feat: revert default startup to use "default" conversation (#594)

Co-authored-by: Letta <noreply@letta.com>

src/cli/App.tsx

@@ -1456,22 +1456,33 @@ export default function App({
         ? `Resuming conversation with **${agentName}**`
         : `Starting new conversation with **${agentName}**`;
 
-      // Command hints - for pinned agents show /memory, for unpinned show /pin
-      const commandHints = isPinned
+      // Command hints - vary based on agent state:
+      // - Resuming: show /new (they may want a fresh conversation)
+      // - New session + unpinned: show /pin (they should save their agent)
+      // - New session + pinned: show /memory (they're already saved)
+      const commandHints = isResumingConversation
         ? [
             "→ **/agents**    list all agents",
-            "→ **/resume**    resume a previous conversation",
-            "→ **/memory**    view your agent's memory blocks",
+            "→ **/resume**    browse all conversations",
+            "→ **/new**       start a new conversation",
             "→ **/init**      initialize your agent's memory",
             "→ **/remember**  teach your agent",
           ]
-        : [
-            "→ **/agents**    list all agents",
-            "→ **/resume**    resume a previous conversation",
-            "→ **/pin**       save + name your agent",
-            "→ **/init**      initialize your agent's memory",
-            "→ **/remember**  teach your agent",
-          ];
+        : isPinned
+          ? [
+              "→ **/agents**    list all agents",
+              "→ **/resume**    resume a previous conversation",
+              "→ **/memory**    view your agent's memory blocks",
+              "→ **/init**      initialize your agent's memory",
+              "→ **/remember**  teach your agent",
+            ]
+          : [
+              "→ **/agents**    list all agents",
+              "→ **/resume**    resume a previous conversation",
+              "→ **/pin**       save + name your agent",
+              "→ **/init**      initialize your agent's memory",
+              "→ **/remember**  teach your agent",
+            ];
 
       // Build status lines with optional release notes above header
       const statusLines: string[] = [];
@@ -3185,13 +3196,9 @@ export default function App({
         // Fetch new agent
         const agent = await client.agents.retrieve(targetAgentId);
 
-        // Always create a new conversation when switching agents
-        // User can /resume to get back to a previous conversation if needed
-        const newConversation = await client.conversations.create({
-          agent_id: targetAgentId,
-          isolated_block_labels: [...ISOLATED_BLOCK_LABELS],
-        });
-        const targetConversationId = newConversation.id;
+        // Use the agent's default conversation when switching agents
+        // User can /new to start a fresh conversation if needed
+        const targetConversationId = "default";
 
         // Update project settings with new agent
         await updateProjectSettings({ lastAgent: targetAgentId });
@@ -3225,11 +3232,12 @@ export default function App({
         setLlmConfig(agent.llm_config);
         setConversationId(targetConversationId);
 
-        // Build success message - always a new conversation
+        // Build success message - resumed default conversation
         const agentLabel = agent.name || targetAgentId;
         const successOutput = [
-          `Started a new conversation with **${agentLabel}**.`,
-          `⎿  Type /resume to resume a previous conversation`,
+          `Resumed the default conversation with **${agentLabel}**.`,
+          `⎿  Type /resume to browse all conversations`,
+          `⎿  Type /new to start a new conversation`,
         ].join("\n");
         const successItem: StaticItem = {
           kind: "command",
@@ -4270,9 +4278,8 @@ export default function App({
           return { submitted: true };
         }
 
-        // Special handling for /clear and /new commands - start new conversation
-        // (/new used to create a new agent, now it's just an alias for /clear)
-        if (msg.trim() === "/clear" || msg.trim() === "/new") {
+        // Special handling for /new command - start new conversation
+        if (msg.trim() === "/new") {
           const cmdId = uid("cmd");
           buffersRef.current.byId.set(cmdId, {
             kind: "command",
@@ -4339,14 +4346,14 @@ export default function App({
           return { submitted: true };
         }
 
-        // Special handling for /clear-messages command - reset all agent messages (destructive)
-        if (msg.trim() === "/clear-messages") {
+        // Special handling for /clear command - reset all agent messages (destructive)
+        if (msg.trim() === "/clear") {
           const cmdId = uid("cmd");
           buffersRef.current.byId.set(cmdId, {
             kind: "command",
             id: cmdId,
             input: msg,
-            output: "Resetting agent messages...",
+            output: "Clearing in-context messages...",
             phase: "running",
           });
           buffersRef.current.order.push(cmdId);
@@ -7917,11 +7924,16 @@ Plan file path: ${planFilePath}`;
                     ? `letta -n "${agentName}"`
                     : `letta --agent ${agentId}`}
                 </Text>
-                <Text> </Text>
-                <Text dimColor>Resume this conversation with:</Text>
-                <Text color={colors.link.url}>
-                  {`letta --conv ${conversationId}`}
-                </Text>
+                {/* Only show conversation hint if not on default (default is resumed automatically) */}
+                {conversationId !== "default" && (
+                  <>
+                    <Text> </Text>
+                    <Text dimColor>Resume this conversation with:</Text>
+                    <Text color={colors.link.url}>
+                      {`letta --conv ${conversationId}`}
+                    </Text>
+                  </>
+                )}
               </Box>
             )}
 

src/cli/commands/registry.ts

@@ -77,29 +77,20 @@ export const commands: Record<string, Command> = {
     },
   },
   "/clear": {
-    desc: "Start a new conversation (keep agent memory)",
+    desc: "Clear in-context messages",
     order: 18,
-    handler: () => {
-      // Handled specially in App.tsx to create new conversation
-      return "Starting new conversation...";
-    },
-  },
-  "/clear-messages": {
-    desc: "Reset all agent messages (destructive)",
-    order: 19,
-    hidden: true, // Advanced command, not shown in autocomplete
     handler: () => {
       // Handled specially in App.tsx to reset agent messages
-      return "Resetting agent messages...";
+      return "Clearing in-context messages...";
     },
   },
 
   // === Page 2: Agent management (order 20-29) ===
   "/new": {
-    desc: "Start a new conversation (same as /clear)",
+    desc: "Start a new conversation (keep agent memory)",
     order: 20,
     handler: () => {
-      // Handled specially in App.tsx - same as /clear
+      // Handled specially in App.tsx to create new conversation
       return "Starting new conversation...";
     },
   },
@@ -334,7 +325,6 @@ export const commands: Record<string, Command> = {
   },
   "/compact": {
     desc: "Summarize conversation history (compaction)",
-    hidden: true,
     handler: () => {
       // Handled specially in App.tsx to access client and agent ID
       return "Compacting conversation...";