Follow a build
In shortWhile MonstarX works, the chat streams its messages and folds its steps into one plain-language line per stretch of work, with a live "Reasoning…" line saying what it is working out. Until there is something to see, the preview shows a status card with a clock and the current step. Each reply ends with its token use, older requests fold into numbered, searchable threads, and a wrap-up card appears when the whole plan is built.
You don’t need to read code to follow a build. The chat tells you in plain words what MonstarX is doing and what it changed, and keeps the technical detail one click away for when you want it. Here is everything you will see, from the first second to the final summary.
What does the chat show while MonstarX works?
Section titled “What does the chat show while MonstarX works?”Under your request, MonstarX’s reply streams in as it is written. It is made of four kinds of things:
- A short line about what it is doing — “Now the styles, server functions, shared layout and pages.”
- Activity lines — every stretch of work (writing files, updating the database, checking the app) folded into one line.
- Cards — the feature plan, photos being drawn, the build checks, questions, requests to connect a service. Cards are never folded away. While a long card is still working — QA, photos, the wrap-up, a data move — what it is doing now stays pinned at the bottom of the chat, with a spinner, so you can see it without scrolling back up.
- The closing summary — what your app now does, what to try, and what could come next.
Above the reply, a small chip names the model and effort that answered, such as Auto · Claude Sonnet 5 · Medium. See Choose a model.
What do the activity lines mean?
Section titled “What do the activity lines mean?”While a stretch of work is running, its line is live: a pulsing spark, a plain verb, the time it has taken and the files changed so far — for example Writing code… (0:42 · 7 files). Other verbs you will see include Reading the code, Setting up the database, Checking the app, Looking at the page, Planning the features and Drawing photos for the app.
When the stretch is done, the line becomes a summary, such as Built 4 features · created 9 and updated 3 files · updated the database · checked the app. Click it to see every step with its file name, and any check report or error.
What is the Reasoning… line?
Section titled “What is the Reasoning… line?”Some models think for a while before they write anything. During that time the chat shows Reasoning… with the time and how much it has thought so far — and, under it, a short line in plain words about what it is working out, like Designing the yoga studio pages and class schedule. The line changes as the thinking moves on, and it is written in the language you use MonstarX in.
What are the Automatic build checks?
Section titled “What are the Automatic build checks?”After a build, MonstarX checks that every page of your app still compiles and renders before it calls the work done. The Automatic build checks card shows it: Running, then Passed (with Preview available) or Needs attention. Click Build timing for how long each part took.
These checks protect the preview. Testing whole journeys in a real browser — signing up, booking, paying — is automated QA, which runs separately.
What are Technical details?
Section titled “What are Technical details?”MonstarX writes its replies for people who don’t write code. The engineering notes — file names, what changed in the code and why — are folded under Technical details at the end of a reply that changed code. Notes it wrote to itself in the middle of a build in code words fold into a dim line you can click to read.
How many tokens did a reply use?
Section titled “How many tokens did a reply use?”Every finished reply ends with a small line such as 120k in · 958 out: the tokens the model read and wrote for it. Hover over it to see the model, the effort and how many steps it took. Your overall usage is on the ring beside the prompt box — see Usage and limits.
What does the preview show during a build?
Section titled “What does the preview show during a build?”Until there is something worth looking at, the preview shows a status card instead of a blank or half-built page. It says what is going on, with a clock:
| The card says | What is happening |
|---|---|
| Starting the preview… | Your app’s preview is being started. A first start can take a minute. |
| Building your app… | MonstarX is building, with its current step: Writing code… · 3 files |
| Planning your app… | MonstarX is writing the feature plan or its questions. |
| Waiting for your answers | Plan mode questions are open in the chat. |
| Replying in the chat… | A Chat answer is being written and nothing is built yet. |
| Opening your app… | The first real page is ready and loading. |
| Nothing to preview yet | Nothing has been built. Describe your app in the chat. |
Under the card, Preview logs opens what the app’s server is printing — useful if something takes unusually long.
Why doesn’t the preview show a half-written page?
Section titled “Why doesn’t the preview show a half-written page?”A build writes your app file by file, so between two files the page is often broken for a moment. While a build runs, MonstarX keeps the card up until the page really renders, and says what it is waiting for — for example The app does not compile at this moment — the preview takes over as soon as it does. Click What the page says right now to read the page’s own error, or Show the page anyway to look at it regardless.
If a page breaks after a build, the preview reloads it quietly by itself (Getting the page back…). If that does not help, the card says The page is not rendering and keeps checking, so a fix you ask for in the chat takes over on its own.
What is Monstar Run?
Section titled “What is Monstar Run?”A small game under the status card, so waiting is less boring. It plays itself in demo mode until you take over: press Space (or click or tap the game) to jump over the blocks. Your best score is remembered in this browser. The preview replaces the game the moment your app is ready.
How do I find an earlier request?
Section titled “How do I find an earlier request?”Each request and its reply form a thread. Only the latest thread is open; sending a new request folds the one before into two lines:
- A number, tinted by kind — grey for Build, blue for Chat, violet for Plan, amber for a QA fix.
- The request as you wrote it, and the time.
- How it went — 6 features built · 11 files changed, Stopped, Failed, Asked 4 questions — and the first sentence of the reply.
Click a thread to open it in place. From three threads on, a search box sits at the top of the chat: every word you type must appear in the request, the reply, file names, features or answers. Matches are highlighted; click one (or press Enter for the newest) to jump to it. When a conversation spans several days, day dividers (Today, Yesterday, a weekday) appear, and a Latest button takes you back to the bottom.
What happens when everything is built?
Section titled “What happens when everything is built?”When every feature on the plan is built, MonstarX posts a wrap-up card:
- Everything is built and tested — QA ran on this version and passed.
- Everything on the plan is built — QA has not tested this version yet (QA hasn’t tested this version in a real browser yet.), with a Run QA button where QA is available.
- Everything on the plan is built — 1 problem still open — QA finished with a problem left. Try one more fix gives it another attempt.
Under Ideas for what’s next are three to five features that fit your app. Add puts one in the plan (Add all adds every idea), and Build it or Build them starts building what you added. The ideas are optional — you can ask for anything else in the chat.
Why did MonstarX stop before finishing?
Section titled “Why did MonstarX stop before finishing?”One request can take up to 40 steps. If it runs out before the work is done, the reply says so — MonstarX stopped after 40 steps, the most one request can take, before this was finished. Everything so far is saved — press Continue to pick up where it stopped. — with a Continue button.
What is the Demo account card?
Section titled “What is the Demo account card?”When your app has sign-in, MonstarX creates a test user so you can try it straight away. The Demo account ready card shows its email and password with copy buttons. The same user also appears under Backend → Admin → Users.
Frequently asked questions
Section titled “Frequently asked questions”Can I close the tab during a build?
Yes. The build runs on MonstarX's servers and carries on without the tab. Turn on Notify me to hear when it is done. See Keep working while it builds.
How long does a build take?
A small change takes a minute or two; a whole new app usually takes several minutes. The clock on the status card and on each activity line shows how long it has been going.
Where can I see exactly which files changed?
Click any activity line to list its steps with file names, open Technical details under the reply, or look in the Code tab.
What does "in" and "out" mean under a reply?
The tokens the model read (in) and wrote (out) for that reply — a measure of how much work it was. Hover over it for the model, effort and number of steps.
The status card has been up for a long time. What should I do?
Open Preview logs under the card to see what the app's server says. If the preview seems stuck, click ⟲ (Restart dev server) in the preview toolbar. See The preview.