AI Chat & Tasks Guide

The AI Chat is the central intelligence of Solaris. Every conversation is a "task" — a focused interaction where you and the AI work together to accomplish goals within your project context.

Starting a Conversation

From the Welcome Screen

Open a project directory (required)
Type your request in the main text input
Press Enter or click the arrow button
A new conversation session is created with your message as the title

Using Quick Action Tags

The welcome screen offers pre-built prompts for common tasks:

Create File — Generate new project files
Crunch Data — Analyze and process data
Organize Files — Structure and sort files
Check Emails — Summarize recent emails (requires Chrome connector)
Search Papers — Research academic papers (requires Chrome connector)
Summarize Papers to Notion — Research and save papers to Notion (requires Notion connector)

Click a tag to populate the input with a pre-written prompt. Modify it as needed before sending.

From the Sidebar

Click New Task (sparkle icon) at any time to start a fresh conversation.

The Conversation Interface

Message Input

Multi-line: Press Shift+Enter for new lines, Enter to send
Auto-resize: The input area grows as you type (up to 8 lines)
Image paste: Press Ctrl+V / Cmd+V to paste screenshots or images directly
File attach: Click the paperclip icon to attach project files
Drag & drop: Drop images directly onto the input area

Image Support

Images are automatically resized if they exceed the 5MB API limit
Multiple images can be attached to a single message
Remove images by clicking the X button on the thumbnail
Supported formats: PNG, JPEG, GIF, WebP, and more

File Attachments

Attach any file from your filesystem
Files appear as chips below the input
The AI can read and analyze attached file contents

Understanding AI Responses

Streaming Responses

Responses stream in real-time as the AI generates them
The chat auto-scrolls to keep the latest content visible
If you scroll up to read older messages, auto-scroll pauses

Response Content

Solaris AI can produce:

Text with full Markdown formatting (headings, lists, code blocks, tables)
Code blocks with syntax highlighting
Math formulas rendered with KaTeX
Tool calls — actions the AI takes on your behalf (file operations, browser automation, etc.)
Creative content — images, documents, and other generated assets

Tool Usage & Permissions

The AI can use various tools to help you:

File operations — Read, create, edit, and manage project files
Browser automation — Navigate websites, fill forms, extract data (requires Chrome connector)
Code execution — Run code in a sandboxed environment
MCP tools — Use any connected MCP server tools

Some actions require your explicit approval via the Permission Dialog that appears when the AI requests to perform potentially sensitive operations.

Managing Conversations

Conversation List

The sidebar organizes your conversations into three sections:

Recent (3) — Your three most recent conversations across all projects
Project — Conversations belonging to the currently open project
Other Projects — Conversations from different project directories

Switching Conversations

Click any conversation in the sidebar to switch to it
If the conversation belongs to a different project, Solaris will ask if you want to switch projects
Messages are loaded from persistent storage when you switch

Status Indicators

Each conversation shows a colored dot:

Blue (pulsing) — AI is currently processing
Green — Completed successfully
Red — Encountered an error
Gray — Idle/inactive

Deleting Conversations

Hover over a conversation and click the trash icon to delete it
Use "Delete All Messages" at the bottom of the sidebar to clear everything
Deletion is permanent — there is no undo

Session Context

Project-Aware AI

Every conversation is tied to your current project directory. The AI has access to:

Your project's file structure
File contents (when referenced or needed)
Previous messages in the current conversation
Your configured credentials and connected tools

Cross-Session Context

Each conversation maintains its own independent context
Switching between conversations preserves each conversation's state
The AI does not automatically share context between different conversations

Advanced Features

Continuation & Stopping

Stop a running AI response by clicking the stop button (square icon)
If the AI's response is cut off, it can be continued in the next message
Pending messages queue up and execute sequentially

Multi-Turn Workflows

Solaris excels at multi-step tasks:

Start with a high-level request
The AI breaks it down and executes step by step
Provide feedback or corrections at any point
The AI adapts and continues

Working with the Context Panel

When a project is open, the Context Panel on the right provides:

Project file tree
Active file context
Relevant project information

Tips for Effective Conversations

Be specific: "Create a React component for a user profile card with avatar, name, and bio" works better than "make a component"
Provide context: Reference specific files, technologies, or constraints
Iterate: Build on the AI's responses with follow-up requests
Use skills: Ask the AI about available skills for specialized tasks
Attach references: Paste screenshots or attach files for the AI to analyze

Troubleshooting

AI not responding

Check your API key configuration in Settings
Verify your internet connection
Check the Logs tab in Settings for error details

Slow responses

Try a faster/smaller AI model
Check your API provider's rate limits and quotas
Large project contexts may slow down initial responses

Messages not persisting

Ensure you have a project directory open
Check that the .solaris/ directory is writable
Restart the app if messages seem lost

The AI Chat is your command center. Start a conversation, describe what you need, and let Solaris handle the rest.