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

# using-dinoai-in-direct-messages

You don't need a shared channel to work with DinoAI. Once setup is complete, you can message the Paradime bot directly and run entire sessions from your DMs — perfect for quick tasks, personal workflows, or work you don't need to broadcast to a channel.

#### 1. Open a DM with the Paradime Bot

Find the **Paradime** app in your Slack sidebar and open its **Messages** tab. You can get there in two ways:

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/paradime-docs/vrtvqFryCVgm3kAH/images/image-296.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=vrtvqFryCVgm3kAH&q=85&s=d393c17803c816245cd25d32247532ac" alt="" width="2726" height="2018" data-path="images/image-296.png" />
</Frame>

**Option A — From the sidebar**

1. In the left sidebar, scroll to the **Apps** section
2. Click **Paradime** (use **Add apps** and search for it if it's not listed yet)
3. Select the **Messages** tab

**Option B — Search**

1. Press `Cmd/Ctrl + K` to open the Slack jump menu
2. Type **Paradime** and select the app
3. Select the **Messages** tab

***

#### 2. Select a Workspace (Optional)

If your Paradime account has multiple workspaces, DinoAI will ask which one to run against the first time you send a message — a workspace dropdown appears right in the DM. Pick the workspace you want the agent to operate on, and DinoAI will confirm before getting to work.

If your account has a single workspace, DinoAI selects it automatically and starts straight away.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/paradime-docs/vrtvqFryCVgm3kAH/images/image-297.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=vrtvqFryCVgm3kAH&q=85&s=ea235dedb0dd75ece66521082a6bc1f3" alt="" width="1520" height="805" data-path="images/image-297.png" />
</Frame>

<Info>
  **This matters.** The workspace you select determines the environment DinoAI runs with — including the data warehouse connection, integrations, and configuration set up for that workspace.
</Info>

#### 3. Send Your First Message

Just type. Unlike channels, **you don't need to mention `@paradime` in a DM** — every message you send in the conversation goes straight to the agent.

```
Hey Dino, are you there?
```

If everything is connected, DinoAI will respond and confirm it's ready to take on tasks.

#### 4. Give It a Task

Here are a few examples to get started:

```
Document all models in the marts folder that are missing descriptions.
```

```
Create a new model that joins orders and customers on customer_id.
```

```
Run a quick check on our staging models and flag anything that looks off.
```

DinoAI will pick up the task, work in the background, and reply in the DM when it's done.

<Warning>
  Switching workspaces mid-session is not supported. If you need to run a task under a different workspace, start a new session with a fresh message.
</Warning>

***

#### DMs vs Channels

Everything DinoAI can do in a channel, it can do in a DM — cloning repositories, working across multiple repos, opening PRs, and querying your warehouse all work exactly the same. The differences are only about how you talk to it:

|                         | Channel                                  | Direct Message                          |
| ----------------------- | ---------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------- |
| **Starting a task**     | Mention `@paradime` in a message         | Just send a message — no mention needed |
| **Following up**        | Reply in the thread                      | Reply in the thread                     |
| **Visibility**          | Everyone in the channel sees the session | Only you see the conversation           |
| **Workspace selection** | Dropdown in the thread                   | Dropdown in the DM                      |

Use channels when you want the team to see and collaborate on what the agent is doing; use DMs for personal or exploratory work.

#### Related

* Setup — Configure the GitHub App and warehouse environment
* Starting a Session — Work with DinoAI in Slack channels
* .dinorules — Set rules that guide how DinoAI works across all sessions
* Tools and Features — Explore tools accessible by the Slack Agent


## Related topics

- [customize-agent](/products/dino-ai/slack-agent/customize-agent.md)
- [GitHub Branch Protection Guide: Preventing Direct Commits to Main](/guides/working-with-git/github-branch-protection-guide-preventing-direct-commits-to-main.md)
- [DinoAI CLI](/developers/paradime-cli/dinoai-cli.md)
- [Directory Context](/products/dino-ai/copilot/context/directory-context.md)
- [Version Control](/products/dino-ai/copilot/version-control.md)