Global Chat is NodeTool’s AI assistant interface for interacting with AI models from anywhere in the application. It supports multiple providers, autonomous agents, specialized tools, and workflow integration.
Overview
Global Chat provides:
- Chat with AI models (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Ollama, and 20+ providers)
- Specialized tools for web search, file operations, code execution, and more
- Autonomous agents for complex multi-step task execution
- Workflow integration – run saved workflows directly from chat
- Multiple conversation threads with history
- Standalone chat window from system tray
The chat maintains a persistent WebSocket connection and automatically reconnects after app reloads.
Getting Started
Opening Global Chat
- From the App: Click Chat in the navigation menu
- Standalone Window: Click the NodeTool system tray icon and select Chat for a dedicated, focused window
Choosing a Model
Select your preferred AI model from the model picker at the top of the chat. Available models depend on your configured providers:
- Cloud models – OpenAI GPT, Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini (requires API keys)
- Local models – Ollama, LM Studio models (requires local installation)
Configure providers in Settings > Providers. See Models & Providers.
Conversation Threads
Global Chat organizes conversations into threads:
- Create threads – Click the New Chat button to start a fresh conversation
- Switch threads – Use the sidebar to navigate between conversations
- Delete threads – Remove conversations you no longer need
- Message history – Scroll through past messages with cursor-based pagination
- Message caching – Recent messages are cached locally for fast loading
Agent Mode
What is Agent Mode?
Agent Mode enables autonomous task execution. When enabled, the AI can break down complex requests into steps, select appropriate tools, and execute multi-step plans without manual intervention.
Toggle Agent Mode using the switch in the chat controls.
How Agents Work
- Planning – The agent analyzes your request and creates a task plan with ordered steps
- Tool selection – For each step, the agent chooses from 20+ available tools
- Execution – Steps run sequentially, with results feeding into subsequent steps
- Adaptation – The agent adjusts its plan based on intermediate results
- Reporting – Progress updates stream in real-time as tasks complete
Agent Capabilities
With Agent Mode enabled, the assistant can:
| Capability | Examples |
|---|---|
| Web research | Search the web, browse pages, extract content |
| File operations | Read, write, and organize files in your workspace |
| Code execution | Run JavaScript in a sandboxed environment |
| Data analysis | Perform calculations, query vector databases |
| Document processing | Extract text from PDFs, process emails |
| Asset management | Create, organize, and index assets |
| HTTP requests | Call external APIs and process responses |
| Workflow execution | Run saved NodeTool workflows with custom inputs |
Viewing Agent Progress
When an agent is executing tasks, you’ll see:
- Task plan – The breakdown of steps the agent will execute
- Step status – Real-time updates as each step starts, completes, or fails
- Tool calls – Which tools the agent is using and their results
- Thinking process – The agent’s reasoning (when supported by the model)
Workflow Integration
Running Workflows from Chat
- Save a workflow in the workflow editor
- Open Global Chat
- Select a workflow in the composer dropdown
- Provide inputs and run – results stream back into the chat
Creating Workflows from Chat
In Agent Mode, you can ask the agent to create or modify workflows. The agent uses workspace tools to build workflow configurations programmatically.
Available Tools
Global Chat agents have access to a comprehensive tool suite:
Built-in Tools
| Tool Category | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Browser | Navigate web pages, extract content, take screenshots |
| Search | Web search via multiple search providers |
| Filesystem | Read/write files, list directories, manage workspace |
| Code | Execute JavaScript in a sandboxed environment |
| Calculator | Perform mathematical calculations |
| HTTP | Make HTTP requests to external APIs |
| Extract text and data from PDF documents | |
| Read and process email messages | |
| Assets | Upload, organize, and manage NodeTool assets |
| Vectors | Query and manage vector database collections |
| Interact with Google APIs (search, drive, etc.) | |
| Workspace | Manage NodeTool workspace settings and files |
MCP Tools (Model Context Protocol)
NodeTool supports MCP for connecting to external tool servers. This enables integrating custom tools and services beyond the built-in set. See the MCP documentation for details on available MCP servers.
Standalone Chat Window
Access chat in a focused, dedicated window outside the main app:
- Click the NodeTool icon in your system tray
- Select Chat from the menu
- A new window opens with just the chat interface
The standalone window is useful for:
- Quick questions without switching to the full app
- Running agents in the background while doing other work
- Using chat as a general-purpose AI assistant
Next Steps
- Global Chat & Agents – Agent CLI and API integration
- Chat API – Programmatic access for running chats
- Chat CLI – Command-line chat interface
- Agent CLI – Run autonomous agents from the terminal
- Models & Providers – Configure AI providers
- Cookbook – Agent workflow patterns