Chat basics

Start the chat with atlas (same as atlas chat). The header shows which AIs are connected and which model is selected.

atlas                          # new chat
atlas -c                       # continue the last chat in this folder
atlas chat -p groq             # use one provider
atlas chat -p openrouter -m openrouter/free

Slash commands

Type / to open the command menu. Keep typing to filter, ↑ ↓ to move, Tab to complete, Enter to run.

The most used ones:

Command	What it does
/connect	Connect an AI
/model	Pick a model; /model groq/llama-3.3-70b-versatile sets one directly
/provider auto	Back to automatic fallback between connected AIs
/clear	Start a new conversation
/help	All commands and keys

Full list: Slash commands.

Keys while chatting

Key	Action
Enter	Send
↑ ↓	Previous and next sent messages (when no menu is open)
Esc	Stop the answer while it streams; otherwise clear the input
Tab	Complete a /command or @path
ctrl+r	Voice input
ctrl+c	Quit

When you stop an answer, the part already received stays in the chat, marked “stopped”.

Attach files and images with @

Put @path anywhere in your message. While you type @, the menu suggests files and folders; Tab completes.

› @src/app.ts @package.json why does the build fail?
› @"docs/my notes.md" summarize
› @screenshot.png what is wrong in this UI?
› @src/ what is in this folder?

You attach	What the AI receives	Limit
Text file	The file content	256 KB
Image (.png .jpg .jpeg .webp .gif)	The image	5 MB
Folder	A listing of its entries (up to 200; skips node_modules, .git, dist and similar)

Paths are relative to the folder where you started atlas. Quote paths with spaces. Binary files, missing files and files over the limit are not attached; the chat says why.

Note

Images need a model that accepts images. If the selected model does not, pick another with /model.

Saved chats

Every chat with at least one message is saved automatically to ~/.the-atlas/sessions/.

Command	What it does
/history	Pick any saved chat and continue it
/resume	Continue the last chat started in this folder
/export	Save this chat as Markdown in the current folder (atlas-chat-<id>.md)
/export notes.md	Save it under a name you choose
/clear	Start a fresh chat (the old one stays in history)

From the shell, atlas -c opens the last chat of the current folder.

Status line

The line under the input shows: repository, git branch, how full the context window is, estimated cost, uncommitted +added -removed lines, and the model that answered with its remaining free requests. See Status line.