Every feature, step by step

1. Get started

From the homepage, select Get started or Sign in. The builder requires an account.

1. Sign in, then open the builder at /app.html. The left column contains chats and models; the middle is the conversation; the Files button opens generated project files.
2. If the four-step Getting started guide appears, read it and close it. Reopen it at any time with Guide in the top bar.
3. Choose how to access AI: subscribe to Zipy AI Credits or select a model and add your own provider key (see next section). You can also import existing code without sending an AI request.
4. Choose a destination beside the Send button before building. This guides generation and the project check. For other builders, expect a standard downloadable project and a manual import rather than an automatic deployment.
5. Type what to build. Check the estimate or credit balance, then select Send (or press Ctrl/⌘ + Enter).

2. Choose a model

The Models section offers Zipy AI (managed credits) and bring-your-own-key providers, including DeepSeek, ChatGPT/OpenAI, Gemini, Claude, Kimi, Grok, Doubao, and Qwen.

1. Open a provider card in the left sidebar. Select its model and, if it is a bring-your-own-key provider, paste the provider's API key into the field shown there.
2. For keyless use, select Zipy AI. If no credits are available, open Billing from your account menu to view the Zipy AI Credits subscription and top-ups.
3. Review the provider/model and cost indication above the prompt box before sending. Use DeepSeek only is a quick option for a low-cost BYOK choice, but still requires your DeepSeek key.
4. If a provider temporarily rejects an unanswered request, the app may retry that provider. Moving to a different provider requires your confirmation; it is not silently switched.

3. Reuse prompts with templates

The Prompt templates… menu above the composer combines three sources: shared templates published by admins, built-in examples, and your own saved prompts on this device.

1. Select a template from the menu, then click Insert. Selecting it alone does not send a request.
2. For every placeholder such as {{audience}}, enter a value when asked. Repeated placeholders with the same name are asked once. If you leave a value blank, the inserted text shows a bracketed placeholder for you to edit.
3. Review the text in the composer, adjust the request, choose the model and destination, then click Send. A template is just a starting point, not a system instruction.
4. To make a private template, write your reusable text (including any {{variable name}} fields) in the composer and select Save prompt. Give it a name. It is saved only in this browser.
5. To remove a private template, select it and choose Delete saved. Shared templates cannot be deleted by users. To see newly published shared prompts, reload the app.

4. Attach documents, images, and designs

1. Select Attach below the prompt. Add PDFs, images, Word or Excel documents, CSV, text, or Markdown files. Each file is limited to 15 MB.
2. Wait for the attachment chip to finish processing and read any warning above the composer before clicking Send. Remove a failed or unintended chip with its × control.
3. For scanned PDFs, the app attempts OCR on pages without extractable text (up to five scanned pages) and warns if pages remain unreadable. Only the first 60 pages are inspected, and extracted text may be shortened. If details are missing, attach clearer pages or paste the crucial text into the prompt.
4. For a Figma design, choose Figma link to attach its URL. A link alone does not provide the design's visual detail; export the relevant frame as PNG or PDF and attach that too.
5. Describe what the AI should do with the attachment. Zipy AI Credits is text/code-oriented; it cannot directly interpret attached images. Use a vision-capable BYOK model if image understanding is required.

5. Plan and build

1. For a normal build, describe the desired app in the composer with its features, technology, and constraints; then click Send.
2. If you prefer to review the approach first, check Plan first before sending. The AI drafts a plan without project code. Review it in the conversation and then use the offered Build action to request complete files.
3. Watch the response and the generated files. If the request goes in the wrong direction, use Stop, revise your instructions, and send again. You can continue the conversation with changes or bug reports.
4. Choose New chat to start a separate project conversation. Project files are tied to the current chat; use import, export, or version history before replacing important work.

6. Check estimates, usage, and credits

1. Before sending, read the cost estimate and routing explanation above the composer. An estimate is not a provider bill.
2. For your own API key, set the Local planning limit in dollars. It is a browser-side estimate/guardrail, not a spending cap enforced by the provider. Also set a real spending limit on the provider's own dashboard.
3. Choose Usage details for the app's usage view, including available token reports and estimated charges. Provider-reported usage, where returned, is more reliable than pre-request estimates; consult your provider's billing dashboard for authoritative charges.
4. For Zipy AI Credits, view your credit balance in Billing or the model card. Zipy deducts credits from actual input/output tokens, reserves an upper amount during a request, and returns unused reserved credits. If you do not have enough, shorten the chat or use the eligible top-up option.

7. Search chats and choose whether to sync

1. Use New chat for a fresh conversation. Select an entry in the left history list to reopen it; use Search chats to find past conversations.
2. By default, chats and project files stay on this device. To synchronize chat text across devices, check Sync chats across devices in the sidebar and wait for the sync status.
3. On another device, sign in to the same account and explicitly enable sync there to retrieve the saved chats. The sync includes chat text and titles, not generated project files, image attachments, or your BYOK keys.
4. Unchecking sync stops future uploads but does not remove past cloud copies. Use Delete all cloud chats to erase cloud chats; confirm the dialog. Local chats remain on the current device.
5. Use Clear chat only when you intend to clear the current conversation. Export or save project work before a destructive action.

8. Inspect generated files and project checks

1. After a build, click Files in the top bar. The side panel lists the current project's files. Select a file to inspect its contents.
2. Open Project check → Details to review export readiness and destination-specific warnings. A check is a preflight, not a guarantee that a deployed app will work.
3. If issues are shown, adjust your prompt and ask the AI to fix specific files, or select Ask AI to repair issues. This uses your selected model or credits, so check the estimate first.
4. Review the new file contents and project check after repair. If the repair was unhelpful, select Undo last repair or use Version history.

9. Click-test with Live Preview

1. With project files present, open the Files panel and click Live Preview. Some project types can render in the browser; supported server projects start a short-lived sandbox for click-testing.
2. Interact with the preview, not just the code screenshot. If available, expand Console output to inspect errors and startup messages.
3. If the preview reports an error, read the banner. You can ask the AI to fix it, reopen Live Preview, and verify again.
4. A preview is temporary and not a published deployment. For external access, export the project or use Publish and finish deployment at your destination.

10. Continue an existing project

1. Click Import project in the top bar. A failed import does not change your existing project; make a new chat first if you want to keep the current one separate.
2. For an archive, select a ZIP and click Import selected ZIP. For a GitHub repository, paste its URL and click Import repository; private repos need a connected GitHub token.
3. For code from another AI chat, use Copy a ready-made prompt, request complete files there, paste its answer into Zipy Codes, then select Extract files & prepare ZIP. If parsing fails, the optional AI clean-up uses one provider call.
4. After import, open Files and Project check. Review the imported files, select a destination, and explain the next change you want to make.

11. Restore versions and download only what you need

1. Open Version history in the Files panel to see snapshots automatically taken before builds, repairs, imports, and pulls. Select a snapshot and confirm Restore when you need an earlier set of files.
2. Use Download ZIP for a complete portable project. Inspect the included project instructions and review any warnings from Project check.
3. After you have an original export or import baseline, use Download changes only for a smaller patch containing changed files rather than repeatedly exporting the whole project.
4. Keep the original project and patch together. A patch depends on the earlier baseline and is not a replacement for a full first export.

12. Connect GitHub, pull, push, and publish

1. Open Files and select Connect a GitHub account. Follow How to get a token, then paste a token with access to the repository. Tokens are held in this browser, not by Zipy's server. You can connect multiple accounts.
2. Import or link a repository. Choose the appropriate branch and click Pull latest before large changes to avoid replacing newer work. Review any warnings and your version snapshot afterward.
3. After checking the files, use Push to GitHub to update the connected repository/branch, or create a repository from the Files panel if you need a new one. Confirm the repository and visibility before pushing.
4. To start the publishing handoff, choose a destination and click Publish. Zipy pushes the project to GitHub, then opens a deployment or import link where supported. Complete the destination's setup there; the preview and a GitHub push are not themselves a live deployment.

13. Billing, credits, and data safety

1. Open your account menu at the top right and choose Billing to compare monthly, annual, and Zipy AI Credits plans, check your current plan and available credits, or open Manage billing.
2. The managed-credit plan grants credits after each paid renewal. Unused monthly and purchased top-up credits carry over and do not expire at renewal or on cancellation. A top-up is optional and offered when the balance qualifies.
3. Subscriptions and optional credit top-ups are different from provider billing on your own API key. BYOK provider charges are managed by that provider, not by Zipy's local planning limit.
4. Read How AI requests are processed for the difference between keyless managed requests, your own API keys, local data, and optional cloud chat storage.

14. Troubleshooting

• A shared prompt is missing: ask the admin whether it is published, then reload the builder. Your own saved prompts remain device-specific.
• AI request blocked: confirm the selected model, key/credit balance, cost estimate, and whether the provider has a real spending limit. Shorten very long chats if a request is too large.
• Attachment unreadable: read the warning, remove it and attach a clearer PDF/image or paste the essential text.
• Preview not loading: wait for the build to finish, open console output, and retry Live Preview. The preview is different from the deployed app.
• Work missing on another device: only chat content syncs when you opt in on both devices. Import or download the actual project files separately.