Reference · 4 min read

Glossary

Plain-English definitions for Miton terms you see in the app — surfaces, modes, goals, and project concepts. An engineer appendix maps internal code names to those functions.

Product stage: Pre-release development
Last reviewed: 2026-07-23
Successful result: The change is visible in the active project.

Who this is for: anyone using Miton who wants a quick definition — not engineers reading source code. Start here if a label in the app or handbook is unfamiliar.

The handbook shows you how to do tasks. This page explains what things are called and what they mean.

Workspace

Term	What it means
Chat	The constant conversation. Ask what you want; Miton opens the right view when the work needs it.
Writer	Long-form drafts, research notes, tracked changes, citations, and export.
Canvas	No-code pages and apps — canvas, forms, local data, publish.
Code	File tree, editor, terminal, git, and codebase search for shipping software.
Automation	Visual workflows — triggers, actions, schedules, and webhooks.
Workspace switcher	The control with Chat · Writer · Canvas · Code · Automation. Same modes everywhere.

Miton uses one engine across all five. Switching view changes tools and defaults, not the project.

Project and goals

Term	What it means
Project	A folder on disk that holds your work — code, documents, apps, or workflows. Beginner sessions auto-create a project under `~/Miton Projects/` when you open a non-chat surface.
Goals	Project-level outcomes and milestones. Track progress, link work to a plan, and see drift when code and plan diverge. Open from Project in the sidebar.
Plan	The project’s written direction, usually in `.miton/plan.md`. The agent reads it when a session starts.
Blueprint	The structured project graph — milestones, tasks, and health signals rolled up in the orientation panel.

Steering modes (per session)

Steering modes control how much the agent can do without asking. Pick one in the mode chip above the chat input, the mode badge in the message list, or with /mode.

Mode	Plain English
Chat	Read-only. The agent can look at your project but cannot change files or run commands.
Plan	Read-only with planning prompts. Good for designing before you build.
Confirm	The safe default. The agent asks before writing files, running shell commands, or other sensitive actions.
Autoedit	File writes happen automatically; shell and network actions still need approval.
Full access	The agent can act without per-step prompts, subject to your workspace trust setting.

Confirm mode is the recommended default when you are unsure — you see what will change before it happens.

Trust and safety

Term	What it means
Workspace trust	How much Miton may do in a folder: Trusted, Restricted, or Untrusted. Set when you open a folder; change from the trust indicator in the title bar. Trust is the outer limit — a permissive mode cannot override an untrusted folder.
Approval prompt	A gate in chat when the agent wants to read, write, or run something your policy requires you to confirm.
Rewind	Restore project files to a point before an agent turn. Requires git in the project folder.

Agent helpers

Term	What it means
Sub-agent	A focused helper that runs in isolation (often in its own git worktree) for explore, verify, debug, or test tasks. Invoke with slash commands such as `/explorer` or `/verify`.
Skill	A reusable prompt-and-tool bundle. Built-in skills ship with Miton; you can add project or personal skills.
Slash command	Type `/` in chat to open the command picker — built-in commands, skills, and your custom commands.
Smart routing	Automatic model selection per turn based on your routing profile, budget, and task.
Token condensation	Compression of older chat turns when a session nears the model’s context limit. Trigger manually with `/compact`.

Cost and providers

Term	What it means
BYOK	Bring your own model key — your API keys stay in the OS keychain, not on Miton’s servers.
Routing profile	A cost/quality preset (for example free, balanced, premium). Change per session with `/profile` or the model chip.
Budget cap	A spending limit per session, day, or week. Configure in Settings → Costs.