refactor(projects/sidebar): remove temp snapshot side-effects and simplify session metadata UX

Why this change was needed:
- Project listing had an implicit side effect: every fetch wrote a debug snapshot under `.tmp/project-dumps`.
  That added unnecessary disk I/O to a hot path, introduced hidden runtime behavior, and created maintenance
  overhead for code that was not part of product functionality.
- Keeping snapshot-specific exports/tests around made the projects module API broader than needed and coupled
  tests to temporary/debug behavior instead of user-visible behavior.
- Codex sessions could remain stuck with a placeholder name (`Untitled Codex Session`) even after a real title
  became available from newer sync data, which degraded session discoverability in the UI.
- Sidebar session rows showed duplicated provider branding and long-form relative times, which added visual noise
  and reduced scan speed when many sessions are listed.

What changed:
- Removed temporary projects snapshot dumping from `projects-with-sessions-fetch.service.ts`:
  - deleted snapshot types/helpers and file-write flow
  - removed the write call from `getProjectsWithSessions`
- Removed snapshot-related surface area from `projects/index.ts`.
- Removed the snapshot-focused test `projects.service.test.ts` that only validated removed debug behavior.
- Updated `codex-session-synchronizer.provider.ts` to upgrade session names when an existing session still has
  the placeholder title but a real parsed name is now available.
- Updated `SidebarSessionItem.tsx`:
  - removed duplicate provider logo rendering in each session row
  - moved age indicator to the right side
  - made age indicator fade on hover to prioritize action controls
  - switched to compact relative time format (`<1m`, `Xm`, `Xhr`, `Xd`) for faster list scanning

Outcome:
- Lower overhead and fewer hidden side effects in project fetches.
- Cleaner module boundaries in projects.
- Better Codex session naming consistency after sync.
- Cleaner sidebar density and clearer hover/action behavior.

server/modules/projects/index.ts

@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 export {
-  createProjectsSnapshot,
   generateDisplayName,
   getProjectsWithSessions,
-  writeSnapshot,
 } from './services/projects-with-sessions-fetch.service.js';
 export { updateProjectDisplayName } from './services/project-management.service.js';
 export { deleteOrArchiveProject, deleteSessionJsonlFilesForProjectPath } from './services/project-delete.service.js';

server/modules/projects/services/projects-with-sessions-fetch.service.ts

@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import { projectsDb, sessionsDb } from '@/modules/database/index.js';
 import { sessionSynchronizerService } from '@/modules/providers/index.js';
 import { WS_OPEN_STATE, connectedClients } from '@/modules/websocket/index.js';
 import type { RealtimeClientConnection } from '@/shared/types.js';
-import { findAppRoot, getModuleDir } from '@/utils/runtime-paths.js';
 
 type SessionSummary = {
   id: string;
@@ -32,12 +31,6 @@ export type ProjectListItem = {
   };
 };
 
-export type ProjectsSnapshot = {
-  generatedAt: string;
-  projectCount: number;
-  projects: ProjectListItem[];
-};
-
 type ProgressUpdate = {
   phase: 'loading' | 'complete';
   current: number;
@@ -49,12 +42,6 @@ type GetProjectsWithSessionsOptions = {
   skipSynchronization?: boolean;
 };
 
-const __dirname = getModuleDir(import.meta.url);
-const APP_ROOT = findAppRoot(__dirname);
-const PROJECTS_DUMP_DIR = path.join(APP_ROOT, '.tmp', 'project-dumps');
-
-let projectsSnapshotCounter: number | null = null;
-
 /**
  * Generate better display name from path.
  */
@@ -126,62 +113,6 @@ function buildSessionsByProviderFromDb(projectPath: string): SessionsByProvider
   return byProvider;
 }
 
-async function getNextProjectsSnapshotPath(): Promise<string> {
-  await fs.mkdir(PROJECTS_DUMP_DIR, { recursive: true });
-
-  if (projectsSnapshotCounter === null) {
-    const entries = await fs.readdir(PROJECTS_DUMP_DIR).catch(() => []);
-    projectsSnapshotCounter = entries.reduce((max, entry) => {
-      const match = entry.match(/^projects-(\d+)\.json$/);
-      if (!match) {
-        return max;
-      }
-
-      return Math.max(max, Number(match[1]));
-    }, 0);
-  }
-
-  projectsSnapshotCounter += 1;
-  const suffix = String(projectsSnapshotCounter).padStart(4, '0');
-  return path.join(PROJECTS_DUMP_DIR, `projects-${suffix}.json`);
-}
-
-/**
- * Builds a typed snapshot payload for project dumps.
- */
-export function createProjectsSnapshot(projects: ProjectListItem[]): ProjectsSnapshot {
-  return {
-    generatedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
-    projectCount: projects.length,
-    projects,
-  };
-}
-
-/**
- * Writes a projects snapshot file as an incrementing artifact.
- */
-export async function writeSnapshot(projects: ProjectListItem[]): Promise<void> {
-  try {
-    const snapshot = createProjectsSnapshot(projects);
-    const snapshotJson = JSON.stringify(snapshot, (_, value) => (typeof value === 'bigint' ? value.toString() : value), 2);
-
-    while (true) {
-      const snapshotPath = await getNextProjectsSnapshotPath();
-      try {
-        await fs.writeFile(snapshotPath, snapshotJson, { encoding: 'utf8', flag: 'wx' });
-        break;
-      } catch (error) {
-        if ((error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code === 'EEXIST') {
-          continue;
-        }
-        throw error;
-      }
-    }
-  } catch (error) {
-    console.warn('Could not write projects snapshot:', (error as Error).message);
-  }
-}
-
 // Broadcast progress to all connected WebSocket clients
 function broadcastProgress(progress: ProgressUpdate) {
   const message = JSON.stringify({
@@ -261,6 +192,5 @@ export async function getProjectsWithSessions(
     total: totalProjects,
   });
 
-  await writeSnapshot(projects);
   return projects;
 }

server/modules/projects/tests/projects.service.test.ts

@@ -1,33 +0,0 @@
-import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
-import test from 'node:test';
-
-import {
-  createProjectsSnapshot,
-} from '@/modules/projects/index.js';
-import { ProjectListItem, ProjectsSnapshot } from '@/modules/projects/services/projects-with-sessions-fetch.service.js';
-
-test('createProjectsSnapshot returns an object matching the predefined snapshot type', () => {
-  const projects: ProjectListItem[] = [
-    {
-      projectId: 'project-1',
-      path: '/tmp/project-1',
-      displayName: 'project-1',
-      fullPath: '/tmp/project-1',
-      isStarred: false,
-      sessions: [],
-      cursorSessions: [],
-      codexSessions: [],
-      geminiSessions: [],
-      sessionMeta: {
-        hasMore: false,
-        total: 0,
-      },
-    },
-  ];
-
-  const snapshot: ProjectsSnapshot = createProjectsSnapshot(projects);
-
-  assert.equal(typeof snapshot.generatedAt, 'string');
-  assert.equal(snapshot.projectCount, 1);
-  assert.deepEqual(snapshot.projects, projects);
-});

server/modules/providers/list/codex/codex-session-synchronizer.provider.ts

@@ -42,6 +42,14 @@ export class CodexSessionSynchronizer implements IProviderSessionSynchronizer {
         continue;
       }
 
+      const existingSession = sessionsDb.getSessionById(parsed.sessionId);
+      if (existingSession) {
+        // If session name is untitled and we now have a name, update it
+        if (existingSession.custom_name === 'Untitled Codex Session' && parsed.sessionName && parsed.sessionName !== 'Untitled Codex Session') {
+          sessionsDb.updateSessionCustomName(parsed.sessionId, parsed.sessionName);
+        }
+      }
+
       const timestamps = await readFileTimestamps(filePath);
       sessionsDb.createSession(
         parsed.sessionId,

src/components/sidebar/view/subcomponents/SidebarSessionItem.tsx

@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
-import { Check, Clock, Edit2, Trash2, X } from 'lucide-react';
+import { Check, Edit2, Trash2, X } from 'lucide-react';
 import type { TFunction } from 'i18next';
+
 import { Badge, Button } from '../../../../shared/view/ui';
 import { cn } from '../../../../lib/utils';
-import { formatTimeAgo } from '../../../../utils/dateUtils';
 import type { Project, ProjectSession, LLMProvider } from '../../../../types/app';
 import type { SessionWithProvider } from '../../types/types';
 import { createSessionViewModel } from '../../utils/utils';
@@ -30,6 +30,34 @@ type SidebarSessionItemProps = {
   t: TFunction;
 };
 
+/**
+ * Compact relative time for sidebar rows:
+ * <1m, Xm, Xhr, Xd.
+ */
+const formatCompactSessionAge = (dateString: string, currentTime: Date): string => {
+  const date = new Date(dateString);
+  if (Number.isNaN(date.getTime())) {
+    return '';
+  }
+
+  const diffInMinutes = Math.floor(Math.max(0, currentTime.getTime() - date.getTime()) / (1000 * 60));
+  if (diffInMinutes < 1) {
+    return '<1m';
+  }
+
+  if (diffInMinutes < 60) {
+    return `${diffInMinutes}m`;
+  }
+
+  const diffInHours = Math.floor(diffInMinutes / 60);
+  if (diffInHours < 24) {
+    return `${diffInHours}hr`;
+  }
+
+  const diffInDays = Math.floor(diffInHours / 24);
+  return `${diffInDays}d`;
+};
+
 export default function SidebarSessionItem({
   project,
   session,
@@ -48,6 +76,7 @@ export default function SidebarSessionItem({
 }: SidebarSessionItemProps) {
   const sessionView = createSessionViewModel(session, currentTime, t);
   const isSelected = selectedSession?.id === session.id;
+  const compactSessionAge = formatCompactSessionAge(sessionView.sessionTime, currentTime);
 
   // Sessions are owned by a project identified by `projectId` (DB primary key)
   // after the projectName → projectId migration.
@@ -94,20 +123,18 @@ export default function SidebarSessionItem({
             </div>
 
             <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
-              <div className="truncate text-xs font-medium text-foreground">{sessionView.sessionName}</div>
+              <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
-              <div className="mt-0.5 flex items-center gap-1">
+                <div className="truncate text-xs font-medium text-foreground">{sessionView.sessionName}</div>
-                <Clock className="h-2.5 w-2.5 text-muted-foreground" />
+                {compactSessionAge && (
-                <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                  <span className="ml-auto flex-shrink-0 text-[11px] text-muted-foreground">{compactSessionAge}</span>
-                  {formatTimeAgo(sessionView.sessionTime, currentTime, t)}
+                )}
-                </span>
+              </div>
+              <div className="mt-0.5 flex items-center">
                 {sessionView.messageCount > 0 && (
-                  <Badge variant="secondary" className="ml-auto px-1 py-0 text-xs">
+                  <Badge variant="secondary" className="px-1 py-0 text-xs">
                     {sessionView.messageCount}
                   </Badge>
                 )}
-                <span className="ml-1 opacity-70">
-                  <SessionProviderLogo provider={session.__provider} className="h-3 w-3" />
-                </span>
               </div>
             </div>
 
@@ -138,23 +165,16 @@ export default function SidebarSessionItem({
           <div className="flex w-full min-w-0 items-start gap-2">
             <SessionProviderLogo provider={session.__provider} className="mt-0.5 h-3 w-3 flex-shrink-0" />
             <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
-              <div className="truncate text-xs font-medium text-foreground">{sessionView.sessionName}</div>
+              <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
-              <div className="mt-0.5 flex items-center gap-1">
+                <div className="truncate text-xs font-medium text-foreground">{sessionView.sessionName}</div>
-                <Clock className="h-2.5 w-2.5 text-muted-foreground" />
+                {compactSessionAge && (
-                <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                  <span className="ml-auto flex-shrink-0 text-[11px] text-muted-foreground transition-opacity duration-200 group-hover:opacity-0">
-                  {formatTimeAgo(sessionView.sessionTime, currentTime, t)}
+                    {compactSessionAge}
-                </span>
+                  </span>
-                {sessionView.messageCount > 0 && (
-                  <Badge
-                    variant="secondary"
-                    className="ml-auto px-1 py-0 text-xs transition-opacity group-hover:opacity-0"
-                  >
-                    {sessionView.messageCount}
-                  </Badge>
                 )}
-                <span className="ml-1 opacity-70 transition-opacity group-hover:opacity-0">
+              </div>
-                  <SessionProviderLogo provider={session.__provider} className="h-3 w-3" />
+              <div className="mt-0.5 flex items-center">
-                </span>
+                {sessionView.messageCount > 0 && <Badge variant="secondary" className="px-1 py-0 text-xs">{sessionView.messageCount}</Badge>}
               </div>
             </div>
           </div>