Your First Steps

Learn the basics of Cubent Coder with hands-on examples

Welcome to Cubent Coder!

Now that you have Cubent Coder installed, let’s walk through your first interactions and learn the core concepts that will make you productive immediately.

Understanding the Interface

Sidebar Panel

The Cubent Coder panel appears in your VS Code sidebar with these key elements:

• Chat Interface: Where you communicate with the AI
• Mode Selector: Switch between Chat, Plan, Agent, and Custom modes
• Task History: Review previous conversations and tasks
• Settings: Quick access to configuration options

Status Indicators

Look for these visual cues:

• 🟢 Green: AI is ready and connected
• 🟡 Yellow: Processing your request
• 🔴 Red: Connection or configuration issue

Your First Conversation

Let’s start with a simple interaction:

Step 1: Open the Chat

1. Click the Cubent Coder icon in the sidebar
2. You’ll see the chat interface
3. Type your first message in the input box

Step 2: Try Basic Commands

Start with these simple examples:

Hello! Can you help me understand this codebase?

What programming languages do you see in this project?

Can you explain what this function does?

Select some code in your editor before asking about it - Cubent Coder will automatically include the selected code in its context.

Code Generation Basics

Simple Code Generation

Try generating some code:

Create a Python function that calculates the factorial of a number

Write a React component for a simple todo list

Generate a SQL query to find users who registered in the last 30 days

Code Explanation

Select any code in your editor and ask:

Explain this code to me

What could be improved in this function?

Are there any potential bugs here?

File Operations

Cubent Coder can work with files in your workspace:

Reading Files

What's in the package.json file?

Show me the main entry point of this application

Creating Files

Create a new README.md file for this project

Generate a .gitignore file for a Node.js project

Modifying Files

Add error handling to the main.js file

Update the CSS to make the header responsive

Understanding Modes

Chat Mode (Default)

• Best for: Questions, explanations, code reviews
• Behavior: Conversational, informative
• Use when: You want to understand or discuss code

Plan Mode

• Best for: Project planning, architecture decisions
• Behavior: Strategic, high-level thinking
• Use when: You need technical leadership guidance

Agent Mode

• Best for: Complex tasks, multi-step operations
• Behavior: Action-oriented, autonomous
• Use when: You want Cubent Coder to implement solutions

Best Practices

Be Specific

Instead of: “Fix this code” Try: “This function is throwing a null pointer exception when the input array is empty. Can you add proper error handling?”

Provide Context

• Select relevant code before asking questions
• Mention the programming language and framework
• Explain what you’re trying to achieve

Use Progressive Refinement

Start with a general request, then refine:

1. “Create a user authentication system”
2. “Add password validation with specific requirements”
3. “Include email verification functionality”

Common First Tasks

Here are some typical tasks new users try:

Code Review

Review this function for potential improvements and security issues

Documentation

Generate documentation for this API endpoint

Testing

Create unit tests for this class

Refactoring

Refactor this code to follow better design patterns

Getting Help

If you’re stuck or need clarification:

In-App Help

How do I switch to Agent mode?

What's the difference between Chat and Plan mode?

Community Resources

• Discord: Join our community for real-time help
• Documentation: Browse these docs for detailed guides
• GitHub: Report issues or request features

Next Steps

Ready to dive deeper? Explore these advanced features:

Master Agent Mode

Let Cubent Coder work autonomously on complex tasks

Create Custom Modes

Build specialized AI personas for your workflow

Terminal Integration

Execute commands and manage your development environment

Advanced Automation

Set up complex workflows and automation

Remember: Cubent Coder learns from your interactions. The more you use it, the better it becomes at understanding your coding style and preferences!