Context Mentions

Context mentions are a powerful way to provide ProdE with specific information about your project, allowing it to perform tasks more accurately and efficiently. You can use mentions to refer to files, folders, problems, and Git commits. Context mentions start with the @ symbol.

Context mentions overview showing the @ symbol dropdown menu in the chat interface.

Types of Mentions

File mentions add actual code content into the conversation for direct reference and analysis.

Mention Type	Format	Description	Example Usage
File	@/path/to/file.ts	Includes file contents in request context	"Explain the function in @/src/utils.ts"
Folder	@/path/to/folder/	Provides directory structure in tree format	"What files are in @/src/components/?"
Problems	@problems	Includes VS Code Problems panel diagnostics	"@problems Fix all errors in my code"
Terminal	@terminal	Includes recent terminal command and output	"Fix the errors shown in @terminal"
Git Commit	@a1b2c3d	References specific commit by hash	"What changed in commit @a1b2c3d?"
Git Changes	@git-changes	Shows uncommitted changes	"Suggest a message for @git-changes"
URL	@https://example.com	Imports website content	"Summarize @https://docusaurus.io/"

File Mentions

File mentions incorporate source code with line numbers for precise references.

Capability	Details
Format	@/path/to/file.ts (always start with / from workspace root)
Provides	Complete file contents with line numbers
Supports	Text files, PDFs, and DOCX files (with text extraction)
Works in	Initial requests, feedback responses, and follow-up messages
Limitations	Very large files may be truncated; binary files not supported

Folder Mentions

Folder mentions display directory structure in a readable tree format.

Capability	Details
Format	@/path/to/folder/ (note trailing slash)
Provides	Hierarchical tree display with ├── and └── prefixes
Includes	Immediate child files and directories (not recursive)
Best for	Understanding project structure
Tip	Use with file mentions to check specific file contents

Problems Mention

Problems mentions import diagnostics directly from VS Code's problems panel.

Capability	Details
Format	@problems
Provides	All errors and warnings from VS Code's problems panel
Includes	File paths, line numbers, and diagnostic messages
Groups	Problems organized by file for better clarity
Best for	Fixing errors without manual copying

Terminal Mention

Terminal mentions capture recent command output for debugging and analysis.

Capability	Details
Format	@terminal
Captures	Last command and its complete output
Preserves	Terminal state (doesn't clear the terminal)
Limitation	Limited to visible terminal buffer content
Best for	Debugging build errors or analyzing command output

Git Mentions

Git mentions provide commit details and diffs for context-aware version analysis.

Type	Format	Provides	Limitations
Commit	@a1b2c3d	Commit message, author, date, and complete diff	Only works in Git repositories
Working Changes	@git-changes	git status output and diff of uncommitted changes	Only works in Git repositories

URL Mentions

URL mentions import external web content and convert it to readable Markdown format.

Capability	Details
Format	@https://example.com
Processing	Uses headless browser to fetch content
Cleaning	Removes scripts, styles, and navigation elements
Output	Converts content to Markdown for readability
Limitation	Complex pages may not convert perfectly

How to Use Mentions

1. Type @ in the chat input to trigger the suggestions dropdown
2. Continue typing to filter suggestions or use arrow keys to navigate
3. Select with Enter key or mouse click
4. Combine multiple mentions in a request: "Fix @problems in @/src/component.ts"

The dropdown automatically suggests:

• Recently opened files
• Visible folders
• Recent git commits
• Special keywords (problems, terminal, git-changes)

Best Practices

Practice	Description
Use specific paths	Reference exact files rather than describing them
Use relative paths	Always start from workspace root: @/src/file.ts not @C:/Projects/src/file.ts
Verify references	Ensure paths and commit hashes are correct
Click mentions	Click mentions in chat history to open files or view content
Eliminate copy-pasting	Use mentions instead of manually copying code or errors
Combine mentions	"Fix @problems in @/src/component.ts using the pattern from commit @a1b2c3d"