Typing @ in any Anara chat input opens a menu that gives you direct control over what the AI searches and what actions it can take. It's one of the most powerful ways to get more precise, targeted answers.
How to use @mentions
Click in the chat input.
Type @ to open the mention menu.
Browse or type to filter the options.
Click an option to add it to your message.
You can use multiple @mentions in a single message — for example, scoping to a specific file while also requesting a specific tool.
Sources: control where the AI looks
The Sources group tells the AI which sources to search:
@Library — Search across your uploaded documents and notes.
@Web — Search the open web.
@[Connector name] — If you've connected tools like Notion, Google Drive, SharePoint, Zotero, or others, they appear here as searchable sources.
When you mention a specific source, the AI prioritizes searching there. For example, "@Notion What does my project brief say about the timeline?" searches your connected Notion workspace.
Good to know: Connected sources only appear in the menu if you've set them up in Settings > Connectors. See Connecting your research tools to Anara for setup.
Tools: trigger specific actions
The Tools group lets you ask the AI to take actions beyond answering questions:
@Create note — Create a new note in your library.
@Edit note — Edit an existing note.
@Create citation — Generate a formatted citation for a source.
@Create image — Generate an image.
@Plan — Break a complex task into a structured plan before executing.
Files: scope to specific documents
The Files group shows your recent documents. Select a file to scope the AI's search to that specific document. This is useful in a folder chat when you want to focus the AI on a particular paper, or when you want to compare two specific documents.
Source filter buttons
In addition to @mentions, toggle buttons below the chat input let you disable library search or web search entirely for a conversation. These are useful shortcuts when you want to restrict the AI to a single source without typing @mentions each time.
When to use @mentions vs source filters
Use @mentions when you want to add a specific source or trigger a specific action for one message.
Use source filter buttons when you want to restrict sources for the entire conversation.