diff --git a/.changeset/open-loop-cli-preset-flags.md b/.changeset/open-loop-cli-preset-flags.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..526ac26
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/open-loop-cli-preset-flags.md
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+'@gemstack/framework': minor
+---
+
+CLI: `--preset <name>` runs a build under an Open Loop domain preset, with
+`--autopilot` / `--technical` mode flags (#256).
+
+`--preset` resolves a shipped domain preset by name (via `builtinDomainPresets` +
+`selectPreset`) and hands it to `runFramework`, so its loops, prompts, and skills
+frame the build. `--autopilot` / `--technical` activate the preset's `conditions`
+variants (applied at load time and narrated). An unknown preset name is a usage
+error that lists the available presets; the mode flags note when given without a
+preset. Additive: a run with no `--preset` is unchanged.
diff --git a/packages/framework/src/cli.test.ts b/packages/framework/src/cli.test.ts
index 5b2c7fc..95031b8 100644
--- a/packages/framework/src/cli.test.ts
+++ b/packages/framework/src/cli.test.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 import { strict as assert } from 'node:assert'
 import { test } from 'node:test'
 import {
+  activeModes,
   buildDeployTarget,
   chooseSessionLink,
   claudeDriverOptions,
   CLAUDE_CODE_SESSION_LIST,
   parseArgs,
+  resolveDomainPreset,
   runCli,
   type CliIO,
 } from './cli.js'
@@ -58,6 +60,53 @@ test('parseArgs persists by default and reads --resume / --no-persist (#211)', (
   assert.equal(opts.persist, false)
 })
 
+test('parseArgs reads --preset and the mode flags (#256)', () => {
+  const opts = parseArgs(['--preset', 'software-development', '--autopilot', '--technical', 'x'])
+  assert.equal(opts.preset, 'software-development')
+  assert.equal(opts.autopilot, true)
+  assert.equal(opts.technical, true)
+  const dflt = parseArgs(['x'])
+  assert.equal(dflt.preset, undefined)
+  assert.equal(dflt.autopilot, false)
+  assert.equal(dflt.technical, false)
+})
+
+test('activeModes maps the mode flags to Open Loop mode names', () => {
+  assert.deepEqual(activeModes({ autopilot: false, technical: false }), [])
+  assert.deepEqual(activeModes({ autopilot: true, technical: false }), ['autopilot'])
+  assert.deepEqual(activeModes({ autopilot: true, technical: true }), ['autopilot', 'technical'])
+})
+
+test('resolveDomainPreset resolves a shipped preset by name (#254/#256)', async () => {
+  const none = await resolveDomainPreset(undefined, [])
+  assert.deepEqual(none, {})
+
+  const { preset, error } = await resolveDomainPreset('software-development', [])
+  assert.equal(error, undefined)
+  assert.equal(preset?.name, 'software-development')
+  assert.ok((preset?.loops.length ?? 0) >= 1)
+
+  const bad = await resolveDomainPreset('no-such-domain', [])
+  assert.equal(bad.preset, undefined)
+  assert.match(bad.error!, /unknown --preset: no-such-domain/)
+  assert.match(bad.error!, /software-development/) // lists what's available
+})
+
+test('runCli rejects an unknown --preset with a usage error (exit 2)', async () => {
+  const { io, err } = capture()
+  const code = await runCli(['--preset', 'nope', 'a blog'], io)
+  assert.equal(code, 2)
+  assert.ok(err.some(l => /unknown --preset: nope/.test(l)))
+})
+
+test('runCli notes mode flags given without a preset', async () => {
+  const { io, err } = capture()
+  // --fake so the note fires before any real run; unknown-preset path is not hit.
+  const code = await runCli(['--fake', '--no-dashboard', '--autopilot'], io)
+  assert.equal(code, 0)
+  assert.ok(err.some(l => /have no effect without --preset/.test(l)))
+})
+
 test('chooseSessionLink defaults a live run to the claude.ai/code session list (#212)', () => {
   assert.equal(chooseSessionLink({ sessionLink: undefined }, false), CLAUDE_CODE_SESSION_LIST)
   assert.equal(CLAUDE_CODE_SESSION_LIST, 'https://claude.ai/code')
diff --git a/packages/framework/src/cli.ts b/packages/framework/src/cli.ts
index 35832e6..791d7dc 100644
--- a/packages/framework/src/cli.ts
+++ b/packages/framework/src/cli.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,15 @@
 import { tmpdir } from 'node:os'
 import { join } from 'node:path'
-import { cloudflareTarget, dokployTarget, nodeLedgerFs, saveLedger, type DeployTarget } from '@gemstack/ai-autopilot'
+import {
+  builtinDomainPresets,
+  cloudflareTarget,
+  dokployTarget,
+  nodeLedgerFs,
+  saveLedger,
+  selectPreset,
+  type DeployTarget,
+  type DomainPreset,
+} from '@gemstack/ai-autopilot'
 import { ClaudeCodeDriver, type ClaudeCodeDriverOptions, type Driver, type PermissionMode } from './driver/index.js'
 import { hostExecutor } from './host-exec.js'
 import { startDashboard, type Dashboard } from './dashboard/index.js'
@@ -61,6 +70,10 @@ Options:
   --cwd <dir>            Workspace the agent builds in (default: current directory).
   --model <id>           Model to pass through to the wrapped agent.
   --scope <prototype|full>   How much app to build (default: full).
+  --preset <name>        Run under an Open Loop domain preset (its loops + prompts
+                         + skills frame the build), e.g. software-development.
+  --autopilot            Activate the preset's Autopilot mode variants.
+  --technical            Activate the preset's Technical mode variants.
   --compose-extensions   Opt the built-in capability extensions in (auth, data,
                          rbac, crud, shell) so the agent composes them instead of
                          hand-rolling. Vike-only; installed framework-* extensions
@@ -111,6 +124,9 @@ export interface CliOptions {
   cwd?: string | undefined
   model?: string | undefined
   scope: 'prototype' | 'full'
+  preset?: string | undefined
+  autopilot: boolean
+  technical: boolean
   maxPasses?: number
   deploy?: string | undefined
   cfProject?: string | undefined
@@ -142,6 +158,8 @@ export function parseArgs(argv: string[]): CliOptions {
     skipPreflight: false,
     intent: '',
     scope: 'full',
+    autopilot: false,
+    technical: false,
     dashboard: true,
     composeExtensions: false,
     skipPermissions: false,
@@ -170,6 +188,15 @@ export function parseArgs(argv: string[]): CliOptions {
       case '--compose-extensions':
         opts.composeExtensions = true
         break
+      case '--preset':
+        opts.preset = argv[++i]
+        break
+      case '--autopilot':
+        opts.autopilot = true
+        break
+      case '--technical':
+        opts.technical = true
+        break
       case '--resume':
         opts.resume = true
         break
@@ -277,6 +304,34 @@ export function claudeDriverOptions(opts: Pick<CliOptions, 'permissionMode' | 's
     : { permissionMode: opts.permissionMode ?? 'bypassPermissions' }
 }
 
+/** The active Open Loop modes from the mode flags, in a stable order. */
+export function activeModes(opts: Pick<CliOptions, 'autopilot' | 'technical'>): string[] {
+  const modes: string[] = []
+  if (opts.autopilot) modes.push('autopilot')
+  if (opts.technical) modes.push('technical')
+  return modes
+}
+
+/**
+ * Resolve `--preset <name>` to a shipped {@link DomainPreset}, loaded with the
+ * active `modes` so its conditions variants are selected (#254, #256). Returns
+ * nothing when no `--preset` was given; an error (with the available names) when
+ * the name does not match a built-in.
+ */
+export async function resolveDomainPreset(
+  name: string | undefined,
+  modes: readonly string[],
+): Promise<{ preset?: DomainPreset; error?: string }> {
+  if (!name) return {}
+  const presets = await builtinDomainPresets({ modes })
+  const preset = selectPreset(presets, name)
+  if (!preset) {
+    const available = presets.map(p => p.name).join(', ') || '(none shipped)'
+    return { error: `unknown --preset: ${name}. Available: ${available}` }
+  }
+  return { preset }
+}
+
 /**
  * The `framework` command. Wires the parsed options into {@link runFramework}
  * over a live dashboard + terminal narration, and resolves with an exit code.
@@ -316,6 +371,20 @@ export async function runCli(argv: string[], io: CliIO = defaultIO): Promise<num
     return 2
   }
 
+  // Resolve an Open Loop domain preset by name (#256), loaded with the active mode
+  // variants. A bad name is a usage error before we do any work. The mode flags
+  // only act on a preset, so note when they are given without one.
+  const modes = activeModes(opts)
+  const { preset: domainPreset, error: presetError } = await resolveDomainPreset(opts.preset, modes)
+  if (presetError) {
+    io.err(presetError)
+    io.err('Run `framework --help` for usage.')
+    return 2
+  }
+  if (modes.length && !domainPreset) {
+    io.err(`note: ${modes.join(' + ')} mode(s) have no effect without --preset.`)
+  }
+
   // Fail early and clearly if a live run's prerequisites are missing.
   if (!fake && !opts.skipPreflight) {
     const pre = await preflight()
@@ -428,6 +497,7 @@ export async function runCli(argv: string[], io: CliIO = defaultIO): Promise<num
     ...(serve ? { serve } : {}),
     ...(discovered ? { extensions: discovered } : {}),
     ...(opts.composeExtensions ? { composeExtensions: true } : {}),
+    ...(domainPreset ? { preset: domainPreset, ...(modes.length ? { modes } : {}) } : {}),
     ...((): { sessionLink?: string } => {
       const link = chooseSessionLink(opts, fake)
       return link ? { sessionLink: link } : {}