The four panels
Short answer: Build Perch’s window is split into four panels (Files, Chats, Lists, and Workers), each a different view onto the same workspace. Show, hide, resize, and reorder them to fit how you work.
What is each panel for?
- Files: the workspace file browser. Your folder tree with Explorer-style selection (click, Ctrl-click, Shift-range), drag-to-move, image hover-previews, double-click to open, and a right-click context menu. Locked folders (right-click → lock) show in red with a 🔒 so you can see at a glance what the AI can’t touch.
- Chats: where you talk to the AI. Each chat is pinned to one model but switchable any time; run several chats side by side with different models or modes. A reply’s file edits can be undone straight from that message.
- Lists: Kanban-style task boards. Cards move through stages you define (To Do / In Progress / Done by default), carrying notes, deadlines, priority, category, and attached files. Drag cards between stages, filter and search, or send a whole list into a chat as context.
- Workers: your saved Agents (reusable AI workers you run on demand) and Workflows (multi-step runs on a schedule or trigger), plus a run History with one-click Revert for anything they changed.
How do I show, hide, resize, or reorder a panel?
- Show, hide, or collapse: click the Files / Chats / Lists / Workers button in the toolbar, or use the keyboard: Ctrl+1 (Files), Ctrl+2 (Chats), Ctrl+3 (Lists), Ctrl+4 (Workers). The same toggle both hides and restores a panel.
- Resize: drag the strip between two panels; the layout is proportional, and the Chats panel is given the most room by default.
- Reorder: drag a panel’s header to a new position; a placeholder shows where it’ll land.
Good to know
- Workers is hidden the first time you launch Build Perch. Turn it on with the toolbar button or Ctrl+4 whenever you want to set up an agent or workflow.
- All four panels always reflect the same active workspace; switch workspaces and everything updates together.
- You can replay the full guided tour (including a walk through all four panels) any time from the app menu → Help → Start Tutorial.