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You can view the query definition behind a database view using the agent. Ask the agent to “show me the query for view [view_name]” or use the agent’s warehouse tools to get the view query definition.
To allow the agent to create files, you must first open a folder or repository in nao. The agent can only create and edit files within an open workspace.
You can open the terminal in nao using ⌘ + J.
To analyze a CSV file in nao:
  1. Connect to DuckDB (which supports CSV files directly)
  2. Import your CSV file into DuckDB
  3. Use the agent to query and analyze the data
  4. Alternatively, you can use SQL worksheets to write queries against your CSV data
DuckDB CSV Support DuckDB can read CSV files directly, making it easy to analyze CSV data without importing into a traditional database.
nao works exclusively with dbt Core. dbt Cloud is not supported. Make sure you’re using dbt Core in your local environment. See Set up dbt for configuration details.
When dbt is fully configured in nao you unlock:
  • Execute & preview dbt models directly in the IDE
  • Auto-complete for model columns plus quick navigation to refs
  • Column-level lineage in the agent experience
Even without configuring dbt you still keep the agent’s ability to create or edit dbt models, sources, documentation, and tests.
Your chat history is automatically saved and can be accessed from the chat interface. All your conversations are maintained per workspace and are available in the chat sidebar. You can:
  • Access previous conversations from the chat history
  • Continue conversations from where you left off
  • Reference past conversations and their context
Yes! You can execute SQL queries using ⌘ + ⏎. This runs the query at your cursor position.
Multi-query execution: If you have multiple queries in a file, nao will execute the query where your cursor is located.
nao requires a local environment and cannot work with remote dbt environments. Your dbt project must be set up locally on your machine where nao is running.
To update nao:
  1. macOS: Download the latest version from the download page and install it
  2. Windows: Download the latest version from the download page and install it
Updates are typically available on the releases page. nao will notify you when updates are available.
For invoice information, please contact [email protected] or reach out through our Support page.
No, there is currently no Linux version of nao. However, a Linux version is planned for release in 2026.
Current Platforms nao is currently available for:
  • macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel)
  • Windows
Linux support is coming in 2026.
You can connect multiple databases simultaneously in nao. Go to Settings > Warehouse Connections > Add Connection to add additional databases. Each connection can be set as global (available across all workspaces) or attached to a specific workspace. See Set up data connection for details.
Yes, you can use nao without a data connection. The agent can still help with codebase-related tasks, dbt model creation, and general coding assistance. However, features like SQL execution, data preview, and data analysis require a data connection.
nao takes data privacy seriously:
  • Only table schemas (metadata) are sent to the agent, not actual data
  • You control what data is shared with the LLM through the share/preview options
  • Codebase indexing only stores embeddings, not your actual code
  • Your data content is never accessed during indexing
See our Privacy Policy for more details.
nao supports multiple AI models including:
  • Claude (3.5 Sonnet, 3.7 Sonnet, 3 Opus, 3.5 Haiku)
  • GPT (GPT-4o, GPT-4o-mini, GPT-5, GPT-5.1, gpt-oss)
  • Gemini (2.5 Flash, 2.5 Pro)
  • Mistral (Large, Small)
  • AWS Bedrock (various models)
You can switch between models directly in the chat interface. See Choose LLM provider for more information.
You can customize the agent using a .naorules file in your project root. This file allows you to set:
  • Code style preferences (SQL formatting, naming conventions)
  • Agent behavior (language, tone, documentation habits)
  • Project-specific standards and best practices
The agent can also read claude.md files for additional guidelines. See Customize your agent with nao rules for details.
Yes, Enterprise plan users can use their own API keys for LLM models (OpenAI, Anthropic, Bedrock, or Gemini). This allows you to control costs and maintain compliance with your organization’s security policies. Contact us to set up Enterprise access.
You can share query results with the agent using ⌘ + L. After executing a query, select the results and use the shortcut, or click “Share” when viewing results. You can also use “Preview local” to view results privately without sharing with the LLM.
nao supports the following databases:
  • BigQuery (Service Account, SSO)
  • Snowflake (User Password, SSO, Key Pair)
  • Postgres (SSH, SSL, TLS)
  • Redshift (SSH, SSL, TLS)
  • ClickHouse (HTTPS)
  • Databricks (Personal Access Token, OAuth U2M)
  • DuckDB (Local file)
  • MotherDuck
  • Amazon Athena (AWS Access Keys)
See Set up data connection for connection details for each database.
To preview dbt models, ensure your dbt project is set up in nao, then simply click the execute button (or press ⌘ + ⏎) while viewing a dbt model file. nao will compile and execute the model, showing you the results. See Work with dbt for more information.
Yes, you can open multiple folders/repositories in nao, but only the first one will be in the agent’s context. Each workspace maintains its own:
  • Data connections
  • dbt configuration
  • Chat history
  • Indexed codebase
You can view dbt lineage by clicking the lineage icon in the top right toolbar. If you have a dbt model file open, the lineage will be centered on that model. You can expand nodes, navigate dependencies, and click on models to open their files. See View dbt lineage for details.
nao automatically reconnects to BigQuery if the refresh token expires. If you experience connection issues, check your connection settings in Settings > Warehouse Connections and verify your credentials are still valid.
Yes, you can export query results to CSV format. In the data preview panel, click the download icon to save your results as a CSV file. See Interactive Data Preview for more details.
To set query size limits for BigQuery:
  1. Go to Settings > Warehouse Connections
  2. Select your BigQuery connection
  3. Set the query size limits in the connection settings
This helps prevent expensive queries and control costs. See BigQuery Query Size Limits for details.
  • Free Plan: 5 prompts per day, basic features, limited AI models
  • Free Trial: 20 prompts per 3 hours, full feature access, all AI models (converts to Free after trial)
  • Pro Plan: Unlimited prompts, all features, all AI models, team collaboration, priority support
See Pricing and Plans for complete details.
To add team members:
  1. Go to Settings > Team Management
  2. Click “Add Team Member”
  3. Enter their email address
  4. They’ll receive an invitation to join your workspace
To add more seats to your license, go to Settings > Billing > Manage Subscription > Add Seats. See Managing Your Team for details.
No, nao requires an internet connection to function. The AI models, codebase indexing, and data warehouse connections all require network access.
If you’re having connection issues:
  1. Verify your credentials are correct
  2. Check that your firewall/network allows connections
  3. For BigQuery, ensure your refresh token hasn’t expired
  4. For Snowflake, verify your account, warehouse, and role settings
  5. Check the connection status in Settings > Warehouse Connections
If problems persist, contact support.
nao indexes all files in your repository except those in .gitignore or .naoignore. This includes:
  • SQL files
  • dbt models
  • Python scripts
  • Configuration files (YAML, JSON, etc.)
  • Documentation files
  • Any other text-based files
Binary files and files in .gitignore or .naoignore are excluded from indexing.
You can exclude files from indexing by:
  1. Adding them to your .gitignore file (they’ll be automatically excluded)
  2. Creating a .naoignore file in your project root with patterns for files/folders to exclude
The .naoignore file uses the same syntax as .gitignore.
Yes, nao works seamlessly with Git. You can:
  • Run Git commands in the terminal (git add, commit, push, etc.)
  • Have the agent execute Git operations
  • View diffs and changes
  • The agent can help with Git workflows
The terminal in nao works the same as VS Code’s terminal.
When the agent is working, you can see:
  • A blue dot indicator on the active chat tab
  • Real-time reasoning display (for reasoning models like GPT-5, Gemini 2.5 Pro)
  • Tool execution status in the chat
  • File changes as they’re suggested
The agent shows its progress and reasoning in real time.
MCPs (Model Context Protocol) allow nao to integrate with external tools and services. nao comes with pre-integrated MCPs including Notion, Git, Airbyte, Omni, Tableau, Elementary, and Select Star. You can also add custom MCPs in Settings > Agent > MCPs. See MCPs for details.
Click on the model selector in the chat header to switch between different LLM models. You can change models at any time during a conversation, though starting a new chat when switching to a significantly different model is recommended for best results.
Yes! The agent can create various types of charts from query results:
  • Bar charts
  • Line charts
  • Pie charts
Simply ask the agent to “show me a chart” or “create a visualization” of your data. See Agent tools for examples.
When your dbt project is configured correctly, you’ll see a checkmark (✓) in the bottom left of nao. If there’s an issue, you’ll see an X. Click on the dbt status indicator to open the configuration panel and troubleshoot. See Check dbt setup status for details.
The nao sandbox is a pre-configured environment with:
  • A sample dbt project (jaffle shop)
  • DuckDB connection with sample data
  • Full access to all nao features
It’s perfect for testing nao without setting up your own project. See nao Sandbox to get started.
Yes, the agent can read the full content of notebooks and help you work with them. You can add notebooks to the agent context and ask questions about them or request modifications.
For BigQuery queries, the cost is displayed in the bottom bar even before you run the query. It shows the estimated cost and indicates if the dry run is successful. This helps you understand query costs before execution.
nao supports many keyboard shortcuts:
  • ⌘ + ⏎: Execute SQL query
  • ⌘ + L: Send selected code/results to agent
  • ⌘ + ⇧ + J: Open/close data preview
  • ⌘ + J: Open terminal
  • ⌘ + click: Jump to definition
See Keyboard Shortcuts for a complete list.
Double-click on the chat tab name to rename it. This helps you organize multiple conversations and find specific chats later.
Yes, you can use nao in “data connection only” mode without opening a repository. This allows you to:
  • Create SQL worksheets
  • Execute queries
  • Use the agent for data analysis
  • Preview tables
However, codebase-related features require an open repository.
If you’re on the Free plan (5 prompts/day) or Free Trial (20 prompts/3 hours), you’ll see a message when you reach your limit. You can:
  • Wait for the limit to reset (midnight for Free, 3 hours for Trial)
  • Upgrade to Pro for unlimited prompts
Enable the “Edit” button in the chat to allow the agent to auto-apply changes to your files. Once enabled, the agent will edit your code directly based on your requests. You can always review and accept/reject changes. See Edit mode for details.