Lite Mode Commands

Lite mode (--lite) provides focused, reduced-output variants of high-token commands. Use lite mode for faster execution and reduced token consumption.

Overview

When to Use Lite Mode

✅ Good Use Cases

• CI/CD Pipelines: Fast validation without comprehensive analysis
• Internal PRs: Trusted contributors with minor changes
• Iterative Development: Quick feedback loops during development
• Cost Optimization: Reduce token consumption for routine reviews

❌ When to Avoid

• Critical Reviews: Security-sensitive code, production deployments
• External Contributors: When comprehensive feedback is valuable
• Complex Changes: Architectural changes requiring detailed analysis

Commands

Code Review Lite

nia code review --lite

Focuses on:

• Bugs and logic errors
• Security vulnerabilities
• Breaking changes

Excludes:

• Style and formatting comments
• Suggested improvements
• General observations

PR Draft Lite

nia pr draft --lite

Produces:

• Brief description (2-3 sentences)
• Primary change type
• Key changes (3-5 bullet points)

Excludes:

• Detailed testing checklists
• Documentation checklists
• Maintainer sections

PR Review Lite

nia pr review --lite

Outputs single pr_review.md with:

• Summary assessment
• Blocking issues
• Failing status checks
• Merge conflicts

Excludes:

• Comprehensive multi-file output
• Optional suggestions
• Architecture feedback

Combining with Edit Mode

Lite mode can be combined with edit instructions:

nia code review --lite-edit "Focus on performance-critical code paths"

This provides focused output with custom refinements.

Downstream Commands

nia pr merge automatically detects when upstream commands used lite mode:

• If nia pr review --lite was used, only pr_review.md is required
• Standard mode requires all 5 review files

Token Usage

Lite commands typically reduce token consumption by 30-50%:

Standard code review:  ~4,000 tokens
Lite code review:      ~2,000 tokens  (50% reduction)

Standard PR draft:     ~3,000 tokens
Lite PR draft:         ~1,500 tokens  (50% reduction)

Standard PR review:    ~8,000 tokens (5 files)
Lite PR review:        ~3,000 tokens (1 file, 62% reduction)

Actual token counts vary based on codebase size and complexity.

FAQ

Q: Does lite mode miss critical issues?

A: Lite mode is designed to capture bugs, security vulnerabilities, and breaking changes. However, it may miss nuanced issues that a comprehensive review would catch. For critical code, use standard mode.

Q: Can I switch between lite and standard mode?

A: Yes. Each command execution is independent. Run nia pr review after nia pr review --lite to get comprehensive output.

Q: How does lite detection work for pr merge?

A: The system checks the presence of review files. If only pr_review.md exists (without status_check_fixes.md, etc.), lite mode is detected automatically.