Chat-Only vs Full Mode in Zakirullin Files Bot: Configuration and Behavior Guide

The Zakirullin Files bot offers two primary operational modes—Chat-Only ("chat") restricts functionality to a simple append-only chat log with a reaction confirmation, while Full ("full") enables complete organizational workflows with system directories, quick commands, and move-to keyboards.

The Files.md Telegram bot by Artem Zakirullin supports user-configurable modes that fundamentally alter its interface and storage behavior. These modes are persisted in userconfig/config.json and enforced at runtime through conditional checks in the message handling pipeline. Understanding the distinction between Chat-Only and Full modes is essential for selecting the appropriate workflow for your note-taking needs.

Mode Constants and Configuration Storage

The bot defines mode identifiers as constants in server/userconfig/userconfig.go. The active mode is stored as a string value in the per-user configuration file.

• ModeChat: Corresponds to the JSON value "chat". When active, the bot restricts interaction to the chat window exclusively.
• ModeFull: Corresponds to the JSON value "full". This unlocks the complete filesystem integration and command set.

Configuration updates are handled through methods like cfg.SetMode(userconfig.ModeChat) and cfg.SetMode(userconfig.ModeFull), which persist the selection to disk.

Feature Comparison: Chat-Only vs Full Mode

Feature	Chat-Only Mode	Full Mode
Configuration Value	"chat"	"full"
User Interface	Chat window only; displays 👌 reaction after save	Full UI with move-to keyboard for immediate organization
Filesystem Layout	Single chat.md file (append-only)	System directories created via fs.CreateSystemDirs() (read/, shop/, watch/, journal/, etc.)
Available Commands	Basic chat commands only	Extended quick-move commands (/move-to-read, /move-to-shop, /move-to-watch, /move-to-journal)
Post-Save Behavior	SendReaction with 👌 and immediate return	Continues to showMoveTo() for destination selection

Switching Between Modes

Activating Chat-Only Mode

The setChatOnlyMode function in server/bot.go (lines 2771–2777) switches the configuration and presents a minimal prompt:

func (b *Bot) setChatOnlyMode(_ []string) error {
    err := b.cfg.SetMode(userconfig.ModeChat)
    if err != nil {
        return fmt.Errorf("chat only mode: can't set chat only mode %w", err)
    }
    return b.showHTML(i18n.Tr("What's on your mind?"), nil)
}

This method strips away quick commands and prevents the creation of organizational directories.

Activating Full Mode

The setFullMode implementation in server/bot.go (lines 2744–2770) performs three critical setup operations:

func (b *Bot) setFullMode(_ []string) error {
    err := b.cfg.SetMode(userconfig.ModeFull)
    if err != nil {
        return fmt.Errorf("full mode: can't set notes only mode %w", err)
    }

    // Register quick-move shortcuts
    moveToCmds := []string{
        CmdShowMoveToDirOrFile,
        CmdMoveToRead,
        CmdMoveToShop,
        CmdMoveToWatch,
        CmdMoveToJournal,
    }
    for _, cmd := range moveToCmds {
        if err = b.cfg.AddMoveToCmd(cmd); err != nil {
            return fmt.Errorf("full mode: can't add quick command %w", err)
        }
    }

    // Initialize system directory structure
    if err = b.fs.CreateSystemDirs(); err != nil {
        return fmt.Errorf("full mode: can't create dirs: %w", err)
    }

    return b.ShowHome(nil)
}

Runtime Message Handling Differences

After persisting a message to chat.md, the bot checks cfg.ChatOnlyMode() to determine the next step. In server/bot.go (lines 503–508), the conditional logic diverges:

msgHash, err := b.appendToChat(msg, b.cfg.Timezone())
if err != nil {
    return fmt.Errorf("append to chat: %w", err)
}

if b.cfg.ChatOnlyMode() {
    // Lightweight path: confirm and exit
    msgID, _ := u.MsgID()
    _ = b.tg.SendReaction(b.userID, msgID, "👌")
    return nil
}

// Full mode path: present organizational options
return b.showMoveTo([]string{msgHash})

In Chat-Only mode, the interaction ends after the reaction. In Full mode, the bot invokes showMoveTo() to display the keyboard interface for filing the note into specific directories or task lists.

Summary

• Chat-Only mode stores "chat" in userconfig/config.json, limits interaction to chat.md, and confirms saves with a 👌 reaction via SendReaction.
• Full mode stores "full", initializes organizational directories through fs.CreateSystemDirs(), populates quick commands via AddMoveToCmd(), and presents the move-to keyboard after each save.
• Mode switching is handled by setChatOnlyMode and setFullMode in server/bot.go, which update the configuration and adjust the available UI elements accordingly.
• Runtime behavior is determined by the ChatOnlyMode() Boolean check in the message processing loop.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I programmatically detect which mode is active?

Inspect the configuration using the helper method defined in server/userconfig/userconfig.go:

if cfg.ChatOnlyMode() {
    fmt.Println("Bot is running in chat-only mode")
} else {
    fmt.Println("Bot is running in full mode")
}

You can also manually check the mode field in your userconfig/config.json file for the string values "chat" or "full".

Does switching from Full to Chat-Only mode delete my organized files?

No. Switching modes only affects the user interface and available commands. Any directories created by CreateSystemDirs() during Full mode operation persist on disk; the bot simply stops accessing them. Your existing notes in read/, shop/, or other system directories remain intact but inaccessible from the Chat-Only interface until you switch back.

Why don't quick commands like /move-to-read work in Chat-Only mode?

Quick commands are explicitly registered only during Full mode initialization. The setFullMode function iterates through the moveToCmds slice and calls cfg.AddMoveToCmd() for each shortcut. In Chat-Only mode, these commands are never added to the configuration, so the Telegram bot framework does not recognize them as valid inputs.

Can I use Chat-Only mode without creating any directories?

Yes. Chat-Only mode never invokes fs.CreateSystemDirs(). It operates exclusively with the single chat.md file, making it ideal for users who want a lightweight, serverless-feeling chat log without the overhead of hierarchical file management.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}