Command Bar Modes

CommandLane's command bar has four distinct modes, each optimized for different workflows. Press Shift+Tab to cycle between them.

Mode Overview

Mode	Purpose	Trigger
Capture	Quick notes and tasks	Default mode
Query	AI-powered search	q prefix or Shift+Tab
Chat	Multi-turn conversations	? prefix or Shift+Tab
Launch	App launcher	Shift+Tab

Capture Mode

The default mode for quickly saving thoughts, tasks, and notes.

Features

• Auto-classification: AI determines if your entry is a task or note
• Context awareness: Automatically captures which app you're in
• App suggestions: Shows related apps to launch after capture
• Instant save: Press Enter to save immediately

Usage

Meeting notes from standup call
→ Classified as: Note

Email Sarah about the proposal
→ Classified as: Task

Decided to use React for the frontend
→ Classified as: Decision (with Ctrl+Enter)

Context Capture

CommandLane automatically records:

• Source app: The application you captured from (VS Code, Chrome, etc.)
• Window title: The specific window/tab title
• Timestamp: When you captured

Press Tab to cycle through open windows if you want to associate your capture with a different app.

Background Results

When the input is empty, Capture mode shows recent entries from your current app context. This helps you see related work without searching.

Query Mode

Natural language search powered by AI.

Features

• Semantic search: Find entries by meaning, not just keywords
• AI synthesis: Get summarized answers, not just raw results
• Source attribution: See which entries contributed to the answer
• Related entries: Browse grouped results (Tasks, Notes, Other)

Usage

q tasks due this week
q what did I decide about the database?
q notes from meetings with Sarah
q show me everything about the redesign project

How It Works

1. Your query is analyzed for intent
2. Multiple search strategies run in parallel (keyword, semantic, SQL)
3. Results are synthesized into a coherent answer
4. Source entries are displayed for reference

Query Tips

• Be specific: "tasks due today" vs "tasks"
• Use natural language: "what was that thing about..." works
• Reference time: "last week", "yesterday", "in October"
• Mention types: "notes about...", "decisions on...", "tasks for..."

Chat Mode

Multi-turn conversations with AI about your knowledge base.

Features

• Conversation memory: Context carries across messages
• Persistent history: Resume conversations later with /resume
• Model selection: Choose your preferred AI model
• Knowledge access: AI can search your entries to answer questions

Usage

? Help me plan my day based on my open tasks

AI: Looking at your tasks, I see you have 5 items due today...

> What about the ones from last week I haven't finished?

AI: You have 3 overdue tasks from last week...

Resuming Conversations

Type /resume to see recent conversations:

/resume      → List 10 recent conversations
/resume 20   → List 20 recent conversations

Select a conversation to continue where you left off.

Multi-line Input

Press Shift+Enter for new lines in chat mode. Regular Enter sends the message.

Launch Mode

Quick app launcher and web search, similar to Alfred or Raycast.

Features

• Fuzzy search: Find apps by partial name
• Web search: Prefix with g for Google search
• System commands: Access common system actions
• Fast switching: Launch apps without leaving your keyboard

Usage

code           → Launch VS Code
chr            → Launch Chrome (fuzzy match)
g react hooks  → Google search for "react hooks"

Search Behavior

1. Type to filter installed applications
2. Results ranked by match quality
3. Use arrow keys to navigate
4. Press Enter to launch

Web Search

The g prefix works in Launch mode for quick web searches:

g weather tomorrow
g python datetime format
g nearest coffee shop

Opens your default browser with the search results.

Mode Indicators

Each mode has a visual indicator in the command bar:

Mode	Color	Icon
Capture	Blue	✏️
Query	Green	🔍
Chat	Purple	💬
Launch	Orange	🚀

Switching Modes

Keyboard

• Shift+Tab: Cycle to next mode
• Text prefixes: q , ? , g , c auto-switch modes

Text Prefix Shortcuts

Prefix	Switches To
q	Query mode
?	Chat mode
g	Launch mode (Google search)
c	Capture mode
=	Calculator (stays in current mode)

Mode Memory

CommandLane remembers your last-used mode within a session. When you reopen the command bar, it returns to that mode.

Best Practices

When to Use Each Mode

Scenario	Best Mode
Quick thought capture	Capture
"What was that thing about..."	Query
Planning session with AI	Chat
Switch to an app quickly	Launch
Find specific past entry	Query
Brainstorm with context	Chat
Log a decision	Capture (Ctrl+Enter)

Workflow Tips

1. Stay in Capture mode for rapid entry during meetings
2. Switch to Query when you need to find something specific
3. Use Chat for longer interactions that need context
4. Launch mode is fastest for app switching (even faster than Alt+Tab for specific apps)