AI Copilot
Use the AI Copilot to ask questions and build workflows in ByteChef
AI Copilot
The AI Copilot is an AI assistant embedded in the ByteChef workflow editor. It helps you understand, design, and build automation workflows without leaving the editor.
Copilot is available in two modes: Ask and Build.
Accessing Copilot
The Copilot panel opens from the workflow editor toolbar. Click the AI Copilot button (sparkle icon) to toggle it. Use the Ask / Build toggle at the top of the panel to switch modes.
Copilot is also available in the Code Editor for generating code blocks in JavaScript, Python, and Ruby.
Ask Mode
Ask mode is a read-only assistant for exploring and understanding workflows.
Both modes share:
- Full context of the current workflow definition
- The last execution error on the workflow
- Read-only access to component and task definitions
Ask mode additionally:
- Searches the internet for relevant information (via Firecrawl, if configured)
- Queries the ByteChef documentation knowledge base
- Suggests when to switch to Build mode for making changes
- Cannot modify the workflow
Use Ask mode to get explanations, debug errors, research components, or plan changes before building.
Build Mode
Build mode has full access to create and modify workflows on your behalf.
Build mode can:
- Create new workflows or update existing ones
- Search and configure components and actions
- Validate task configurations before applying them
- Validate the complete workflow after building
- Deploy the workflow directly from the conversation
Build mode follows a structured process: discover the right components → configure them → pre-validate → build → validate the full workflow → deploy. It will fix any validation errors before proceeding.
Enabling Copilot
Copilot is disabled by default. Set the following environment variables to enable it:
OpenAI (default provider)
BYTECHEF_AI_COPILOT_ENABLED=true
BYTECHEF_AI_COPILOT_PROVIDER=OPENAI
BYTECHEF_AI_COPILOT_OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-...Optional tuning:
BYTECHEF_AI_COPILOT_OPENAI_CHAT_OPTIONS_MODEL=gpt-5.2
BYTECHEF_AI_COPILOT_OPENAI_CHAT_OPTIONS_TEMPERATURE=0.5
BYTECHEF_AI_COPILOT_OPENAI_EMBEDDING_OPTIONS_MODEL=text-embedding-3-smallAnthropic
BYTECHEF_AI_COPILOT_ENABLED=true
BYTECHEF_AI_COPILOT_PROVIDER=ANTHROPIC
BYTECHEF_AI_COPILOT_ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...
BYTECHEF_AI_COPILOT_ANTHROPIC_CHAT_OPTIONS_MODEL=claude-opus-4-6Embeddings for the knowledge base always use OpenAI. When using the Anthropic provider, BYTECHEF_AI_COPILOT_OPENAI_API_KEY is still required for embeddings.
All Copilot Variables
| Environment Variable | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
BYTECHEF_AI_COPILOT_ENABLED | Enable or disable Copilot | false |
BYTECHEF_AI_COPILOT_PROVIDER | AI provider (OPENAI, ANTHROPIC) | OPENAI |
BYTECHEF_AI_COPILOT_OPENAI_API_KEY | OpenAI API key | - |
BYTECHEF_AI_COPILOT_OPENAI_CHAT_OPTIONS_MODEL | OpenAI chat model | gpt-5.2 |
BYTECHEF_AI_COPILOT_OPENAI_CHAT_OPTIONS_TEMPERATURE | OpenAI temperature | 0.5 |
BYTECHEF_AI_COPILOT_OPENAI_EMBEDDING_OPTIONS_MODEL | OpenAI embedding model | text-embedding-3-small |
BYTECHEF_AI_COPILOT_ANTHROPIC_API_KEY | Anthropic API key | - |
BYTECHEF_AI_COPILOT_ANTHROPIC_CHAT_OPTIONS_MODEL | Anthropic chat model | - |
BYTECHEF_AI_COPILOT_ANTHROPIC_CHAT_OPTIONS_TEMPERATURE | Anthropic temperature | 0.5 |
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