feat(llm): identify sidebar chat notes by note ID

apps/client/src/services/date_notes.ts

@@ -84,8 +84,20 @@ async function createSearchNote(opts = {}) {
     return await froca.getNote(note.noteId);
 }
 
-async function createLlmChat() {
-    const note = await server.post<FNoteRow>("special-notes/llm-chat");
+async function createLlmChat(sourceNoteId?: string) {
+    const note = await server.post<FNoteRow>("special-notes/llm-chat", { sourceNoteId });
+
+    await ws.waitForMaxKnownEntityChangeId();
+
+    return await froca.getNote(note.noteId);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Gets an existing LLM chat linked to the given note, or creates a new one.
+ * Used by sidebar chat to maintain 1:1 mapping between notes and their chats.
+ */
+async function getOrCreateLlmChatForNote(noteId: string) {
+    const note = await server.get<FNoteRow>(`special-notes/llm-chat-for-note/${noteId}`);
 
     await ws.waitForMaxKnownEntityChangeId();
 
@@ -103,5 +115,6 @@ export default {
     getYearNote,
     createSqlConsole,
     createSearchNote,
-    createLlmChat
+    createLlmChat,
+    getOrCreateLlmChatForNote
 };

apps/client/src/widgets/sidebar/SidebarChat.tsx

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import options from "../../services/options.js";
 import server from "../../services/server.js";
 import { randomString } from "../../services/utils.js";
 import ActionButton from "../react/ActionButton.js";
-import { useTriliumEvent } from "../react/hooks.js";
+import { useActiveNoteContext, useTriliumEvent } from "../react/hooks.js";
 import ChatMessage from "../type_widgets/llm_chat/ChatMessage.js";
 import RightPanelWidget from "./RightPanelWidget.js";
 import "./SidebarChat.css";
@@ -49,10 +49,12 @@ interface ModelOption extends LlmModelInfo {
 
 /**
  * Sidebar chat widget that appears in the right panel.
- * Uses a hidden LLM chat note for persistence.
+ * Uses a hidden LLM chat note for persistence, with 1:1 mapping to the active note.
  */
 export default function SidebarChat() {
+    const { note: activeNote } = useActiveNoteContext();
     const [visible, setVisible] = useState(false);
+    const [sourceNoteId, setSourceNoteId] = useState<string | null>(null);
     const [chatNoteId, setChatNoteId] = useState<string | null>(null);
     const [messages, setMessages] = useState<StoredMessage[]>([]);
     const [input, setInput] = useState("");
@@ -69,29 +71,55 @@ export default function SidebarChat() {
     const textareaRef = useRef<HTMLTextAreaElement>(null);
     const saveTimeoutRef = useRef<ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>>();
 
+    // Initialize chat for a specific note
+    const initializeChatForNote = useCallback(async (noteId: string) => {
+        try {
+            const note = await dateNoteService.getOrCreateLlmChatForNote(noteId);
+            if (note) {
+                setSourceNoteId(noteId);
+                setChatNoteId(note.noteId);
+                // Load existing messages if any
+                await loadChatContent(note.noteId);
+            }
+        } catch (err) {
+            console.error("Failed to initialize sidebar chat:", err);
+        }
+    }, []);
+
+    // Track when active note changes and load/create corresponding chat
+    useEffect(() => {
+        if (!visible || !activeNote) return;
+
+        const noteId = activeNote.noteId;
+        // Don't switch chats if we're already on this note's chat
+        if (noteId === sourceNoteId) return;
+
+        // Load or create chat for the new note
+        initializeChatForNote(noteId);
+    }, [activeNote, visible, sourceNoteId, initializeChatForNote]);
+
     // Listen for toggle event
     useTriliumEvent("toggleSidebarChat", useCallback(() => {
         setVisible(v => {
             const newValue = !v;
-            if (newValue && !chatNoteId) {
-                // Create a new chat when first opened
-                initializeChat();
+            if (newValue && activeNote) {
+                initializeChatForNote(activeNote.noteId);
             }
             return newValue;
         });
-    }, [chatNoteId]));
+    }, [activeNote, initializeChatForNote]));
 
     // Listen for open event (always opens, creates chat if needed)
     useTriliumEvent("openSidebarChat", useCallback(() => {
         setVisible(true);
-        if (!chatNoteId) {
-            initializeChat();
+        if (activeNote) {
+            initializeChatForNote(activeNote.noteId);
         }
         // Ensure right pane is visible
         if (!options.is("rightPaneVisible")) {
             appContext.triggerEvent("toggleRightPane", {});
         }
-    }, [chatNoteId]));
+    }, [activeNote, initializeChatForNote]));
 
     // Fetch available models on mount
     useEffect(() => {
@@ -120,18 +148,6 @@ export default function SidebarChat() {
         scrollToBottom();
     }, [messages, streamingContent, streamingThinking, toolActivity, scrollToBottom]);
 
-    const initializeChat = async () => {
-        try {
-            const note = await dateNoteService.createLlmChat();
-            if (note) {
-                setChatNoteId(note.noteId);
-                setMessages([]);
-            }
-        } catch (err) {
-            console.error("Failed to create sidebar chat:", err);
-        }
-    };
-
     const loadChatContent = async (noteId: string) => {
         try {
             const blob = await server.get<{ content: string }>(`notes/${noteId}/blob`);
@@ -311,24 +327,31 @@ export default function SidebarChat() {
     }, [handleSubmit]);
 
     const handleNewChat = useCallback(async () => {
-        // Save current chat first if it has messages
-        if (chatNoteId && messages.length > 0) {
-            await saveChat(messages);
+        if (!activeNote) return;
+        // Clear messages for a fresh start with the same note
+        setMessages([]);
+        // Save cleared state
+        if (chatNoteId) {
+            await saveChat([]);
         }
-        // Create a new chat
-        await initializeChat();
-    }, [chatNoteId, messages, saveChat]);
+    }, [activeNote, chatNoteId, saveChat]);
 
     const handleSaveChat = useCallback(async () => {
         if (!chatNoteId) return;
         try {
             await server.post("special-notes/save-llm-chat", { llmChatNoteId: chatNoteId });
-            // After saving, create a new chat for continued use
-            await initializeChat();
+            // Clear the current chat after saving (note link is preserved)
+            setMessages([]);
+            // Force reload to get a fresh chat for this note
+            if (activeNote) {
+                setSourceNoteId(null);
+                setChatNoteId(null);
+                initializeChatForNote(activeNote.noteId);
+            }
         } catch (err) {
             console.error("Failed to save chat to permanent location:", err);
         }
-    }, [chatNoteId]);
+    }, [chatNoteId, activeNote, initializeChatForNote]);
 
     if (!visible) {
         return null;

apps/server/src/routes/api/special_notes.ts

@@ -86,8 +86,13 @@ function createSearchNote(req: Request) {
     return specialNotesService.createSearchNote(searchString, ancestorNoteId);
 }
 
-function createLlmChat() {
-    return specialNotesService.createLlmChat();
+function createLlmChat(req: Request) {
+    const sourceNoteId = req.body.sourceNoteId;
+    return specialNotesService.createLlmChat(sourceNoteId);
+}
+
+function getOrCreateLlmChatForNote(req: Request<{ noteId: string }>) {
+    return specialNotesService.getOrCreateLlmChatForNote(req.params.noteId);
 }
 
 function saveLlmChat(req: Request) {
@@ -128,6 +133,7 @@ export default {
     createSearchNote,
     saveSearchNote,
     createLlmChat,
+    getOrCreateLlmChatForNote,
     saveLlmChat,
     createLauncher,
     resetLauncher,

apps/server/src/routes/routes.ts

@@ -293,6 +293,7 @@ function register(app: express.Application) {
     apiRoute(PST, "/api/special-notes/search-note", specialNotesRoute.createSearchNote);
     apiRoute(PST, "/api/special-notes/save-search-note", specialNotesRoute.saveSearchNote);
     apiRoute(PST, "/api/special-notes/llm-chat", specialNotesRoute.createLlmChat);
+    apiRoute(GET, "/api/special-notes/llm-chat-for-note/:noteId", specialNotesRoute.getOrCreateLlmChatForNote);
     apiRoute(PST, "/api/special-notes/save-llm-chat", specialNotesRoute.saveLlmChat);
     apiRoute(PST, "/api/special-notes/launchers/:noteId/reset", specialNotesRoute.resetLauncher);
     apiRoute(PST, "/api/special-notes/launchers/:parentNoteId/:launcherType", specialNotesRoute.createLauncher);

apps/server/src/services/special_notes.ts

@@ -123,10 +123,13 @@ function saveSearchNote(searchNoteId: string) {
     return result satisfies SaveSearchNoteResponse;
 }
 
-function createLlmChat() {
+function createLlmChat(sourceNoteId?: string) {
+    const sourceNote = sourceNoteId ? becca.getNote(sourceNoteId) : null;
+    const titleSuffix = sourceNote ? sourceNote.title : dateUtils.localNowDateTime();
+
     const { note } = noteService.createNewNote({
         parentNoteId: getMonthlyParentNoteId("_llmChat", "llmChat"),
-        title: `${t("special_notes.llm_chat_prefix")} ${dateUtils.localNowDateTime()}`,
+        title: `${t("special_notes.llm_chat_prefix")} ${titleSuffix}`,
         content: JSON.stringify({
             version: 1,
             messages: []
@@ -138,9 +141,33 @@ function createLlmChat() {
     note.setLabel("iconClass", "bx bx-message-square-dots");
     note.setLabel("keepCurrentHoisting");
 
+    // Link to source note if provided
+    if (sourceNoteId) {
+        note.setRelation("sourceNote", sourceNoteId);
+    }
+
     return note;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Gets an existing LLM chat linked to the given note, or creates a new one.
+ * Used by sidebar chat to maintain 1:1 mapping between notes and their chats.
+ */
+function getOrCreateLlmChatForNote(sourceNoteId: string) {
+    // Search for existing chat with this source note relation
+    const existingChat = searchService.findFirstNoteWithQuery(
+        `~sourceNote.noteId="${sourceNoteId}"`,
+        new SearchContext({ ancestorNoteId: "_llmChat" })
+    );
+
+    if (existingChat) {
+        return existingChat;
+    }
+
+    // Create new chat linked to this note
+    return createLlmChat(sourceNoteId);
+}
+
 function getLlmChatHome() {
     const workspaceNote = hoistedNoteService.getWorkspaceNote();
     if (!workspaceNote) {
@@ -335,6 +362,7 @@ export default {
     createSearchNote,
     saveSearchNote,
     createLlmChat,
+    getOrCreateLlmChatForNote,
     saveLlmChat,
     createLauncher,
     resetLauncher,