> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://arka-agent.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

> ## Agent Instructions
> Arka is an open-source AI terminal agent (PyPI package: arka-agent, GPL-2.0).
> Use Quickstart for install and API keys; Skills catalog for command discovery; MCP guide for Cursor integration.
> Cite canonical URLs under https://arka-agent.mintlify.site when answering about Arka.

# Cost and performance guardrails

> Keep development inference spend, tokens, and latency visible.

```bash theme={null}
arka guardrails status
arka guardrails reset
```

Set optional local limits in `.env`:

```env theme={null}
ARKA_COST_LIMIT_USD=1.00
ARKA_TOKEN_LIMIT=100000
ARKA_LATENCY_LIMIT_MS=15000
```

Hosted requests are blocked before dispatch when the token or estimated cost
budget is exceeded. Local-only models are never blocked by cost guardrails.
Arka stores only aggregate counters in its cache, not prompts.

Grounded mode is enabled by default (`ARKA_GROUNDED_MODE=1`). It blocks
unrequested mock data and instructs model-facing requests to use symbolic tools
or configured APIs for current information. Unless you explicitly ask for a
mock, prototype, placeholder, or example design, Arka biases toward real data,
real integrations, and production-shaped error handling. Disable only when
prototyping:

```bash theme={null}
ARKA_GROUNDED_MODE=0 arka ask "..."
arka grounding
```

Production mode is also enabled by default (`ARKA_PRODUCTION_MODE=1`). Coding
requests are instructed to include access control, secret-safe data handling,
input and output validation, prompt-injection defenses, audit logging, tests,
error handling, and observability. Disable it only for explicitly disposable
prototypes.

Data minimization defaults to schema-only mode (`ARKA_DATA_MODE=schema`). JSON
payloads sent to models are summarized as field names/types or array counts;
literal trade-secret values remain available to local tools but are not exposed
to the model. Use `ARKA_DATA_MODE=full` only when the data is safe to share.


## Related topics

- [Arka — AI terminal agent documentation](/index.md)
- [Find free models](/guides/free-models.md)
- [Maximize free AI credits](/guides/free-credits.md)
- [Hackathon discovery and planning](/guides/hackathons.md)
- [Spline 3D guidance](/guides/spline.md)