How the Learning Chat works

The Learning Chat is the one surface where you talk to Ritsu. Every learning action starts here. Three pieces to understand: commands, context, and responses.

Commands

Every interaction is a slash command. Type / and the picker appears. Five categories:

• Navigation — move between PoKs (/start, /next, /back)
• System — utilities (/help, /progress, /lang, /clear)
• Learning — understand the material (/explain, /eli5, /why, /intuition, ~22 in total)
• Assessment — test what you know (/quiz, /flashcard, /practice, /exercise, /code)
• Reference — search and visualise (/search, /mindmap, /diagram, /timeline)

Full reference in Learning Commands.

Context

Every command runs in the context of your active PoK. That's the whole point.

The chat header shows the active PoK. Switch PoKs from the sidebar — context updates immediately, but your previous chat history stays scoped to the previous PoK (so you can come back).

Some commands need an active PoK (/explain, /quiz); some don't (/help, /clear). The picker shows which are which.

Response types

Ritsu has six response types — different shapes for different jobs:

• Markdown — formatted text with headings, lists, code, math. The default for /explain, /summarize, etc.
• Quiz — interactive multiple-choice with scoring + explanations.
• Flashcard deck — spaced-repetition cards with save/practise/refine.
• Mindmap — interactive node graph. From /mindmap.
• Diagram — Mermaid charts (sequence, flowchart, ER). From /diagram, /mermaid.
• Code playground — runnable code blocks for /code exercises.

Each type has its own affordances — bookmarks, copy buttons, share links. You don't pick the type; Ritsu picks based on which command you ran.

Streaming

Responses stream as they generate. You can read along, scroll, or click bookmarks before the response finishes. If you accidentally close the tab, the partial response is saved — open the chat again and it'll be there.

Threading

Each command + response is one entry in the thread. Refining ("make these harder") doesn't create a new entry — it updates the previous one in place. That keeps the thread short.

To start a new thread, run /clear or pick a different PoK.

Tips

• /help lists every command. Cheaper than scrolling docs when you're mid-session.
• The picker is fuzzy — type /qz and /quiz will appear.
• Press ↑ arrow to recall your last command.
• Cmd+K from anywhere brings the chat to focus.

Next

• Start your first learning session — apply this knowledge
• Learning Commands — all 46 commands documented