diff --git a/extensions/void/src/common/ctrlK.ts b/extensions/void/src/common/ctrlK.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..703ad30c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extensions/void/src/common/ctrlK.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+import * as vscode from 'vscode';
+import { AbortRef, OnFinalMessage, OnText, sendLLMMessage } from "./sendLLMMessage"
+import { VoidConfig } from '../sidebar/contextForConfig';
+import { findDiffs } from '../findDiffs';
+import { searchDiffChunkInstructions, writeFileWithDiffInstructions } from './systemPrompts';
+import { throttle } from 'lodash';
+import { readFileContentOfUri } from './readFileContentOfUri';
+
+type Res<T> = ((value: T) => void)
+
+const THRTOTLE_TIME = 100 // minimum time between edits
+const LINES_PER_CHUNK = 20 // number of lines to search at a time
+
+const applyCtrlLChangesToFile = throttle(
+	({ fileUri, newCurrentLine, oldCurrentLine, fullCompletedStr, oldFileStr, debug }: { fileUri: vscode.Uri, newCurrentLine: number, oldCurrentLine: number, fullCompletedStr: string, oldFileStr: string, debug?: string }) => {
+
+		// write the change to the file
+		const WRITE_TO_FILE = (
+			fullCompletedStr.split('\n').slice(0, newCurrentLine + 1).join('\n')  // newFile[:newCurrentLine+1]
+			+ oldFileStr.split('\n').slice(oldCurrentLine + 1).join('\n')	// oldFile[oldCurrentLine+1:]
+		)
+		const workspaceEdit = new vscode.WorkspaceEdit()
+		workspaceEdit.replace(fileUri, new vscode.Range(0, 0, Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER, 0), WRITE_TO_FILE)
+		vscode.workspace.applyEdit(workspaceEdit)
+
+		// highlight the `newCurrentLine` in white
+		// highlight the remaining part of the file in gray
+
+	},
+	THRTOTLE_TIME, { trailing: true }
+)
+
+
+const applyCtrlK = async ({ fileUri, startLine, endLine, instructions, voidConfig, abortRef }: { fileUri: vscode.Uri, startLine: number, endLine: number, instructions: string, voidConfig: VoidConfig, abortRef: AbortRef }) => {
+
+	const fileStr = await readFileContentOfUri(fileUri)
+	const fileLines = fileStr.split('\n')
+
+	const prefix = fileLines.slice(startLine).join('\n')
+	const suffix = fileLines.slice(endLine + 1).join('\n')
+	const selection = fileLines.slice(startLine, endLine + 1).join('\n')
+
+	const promptContent = `Here is the user's original selection:
+\`\`\`
+<MID>${selection}</MID>
+\`\`\`
+
+The user wants to apply the following instructions to the selection:
+${instructions}
+
+Please rewrite the selection following the user's instructions.
+
+Instructions to follow:
+1. Follow the user's instructions
+2. You may ONLY CHANGE the selection, and nothing else in the file
+3. Make sure all brackets in the new selection are balanced the same was as in the original selection
+3. Be careful not to duplicate or remove variables, comments, or other syntax by mistake
+
+Complete the following:
+\`\`\`
+<PRE>${prefix}</PRE>
+<SUF>${suffix}</SUF>
+<MID>`;
+
+
+	// TODO initialize stream
+
+	// update stream
+	sendLLMMessage({
+		messages: [{ role: 'user', content: promptContent, }],
+		onText: async (tokenStr, completionStr) => {
+			// TODO update stream
+
+
+			// apply the changes
+			const newCode = `${prefix}\n${completionStr}\n${suffix}`
+			const workspaceEdit = new vscode.WorkspaceEdit()
+			workspaceEdit.replace(fileUri, new vscode.Range(0, 0, Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER, 0), newCode)
+			vscode.workspace.applyEdit(workspaceEdit)
+		},
+		onFinalMessage: (completionStr) => {
+			// TODO end stream
+
+			// apply the changes
+			const newCode = `${prefix}\n${completionStr}\n${suffix}`
+			const workspaceEdit = new vscode.WorkspaceEdit()
+			workspaceEdit.replace(fileUri, new vscode.Range(0, 0, Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER, 0), newCode)
+			vscode.workspace.applyEdit(workspaceEdit)
+		},
+		onError: (e) => {
+			console.error('Error rewriting file with diff', e);
+		},
+		voidConfig,
+		abortRef,
+	})
+
+}
+
+
+
+export { applyCtrlK }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/extensions/void/src/extension/DiffProvider.ts b/extensions/void/src/extension/DiffProvider.ts
index 891a9943..ca567b4c 100644
--- a/extensions/void/src/extension/DiffProvider.ts
+++ b/extensions/void/src/extension/DiffProvider.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 import * as vscode from 'vscode';
 import { findDiffs } from './findDiffs';
-import { Diff, DiffArea, BaseDiff, } from '../common/shared_types';
+import { throttle } from 'lodash';
+import { DiffArea, BaseDiff, Diff } from '../common/shared_types';
 import { readFileContentOfUri } from './extensionLib/readFileContentOfUri';
-const THRTOTLE_TIME = 100 // minimum time between edits
 
 
+const THROTTLE_TIME = 100
+
 // TODO in theory this should be disposed
 const greenDecoration = vscode.window.createTextEditorDecorationType({
 	backgroundColor: 'rgba(0 255 51 / 0.2)',
@@ -377,7 +379,7 @@ export class DiffProvider implements vscode.CodeLensProvider {
 
 
 	// used by us only
-	public async updateStream(docUriStr: string, diffArea: DiffArea, newDiffAreaCode: string) {
+	public updateStream = throttle(async (docUriStr: string, diffArea: DiffArea, newDiffAreaCode: string) => {
 
 		const editor = vscode.window.activeTextEditor // TODO the editor should be that of `docUri` and not necessarily the current editor
 		if (!editor) {
@@ -432,12 +434,13 @@ export class DiffProvider implements vscode.CodeLensProvider {
 		const diffareaRange = new vscode.Range(diffArea.startLine, 0, diffArea.endLine, Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER)
 		workspaceEdit.replace(editor.document.uri, diffareaRange, newCode)
 		await vscode.workspace.applyEdit(workspaceEdit)
-	}
+	}, THROTTLE_TIME)
 
 }
 
 
 
+
 /*
 import * as vscode from 'vscode';
 import { SuggestedEdit } from './findDiffs';