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In the praisonai code interactive REPL, /btw <question> answers a side question from a parallel, throwaway context — the main task’s history, place, and momentum stay untouched.

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Quick Start

1

Launch a coding session

Start working on your main task as usual:
2

Ask a side question with /btw

Type /btw followed by your question:
The answer renders in a distinct btw panel:
Nothing is appended to the main conversation — your refactor context is untouched.
3

Keep a one-line note (optional)

Add --keep to record a single one-line note in the main history:

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How It Works

/btw builds a fresh, read-only Agent with minimal context — just your question plus the current working directory — and no tools, then runs it in isolation and renders the answer in a btw panel. The main agent is never invoked for a side question. An empty question (/btw with no text) prints a usage hint instead of running anything.

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Options

The only flag is --keep.

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/btw vs /queue

Both defer work, but they touch the main task differently — /btw is a throwaway parallel context, /queue costs the main context. Reach for /btw when the answer is just for you; reach for /queue when the answer should feed the main task.

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Common Patterns

Look up an environment variable mid-refactor without derailing:
Confirm a library’s behaviour while staying in the main task:
Keep a breadcrumb in history when the answer matters later:

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Best Practices

/btw answers from a throwaway context with no tools — perfect for “what does this mean?” lookups. For work that changes files or should build on the main task, ask in the main conversation instead.
If the side answer needs to feed back into the task, /queue keeps it in the main history where the main agent can act on it. /btw intentionally discards its context.
Default /btw leaves zero trace. Reach for --keep when you want a one-line reminder in the transcript that you looked something up — without pulling the full answer into context.
The side agent sees only your question and the current working directory — not the main conversation. Phrase the question so it stands on its own.

/queue

Defer a prompt into the main history for the main task to act on.

/recap

Render a read-only “where were we” summary of the session.

Shell Escape

Run a shell command inline with !cmd without spending a model turn.

Slash Commands

The full interactive /command reference.