Ghost Text Editor
Predictive Text & Inline Suggestions
Ghost text predicts your next sentence right at the cursor. Inline suggestions surface improvements on text you've already written. No context switching, no copy-paste — just press Tab.
Framing
The problem
Writers lose flow when suggestions live outside the cursor context.
The pattern
Place continuation and revision suggestions directly inside the writing flow.
Why chat breaks here
A separate chat window forces context switching for sentence-level work.
Risks
Over-eager suggestions can flatten voice or create dependency.
Avoid when
The writing task is high-stakes and demands deliberate, manual composition.
Use when
Writing rewards flow and inline suggestions remove the cost of context switching.
DOPE evaluation
- Directability
- Accept, ignore, or override — all with a single keystroke
- Observability
- Ghost text is visually distinct from authored content
- Predictability
- Tab always accepts, typing always dismisses
- Explainability
- Wavy underlines distinguish AI suggestions from authored text at a glance
In the wild
- GitHub Copilot (GitHub) — Multi-line ghost completions render directly at the cursor in VS Code; Tab accepts, Esc dismisses. The prompt is the surrounding code itself.
- Gmail Smart Compose (Google) — Grayed-out predictive completions extend mid-sentence; one Tab keystroke completes the phrase, no separate panel involved.
- Cursor Tab (Cursor) — Muted ghost text + multi-line + next-edit-prediction across files — the strongest current incarnation of the pattern.
FAQ
When should I use the Ghost Text Editor pattern?
Writing rewards flow and inline suggestions remove the cost of context switching.
When should I avoid the Ghost Text Editor pattern?
The writing task is high-stakes and demands deliberate, manual composition.
What problem does Ghost Text Editor solve?
Writers lose flow when suggestions live outside the cursor context.
Why is chat the wrong fit for this?
A separate chat window forces context switching for sentence-level work.
Related patterns
- Often paired with: Select & Transform — Predictive flow at the cursor + targeted edits on selected text.
- Alternative to: Contextual Overlay — Inline ghost vs ephemeral overlay anchored to the cursor.
- Often paired with: Smart Document — Inline writing assist beside reactive blocks that watch the document.