# Chat

> One back-and-forth conversation with Claude, saved on its own, holding everything you have said and everything it has replied in that thread.

**Category:** Claude

**A chat is a single conversation with Claude.** Every message you send and every reply it gives lives in that one thread, and Claude can see all of it as you go, which is how it follows what you mean.

Each chat is **saved on its own** in the sidebar, so you can reopen it later. The habit worth building: **one topic per chat.** Start a new chat when you switch tasks, so the conversation stays focused and easy to follow.

## At work

Planning next week? Keep it in one chat. When you move on to a client proposal, start a fresh chat so the two do not get tangled together.

## Often confused with

A project. A chat is one conversation; a [project](/glossary#project) is a home for many chats plus shared files and instructions.

## Related terms

- Claude
- Project
- Context window

## See it in a lesson

[First steps in Claude](/en/learn/getting-started-with-claude/first-steps-in-claude)

## Further reading

- [Getting started with Claude.ai (Help)](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/12997377-getting-started-with-claude-ai): How the chat window and sidebar work.
- [Get started with Claude (Help)](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/8114491-get-started-with-claude): A short intro to using Claude day to day.
- [Chatbot (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chatbot): The wider idea of chatting with software.

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Last updated: 24/07/2026  
Source: Rollo Academy glossary