desktop: make chat work in SKIP_ENV_VALIDATION mode

apps/desktop/BUILDING.md

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ Run the dev server without env validation or auth:
 SKIP_ENV_VALIDATION=1 bun run dev
 ```
 
-This skips environment variable validation and the sign-in screen, useful for local development without credentials.
+This skips environment variable validation and the sign-in screen. Desktop chat also falls back to local-only session bootstrap in this mode, so you can test chat/streaming without the cloud API as long as you have local model credentials configured.
 
 # Release
 
@@ -36,4 +36,4 @@ ls -la release/*.AppImage
 ls -la release/*-linux.yml
 ```
 
-If both files exist, packaging produced the Linux artifact + updater metadata that `electron-updater` expects.
+If both files exist, packaging produced the Linux artifact + updater metadata that `electron-updater` expects.

apps/desktop/src/renderer/lib/dev-chat.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "bun:test";
+import {
+	DEV_CHAT_MODELS,
+	getDesktopChatModelOptions,
+	isDesktopChatSessionReady,
+	resolveDesktopChatOrganizationId,
+} from "./dev-chat";
+
+describe("dev chat helpers", () => {
+	it("uses the mock organization in dev mode", () => {
+		expect(resolveDesktopChatOrganizationId(null, true)).toBe("mock-org-id");
+		expect(resolveDesktopChatOrganizationId("org-123", true)).toBe(
+			"mock-org-id",
+		);
+	});
+
+	it("keeps the real organization outside dev mode", () => {
+		expect(resolveDesktopChatOrganizationId("org-123", false)).toBe("org-123");
+		expect(resolveDesktopChatOrganizationId(null, false)).toBeNull();
+	});
+
+	it("treats local session ids as ready in dev mode", () => {
+		expect(
+			isDesktopChatSessionReady({
+				sessionId: "session-123",
+				hasPersistedSession: false,
+				skipEnvValidation: true,
+			}),
+		).toBe(true);
+		expect(
+			isDesktopChatSessionReady({
+				sessionId: null,
+				hasPersistedSession: false,
+				skipEnvValidation: true,
+			}),
+		).toBe(false);
+	});
+
+	it("returns the fallback model list only in dev mode", () => {
+		expect(getDesktopChatModelOptions(true)).toEqual(DEV_CHAT_MODELS);
+		expect(getDesktopChatModelOptions(false)).toEqual([]);
+	});
+});

apps/desktop/src/renderer/lib/dev-chat.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+import type { ModelOption } from "renderer/components/Chat/ChatInterface/types";
+import { env } from "renderer/env.renderer";
+import { MOCK_ORG_ID } from "shared/constants";
+
+export const DEV_CHAT_MODELS: ModelOption[] = [
+	{
+		id: "anthropic/claude-opus-4-6",
+		name: "Opus 4.6",
+		provider: "Anthropic",
+	},
+	{
+		id: "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6",
+		name: "Sonnet 4.6",
+		provider: "Anthropic",
+	},
+	{
+		id: "anthropic/claude-haiku-4-5",
+		name: "Haiku 4.5",
+		provider: "Anthropic",
+	},
+	{
+		id: "openai/gpt-5.4",
+		name: "GPT-5.4",
+		provider: "OpenAI",
+	},
+	{
+		id: "openai/gpt-5.3-codex",
+		name: "GPT-5.3 Codex",
+		provider: "OpenAI",
+	},
+];
+
+export function isDesktopChatDevMode(
+	skipEnvValidation = env.SKIP_ENV_VALIDATION,
+): boolean {
+	return skipEnvValidation;
+}
+
+export function resolveDesktopChatOrganizationId(
+	activeOrganizationId: string | null | undefined,
+	skipEnvValidation = env.SKIP_ENV_VALIDATION,
+): string | null {
+	if (skipEnvValidation) return MOCK_ORG_ID;
+	return activeOrganizationId ?? null;
+}
+
+export function isDesktopChatSessionReady({
+	sessionId,
+	hasPersistedSession,
+	skipEnvValidation = env.SKIP_ENV_VALIDATION,
+}: {
+	sessionId: string | null;
+	hasPersistedSession: boolean;
+	skipEnvValidation?: boolean;
+}): boolean {
+	if (skipEnvValidation) return Boolean(sessionId);
+	return hasPersistedSession;
+}
+
+export function getDesktopChatModelOptions(
+	skipEnvValidation = env.SKIP_ENV_VALIDATION,
+): ModelOption[] {
+	return skipEnvValidation ? DEV_CHAT_MODELS : [];
+}

apps/desktop/src/renderer/routes/_authenticated/_dashboard/v2-workspace/$workspaceId/components/WorkspaceChat/components/WorkspaceChatInterface/ChatPaneInterface.tsx

@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ import type {
 	PermissionMode,
 } from "renderer/components/Chat/ChatInterface/types";
 import { apiTrpcClient } from "renderer/lib/api-trpc-client";
+import {
+	getDesktopChatModelOptions,
+	isDesktopChatDevMode,
+} from "renderer/lib/dev-chat";
 import { posthog } from "renderer/lib/posthog";
 import { useChatPreferencesStore } from "renderer/stores/chat-preferences";
 import {
@@ -128,12 +132,14 @@ function useAvailableModels(): {
 	models: ModelOption[];
 	defaultModel: ModelOption | null;
 } {
+	const localModels = getDesktopChatModelOptions();
 	const { data } = useQuery({
 		queryKey: ["chat", "models"],
 		queryFn: () => apiTrpcClient.chat.getModels.query(),
+		enabled: !isDesktopChatDevMode(),
 		staleTime: Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY,
 	});
-	const models = data?.models ?? [];
+	const models = localModels.length > 0 ? localModels : (data?.models ?? []);
 	return { models, defaultModel: models[0] ?? null };
 }
 

apps/desktop/src/renderer/routes/_authenticated/_dashboard/v2-workspace/$workspaceId/components/WorkspaceChat/components/WorkspaceChatInterface/utils/uploadFiles/uploadFiles.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import type { FileUIPart } from "ai";
 import { apiTrpcClient } from "renderer/lib/api-trpc-client";
+import { isDesktopChatDevMode } from "renderer/lib/dev-chat";
 
 async function getHttpErrorDetail(response: Response): Promise<string> {
 	const errorBody = await response
@@ -45,12 +46,22 @@ async function uploadFile(
 	if (signal?.aborted) {
 		throw new DOMException("The operation was aborted", "AbortError");
 	}
+	const fileData = await blobToDataUrl(blob);
+
+	if (isDesktopChatDevMode()) {
+		return {
+			type: "file",
+			url: fileData,
+			mediaType: file.mediaType,
+			filename,
+		};
+	}
 
 	const result = await apiTrpcClient.chat.uploadAttachment.mutate({
 		sessionId,
 		filename,
 		mediaType: file.mediaType,
-		fileData: await blobToDataUrl(blob),
+		fileData,
 	});
 	return { type: "file", ...result };
 }

apps/desktop/src/renderer/routes/_authenticated/_dashboard/v2-workspace/$workspaceId/components/WorkspaceChat/hooks/useWorkspaceChatController/useWorkspaceChatController.ts

@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ import { useLiveQuery } from "@tanstack/react-db";
 import { useCallback, useMemo } from "react";
 import { apiTrpcClient } from "renderer/lib/api-trpc-client";
 import { authClient } from "renderer/lib/auth-client";
+import {
+	isDesktopChatDevMode,
+	resolveDesktopChatOrganizationId,
+} from "renderer/lib/dev-chat";
 import { posthog } from "renderer/lib/posthog";
 import { useCollections } from "renderer/routes/_authenticated/providers/CollectionsProvider";
 
@@ -37,13 +41,15 @@ async function createSessionRecord(input: {
 	sessionId: string;
 	v2WorkspaceId: string;
 }): Promise<void> {
+	if (isDesktopChatDevMode()) return;
 	await apiTrpcClient.chat.createSession.mutate({
 		sessionId: input.sessionId,
 		v2WorkspaceId: input.v2WorkspaceId,
 	});
 }
 
 async function deleteSessionRecord(sessionId: string): Promise<void> {
+	if (isDesktopChatDevMode()) return;
 	const result = await apiTrpcClient.chat.deleteSession.mutate({
 		sessionId,
 	});
@@ -62,7 +68,9 @@ export function useWorkspaceChatController({
 	workspaceId: string;
 }) {
 	const { data: session } = authClient.useSession();
-	const organizationId = session?.session?.activeOrganizationId ?? null;
+	const organizationId = resolveDesktopChatOrganizationId(
+		session?.session?.activeOrganizationId,
+	);
 	const collections = useCollections();
 
 	const { data: workspace } = workspaceTrpc.workspace.get.useQuery(
@@ -140,10 +148,24 @@ export function useWorkspaceChatController({
 		return nextSessionId;
 	}, [onSessionIdChange, organizationId, sessionId, sessions, workspaceId]);
 
-	const sessionItems = useMemo(
-		() => sessions.map((item) => toSessionSelectorItem(item)),
-		[sessions],
-	);
+	const sessionItems = useMemo(() => {
+		const nextItems = sessions.map((item) => toSessionSelectorItem(item));
+		if (
+			!isDesktopChatDevMode() ||
+			!sessionId ||
+			nextItems.some((item) => item.sessionId === sessionId)
+		) {
+			return nextItems;
+		}
+		return [
+			{
+				sessionId,
+				title: "",
+				updatedAt: new Date(),
+			},
+			...nextItems,
+		];
+	}, [sessionId, sessions]);
 
 	return {
 		sessionId,

apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/components/WorkspaceView/ContentView/TabsContent/TabView/ChatPane/ChatPaneInterface/ChatPaneInterface.tsx

@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ import type {
 	PermissionMode,
 } from "renderer/components/Chat/ChatInterface/types";
 import { apiTrpcClient } from "renderer/lib/api-trpc-client";
+import {
+	getDesktopChatModelOptions,
+	isDesktopChatDevMode,
+} from "renderer/lib/dev-chat";
 import { posthog } from "renderer/lib/posthog";
 import { useChatPreferencesStore } from "renderer/stores/chat-preferences";
 import { useTabsStore } from "renderer/stores/tabs/store";
@@ -128,12 +132,14 @@ function useAvailableModels(): {
 	models: ModelOption[];
 	defaultModel: ModelOption | null;
 } {
+	const localModels = getDesktopChatModelOptions();
 	const { data } = useQuery({
 		queryKey: ["chat", "models"],
 		queryFn: () => apiTrpcClient.chat.getModels.query(),
+		enabled: !isDesktopChatDevMode(),
 		staleTime: Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY,
 	});
-	const models = data?.models ?? [];
+	const models = localModels.length > 0 ? localModels : (data?.models ?? []);
 	return { models, defaultModel: models[0] ?? null };
 }
 

apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/components/WorkspaceView/ContentView/TabsContent/TabView/ChatPane/ChatPaneInterface/utils/uploadFiles/uploadFiles.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import type { FileUIPart } from "ai";
 import { apiTrpcClient } from "renderer/lib/api-trpc-client";
+import { isDesktopChatDevMode } from "renderer/lib/dev-chat";
 
 async function getHttpErrorDetail(response: Response): Promise<string> {
 	const errorBody = await response
@@ -45,12 +46,22 @@ async function uploadFile(
 	if (signal?.aborted) {
 		throw new DOMException("The operation was aborted", "AbortError");
 	}
+	const fileData = await blobToDataUrl(blob);
+
+	if (isDesktopChatDevMode()) {
+		return {
+			type: "file",
+			url: fileData,
+			mediaType: file.mediaType,
+			filename,
+		};
+	}
 
 	const result = await apiTrpcClient.chat.uploadAttachment.mutate({
 		sessionId,
 		filename,
 		mediaType: file.mediaType,
-		fileData: await blobToDataUrl(blob),
+		fileData,
 	});
 	return { type: "file", ...result };
 }

apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/components/WorkspaceView/ContentView/TabsContent/TabView/ChatPane/hooks/useChatPaneController/useChatPaneController.ts

@@ -6,6 +6,11 @@ import type { StartFreshSessionResult } from "renderer/components/Chat/ChatInter
 import { env } from "renderer/env.renderer";
 import { apiTrpcClient } from "renderer/lib/api-trpc-client";
 import { authClient, getAuthToken } from "renderer/lib/auth-client";
+import {
+	isDesktopChatDevMode,
+	isDesktopChatSessionReady,
+	resolveDesktopChatOrganizationId,
+} from "renderer/lib/dev-chat";
 import { electronTrpc } from "renderer/lib/electron-trpc";
 import { posthog } from "renderer/lib/posthog";
 import { useCollections } from "renderer/routes/_authenticated/providers/CollectionsProvider";
@@ -80,6 +85,7 @@ async function createSessionRecord(input: {
 	organizationId: string;
 	workspaceId: string;
 }): Promise<void> {
+	if (isDesktopChatDevMode()) return;
 	const token = getAuthToken();
 	const response = await fetch(`${apiUrl}/api/chat/${input.sessionId}`, {
 		method: "PUT",
@@ -106,6 +112,7 @@ async function createSessionRecord(input: {
 }
 
 async function deleteSessionRecord(sessionId: string): Promise<void> {
+	if (isDesktopChatDevMode()) return;
 	const token = getAuthToken();
 	const response = await fetch(`${apiUrl}/api/chat/${sessionId}/stream`, {
 		method: "DELETE",
@@ -131,7 +138,9 @@ export function useChatPaneController({
 	const launchConfig = pane?.chat?.launchConfig ?? null;
 	const needsLegacySessionBootstrap = sessionId === null;
 	const { data: session } = authClient.useSession();
-	const organizationId = session?.session?.activeOrganizationId ?? null;
+	const organizationId = resolveDesktopChatOrganizationId(
+		session?.session?.activeOrganizationId,
+	);
 	const collections = useCollections();
 	const legacySessionBootstrapRef = useRef(false);
 	const ensuredRef = useRef<string | null>(null);
@@ -154,6 +163,7 @@ export function useChatPaneController({
 	);
 
 	useEffect(() => {
+		if (isDesktopChatDevMode()) return;
 		if (existsRemotely) return;
 		if (!workspace?.project || !organizationId) return;
 		if (ensuredRef.current === workspaceId) return;
@@ -213,9 +223,12 @@ export function useChatPaneController({
 		);
 		return scopedOrUnscoped.length > 0 ? scopedOrUnscoped : allSessions;
 	}, [allSessions, workspaceId]);
-	const hasCurrentSessionRecord = Boolean(
-		sessionId && sessions.some((item) => item.id === sessionId),
-	);
+	const hasCurrentSessionRecord = isDesktopChatSessionReady({
+		sessionId,
+		hasPersistedSession: Boolean(
+			sessionId && sessions.some((item) => item.id === sessionId),
+		),
+	});
 	const [isSessionInitializing, setIsSessionInitializing] = useState(false);
 	const hasCurrentSessionRecordRef = useRef(hasCurrentSessionRecord);
 	const sessionInitScopeRef = useRef<string | null>(null);
@@ -429,10 +442,24 @@ export function useChatPaneController({
 			});
 	}, [handleNewChat, needsLegacySessionBootstrap, organizationId]);
 
-	const sessionItems = useMemo(
-		() => sessions.map((item) => toSessionSelectorItem(item)),
-		[sessions],
-	);
+	const sessionItems = useMemo(() => {
+		const nextItems = sessions.map((item) => toSessionSelectorItem(item));
+		if (
+			!isDesktopChatDevMode() ||
+			!sessionId ||
+			nextItems.some((item) => item.sessionId === sessionId)
+		) {
+			return nextItems;
+		}
+		return [
+			{
+				sessionId,
+				title: "",
+				updatedAt: new Date(),
+			},
+			...nextItems,
+		];
+	}, [sessionId, sessions]);
 
 	const consumeLaunchConfig = useCallback(() => {
 		setChatLaunchConfig(paneId, null);