Usage Modes
Overview
Every chat starts in Analysis mode unless you select another command. Analysis can examine your data and create workspace artifacts, but it does not create or change the canvas pipeline.
To create or edit canvas nodes, see Building a Pipeline for the AI-assisted and manual workflows.
You can also focus an AI request with one of the Chat Commands:
/pipeline, /analysis, /agent, or /plan.
Default Mode — Analysis
Send a regular chat message to analyze a dataset or workspace artifact. To show
the command explicitly, type / and select Analysis. Rhombus can return
explanations, files, tables, and charts under Workspace.
Analysis mode does not add or change canvas nodes. Use /pipeline when the
request should create or modify a pipeline.
Chat Commands
Chat commands tell Rhombus AI what kind of help you need. Type / in the chat
composer, choose a command, and add your instruction. The command appears as a
label above the message.
A command applies only to the current request. It does not open another page or change data on its own. If you do not select a command, Rhombus uses Analysis.
Available Commands
| Command | Use it when you want to | Example |
|---|---|---|
/pipeline | Build, inspect, or change the canvas pipeline. | /pipeline Add a Text Cleanup step, then sort by customer name. |
/analysis (default) | Analyze a dataset, workspace output, or evidence and explain the result. | /analysis Summarize missing values and unusual patterns in the latest output. |
/agent | Let Rhombus delegate parts of a complex task to subagents. | /agent Investigate data-quality issues and propose a safe cleanup pipeline. |
/plan | Plan the work and ask for any needed clarification before making changes. | /plan I need a monthly sales report; ask what you need before building it. |
Use a Command
- Open a project and use the Chatbot panel.
- Type
/in the message field. - Select Pipeline, Analysis, Agent, or Plan from the command menu.
- Describe the task and send the message.
- Review the response, proposed pipeline changes, and generated workspace artifacts before using the result.
Sending a request without a command uses /analysis. Analysis can create
workspace artifacts, but it does not create or modify a canvas pipeline. Select
/pipeline explicitly for pipeline changes.
After /pipeline creates or changes the canvas, click the play icon beside
the + icon. Its hover label is Run Pipeline. When the run finishes,
select the node you want to inspect, then click Preview beside Workspace
to check its output.
Choose /plan when the result, source data, or transformation rules are not yet
clear. Choose /pipeline when you know the pipeline change you want.