EV reviews the same change in a fresh context whether you run it through a coding agent or open it in Desktop. The difference is who takes the final pass through the findings.

These paths describe how you interact with a review. They are separate from [story mode](/docs/concepts/story-mode/), which turns a larger change into a contextual narrative inside Desktop.

## Automated agent loop

Use this path when you want review to be part of the implementation loop:

1. Invoke the `ev-review` workflow in your coding-agent conversation.
2. The workflow starts EV with the appropriate scope and [reviewer skills](/docs/guides/reviewer-skills/).
3. EV reviews the change in a separate agent context.
4. Findings return to the implementing agent as structured review output.
5. The agent addresses valid findings, records decisions, and reviews again when needed.

| Agent | Invocation |
| --- | --- |
| Codex | `$ev-review` |
| Claude Code | `/ev-review` |

See [Run your first review](/docs/getting-started/first-review/#let-your-coding-agent-run-the-loop) to install the optional workflow.

## With Desktop

Use Desktop when you want to read the review and make the final decisions yourself:

```sh
ev review -b origin/main --desktop
```

1. Inspect the changed code, summary, findings, and attached evidence.
2. Resolve findings you have addressed, or dismiss them with a reason.
3. Add comments or evidence where the automated review missed context.
4. Choose **Submit review**.

The waiting terminal receives a Markdown handoff. Desktop also copies it to the clipboard so you can return it to a coding agent.

Within Desktop, switch between **Diff** for a file-by-file view and **Story** for a narrated walkthrough of a broader change. Both views belong to the same review.

## Choose a path

| Choose… | When… |
| --- | --- |
| Automated agent loop | You want the agent to review, fix, and repeat without a manual handoff. |
| Desktop | You want to inspect the evidence, add your own feedback, or decide how each finding should be handled. |

You can switch paths between review passes. Findings, evidence, comments, and decisions remain part of the review rather than belonging to one interface.