diff --git a/src/primaite/cli.py b/src/primaite/cli.py
index ca493493..b65a6c97 100644
--- a/src/primaite/cli.py
+++ b/src/primaite/cli.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ from typing_extensions import Annotated
 
 from primaite import PRIMAITE_PATHS
 
-app = typer.Typer()
+app = typer.Typer(no_args_is_help=True)
 
 
 @app.command()
@@ -114,3 +114,47 @@ def setup(overwrite_existing: bool = True) -> None:
     reset_example_configs.run(overwrite_existing=True)
 
     _LOGGER.info("PrimAITE setup complete!")
+
+
+@app.command()
+def mode(
+    dev: Annotated[bool, typer.Option("--dev", help="Activates PrimAITE developer mode")] = None,
+    prod: Annotated[bool, typer.Option("--prod", help="Activates PrimAITE production mode")] = None,
+) -> None:
+    """
+    Switch PrimAITE between developer mode and production mode.
+
+    By default, PrimAITE will be in production mode.
+
+    To view the current mode, use: primaite mode
+
+    To set to development mode, use: primaite mode --dev
+
+    To return to production mode, use: primaite mode --prod
+    """
+    if PRIMAITE_PATHS.app_config_file_path.exists():
+        with open(PRIMAITE_PATHS.app_config_file_path, "r") as file:
+            primaite_config = yaml.safe_load(file)
+            if dev and prod:
+                print("Unable to activate developer and production modes concurrently.")
+                return
+
+            if (dev is None) and (prod is None):
+                is_dev_mode = primaite_config["developer_mode"]
+
+                if is_dev_mode:
+                    print("PrimAITE is running in developer mode.")
+                else:
+                    print("PrimAITE is running in production mode.")
+            if dev:
+                # activate dev mode
+                primaite_config["developer_mode"] = True
+                with open(PRIMAITE_PATHS.app_config_file_path, "w") as file:
+                    yaml.dump(primaite_config, file)
+                print("PrimAITE is running in developer mode.")
+            if prod:
+                # activate prod mode
+                primaite_config["developer_mode"] = False
+                with open(PRIMAITE_PATHS.app_config_file_path, "w") as file:
+                    yaml.dump(primaite_config, file)
+                print("PrimAITE is running in production mode.")
diff --git a/src/primaite/session/io.py b/src/primaite/session/io.py
index 6aff6f9f..22001fd2 100644
--- a/src/primaite/session/io.py
+++ b/src/primaite/session/io.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from pydantic import BaseModel, ConfigDict
 
 from primaite import getLogger, PRIMAITE_PATHS
 from primaite.simulator import LogLevel, SIM_OUTPUT
+from src.primaite.utils.primaite_config_utils import is_dev_mode
 
 _LOGGER = getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -60,7 +61,14 @@ class PrimaiteIO:
             timestamp = datetime.now()
         date_str = timestamp.strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
         time_str = timestamp.strftime("%H-%M-%S")
-        session_path = PRIMAITE_PATHS.user_sessions_path / date_str / time_str
+
+        # check if running in dev mode
+        if is_dev_mode():
+            # if dev mode, simulation output will be the current working directory
+            session_path = Path.cwd() / "simulation_output" / date_str / time_str
+        else:
+            session_path = PRIMAITE_PATHS.user_sessions_path / date_str / time_str
+
         session_path.mkdir(exist_ok=True, parents=True)
         return session_path
 
diff --git a/src/primaite/setup/_package_data/primaite_config.yaml b/src/primaite/setup/_package_data/primaite_config.yaml
index b9e0d73c..f80f4d8a 100644
--- a/src/primaite/setup/_package_data/primaite_config.yaml
+++ b/src/primaite/setup/_package_data/primaite_config.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # The main PrimAITE application config file
 
+developer_mode: False  # false by default
+
 # Logging
 logging:
   log_level: INFO
@@ -9,14 +11,3 @@ logging:
     WARNING: '%(asctime)s::%(levelname)s::%(name)s::%(lineno)s::%(message)s'
     ERROR: '%(asctime)s::%(levelname)s::%(name)s::%(lineno)s::%(message)s'
     CRITICAL: '%(asctime)s::%(levelname)s::%(name)s::%(lineno)s::%(message)s'
-
-# Session
-session:
-  outputs:
-    plots:
-      size:
-        auto_size: false
-        width: 1500
-        height: 900
-      template: plotly_white
-      range_slider: false
diff --git a/src/primaite/utils/primaite_config_utils.py b/src/primaite/utils/primaite_config_utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..70a7e4ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/primaite/utils/primaite_config_utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import yaml
+
+from primaite import PRIMAITE_PATHS
+
+
+def is_dev_mode() -> bool:
+    """Returns True if PrimAITE is currently running in developer mode."""
+    if PRIMAITE_PATHS.app_config_file_path.exists():
+        with open(PRIMAITE_PATHS.app_config_file_path, "r") as file:
+            primaite_config = yaml.safe_load(file)
+            return primaite_config["developer_mode"]