feat(app): start the Assistant minimized on desktop (0289)

apps/web/src/workbench/floating-assistant-default.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+/**
+ * The Floating Assistant island starts minimized on desktop (its full island is
+ * one click away via the reopener pill, but it doesn't claim editor space at
+ * rest). `floatAi` is desktop-only (MobileShell ignores it) and non-persisted
+ * (excluded from `partialize`), so the store default is authoritative every
+ * load — this guards that default. See FloatingDock.tsx: `floatAi === false`
+ * renders the "Open assistant" reopener pill instead of <Assistant />.
+ */
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { useWorkbench } from './state'
+
+describe('floating assistant default', () => {
+  it('starts minimized (floatAi false) so the Assistant does not claim space at rest', () => {
+    // Pristine store default — this file runs in its own isolated module
+    // registry, so no other suite's setState has mutated it.
+    expect(useWorkbench.getState().floatAi).toBe(false)
+  })
+})

apps/web/src/workbench/state.ts

@@ -460,10 +460,11 @@ export const useWorkbench = create<WorkbenchState>()(
       navPinned: ['explorer', 'requests', 'tasks'],
       sidebarWidth: 264,
       sidebarCompact: false,
-      // The Assistant floats by default (a launcher to the AI surface); the
-      // video-call island stays off until a real calling backend is wired
-      // (0286) — no fabricated live-call state is shown at rest.
-      floatAi: true,
+      // The Assistant starts minimized to its reopener pill on desktop — the
+      // full island is one click away but doesn't claim editor space at rest.
+      // The video-call island likewise stays off until a real calling backend
+      // is wired (0286) — no fabricated live-call state is shown at rest.
+      floatAi: false,
       floatCall: false,
       left: { open: true, activeViewId: 'explorer' },
       right: { open: false, activeViewId: 'context' },

site/src/data/changelog/2026-07-10-the-assistant-now-starts-minimized-on-de.json

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+{
+  "id": "2026-07-10-the-assistant-now-starts-minimized-on-de",
+  "date": "July 10, 2026",
+  "title": "The Assistant now starts minimized on desktop",
+  "summary": "The floating Assistant island no longer opens over the editor at launch. It starts collapsed to its reopener pill so the workspace is clear at rest — one click reopens the full island.",
+  "highlights": [],
+  "tags": [
+    "app",
+    "ai"
+  ]
+}