/chat-mode
Switches persistently (sticky) to any chat mode, given as an argument by name.
/chat-mode <mode> switches the active chat mode for all following messages persistently ("sticky"), for example with /chat-mode ask or /chat-mode architect. Aider has four modes: code for changes to the code, ask for questions without editing, architect for a two-stage approach with a proposal model and an editing model, and help for questions about using Aider itself.
You can achieve the same persistent switch more concisely via /code, /ask, or /architect without an attached prompt โ according to Aider's documentation on chat modes, these three commands also switch the active mode when called without an argument. /help is an exception here: called without a prompt, it only shows the general help according to the official command table and doesn't switch the mode โ only for /code, /ask, and /architect does it note the mode switch without a prompt. So you can only set sticky mode to help via /chat-mode help.
โ WHEN TO USE IT?
Set the mode via a script file
Write /chat-mode ask into a command file loaded with /load, to consistently set the mode before further commands.
Permanently activate help mode
Call /chat-mode help to stay permanently in help mode โ unlike code/ask/architect, /help without a prompt does not switch the active mode.
โ WHEN NOT TO?
Directly targeting one of the three shortcut modes
For code, ask, and architect, the respective shortcut command without a prompt also switches the mode persistently โ /chat-mode isn't needed there.
Better: Call /code, /ask, or /architect directly without a prompt.
SOURCES
- Aider Docs โ In-chat commands โ aider.chat
- Aider Docs โ Chat modes โ aider.chat
MORE COMMANDS ยท Aider