First Steps with SnapThink

Welcome to SnapThink! This guide will walk you through creating your first notebook and exploring the key features.

Your First 5 Minutes

1. Launch SnapThink

After installation, open SnapThink. You’ll see the main dashboard with:

• Notebooks sidebar on the left
• Main chat area in the center
• Tools and settings in the top bar

2. Create Your First Notebook

1. Click ”+ New Notebook” in the sidebar
2. Give it a name like “My First Notebook”
3. Add a description (optional): “Learning SnapThink basics”
4. Click “Create”

🎉 Congratulations! You’ve created your first notebook.

3. Test the AI Chat

1. Type a simple message: Hello! Can you help me understand what SnapThink can do?
2. Press Enter or click the send button
3. Watch as the AI responds with information about SnapThink’s capabilities

4. Try a Python Calculation

SnapThink has a built-in Python environment. Try this:

Can you calculate the area of a circle with radius 5 using Python?

The AI will write and execute Python code for you, showing both the code and the result!

5. Upload Your First Document

1. Click the “📄 Upload Document” button
2. Choose a PDF, text file, or CSV from your computer
3. Wait for processing to complete
4. Ask a question about your document: What is this document about?

Understanding the Interface

Left Sidebar: Notebooks & Files

• Notebooks List: All your created notebooks
• Current Files: Documents, images, and data in the active notebook
• Quick Actions: Create, import, export notebooks

Main Chat Area

• Message History: All conversations in the current notebook
• Input Box: Where you type messages and questions
• AI Responses: Intelligent replies with code execution and visualizations

Top Bar: Tools & Settings

• Model Selection: Choose which AI model to use
• Notebook Settings: Configure the current notebook
• Global Settings: App preferences and configurations

Core Concepts

Notebooks as Workspaces

Think of notebooks as project folders:

• Each notebook contains its own conversations, files, and Python environment
• Perfect for organizing different topics or projects
• Can be exported and shared with others

AI-Powered Conversations

The AI can:

• Answer questions about uploaded documents
• Write and execute Python code
• Analyze data and create visualizations
• Help with research and analysis tasks

Local & Private

Everything happens on your computer:

• No internet required for most features
• Your documents and conversations stay private
• AI models run locally using Ollama

Essential Features to Try

📄 Document Analysis

Upload a PDF, CSV, or text file and ask:

• "Summarize this document for me"
• "What are the key findings?"
• "Create a visualization of this data"

🐍 Python Data Science

Try these commands:

• "Create a simple plot showing sales trends"
• "Load my CSV file and show the first 5 rows"
• "Calculate basic statistics for this dataset"

🧠 AI Assistance

Ask for help with:

• "Explain machine learning in simple terms"
• "Help me write a Python function to process text"
• "What's the best way to analyze survey data?"

Quick Tips for Success

💡 Be Specific

Instead of: "Analyze my data" Try: "Show me the distribution of ages in my customer dataset and identify any patterns"

📝 Use Context

The AI remembers your conversation, so you can:

• Reference previous files: "Use the same dataset from before"
• Build on previous analysis: "Now create a bar chart of those results"

🔄 Iterate and Explore

• Ask follow-up questions
• Request different visualizations
• Experiment with different approaches

📂 Stay Organized

• Use descriptive notebook names
• Create separate notebooks for different projects
• Add descriptions to help remember what each notebook is for

Common First-Time Questions

“How do I switch between AI models?”

Click the model name in the top bar and select from available Ollama models.

“Can I upload multiple files?”

Yes! Upload files one at a time, and the AI can reference all of them in your questions.

“How do I save my work?”

Everything auto-saves! Your conversations, files, and code results are automatically preserved.

“Can I export my notebook?”

Yes, use the export button to save as a .snap file that you can share or import later.

What’s Next?

Now that you’ve got the basics, explore these guides:

• Document Analysis - Deep dive into working with PDFs and datasets
• Python Environment - Learn about the built-in data science tools
• AI Chat Features - Master the conversation interface
• Working with CSV Data - Specific guide for data analysis

Need Help?

• Check the Troubleshooting Guide
• Browse Example Use Cases
• Review Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to dive deeper? Pick a feature that interests you most and explore the detailed guides!