diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/index.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/index.tsx
index d6b54c4d6..f55e3c115 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/index.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/index.tsx
@@ -81,6 +81,31 @@ const COMPOSER_SINGLE_LINE_MAX_PX = 36
const COMPOSER_FADE_BACKGROUND =
'linear-gradient(to bottom, transparent, color-mix(in srgb, var(--dt-background) 10%, transparent))'
+// Resting composer placeholders. New sessions get open-ended starters; an
+// existing chat gets phrasings that read as a continuation of the thread.
+// One is picked at random per session (stable until the session changes).
+const NEW_SESSION_PLACEHOLDERS = [
+ 'What are we building?',
+ 'Give Hermes a task',
+ "What's on your mind?",
+ 'Describe what you need',
+ 'What should we tackle?',
+ 'Ask anything',
+ 'Start with a goal'
+]
+
+const FOLLOW_UP_PLACEHOLDERS = [
+ 'Send a follow-up',
+ 'Add more context',
+ 'Refine the request',
+ "What's next?",
+ 'Keep it going',
+ 'Push it further',
+ 'Adjust or continue'
+]
+
+const pickPlaceholder = (pool: readonly string[]) => pool[Math.floor(Math.random() * pool.length)]
+
interface QueueEditState {
attachments: ComposerAttachment[]
draft: string
@@ -163,6 +188,33 @@ export function ChatBar({
const gatewayState = useStore($gatewayState)
+ // Resting placeholder: a starter for brand-new sessions, a continuation for
+ // existing ones. Picked once and only re-rolled when we genuinely move to a
+ // *different* conversation. Critically, the first id assignment of a freshly
+ // started session (null → id, on the first send) is treated as the same
+ // conversation so the placeholder doesn't visibly flip mid-stream.
+ const [restingPlaceholder, setRestingPlaceholder] = useState(() =>
+ pickPlaceholder(sessionId ? FOLLOW_UP_PLACEHOLDERS : NEW_SESSION_PLACEHOLDERS)
+ )
+ const prevSessionIdRef = useRef(sessionId)
+
+ useEffect(() => {
+ const prev = prevSessionIdRef.current
+ prevSessionIdRef.current = sessionId
+
+ if (prev === sessionId) {
+ return
+ }
+
+ // null → id: the new session we're already in just got persisted. Keep the
+ // starter we showed instead of swapping to a follow-up under the user.
+ if (prev == null && sessionId) {
+ return
+ }
+
+ setRestingPlaceholder(pickPlaceholder(sessionId ? FOLLOW_UP_PLACEHOLDERS : NEW_SESSION_PLACEHOLDERS))
+ }, [sessionId])
+
// When the bar is disabled it's because the gateway isn't open. Distinguish a
// cold start ("Starting Hermes...") from a dropped connection we're trying to
// restore (e.g. after the Mac slept) so the stuck state reads as recoverable.
@@ -170,7 +222,7 @@ export function ChatBar({
? gatewayState === 'closed' || gatewayState === 'error'
? 'Reconnecting to Hermes…'
: 'Starting Hermes...'
- : 'Send follow-up'
+ : restingPlaceholder
const focusInput = useCallback(() => {
focusComposerInput(editorRef.current)
@@ -1285,7 +1337,7 @@ export function ChatBar({
'grid w-full',
stacked
? 'grid-cols-[auto_1fr] gap-(--composer-row-gap) [grid-template-areas:"input_input"_"menu_controls"]'
- : 'grid-cols-[auto_1fr_auto] items-end gap-(--composer-control-gap) [grid-template-areas:"menu_input_controls"]'
+ : 'grid-cols-[auto_1fr_auto] items-center gap-(--composer-control-gap) [grid-template-areas:"menu_input_controls"]'
)}
>
{contextMenu}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/index.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/index.tsx
index ac19adc60..7630bb733 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/index.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/index.tsx
@@ -110,6 +110,13 @@ function ChatHeader({
? pinnedSessionIds.includes(selectedSessionId)
: false
+ // A brand-new session has no session to pin/delete/rename, so the header is
+ // just a dead "New session" label + chevron. Drop it (and its border)
+ // entirely until there's a real session to act on.
+ if (!selectedSessionId && !activeSessionId && !isRoutedSessionView) {
+ return null
+ }
+
return (
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/index.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/index.tsx
index f5f7808ef..a8aa706e2 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/index.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/index.tsx
@@ -230,8 +230,28 @@ export function ChatSidebar({
const [workspaceOrderIds, setWorkspaceOrderIds] = useState([])
const [searchQuery, setSearchQuery] = useState('')
const [serverMatches, setServerMatches] = useState([])
+ const [newSessionKbdFlash, setNewSessionKbdFlash] = useState(false)
const trimmedQuery = searchQuery.trim()
+ // Flash the ⌘N hint full-opacity (no transition) for the press, so hitting
+ // the shortcut visibly pings its affordance in the sidebar.
+ useEffect(() => {
+ let timeout: ReturnType | undefined
+
+ const onShortcut = () => {
+ setNewSessionKbdFlash(true)
+ clearTimeout(timeout)
+ timeout = setTimeout(() => setNewSessionKbdFlash(false), 140)
+ }
+
+ window.addEventListener('hermes:new-session-shortcut', onShortcut)
+
+ return () => {
+ window.removeEventListener('hermes:new-session-shortcut', onShortcut)
+ clearTimeout(timeout)
+ }
+ }, [])
+
const activeSidebarSessionId = currentView === 'chat' ? selectedSessionId : null
const dndSensors = useSensors(
@@ -449,7 +469,10 @@ export function ChatSidebar({
<>
{item.label}
{item.id === 'new-session' && (
-
+
)}
)}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/desktop-controller.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/desktop-controller.tsx
index 0a4631979..801b963b3 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/desktop-controller.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/desktop-controller.tsx
@@ -216,6 +216,20 @@ export function DesktopController() {
return () => window.removeEventListener('keydown', onKeyDown)
}, [])
+ // Cmd/Ctrl+. toggles the command center (sessions / system / usage).
+ useEffect(() => {
+ const onKeyDown = (event: KeyboardEvent) => {
+ if ((event.metaKey || event.ctrlKey) && !event.altKey && !event.shiftKey && event.key === '.') {
+ event.preventDefault()
+ toggleCommandCenter()
+ }
+ }
+
+ window.addEventListener('keydown', onKeyDown)
+
+ return () => window.removeEventListener('keydown', onKeyDown)
+ }, [toggleCommandCenter])
+
const refreshSessions = useCallback(async () => {
const requestId = refreshSessionsRequestRef.current + 1
refreshSessionsRequestRef.current = requestId
@@ -435,6 +449,8 @@ export function DesktopController() {
event.preventDefault()
startFreshSessionDraft()
+ // Briefly light up the sidebar's ⌘N hint so the shortcut is discoverable.
+ window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('hermes:new-session-shortcut'))
}
window.addEventListener('keydown', onKeyDown)
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/updates-overlay.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/updates-overlay.tsx
index 792665d45..1bbd41304 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/updates-overlay.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/updates-overlay.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
import { writeClipboardText } from '@/components/ui/copy-button'
import { Dialog, DialogContent, DialogDescription, DialogTitle } from '@/components/ui/dialog'
+import { ErrorState } from '@/components/ui/error-state'
import type { DesktopUpdateCommit, DesktopUpdateStage, DesktopUpdateStatus } from '@/global'
import { buildCommitChangelog, type CommitGroup } from '@/lib/commit-changelog'
import { AlertCircle, Check, CheckCircle2, Copy, Loader2, Sparkles, Terminal } from '@/lib/icons'
@@ -331,31 +332,22 @@ function ApplyingView({ apply }: { apply: UpdateApplyState }) {
function ErrorView({ message, onDismiss, onRetry }: { message: string; onDismiss: () => void; onRetry: () => void }) {
return (
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Update didn’t finish
-
+
{message || 'No worries — nothing was lost. You can try again now.'}
-
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/error-boundary.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/components/error-boundary.tsx
index d9f4bb80d..12a7dbcf2 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/error-boundary.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/error-boundary.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
import { Component, type ErrorInfo, type ReactNode } from 'react'
import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
-import { AlertTriangle, RefreshCw } from '@/lib/icons'
+import { ErrorState } from '@/components/ui/error-state'
export interface ErrorBoundaryFallbackProps {
error: Error
@@ -53,43 +53,25 @@ export class ErrorBoundary extends Component
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Something broke in the interface
-
- The view hit an unexpected error. Your chats and settings are safe - try again, or reload the window.
-
-
-
-
-
-
- {error.message || String(error)}
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
)
}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/ui/error-state.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/components/ui/error-state.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..52ecc2e4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/ui/error-state.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+import type { ReactNode } from 'react'
+
+import { AlertCircle } from '@/lib/icons'
+import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
+
+export interface ErrorStateProps {
+ /** Optional actions row/stack rendered below the copy. */
+ children?: ReactNode
+ className?: string
+ description?: ReactNode
+ /** Defaults to a destructive AlertCircle. */
+ icon?: ReactNode
+ title: ReactNode
+}
+
+// Shared, presentation-only error layout: a destructive icon chip over a
+// centered title + body, with an optional actions stack. Used by both the
+// top-level React error boundary and the in-dialog update error so every
+// failure state reads the same. Title/description accept nodes so callers in a
+// Radix Dialog can pass DialogTitle/DialogDescription for accessibility.
+export function ErrorState({ children, className, description, icon, title }: ErrorStateProps) {
+ return (
+