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Chat Overview

Ask questions and edit code from the AI chat panel.

AI Chat lives in the right sidebar. The agent can search the repo, read files, edit source, and run checks in one thread.

Open chat

  • Titlebar AI Chat toggle
  • View → AI Chat
  • Ctrl+L

Drag the divider to resize. Use the same control to close the panel.

Sign in

Cloud AI needs a Shape account. Local editing does not.

Send a message

  1. Type in the input at the bottom of the panel.
  2. Pick a mode (start with Ask for read-only questions, Code to implement).
  3. Choose a model, or leave Auto.
  4. Press Enter to send (Shift+Enter for a new line).

Shape attaches workspace context when it helps: open files, project layout, and diagnostics.

Use @ mentions for a file, folder, the codebase, or the current editor selection.

What the agent does

In Code and other editing modes, each turn can:

  • Search and read files
  • Edit files (shown as steps with +/- counts)
  • Run terminal commands, tests, and linters
  • Call finish when the task is done

Tool activity collapses into a summary you can expand (for example 8 explored). Click the summary to show or hide the steps. File changes still appear for Keep / Undo unless you change that in settings.

Attachments

Use the attachment control to add images or files (screenshots, design references, a specific file).

History and stop

Past chats are saved per project. Run Chat: Show History from the command palette to reopen one.

Click Stop while a reply is streaming to cancel. Partial output stays in the thread.

Terminal commands

The assistant may propose shell commands. Default Auto-run in AI Settings runs safe commands without a prompt and still asks for anything destructive. Switch to Ask every time if you want a Run / Reject card on every command.

Related

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