Start a cloud run

Start a cloud run from the Get to work panel on the task detail page: switch it from Local to Cloud. See use tasks for the panel. This page covers the choices on that panel and the setup a run needs before it can start.

Choose the agent

Cloud runs support Claude, Codex, and OpenCode. Gemini is not available for cloud runs. Claude is the default.

Each agent needs a credential before it can run. Claude and Codex can use an API key or a subscription login. OpenCode uses its own CLI login, synced from your local setup. Configure these in Settings under Cloud runs. See cloud agent credentials.

Model and reasoning effort

The Model field is free text with suggestions. Leave it empty to use the agent CLI's default model, or type a model name. Suggestions come from your local CLI and from the provider's model list where Coldtea can read it.

The Reasoning effort field sets how hard the agent thinks, when the agent supports it. Claude offers low, medium, high, extra high, and max. Codex offers minimal, low, medium, high, and extra high. OpenCode does not expose a reasoning-effort setting. Leave the field on Default to let the agent decide.

You can set default model and effort per agent in Settings so you do not pick them every time.

Pull request mode

A cloud run always opens a draft pull request for its work.

When the task already has a pull request from an earlier run, the panel shows a choice:

• Start fresh: branch again and open a new pull request.
• Continue PR #N: push more work onto the existing pull request.

Choose Continue when the new run should build on the earlier one, and Start fresh when it should not.

Base branch

Under Advanced, you can pick the base branch. The agent branches off it and opens its pull request against it. The field defaults to the repository's configured default branch, or the remote default when you have not set one, and falls back to main.

The base-branch choice applies to that run only; it is not remembered. The field appears when the run opens a new pull request, not when it continues an existing one. You can set a default base branch per repository in Settings.

Environment

Cloud runs read repository secrets that you set in Settings under Cloud runs. A secret is a name and a value, saved for one repository at a time. Use these for the environment variables the agent needs, such as an API base URL. If a required secret is missing or invalid, Coldtea flags it as a setup issue and blocks the run until you fix it.

What has to be ready

A cloud run is blocked until its prerequisites are met, and the panel points you to Settings to fix each one:

• A credential for the chosen agent.
• A connected GitHub App. See GitHub.
• A repository resolved for the task.
• Coldtea granted access to that repository on GitHub.
• Any required repository secrets present and valid.

Once these are in place, start the run. The task's activity feed records the run and the pull request it opens, and the cloud runs list on the task tracks its progress. To follow the run as it works, see watch a cloud run. To read the result, see review agent work.