feat: Enhance sidebar navigation with collapsible sections and state management

- Added support for collapsible navigation sections in the sidebar, allowing users to expand or collapse sections based on their preferences.
- Integrated the collapsed state management into the app store for persistence across sessions.
- Updated the sidebar component to conditionally render the header based on the selected sidebar style.
- Ensured synchronization of collapsed section states with user settings for a consistent experience.

apps/ui/src/components/layout/sidebar/components/sidebar-navigation.tsx

@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
-import { useState, useCallback, useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
 import type { NavigateOptions } from '@tanstack/react-router';
 import { ChevronDown, Wrench, Github } from 'lucide-react';
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils';
-import { formatShortcut } from '@/store/app-store';
+import { formatShortcut, useAppStore } from '@/store/app-store';
 import type { NavSection } from '../types';
 import type { Project } from '@/lib/electron';
+import type { SidebarStyle } from '@automaker/types';
 import { Spinner } from '@/components/ui/spinner';
 import {
   DropdownMenu,
@@ -23,6 +24,7 @@ const sectionIcons: Record<string, React.ComponentType<{ className?: string }>>
 interface SidebarNavigationProps {
   currentProject: Project | null;
   sidebarOpen: boolean;
+  sidebarStyle: SidebarStyle;
   navSections: NavSection[];
   isActiveRoute: (id: string) => boolean;
   navigate: (opts: NavigateOptions) => void;
@@ -32,6 +34,7 @@ interface SidebarNavigationProps {
 export function SidebarNavigation({
   currentProject,
   sidebarOpen,
+  sidebarStyle,
   navSections,
   isActiveRoute,
   navigate,
@@ -39,21 +42,26 @@ export function SidebarNavigation({
 }: SidebarNavigationProps) {
   const navRef = useRef<HTMLElement>(null);
 
-  // Track collapsed state for each collapsible section
-  const [collapsedSections, setCollapsedSections] = useState<Record<string, boolean>>({});
+  // Get collapsed state from store (persisted across restarts)
+  const { collapsedNavSections, setCollapsedNavSections, toggleNavSection } = useAppStore();
 
   // Initialize collapsed state when sections change (e.g., GitHub section appears)
+  // Only set defaults for sections that don't have a persisted state
   useEffect(() => {
-    setCollapsedSections((prev) => {
-      const updated = { ...prev };
-      navSections.forEach((section) => {
-        if (section.collapsible && section.label && !(section.label in updated)) {
-          updated[section.label] = section.defaultCollapsed ?? false;
-        }
-      });
-      return updated;
+    let hasNewSections = false;
+    const updated = { ...collapsedNavSections };
+
+    navSections.forEach((section) => {
+      if (section.collapsible && section.label && !(section.label in updated)) {
+        updated[section.label] = section.defaultCollapsed ?? false;
+        hasNewSections = true;
+      }
     });
-  }, [navSections]);
+
+    if (hasNewSections) {
+      setCollapsedNavSections(updated);
+    }
+  }, [navSections, collapsedNavSections, setCollapsedNavSections]);
 
   // Check scroll state
   const checkScrollState = useCallback(() => {
@@ -77,14 +85,7 @@ export function SidebarNavigation({
       nav.removeEventListener('scroll', checkScrollState);
       resizeObserver.disconnect();
     };
-  }, [checkScrollState, collapsedSections]);
-
-  const toggleSection = useCallback((label: string) => {
-    setCollapsedSections((prev) => ({
-      ...prev,
-      [label]: !prev[label],
-    }));
-  }, []);
+  }, [checkScrollState, collapsedNavSections]);
 
   // Filter sections: always show non-project sections, only show project sections when project exists
   const visibleSections = navSections.filter((section) => {
@@ -97,10 +98,17 @@ export function SidebarNavigation({
   });
 
   return (
-    <nav ref={navRef} className={cn('flex-1 overflow-y-auto scrollbar-hide px-3 pb-2 mt-1')}>
+    <nav
+      ref={navRef}
+      className={cn(
+        'flex-1 overflow-y-auto scrollbar-hide px-3 pb-2',
+        // Add top padding in discord mode since there's no header
+        sidebarStyle === 'discord' ? 'pt-3' : 'mt-1'
+      )}
+    >
       {/* Navigation sections */}
       {visibleSections.map((section, sectionIdx) => {
-        const isCollapsed = section.label ? collapsedSections[section.label] : false;
+        const isCollapsed = section.label ? collapsedNavSections[section.label] : false;
         const isCollapsible = section.collapsible && section.label && sidebarOpen;
 
         const SectionIcon = section.label ? sectionIcons[section.label] : null;
@@ -110,21 +118,37 @@ export function SidebarNavigation({
             {/* Section Label - clickable if collapsible (expanded sidebar) */}
             {section.label && sidebarOpen && (
               <button
-                onClick={() => isCollapsible && toggleSection(section.label!)}
+                onClick={() => isCollapsible && toggleNavSection(section.label!)}
                 className={cn(
-                  'flex items-center w-full px-3 mb-1.5',
-                  isCollapsible && 'cursor-pointer hover:text-foreground'
+                  'group flex items-center w-full px-3 py-1.5 mb-1 rounded-md',
+                  'transition-all duration-200 ease-out',
+                  isCollapsible
+                    ? [
+                        'cursor-pointer',
+                        'hover:bg-accent/50 hover:text-foreground',
+                        'border border-transparent hover:border-border/40',
+                      ]
+                    : 'cursor-default'
                 )}
                 disabled={!isCollapsible}
               >
-                <span className="text-[10px] font-semibold text-muted-foreground/70 uppercase tracking-widest">
+                <span
+                  className={cn(
+                    'text-[10px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-widest transition-colors duration-200',
+                    isCollapsible
+                      ? 'text-muted-foreground/70 group-hover:text-foreground'
+                      : 'text-muted-foreground/70'
+                  )}
+                >
                   {section.label}
                 </span>
                 {isCollapsible && (
                   <ChevronDown
                     className={cn(
-                      'w-3 h-3 ml-auto text-muted-foreground/50 transition-transform duration-200',
-                      isCollapsed && '-rotate-90'
+                      'w-3 h-3 ml-auto transition-all duration-200',
+                      isCollapsed
+                        ? '-rotate-90 text-muted-foreground/50 group-hover:text-muted-foreground'
+                        : 'text-muted-foreground/50 group-hover:text-muted-foreground'
                     )}
                   />
                 )}

apps/ui/src/components/layout/sidebar/sidebar.tsx

@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ export function Sidebar() {
     trashedProjects,
     currentProject,
     sidebarOpen,
+    sidebarStyle,
     mobileSidebarHidden,
     projectHistory,
     upsertAndSetCurrentProject,
@@ -381,17 +382,21 @@ export function Sidebar() {
         )}
 
         <div className="flex-1 flex flex-col overflow-hidden">
-          <SidebarHeader
-            sidebarOpen={sidebarOpen}
-            currentProject={currentProject}
-            onNewProject={handleNewProject}
-            onOpenFolder={handleOpenFolder}
-            onProjectContextMenu={handleContextMenu}
-          />
+          {/* Only show header in unified mode - in discord mode, ProjectSwitcher has the logo */}
+          {sidebarStyle === 'unified' && (
+            <SidebarHeader
+              sidebarOpen={sidebarOpen}
+              currentProject={currentProject}
+              onNewProject={handleNewProject}
+              onOpenFolder={handleOpenFolder}
+              onProjectContextMenu={handleContextMenu}
+            />
+          )}
 
           <SidebarNavigation
             currentProject={currentProject}
             sidebarOpen={sidebarOpen}
+            sidebarStyle={sidebarStyle}
             navSections={navSections}
             isActiveRoute={isActiveRoute}
             navigate={navigate}

apps/ui/src/hooks/use-settings-migration.ts

@@ -699,6 +699,7 @@ export function hydrateStoreFromSettings(settings: GlobalSettings): void {
     fontFamilyMono: settings.fontFamilyMono ?? null,
     sidebarOpen: settings.sidebarOpen ?? true,
     sidebarStyle: settings.sidebarStyle ?? 'unified',
+    collapsedNavSections: settings.collapsedNavSections ?? {},
     chatHistoryOpen: settings.chatHistoryOpen ?? false,
     maxConcurrency: settings.maxConcurrency ?? DEFAULT_MAX_CONCURRENCY,
     autoModeByWorktree: restoredAutoModeByWorktree,

apps/ui/src/hooks/use-settings-sync.ts

@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ const SETTINGS_FIELDS_TO_SYNC = [
   'openTerminalMode', // Maps to terminalState.openTerminalMode
   'sidebarOpen',
   'sidebarStyle',
+  'collapsedNavSections',
   'chatHistoryOpen',
   'maxConcurrency',
   'autoModeByWorktree', // Per-worktree auto mode settings (only maxConcurrency is persisted)
@@ -699,6 +700,7 @@ export async function refreshSettingsFromServer(): Promise<boolean> {
       theme: serverSettings.theme as unknown as ThemeMode,
       sidebarOpen: serverSettings.sidebarOpen,
       sidebarStyle: serverSettings.sidebarStyle ?? 'unified',
+      collapsedNavSections: serverSettings.collapsedNavSections ?? {},
       chatHistoryOpen: serverSettings.chatHistoryOpen,
       maxConcurrency: serverSettings.maxConcurrency,
       autoModeByWorktree: restoredAutoModeByWorktree,

apps/ui/src/store/app-store.ts

@@ -612,6 +612,7 @@ export interface AppState {
   currentView: ViewMode;
   sidebarOpen: boolean;
   sidebarStyle: SidebarStyle; // 'unified' (modern) or 'discord' (classic two-sidebar layout)
+  collapsedNavSections: Record<string, boolean>; // Collapsed state of nav sections (key: section label)
   mobileSidebarHidden: boolean; // Completely hides sidebar on mobile
 
   // Agent Session state (per-project, keyed by project path)
@@ -1049,6 +1050,8 @@ export interface AppActions {
   toggleSidebar: () => void;
   setSidebarOpen: (open: boolean) => void;
   setSidebarStyle: (style: SidebarStyle) => void;
+  setCollapsedNavSections: (sections: Record<string, boolean>) => void;
+  toggleNavSection: (sectionLabel: string) => void;
   toggleMobileSidebarHidden: () => void;
   setMobileSidebarHidden: (hidden: boolean) => void;
 
@@ -1475,6 +1478,7 @@ const initialState: AppState = {
   currentView: 'welcome',
   sidebarOpen: true,
   sidebarStyle: 'unified', // Default to modern unified sidebar
+  collapsedNavSections: {}, // Nav sections expanded by default (sections set their own defaults)
   mobileSidebarHidden: false, // Sidebar visible by default on mobile
   lastSelectedSessionByProject: {},
   theme: getStoredTheme() || 'dark', // Use localStorage theme as initial value, fallback to 'dark'
@@ -1934,6 +1938,14 @@ export const useAppStore = create<AppState & AppActions>()((set, get) => ({
   toggleSidebar: () => set({ sidebarOpen: !get().sidebarOpen }),
   setSidebarOpen: (open) => set({ sidebarOpen: open }),
   setSidebarStyle: (style) => set({ sidebarStyle: style }),
+  setCollapsedNavSections: (sections) => set({ collapsedNavSections: sections }),
+  toggleNavSection: (sectionLabel) =>
+    set((state) => ({
+      collapsedNavSections: {
+        ...state.collapsedNavSections,
+        [sectionLabel]: !state.collapsedNavSections[sectionLabel],
+      },
+    })),
   toggleMobileSidebarHidden: () => set({ mobileSidebarHidden: !get().mobileSidebarHidden }),
   setMobileSidebarHidden: (hidden) => set({ mobileSidebarHidden: hidden }),
 

libs/types/src/settings.ts

@@ -846,6 +846,8 @@ export interface GlobalSettings {
   sidebarOpen: boolean;
   /** Sidebar layout style ('unified' = modern single sidebar, 'discord' = classic two-sidebar layout) */
   sidebarStyle: SidebarStyle;
+  /** Collapsed state of sidebar navigation sections (key: section label, value: is collapsed) */
+  collapsedNavSections?: Record<string, boolean>;
   /** Whether chat history panel is open */
   chatHistoryOpen: boolean;
 
@@ -1321,6 +1323,7 @@ export const DEFAULT_GLOBAL_SETTINGS: GlobalSettings = {
   theme: 'dark',
   sidebarOpen: true,
   sidebarStyle: 'unified',
+  collapsedNavSections: {},
   chatHistoryOpen: false,
   maxConcurrency: DEFAULT_MAX_CONCURRENCY,
   defaultSkipTests: true,