oTToDev/Bolt Gets Feature You've Been Waiting For: Folder Import + More!

Autod Dev Update: Folder Import and Chat Management

Key Concepts:

• Autod Dev: An open-source, community-driven Bolt version.
• Chat Forking: Creating a new chat instance from a specific message within an existing chat.
• Chat Export/Import: Saving and loading chat data (messages, roles, model, artifacts) in JSON format.
• Folder Import: Uploading a folder containing code and related files into Autod Dev.
• Bolt Artifact: Internal representation of files, commands, and other data within a Bolt chat.
• Package.json: A file containing metadata about a project, including dependencies and scripts.
• NPM (Node Package Manager): A package manager for JavaScript.
• Pull Request (PR): A proposal to merge code changes into a main branch.

Chat Forking, Exporting, and Importing

The video begins by showcasing foundational features built to enable folder import, specifically chat forking, exporting, and importing.

• Chat Forking: Allows users to create a new chat that starts from a specific message in an existing chat. This is demonstrated with an example where the AI's response contains an error. The user forks the chat from a point before the error occurred.
• Chat Export: Enables users to download a chat as a JSON file. The speaker shows the structure of the JSON file, which includes messages, user roles (user, assistant AI), the model used, and "bolt artifacts" (files, commands, etc.).
• Chat Import: Allows users to upload a previously exported JSON file to restore a chat. This is particularly important because, in the free version, chats are not stored on the server but in the browser cache. Importing allows users to persist and share chats. The speaker demonstrates importing a chat from a downloaded JSON file, showing that the chat history and commands are restored.

Folder Import Functionality

The core of the update is the ability to import folders into Autod Dev.

• Process: Users can select a folder to upload. The system detects the files within the folder.
• Automatic Command Execution: If the folder contains an index file but no package.json, the system recognizes it as a project and uploads the files. If a package.json file is present, the system attempts to run relevant NPM commands (e.g., npm install, npm dev, npm start, npm preview).
• Example: The speaker demonstrates uploading a folder. The system uploads the files and attempts to run commands based on the folder's contents.
• Status: The folder import feature is described as a work in progress and potentially buggy, especially with larger projects. Users are encouraged to test it and report any issues.

Internal Workings and Importance

The speaker explains that understanding how Bolt represents chats internally (through the JSON structure) was crucial for implementing folder import. The ability to export and import chats was a necessary stepping stone.

Community Contributions and Future Development

The speaker acknowledges the significant contributions from the community, noting that there are 55 pull requests addressing various improvements, including adding providers. He mentions helping to review, test, and merge some of these contributions, including the first version of file and folder import. He anticipates that development may slow down around the New Year and Christmas holidays.

Conclusion

The update focuses on enabling users to import folders and manage chats more effectively within Autod Dev. While the folder import feature is still in beta, it represents a significant step forward. The speaker emphasizes the importance of community contributions and encourages users to test the new features and provide feedback.