> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.qolaba.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.qolaba.ai/chatbot/model-selection/chat-branching/how-it-works.md).

# How it Works ?

#### **Step 1: Have a Conversation**

Start a normal chat. Each assistant message is tagged with the model that generated it (e.g., "GPT-4.1", "Claude Sonnet 4.6"), so users always know which model they're interacting with.

#### **Step 2: Regenerate with a Different Model (Branching)**

Users can regenerate any assistant response using a different model. This creates a **branch**—an alternative response to the same question. The branch appears inline alongside the original, allowing users to compare them.

Users can generate up to **5 branches per message**, building a collection of responses from different models. For example:

<table data-header-hidden><thead><tr><th width="158.19921875">Branch</th><th width="265.453125">Model</th><th>Why</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Original</td><td>GPT-4.1</td><td>Default response</td></tr><tr><td>Branch 2</td><td>Claude Sonnet 4.6</td><td>Different writing style</td></tr><tr><td>Branch 3</td><td>Gemini 2.5 Pro</td><td>Compare Google's approach</td></tr><tr><td>Branch 4</td><td>DeepSeek R1</td><td>Reasoning-focused model</td></tr><tr><td>Branch 5</td><td>Grok 4</td><td>Another perspective</td></tr></tbody></table>

Each branch is clearly labeled with its model for easy comparison.

#### **Step 3: Continue from a Branch (Forking)**

After comparing branches, users can continue the conversation from any branch. This creates a **fork**—a new thread that picks up from the selected branch. The original thread remains intact, allowing users to revisit or explore other branches.

Forks can be nested up to **5 levels deep**, enabling exploratory conversation trees.

***

#### **Per-Message Branch Indicators**

Messages with branches display a count of alternative responses (e.g., "1 of 4"). Each response shows:&#x20;

* **Model name** (with logo).
* **Token usage** (response cost).
* **Reasoning content** (if supported by the model).

#### **Thread Sidebar**

Forked threads are **hidden from the main list** to keep the sidebar clean. They are accessible through the parent thread's conversation tree view.

#### **Full Conversation Tree**

The `/full` endpoint displays the entire conversation tree, showing where branches and forks occurred.