Workspaces

A workspace groups a set of chats, optional folders, custom instructions, a knowledge document and any uploaded knowledge files. Think of it as one client, one initiative or one long-running effort.

Creating a workspace

On the Workspace page, click New Workspace. Give it a name. The workspace is created immediately.

You can also use the Workspace picker chip in the chat input. Its New workspace action opens the Workspace page.

The workspace page

The left column is navigation (folders, chats and media). The right column is knowledge (custom instructions, workspace knowledge, knowledge files).

Header

• Workspace name with its colour swatch.
• New chat in workspace: starts a fresh chat already attached to this workspace.
• Export (download icon): saves this workspace to a portable file. See Exporting and importing a workspace.
• Delete workspace (trash icon): removes the workspace and its folders. Chats keep existing but lose their workspace link. Knowledge files attached to the workspace are deleted. If the workspace is shared with a team, deleting it removes it for everyone in the team; only the person who shared it, or a team owner or admin, can delete it.

Left column: folders and chats

• Folders (N): the folders inside the workspace, with a New folder button. Hover over a folder to show new chat in folder and delete shortcuts.
• Chats in workspace (N): chats that live directly in the workspace (no folder).
• Image generations / Video generations: generations you moved to this workspace (with Move to… on a sidebar row).

Right column: knowledge

• Custom instructions: free-form text the AI sees in every chat in this workspace. Empty by default.
• Knowledge files: uploaded documents and images. See Knowledge files.
• Workspace knowledge: a markdown document Starfish keeps up to date as you chat. See Workspace & folder memory. You can edit it directly.

Starting a chat in a workspace

Three ways:

1. From the workspace page: click New chat in workspace. The chat uses the workspace's instructions, knowledge and files from the first message.
2. From the chat input: click the Workspace picker chip and choose a workspace. The next message you send creates a chat in that workspace.
3. From a folder page: click New chat to start a chat in that folder.

The picker is sticky: once you pick a workspace, new chats use the same workspace until you change it. Click the X next to the chip to clear it.

Moving an existing chat into a workspace

In the left sidebar, hover any chat row and open the three-dot menu. Move to… → <Workspace> moves the chat into the workspace. Move to… → <Workspace> → <Folder> moves it into a folder. Move to… → No workspace removes the assignment.

The chat keeps all its history. Its next reply uses the workspace's instructions and knowledge.

Exporting and importing a workspace

A workspace can be moved between devices as a single file.

• Export: on the workspace page, click the download icon in the header. Starfish saves a .starfishworkspace file with the workspace and its folders, their custom instructions and knowledge documents, and the knowledge files.
• Import: on the Workspace page, click Import, choose a .starfishworkspace file, and Starfish recreates it as a new workspace and opens it.

What travels: instructions, knowledge documents and knowledge files. What does not: chats, agents, automations and generated images. Importing always creates a new workspace, so importing the same file twice never overwrites or merges into an existing one.

Deleting a workspace

Click the trash icon in the header and confirm:

• The workspace and all its folders are deleted.
• Its knowledge files are deleted.
• Chats in the workspace (or its folders) survive, unlinked. They stay in your chat list.

There is no undo.

Tips

• One workspace per client or topic. Memory works best when each workspace has a clear scope.
• Edit instructions over time. Add rules as you meet them: "never use Lorem Ipsum," "prefer Notion over Google Docs." The AI reads them in every chat.