Chat Mode
Use standalone AI conversations for analysis, drafting, planning, and one-off work without attaching a project folder or persistent teammate.
Chat Mode is for standalone conversations. A chat is not attached to a project folder and does not inherit a persistent agent identity.
Use it for analysis, drafting, planning, explanation, and other work that needs a focused thread rather than a long-lived teammate or coding workspace.
Start a Chat
- Switch to Chat in the title bar.
- Select New Chat.
- Choose Claude Code or Codex and an available model.
- Set the work mode when the engine offers one.
- Write your prompt and send it.
BridgeMind One does not bundle the engines. Install their command-line apps first so the app can detect them.
The new chat joins your history after its first message. You can return to earlier conversations, rename them, or delete them from the chat list.
Give the Chat Context
Chat Mode does not begin inside a project. Put the relevant context in the prompt or attach the specific files and images the conversation needs.
The composer supports:
- Finder file and folder drops
- Image drops and pasted screenshots
- Removable attachments before sending
- Voice input from the composer
- Markdown in responses
Only attach information you intend to share with the selected engine. Do not place passwords, private keys, or other credentials in a prompt.
Choose the Right Surface
| Use | When |
|---|---|
| Chat Mode | The task is a self-contained conversation without a project or durable teammate |
| Agent Mode | The same teammate should retain a role, memory, and skills across work |
| Code Mode Thread | The conversation must work inside a specific project folder |
Conversation Controls
Depending on the selected engine, a chat can expose model, reasoning, permission, or planning controls. These settings apply to that conversation.
Stop an active response when it is heading in the wrong direction, then clarify the constraint. Start a new chat when the goal changes enough that the existing context would create confusion.
Prompt Pattern
For reliable results, state:
- The outcome you want
- The context the model cannot infer
- The constraints it must respect
- The format you want back
- The actions that still require approval
Example:
Compare these two proposals for technical risk, operating cost, and time to ship. Use the attached documents only, call out missing evidence, and return a recommendation followed by a decision table.