feat(chats): add managed projectless chat sessions

Create projectless chat sessions under a managed, date-scoped Chats directory and clean abandoned or deleted session folders. Add Chats to sidebar state, startup cache, shared context, and Electron Mini Chat while keeping VS Code project-only. Resolve managed chat directories to one server-side memory owner and document the runtime contracts.
2026-08-21 12:12:40 +03:00
parent 0d70a631f6
commit 9e87d7fdb9
46 changed files with 677 additions and 136 deletions
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ import type { RecoveryVariant } from '@/components/onboarding/DesktopConnectionR
 import { useSessionUIStore } from '@/sync/session-ui-store';
 import { markSessionViewed } from '@/sync/notification-store';
 import { useDirectoryStore } from '@/stores/useDirectoryStore';
-import { useProjectsStore } from '@/stores/useProjectsStore';
 import { opencodeClient } from '@/lib/opencode/client';
 import { runtimeFetch } from '@/lib/runtime-fetch';
 import { getRuntimeKey, subscribeRuntimeEndpointChanged } from '@/lib/runtime-switch';
@@ -639,12 +638,9 @@ function App({ apis }: AppProps) {
  React.useEffect(() => {
    if (typeof window === 'undefined') return;
    const onOpenMiniChat = () => {
-      const currentDir = useDirectoryStore.getState().currentDirectory;
-      const { activeProjectId, projects } = useProjectsStore.getState();
-      const activeProject = projects.find((p) => p.id === activeProjectId) ?? null;
      void invokeDesktop('desktop_open_draft_mini_chat_window', {
-        directory: currentDir || activeProject?.path || '',
-        projectId: activeProject?.id ?? null,
+        directory: '',
+        projectId: null,
      });
    };
    window.addEventListener('openchamber:open-mini-chat', onOpenMiniChat);
@@ -676,11 +672,13 @@ function App({ apis }: AppProps) {
      const projectId = typeof detail?.projectId === 'string' && detail.projectId.trim().length > 0
        ? detail.projectId.trim()
        : null;
+      const hasProjectTarget = Boolean(directory || projectId);
      useUIStore.getState().setActiveMainTab('chat');
      useUIStore.getState().setSessionSwitcherOpen(false);
      useSessionUIStore.getState().openNewSessionDraft({
-        selectedProjectId: projectId,
-        directoryOverride: directory,
+        target: hasProjectTarget ? 'project' : 'chat',
+        selectedProjectId: hasProjectTarget ? projectId : null,
+        directoryOverride: hasProjectTarget ? directory : null,
        preserveDirectoryOverride: Boolean(directory),
      });
    };
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import {
  worktreeMapsEqual,
 } from '@/lib/worktrees/worktreeManager';
 import type { WorktreeMetadata } from '@/types/worktree';
+import { CHAT_DRAFT_PROJECT_ID } from '@/lib/chatDirectories';

 const MINI_CHAT_PRESENCE_CHANNEL = 'openchamber:mini-chat-presence';

@@ -153,9 +154,9 @@ const MiniChatBootstrap: React.FC<{ config: MiniChatConfig }> = ({ config }) =>
      const sessionId = typeof detail?.sessionId === 'string' ? detail.sessionId.trim() : '';
      if (!sessionId) return;
      if (useSessionUIStore.getState().currentSessionId === sessionId) return;
-      const directory = typeof detail?.directory === 'string' && detail.directory.trim().length > 0
-        ? detail.directory.trim()
-        : (sessions.find((entry) => entry.id === sessionId) as { directory?: string | null } | undefined)?.directory ?? null;
+      const sessionDirectory = (sessions.find((entry) => entry.id === sessionId) as { directory?: string | null } | undefined)?.directory?.trim();
+      const directory = sessionDirectory
+        || (typeof detail?.directory === 'string' && detail.directory.trim().length > 0 ? detail.directory.trim() : null);
      void sync.ensureSessionRenderable(sessionId);
      setCurrentSession(sessionId, directory);
      sessionBootstrappedRef.current = true;
@@ -166,9 +167,11 @@ const MiniChatBootstrap: React.FC<{ config: MiniChatConfig }> = ({ config }) =>

  React.useEffect(() => {
    if (config.mode !== 'draft' || draftOpen || currentSessionId) return;
+    const hasProjectTarget = Boolean(config.projectId || config.directory);
    openNewSessionDraft({
-      selectedProjectId: config.projectId,
-      directoryOverride: config.directory,
+      target: hasProjectTarget ? 'project' : 'chat',
+      selectedProjectId: hasProjectTarget ? config.projectId : CHAT_DRAFT_PROJECT_ID,
+      directoryOverride: hasProjectTarget ? config.directory : null,
      preserveDirectoryOverride: Boolean(config.directory),
    });
  }, [config, currentSessionId, draftOpen, openNewSessionDraft]);
@@ -278,10 +281,11 @@ const MiniChatPresencePublisher: React.FC = () => {
 const useSessionUnavailable = (config: MiniChatConfig): boolean => {
  const sessions = useSessions();
  const currentSessionId = useSessionUIStore((state) => state.currentSessionId);
+  const draftOpen = useSessionUIStore((state) => state.newSessionDraft.open);
  const [timedOut, setTimedOut] = React.useState(false);

  React.useEffect(() => {
-    if (config.mode !== 'session' || !config.sessionId || currentSessionId === config.sessionId) {
+    if (draftOpen || config.mode !== 'session' || !config.sessionId || currentSessionId) {
      setTimedOut(false);
      return;
    }
@@ -291,7 +295,7 @@ const useSessionUnavailable = (config: MiniChatConfig): boolean => {
    }
    const timeout = window.setTimeout(() => setTimedOut(true), 5000);
    return () => window.clearTimeout(timeout);
-  }, [config.mode, config.sessionId, currentSessionId, sessions]);
+  }, [config.mode, config.sessionId, currentSessionId, draftOpen, sessions]);

  return timedOut;
 };
@@ -504,14 +504,16 @@ const renderDraftTitle = (title: string, projectLabel: string | null): React.Rea

 const DraftWelcome: React.FC = () => {
    const { t } = useI18n();
+    const draftTarget = useSessionUIStore((state) => state.newSessionDraft.target);
    const selectedProjectId = useSessionUIStore((state) => state.newSessionDraft.selectedProjectId ?? null);
    const projectLabel = useProjectsStore(React.useCallback((state) => {
+        if (draftTarget === 'chat') return null;
        const projectId = selectedProjectId ?? state.activeProjectId;
        const project = (projectId
            ? state.projects.find((candidate) => candidate.id === projectId)
            : null) ?? state.projects[0] ?? null;
        return project ? getProjectDisplayLabel(project) : null;
-    }, [selectedProjectId]));
+    }, [draftTarget, selectedProjectId]));

    return (
        <div className="oc-draft-center flex min-h-0 flex-1 flex-col items-center justify-center px-6 text-center">
@@ -326,6 +326,7 @@ const ChatInputComponent: React.FC<ChatInputProps> = ({ onOpenSettings, scrollTo
    const setNewSessionDraftTarget = useSessionUIStore((s) => s.setNewSessionDraftTarget);
    const setDraftPermissionAutoAcceptEnabled = useSessionUIStore((s) => s.setDraftPermissionAutoAcceptEnabled);
    const openNewSessionDraft = useSessionUIStore((s) => s.openNewSessionDraft);
+    const prepareChatDraftDirectory = useSessionUIStore((s) => s.prepareChatDraftDirectory);
    const abortPromptSessionId = useSessionUIStore((s) => s.abortPromptSessionId);
    const clearAbortPrompt = useSessionUIStore((s) => s.clearAbortPrompt);
    const attachedFiles = useInputStore((s) => s.attachedFiles);
@@ -336,6 +337,11 @@ const ChatInputComponent: React.FC<ChatInputProps> = ({ onOpenSettings, scrollTo
    const pendingPresetSubmit = useInputStore((s) => s.pendingPresetSubmit);
    const setPendingInputText = useInputStore((s) => s.setPendingInputText);
    const pendingInputText = useInputStore((s) => s.pendingInputText);
+
+    React.useEffect(() => {
+        if (!newSessionDraftOpen || newSessionDraft.target !== 'chat' || message.trim().length === 0) return;
+        void prepareChatDraftDirectory();
+    }, [message, newSessionDraft.target, newSessionDraftOpen, prepareChatDraftDirectory]);
    const consumePendingSyntheticParts = useInputStore((s) => s.consumePendingSyntheticParts);
    const acknowledgeSessionAbort = useSessionUIStore((s) => s.acknowledgeSessionAbort);
    const abortCurrentOperation = React.useCallback(
@@ -2382,7 +2388,7 @@ const ChatInputComponent: React.FC<ChatInputProps> = ({ onOpenSettings, scrollTo


    React.useEffect(() => {
-        if (!showDraftTargetSelectors || !selectedDraftProject || !selectedDraftDirectory) {
+        if (!showDraftTargetSelectors || !selectedDraftProject || selectedDraftProject.kind === 'chat' || !selectedDraftDirectory) {
            return;
        }
        if (newSessionDraft?.pendingWorktreeRequestId || newSessionDraft?.bootstrapPendingDirectory || newSessionDraft?.preserveDirectoryOverride) {
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ import { useProjectsStore } from '@/stores/useProjectsStore';
 import { useSessionUIStore } from '@/sync/session-ui-store';
 import { buildSessionTargetOptions } from '@/sync/session-worktree-contract';
 import { normalizePath } from '../attachments/filePaths';
+import { CHAT_DRAFT_PROJECT_ID } from '@/lib/chatDirectories';
+import { useI18n } from '@/lib/i18n';

 /** How long a cached branch list is served before it is refreshed. */
 const BRANCHES_SWR_TTL_MS = 30_000;
@@ -35,6 +37,7 @@ export interface DraftTargetProject {
    color?: string | null;
    iconImage?: { mime: string; updatedAt: number; source: 'custom' | 'auto' } | null;
    iconBackground?: string | null;
+    kind?: 'chat' | 'project';
 }

 /** A project's display name, falling back to its directory name. */
@@ -43,7 +46,15 @@ export function getProjectDisplayLabel(project: { label?: string; path: string }
 }

 export function useDraftTarget(enabled: boolean) {
-    const projects = useProjectsStore((state) => state.projects) as DraftTargetProject[];
+    const configuredProjects: readonly DraftTargetProject[] = useProjectsStore((state) => state.projects);
+    const { t } = useI18n();
+    const chatProject = React.useMemo<DraftTargetProject>(() => ({
+        id: CHAT_DRAFT_PROJECT_ID,
+        path: '',
+        label: t('layout.mainTab.chat'),
+        kind: 'chat',
+    }), [t]);
+    const projects = React.useMemo(() => [chatProject, ...configuredProjects], [chatProject, configuredProjects]);
    const activeProjectId = useProjectsStore((state) => state.activeProjectId);
    const setActiveProjectIdOnly = useProjectsStore((state) => state.setActiveProjectIdOnly);
    const newSessionDraft = useSessionUIStore((s) => s.newSessionDraft);
@@ -53,6 +64,7 @@ export function useDraftTarget(enabled: boolean) {
    const { git: runtimeGit } = useRuntimeAPIs();

    const selectedDraftProject = React.useMemo(() => {
+        if (newSessionDraft?.target === 'chat') return chatProject;
        const explicit = newSessionDraft?.selectedProjectId
            ? projects.find((project) => project.id === newSessionDraft.selectedProjectId) ?? null
            : null;
@@ -67,14 +79,16 @@ export function useDraftTarget(enabled: boolean) {
            return active;
        }

-        return projects[0] ?? null;
-    }, [activeProjectId, newSessionDraft?.selectedProjectId, projects]);
+        return configuredProjects[0] ?? chatProject;
+    }, [activeProjectId, chatProject, configuredProjects, newSessionDraft?.selectedProjectId, newSessionDraft?.target, projects]);

    const selectedDraftProjectPath = React.useMemo(
-        () => normalizePath(selectedDraftProject?.path ?? null),
-        [selectedDraftProject?.path],
+        () => selectedDraftProject?.kind === 'chat' ? null : normalizePath(selectedDraftProject?.path ?? null),
+        [selectedDraftProject?.kind, selectedDraftProject?.path],
    );
-    const draftProjectLabel = selectedDraftProject ? getProjectDisplayLabel(selectedDraftProject) : null;
+    const draftProjectLabel = selectedDraftProject && selectedDraftProject.kind !== 'chat'
+        ? getProjectDisplayLabel(selectedDraftProject)
+        : null;

    const selectedDraftProjectBranches = useGitBranches(selectedDraftProjectPath);
    const selectedDraftProjectBranchesFetchedAt = useGitStore(
@@ -258,6 +272,10 @@ export function useDraftTarget(enabled: boolean) {
        if (!project) {
            return;
        }
+        if (project.kind === 'chat') {
+            setNewSessionDraftTarget({ projectId: CHAT_DRAFT_PROJECT_ID, directoryOverride: null }, { force: true });
+            return;
+        }
        if (activeProjectId !== projectId) {
            setActiveProjectIdOnly(projectId);
        }
@@ -57,7 +57,9 @@ const getProjectIconColor = (projectColor?: string | null): string | undefined =
 function ProjectLabel({ project, theme }: { project: DraftTargetProject; theme: Theme }) {
    const projectIconName = project.icon ? PROJECT_ICON_MAP[project.icon] : null;
    const iconColor = getProjectIconColor(project.color);
-    const fallbackIcon = projectIconName ? (
+    const fallbackIcon = project.kind === 'chat' ? (
+        <Icon name="chat-4" className="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 text-muted-foreground/80" />
+    ) : projectIconName ? (
        <Icon name={projectIconName} className="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0" style={iconColor ? { color: iconColor } : undefined} />
    ) : (
        <Icon name="folder" className="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 text-muted-foreground/80" style={iconColor ? { color: iconColor } : undefined} />
@@ -115,13 +117,15 @@ export function DraftTargetSelectors(props: DraftTargetProps) {
                    className="h-7 min-w-0 w-fit max-w-[42vw] sm:max-w-[18rem] border-transparent bg-transparent px-1.5 hover:bg-transparent data-[popup-open]:bg-transparent"
                >
                    <SelectValue>
-                        {<ProjectLabel project={selectedProject} theme={theme} />}
+                        {selectedProject.kind === 'chat'
+                            ? <span className="truncate">{t('chat.chatInput.chooseProject')}</span>
+                            : <ProjectLabel project={selectedProject} theme={theme} />}
                    </SelectValue>
                </SelectTrigger>
                <SelectContent fitContent>
                    {projects.map((project) => (
                        <SelectItem key={project.id} value={project.id} className="max-w-[24rem] truncate">
-                            {<ProjectLabel project={project} theme={theme} />}
+                            <ProjectLabel project={project} theme={theme} />
                        </SelectItem>
                    ))}
                </SelectContent>
@@ -195,7 +199,9 @@ export function MobileDraftTargetTriggers(
                className="inline-flex h-7 min-w-0 max-w-[42vw] flex-shrink cursor-pointer items-center gap-1 rounded-lg px-1.5 typography-micro font-medium text-foreground/80 hover:bg-[var(--interactive-hover)]"
                onClick={() => onOpenPicker('project')}
            >
-                {<ProjectLabel project={selectedProject} theme={theme} />}
+                {selectedProject.kind === 'chat'
+                    ? <span className="truncate">{t('chat.chatInput.chooseProject')}</span>
+                    : <ProjectLabel project={selectedProject} theme={theme} />}
                <Icon name="arrow-down-s" className="h-3.5 w-3.5 flex-shrink-0 text-muted-foreground" />
            </button>
            {showBranchSelector ? (
@@ -275,7 +281,7 @@ export function MobileDraftTargetSheets(
                                        onOpenPickerChange(null);
                                    }}
                                >
-                                    <span className="min-w-0 flex-1">{<ProjectLabel project={project} theme={theme} />}</span>
+                                    <span className="min-w-0 flex-1"><ProjectLabel project={project} theme={theme} /></span>
                                    {project.id === selectedProject.id ? (
                                        <Icon name="check" className="h-4 w-4 flex-shrink-0 text-muted-foreground" />
                                    ) : null}
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ import { useSessionUIStore } from '@/sync/session-ui-store';
 import { useSessionWorktreeStore } from '@/sync/session-worktree-store';
 import { formatSessionWorktreeBadge } from '@/sync/session-worktree-contract';
 import { buildSessionMessageRecordsSnapshot, useDirectoryStore, useGlobalSessionStatus, useSessionMessagesResolved } from '@/sync/sync-context';
+import { useDirectoryStore as useAppDirectoryStore } from '@/stores/useDirectoryStore';
+import { isChatDirectoryForHome } from '@/lib/chatDirectories';
 import { useSync } from '@/sync/use-sync';
 import { useProjectsStore } from '@/stores/useProjectsStore';
 import { useQuotaAutoRefresh, useQuotaStore } from '@/stores/useQuotaStore';
@@ -1052,6 +1054,10 @@ export const Header: React.FC<HeaderProps> = ({
    }
    return normalize(state.newSessionDraft.bootstrapPendingDirectory ?? state.newSessionDraft.directoryOverride ?? '');
  });
+  const draftTarget = useSessionUIStore((state) => state.newSessionDraft.target);
+  const draftProjectId = useSessionUIStore((state) => state.newSessionDraft.selectedProjectId);
+  const selectedSessionDirectory = useSessionUIStore((state) => state.currentSessionDirectory);
+  const homeDirectory = useAppDirectoryStore((state) => state.homeDirectory);

  const openDirectory = React.useMemo(() => {
    return worktreeDirectory || sessionDirectory || draftDirectory;
@@ -1080,10 +1086,13 @@ export const Header: React.FC<HeaderProps> = ({

  const gitBranchForDirectory = useGitBranchLabel(openDirectory || null);
  const currentBranchLabel = gitBranchForDirectory || currentSessionWorktreeBranch || catalogWorktreeBranch;
+  const isChatContext = isNewSessionDraftOpen
+    ? draftTarget === 'chat'
+    : isChatDirectoryForHome(sessionDirectory || selectedSessionDirectory, homeDirectory);

  // Whether the title carries a second line under it. Hoisted because the
  // session menu's vertical alignment depends on the same answer.
-  const showHeaderMetaRow = !workStatusPanelVisible
+  const showHeaderMetaRow = !isChatContext && !workStatusPanelVisible
    && Boolean(activeProjectLabel || currentBranchLabel || (!isNewSessionDraftOpen && worktreeBadgeKind));


@@ -1423,14 +1432,14 @@ export const Header: React.FC<HeaderProps> = ({

  const handleOpenDraftMiniChat = React.useCallback(() => {
    void invokeDesktop('desktop_open_draft_mini_chat_window', {
-      directory: normalize(openDirectory || activeProject?.path || ''),
-      projectId: activeProject?.id ?? null,
+      directory: isChatContext ? '' : draftDirectory,
+      projectId: isChatContext ? null : draftProjectId,
      apiBaseUrl: getRuntimeApiBaseUrl(),
      clientToken: getRuntimeBearerTokenSync(),
    }).catch((error) => {
      console.warn('[header] failed to open draft mini chat window', error);
    });
-  }, [activeProject?.id, activeProject?.path, openDirectory]);
+  }, [draftDirectory, draftProjectId, isChatContext]);

  const handleOpenCurrentMiniChat = React.useCallback(() => {
    if (isNewSessionDraftOpen) {
@@ -1443,13 +1452,13 @@ export const Header: React.FC<HeaderProps> = ({
    }
    void invokeDesktop('desktop_open_session_mini_chat_window', {
      sessionId: currentSessionId,
-      directory: normalize(openDirectory || activeProject?.path || ''),
+      directory: sessionDirectory || normalize(selectedSessionDirectory || '') || worktreeDirectory,
      apiBaseUrl: getRuntimeApiBaseUrl(),
      clientToken: getRuntimeBearerTokenSync(),
    }).catch((error) => {
      console.warn('[header] failed to open session mini chat window', error);
    });
-  }, [activeProject?.path, currentSessionId, handleOpenDraftMiniChat, isNewSessionDraftOpen, openDirectory]);
+  }, [currentSessionId, handleOpenDraftMiniChat, isNewSessionDraftOpen, selectedSessionDirectory, sessionDirectory, worktreeDirectory]);

  const handleOpenContextPanel = React.useCallback(() => {
    const directory = normalize(openDirectory || '');
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ import { useGitStore } from '@/stores/useGitStore';
 import { useProjectsStore } from '@/stores/useProjectsStore';
 import { useDirectoryStore } from '@/stores/useDirectoryStore';
 import { formatDirectoryName } from '@/lib/utils';
+import { useSessionUIStore } from '@/sync/session-ui-store';
+import { CHAT_DRAFT_PROJECT_ID, getChatsRootForHome, getChatsRootFromDirectory, isChatDirectoryPath } from '@/lib/chatDirectories';
+import { useI18n } from '@/lib/i18n';

 export const ProjectContextPanel: React.FC<{
  onActionComplete?: () => void;
@@ -13,16 +16,28 @@ export const ProjectContextPanel: React.FC<{
  const activeProjectId = useProjectsStore((state) => state.activeProjectId);
  const projects = useProjectsStore((state) => state.projects);
  const homeDirectory = useDirectoryStore((state) => state.homeDirectory);
+  const { t } = useI18n();
  const gitDirectories = useGitStore((state) => state.directories);
+  const isChatContext = useSessionUIStore((state) => (
+    state.newSessionDraft.open
+      ? state.newSessionDraft.target === 'chat'
+      : isChatDirectoryPath(state.currentSessionDirectory)
+  ));
+  const chatSessionDirectory = useSessionUIStore((state) => state.currentSessionDirectory);
+  const chatsRoot = getChatsRootFromDirectory(chatSessionDirectory) ?? getChatsRootForHome(homeDirectory);

  const activeProject = React.useMemo(() => {
+    if (isChatContext) return null;
    if (activeProjectId) {
      return projects.find((project) => project.id === activeProjectId) ?? projects[0] ?? null;
    }
    return projects[0] ?? null;
-  }, [activeProjectId, projects]);
+  }, [activeProjectId, isChatContext, projects]);

  const projectRef = React.useMemo(() => {
+    if (isChatContext && chatsRoot) {
+      return { id: CHAT_DRAFT_PROJECT_ID, path: chatsRoot };
+    }
    if (!activeProject) {
      return null;
    }
@@ -30,16 +45,17 @@ export const ProjectContextPanel: React.FC<{
      id: activeProject.id,
      path: activeProject.path,
    };
-  }, [activeProject]);
+  }, [activeProject, chatsRoot, isChatContext]);

  const projectLabel = React.useMemo(() => {
+    if (isChatContext) return t('sessions.sidebar.activity.chatsTitle');
    if (!activeProject) {
      return null;
    }
    return activeProject.label?.trim()
      || formatDirectoryName(activeProject.path, homeDirectory)
      || activeProject.path;
-  }, [activeProject, homeDirectory]);
+  }, [activeProject, homeDirectory, isChatContext, t]);

  const canCreateWorktree = React.useMemo(() => {
    if (!activeProject) {
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import { Icon } from "@/components/icon/Icon";
 import { useRuntimeAPIs } from '@/hooks/useRuntimeAPIs';
 import { contextTokensFromBreakdown } from '@/stores/utils/tokenUtils';
 import type { SessionContextUsage } from '@/stores/types/sessionTypes';
+import { isChatDirectoryPath } from '@/lib/chatDirectories';

 type MiniChatMode = 'session' | 'draft';

@@ -51,6 +52,7 @@ const MiniChatHeader: React.FC<{ mode: MiniChatMode }> = ({ mode }) => {
  const { t } = useI18n();
  const currentSessionId = useSessionUIStore((state) => state.currentSessionId);
  const draftOpen = useSessionUIStore((state) => Boolean(state.newSessionDraft?.open));
+  const draftTarget = useSessionUIStore((state) => state.newSessionDraft.target);
  const draftProjectId = useSessionUIStore((state) => state.newSessionDraft?.selectedProjectId ?? null);
  const currentDirectory = useDirectoryStore((state) => state.currentDirectory);
  const projects = useProjectsStore((state) => state.projects);
@@ -99,6 +101,7 @@ const MiniChatHeader: React.FC<{ mode: MiniChatMode }> = ({ mode }) => {
  const worktreeDirectory = normalizePath(worktreePath || sessionWorktreeMetadata?.path || worktreeAttachment?.cwd || worktreeAttachment?.worktreeRoot || '');
  const currentDirectoryNormalized = normalizePath(currentDirectory);
  const openDirectory = worktreeDirectory || sessionDirectory || draftDirectory || currentDirectoryNormalized;
+  const isChatContext = draftOpen ? draftTarget === 'chat' : isChatDirectoryPath(sessionDirectory);
  const directoryLabel = compactPath(openDirectory);
  const catalogWorktreeBranch = useSessionUIStore((state) => {
    const candidateDirectory = normalizePath(worktreeDirectory || sessionDirectory || '');
@@ -111,9 +114,9 @@ const MiniChatHeader: React.FC<{ mode: MiniChatMode }> = ({ mode }) => {
    return null;
  });
  React.useEffect(() => {
-    if (!openDirectory) return;
+    if (!openDirectory || isChatContext) return;
    void ensureGitStatus(openDirectory, runtimeApis.git).catch(() => {});
-  }, [ensureGitStatus, openDirectory, runtimeApis.git]);
+  }, [ensureGitStatus, isChatContext, openDirectory, runtimeApis.git]);

  const pathMatchedProject = React.useMemo(() => {
    const projectDirectory = normalizePath(sessionWorktreeMetadata?.projectDirectory ?? worktreeAttachment?.worktreeRoot ?? null);
@@ -125,13 +128,14 @@ const MiniChatHeader: React.FC<{ mode: MiniChatMode }> = ({ mode }) => {
      .sort((left, right) => right.path.length - left.path.length)[0] ?? null;
  }, [openDirectory, projects, sessionWorktreeMetadata?.projectDirectory, worktreeAttachment?.worktreeRoot]);
  const projectLabel = React.useMemo(() => {
+    if (isChatContext) return null;
    const project = pathMatchedProject ?? activeProject;
    if (!project) return directoryLabel || 'OpenChamber';
    const label = project.label?.trim();
    if (label) return label;
    const segments = project.path.split(/[\\/]/).filter(Boolean);
    return segments.at(-1) ?? project.path;
-  }, [activeProject, directoryLabel, pathMatchedProject]);
+  }, [activeProject, directoryLabel, isChatContext, pathMatchedProject]);
  const gitBranchForDirectory = useGitBranchLabel(openDirectory || null);
  const rawBranchLabel = gitBranchForDirectory || worktreeMetadataBranch || sessionWorktreeMetadata?.branch?.trim() || worktreeAttachment?.branch?.trim() || catalogWorktreeBranch;
  const branchLabel = rawBranchLabel && rawBranchLabel !== 'HEAD' ? rawBranchLabel : null;
@@ -241,7 +245,11 @@ const MiniChatHeader: React.FC<{ mode: MiniChatMode }> = ({ mode }) => {
  const handleOpenMainApp = React.useCallback(() => {
    const payload = currentSessionId
      ? { sessionId: currentSessionId, directory: (session as { directory?: string | null } | null)?.directory ?? currentDirectory ?? '' }
-      : { mode: 'draft', directory: openDirectory || currentDirectory || '', projectId: draftProjectId };
+      : {
+          mode: 'draft',
+          directory: isChatContext ? '' : openDirectory || currentDirectory || '',
+          projectId: isChatContext ? null : draftProjectId,
+        };
    void invokeDesktop<{ focused?: boolean }>('desktop_focus_main_window', payload)
      .then((result) => {
        if (result?.focused === true) {
@@ -249,7 +257,7 @@ const MiniChatHeader: React.FC<{ mode: MiniChatMode }> = ({ mode }) => {
        }
        return null;
      });
-  }, [currentDirectory, currentSessionId, draftProjectId, openDirectory, session]);
+  }, [currentDirectory, currentSessionId, draftProjectId, isChatContext, openDirectory, session]);

  return (
    <header
@@ -273,7 +281,7 @@ const MiniChatHeader: React.FC<{ mode: MiniChatMode }> = ({ mode }) => {
          <span className="truncate typography-ui-label text-[14px] font-normal leading-tight text-foreground max-w-full">
            {title}
          </span>
-          <span className="flex min-w-0 max-w-full items-center gap-1.5 truncate typography-micro text-[10.5px] font-normal leading-tight text-muted-foreground/75">
+          {!isChatContext ? <span className="flex min-w-0 max-w-full items-center gap-1.5 truncate typography-micro text-[10.5px] font-normal leading-tight text-muted-foreground/75">
            <span className="truncate">{projectLabel}</span>
            {branchLabel ? (
              <span className="inline-flex min-w-0 items-center gap-0.5">
@@ -281,7 +289,7 @@ const MiniChatHeader: React.FC<{ mode: MiniChatMode }> = ({ mode }) => {
                <span className="truncate">{branchLabel}</span>
              </span>
            ) : null}
-          </span>
+          </span> : null}
        </button>
      </SessionSwitcherDropdown>
      <div className="min-w-0 flex-1" />
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 import React from 'react';
+import { isChatDirectoryForHome, isChatDirectoryPath } from '@/lib/chatDirectories';
+import { mergeSidebarSessionSources } from './sidebar/sidebarSessionSources';
 import type { Session } from '@opencode-ai/sdk/v2';
 import { toast } from '@/components/ui';
 import { useI18n } from '@/lib/i18n';
@@ -439,6 +441,7 @@ const SessionSidebarComponent: React.FC<SessionSidebarProps> = ({
  const liveSessionIndex = getAllSyncSessionMap();
  const liveSessions = React.useMemo(() => Array.from(liveSessionIndex.values()), [liveSessionIndex]);
  const isVSCode = React.useMemo(() => isVSCodeRuntime(), []);
+  const runtimeKey = getRuntimeKey();
  const hasAuthoritativeGlobalSessions = useGlobalSessionsStore((state) => state.status === 'ready');
  const activeSessionStructure = useGlobalSessionsStore(useShallow(
    (state) => state.activeSessions.map(getSessionStructuralSignature).sort(),
@@ -506,20 +509,15 @@ const SessionSidebarComponent: React.FC<SessionSidebarProps> = ({
  );

  const sessions = React.useMemo(() => {
-    const merged = [...globalActiveSessions];
-    const seenIds = new Set(merged.map((session) => session.id));
+    const merged = mergeSidebarSessionSources(globalActiveSessions, liveFallbackSessions);

-    liveFallbackSessions.forEach((session) => {
-      if (seenIds.has(session.id)) {
-        return;
-      }
-      merged.push(session);
-    });
-
-    return merged.filter((session) => isKnownActiveSessionDirectory(session, knownSessionDirectories, {
-      allowUnknownDirectory: !isVSCode,
-      allowEmptyDirectorySet: !isVSCode,
-    }));
+    return merged.filter((session) => (
+      (!isVSCode && isChatDirectoryPath(session.directory))
+      || isKnownActiveSessionDirectory(session, knownSessionDirectories, {
+        allowUnknownDirectory: !isVSCode,
+        allowEmptyDirectorySet: !isVSCode,
+      })
+    ));
  }, [globalActiveSessions, isVSCode, knownSessionDirectories, liveFallbackSessions]);

  const persistenceSessions = React.useMemo(
@@ -532,7 +530,6 @@ const SessionSidebarComponent: React.FC<SessionSidebarProps> = ({
    syncSessionsSnapshotRef.current = liveSessions;
  }, [liveSessions]);

-  const runtimeKey = getRuntimeKey();
  const projectWorktreeDiscoveryKey = React.useMemo(
    () => `${runtimeKey}|${projects
      .map((project) => `${project.id}:${normalizePath(project.path) ?? ''}`)
@@ -1369,9 +1366,13 @@ const SessionSidebarComponent: React.FC<SessionSidebarProps> = ({
      return [];
    }

-    return deriveRecentSessions(sessions, activeSessionIdSet)
+    return deriveRecentSessions(sessions.filter((session) => !isChatDirectoryForHome(session.directory, homeDirectory)), activeSessionIdSet)
      .sort((a, b) => compareSessionsByLifecycleOrder(a, b, pinnedSessionIds, sessionOrderRanks));
-  }, [activeSessionIdSet, isVSCode, pinnedSessionIds, sessionOrderRanks, sessions, showRecentSection]);
+  }, [activeSessionIdSet, homeDirectory, isVSCode, pinnedSessionIds, sessionOrderRanks, sessions, showRecentSection]);
+
+  const chatSessions = React.useMemo(() => sessions
+    .filter((session) => !session.parentID && !session.time?.archived && isChatDirectoryForHome(session.directory, homeDirectory))
+    .sort((a, b) => compareSessionsByLifecycleOrder(a, b, pinnedSessionIds, sessionOrderRanks)), [homeDirectory, pinnedSessionIds, sessionOrderRanks, sessions]);

  // Prefetch is wired below, after recentSessions is computed.

@@ -1379,13 +1380,13 @@ const SessionSidebarComponent: React.FC<SessionSidebarProps> = ({
    // VS Code renders the full grouped project view (one group per open
    // workspace, folders + pinned native); the flat "recent" activity list is
    // web/desktop-only.
-    if (isVSCode || !showRecentSection) {
+    if (isVSCode) {
      return [];
    }

    const toItem = (session: Session) => {
      const existing = sessionSidebarMetaById.get(session.id);
-      const sessionDirectory = normalizePath((session as Session & { directory?: string | null }).directory ?? null);
+      const sessionDirectory = normalizePath(session.directory ?? null);
      const node = existing?.node ?? { session, children: [], worktree: null };
      const filteredNodes = hasSessionSearchQuery
        ? filterSessionNodesForSearch([node], normalizedSessionSearchQuery)
@@ -1408,17 +1409,21 @@ const SessionSidebarComponent: React.FC<SessionSidebarProps> = ({
      };
    };

-    const items = recentSessions
+    const recentItems = showRecentSection ? recentSessions
+      .map(toItem)
+      .filter((item): item is NonNullable<ReturnType<typeof toItem>> => item !== null) : [];
+
+    const chatItems = chatSessions
      .map(toItem)
      .filter((item): item is NonNullable<ReturnType<typeof toItem>> => item !== null);
-
    return [
-      { key: 'active-now' as const, title: t('sessions.sidebar.activity.recentTitle'), items },
+      { key: 'chats' as const, title: t('sessions.sidebar.activity.chatsTitle'), items: chatItems },
+      { key: 'active-now' as const, title: t('sessions.sidebar.activity.recentTitle'), items: recentItems },
    ];
-  }, [filterSessionNodesForSearch, hasSessionSearchQuery, isVSCode, normalizedSessionSearchQuery, recentSessions, sessionSidebarMetaById, showRecentSection, t]);
+  }, [chatSessions, filterSessionNodesForSearch, hasSessionSearchQuery, isVSCode, normalizedSessionSearchQuery, recentSessions, sessionSidebarMetaById, showRecentSection, t]);

  const hasActivitySectionItems = React.useMemo(
-    () => activitySections.some((section) => section.items.length > 0),
+    () => activitySections.some((section) => section.key === 'chats' || section.items.length > 0),
    [activitySections],
  );

@@ -1736,8 +1741,17 @@ const SessionSidebarComponent: React.FC<SessionSidebarProps> = ({
    ],
  );

+  const handleOpenNewSessionDraftFromHeader = React.useCallback(() => {
+    useUIStore.getState().closeMainSurfaces();
+    setActiveMainTab('chat');
+    if (mobileVariant) {
+      setSessionSwitcherOpen(false);
+    }
+    openNewSessionDraft();
+  }, [mobileVariant, openNewSessionDraft, setActiveMainTab, setSessionSwitcherOpen]);
+
  const topContent = React.useMemo(
-    () => (!isVSCode && showRecentSection && !hasSessionSearchQuery) ? (
+    () => (!isVSCode && !hasSessionSearchQuery && hasActivitySectionItems) ? (
      <SidebarActivitySections
        sections={activitySections}
        renderSessionNode={renderSessionNode}
@@ -1746,9 +1760,11 @@ const SessionSidebarComponent: React.FC<SessionSidebarProps> = ({
        expansionState={recentExpandedParents}
        variant="section"
        isDesktopShellRuntime={isDesktopShellRuntime}
+        onNewChat={handleOpenNewSessionDraftFromHeader}
+        alwaysShowActions={alwaysShowSidebarActions}
      />
    ) : null,
-    [activitySections, editingId, hasSessionSearchQuery, isDesktopShellRuntime, isVSCode, openSidebarMenuKey, recentExpandedParents, renderSessionNode, showRecentSection],
+    [activitySections, alwaysShowSidebarActions, editingId, handleOpenNewSessionDraftFromHeader, hasActivitySectionItems, hasSessionSearchQuery, isDesktopShellRuntime, isVSCode, openSidebarMenuKey, recentExpandedParents, renderSessionNode],
  );
  const isInlineEditing = Boolean(renamingFolderId || editingId || editingProjectDialogId);

@@ -1789,15 +1805,6 @@ const SessionSidebarComponent: React.FC<SessionSidebarProps> = ({
    openMultiRunLauncher();
  }, [mobileVariant, openMultiRunLauncher, setActiveMainTab, setSessionSwitcherOpen]);

-  const handleOpenNewSessionDraftFromHeader = React.useCallback(() => {
-    useUIStore.getState().closeMainSurfaces();
-    setActiveMainTab('chat');
-    if (mobileVariant) {
-      setSessionSwitcherOpen(false);
-    }
-    openNewSessionDraft();
-  }, [mobileVariant, openNewSessionDraft, setActiveMainTab, setSessionSwitcherOpen]);
-
  return (
    // One shared tooltip provider for the whole sidebar: session tooltips open
    // instantly, and moving between rows hands the tooltip over (grouping)
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 - `SidebarHeader.tsx`: Top header UI for add-project, session search, selection mode, project sort, and the display menu (recent toggle, collapse/expand all).
 - A successful add/create/clone from the project-directory dialog transitions to a new-session draft targeted at that project, matching the project's `+` action; changing project metadata alone must not leave the visible session or draft on a different directory.
 - `SidebarNav.tsx`: Text navigation rows above the tree (New session, Scheduled, Multi-run, Archive); hidden in VS Code.
- `SidebarActivitySections.tsx`: Global top section renderer; currently used for the `recent` section only, styled as a zone header.
+- `SidebarActivitySections.tsx`: Global top section renderer for project-only `recent` sessions followed by OpenChamber-managed `chats`, styled as zone headers.
 - `SidebarFooter.tsx`: Static footer with icon-only settings, shortcuts, and about actions.
 - `SidebarProjectsList.tsx`: Main scrollable renderer for project zones and their flat/archived groups plus empty/search states; owns project drag-to-reorder.
 - `SessionGroupSection.tsx`: Renders one flat (or archived) group: sessions first, then flat folder entries with path labels, show-more batching, and explicit loading/error/retry state for empty groups. Archived buckets (VS Code) virtualize past 50 rows.
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import {
  resolveMenuOpenSessionId,
 } from './sessionNodeItemUtils';
 import type { SessionNodeRenderExtras } from './sessionNodeItemUtils';
+import { Tooltip, TooltipContent, TooltipTrigger } from '@/components/ui/tooltip';

 type ActivityItem = {
  node: SessionNode;
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ type ActivityItem = {
 };

 type ActivitySection = {
-  key: 'active-now';
+  key: 'active-now' | 'chats';
  title: string;
  items: ActivityItem[];
 };
@@ -46,6 +47,8 @@ type Props = {
  initialVisibleCount?: number;
  batchSize?: number;
  isDesktopShellRuntime: boolean;
+  onNewChat?: () => void;
+  alwaysShowActions?: boolean;
 };

 type RenderExtras = SessionNodeRenderExtras;
@@ -129,7 +132,9 @@ export function SidebarActivitySections(props: Props): React.ReactNode {
    });
  }, [editingId, openSidebarMenuKey]);

-  const visibleSections = sections.filter((section) => section.items.length > 0);
+  const visibleSections = sections.filter((section) => (
+    section.items.length > 0 || (section.key === 'chats' && props.onNewChat)
+  ));
  if (visibleSections.length === 0) {
    return null;
  }
@@ -179,23 +184,54 @@ export function SidebarActivitySections(props: Props): React.ReactNode {
        return (
          <div key={section.key} className="relative space-y-1">
            <div className={cn(
+              'relative group/chats',
              '-ml-2.5 -mr-2',
              stickyZoneHeaders && 'sticky top-0 z-20 bg-sidebar',
            )} data-sidebar-sticky-header={stickyZoneHeaders ? 'true' : undefined}>
              <button
                type="button"
                onClick={() => toggleSection(section.key)}
-                className="group flex w-full items-center gap-1.5 py-1 pl-4 pr-3.5 text-left focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-primary/50"
+                className={cn(
+                  'group flex w-full items-center gap-1.5 py-1 pl-4 text-left focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-primary/50',
+                  section.key === 'chats' && props.onNewChat ? 'pr-10' : 'pr-3.5',
+                )}
                aria-expanded={!isCollapsed}
              >
                <span className="inline-flex h-3.5 w-3.5 items-center justify-center">
-                  <Icon name="history" className={cn('h-3.5 w-3.5 text-muted-foreground/80', 'group-hover:hidden')} />
+                    <Icon name={section.key === 'chats' ? 'chat-4' : 'history'} className={cn('h-3.5 w-3.5 text-muted-foreground/80', 'group-hover:hidden')} />
                  <span className="hidden h-3.5 w-3.5 items-center justify-center text-muted-foreground group-hover:inline-flex">
                    {isCollapsed ? <Icon name="arrow-right-s" className="h-3.5 w-3.5" /> : <Icon name="arrow-down-s" className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />}
                  </span>
                </span>
                <span className="text-[14px] font-semibold lowercase text-foreground">{section.title}</span>
              </button>
+              {section.key === 'chats' && props.onNewChat ? (
+                <div className="absolute right-0.5 top-1/2 z-10 -translate-y-1/2">
+                  <Tooltip delayDuration={500}>
+                    <TooltipTrigger asChild>
+                      <button
+                        type="button"
+                        onClick={(event) => {
+                          event.stopPropagation();
+                          props.onNewChat?.();
+                        }}
+                        className={cn(
+                          'inline-flex h-6 w-6 items-center justify-center rounded-md text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-primary/50 transition-opacity',
+                          props.alwaysShowActions
+                            ? 'opacity-100'
+                            : 'opacity-0 pointer-events-none group-hover/chats:opacity-100 group-hover/chats:pointer-events-auto group-focus-within/chats:opacity-100 group-focus-within/chats:pointer-events-auto',
+                        )}
+                        aria-label={t('sessions.sidebar.header.actions.newSession')}
+                      >
+                        <Icon name="add" className="h-4 w-4" />
+                      </button>
+                    </TooltipTrigger>
+                    <TooltipContent side="bottom" sideOffset={4}>
+                      <p>{t('sessions.sidebar.header.actions.newSession')}</p>
+                    </TooltipContent>
+                  </Tooltip>
+                </div>
+              ) : null}
            </div>
            {!isCollapsed ? (
              <div className={cn('space-y-0.5')}>
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ import type { SessionNode } from '../types';
 import { isPathWithinProject } from '../utils';
 import { compareSessionsByLifecycleOrder, useSessionOrderingStore } from '@/sync/session-ordering';
 import { useSessionUIStore } from '@/sync/session-ui-store';
+import { isVSCodeRuntime } from '@/lib/desktop';
+import { isChatDirectoryPath } from '@/lib/chatDirectories';

 export type SwitcherItem = {
  node: SessionNode;
@@ -51,6 +53,7 @@ export const useSwitcherItems = (enabled: boolean, options: SwitcherItemsOptions
  const sessionOrderRanks = useSessionOrderingStore((state) => state.rankById);
  const branchesByDirectory = useGitAllBranches();
  const availableWorktreesByProject = useSessionUIStore((state) => state.availableWorktreesByProject);
+  const isVSCode = React.useMemo(() => isVSCodeRuntime(), []);

  // Worktree sessions live OUTSIDE their project's path, so prefix matching
  // can't resolve their project — and their branch is known from worktree
@@ -114,6 +117,7 @@ export const useSwitcherItems = (enabled: boolean, options: SwitcherItemsOptions

    const parents = activeSessions
      .filter((session) => !session.time?.archived)
+      .filter((session) => !isVSCode || !isChatDirectoryPath(resolveGlobalSessionDirectory(session)))
      .filter((session) => !(session as Session & { parentID?: string | null }).parentID)
      .filter((session) => {
        if (!scopeProjectId) return true;
@@ -151,7 +155,7 @@ export const useSwitcherItems = (enabled: boolean, options: SwitcherItemsOptions
        },
      };
    });
-  }, [activeSessions, branchesByDirectory, enabled, findProjectForDirectory, maxParents, pinnedSessionIds, scopeProjectId, sessionOrderRanks, worktreeInfoByPath]);
+  }, [activeSessions, branchesByDirectory, enabled, findProjectForDirectory, isVSCode, maxParents, pinnedSessionIds, scopeProjectId, sessionOrderRanks, worktreeInfoByPath]);

  return items;
 };
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+import { describe, expect, test } from 'bun:test';
+import type { Session } from '@opencode-ai/sdk/v2';
+
+import { mergeSidebarSessionSources } from './sidebarSessionSources';
+
+const session = (id: string, title: string): Session => ({
+  id,
+  slug: id,
+  title,
+  directory: `/home/.config/openchamber/chats/2026-08-21/${id}`,
+  projectID: 'managed-chats',
+  version: '1',
+  time: { created: 1, updated: 1 },
+});
+
+describe('sidebar session source merge', () => {
+  test('shows one row when the same cached global chat also exists live', () => {
+    const live = session('session-a', 'Live title');
+    const cached = session('session-a', 'Cached title');
+
+    expect(mergeSidebarSessionSources([cached], [live])).toEqual([cached]);
+  });
+
+  test('prefers global authority over live fallback', () => {
+    const global = session('session-a', 'Global title');
+    expect(mergeSidebarSessionSources([global], [session('session-a', 'Live title')])).toEqual([global]);
+  });
+});
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import type { Session } from '@opencode-ai/sdk/v2';
+
+export function mergeSidebarSessionSources(
+  globalSessions: readonly Session[],
+  liveSessions: readonly Session[],
+): Session[] {
+  const merged = [...globalSessions];
+  const seenIds = new Set(merged.map((session) => session.id));
+  const appendMissing = (sessions: readonly Session[]) => {
+    sessions.forEach((session) => {
+      if (seenIds.has(session.id)) return;
+      seenIds.add(session.id);
+      merged.push(session);
+    });
+  };
+
+  appendMissing(liveSessions);
+  return merged;
+}
@@ -3,16 +3,12 @@ import { focusChatInput } from '@/components/chat/composer/editor/dom';
 import { canUseElectronDesktopIPC, invokeDesktop } from '@/lib/desktop';
 import { eventMatchesShortcut, getEffectiveShortcutCombo } from '@/lib/shortcuts';
 import { useConfigStore } from '@/stores/useConfigStore';
-import { useDirectoryStore } from '@/stores/useDirectoryStore';
-import { useProjectsStore } from '@/stores/useProjectsStore';
 import { useUIStore } from '@/stores/useUIStore';
 import { useSelectionStore } from '@/sync/selection-store';
 import { useSessionUIStore } from '@/sync/session-ui-store';

 export const useMiniChatKeyboardShortcuts = () => {
  const shortcutOverrides = useUIStore((state) => state.shortcutOverrides);
-  const currentDirectory = useDirectoryStore((state) => state.currentDirectory);
-  const activeProject = useProjectsStore((state) => state.getActiveProject());
  const openNewSessionDraft = useSessionUIStore((state) => state.openNewSessionDraft);

  React.useEffect(() => {
@@ -28,8 +24,8 @@ export const useMiniChatKeyboardShortcuts = () => {
      if (canUseElectronDesktopIPC() && eventMatchesShortcut(event, combo('new_mini_chat'))) {
        event.preventDefault();
        void invokeDesktop('desktop_open_draft_mini_chat_window', {
-          directory: currentDirectory || activeProject?.path || '',
-          projectId: activeProject?.id ?? null,
+          directory: '',
+          projectId: null,
        })?.catch((error) => {
          console.warn('[mini-chat-shortcuts] failed to open draft mini chat window', error);
        });
@@ -38,11 +34,7 @@ export const useMiniChatKeyboardShortcuts = () => {

      if (eventMatchesShortcut(event, combo('new_chat'))) {
        event.preventDefault();
-        openNewSessionDraft({
-          selectedProjectId: activeProject?.id ?? null,
-          directoryOverride: currentDirectory || activeProject?.path || null,
-          preserveDirectoryOverride: Boolean(currentDirectory || activeProject?.path),
-        });
+        openNewSessionDraft();
        focusChatInput();
        return;
      }
@@ -98,5 +90,5 @@ export const useMiniChatKeyboardShortcuts = () => {

    window.addEventListener('keydown', handleKeyDown);
    return () => window.removeEventListener('keydown', handleKeyDown);
-  }, [activeProject?.id, activeProject?.path, currentDirectory, openNewSessionDraft, shortcutOverrides]);
+  }, [openNewSessionDraft, shortcutOverrides]);
 };
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, mock, test } from 'bun:test';
+
+const createdDirectories: string[] = [];
+const createDirectoryOptions: Array<{ allowOutsideWorkspace?: boolean } | undefined> = [];
+const deletedDirectories: string[] = [];
+
+mock.module('@/lib/opencode/client', () => ({
+  opencodeClient: {
+    getFilesystemHome: mock(async () => '/Users/tester'),
+    createDirectory: mock(async (path: string, options?: { allowOutsideWorkspace?: boolean }) => {
+      createdDirectories.push(path);
+      createDirectoryOptions.push(options);
+      return { success: true, path };
+    }),
+  },
+}));
+
+mock.module('@/lib/runtime-fetch', () => ({
+  runtimeFetch: mock(async (_path: string, init?: RequestInit) => {
+    deletedDirectories.push(JSON.parse(String(init?.body)).path);
+    return new Response(null, { status: 200 });
+  }),
+}));
+
+const { createChatDirectory, deleteChatDirectory, getChatsRootFromDirectory, isChatDirectoryForHome, isChatDirectoryPath } = await import('./chatDirectories');
+
+describe('chat directories', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    createdDirectories.length = 0;
+    createDirectoryOptions.length = 0;
+    deletedDirectories.length = 0;
+  });
+
+  test('creates one isolated directory beneath the dated chats root', async () => {
+    const directory = await createChatDirectory(new Date(2026, 7, 21, 12));
+    expect(createdDirectories[0]).toBe(directory);
+    expect(directory.startsWith('/Users/tester/.config/openchamber/chats/2026-08-21/session-')).toBe(true);
+    expect(createdDirectories).toEqual([directory]);
+    expect(createDirectoryOptions).toEqual([undefined]);
+  });
+
+  test('recognizes only descendants of the managed chats root', () => {
+    expect(isChatDirectoryForHome('/Users/tester/.config/openchamber/chats/2026-08-21/session-a', '/Users/tester')).toBe(true);
+    expect(isChatDirectoryForHome('/Users/tester/project', '/Users/tester')).toBe(false);
+    expect(isChatDirectoryForHome('/remote/home/.config/openchamber/chats/2026-08-21/session-a', '/Users/tester')).toBe(true);
+    expect(isChatDirectoryPath('/remote/home/.config/openchamber/chats/2026-08-21/session-a')).toBe(true);
+    expect(getChatsRootFromDirectory('/remote/home/.config/openchamber/chats/2026-08-21/session-a')).toBe('/remote/home/.config/openchamber/chats');
+  });
+
+  test('deletes managed chat directories but leaves project directories alone', async () => {
+    await deleteChatDirectory('/Users/tester/.config/openchamber/chats/2026-08-21/session-a');
+    await deleteChatDirectory('/Users/tester/project');
+    expect(deletedDirectories).toEqual(['/Users/tester/.config/openchamber/chats/2026-08-21/session-a']);
+  });
+});
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+import { opencodeClient } from '@/lib/opencode/client';
+import { normalizePath } from '@/lib/pathNormalization';
+import { runtimeFetch } from '@/lib/runtime-fetch';
+import { getRuntimeKey } from '@/lib/runtime-switch';
+
+export const CHAT_DRAFT_PROJECT_ID = 'openchamber:chats';
+const MANAGED_CHATS_PATH_SEGMENT = '/.config/openchamber/chats/';
+const chatsRootByRuntime = new Map<string, Promise<string>>();
+
+const joinPath = (base: string, ...parts: string[]): string => {
+  const separator = base.includes('\\') ? '\\' : '/';
+  return [base.replace(/[\\/]+$/, ''), ...parts].join(separator);
+};
+
+export function isChatDirectoryForHome(directory: string | null | undefined, home: string | null | undefined): boolean {
+  const normalized = normalizePath(directory ?? null);
+  if (normalized?.includes(MANAGED_CHATS_PATH_SEGMENT)) return true;
+  const normalizedHome = normalizePath(home ?? null);
+  if (!normalized || !normalizedHome) return false;
+  const root = normalizePath(joinPath(normalizedHome, '.config', 'openchamber', 'chats'));
+  return Boolean(root && normalized.startsWith(`${root}/`));
+}
+
+export function isChatDirectoryPath(directory: string | null | undefined): boolean {
+  return normalizePath(directory ?? null)?.includes(MANAGED_CHATS_PATH_SEGMENT) === true;
+}
+
+export function getChatsRootFromDirectory(directory: string | null | undefined): string | null {
+  const normalized = normalizePath(directory ?? null);
+  const index = normalized?.indexOf(MANAGED_CHATS_PATH_SEGMENT) ?? -1;
+  return normalized && index >= 0
+    ? normalized.slice(0, index + MANAGED_CHATS_PATH_SEGMENT.length - 1)
+    : null;
+}
+
+export function getChatsRootForHome(home: string | null | undefined): string | null {
+  const normalizedHome = normalizePath(home ?? null);
+  return normalizedHome ? normalizePath(joinPath(normalizedHome, '.config', 'openchamber', 'chats')) : null;
+}
+
+async function getChatsRootDirectory(): Promise<string> {
+  const runtimeKey = getRuntimeKey();
+  const existing = chatsRootByRuntime.get(runtimeKey);
+  if (existing) return existing;
+
+  const pending = opencodeClient.getFilesystemHome().then((home) => {
+    if (!home) throw new Error('Unable to resolve the home directory');
+    return joinPath(home, '.config', 'openchamber', 'chats');
+  }).catch((error) => {
+    chatsRootByRuntime.delete(runtimeKey);
+    throw error;
+  });
+  chatsRootByRuntime.set(runtimeKey, pending);
+  return pending;
+}
+
+export function warmChatsRootDirectory(): void {
+  void getChatsRootDirectory().catch(() => undefined);
+}
+
+export async function createChatDirectory(now = new Date()): Promise<string> {
+  const root = await getChatsRootDirectory();
+  const date = [now.getFullYear(), String(now.getMonth() + 1).padStart(2, '0'), String(now.getDate()).padStart(2, '0')].join('-');
+  const dateDirectory = joinPath(root, date);
+  const id = globalThis.crypto?.randomUUID?.() ?? `${now.getTime()}-${Math.random().toString(36).slice(2)}`;
+  const directory = joinPath(dateDirectory, `session-${id}`);
+  await opencodeClient.createDirectory(directory);
+  return directory;
+}
+
+async function isChatDirectory(directory: string | null | undefined): Promise<boolean> {
+  const normalized = normalizePath(directory ?? null);
+  if (!normalized) return false;
+  const root = normalizePath(await getChatsRootDirectory());
+  return Boolean(root && (normalized === root || normalized.startsWith(`${root}/`)));
+}
+
+export async function deleteChatDirectory(directory: string): Promise<void> {
+  if (!await isChatDirectory(directory)) return;
+  const response = await runtimeFetch('/api/fs/delete', {
+    method: 'POST',
+    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+    body: JSON.stringify({ path: directory }),
+  });
+  if (!response.ok && response.status !== 404) {
+    throw new Error(`Failed to delete chat directory (${response.status})`);
+  }
+}
@@ -415,6 +415,8 @@ export const dict = {
  'sessions.sidebar.empty.noMatches.title': 'Keine passenden Sitzungen',
  'sessions.sidebar.empty.noMatches.description': 'Versuchen Sie einen anderen Titel, Branch, Ordner oder Pfad.',
  'sessions.sidebar.activity.recentTitle': 'kürzlich',
+  'sessions.sidebar.activity.chatsTitle': 'Chats',
+  'chat.chatInput.chooseProject': 'Projekt auswählen',
  'sessions.switcher.openAria': 'Sitzungswechsler öffnen',
  'sessions.switcher.empty': 'Keine kürzlichen Sitzungen',
  'sessions.switcher.draftTitle': 'Neue Sitzung',
@@ -437,6 +437,8 @@ export const dict = {
  'sessions.sidebar.empty.noMatches.title': 'No matching sessions',
  'sessions.sidebar.empty.noMatches.description': 'Try a different title, branch, folder, or path.',
  'sessions.sidebar.activity.recentTitle': 'recent',
+  'sessions.sidebar.activity.chatsTitle': 'chats',
+  'chat.chatInput.chooseProject': 'Choose project',
  'sessions.archivePage.allDirectories': 'All directories',
  'sessions.sidebar.header.displayMode.stickyHeaders': 'Sticky project headers',
  'sessions.sidebar.header.grouping.label': 'Group sessions',
@@ -438,6 +438,8 @@ export const dict: Record<I18nKey, string> = {
  "sessions.sidebar.empty.noMatches.title": "No hay sesiones coincidentes",
  "sessions.sidebar.empty.noMatches.description": "Inténtalo con un título, rama, carpeta o ruta diferente.",
  "sessions.sidebar.activity.recentTitle": "reciente",
+  "sessions.sidebar.activity.chatsTitle": "chats",
+  "chat.chatInput.chooseProject": "Elegir proyecto",
  "sessions.archivePage.allDirectories": "Todos los directorios",
  "sessions.sidebar.header.displayMode.stickyHeaders": "Encabezados de proyecto fijos",
  "sessions.sidebar.header.grouping.label": "Agrupar sesiones",
@@ -268,6 +268,8 @@ export const dict = {
  'sessions.sidebar.empty.noMatches.title': 'Aucune session correspondante',
  'sessions.sidebar.empty.noMatches.description': 'Essayez un autre titre, branche, dossier ou chemin.',
  'sessions.sidebar.activity.recentTitle': 'récent',
+  'sessions.sidebar.activity.chatsTitle': 'discussions',
+  'chat.chatInput.chooseProject': 'Choisir un projet',
  'sessions.archivePage.allDirectories': 'Tous les répertoires',
  'sessions.sidebar.header.displayMode.stickyHeaders': 'Épingler les en-têtes de projet',
  'sessions.sidebar.header.grouping.label': 'Regrouper les sessions',
@@ -438,6 +438,8 @@ export const dict: Record<I18nKey, string> = {
  'sessions.sidebar.empty.noMatches.title': '一致するセッションがありません',
  'sessions.sidebar.empty.noMatches.description': '別のタイトル、ブランチ、フォルダ、パスをお試しください。',
  'sessions.sidebar.activity.recentTitle': '最近',
+  'sessions.sidebar.activity.chatsTitle': 'チャット',
+  'chat.chatInput.chooseProject': 'プロジェクトを選択',
  'sessions.archivePage.allDirectories': 'すべてのディレクトリ',
  'sessions.sidebar.header.displayMode.stickyHeaders': 'プロジェクトヘッダーを固定',
  'sessions.sidebar.header.grouping.label': 'セッションのグループ化',
@@ -438,6 +438,8 @@ export const dict: Record<I18nKey, string> = {
  'sessions.sidebar.empty.noMatches.title': '일치하는 세션 없음',
  'sessions.sidebar.empty.noMatches.description': '다른 제목, 브랜치, 폴더 또는 경로로 검색해 보세요.',
  'sessions.sidebar.activity.recentTitle': '최근',
+  'sessions.sidebar.activity.chatsTitle': '채팅',
+  'chat.chatInput.chooseProject': '프로젝트 선택',
  'sessions.archivePage.allDirectories': '모든 디렉터리',
  'sessions.sidebar.header.displayMode.stickyHeaders': '프로젝트 헤더 고정',
  'sessions.sidebar.header.grouping.label': '세션 그룹화',
@@ -249,6 +249,8 @@ export const dict: Record<I18nKey, string> = {
  'sessions.sidebar.empty.noMatches.title': 'Brak pasujących sesji',
  'sessions.sidebar.empty.noMatches.description': 'Spróbuj innego tytułu, gałęzi, folderu lub ścieżki.',
  'sessions.sidebar.activity.recentTitle': 'ostatnie',
+  'sessions.sidebar.activity.chatsTitle': 'czaty',
+  'chat.chatInput.chooseProject': 'Wybierz projekt',
  'sessions.archivePage.allDirectories': 'Wszystkie katalogi',
  'sessions.sidebar.header.displayMode.stickyHeaders': 'Przyklejone nagłówki projektów',
  'sessions.sidebar.header.grouping.label': 'Grupowanie sesji',
@@ -438,6 +438,8 @@ export const dict: Record<I18nKey, string> = {
  "sessions.sidebar.empty.noMatches.title": "Não há sessões coincidentes",
  "sessions.sidebar.empty.noMatches.description": "Tente com outro título, branch, pasta ou caminho.",
  "sessions.sidebar.activity.recentTitle": "recente",
+  "sessions.sidebar.activity.chatsTitle": "conversas",
+  "chat.chatInput.chooseProject": "Escolher projeto",
  "sessions.archivePage.allDirectories": "Todos os diretórios",
  "sessions.sidebar.header.displayMode.stickyHeaders": "Cabeçalhos de projeto fixos",
  "sessions.sidebar.header.grouping.label": "Agrupar sessões",
@@ -438,6 +438,8 @@ export const dict: Record<I18nKey, string> = {
  "sessions.sidebar.empty.noMatches.title": "Немає відповідних сесій",
  "sessions.sidebar.empty.noMatches.description": "Спробуйте інший заголовок, гілку, папку або шлях.",
  "sessions.sidebar.activity.recentTitle": "Останні",
+  "sessions.sidebar.activity.chatsTitle": "Чати",
+  "chat.chatInput.chooseProject": "Вибрати проєкт",
  "sessions.archivePage.allDirectories": "Всі директорії",
  "sessions.sidebar.header.displayMode.stickyHeaders": "Липкі заголовки проектів",
  "sessions.sidebar.header.grouping.label": "Групування сесій",
@@ -438,6 +438,8 @@ export const dict: Record<I18nKey, string> = {
  'sessions.sidebar.empty.noMatches.title': '没有匹配的会话',
  'sessions.sidebar.empty.noMatches.description': '请尝试其他标题、分支、文件夹或路径。',
  'sessions.sidebar.activity.recentTitle': '最近',
+  'sessions.sidebar.activity.chatsTitle': '聊天',
+  'chat.chatInput.chooseProject': '选择项目',
  'sessions.archivePage.allDirectories': '所有目录',
  'sessions.sidebar.header.displayMode.stickyHeaders': '固定项目标题',
  'sessions.sidebar.header.grouping.label': '会话分组',
@@ -451,6 +451,8 @@ export const dict: Record<I18nKey, string> = {
  'sessions.sidebar.empty.noMatches.title': '沒有符合的會話',
  'sessions.sidebar.empty.noMatches.description': '請嘗試其他標題、分支、資料夾或路徑。',
  'sessions.sidebar.activity.recentTitle': '最近',
+  'sessions.sidebar.activity.chatsTitle': '聊天',
+  'chat.chatInput.chooseProject': '選擇專案',
  'sessions.archivePage.allDirectories': '所有目錄',
  'sessions.sidebar.header.displayMode.stickyHeaders': '固定專案標題',
  'sessions.sidebar.header.grouping.label': '工作階段分組',
@@ -1,7 +1,29 @@
 import { describe, expect, test } from 'bun:test'
-import type { OpencodeClient } from '@opencode-ai/sdk/v2'
+import type { OpencodeClient, Session } from '@opencode-ai/sdk/v2'

-import { listGlobalSessionPages, splitGlobalSessionsByArchived } from './globalSessions'
+import { filterManagedChatsForRuntime, listGlobalSessionPages, splitGlobalSessionsByArchived } from './globalSessions'
+
+describe('managed Chats runtime visibility', () => {
+  const session = (id: string, directory: string): Session => ({
+    id,
+    slug: id,
+    projectID: 'project',
+    directory,
+    title: id,
+    version: '1',
+    time: { created: 1, updated: 1 },
+  })
+  const chat = session('chat', '/home/user/.config/openchamber/chats/2026-08-21/session-a')
+  const project = session('project', '/workspace/project')
+
+  test('VS Code rejects managed Chats before they enter global state', () => {
+    expect(filterManagedChatsForRuntime([chat, project], true)).toEqual([project])
+  })
+
+  test('other runtimes retain managed Chats', () => {
+    expect(filterManagedChatsForRuntime([chat, project], false)).toEqual([chat, project])
+  })
+})

 describe('listGlobalSessionPages', () => {
  test('sanitizes session list records before returning them', async () => {
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { runBackgroundNetworkTask } from '@/lib/background-network';
 import { retry } from "@/sync/retry";
 import { stripSessionListDetails } from "@/sync/sanitize";
 import { startSessionLoadPerformanceEvent } from "@/sync/session-load-performance";
+import { isChatDirectoryPath } from '@/lib/chatDirectories';

 export type GlobalSessionRecord = Session & {
    project?: {
@@ -12,6 +13,12 @@ export type GlobalSessionRecord = Session & {
    } | null;
 };

+export const filterManagedChatsForRuntime = (sessions: Session[], vscode: boolean): Session[] => (
+    vscode
+        ? sessions.filter((session) => !isChatDirectoryPath(session.directory))
+        : sessions
+);
+
 const toNumber = (value: string | null): number | null => {
    if (!value) {
        return null;
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 import { create } from 'zustand';
 import type { OpencodeClient, Session } from '@opencode-ai/sdk/v2';
 import { opencodeClient } from '@/lib/opencode/client';
-import { listGlobalSessionPages, splitGlobalSessionsByArchived } from '@/stores/globalSessions';
+import { filterManagedChatsForRuntime, listGlobalSessionPages, splitGlobalSessionsByArchived } from '@/stores/globalSessions';
 import { getReviewTransferDirection, type ReviewTransferDirection } from '@/lib/reviewFlow';
 import { getOriginalSessionID, getReviewSessionID } from '@/lib/sessionReviewMetadata';
 import { normalizePath } from '@/lib/pathNormalization';
 import { raiseSessionOrderingBaselines } from '@/sync/session-ordering';
 import { mapWithConcurrency } from '@/lib/concurrency';
+import { persistManagedChatSessions, readManagedChatSessions } from '@/sync/persist-cache';
+import { isVSCodeRuntime } from '@/lib/desktop';

 type GlobalSessionsStatus = 'idle' | 'loading' | 'ready' | 'error';

@@ -363,6 +365,10 @@ const applySnapshot = (
  archivedSessions: Session[],
  status: GlobalSessionsStatus,
 ): Partial<GlobalSessionsState> | GlobalSessionsState => {
+  if (isVSCodeRuntime()) {
+    activeSessions = filterManagedChatsForRuntime(activeSessions, true);
+    archivedSessions = filterManagedChatsForRuntime(archivedSessions, true);
+  }
  const nextActiveSessions = sameSessionList(state.activeSessions, activeSessions)
    ? state.activeSessions
    : activeSessions;
@@ -430,6 +436,10 @@ const mutationRevisionPatch = (state: GlobalSessionsState, ids: Iterable<string>
 };

 const applySessionUpserts = (state: GlobalSessionsState, sessions: Session[]): Partial<GlobalSessionsState> => {
+  if (isVSCodeRuntime()) {
+    sessions = filterManagedChatsForRuntime(sessions, true);
+    if (sessions.length === 0) return state;
+  }
  const revisionPatch = mutationRevisionPatch(state, sessions.map((session) => session.id));
  let nextActiveSessions = state.activeSessions;
  let nextArchivedSessions = state.archivedSessions;
@@ -483,11 +493,13 @@ const buildReviewTransferMap = (sessions: Session[]): Map<string, ReviewTransfer
  return next
 }

+const initialManagedChatSessions = readManagedChatSessions();
+
 export const useGlobalSessionsStore = create<GlobalSessionsState>((set, get) => ({
-  activeSessions: [],
+  activeSessions: initialManagedChatSessions,
  archivedSessions: [],
-  sessionsByDirectory: new Map(),
-  reviewTransferBySessionId: new Map(),
+  sessionsByDirectory: buildSessionsByDirectory(initialManagedChatSessions),
+  reviewTransferBySessionId: buildReviewTransferMap(initialManagedChatSessions),
  mutationRevision: 0,
  mutationRevisionBySessionId: new Map(),
  hasLoaded: false,
@@ -504,11 +516,12 @@ export const useGlobalSessionsStore = create<GlobalSessionsState>((set, get) =>
  resetForRuntimeSwitch: () => {
    loadGeneration += 1;
    inflightLoad = null;
+    const managedChatSessions = readManagedChatSessions();
    set({
-      activeSessions: [],
+      activeSessions: managedChatSessions,
      archivedSessions: [],
-      sessionsByDirectory: new Map(),
-      reviewTransferBySessionId: new Map(),
+      sessionsByDirectory: buildSessionsByDirectory(managedChatSessions),
+      reviewTransferBySessionId: buildReviewTransferMap(managedChatSessions),
      mutationRevision: 0,
      mutationRevisionBySessionId: new Map(),
      hasLoaded: false,
@@ -722,6 +735,15 @@ export const useGlobalSessionsStore = create<GlobalSessionsState>((set, get) =>
  },
 }));

+useGlobalSessionsStore.subscribe((state, previous) => {
+  if (
+    state.activeSessions !== previous.activeSessions
+    && (state.status !== 'idle' || state.activeSessions.length > 0)
+  ) {
+    persistManagedChatSessions(state.activeSessions);
+  }
+});
+
 export const ensureGlobalSessionsLoaded = async (fallbackActive?: Session[]): Promise<LoadResult> => {
  const state = useGlobalSessionsStore.getState();
  if (state.hasLoaded && state.status !== 'error') {
@@ -324,6 +324,16 @@ metadata and the next authoritative load reconciles it.

 ## The golden rule

+### Managed chat directories
+
+Ordinary user-created drafts default to the OpenChamber-managed Chat target. The first submit creates one isolated directory under `~/.config/openchamber/chats/YYYY-MM-DD/session-<id>` before creating the OpenCode session. The shared `~/.config/openchamber/chats` root acts as a system project owner for sidebar membership and Notes, Todo, Plans, pinned knowledge, and project memory, but it is never persisted or rendered as a user project and exposes no Git/worktree controls. Project and worktree actions remain explicit targets. Archiving retains a chat directory so restore remains lossless. Confirmed deletion removes that managed directory and never removes project directories.
+
+Typing the first character in a managed Chat draft starts one deduplicated directory preparation for that draft. Materialization consumes the prepared directory before `createSession`, removing filesystem creation from the usual submit path. Closing the draft, changing it to a project target, or completing preparation after the runtime/draft changed deletes the unclaimed directory. A create failure also deletes the consumed directory.
+
+The global sessions store persists and hydrates one bounded, runtime-scoped startup snapshot containing only active managed chat sessions. Every global session surface, including the main sidebar and Electron Mini Chat switcher, sees that stale snapshot while the global list is unresolved or failed; the first authoritative global snapshot replaces it. Runtime reset to idle must hydrate rather than erase the destination runtime's snapshot; authoritative empty, archive, and delete updates do persist the resulting empty or reduced list.
+
+VS Code intentionally has no managed Chats mode. It neither reads nor writes the managed Chats startup cache, regular drafts continue to target the open workspace, and the global session store rejects managed chat sessions from both snapshots and live upserts before any VS Code surface can consume them. Sidebar and switcher filters repeat that exclusion defensively.
+
 When creating a draft in `handleDirectoryEvent`, **only clone the state fields the event will mutate**. Never spread all fields eagerly.

 ```typescript
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ mock.module("@/stores/utils/safeStorage", () => ({
 mock.module("@/lib/opencode/client", () => ({
  opencodeClient: {
    getDirectory: () => null,
+    getFilesystemHome: mock(async () => "/home/test"),
+    createDirectory: mock(async (path: string) => ({ success: true, path })),
    setDirectory: mock(() => undefined),
  },
 }))
@@ -327,9 +329,11 @@ describe("issue 2039 draft auto-accept", () => {
      currentSessionId: null,
      currentSessionDirectory: null,
      newSessionDraft: {
+        draftId: 0,
        open: false,
        directoryOverride: null,
        parentID: null,
+        target: "chat",
      },
    })
  })
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, test } from "bun:test"
 import type { Session } from "@opencode-ai/sdk/v2/client"
 import { switchRuntimeEndpoint } from "@/lib/runtime-switch"
-import { persistSessions, readDirCache } from "./persist-cache"
+import { persistManagedChatSessions, persistSessions, readDirCache, readManagedChatSessions } from "./persist-cache"
 import { getSyncPerformanceDiagnostics, setSyncPerformanceDiagnosticsEnabled } from "./performance-diagnostics"

 class TestStorage implements Storage {
@@ -81,6 +81,17 @@ afterEach(() => {
 })

 describe("persisted directory sessions", () => {
+  test("keeps one runtime-scoped startup snapshot for managed chats", async () => {
+    const chat = session(1, 2, "Chat", "/home/user/.config/openchamber/chats/2026-08-21/session-a")
+    persistManagedChatSessions([session(2, 3), chat])
+    await waitForPersistence()
+
+    expect(readManagedChatSessions().map((item) => item.id)).toEqual([chat.id])
+
+    switchRuntimeEndpoint({ apiBaseUrl: "https://runtime-other.test", runtimeKey: "runtime-other" })
+    expect(readManagedChatSessions()).toEqual([])
+  })
+
  test("keeps the 50 most recently updated sessions across restart reads", async () => {
    const sessions = Array.from({ length: 60 }, (_, updated) => session(59 - updated, updated))

@@ -10,11 +10,14 @@ import type { Session, VcsInfo } from "@opencode-ai/sdk/v2/client"
 import type { ProjectMeta } from "./types"
 import { getRuntimeKey, subscribeRuntimeEndpointWillChange } from "@/lib/runtime-switch"
 import { countSyncPersistenceSerialization, countSyncPersistenceStorageWrite } from "./performance-diagnostics"
+import { isChatDirectoryPath } from "@/lib/chatDirectories"
+import { isVSCodeRuntime } from "@/lib/desktop"

 /** Cap persisted session lists so localStorage stays bounded per directory. */
 const PERSISTED_SESSION_LIMIT = 50
 const SESSION_CACHE_FALLBACK_LIMITS = [PERSISTED_SESSION_LIMIT, 25, 10, 5, 1] as const
 const SESSION_PERSIST_DEBOUNCE_MS = 50
+const MANAGED_CHATS_CACHE_SCOPE = "openchamber:managed-chats"

 type PendingSessionWrite = {
  runtimeKey: string
@@ -241,6 +244,21 @@ export function persistSessions(directory: string, sessions: Session[] | undefin
  scheduleSessionCacheWrite(directory, sessions)
 }

+export function readManagedChatSessions(expectedRuntimeKey = getRuntimeKey()): Session[] {
+  if (isVSCodeRuntime()) return []
+  if (expectedRuntimeKey !== getRuntimeKey()) return []
+  return readDirCache(MANAGED_CHATS_CACHE_SCOPE).sessions?.filter((session) => (
+    isChatDirectoryPath(session.directory)
+  )) ?? []
+}
+
+export function persistManagedChatSessions(sessions: Session[]): void {
+  if (isVSCodeRuntime()) return
+  persistSessions(MANAGED_CHATS_CACHE_SCOPE, sessions.filter((session) => (
+    isChatDirectoryPath(session.directory)
+  )))
+}
+
 /** Write vcs info to cache */
 export function persistVcs(directory: string, vcs: VcsInfo | undefined): void {
  writeCache(directory, "vcs", vcs)
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ mock.module("@/lib/opencode/client", () => ({
      return mockScopedClient
    },
    getDirectory: () => "/test/project",
+    getFilesystemHome: mock(async () => "/home/test"),
    getSdkClient: () => mockSdk,
    replyToPermission: mock((requestId: string, reply: string, options?: { directory?: string | null }) => {
      replyCalls.push({ method: "permission.reply", params: { requestID: requestId, reply, directory: options?.directory } })
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import { getStaleRunningToolMessageID } from "./materialization"
 import { normalizePath } from "@/lib/pathNormalization"
 import { mergeMessages } from "./optimistic"
 import { messagesBefore, messagesFrom } from "./message-ordering"
+import { deleteChatDirectory } from "@/lib/chatDirectories"

 const MESSAGE_REFETCH_LIMIT = 100
 const SEND_CONFIRMATION_REFETCH_LIMIT = 30
@@ -919,6 +920,15 @@ function finalizeConfirmedSessionDeletion(
  }
 }

+async function cleanupDeletedChatDirectory(directory: string | undefined, deleteDirectory: boolean): Promise<void> {
+  if (!directory || !deleteDirectory) return
+  try {
+    await deleteChatDirectory(directory)
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.warn("[session-actions] deleted chat directory cleanup failed", error)
+  }
+}
+
 export type DeleteSessionOptions = {
  /**
   * Runtime key the deletion is scoped to. Defaults to the active runtime when
@@ -947,6 +957,8 @@ export async function deleteSession(sessionId: string, options?: DeleteSessionOp
  const expectedRuntimeKey = options?.expectedRuntimeKey ?? getRuntimeKey()
  if (isStaleRuntime(expectedRuntimeKey)) return false
  const sessionDirectory = getSessionDirectory(sessionId)
+  const sessionSnapshot = getGlobalSessionSnapshot(sessionId)
+  const deleteManagedDirectory = Boolean(sessionSnapshot && sessionSnapshot.parentID == null)
  try {
    await cleanupReviewMetadataBeforeDelete(sessionId, sessionDirectory, expectedRuntimeKey)
    if (isStaleRuntime(expectedRuntimeKey)) return false
@@ -956,6 +968,7 @@ export async function deleteSession(sessionId: string, options?: DeleteSessionOp
      throw new Error("session.delete failed: server did not confirm deletion")
    }
    finalizeConfirmedSessionDeletion(sessionId, sessionDirectory, expectedRuntimeKey)
+    await cleanupDeletedChatDirectory(sessionDirectory, deleteManagedDirectory)
    return true
  } catch (error) {
    console.error("[session-actions] deleteSession failed", error)
@@ -965,6 +978,7 @@ export async function deleteSession(sessionId: string, options?: DeleteSessionOp
    if ((error as { status?: number })?.status === 404) {
      if (isStaleRuntime(expectedRuntimeKey)) return false
      finalizeConfirmedSessionDeletion(sessionId, sessionDirectory, expectedRuntimeKey)
+      await cleanupDeletedChatDirectory(sessionDirectory, deleteManagedDirectory)
      return true
    }
    return false
@@ -978,6 +992,8 @@ export async function deleteSessionInDirectory(
  expectedRuntimeKey = getRuntimeKey(),
 ): Promise<boolean> {
  if (isStaleRuntime(expectedRuntimeKey)) return false
+  const sessionSnapshot = getGlobalSessionSnapshot(sessionId)
+  const deleteManagedDirectory = Boolean(sessionSnapshot && sessionSnapshot.parentID == null)
  try {
    await cleanupReviewMetadataBeforeDelete(sessionId, directory, expectedRuntimeKey)
    if (isStaleRuntime(expectedRuntimeKey)) return false
@@ -987,12 +1003,14 @@ export async function deleteSessionInDirectory(
      throw new Error("session.delete failed: server did not confirm deletion")
    }
    finalizeConfirmedSessionDeletion(sessionId, directory, expectedRuntimeKey)
+    await cleanupDeletedChatDirectory(directory, deleteManagedDirectory)
    return true
  } catch (error) {
    console.error("[session-actions] deleteSessionInDirectory failed", error)
    if ((error as { status?: number })?.status === 404) {
      if (isStaleRuntime(expectedRuntimeKey)) return false
      finalizeConfirmedSessionDeletion(sessionId, directory, expectedRuntimeKey)
+      await cleanupDeletedChatDirectory(directory, deleteManagedDirectory)
      return true
    }
    return false
@@ -370,16 +370,17 @@ describe('openNewSessionDraft project binding', () => {
    useDirectoryStore.getState().setDirectory(projectB.path, { showOverlay: false });
  });

-  test('keeps implicit draft on current directory when active project differs', () => {
+  test('defaults an implicit draft to Chat when active project differs', () => {
    useSessionUIStore.getState().openNewSessionDraft();
    const draft = useSessionUIStore.getState().newSessionDraft;

    expect(draft.open).toBe(true);
-    expect(draft.selectedProjectId).toBe(projectB.id);
-    expect(draft.directoryOverride).toBe(projectB.path);
+    expect(draft.target).toBe('chat');
+    expect(draft.selectedProjectId).toBeNull();
+    expect(draft.directoryOverride).toBeNull();
  });

-  test('does not attach active project when current directory is unmatched', () => {
+  test('defaults an implicit draft to Chat when current directory is unmatched', () => {
    useDirectoryStore.getState().setDirectory('/external/worktree', { showOverlay: false });

    useSessionUIStore.getState().openNewSessionDraft();
@@ -387,7 +388,8 @@ describe('openNewSessionDraft project binding', () => {

    expect(draft.open).toBe(true);
    expect(draft.selectedProjectId).toBeNull();
-    expect(draft.directoryOverride).toBe('/external/worktree');
+    expect(draft.target).toBe('chat');
+    expect(draft.directoryOverride).toBeNull();
  });

  test('respects explicit directoryOverride over active project', () => {
@@ -464,7 +466,7 @@ describe('createSession draft lifecycle', () => {
    useDirectoryStore.getState().setDirectory('/private/deleted-worktree', { showOverlay: false });
    opencodeClient.getDirectoryAvailability = async () => 'missing';

-    useSessionUIStore.getState().openNewSessionDraft();
+    useSessionUIStore.getState().openNewSessionDraft({ directoryOverride: '/private/deleted-worktree' });
    await Bun.sleep(0);

    expect(useSessionUIStore.getState().newSessionDraft.directoryOverride).toBe('/projects/main');
@@ -482,7 +484,7 @@ describe('createSession draft lifecycle', () => {
      activeProjectId: 'project-active',
    });
    useDirectoryStore.getState().setDirectory('/private/deleted-worktree', { showOverlay: false });
-    useSessionUIStore.getState().openNewSessionDraft();
+    useSessionUIStore.getState().openNewSessionDraft({ directoryOverride: '/private/deleted-worktree' });
    opencodeClient.getDirectoryAvailability = async () => 'missing';
    opencodeClient.createSession = async (_params, directory) => {
      createSessionCalls.push(directory);
@@ -542,7 +544,7 @@ describe('createSession draft lifecycle', () => {
      activeProjectId: 'project-main',
    });
    useDirectoryStore.getState().setDirectory('/private/unavailable-worktree', { showOverlay: false });
-    useSessionUIStore.getState().openNewSessionDraft();
+    useSessionUIStore.getState().openNewSessionDraft({ directoryOverride: '/private/unavailable-worktree' });
    opencodeClient.getDirectoryAvailability = async () => 'unknown';
    opencodeClient.createSession = async (_params, directory) => {
      createSessionCalls.push(directory);
@@ -571,7 +573,7 @@ describe('createSession draft lifecycle', () => {
      return { id: 'session-race', directory };
    };

-    useSessionUIStore.getState().openNewSessionDraft();
+    useSessionUIStore.getState().openNewSessionDraft({ directoryOverride: '/private/deleted-worktree' });
    const createPromise = useSessionUIStore.getState().createSession('Draft title', '/private/deleted-worktree');
    expect(availabilityResolvers.length).toBe(2);

@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ import { useSkillsStore } from "@/stores/useSkillsStore"
 import { getDeferredSafeStorage } from "@/stores/utils/safeStorage"
 import { markPendingUserSendAnimation } from "@/lib/userSendAnimation"
 import { normalizePath } from "@/lib/pathNormalization"
+import { CHAT_DRAFT_PROJECT_ID, createChatDirectory, deleteChatDirectory, warmChatsRootDirectory } from "@/lib/chatDirectories"
+import { isVSCodeRuntime } from "@/lib/desktop"
 import { flattenAssistantTextParts } from "@/lib/messages/messageText"
 import { composeForkSessionMessage } from "@/lib/messages/executionMeta"
 import { findLatestUserModelChoice } from "@/lib/messages/userModelChoice"
@@ -258,6 +260,7 @@ function notifyMessageSent(sessionId: string): void {
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

 export type NewSessionDraftState = {
+  draftId: number
  open: boolean
  selectedProjectId?: string | null
  directoryOverride: string | null
@@ -271,6 +274,8 @@ export type NewSessionDraftState = {
  syntheticParts?: SyntheticContextPart[]
  targetFolderId?: string
  projectContextPins?: { notes: string[]; plans: string[] }
+  target: "chat" | "project"
+  preparedChatDirectory?: string | null
 }

 export type ViewportAnchor = {
@@ -316,6 +321,7 @@ export type SessionUIState = {
  prepareForRuntimeSwitch: (apiBaseUrl?: string | null) => void
  restoreForRuntimeSwitch: (apiBaseUrl?: string | null) => void
  openNewSessionDraft: (options?: Partial<NewSessionDraftState> & { automatic?: boolean }) => void
+  prepareChatDraftDirectory: () => Promise<string | null>
  closeNewSessionDraft: () => void
  setNewSessionDraftTarget: (target: { projectId?: string | null; selectedProjectId?: string | null; directoryOverride?: string | null }, options?: { force?: boolean }) => void
  setDraftPreserveDirectoryOverride: (value: boolean) => void
@@ -548,10 +554,14 @@ const activateConfigForDirectory = async (directory: string | null | undefined):
 }

 const DEFAULT_DRAFT: NewSessionDraftState = {
+  draftId: 0,
  open: false,
  directoryOverride: null,
  parentID: null,
+  target: "chat",
 }
+let nextDraftId = 1
+const pendingChatDirectoryByDraft = new Map<string, Promise<string | null>>()

 const activeSessionByRuntime = new Map<string, string | null>()
 type RuntimeSessionMemory = {
@@ -726,6 +736,18 @@ export async function materializeOpenDraftSession(selection: {
    store.resolvePendingDraftWorktreeTarget(draft.pendingWorktreeRequestId, draftDirectoryOverride)
  }

+  const isChatDraft = draft.target === "chat"
+  if (isChatDraft) {
+    draftDirectoryOverride = await store.prepareChatDraftDirectory()
+    if (!draftDirectoryOverride) throw new Error("Failed to prepare chat directory")
+    const currentDraft = useSessionUIStore.getState().newSessionDraft
+    if (currentDraft.draftId === draft.draftId) {
+      useSessionUIStore.setState({
+        newSessionDraft: { ...currentDraft, preparedChatDirectory: null },
+      })
+    }
+  }
+
  await waitForWorktreeBootstrapIfConfigured(draftDirectoryOverride, draftProjectId)

  const draftPins = draft.projectContextPins ?? { notes: [], plans: [] }
@@ -737,7 +759,12 @@ export async function materializeOpenDraftSession(selection: {
      ? { openchamber: { project_context_pins: draftPins } }
      : undefined,
  )
-  if (!created?.id) throw new Error("Failed to create session")
+  if (!created?.id) {
+    if (isChatDraft && draftDirectoryOverride) {
+      await deleteChatDirectory(draftDirectoryOverride).catch(() => undefined)
+    }
+    throw new Error("Failed to create session")
+  }

  // The server response is authoritative. It may canonicalize a requested
  // worktree path (for example through a symlink or platform path casing).
@@ -989,7 +1016,16 @@ export const useSessionUIStore = create<SessionUIState>()((set, get) => ({
    const explicitDirectory = options?.directoryOverride !== undefined
      ? normalizePath(options.directoryOverride)
      : null
-    const explicitProject = options?.selectedProjectId
+    let target = isVSCodeRuntime() ? "project" : options?.target
+    if (!target) {
+      const hasExplicitProjectTarget = options?.directoryOverride !== undefined
+        || (options?.selectedProjectId !== undefined && options.selectedProjectId !== CHAT_DRAFT_PROJECT_ID)
+        || isVSCodeRuntime()
+      target = options?.selectedProjectId === CHAT_DRAFT_PROJECT_ID || !hasExplicitProjectTarget
+        ? "chat"
+        : "project"
+    }
+    const explicitProject = target === "project" && options?.selectedProjectId
      ? projects.find((p) => p.id === options.selectedProjectId) ?? null
      : null

@@ -1006,14 +1042,14 @@ export const useSessionUIStore = create<SessionUIState>()((set, get) => ({
    const persistedProjectByDir = resolveDraftProjectForDirectory(projects, availableWorktreesByProject, persistedTarget?.directory ?? null)
    const currentDirProject = resolveDraftProjectForDirectory(projects, availableWorktreesByProject, currentDirectory)

-    const selectedProject = (() => {
+    const selectedProject = target === "chat" ? null : (() => {
      if (explicitProject) return explicitProject
      if (explicitDirectory !== null) return inferredProjectFromDir
      if (currentDirectory) return currentDirProject
      return persistedProjectByDir ?? persistedProjectById ?? fallbackProject
    })()

-    const directory = (() => {
+    const directory = target === "chat" ? null : (() => {
      if (explicitDirectory !== null) return explicitDirectory
      if (explicitProject) return normalizePath(explicitProject.path ?? null)
      if (currentDirectory) return currentDirectory
@@ -1021,10 +1057,17 @@ export const useSessionUIStore = create<SessionUIState>()((set, get) => ({
      return normalizePath(selectedProject?.path ?? null)
    })()

+    if (target === "chat") {
+      warmChatsRootDirectory()
+    }
+
    persistDraftTarget({ projectId: selectedProject?.id ?? null, directory })

    const nextDraft: NewSessionDraftState = {
+      draftId: nextDraftId++,
      open: true,
+      target,
+      preparedChatDirectory: null,
      selectedProjectId: selectedProject?.id ?? null,
      directoryOverride: directory,
      permissionAutoAcceptEnabled: options?.permissionAutoAcceptEnabled === true,
@@ -1040,9 +1083,7 @@ export const useSessionUIStore = create<SessionUIState>()((set, get) => ({
    }

    set({
-      newSessionDraft: {
-        ...nextDraft,
-      },
+      newSessionDraft: nextDraft,
      currentSessionId: null,
      currentSessionDirectory: null,
      error: null,
@@ -1078,11 +1119,44 @@ export const useSessionUIStore = create<SessionUIState>()((set, get) => ({
    void recoverStaleDraftDirectory(nextDraft)
  },

+  prepareChatDraftDirectory: async () => {
+    const draft = get().newSessionDraft
+    if (!draft.open || draft.target !== "chat") return null
+    if (draft.preparedChatDirectory) return draft.preparedChatDirectory
+
+    const runtimeKey = getRuntimeKey()
+    const key = `${runtimeKey}:${draft.draftId}`
+    const existing = pendingChatDirectoryByDraft.get(key)
+    if (existing) return existing
+
+    const pending = createChatDirectory().then(async (directory) => {
+      const current = get().newSessionDraft
+      if (
+        getRuntimeKey() !== runtimeKey
+        || !current.open
+        || current.target !== "chat"
+        || current.draftId !== draft.draftId
+      ) {
+        await deleteChatDirectory(directory).catch(() => undefined)
+        return null
+      }
+      set({ newSessionDraft: { ...current, preparedChatDirectory: directory } })
+      return directory
+    }).finally(() => {
+      pendingChatDirectoryByDraft.delete(key)
+    })
+    pendingChatDirectoryByDraft.set(key, pending)
+    return pending
+  },
+
  // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
  // closeNewSessionDraft
  // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
  closeNewSessionDraft: () => {
    const currentDraft = get().newSessionDraft
+    if (currentDraft.preparedChatDirectory) {
+      void deleteChatDirectory(currentDraft.preparedChatDirectory).catch(() => undefined)
+    }
    if (
      !currentDraft.open
      && currentDraft.selectedProjectId == null
@@ -1100,18 +1174,21 @@ export const useSessionUIStore = create<SessionUIState>()((set, get) => ({
      return
    }
    const nextDraft: NewSessionDraftState = {
-        open: false,
-        selectedProjectId: null,
-        directoryOverride: null,
-        pendingWorktreeRequestId: null,
-        bootstrapPendingDirectory: null,
-        preserveDirectoryOverride: false,
-        parentID: null,
-        title: undefined,
-        initialPrompt: undefined,
-        syntheticParts: undefined,
-        targetFolderId: undefined,
-      }
+      draftId: currentDraft.draftId,
+      open: false,
+      target: "chat",
+      preparedChatDirectory: null,
+      selectedProjectId: null,
+      directoryOverride: null,
+      pendingWorktreeRequestId: null,
+      bootstrapPendingDirectory: null,
+      preserveDirectoryOverride: false,
+      parentID: null,
+      title: undefined,
+      initialPrompt: undefined,
+      syntheticParts: undefined,
+      targetFolderId: undefined,
+    }
    set({
      newSessionDraft: nextDraft,
    })
@@ -1119,14 +1196,21 @@ export const useSessionUIStore = create<SessionUIState>()((set, get) => ({
  },

  setNewSessionDraftTarget: (target) => {
+    if (isVSCodeRuntime() && target.projectId === CHAT_DRAFT_PROJECT_ID) return
+    const previousDraft = get().newSessionDraft
+    if (previousDraft.preparedChatDirectory && target.projectId !== CHAT_DRAFT_PROJECT_ID) {
+      void deleteChatDirectory(previousDraft.preparedChatDirectory).catch(() => undefined)
+    }
    let nextDirectory: string | null = null
    set((s) => {
      nextDirectory = normalizePath(target.directoryOverride ?? s.newSessionDraft.directoryOverride)
      return {
        newSessionDraft: {
          ...s.newSessionDraft,
+          target: target.projectId === CHAT_DRAFT_PROJECT_ID ? "chat" : "project",
+          preparedChatDirectory: target.projectId === CHAT_DRAFT_PROJECT_ID ? s.newSessionDraft.preparedChatDirectory : null,
          selectedProjectId: target.projectId ?? target.selectedProjectId ?? s.newSessionDraft.selectedProjectId,
-          directoryOverride: target.directoryOverride ?? s.newSessionDraft.directoryOverride,
+          directoryOverride: target.projectId === CHAT_DRAFT_PROJECT_ID ? null : target.directoryOverride ?? s.newSessionDraft.directoryOverride,
        },
      }
    })