Changelog

Subagents

Bob can now break complex tasks into parallel workstreams by spawning specialized subagents. Each subagent runs in a focused mode, such as one subagent planning while another implements. You approve each spawn before it starts.

Agent steering and message queue

Redirect a running agent without canceling it. New messages join a queue while Bob is busy — drag to reorder them, and the queue persists across webview reloads. Bob works through queued messages as soon as it finishes each step.

MCP server management

Add, configure, and remove MCP servers directly from the settings panel. The new MCP Servers tab gives you a central place to manage all your connected tools without manual JSON editing.

Review workflow

A built-in code review workflow that analyzes your changes, surfaces findings, and submits structured review feedback — all from within the IDE.

Workspace-scoped modes management

A new Modes tab in settings lets you browse, create, override, and manage custom modes per workspace folder. You can toggle tool groups, select workspace scope, and override built-in or source modes without editing config files manually.

Skills settings tab

A dedicated Skills tab in settings gives you a central place to view and manage the skills available to Bob in your workspace.

You can now purchase premium packages to extend Bob with specialized capabilities for specific platforms and workflows.

IBM Bob Premium Package for Java Modernization

Designed to streamline enterprise Java modernization. Automates Java upgrades from versions 8 through 25, modernizes legacy UI architectures into scalable web frameworks, and re-platforms applications from IBM WebSphere to IBM WebSphere Liberty — all within a governed, closed-loop workflow.

IBM Bob Premium Package for Z

Designed to accelerate mainframe application modernization across the full lifecycle, from application analysis through complex code transformation. Combines deep mainframe expertise with purpose-built modes to provide context-aware guidance tailored for enterprise-scale environments.

IBM Bob Premium Package for i

Designed to optimize the development experience for IBM i application developers. Includes curated modes, skills, workflows, and commands for IBM i, with direct connectivity to your IBM i environment and access to IBM i documentation. Supports RPG, SQL, Db2 for i, CL, DDS, COBOL, and other IBM i technologies.

Simplified default modes

Bob now ships with three focused default modes: Plan, Agent, and Ask. Each mode is purpose-built for a specific phase of your workflow, with Advanced and Orchestrator capabilities folded into the defaults.

Expanded context window

The context window has increased from 200,000 to 270,000 tokens, allowing Bob to hold more of your codebase, conversation history, and tool output in view at once. Longer tasks, larger files, and more complex projects can now run further before context needs to be compacted.

Parallel tool calling

Bob can now run multiple independent tools at the same time, reducing wait time on tasks that involve reading several files, searching a codebase, or running unrelated commands. Approval prompts for parallel operations are handled individually so you retain full control over each action.

Bob actions in the editor context menu

Bob actions are now available from the editor right-click context menu, making it faster to start a task on selected code.

Mode switching during a task

Bob can now switch modes mid-task, allowing a single task to move between specialized modes as the work evolves.

Mode-based subagent control

Modes can now restrict which subagents they allow to run. Subagent spawns now require explicit approval rather than being auto-approved.

Nested workflows

Workflows can now invoke other workflows, enabling more complex, multi-step automation without duplicating logic.

Editable commands

Commands proposed by Bob can now be edited before they run, giving you precise control without having to cancel and rephrase.

Auto-approved commands

Define a list of trusted commands that Bob can run without requesting approval each time, accelerating repetitive workflows.

Task-level MCP approvals

Tool group approvals can now be configured per task, independently of your global settings. Task-level controls appear first in the approval UI.

Sequential tool approvals

Approval prompts now appear one at a time, giving you a clearer, more deliberate flow before Bob runs each tool.

Collapsible approval previews

Large tool approval details now collapse into a preview frame, keeping the chat view tidy when Bob requests permission for complex operations.

Chat interface redesign

The chat interface has a new look and layout for improved usability and visual consistency.

Context pills

Pasted text now appears as a compact pill in the chat input, so you can see at a glance what context you have added without the full text filling the input area.

Unified diff view

Code changes are now shown in a syntax-highlighted unified diff view, making it easier to review what Bob has modified.

Syntax-highlighted file output

The read_file tool now renders file contents with syntax highlighting for improved readability.

Structured grep results

grep output is now rendered in a structured, scannable format so results are easier to read and act on.

Structured file listing

The list_files tool now renders output as a structured file list with directory separators, tooltips, and clickable file paths.

Expanded file compatibility

Bob can now read .docx, .pdf, and .xlsx files directly. Use documents and spreadsheets as context without manually extracting their content.

Command security checks

Bob now performs a security check before running commands to prevent potentially harmful operations.

Improved authentication reliability

Authentication logic has been consolidated and hardened. Duplicate token refresh calls are now prevented, token handling is more robust, and the SSO timeout is now 15 minutes.

VS Code engine uplift: 1.109.5 → 1.116.0

Upgraded the underlying VS Code platform to version 1.116.0, adding the latest security fixes, performance improvements, and enhancements. Uplifts ensure Bob IDE remains compatible with modern extensions and developer tooling, while reducing technical debt.

Updated dependencies to address known security vulnerabilities. These updates ensure Bob remains secure and protected against potential threats.

File pattern matching

Fixed vulnerability in how Bob matches file patterns and glob expressions.

Network requests

Updated HTTP client to fix connection handling security issue.

Archive handling

Fixed security vulnerability when extracting compressed files.

Migrated to new IBM App Configuration instance for improved reliability and performance.

Removed obsolete translation-check workflow from the build pipeline.

Token refresh timing

Fixed a race condition where authentication tokens could be rejected during refresh. A safety buffer now prevents edge-case timing issues that could interrupt your session.

Authentication reliability

Improved token refresh handling to be more robust and reliable. Token validation now checks required claims before use, network errors are handled gracefully with automatic retry, and retry logic uses exponential backoff to avoid overwhelming the server.

Autocomplete telemetry

Fixed missing cursor position data in autocomplete logging, improving our ability to understand and improve code suggestions.

Extension compatibility

Fixed an issue where Bob couldn't find required binaries on newer VS Code installations. Bob now correctly locates binaries across different VS Code versions and package layouts.

Bobalytics for Enterprise plans

Track Bob's impact on your software delivery lifecycle with comprehensive analytics and insights. Measure Bob's contribution to your codebase with the Bob Factor metric. Monitor Bobcoin spending across your organization. Analyze usage patterns by programming language and mode. View team activity and daily active users. Compare individual and team usage to optimize workflows.

API key management availability

Admin UI now includes API key management for supported administrative workflows. List all API keys with search and filtering. View API key details in a modal. Revoke API keys individually or in bulk. Show status badges for Active, Revoked, and Expired keys. Toggle visibility of revoked keys.

Code Predictions

Fixed an issue where code suggestions weren't updating when you changed code after the cursor. Bob now provides fresh, context-aware suggestions based on your current code state.

Init Command

Corrected typo in the init command: "rules-advance" is now "rules-advanced".

Task Tracking

Fixed how task IDs are assigned, making it easier to debug issues and correlate tasks across the system.

Literate Coding

Fixed an issue where extra line breaks were added before and after changes. Quick suggestions are now disabled in Literate Coding mode to prevent distractions while you write.

Installer

Fixed critical installation issues on Linux and Mac that prevented Bob from starting after installation. Corrected branding text in the Windows installer.

AI-powered code generation

Turn natural language into working code across multiple programming languages. Generate new code from descriptions and requirements. Refactor and debug existing code with help from Bob. Get intelligent code completion with single-line and multi-line suggestions.

Specialized modes

Access purpose-built modes optimized for different development scenarios. Code mode writes, modifies, and refactors code. Ask mode provides answers and explanations about your codebase. Plan mode helps design and plan implementations before coding. Advanced mode provides extended capabilities including MCP and browser tools. Orchestrator mode coordinates multi-step projects across specialties.

Comprehensive tool system

Accomplish complex development tasks efficiently. Read, write, and manipulate files directly within your project. Run terminal commands with intelligent error handling. Control and automate web browser actions for testing and validation. Search codebases and list code definitions for better context.

MCP (Model Context Protocol) integration

Extend IBM Bob's capabilities with custom tools and integrations. Connect to databases and APIs from within your editor. Access specialized development and operations tools. Integrate with your organization's internal systems.

Code review and git integration

Streamline your development workflow with built-in git support. Review code changes with the /review command. Generate commit messages automatically. Create pull requests with the /create-pr command. Track code attribution with git notes.

Custom modes and slash commands

Extend functionality for your team's needs. Define custom modes for specialized workflows. Create reusable command shortcuts with slash commands. Share mode configurations across your team. Apply persistent context with Bob Rules in .bob/rules/ directories.

Skills system

Teach Bob reusable workflows with custom skills. Create instruction sets for code reviews, testing, documentation, and specialized tasks. Define skills in .bob/skills/ directories with supporting files like checklists and templates. Share standardized workflows across your team through version control. Skills automatically activate in Advanced mode when relevant to your task.