File mentions let you reference any file in your workspace using @/path/to/file syntax. When you mention a file, Elastic sees the complete file content, including imports, related functions, and surrounding context.

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How File Mentions Work

When you type @ in the chat input, Elastic shows you a searchable list of files in your workspace. You can:
  • Browse files: Navigate through your project structure
  • Search files: Type part of a filename to filter results
  • Select files: Click or use keyboard navigation to select files

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Syntax

@/path/to/file.ext
Examples:
  • @/src/components/Button.tsx
  • @/utils/helpers.js
  • @/README.md
  • @/package.json

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What Elastic Sees

When you mention a file, Elastic receives:
  1. Complete file content - Every line of code, comments, and formatting
  2. File path and name - Full context of where the file lives
  3. File type information - Language-specific understanding
  4. Import relationships - Dependencies and connections to other files

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Best Practices

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When to Use File Mentions

  • Code review: @/src/auth.js Can you review this authentication logic?
  • Bug investigation: @/components/Form.tsx This component is throwing errors
  • Feature requests: @/api/users.js Add pagination to this endpoint
  • Documentation: @/README.md Update the installation instructions

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Multiple File Mentions

You can mention multiple files in a single message: 
@/src/components/Button.tsx @/src/styles/button.css 
The button styling isn't being applied correctly

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Combining with Other Mentions

File mentions work great with other mention types: 
@/src/api/auth.js @problems @terminal
The authentication is failing and I'm seeing errors

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File Types Supported

Elastic supports all file types in your workspace:
  • Code files: .js, .ts, .py, .java, .cpp, etc.
  • Configuration: .json, .yaml, .toml, .ini, etc.
  • Documentation: .md, .txt, .rst, etc.
  • Styles: .css, .scss, .less, etc.
  • Data files: .csv, .xml, .sql, etc.

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Tips for Effective File Mentions

  1. Be specific: Mention the exact file you’re asking about
  2. Use relative paths: Start from your project root
  3. Include context: Explain what you want to do with the file
  4. Combine strategically: Use with folder mentions for broader context
  5. Check file size: Very large files might be truncated in the response

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Integration with Memory Bank

File mentions integrate seamlessly with Elastic’s Memory Bank:
  • Pattern recognition: Elastic learns your coding patterns from mentioned files
  • Style consistency: Maintains your coding style across similar files
  • Architecture understanding: Builds knowledge of your project structure
  • Preference learning: Remembers your preferred approaches and libraries

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Common Use Cases

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Code Analysis

@/src/utils/validation.js 
Can you explain how this validation logic works?

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Bug Fixing

@/components/UserProfile.tsx 
This component crashes when user data is null

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Feature Development

@/api/products.js 
Add search functionality to this products API

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Refactoring

@/legacy/old-auth.js @/modern/new-auth.js 
Help me migrate from the old auth system to the new one
File mentions are the foundation of precise, context-aware conversations with Elastic, enabling you to reference exactly what you’re working on without copy-pasting code.