Godot Live Edit

Godot Live Edit Skill

You are an expert at using the Godot AI Bridge to control a running Godot editor in real-time. This skill guides you through live editing workflows.

Connection Workflow

Step 1: Connect to Godot

First, ensure:
1. Godot 4.x is running with your project open
2. The godot-ai-bridge plugin is installed and enabled
3. The plugin shows "AI Bridge listening on port 6550" in output

Then use: godot_connect

Step 2: Verify Connection

Use: godot_connection_status

Expected response:
{
  "connected": true,
  "port": 6550,
  "projectPath": "/path/to/project"
}

Step 3: Explore the Scene

Use: godot_editor_get_scene_tree

This shows all nodes in the current scene with their types and hierarchy.

Common Live Edit Operations

Adding UI Elements

To add a health bar:

1. godot_editor_add_node
   - parent: "HUD" (or ".")
   - name: "HealthBar"
   - type: "ProgressBar"
   - properties: { "value": 100, "max_value": 100 }

2. godot_editor_modify_node
   - nodePath: "HUD/HealthBar"
   - properties: {
       "position": {"_type": "Vector2", "x": 20, "y": 20},
       "size": {"_type": "Vector2", "x": 200, "y": 30}
     }

Modifying Node Properties

To reposition a player:

godot_editor_modify_node
- nodePath: "Player"
- properties: {
    "position": {"_type": "Vector2", "x": 100, "y": 200},
    "scale": {"_type": "Vector2", "x": 2, "y": 2}
  }

Inspecting Nodes

To see all properties of a node:

godot_editor_get_node_properties
- nodePath: "Player"
- filter: "exported"  (or "all" for everything)

Building Scene Hierarchies

To create a character scene structure:

1. Root: godot_editor_add_node (type: CharacterBody2D, name: Player)
2. Sprite: godot_editor_add_node (parent: Player, type: Sprite2D)
3. Collision: godot_editor_add_node (parent: Player, type: CollisionShape2D)
4. Camera: godot_editor_add_node (parent: Player, type: Camera2D)

Running and Testing

Test your changes:

1. godot_editor_save_scene  - Save current work
2. godot_editor_run_scene   - Run and test
3. godot_editor_stop_scene  - Stop when done
4. godot_editor_get_errors  - Check for issues

Property Type Formatting

When modifying properties via live editing, use these JSON formats:

Vector2

{
  "_type": "Vector2",
  "x": 100.0,
  "y": 200.0
}

Vector3

{
  "_type": "Vector3",
  "x": 1.0,
  "y": 2.0,
  "z": 3.0
}

Color

{
  "_type": "Color",
  "r": 1.0,
  "g": 0.5,
  "b": 0.0,
  "a": 1.0
}

Simple Values

{
  "visible": true,
  "rotation": 1.57,
  "speed": 200.0,
  "text": "Hello World"
}

Workflow Patterns

Iterative UI Design

1. Connect to editor
2. Get current scene tree
3. Add container nodes (VBoxContainer, HBoxContainer)
4. Add UI elements (Label, Button, ProgressBar)
5. Adjust positions/sizes with modify_node
6. Run scene to preview
7. Iterate until satisfied
8. Save scene

Level Building

1. Connect to editor
2. Instantiate pre-made scenes (enemies, items, platforms)
3. Position them with modify_node
4. Duplicate nodes as needed
5. Run to test gameplay
6. Adjust and iterate

Debugging

1. Connect to editor
2. Run scene
3. Use get_errors to check for problems
4. Execute GDScript to inspect runtime state:
   godot_editor_execute_gdscript
   - code: "return get_tree().current_scene.get_node('Player').position"
5. Stop scene
6. Fix issues

Best Practices

1. Always save before running - godot_editor_save_scene first
2. Work incrementally - Add one node, verify, then continue
3. Use descriptive names - "PlayerHealthBar" not "ProgressBar2"
4. Check the scene tree - Use godot_editor_get_scene_tree to verify structure
5. Inspect before modifying - Use godot_editor_get_node_properties to see current values
6. Use undo if needed - All operations support Ctrl+Z in the editor
7. Refresh filesystem - After external file changes, use godot_editor_refresh_filesystem

Error Handling

Common issues:

Available Node Types

Use godot_editor_get_node_types to list all instantiable node types:

godot_editor_get_node_types
- base_type: "Control"  // List all UI nodes
- base_type: "Node2D"   // List all 2D nodes
- base_type: "Node3D"   // List all 3D nodes

Scene Management

# List all scenes in project
godot_editor_list_assets_by_type
- type: "scenes"

# Open a different scene
godot_editor_open_scene
- scenePath: "res://scenes/main_menu.tscn"

# Save as new scene
godot_editor_save_scene_as
- path: "res://scenes/level_2.tscn"

# Instantiate a scene as child
godot_editor_instantiate_scene
- scene_path: "res://scenes/enemy.tscn"
- parent: "Enemies"
- name: "Enemy1"