Add projectless chats

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Added
+
+- Chats: start a session without a project from **Chats** in the project rail or **File → New Chat** (`⌘N` / `Ctrl+N`). Chats are saved and listed in their own sidebar section, where they can be renamed, pinned, archived, searched and deleted like project sessions, and they run in a folder MonoCode keeps for them instead of the home directory. A chat can be moved into a project later from the project picker in its composer: the conversation is carried over as a brief on the next turn, and files the agent wrote in the chats folder stay there. In #757.
+
 ## [0.8.0] - 2026-10-06
 
 ### Added

src-tauri/src/lib.rs

@@ -71,6 +71,19 @@ fn home_dir() -> String {
         .unwrap_or_else(|| "~".into())
 }
 
+/// Folder projectless chats run in, so an agent with no project is not turned
+/// loose on the whole home directory.
+#[tauri::command]
+fn chat_workspace_dir(app: tauri::AppHandle) -> Result<String, String> {
+    let dir = app
+        .path()
+        .app_data_dir()
+        .map_err(|e| e.to_string())?
+        .join("chats");
+    std::fs::create_dir_all(&dir).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
+    Ok(fs::path_to_js(&dir))
+}
+
 pub(crate) struct PasswdIdentity {
     pub home: String,
     pub user: String,
@@ -282,6 +295,7 @@ pub fn run() {
             control::app_cli_path,
             default_cwd,
             home_dir,
+            chat_workspace_dir,
             notifications::notification_permission,
             notifications::request_notification_permission,
             notifications::show_notification,

src-tauri/src/menu.rs

@@ -153,16 +153,17 @@ pub fn dispatch(app: &AppHandle, id: &str) {
         | "open_settings" | "check_for_updates" => {
             let _ = app.emit(id, ());
         }
-        // Sidebar, Zoom, Reload, Command Palette, and Close All Tabs target one window: a broadcast would
-        // make every window act on a single menu click.
+        // Sidebar, Zoom, Reload, Command Palette, Close All Tabs, and New Chat target one window: a
+        // broadcast would make every window act on a single menu click.
         "toggle_sidebar"
         | "toggle_session_sidebar"
         | "zoom_in"
         | "zoom_out"
         | "zoom_reset"
         | "reload"
         | "open_command_palette"
-        | "close_all_tabs" => emit_to_focused(app, id),
+        | "close_all_tabs"
+        | "new_chat" => emit_to_focused(app, id),
         _ => {}
     }
 }
@@ -254,6 +255,14 @@ fn build(
         "Tab: New",
         overrides,
     )?;
+    let new_chat = menu_item(
+        app,
+        "new_chat",
+        "New Chat",
+        "CmdOrCtrl+N",
+        "Chat: New",
+        overrides,
+    )?;
     let new_terminal = menu_item(
         app,
         "new_terminal",
@@ -461,6 +470,7 @@ fn build(
         .item(&autosave)
         .separator()
         .item(&new_tab)
+        .item(&new_chat)
         .item(&new_terminal)
         .item(&new_terminal_tab)
         .item(&split_right)

src-tauri/src/session_store.rs

@@ -1145,13 +1145,13 @@ pub(crate) fn upsert_session(
         .as_ref()
         .map(|value| value.trim())
         .filter(|value| !value.is_empty());
-    let git = crate::fs::git_info_for(&crate::fs::expand_home(
+    let git = git_info_for_cwd(
         session
             .worktree_cwd
             .as_deref()
             .filter(|cwd| !cwd.is_empty())
             .unwrap_or(&session.cwd),
-    ));
+    );
     let branch = if session.worktree_removed {
         None
     } else {
@@ -1627,8 +1627,17 @@ fn ceil_char_boundary(text: &str, mut index: usize) -> usize {
     index
 }
 
+/// Projectless chats are stored under `~`. They have no repository, and asking
+/// git about the home directory would only walk it for nothing.
+fn git_info_for_cwd(cwd: &str) -> crate::fs::GitInfo {
+    if cwd == "~" {
+        return crate::fs::GitInfo::default();
+    }
+    crate::fs::git_info_for(&crate::fs::expand_home(cwd))
+}
+
 fn list_by_project(conn: &Connection, cwd: &str) -> rusqlite::Result<Vec<SessionSummary>> {
-    let git = crate::fs::git_info_for(&crate::fs::expand_home(cwd));
+    let git = git_info_for_cwd(cwd);
     let mut statement = conn.prepare(
         "SELECT id, cwd, harness, model, runtime_mode, title, provider_session_id,
                 created_at, updated_at, branch, archived, pinned,
@@ -2688,6 +2697,25 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(listed[1].id, "s1");
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn list_by_project_lists_projectless_chats() {
+        let store = SessionStore::open_in_memory().unwrap();
+        let conn = store.conn.lock().unwrap();
+        upsert_session(&conn, &sample("chat", "~", "Chat")).unwrap();
+        upsert_session(&conn, &sample("s1", "/tmp/a", "A1")).unwrap();
+        let chats = list_by_project(&conn, "~").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(chats.len(), 1);
+        assert_eq!(chats[0].id, "chat");
+        assert_eq!(chats[0].cwd, "~");
+        assert!(chats[0].branch.is_none());
+        assert!(chats[0].repo.is_none());
+
+        // Moving the chat into a project takes it out of the chats list.
+        upsert_session(&conn, &sample("chat", "/tmp/a", "Chat")).unwrap();
+        assert!(list_by_project(&conn, "~").unwrap().is_empty());
+        assert_eq!(list_by_project(&conn, "/tmp/a").unwrap().len(), 2);
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn delete_removes_session() {
         let store = SessionStore::open_in_memory().unwrap();