feat(ai): persist chat panel state and improve no-tool direct prompts

Tasks.md

@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ Last updated: 2026-02-24
 | T-007 | Observability wiring (LangSmith traces and metrics) | Complete | `apps/api/src/app/endpoints/ai/ai.service.spec.ts`, `apps/api/src/app/endpoints/ai/ai-feedback.service.spec.ts`, `apps/api/src/app/endpoints/ai/evals/mvp-eval.runner.spec.ts` | Local implementation |
 | T-008 | Deployment and submission bundle | Complete | `npm run test:ai` + Railway healthcheck + submission docs checklist | `2b6506de8` |
 | T-009 | Open source eval framework contribution | In Review | `@ghostfolio/finance-agent-evals` package scaffold + dataset export + smoke/pack checks | openai/evals PR #1625 + langchain PR #35421 |
+| T-010 | Chat history persistence and simple direct-query handling | Complete | `apps/client/src/app/pages/portfolio/analysis/ai-chat-panel/ai-chat-panel.component.spec.ts`, `apps/api/src/app/endpoints/ai/ai-agent.utils.spec.ts`, `apps/api/src/app/endpoints/ai/ai.service.spec.ts` | Local implementation |
 
 ## Notes
 
@@ -33,3 +34,4 @@ Last updated: 2026-02-24
 - Condensed architecture doc (2026-02-24): `docs/ARCHITECTURE-CONDENSED.md`.
 - Railway crash recovery (2026-02-23): `railway.toml` start command corrected to `node dist/apps/api/main.js`, deployed to Railway (`4f26063a-97e5-43dd-b2dd-360e9e12a951`), and validated with production health check.
 - Tool gating hardening (2026-02-24): planner unknown-intent fallback changed to no-tools, executor policy gate added (`direct|tools|clarify`), and policy metrics emitted via verification and observability logs.
+- Chat persistence + simple direct-query handling (2026-02-24): client chat panel now restores/persists session + bounded message history via localStorage and policy no-tool prompts now return assistant capability guidance for queries like "Who are you?".

apps/api/src/app/endpoints/ai/ai-agent.policy.utils.ts

@@ -28,6 +28,11 @@ const GREETING_ONLY_PATTERN =
 const SIMPLE_ARITHMETIC_QUERY_PATTERN =
   /^\s*(?:what(?:'s| is)\s+)?[-+*/().\d\s%=]+\??\s*$/i;
 const SIMPLE_ARITHMETIC_OPERATOR_PATTERN = /[+\-*/]/;
+const SIMPLE_ASSISTANT_QUERY_PATTERNS = [
+  /^\s*(?:who are you|what are you|what can you do)\s*[!.?]*\s*$/i,
+  /^\s*(?:how do you work|how (?:can|do) i use (?:you|this))\s*[!.?]*\s*$/i,
+  /^\s*(?:help|assist(?: me)?|what can you help with)\s*[!.?]*\s*$/i
+];
 const READ_ONLY_TOOLS = new Set<AiAgentToolName>([
   'portfolio_analysis',
   'risk_assessment',
@@ -69,6 +74,14 @@ function isNoToolDirectQuery(query: string) {
     return true;
   }
 
+  if (
+    SIMPLE_ASSISTANT_QUERY_PATTERNS.some((pattern) => {
+      return pattern.test(query);
+    })
+  ) {
+    return true;
+  }
+
   const normalized = query.trim();
 
   if (!SIMPLE_ARITHMETIC_QUERY_PATTERN.test(normalized)) {
@@ -187,6 +200,13 @@ export function createPolicyRouteResponse({
     return `I can help with allocation review, concentration risk, market prices, and stress scenarios. Which one should I run next? Example: "Show concentration risk" or "Price for NVDA".`;
   }
 
+  if (
+    policyDecision.route === 'direct' &&
+    policyDecision.blockReason === 'no_tool_query'
+  ) {
+    return `I am your Ghostfolio AI assistant. I can help with portfolio analysis, concentration risk, market prices, rebalancing ideas, and stress scenarios. Try: "Show my top holdings" or "What is my concentration risk?".`;
+  }
+
   return `I can help with portfolio analysis, concentration risk, market prices, and stress scenarios. Ask a portfolio question when you are ready.`;
 }
 

apps/api/src/app/endpoints/ai/ai-agent.utils.spec.ts

@@ -69,6 +69,30 @@ describe('AiAgentUtils', () => {
     expect(decision.forcedDirect).toBe(true);
   });
 
+  it('routes assistant capability prompts to direct no-tool policy', () => {
+    const decision = applyToolExecutionPolicy({
+      plannedTools: [],
+      query: 'Who are you?'
+    });
+
+    expect(decision.route).toBe('direct');
+    expect(decision.toolsToExecute).toEqual([]);
+    expect(decision.blockReason).toBe('no_tool_query');
+    expect(createPolicyRouteResponse({ policyDecision: decision })).toContain(
+      'Ghostfolio AI assistant'
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('keeps finance-intent prompts on clarify route even with capability phrasing', () => {
+    const decision = applyToolExecutionPolicy({
+      plannedTools: [],
+      query: 'What can you do about my portfolio risk?'
+    });
+
+    expect(decision.route).toBe('clarify');
+    expect(decision.blockReason).toBe('unknown');
+  });
+
   it('routes to clarify when planner provides no tools for finance-style query', () => {
     const decision = applyToolExecutionPolicy({
       plannedTools: [],

apps/api/src/app/endpoints/ai/ai.service.spec.ts

@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ describe('AiService', () => {
       userId: 'user-direct-route'
     });
 
-    expect(result.answer).toContain('Ask a portfolio question when you are ready');
+    expect(result.answer).toContain('Ghostfolio AI assistant');
     expect(result.toolCalls).toEqual([]);
     expect(result.citations).toEqual([]);
     expect(dataProviderService.getQuotes).not.toHaveBeenCalled();

apps/client/src/app/pages/portfolio/analysis/ai-chat-panel/ai-chat-panel.component.spec.ts

@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@ import { of, throwError } from 'rxjs';
 
 import { GfAiChatPanelComponent } from './ai-chat-panel.component';
 
+const STORAGE_KEY_MESSAGES = 'gf_ai_chat_messages';
+const STORAGE_KEY_SESSION_ID = 'gf_ai_chat_session_id';
+
 function createChatResponse({
   answer,
   sessionId,
@@ -50,6 +53,23 @@ function createChatResponse({
   };
 }
 
+function createStoredMessage({
+  content,
+  id,
+  role
+}: {
+  content: string;
+  id: number;
+  role: 'assistant' | 'user';
+}) {
+  return {
+    content,
+    createdAt: new Date().toISOString(),
+    id,
+    role
+  };
+}
+
 describe('GfAiChatPanelComponent', () => {
   let component: GfAiChatPanelComponent;
   let fixture: ComponentFixture<GfAiChatPanelComponent>;
@@ -59,6 +79,8 @@ describe('GfAiChatPanelComponent', () => {
   };
 
   beforeEach(async () => {
+    localStorage.clear();
+
     dataService = {
       postAiChat: jest.fn(),
       postAiChatFeedback: jest.fn()
@@ -75,6 +97,10 @@ describe('GfAiChatPanelComponent', () => {
     fixture.detectChanges();
   });
 
+  afterEach(() => {
+    localStorage.clear();
+  });
+
   it('sends a chat query and appends assistant response', () => {
     dataService.postAiChat.mockReturnValue(
       of(
@@ -106,6 +132,10 @@ describe('GfAiChatPanelComponent', () => {
         role: 'assistant'
       })
     );
+    expect(localStorage.getItem(STORAGE_KEY_SESSION_ID)).toBe('session-1');
+    expect(
+      JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem(STORAGE_KEY_MESSAGES) ?? '[]')
+    ).toHaveLength(2);
   });
 
   it('reuses session id across consecutive prompts', () => {
@@ -144,6 +174,82 @@ describe('GfAiChatPanelComponent', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it('restores chat session and messages from local storage', () => {
+    localStorage.setItem(STORAGE_KEY_SESSION_ID, 'session-restored');
+    localStorage.setItem(
+      STORAGE_KEY_MESSAGES,
+      JSON.stringify([
+        createStoredMessage({
+          content: 'Restored user message',
+          id: 11,
+          role: 'user'
+        }),
+        createStoredMessage({
+          content: 'Restored assistant message',
+          id: 12,
+          role: 'assistant'
+        })
+      ])
+    );
+
+    const restoredFixture = TestBed.createComponent(GfAiChatPanelComponent);
+    const restoredComponent = restoredFixture.componentInstance;
+    restoredComponent.hasPermissionToReadAiPrompt = true;
+    restoredFixture.detectChanges();
+
+    dataService.postAiChat.mockReturnValue(
+      of(
+        createChatResponse({
+          answer: 'Follow-up response',
+          sessionId: 'session-restored',
+          turns: 3
+        })
+      )
+    );
+
+    restoredComponent.query = 'Follow-up';
+    restoredComponent.onSubmit();
+
+    expect(restoredComponent.chatMessages).toHaveLength(4);
+    expect(dataService.postAiChat).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      query: 'Follow-up',
+      sessionId: 'session-restored'
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('ignores invalid chat storage payload without throwing', () => {
+    localStorage.setItem(STORAGE_KEY_MESSAGES, '{invalid-json');
+
+    const restoredFixture = TestBed.createComponent(GfAiChatPanelComponent);
+    const restoredComponent = restoredFixture.componentInstance;
+    restoredComponent.hasPermissionToReadAiPrompt = true;
+
+    expect(() => {
+      restoredFixture.detectChanges();
+    }).not.toThrow();
+    expect(restoredComponent.chatMessages).toEqual([]);
+    expect(localStorage.getItem(STORAGE_KEY_MESSAGES)).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('caps restored chat history to the most recent 200 messages', () => {
+    const storedMessages = Array.from({ length: 250 }, (_, index) => {
+      return createStoredMessage({
+        content: `message-${index}`,
+        id: index,
+        role: index % 2 === 0 ? 'user' : 'assistant'
+      });
+    });
+    localStorage.setItem(STORAGE_KEY_MESSAGES, JSON.stringify(storedMessages));
+
+    const restoredFixture = TestBed.createComponent(GfAiChatPanelComponent);
+    const restoredComponent = restoredFixture.componentInstance;
+    restoredComponent.hasPermissionToReadAiPrompt = true;
+    restoredFixture.detectChanges();
+
+    expect(restoredComponent.chatMessages).toHaveLength(200);
+    expect(restoredComponent.chatMessages[0].id).toBe(50);
+  });
+
   it('adds a fallback assistant message when chat request fails', () => {
     dataService.postAiChat.mockReturnValue(
       throwError(() => {

apps/client/src/app/pages/portfolio/analysis/ai-chat-panel/ai-chat-panel.component.ts

@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ interface AiChatMessage {
   role: 'assistant' | 'user';
 }
 
+type StoredAiChatMessage = Omit<AiChatMessage, 'createdAt'> & {
+  createdAt: string;
+};
+
 @Component({
   changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.OnPush,
   imports: [
@@ -49,6 +53,10 @@ interface AiChatMessage {
   templateUrl: './ai-chat-panel.component.html'
 })
 export class GfAiChatPanelComponent implements OnDestroy {
+  private readonly STORAGE_KEY_MESSAGES = 'gf_ai_chat_messages';
+  private readonly STORAGE_KEY_SESSION_ID = 'gf_ai_chat_session_id';
+  private readonly MAX_STORED_MESSAGES = 200;
+
   @Input() hasPermissionToReadAiPrompt = false;
 
   public readonly assistantRoleLabel = $localize`Assistant`;
@@ -70,7 +78,9 @@ export class GfAiChatPanelComponent implements OnDestroy {
   public constructor(
     private readonly changeDetectorRef: ChangeDetectorRef,
     private readonly dataService: DataService
-  ) {}
+  ) {
+    this.restoreChatState();
+  }
 
   public ngOnDestroy() {
     this.unsubscribeSubject.next();
@@ -153,15 +163,12 @@ export class GfAiChatPanelComponent implements OnDestroy {
       return;
     }
 
-    this.chatMessages = [
-      ...this.chatMessages,
-      {
-        content: normalizedQuery,
-        createdAt: new Date(),
-        id: this.nextMessageId++,
-        role: 'user'
-      }
-    ];
+    this.appendMessage({
+      content: normalizedQuery,
+      createdAt: new Date(),
+      id: this.nextMessageId++,
+      role: 'user'
+    });
     this.errorMessage = undefined;
     this.isSubmitting = true;
     this.query = '';
@@ -181,33 +188,27 @@ export class GfAiChatPanelComponent implements OnDestroy {
       .subscribe({
         next: (response) => {
           this.chatSessionId = response.memory.sessionId;
-          this.chatMessages = [
-            ...this.chatMessages,
-            {
-              content: response.answer,
-              createdAt: new Date(),
-              feedback: {
-                isSubmitting: false
-              },
-              id: this.nextMessageId++,
-              response,
-              role: 'assistant'
-            }
-          ];
+          this.appendMessage({
+            content: response.answer,
+            createdAt: new Date(),
+            feedback: {
+              isSubmitting: false
+            },
+            id: this.nextMessageId++,
+            response,
+            role: 'assistant'
+          });
 
           this.changeDetectorRef.markForCheck();
         },
         error: () => {
           this.errorMessage = $localize`AI request failed. Check your model quota and permissions.`;
-          this.chatMessages = [
-            ...this.chatMessages,
-            {
-              content: $localize`Request failed. Please retry.`,
-              createdAt: new Date(),
-              id: this.nextMessageId++,
-              role: 'assistant'
-            }
-          ];
+          this.appendMessage({
+            content: $localize`Request failed. Please retry.`,
+            createdAt: new Date(),
+            id: this.nextMessageId++,
+            role: 'assistant'
+          });
 
           this.changeDetectorRef.markForCheck();
         }
@@ -218,10 +219,125 @@ export class GfAiChatPanelComponent implements OnDestroy {
     return role === 'assistant' ? this.assistantRoleLabel : this.userRoleLabel;
   }
 
+  private appendMessage(message: AiChatMessage) {
+    this.chatMessages = [...this.chatMessages, message].slice(
+      -this.MAX_STORED_MESSAGES
+    );
+    this.persistChatState();
+  }
+
+  private getStorage() {
+    try {
+      return globalThis.localStorage;
+    } catch {
+      return undefined;
+    }
+  }
+
+  private persistChatState() {
+    const storage = this.getStorage();
+
+    if (!storage) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    try {
+      if (this.chatSessionId) {
+        storage.setItem(this.STORAGE_KEY_SESSION_ID, this.chatSessionId);
+      } else {
+        storage.removeItem(this.STORAGE_KEY_SESSION_ID);
+      }
+
+      storage.setItem(
+        this.STORAGE_KEY_MESSAGES,
+        JSON.stringify(this.chatMessages.slice(-this.MAX_STORED_MESSAGES))
+      );
+    } catch {
+      // Keep chat available if browser storage is unavailable or full.
+    }
+  }
+
+  private restoreChatState() {
+    const storage = this.getStorage();
+
+    if (!storage) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const storedSessionId = storage.getItem(this.STORAGE_KEY_SESSION_ID);
+
+    if (storedSessionId?.trim()) {
+      this.chatSessionId = storedSessionId.trim();
+    }
+
+    const storedMessages = storage.getItem(this.STORAGE_KEY_MESSAGES);
+
+    if (!storedMessages) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    try {
+      const parsedMessages = JSON.parse(storedMessages) as unknown;
+
+      if (!Array.isArray(parsedMessages)) {
+        return;
+      }
+
+      this.chatMessages = parsedMessages
+        .map((message) => {
+          return this.toChatMessage(message);
+        })
+        .filter((message): message is AiChatMessage => {
+          return Boolean(message);
+        })
+        .slice(-this.MAX_STORED_MESSAGES);
+
+      this.nextMessageId =
+        this.chatMessages.reduce((maxId, message) => {
+          return Math.max(maxId, message.id);
+        }, -1) + 1;
+    } catch {
+      storage.removeItem(this.STORAGE_KEY_MESSAGES);
+    }
+  }
+
+  private toChatMessage(message: unknown): AiChatMessage | undefined {
+    if (!message || typeof message !== 'object') {
+      return undefined;
+    }
+
+    const storedMessage = message as Partial<StoredAiChatMessage>;
+
+    if (
+      typeof storedMessage.content !== 'string' ||
+      typeof storedMessage.id !== 'number' ||
+      typeof storedMessage.createdAt !== 'string' ||
+      (storedMessage.role !== 'assistant' && storedMessage.role !== 'user')
+    ) {
+      return undefined;
+    }
+
+    const createdAt = new Date(storedMessage.createdAt);
+
+    if (Number.isNaN(createdAt.getTime())) {
+      return undefined;
+    }
+
+    return {
+      content: storedMessage.content,
+      createdAt,
+      feedback: storedMessage.feedback,
+      id: storedMessage.id,
+      response: storedMessage.response,
+      role: storedMessage.role
+    };
+  }
+
   private updateMessage(index: number, updatedMessage: AiChatMessage) {
     this.chatMessages = this.chatMessages.map((message, messageIndex) => {
       return messageIndex === index ? updatedMessage : message;
     });
+    this.persistChatState();
     this.changeDetectorRef.markForCheck();
   }
 }

tasks/tasks.md

@@ -193,6 +193,14 @@ Last updated: 2026-02-24
 - [x] Push fork branches and open PRs against upstream repositories.
 - [x] Update `Tasks.md` and plan artifact with PR links and current status.
 
+## Session Plan (2026-02-24, Chat Persistence + Simple Query Handling)
+
+- [x] Review current chat panel storage behavior and AI policy direct-route behavior.
+- [x] Implement localStorage-backed chat session/message persistence with bounded history in `ai-chat-panel.component.ts`.
+- [x] Extend direct no-tool query handling for simple assistant capability/help prompts in `ai-agent.policy.utils.ts`.
+- [x] Add or update unit tests for chat persistence and policy simple-query routing.
+- [x] Run focused verification on touched frontend/backend AI suites and update task tracking artifacts.
+
 ## Verification Notes
 
 - `nx run api:lint` completed successfully (existing workspace warnings only).
@@ -256,3 +264,8 @@ Last updated: 2026-02-24
   - `npm run test:ai` (9/9 suites, 44/44 tests)
   - `npm run test:mvp-eval` (pass rate threshold test still passes)
   - `npx nx run api:lint` (passes with existing workspace warnings)
+- Chat persistence + simple query handling verification (local, 2026-02-24):
+  - `npx jest apps/client/src/app/pages/portfolio/analysis/ai-chat-panel/ai-chat-panel.component.spec.ts --config apps/client/jest.config.ts` (7/7 tests passed)
+  - `npx jest apps/api/src/app/endpoints/ai/ai-agent.utils.spec.ts apps/api/src/app/endpoints/ai/ai.service.spec.ts --config apps/api/jest.config.ts` (31/31 tests passed)
+  - `npx nx run api:lint` (passes with existing workspace warnings)
+  - `npx nx run client:lint` (passes with existing workspace warnings)