chore: Create new memory blocks with --new (#58)

README.md

@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ When you run `letta` in a project, it resumes where you left off with the same a
 
 ```bash
 letta                    # Auto-resumes project agent (or creates new if first time)
-letta --new              # Force create new agent
+letta --new              # Create new agent with new memory blocks
 letta --agent <id>       # Use specific agent ID
 ```
 
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ Join our [Discord](https://discord.gg/letta) to share feedback on persistence pa
 ### Interactive Mode
 ```bash
 letta                    # Auto-resume project agent (or create new if first time)
-letta --new              # Force create new agent
+letta --new              # Create new agent with new memory blocks
 letta --agent <id>       # Use specific agent ID
 letta --model <model>    # Specify model (e.g., claude-sonnet-4.5, gpt-4o)
 letta -m <model>         # Short form of --model
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ letta --continue         # Resume global last agent (deprecated, use project-bas
 ```bash
 letta -p "Run bun lint and correct errors"              # Auto-resumes project agent
 letta -p "Pick up where you left off"                   # Same - auto-resumes by default
-letta -p "Start fresh" --new                            # Force new agent
+letta -p "Start fresh" --new                            # Create new agent with new memory blocks
 letta -p "Run all the test" --allowedTools "Bash"       # Control tool permissions
 letta -p "Just read the code" --disallowedTools "Bash"  # Control tool permissions
 letta -p "Explain this code" -m gpt-4o                  # Use specific model

src/agent/check-approval.ts

@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ export async function getResumeData(
           (msg) => msg.message_type === "approval_request_message",
         );
         const inContextMessage =
-          approvalMessage || matchingMessages[matchingMessages.length - 1]!;
+          approvalMessage ?? matchingMessages[matchingMessages.length - 1];
 
         messageToCheck = inContextMessage;
       } else {

src/agent/create.ts

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ export async function createAgent(
   model?: string,
   embeddingModel = "openai/text-embedding-3-small",
   updateArgs?: Record<string, unknown>,
+  forceNewBlocks = false,
 ) {
   // Resolve model identifier to handle
   let modelHandle: string;
@@ -63,29 +64,32 @@ export async function createAgent(
   // Retrieve existing blocks (both global and local) and match them with defaults
   const existingBlocks = new Map<string, BlockResponse>();
 
-  // Load global blocks (persona, human)
-  for (const [label, blockId] of Object.entries(globalSharedBlockIds)) {
-    try {
-      const block = await client.blocks.retrieve(blockId);
-      existingBlocks.set(label, block);
-    } catch {
-      // Block no longer exists, will create new one
-      console.warn(
-        `Global block ${label} (${blockId}) not found, will create new one`,
-      );
+  // Only load existing blocks if we're not forcing new blocks
+  if (!forceNewBlocks) {
+    // Load global blocks (persona, human)
+    for (const [label, blockId] of Object.entries(globalSharedBlockIds)) {
+      try {
+        const block = await client.blocks.retrieve(blockId);
+        existingBlocks.set(label, block);
+      } catch {
+        // Block no longer exists, will create new one
+        console.warn(
+          `Global block ${label} (${blockId}) not found, will create new one`,
+        );
+      }
     }
-  }
 
-  // Load local blocks (style)
-  for (const [label, blockId] of Object.entries(localSharedBlockIds)) {
-    try {
-      const block = await client.blocks.retrieve(blockId);
-      existingBlocks.set(label, block);
-    } catch {
-      // Block no longer exists, will create new one
-      console.warn(
-        `Local block ${label} (${blockId}) not found, will create new one`,
-      );
+    // Load local blocks (style)
+    for (const [label, blockId] of Object.entries(localSharedBlockIds)) {
+      try {
+        const block = await client.blocks.retrieve(blockId);
+        existingBlocks.set(label, block);
+      } catch {
+        // Block no longer exists, will create new one
+        console.warn(
+          `Local block ${label} (${blockId}) not found, will create new one`,
+        );
+      }
     }
   }
 

src/cli/App.tsx

@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ export default function App({
                 const errorDetail = error.detail ? `\n${error.detail}` : "";
                 errorDetails = `${errorType}${errorMessage}${errorDetail}`;
               }
-            } catch (e) {
+            } catch (_e) {
               // If we can't fetch error details, let user know
               appendError(
                 `${errorDetails}\n(Unable to fetch additional error details from server)`,
@@ -595,7 +595,7 @@ export default function App({
       const client = await getClient();
 
       // Send cancel request to backend
-      const cancelResult = await client.agents.messages.cancel(agentId);
+      const _cancelResult = await client.agents.messages.cancel(agentId);
       // console.error("cancelResult", JSON.stringify(cancelResult, null, 2));
 
       // WORKAROUND: Also abort the stream immediately since backend cancellation is buggy

src/headless.ts

@@ -75,7 +75,13 @@ export async function handleHeadlessCommand(argv: string[], model?: string) {
   // Priority 2: Check if --new flag was passed (skip all resume logic)
   if (!agent && forceNew) {
     const updateArgs = getModelUpdateArgs(model);
-    agent = await createAgent(undefined, model, undefined, updateArgs);
+    agent = await createAgent(
+      undefined,
+      model,
+      undefined,
+      updateArgs,
+      forceNew,
+    );
   }
 
   // Priority 3: Try to resume from project settings (.letta/settings.local.json)
@@ -582,7 +588,7 @@ export async function handleHeadlessCommand(argv: string[], model?: string) {
             const errorDetail = error.detail ? `: ${error.detail}` : "";
             errorMessage = `${errorType}${errorMsg}${errorDetail}`;
           }
-        } catch (e) {
+        } catch (_e) {
           // If we can't fetch error details, append note to error message
           errorMessage = `${errorMessage}\n(Unable to fetch additional error details from server)`;
         }

src/index.ts

@@ -299,9 +299,15 @@ async function main() {
 
         // Priority 2: Check if --new flag was passed (skip all resume logic)
         if (!agent && forceNew) {
-          // Create new agent, don't check any lastAgent fields
+          // Create new agent with new memory blocks
           const updateArgs = getModelUpdateArgs(model);
-          agent = await createAgent(undefined, model, undefined, updateArgs);
+          agent = await createAgent(
+            undefined,
+            model,
+            undefined,
+            updateArgs,
+            forceNew,
+          );
         }
 
         // Priority 3: Try to resume from project settings (.letta/settings.local.json)