---
name: paver-using-paver
title: Starting an interactive chat with IBM Paver in IBM Cloud
description: Learn how to work with IBM Paver by starting an interactive chat session in the IBM Cloud console or CLI.
last-updated: 2026-10-26
---

> ## Documentation Index
> The table of contents for this documentation set is at https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/paver?format=markdown
> The index for all IBM Cloud docs is at: https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use these files to discover more information as needed.

# Starting an interactive chat with IBM Paver in IBM Cloud
{: #paver-using}

Learn how to work with IBM Paver by starting an interactive chat session in the IBM Cloud console or CLI.
{: shortdesc}


## Starting a chat in Paver CLI
{: #paver-chat-session-cli}
{: cli}

In the Paver CLI, start an interactive chat session:

```sh
paver chat
```
{: pre}

Or send a single question and get an answer. `paver ask` is useful for AI automation and scripts because you can send a single message, stream the response, and exit.

```sh
paver ask "what can you help me with?"
```
{: pre}

Don't enter personal information, API keys, or other secrets in your prompts to Paver.
{: note}


## Starting a chat in the console
{: #paver-chat-session}
{: ui}

You can quickly start a chat session with Paver in the console.

1. From the IBM Cloud console menu bar, click the **Help** icon ![Help icon](../icons/help.svg "Help") > **Paver AI assistant**.
1. Choose a starter prompt from the Getting started, Create, or Investigate categories, or enter your own question. Use natural language to describe what you want to do or what you want to know.

   Don't enter personal information, API keys, or other secrets in your prompts to Paver.
   {: note}

1. Click **Send message** to start your chat.


## Tips for chatting with Paver
{: #chat-tips}

Using an interactive chat session to understand more about Paver, your account, and resources is as easy as asking a question like you would to a team member. Use natural language to describe a challenge you're facing, a plan you want to make, a goal you want to accomplish, or a task that you want it to act on for you. Here are some tips for chatting with Paver:

Before you start a task, check whether Paver is in Safe mode or Edit mode. The starting mode is set automatically based on your account name: accounts with `prod` or `production` in the name start in Safe mode, and accounts with `dev`, `test`, or `stage` start in Edit mode. If you're exploring or getting started, verify that you're in Safe mode before you proceed.
{: important}

Ask Paver what you want to know directly
:   Run `paver ask "what can you help me with?"` or inside a chat session ask questions like `Can you help me identify resources that are rarely used` to explore what Paver can do for your task.

Work together to make a plan before you act
:   You can ask Paver to explain a service, a resource, or a proposed change before letting it make one. In Safe mode, Paver can't modify your resources, but it can still read your resources and write files in its sandbox, such as plans, scripts, or Terraform. This makes exploring low-stakes.

Be goal-oriented
:   Instead of asking `How do I check my cluster status?`, tell Paver your goal, for example `Check if my Kubernetes cluster iks-useast-ha-cluster is healthy and let me know if any pods are crashing`.

Use contextual references
:   Paver has access to a persistent file system and memory. If you have a configuration file or a log, upload it and use an `@` reference to the file in your chat message. Similarly, you can quickly tell Paver to inspect or work with specific resources with `@` references.

Iterate and refine
:   If the first response isn't exactly what you need, guide Paver by telling it to focus on something specific, for example provide a full CLI example and explain each option, or guide it to use a specific tool if necessary.

Don't forget to use slash commands
:   In an interactive chat, you can use the slash [chat commands](https://paver.ibm.com/docs/tui-reference){: external} as your built-in shortcuts. For example, `/files` is used to manage your files in the persistent file system and `/memory` can help you view and manage what Paver remembers about your account and preferences.