are suggested.
Mistakes are underlined within half a second, with the line and an explanation on hover.
Press ⌘S (Ctrl+S on Linux) or click Save. An invalid text is not written: the problems are listed under the editor — click one to go to its line. A valid text is written and reloaded: new agents appear in the list at once.
Revert brings back the text of the file as it is on disk.

Open another configuration file

In Settings, click Open… and choose a .yaml file. The dialog starts in the folder of the configuration in use; to reach another hidden folder such as ~/Library, press ⇧⌘G and type its path.
Sidekicks stops every agent and loads the chosen file with its own channels and history — even if it has problems, which are then shown. Opening the first file again brings its channels back.
The file is remembered: Recent… lists the last 8, and the next launch opens the last one (unless --config or SIDEKICKS_CONFIG says otherwise).

Variants

You prefer your own editor: edit the file anywhere; Sidekicks reloads it on every save. If the Settings panel has unsaved changes, it keeps them rather than replacing them.
Go back to the default file: open ~/Library/Application Support/sidekicks/config.yaml (macOS) or ~/.config/sidekicks/config.yaml (Linux) with Open….
Forget the recent files: delete preferences.json next to the default configuration.

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# How to edit or switch the configuration from Sidekicks

This guide shows how to change the configuration file from the **Settings** panel, and how to open another configuration file. It assumes you know the [configuration format](../reference/configuration.md).

## Edit the current file

1. Click **Settings** in the status bar (bottom right). The panel shows the file's path and its text.
2. Type your change. Keys are suggested as you type (Ctrl+Space to ask), from the same schema Sidekicks validates with; after `theme: ` or `type: `, the possible values are suggested.
3. Mistakes are underlined within half a second, with the line and an explanation on hover.
4. Press **⌘S** (Ctrl+S on Linux) or click **Save**. An invalid text is not written: the problems are listed under the editor — click one to go to its line. A valid text is written and reloaded: new agents appear in the list at once.
5. **Revert** brings back the text of the file as it is on disk.

## Open another configuration file

1. In **Settings**, click **Open…** and choose a `.yaml` file. The dialog starts in the folder of the configuration in use; to reach another hidden folder such as `~/Library`, press ⇧⌘G and type its path.
2. Sidekicks stops every agent and loads the chosen file with its own channels and history — even if it has problems, which are then shown. Opening the first file again brings its channels back.
3. The file is remembered: **Recent…** lists the last 8, and the next launch opens the last one (unless `--config` or `SIDEKICKS_CONFIG` says otherwise).

## Variants

- **You prefer your own editor**: edit the file anywhere; Sidekicks reloads it on every save. If the Settings panel has unsaved changes, it keeps them rather than replacing them.
- **Go back to the default file**: open `~/Library/Application Support/sidekicks/config.yaml` (macOS) or `~/.config/sidekicks/config.yaml` (Linux) with **Open…**.
- **Forget the recent files**: delete `preferences.json` next to the default configuration.

## See also

- Every key of the file → [Reference: the configuration file](../reference/configuration.md)
- Why validation lives in Go → [ADR 0004](../../adr/0004-conversations.md), decision 9