Projects

Knowledge

Knowledge files give Panda project-specific context that goes beyond the code itself, like specs, architecture docs, and domain reference material.

What knowledge is

Knowledge is reference material you attach to a project so Panda can reason with information that is not in the code. Code tells Panda what exists; knowledge tells it why things are the way they are and what constraints apply.

Knowledge files can be text documents, markdown files, PDFs, or free-form notes you write directly in PandaOS. Common examples include API specifications, architecture decision records, brand guidelines, compliance requirements, and onboarding docs for new team members.

How Panda uses knowledge

When you chat in a project that has knowledge attached, Panda draws on those documents to give more informed answers. If your knowledge includes an API spec, Panda can generate code that matches the real endpoints. If it includes an architecture decision record, Panda understands why the system is structured a certain way and avoids suggestions that violate those decisions.

Knowledge is scoped to the project. When you switch projects, Panda's context switches with it, so knowledge from one project never bleeds into another.

Knowledge vs. rules

This distinction matters because the two serve fundamentally different purposes:

• Rules are instructions. They tell Panda what to do and what not to do. "Always use snake_case in Python files." "Never commit directly to main."
• Knowledge is context. It gives Panda information to reason with. "Here is our API specification." "Here is the architecture decision record for our auth system."

Think of rules as the guardrails and knowledge as the map. Rules constrain behavior; knowledge informs decisions. A well-configured project uses both: rules to enforce conventions, and knowledge to provide the context Panda needs to make good choices within those conventions.