Help me build an unofficial Pickaxe Glossary

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Pickaxe has its own little language… “Pickaxe”, “studio”, “actions”, “memories” etc.

What did you wish you knew when you jumped in? Let’s make a living glossary together. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

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Love this idea @jeanette :slight_smile:

When I first started building with Pickaxe, everything felt new. Learning a few key terms early on made a huge difference in how well I could shape and personalize my tools to behave exactly the way I wanted. Here’s a simple breakdown I wish I had on day one:

1. Pickaxe
Your AI tool. The “brain” you design using prompts, models, knowledge, and actions.

2. Studio
Your workspace. This is where you manage tools, users, paywalls, credits, embeds, design, and your mini-website.

3. Builder
Left side is where you build. Right side is where you test. That instant feedback loop is one of Pickaxe’s biggest strengths.

4. Prompt + Model Reminder
Your main instructions live in the prompt tab.
Model Reminder is a short note you can give the model that repeats quietly in the background to keep behavior consistent. Very handy for style, structure, or guardrails.

5. Ice Breakers
These appear at the top of the chat to help new users get started. Great for onboarding and guiding people toward what your tool is best at.

6. Configure Tab
This tab controls key settings:

  • token limits

  • file upload toggle

  • model choice

  • chat icon and placeholder text

  • and other advanced behavior controls
    I wish I played with this earlier because it impacts the “feel” of the tool a lot.

7. Knowledge Base Tab
This is where you upload PDFs, spreadsheets, websites, and transcripts. Pickaxe breaks them into chunks and only uses the most relevant ones.
Understanding this early helps avoid overstuffing the prompt.

8. Actions
These give your tool superpowers such as sending emails, hitting APIs, generating images, or triggering webhooks.

9. Memories
Optional user-specific details your Studio remembers to personalize the experience.

10. Templates
These are starter Pickaxes you can clone and customize instead of building from scratch. They’re a lifesaver when you’re learning or testing ideas fast.

What I really wish I knew early

  • Clear prompts beat long prompts.

  • Configure tab is your friend.

  • Knowledge Base works best when kept clean and well labeled.

  • Most “bugs” are small setup quirks, not model issues.

  • Testing as you build saves hours because you can start with a simple one line prompt, check the output on the right side immediately, and then keep refining. This quick loop helps you shape the tool step by step instead of fixing big problems later.

A living glossary is a great idea. Happy to keep adding as more people jump in.

On a related Note:
WHY Pickaxe! A Fun Origin Story
If you ever wondered why it’s called Pickaxe, the story is actually pretty exciting. In the old gold rush days, everyone ran to the mountains hoping to strike gold, but the real winners were usually the people selling the pickaxes. They had steady success while others took big risks. Our Founder and CEO, @nathaniel explains this analogy better than anyone, but here’s the short version. We’re in a similar moment with AI. Instead of digging blindly, you can build your own custom Pickaxes, tailor them for real needs, and offer them to clients. In the AI era, the tool builders often end up in the strongest position. :money_bag:

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