> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.zerotwo.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Project Chats

> How to start and use chats within a project, and how project context is shared automatically.

## What are Project Chats?

A project chat is a conversation started from within a project. It behaves like a regular chat, with one key difference: **the project's custom instructions are automatically injected as context** at the start of every project chat.

This means you never have to re-explain your project's stack, tone, background, or constraints — ZeroTwo already knows, because the instructions are always present.

## Starting a Project Chat

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open a project">
    Click the project name in the left sidebar under the Projects section.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click New Chat">
    Inside the project view, click **New Chat** (or the **+** icon). A new chat opens, scoped to this project.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start chatting">
    Type your message. ZeroTwo has the project's instructions as background context from the first message — no need to explain the project again.
  </Step>
</Steps>

All project chats are listed under the project name in the sidebar. Click the project to expand it and see all its chats.

## Project Chats vs. Regular Chats

|                  | Project chat                        | Regular chat                              |
| ---------------- | ----------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| **Instructions** | Project instructions always present | Only your global custom instructions      |
| **File access**  | Project files available as context  | Only files uploaded to that specific chat |
| **Location**     | Listed under project in sidebar     | Listed in main Chat History               |
| **Best for**     | Ongoing work on a defined topic     | One-off questions, quick lookups          |

## What's Shared Across Project Chats

**Shared across all chats in the project:**

* **Project instructions** — the system prompt you wrote in project settings is active in every chat
* **Project files** — files uploaded to the project are available as context in any project chat (when referenced explicitly)

**Not shared across project chats:**

* **Conversation history** — each chat is still separate. Chat A does not see the messages from Chat B, even within the same project.

If you want ZeroTwo to have access to conclusions from a previous chat, either summarize them in your project instructions or paste the relevant content into the new chat.

## Sidebar Navigation

Project chats are nested under the project name in the sidebar:

```
Projects
└── React E-commerce App
    ├── Cart component refactor
    ├── Auth flow design
    └── Database schema review
```

Click the project to expand it. Click any chat to open it. Project chats are visually distinguished from regular chats by their indentation under the project name.

## Tips for Effective Project Chats

**Use project instructions instead of long preambles.** If you find yourself typing the same context at the start of every chat ("This is for a React TypeScript app..."), move that context into the project instructions. It'll be there automatically for every future chat.

**Start a new chat for each distinct topic.** Rather than one very long chat that meanders across many subjects, create focused chats for each discrete question or task. The project instructions provide continuity; the individual chats stay manageable.

**Reference project files explicitly.** Project files are available as context, but ZeroTwo doesn't automatically read them for every message. Mention the file when you want it used: "Using the brand guidelines I uploaded, write a product description for..."

**Regular chats can become project chats.** If you start a chat outside a project and want to move it in, you can typically drag it into the project in the sidebar or use the chat options menu.