Mentions & Commands
Sidekick lets you reference specific files, folders, and use commands to control context. Using mentions ensures the Agent has exactly the information it needs to help you.
Quick Reference
| Trigger | What It Does |
|---|---|
@ | Reference files and folders |
/summary | Summarize the conversation |
File Mentions
Type @ followed by a filename to include that file's content in your message.
How It Works
Type @ to Start
Begin typing @ anywhere in your message. An autocomplete popup appears.
Search for Files
Continue typing to filter results. The search matches filenames and paths.
Select a File
Use Arrow keys to navigate, then press Enter or Tab to select.
File Content Included
When you send your message, the full file content is included in the Agent's context.
Example Usage
@src/components/Button.tsx has a bug - clicking doesn't trigger the onClick handlerThe Agent receives your message plus the complete content of Button.tsx, allowing it to analyze the actual code.
Files up to 250KB are included in full. Larger files are truncated to prevent context overflow.
Folder Mentions
Mention folders to show the Agent your project structure.
What Folders Include
When you mention a folder, the Agent receives a directory listing of its immediate contents:
@src/components - can you explain the structure of this folder?The Agent sees:
src/components/
├── ui/
├── forms/
├── Button.tsx
├── Card.tsx
└── Modal.tsxFolder listings are non-recursive—only immediate children are shown. For deeper exploration, mention specific subfolders or ask the Agent to explore.
When to Use Folders
- Orienting the Agent — "Here's my project structure"
- Asking about organization — "Should I restructure @src/utils?"
- Finding files — "Which file in @src/api handles authentication?"
Slash Commands
Type / to access special commands.
/summary
Condenses your conversation into a summary, useful for:
- Long conversations that approach context limits
- Refocusing after exploring multiple topics
- Saving context for complex debugging sessions
Type /summary
Type /summary in the message input. The command popup appears.
Select Summary
Press Enter to select the summary command.
View the Summary
A collapsible "Conversation Summary" card appears in the chat, showing the condensed conversation.
The summary includes:
- Key topics discussed
- Decisions made
- Code changes implemented
- Outstanding questions or tasks
Summaries help manage long conversations. The Agent can reference the summary instead of the full history, saving context space for your current work.
Active File Context
When you have a file open in the editor, Sidekick automatically knows about it.
What's Included
| Context | How It's Captured |
|---|---|
| Active file | The currently focused file in the editor |
| Selected lines | Any text you've highlighted |
| Line numbers | The range of your selection |
Using Active File Context
You don't need to mention the active file—just reference it naturally:
Can you explain what this function does?If you have code selected, the Agent knows exactly which lines you mean.
The active file indicator appears above the message input, showing which file and lines (if selected) will be included.
Best Practices
Be Specific with Mentions
@src/api/auth.ts - the login function on line 45 returns undefined instead of the user objectSpecific file + location = precise help.
The login is broken somewhere in the codeAgent has to search the entire codebase.
Combine Mentions Strategically
@src/types/user.ts @src/api/auth.ts
The User type doesn't match what the auth API returnsMentioning related files together helps the Agent see the connection.
Use Folders for Orientation
@src/components I'm new to this codebase.
Can you give me an overview of the component structure?Summarize Long Sessions
After extensive debugging or implementation:
/summary
Now let's move on to adding tests for what we built.The summary captures your progress so you can continue with fresh context.