Tutorial · Beginner
Your first Starlight session
New to Starlight? This walkthrough covers everything from signing up to getting your first result - chat modes, thinking effort, and the one trick that makes every prompt better.
Step 1 - Sign up and pick a plan
Head to the sign-up page and create your account. The free Drift plan gives you Starlight Pulse 1.1 with 2,000 credits per week - enough to explore chat, image generation, and 3D model search. If you want the full sandbox, agent mode, and Core 1.1, upgrade to Orbit ($24/mo). You can always start free and upgrade later.
Step 2 - Chat mode vs Agent mode
When you open a new conversation, you'll see two mode options. Chat mode is a conversational interface - ask questions, get code, generate images, all through a back-and-forth dialogue. Agent mode unlocks the sandbox: Starlight can run code, test its own output, use tools, and operate as an autonomous agent with planning and progress tracking. If you're on the free plan, you'll use Chat mode. Paid plans unlock Agent mode.
Thinking effort levels, explained
Starlight lets you control how hard it thinks before responding. Pick the level that matches your task.
Light
Fast, snappy responses for simple questions, quick code snippets, and casual conversation. Available on every plan.
Medium
Balanced thinking for everyday tasks - most code questions, debugging, and image generation. The default for good reason.
High
Deeper reasoning for architecture decisions, complex debugging, and multi-step problems. Available on paid plans.
Ultra
Maximum chain-of-thought for the hardest problems - long-horizon planning, novel algorithm design, and deep analysis. Orbit gets 30 Ultra/day, Nova gets unlimited.
Step 3 - Your first prompt
Start simple. Ask Starlight to write a function, explain a concept, or generate an image. For example: 'Write a Python function that takes a list of URLs and returns the HTTP status code for each one, with error handling.' Or: 'Generate a concept image of a cozy cabin in a snowy forest at dusk, warm light from the windows.' The more specific you are, the better the result.
Step 4 - Switching between Pulse and Core
On paid plans, you can switch between Starlight Pulse 1.1 (fast) and Starlight Core 1.1 (deep reasoning) mid-conversation. Use Pulse for quick questions and iteration. Switch to Core when you hit a hard problem that needs extended thinking - architecture, complex math, or long agentic tasks. The context carries over seamlessly, so you don't lose anything by switching.
Tips for getting good results early
Be specific about what you want - language, framework, style, constraints. If the first response isn't quite right, iterate: tell Starlight what to change rather than starting over. For code, paste in your existing code and ask for modifications rather than asking for something from scratch. For images, describe the scene, lighting, mood, and style. Starlight responds better to concrete direction than vague open-ended requests.
The best first prompt is one you already know the answer to. That way you can feel the quality before you trust it with the unknown.
Starlight Team
Ready to start?
The free plan is enough to explore everything in this guide. Upgrade when you're ready for the sandbox and Core 1.1.