Questions people ask first.
Can’t find yours? The docs FAQ and Troubleshooting go deeper, or send it from Settings, then Support, inside Shard.
The basics
What is Shard?
An AI assistant that runs as a Roblox Studio plugin. You chat with it in a Studio window, and it works on your open place: it reads and edits scripts, creates instances, runs test code, reads the Output and looks up the Roblox docs.
Is it free?
The beta is free to try. With your own API key or your ChatGPT or Claude plan, you pay those providers as usual. Shard’s own prices aren’t set yet, and credits for Shard-hosted models can’t be bought yet. See Pricing.
Do I need an account?
No. You can use Shard as a guest with your own API key. You need a Shard account for Codex, Claude Code and Shard-hosted models.
Which models can I use?
With your own key: OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, Grok (xAI), Groq, OpenRouter, Amazon Bedrock, Z.AI, Kimi (Moonshot) and Meta Model API. With an account: ChatGPT through Codex, or Claude through Claude Code. Plus Shard-hosted models when you’re signed in. See Models.
Is Shard made by Roblox?
No. Shard is an independent plugin and isn’t affiliated with or endorsed by Roblox Corporation.
Limits
What are the beta limits?
Every plan, guests included, gets 10,000 messages and 10,000 web searches or page reads per day, and the same per month. Roblox docs lookups don’t count toward the web limit.
What counts as a message?
Each step the model takes. A request where Shard reads, edits and tests code uses several messages, one per step. Agent steps and automatic compaction count too.
Do requests on my own API key count?
Yes. Every request goes through Shard’s server and counts, whether it uses your key, a connected account or a Shard-hosted model.
Safety and your place
Can Shard break my place?
It edits scripts and instances, so it can make mistakes. Every change is a normal Studio undo step you can reverse with Ctrl Z. Save or publish a copy before big tasks. There’s no approval step before it runs test code yet, so keep an eye on what it does.
Is the test code it runs safe?
Test code runs in its own sandbox and can’t reach the plugin, your login or your API keys. It still runs in your Studio session, so it can change your place like a command bar script. The default time limit is 120 seconds.
Does Shard see my whole game?
Only what the model asks for through its tools, like a script it reads or a search it runs. Your selection and open scripts are not sent automatically.
Does it work while I playtest?
Shard pauses when you press Play and comes back when you stop. It doesn’t press Play by itself.
Data and privacy
Where are my chats and API keys stored?
In Studio’s plugin settings, on your computer. Chats aren’t uploaded to a Shard account and don’t follow you to another computer.
What does Shard send to its server?
Your messages, the tool results the model needs (for example script text it read), your model choice, and your key if you use one. The server forwards the request to your provider. See the privacy draft.
Using Shard
Can I send a message while Shard is working?
Yes. It goes into a queue. Press Steer to hand it to Shard during the run, or let the queue send it when the run ends. Stop ends the run.
What are agents?
For big tasks, ask Shard to use agents. It starts several that each take part of the work, claim the scripts and objects they edit so they don’t collide, and report back to the lead.
Can I send images or screenshots?
Not yet. Image attachments are rejected during the beta. Describe what you see in words.
How do I report a bug?
Open Settings, then Support, inside Shard. Include what you asked, what happened, and any red text from the Output.