When you ask the AI to change something, it works best when it knows exactly which file or function you mean. In the desktop editor you do that with @-mentions: type @ in the chat and a picker lets you attach a specific file, folder, or symbol to your message.
How to mention something
- Place your cursor in the chat input and type
@. - Start typing a file name, folder, or symbol — the picker filters as you type.
- Select the item; it's attached to your message as context.
- Write your instruction, e.g. "In @checkout.service.ts, add retry logic to the payment call."
- Send. The AI focuses on the mentioned target instead of guessing across the whole project.
What you can mention
- A file — the most common; focuses the edit on one place.
- A folder — when a change spans a feature ("everything under @/orders").
- A symbol — a function, component, or class, to change just that unit.
When to use it
- Whenever the project is large or the same name appears in several places.
- When you want a contained edit — the AI touches what you pointed at, not a dozen unrelated files.
- To keep related files consistent — mention a component and its test together.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Describing a file by memory instead of mentioning it. A mention removes ambiguity a description can't.
- Mentioning nothing in a big repo. The AI has to guess the target — point it precisely.
FAQ
Can I mention more than one thing?
Yes — attach two or three related files (e.g. a component and its test) so the AI keeps them consistent in one change.
Does @-mention work on the web?
It's a desktop-editor feature, where the AI has direct local file access. On the web, name the file in your prompt instead.
What if I mention the wrong file?
Remove it and mention the right one, or just clarify in the next message — nothing is committed until you accept the change.
Related: type / (instead of @) to open the slash-command menu — run tasks and actions like /task, /deploy and /agents without leaving the chat.
More in the desktop chat
@-mentions are just one part of the designer's AI Code Assistant. Here is what else the chat gives you:
Chat mode vs Build mode
Switch between Build — the AI edits your project's files and generates code — and Chat — a text-only conversation that changes nothing. Your choice is remembered per project.
Choose the model
Pick the AI model right in the composer: cloud models (Claude, GPT and more) or your local Ollama models. Each shows its per-message credit cost, and local models are free.
Attach images & documents
Attach screenshots or images and documents (PDF, DOC, TXT, MD) to a message so the AI has full context. Previews appear above the input; remove any before you send.
One-click AI agents
Launch specialised agents — Documentation, Unit Tests, Security Audit, Refactoring and DevOps — scoped to the current file or the whole project, then send their findings back into the build with Apply via Chat.
Message actions
On any turn you can Copy, Retry a reply, or Edit & resend your last message, and open Files updated to jump straight to what changed. Code blocks carry their own Copy and Apply buttons.
See what the AI is doing
An activity timeline streams the AI's steps — planning, phases, files written — while it works, and long answers include collapsible reasoning blocks.