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Discussion mode transforms the AI into a technical consultant who provides guidance, plans, and structured approaches to development challenges without directly implementing code. When activated, CodinIT switches to a specialized system prompt designed specifically for consultative interactions.

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Overview

In discussion mode, the AI acts as an experienced senior software engineer and technical consultant, offering strategic advice, architectural guidance, and detailed planning for your development projects. Unlike build mode, discussion mode focuses on planning and guidance rather than code generation.

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Key Features

  • Technical Consulting: Expert guidance on development approaches and best practices
  • Strategic Planning: Structured plans for implementing features and solving problems
  • Code Review Guidance: Advice on code quality, architecture, and optimization
  • Technology Recommendations: Suggestions for tools, frameworks, and libraries
  • Debugging Strategies: Systematic approaches to identifying and resolving issues

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How It Works

When you activate discussion mode, CodinIT switches to a specialized system prompt (discussPrompt) that fundamentally changes how the AI responds:
  • Planning Over Implementation: Provides detailed numbered plans with file references and plain English descriptions instead of code
  • Educational Approach: Explains concepts, reasoning, and best practices with “why” behind recommendations
  • Strategic Thinking: Uses chain-of-thought reasoning to analyze problems before providing solutions
  • Collaborative Problem-Solving: Offers quick action buttons for implementing plans, continuing discussions, or opening referenced files
  • No Code Generation: Responses describe changes in plain English rather than providing code snippets
The system prompt explicitly instructs the AI to use phrases like “You should add…” instead of “I will implement…” to maintain the consultative role.

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When to Use Discussion Mode

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Architecture & Planning

  • Designing system architecture for new applications
  • Planning database schemas and data models
  • Choosing between different technical approaches
  • Evaluating framework and library options

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Code Quality & Best Practices

  • Reviewing existing code for improvements
  • Learning modern development patterns
  • Understanding design principles and their application
  • Getting guidance on code organization and structure

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Problem-Solving & Debugging

  • Analyzing complex bugs or performance issues
  • Developing systematic debugging strategies
  • Understanding error patterns and root causes
  • Planning refactoring and optimization efforts

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Learning & Skill Development

  • Understanding advanced programming concepts
  • Learning new technologies and frameworks
  • Exploring industry best practices
  • Developing problem-solving methodologies

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Discussion Mode Interface

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Activating Discussion Mode

Click the “Discuss” button in the chat interface to switch to technical consultant mode. The AI will confirm the mode change and be ready to provide consultative guidance.

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Response Format

In discussion mode, responses follow a specific structure:
  • Chain of Thought: Visible reasoning process showing how the AI analyzes the problem
  • Clear Plans: Numbered steps starting with ”## The Plan” heading, describing changes in plain English only
  • File References: Specific file paths with corresponding quick action buttons to open them
  • Technology Recommendations: Specific tools and approaches with reasoning
  • Best Practice Guidance: Industry-standard approaches with explanations
  • Quick Actions: Interactive buttons at the end of every response:
    • Implement: For executing the outlined plan in build mode
    • Message: For continuing the conversation with specific follow-ups
    • Link: For opening external documentation or resources
    • File: For opening referenced files in the editor
The AI is explicitly instructed to never include code snippets in plans, only plain English descriptions of what needs to change.

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Best Practices for Discussion Mode

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Preparing Your Questions

Be Specific About Your Goals: 
❌ "Help me build an app"
✅ "I need to build a task management app for a team of 10 developers. What architecture would you recommend for real-time collaboration features?"
Provide Context: 
❌ "My code is slow"
✅ "I'm building a React dashboard that loads 1000+ data points. Currently using useEffect with fetch. What optimization strategies would you suggest?"

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Effective Question Types

Architecture Questions:
  • “What’s the best way to structure a microservices architecture for an e-commerce platform?”
  • “How should I handle state management in a large-scale React application?”
Technology Selection:
  • “Should I use PostgreSQL or MongoDB for a social media analytics platform?”
  • “What’s the recommended approach for implementing real-time features in a web application?”
Code Quality & Patterns:
  • “How can I improve the performance of this database query?”
  • “What design patterns would be appropriate for implementing a plugin system?”

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Maximizing Value from Discussions

Iterative Refinement: Start with high-level questions, then drill down into specifics based on the guidance provided. Actionable Plans: Look for responses that include specific, implementable steps rather than vague suggestions. Follow-up Questions: Use the AI’s recommendations as a foundation for more detailed questions about implementation.

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Response Characteristics

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Planning-Focused Responses

Discussion mode responses emphasize planning and strategy:
  • Step-by-step implementation plans with ”## The Plan” heading
  • Technology recommendations with reasoning explaining why specific tools are suggested
  • Consideration of trade-offs and alternatives for different approaches
  • Scalability and maintainability considerations for long-term success
  • File-specific guidance indicating exactly which files need modification

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Educational Approach

Responses include educational elements:
  • Chain of thought reasoning visible to users before solutions
  • Explanation of concepts and principles with context
  • Rationale behind recommendations explaining the “why”
  • Industry best practices and standards with current information
  • Common pitfalls and how to avoid them based on experience

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Interactive Elements

Discussion mode always includes interactive quick action buttons:
  • Implement buttons to execute plans in build mode (labeled “Implement this plan”, “Fix this bug”, “Fix these issues”, or database-specific actions)
  • Message buttons for continuing conversations with specific prompts
  • Link buttons for opening external documentation (especially for topics in support resources)
  • File buttons for opening referenced files in the editor
  • Ordered by priority: Implement actions first, then message, link, and file actions
  • Limited to 4-5 actions to avoid overwhelming users

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Integration with Other Features

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Combining with Build Mode

You can seamlessly switch between discussion mode and build mode:
  1. Use discussion mode for planning and architectural decisions
  2. Click “Implement this plan” quick action to switch to build mode and execute the plan
  3. Return to discussion mode for reviewing and refining implemented code
  4. The AI maintains context across mode switches

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Search Grounding

Discussion mode has access to web search capabilities:
  • Automatic search when uncertain about technical information, package details, or API specifications
  • First-party documentation search for faster, more accurate results
  • Current information rather than relying on potentially outdated knowledge
  • URL content fetching when users share links for context

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Support Resources Integration

Discussion mode automatically redirects to official documentation for specific topics:
  • Token efficiency: Redirects to maximize-token-efficiency guide
  • Effective prompting: Links to prompting-effectively documentation
  • Supabase integration: Points to Supabase integration docs
  • Deployment/hosting: Directs to Netlify and hosting FAQs
  • Uses link quick actions to open documentation in new tabs

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Using with Project Context

Discussion mode works best when you provide:
  • Current project structure and technology stack
  • Existing code snippets for review
  • Performance requirements and constraints
  • Specific file paths for targeted guidance
  • Running processes (automatically detected by CodinIT)

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Common Use Cases

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Startup Development

Planning MVP architecture, choosing tech stack, designing scalable systems

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Enterprise Applications

Large-scale system design, performance optimization, security considerations

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Learning Projects

Understanding advanced concepts, exploring new technologies, building best practices

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Code Reviews

Analyzing existing codebases, identifying improvement opportunities, planning refactoring

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Tips for Success

  1. Start with Context: Provide background about your project, team, and goals
  2. Ask Specific Questions: Clear, focused questions get better guidance
  3. Iterate on Plans: Use initial plans as starting points for more detailed discussions
  4. Combine Modes: Use discussion mode for planning, regular mode for implementation
  5. Follow Recommendations: The structured plans are designed to be actionable
Discussion Mode Philosophy: The goal is to empower you with knowledge and planning skills, not to do the work for you. This approach helps you grow as a developer while building better software.
When to Switch Modes: Use discussion mode when you need guidance, planning, or learning. Switch to regular chat mode when you’re ready to implement the plans and write code.

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How to Use Discussion Mode

Discussion mode lets you explore ideas by chatting with CodinIT without making changes to your code. It is versatile and works well for planning, learning, and problem-solving.

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Activating Discussion Mode

  1. Open your CodinIT project
  2. In the bottom-right corner of the chatbox, click the Discuss button (chat icon)
  3. The button highlights when discussion mode is active
  4. Click again to return to build mode

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Using Discussion Mode Effectively

Once activated, you can:
  1. Ask planning questions about architecture, design patterns, or implementation approaches
  2. Request code reviews for guidance on improving existing code
  3. Explore technologies to learn about frameworks, libraries, and best practices
  4. Debug strategically by discussing error patterns and systematic approaches
  5. Use quick actions to:
    • Implement the plan in build mode
    • Continue the discussion with suggested follow-ups
    • Open referenced files in the editor
    • Access external documentation

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Response Behavior

In discussion mode, the AI will:
  • Show its reasoning process using chain-of-thought
  • Provide plans with numbered steps in plain English
  • Reference specific files with quick action buttons
  • Avoid generating code snippets (descriptions only)
  • Always include interactive quick actions at the end
  • Redirect to official documentation for specific topics
Discussion mode is ideal for planning before implementation. Use the “Implement this plan” button to seamlessly switch to build mode and execute your plan.