# Datasette Agent 0.5a0 introduces side-by-side chat panel for database interaction

> **Key takeaway:** The new panel feature allows LLM-powered agents to interact with Datasette tables and query pages in a split-screen interface.

**Published:** 2026-11-03T23:13:45+00:00 
**Source:** Simon Willison Web & Open Source 
**Category:** software-engineering 
**Canonical URL:** https://fosswire.org/news/datasette-agent-05a0-introduces-side-by-side-chat-panel-for-.html 

## Summary
Simon Willison has released version 0.5a0 of Datasette Agent, a significant update to the LLM-powered tool designed for interacting with Datasette databases. The release introduces a new UI component called the 'panel,' which enables a persistent chat interface to sit alongside Datasette pages.

This update specifically targets users working with data exploration and application development. When used in conjunction with datasette-apps, the agent can assist in the rapid creation and iterative modification of database-backed applications through natural language prompting.

## New UI capabilities in Datasette Agent 0.5a0
- **UI Integration:** The new 'panel' feature allows the LLM agent to maintain an open chat interface while simultaneously displaying Datasette content, such as specific tables or query results.
- **Application Workflow:** The release enables a workflow where users can prompt the creation of a database-backed application and then use the adjacent chat panel to perform real-time modifications.
- **Ecosystem Synergy:** The update is designed to work alongside the datasette-apps project to facilitate prompt-driven application development.

## Why it matters
This release enhances the developer experience for those using the Datasette ecosystem to build data-centric tools. By integrating LLM capabilities directly into the data exploration workflow, it lowers the barrier for creating and refining database-backed web applications.