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Presets

Presets allow you to save and quickly load predefined configurations of files, conventions, and prompts. They're ideal for switching between different workflows, project contexts, or documentation tasks without manually adding files each time.

loading the mkdocs preset

Quick Start

Loading a Preset

Load a preset configuration:

> /preset command

Byte will:

  1. Prompt to clear conversation history (optional)
  2. Prompt to clear current file context (optional)
  3. Add configured read-only files to context
  4. Add configured editable files to context
  5. Load specified conventions
  6. Set a default prompt (if configured)

Saving a Preset

Save your current context as a preset:

> /preset:save
Enter a name for this preset: my-workflow
Enter a default prompt for this preset (leave blank to skip):
Preset 'my-workflow' saved successfully

Byte will:

  1. Prompt for a preset name
  2. Capture current read-only files
  3. Capture current editable files
  4. Capture loaded conventions
  5. Optionally set a default prompt
  6. Save the configuration to .byte/config.yaml

Configuration

Define presets in .byte/config.yaml:

presets:
  - id: command
    conventions:
      - CODE_STYLEGUIDE.md
      - PROJECT_ARCHITECTURE.md
    read_only_files:
      - src/byte/bootstrap.py
      - src/byte/container.py
    editable_files:
      - src/byte/domain/cli/command/new_command.py
    prompt: "Create a new command following the existing patterns"
    load_on_boot: false

Configuration Options

For complete configuration details, see the Settings Reference.

id (string, required)

  • Unique identifier used in /preset <id> command
  • Use descriptive names like "command", "docs", or "testing"

read_only_files (array of strings, default: [])

  • Files to add as read-only context
  • Supports glob patterns like src/**/*.py
  • Files are visible to AI but cannot be modified

editable_files (array of strings, default: [])

  • Files to add as editable context
  • Supports glob patterns
  • AI can propose changes to these files

conventions (array of strings, default: [])

  • Convention files to load from .byte/conventions/
  • Provide coding standards and style guides to the AI

prompt (string, optional)

  • Default prompt text to populate the input field
  • Useful for repetitive tasks with similar instructions

load_on_boot (boolean, default: false)

  • Automatically load this preset when Byte starts
  • Only one preset should have this enabled

Saving Presets

Instead of manually editing .byte/config.yaml, you can save your current context as a preset using the /preset:save command.

How It Works

The save command captures your current workspace state:

> /preset:save
Enter a name for this preset: documentation
Enter a default prompt for this preset (leave blank to skip): Write documentation for
Preset 'documentation' saved successfully

The preset ID is automatically generated from your name (e.g., "My Workflow" becomes "my-workflow").

What Gets Saved

  • Read-only files - All files currently in read-only context
  • Editable files - All files currently in editable context
  • Conventions - All loaded convention files
  • Default prompt - Optional prompt text to pre-fill the input

Workflow

  1. Set up your ideal context with /add and /read-only
  2. Load relevant conventions
  3. Run /preset:save to capture the configuration
  4. Give it a descriptive name
  5. Optionally add a default prompt
  6. The preset is immediately available for use

This is particularly useful when you discover a context configuration that works well and want to reuse it later.

Common Use Cases

Command Development

Create a preset for building new CLI commands:

presets:
  - id: command
    conventions:
      - CODE_STYLEGUIDE.md
      - PROJECT_ARCHITECTURE.md
    read_only_files:
      - src/byte/domain/cli/service/command_registry.py
      - src/byte/core/mixins/user_interactive.py
    editable_files:
      - src/byte/domain/*/command/*.py

Load it when working on commands:

> /preset command

Documentation Writing

Set up a preset for documentation tasks:

presets:
  - id: mkdocs
    conventions:
      - MKDOCS_STYLEGUIDE.md
    read_only_files:
      - docs/concepts/file-context.md
      - docs/concepts/lint.md
    editable_files:
      - docs/concepts/new-feature.md
    prompt: "Using the MKDOCS_STYLEGUIDE and existing docs as examples, document "

The preset includes example docs as reference and sets a helpful default prompt.

Testing Workflow

Configure a preset for test development:

presets:
  - id: testing
    conventions:
      - TESTING_STYLEGUIDE.md
    read_only_files:
      - src/byte/domain/*/service/*.py
    editable_files:
      - tests/**/*_test.py
    prompt: "Write tests for "

Workflow Integration

History Management

When loading a preset, you can optionally clear conversation history:

Would you like to clear the conversation history before loading this preset? (Y/n):

Choose Yes to start fresh with the new context, or No to preserve previous conversation while switching files.

Context Management

You can also clear the current file context:

Would you like to clear the file context before loading this preset? (y/N):

Choose Yes to replace all files with the preset configuration, or No to add preset files to existing context.

Auto-Loading

Set load_on_boot: true to automatically load a preset when Byte starts:

presets:
  - id: default
    load_on_boot: true
    editable_files:
      - src/**/*.py

This is useful for projects where you always work with the same initial context.