Threads

A Thread is one lasting conversation with an agent, and it is the unit of work in Whorl. Each Thread has its own history, its own folder in Files and its own Environment where the agent runs code. Everyone who can see a Thread can work in it, so a teammate can tell the agent what to change instead of receiving a copy of the result.

A Thread keeps going after you close the tab. Come back later and the work has continued.

Start a Thread⁠

  1. Choose New thread in the sidebar, or press ⌘N (Alt+N on Windows and Linux).
  2. Type your request in the message box, which starts with "Ask anything, or @ to mention".
  3. Add context if you need it:
    • Attach files with the attach button. Upload from computer adds a local file. Choose from Files adds a file from the Space.
    • Type @ to mention a person, a Captain or another Thread, to tell the agent to use a Skill, or to give it a Plugin's tools.
    • Use the folder picker to choose a folder of the Space for the Thread to work in. Without one, the Thread works in the whole Space.
  4. Send the message.

A Thread belongs to the Space you start it in and never moves to another Space. Its folder is set when it starts.

Steer a Thread together⁠

Everyone in the Space can open a Thread and send it messages. Everyone sees the same messages, the agent's replies and tool activity live, also after a reconnect.

  • Presence. Avatars show who else has the Thread open. Captains and Threads that are working in it appear as well.
  • Whose access the agent uses. The agent acts for whoever sent each message. A teammate's message runs with their access, never yours.
  • Messages while the agent works. The send button reads Queue message. A queued message appears in the Message queue above the composer and sends when the current run finishes. Open its menu to Edit queued message or Remove queued message. With an empty composer, the button becomes Stop, which stops the run.
  • Notes to teammates. If your message mentions a person, a Captain or a Thread and does not address the agent, Whorl posts it as a note for them and does not start the agent. Attach a file, or mention the agent by name, to make the message go to the agent.

A Thread's status line says what the agent is doing. Items that need you, such as a question, show in the Needs you section of the Digest and in Activity.

Panels⁠

Beside the conversation, a Thread shows four panels.

PanelWhat it holds
DigestWhere the work stands: a short overview, what needs you, tasks, what the Thread made, and what it cost. See below.
FilesThe Thread's files. Open a file in a tab to preview it beside the conversation.
NotesThe Space's Notes, in tabs next to the conversation.
PortalsLive views of apps the agent is running. See Portals.

Digest⁠

The Digest is the page you read to catch up. It lists:

  • Needs you: questions and decisions waiting on you.
  • Tasks: the work the agent tracks, with each task's status (To do, In progress, Done, Cancelled or Failed), plus any subagents and child Threads.
  • Made: the files, Notes and other items the Thread created.
  • Usage: what the Thread spent, with the time it estimates it saved.

The Digest says how long the work took once the Thread finishes. See Usage and insights.

Environment⁠

The agent runs in the Thread's Environment, a computer that Whorl replaces when needed without losing the Thread or its files. An Environment goes to sleep when it has been idle for a while. If a Thread shows a Wake button, choose it to start the Environment again. See Environments.

Child Threads and subagents⁠

An agent can start helpers for focused or long work:

  • A subagent shares the Thread's Environment and returns one answer. Open it from the Digest to read what it did.
  • A child Thread is a full Thread with its own Environment. It acts as the same person with only their access, and the parent Thread is woken when it finishes.

Both show under Tasks in the Digest. A child Thread belongs to the same owner as its parent.

Fork a Thread⁠

Open the Thread's menu and choose Fork to start a new Thread from the current conversation. The new Thread shows Forked from and a link to the original. Fork when you want to try a different direction without changing the first Thread.

Rename, archive and delete⁠

Open the Thread's menu, or right-click its row in the sidebar.

ActionWho can do it
RenameAnyone who can open the Thread.
Pin, Copy link, Mark as readAnyone who can open the Thread.
Archive and UnarchiveOnly the Thread's owner.
DeleteOnly the Thread's owner. Whorl asks you to confirm because it cannot be undone.

The owner is the person who started the Thread. For a child Thread it is the owner of its parent. For a Thread an Automation starts, it is the person the Automation runs as. For a Crew Thread it is the person who created the Captain. Space owners and Organization owners and admins cannot archive, restore or delete someone else's Thread.

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