> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.qa.tech/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# qatech chat

> Talk to the QA.tech agent - get test IDs, ask about coverage, and run tests against custom URLs.

Sends a message to the QA.tech agent. The agent knows your test cases, applications, and configurations, and returns test case IDs you can pipe directly into [`qatech run`](/cli/commands/run). Useful for both scripting (single-shot) and exploration (interactive REPL).

## Usage

```bash theme={null}
# Single-shot
qatech chat [options] "<message>"

# Interactive REPL
qatech chat [options]

# From stdin
echo "<message>" | qatech chat
qatech chat --stdin <<'EOF'
<message>
EOF
```

## Options

| Flag                             | Short | Description                                                   |
| -------------------------------- | ----- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `--conversation <id>`            | `-c`  | Continue an existing conversation (chat short ID)             |
| `--application-overrides <json>` |       | Override application target URLs as a JSON array              |
| `--json`                         | `-j`  | Machine-readable output (single-shot only)                    |
| `--stdin`                        |       | Force reading the message from stdin even when stdin is a TTY |
| `--api-key <key>`                |       | Per-command API key override                                  |
| `--help`                         | `-h`  | Show command help                                             |

## Modes

* **Single-shot** - pass a message argument or pipe stdin. Streams the agent's response, then exits.
* **Interactive** - invoked with no message on a TTY. Drops you into a REPL; type `exit` or `quit` to leave.
* **Resume** - pass `-c <chat-short-id>` to continue a previous conversation in either mode.

## Examples

```bash theme={null}
# Ask a question
qatech chat "What tests cover the checkout flow?"

# Pipe IDs into a run
ID=$(qatech chat --json "Most critical login test, just the ID" | jq -r '.content')
qatech run -c "$ID" --wait

# Continue a conversation
qatech chat -c chat_abc123 "Now run those tests"

# Interactive REPL
qatech chat
```

## Testing against a custom URL

When you want the agent to test against a URL that isn't a configured environment - e.g. a tunnel from [`qatech tunnel`](/cli/commands/tunnel) or a PR preview - pass `--application-overrides`:

```bash theme={null}
qatech chat --application-overrides '[{
  "applicationShortId": "app-myapp_Abc123",
  "environment": {"url": "https://preview.example.com"}
}]' "Test the login flow"
```

For multiple apps:

```bash theme={null}
qatech chat --application-overrides '[
  {"applicationShortId": "app-myapp_Abc123",  "environment": {"url": "https://web.preview.example.com"}},
  {"applicationShortId": "app-myapi_Def456", "environment": {"url": "https://api.preview.example.com"}}
]' "Run the full test suite"
```

The `environment` object accepts any of:

| Form                                     | When to use                                 |
| ---------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| `{"url": "..."}`                         | Inline URL override (tunnel, preview, etc.) |
| `{"shortId": "env_xxx"}`                 | Reuse a saved environment                   |
| `{"applicationBuildShortId": "bld_xxx"}` | Pin to a specific build                     |

<Note>
  Application overrides apply to the **first** message of a conversation. When
  resuming with `-c`, the existing conversation already has its environment.
</Note>

## JSON output

```json theme={null}
{
  "conversationShortId": "chat_abc123",
  "messageId": "e5f6g7h8-...",
  "content": "Here are the tests covering checkout: ...",
  "url": "https://app.qa.tech/..."
}
```