Configuration

Devin for Terminal is configured through JSON files (with comment support) at the user and project level. These config files control the agent’s model, permissions, MCP servers, and more.

Config File Locations

User config
Project config
Local overrides

Path: ~/.config/cognition/config.jsonYour personal defaults that apply across all projects. This is where you set your preferred model, theme, and global permissions.

{
  "agent": { "model": "claude-sonnet-4.5" },
  "permissions": {
    "allow": ["Read(**)", "Exec(git)"]
  }
}

Path: .cognition/config.json (at your project root)Shared team configuration committed to version control. Use this for project-specific MCP servers, permission policies, and import settings.

{
  "permissions": {
    "allow": ["Exec(npm run)", "Read(src/**)"],
    "deny": ["Exec(sudo)"]
  },
  "mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"]
    }
  }
}

Path: .cognition/config.local.jsonPersonal overrides for this project that aren’t committed to git (automatically gitignored). Use this for secrets, API keys, and personal preference overrides.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "env": { "GITHUB_TOKEN": "ghp_your_token" }
    }
  }
}

What You Can Configure

Model

Choose which AI model powers the agent — from Claude Opus to GPT 5.2 to Gemini 3.

Permissions

Pre-approve safe actions, block dangerous ones, and control what the agent can do without asking.

MCP Servers

Connect external tool servers for GitHub, Linear, databases, and any custom APIs.

External Tool Imports

Import rules, skills, and configuration from Cursor, Windsurf, and Claude Code.

Quick Start

The fastest way to get started is to create a .cognition/config.json in your project root:

{
  "permissions": {
    "allow": [
      "Read(**)",
      "Exec(git)",
      "Exec(npm run)"
    ]
  }
}

This pre-approves file reads and common commands so the agent doesn’t prompt you for every action.

You can also configure Devin for Terminal interactively — when the agent asks for permission, choose to save the decision to your project or user config for next time.

Configuration Precedence

When the same setting is defined in multiple places, higher-priority sources win:

Priority	Source	Shared?
1 (highest)	Organization / Team settings	Yes (enterprise)
2	Session grants (interactive approvals)	No (in-memory)
3	Project local (`.cognition/config.local.json`)	No (gitignored)
4	Project (`.cognition/config.json`)	Yes (committed)
5 (lowest)	User (`~/.config/cognition/config.json`)	No (personal)

Permissions are merged across levels, while scalar values (model, theme) use the highest-priority source.

Organization-level settings cannot be overridden by project or user config. See Configuration Precedence for full details on how merging works.

Limitations

Devin for Terminal does not support .codeiumignore files. If you use Codeium’s autocomplete and have configured ignore patterns, those patterns will not apply to Devin for Terminal.

Getting Started

Extensibility

Enterprise

Reference

Config File Locations

What You Can Configure

Model

Permissions

MCP Servers

External Tool Imports

Quick Start

Configuration Precedence

Limitations

Learn More

Full Config Reference

Configuration Precedence

Getting Started

Extensibility

Enterprise

Reference

​Config File Locations

​What You Can Configure

Model

Permissions

MCP Servers

External Tool Imports

​Quick Start

​Configuration Precedence

​Limitations

​Learn More

Full Config Reference

Configuration Precedence

Config File Locations

What You Can Configure

Quick Start

Configuration Precedence

Limitations

Learn More