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.

packages/ui/src/components/chat/ChatContainer.tsx

@@ -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">

packages/ui/src/components/chat/ChatInput.tsx

@@ -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) {

packages/ui/src/components/chat/composer/state/useDraftTarget.ts

@@ -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);
         }

packages/ui/src/components/chat/composer/ui/DraftTargetSelectors.tsx

@@ -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}

packages/ui/src/components/layout/Header.tsx

@@ -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 || '');

packages/ui/src/components/layout/RightSidebarTabs.tsx

@@ -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) {

packages/ui/src/components/mini-chat/MiniChatLayout.tsx

@@ -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" />

packages/ui/src/components/session/SessionSidebar.tsx

@@ -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)

packages/ui/src/components/session/sidebar/DOCUMENTATION.md

@@ -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.

packages/ui/src/components/session/sidebar/SidebarActivitySections.tsx

@@ -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')}>

packages/ui/src/components/session/sidebar/hooks/useSwitcherItems.ts

@@ -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;
 };

packages/ui/src/components/session/sidebar/sidebarSessionSources.test.ts

@@ -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]);
+  });
+});

packages/ui/src/components/session/sidebar/sidebarSessionSources.ts

@@ -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;
+}