Chat & AI

Runeya integrates an AI chat directly into the interface, without leaving your development environment. Conversations are encrypted at rest and remain stored locally in .runeya/.

Prerequisites

To use the AI chat, you must have configured at least one model provider in the settings (Settings → AI), or have Claude Code CLI installed on your machine.

Starting a Conversation

1. Click the AI tab in the main navigation bar.
2. Click New conversation.
3. Type your message in the input field at the bottom of the screen.
4. Press Enter or click Send.

The AI response appears in real time (streaming).

Chat Modes

Chat via API Provider

You can configure one or more model providers (for example Claude from Anthropic, Codex from OpenAI) in the settings. Runeya sends your messages to the chosen API and displays the response.

To choose the model:

1. Go to Settings → AI.
2. Add your API key and select the provider.
3. When starting a new conversation, select the model from the dropdown list.

Chat via Claude Code CLI

If Claude Code is installed on your machine, Runeya can use it directly, without an external API key. This mode is detected automatically.

To use Claude Code CLI:

1. In the conversation window, select Claude Code from the model selector.
2. The chat relies on your local Claude Code installation — no additional configuration is required.

Managing Conversations

Archive a Conversation

An archived conversation remains accessible but no longer appears in the main list.

1. In the conversation list, hover over the conversation.
2. Click the ... icon (options).
3. Select Archive.

Delete a Conversation

Deletion is permanent. Deleted messages cannot be recovered.

1. In the conversation list, hover over the conversation.
2. Click the ... icon (options).
3. Select Delete, then confirm.

Launch a Scenario from Chat

From the AI tab, you can launch an AI Scenario (graphical workflow) directly:

1. Click Launch a Scenario.
2. Choose the desired Scenario from the list.
3. Enter a run name (or let Runeya generate one automatically using AI).
4. Confirm — the run starts and an associated conversation is created.

To create or edit Scenarios: Scenarios Guide

Launch a Conversation with an Enterprise

You can select an Enterprise when starting a conversation. In this case, Runeya creates a dedicated workspace and involves multiple "people" from the organization in the response.

1. Click New conversation.
2. In the Enterprise selector, choose the organization.
3. Write your initial brief and send it.

To create or configure an Enterprise: Enterprise Guide

Message Security

All messages are encrypted at rest using AES-256-GCM, with the key stored in .runeya/.encryption.key. This key never leaves your machine.

WARNING

Never commit the .runeya/.encryption.key file. Without this key, your encrypted conversations cannot be read.

Inserting Images in a Conversation

You can attach up to 5 images (JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP) to any message. The AI will analyze them and take them into account in its response.

→ Full guide: Inserting images in an AI conversation

FAQ

Can I use multiple AI models? Yes. You can configure multiple providers and choose the model for each new conversation.

Are my messages sent to a Runeya server? No. In local mode, your messages are sent directly from your machine to the AI provider you configured (Anthropic, OpenAI, etc.). Runeya does not act as an intermediary.

What happens if I lose my encryption key? Encrypted conversations become unreadable. Keep your .runeya/.encryption.key safe or back it up separately.