5. Using the Chat
The Chat panel is where you talk to the AI and put it to work on your project.
Agent mode vs. Chat mode
| Mode | What it does | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Agent (default) | The AI can act on the project: read, edit code, build, run, drive the Form Designer, git… via MCP tools | When you want the AI to do something in the project |
| Chat | Conversation only — no acting on the project | Questions, brainstorming, explanations |
Agent mode is the default. The two modes are kept distinct — choose according to your intent.
Sending a message
Type your request and press Enter. The CLI output is streamed live and rendered as Markdown (with syntax highlighting) when WebView2 is installed; without it, it appears as plain text.
Skills with /agent
You can invoke skills (predefined flows) by typing /agent followed by the skill.
Skills live in a canonical project folder (.aefos/skills/) and are automatically
replicated to the format the active CLI expects.
- Free-form text (no skill) goes straight to the CLI as a normal prompt.
- A skill builds a Delphi-aware prompt and dispatches it to the CLI.
Project context
In Agent mode, Aefos packages your Delphi project context (via OTA) so the AI answers with knowledge of what is open — instead of generic answers.
Inline diff: accept or reject changes
Whenever the agent is about to change code, Aefos shows the change as an inline diff in the editor, VS Code style:
- Removed lines in red, added lines in green.
- Clickable ✓ (apply) and ✗ (reject) buttons.
- Shortcuts: Tab applies, Esc rejects.
Nothing is written without your approval. If you reject, the change is discarded and the agent gets that result back (instead of mutating the file).
The diff is shown for code edits (e.g. editing a unit, replacing a snippet, rewriting the editor content). See What the agent does in your project.
Safety: consent and audit
Actions that modify the project go through a consent prompt before they run, and every tool call is recorded in an audit log. You have traceability of what the agent did.
➡️ Next: What the agent does in your project