> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://boxlang-ide.ortusbooks.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://boxlang-ide.ortusbooks.com/vscode/chat-integration.md).

# Chat Integration

The BoxLang extension includes an AI chat participant that provides BoxLang-aware assistance directly in VS Code's Chat view. It integrates with GitHub Copilot Chat to answer questions, suggest code, and look up documentation.

***

## Getting Started

### Invoke the Chat Participant

1. Open the **Chat** view (`Ctrl+Shift+I` / `Cmd+Shift+I`).
2. Type `@boxlang` followed by your question.
3. Press Enter.

```
@boxlang How do I use queryExecute with parameterized queries?
```

The chat participant responds with BoxLang-specific answers, drawing from the BoxLang documentation and runtime knowledge.

***

## Features

### BoxLang-Aware Responses

The `@boxlang` participant is tuned for BoxLang and CFML development. It can:

* Write BoxLang code snippets
* Explain language features and built-in functions (BIFs)
* Help debug errors and suggest fixes
* Recommend best practices and patterns
* Explain framework concepts (ColdBox, TestBox, etc.)

### Documentation Lookup Tool

The chat participant has access to a built-in **Documentation Lookup** tool (`lookupBoxLangDocumentation`) that:

1. Searches the complete BoxLang documentation index
2. Identifies the most relevant documentation pages for your question
3. Fetches those pages and includes them in the chat context
4. Bases its answers on authoritative documentation

This means answers are grounded in real BoxLang docs, not just model training data.

### /docs Command

Use the `/docs` slash command to get quick links to relevant documentation without asking a specific question:

```
@boxlang /docs caching
```

This returns direct links to the BoxLang documentation pages most relevant to your topic.

***

## Example Prompts

### Code Generation

```
@boxlang Write a BoxLang component that reads a CSV file and returns an array of structs
```

### Debugging Help

```
@boxlang I'm getting "variable [myVar] doesn't exist" but I defined it in Application.bx. What's wrong?
```

### Learning

```
@boxlang What's the difference between a closure and a lambda in BoxLang? Show examples.
```

### Framework Questions

```
@boxlang How do I register an interceptor in a ColdBox module?
```

### Documentation Links

```
@boxlang /docs queryExecute
```

***

## How It Works

The `@boxlang` chat participant uses the `@vscode/chat-extension-utils` library to:

1. **Receive** your prompt with full chat history context
2. **Filter** available language model tools to BoxLang-relevant ones
3. **Send** the request to the AI model with a specialized BoxLang system prompt
4. **Stream** the response back with reference links

The system prompt is loaded from a bundled resource file that contains BoxLang-specific instructions, conventions, and knowledge.

***

## Requirements

* **GitHub Copilot Chat** must be installed and active
* An active **GitHub Copilot subscription**
* The BoxLang extension must be activated (open any `.bx`, `.bxs`, `.bxm`, or `.cfc` file)

***

## Related Pages

{% content-ref url="/pages/Y3ZDPEP8qW43OySIjbi8" %}
[Commands Reference](/vscode/commands-reference.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/IrW4QLiDssODkp3WA2Gy" %}
[Settings Reference](/vscode/settings-reference.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://boxlang-ide.ortusbooks.com/vscode/chat-integration.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.