ataibarkai · Nov 8, 2026
@@ -8,6 +8,15 @@ Newest first. `Unreleased` is what is on `main` and not yet tagged.
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+- Bots answer ordinary questions, summaries and short lists directly in Markdown by default.
+  Notice cards are reserved for distinct actionable alerts or an explicit request; other components
+  are used when their visual or interactive behavior makes the answer easier to use. Existing
+  deployments keep their published component descriptions; administrators can update the Notice
+  and Checklist descriptions to match the new defaults.
+- Notice cards render Markdown in their explanation and supporting points, including links,
+  formatting and code, using the same renderer as conversation replies.
+- The sidebar's new-conversation action is labelled "New thread" beside a compose icon.
+
 - OpenBot Desktop updates and sets up its local back end on a slow connection. Before the back
   end's update (a new one, or the next Start's retry of one that did not finish) or a setup that
   resumes, it downloads the back end's images itself, one at a time and with no fixed time limit,

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { IconLogout, IconPlus, IconSearch } from "@tabler/icons-react";
+import { IconEdit, IconLogout, IconSearch } from "@tabler/icons-react";
 import { useInfiniteQuery, useQuery } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import { Link, type LinkOptions, useParams } from "@tanstack/react-router";
 import { AnimatePresence, motion, useReducedMotion } from "motion/react";
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ export function AppSidebar({ ...props }: React.ComponentProps<typeof Sidebar>) {
     <Sidebar variant="inset" {...props}>
       <SidebarHeader className="h-12 p-2">
         <SidebarMenu>
-          <SidebarMenuItem className="flex flex-row gap-1.5">
+          <SidebarMenuItem className="flex flex-row items-center gap-1.5">
             <SidebarMenuButton
               className="font-semibold text-[14px] tracking-tighter h-full leading-tight"
               render={(props) => (
@@ -239,20 +239,13 @@ export function AppSidebar({ ...props }: React.ComponentProps<typeof Sidebar>) {
               )}
             />
             <Button
-              aria-label="New conversation"
-              size="icon"
               variant="ghost"
-              render={(props) => (
-                <Link
-                  {...props}
-                  to="/channel/new"
-                  activeProps={{
-                    className: "bg-foreground/5",
-                  }}
-                />
-              )}
+              size="sm"
+              className="shrink-0 gap-1.5 px-2 text-[13px] font-normal text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
+              render={(props) => <Link {...props} to="/channel/new" />}
             >
-              <IconPlus />
+              <IconEdit className="size-4" />
+              <span>New thread</span>
             </Button>
           </SidebarMenuItem>
         </SidebarMenu>

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { z } from "zod";
 import type { GalleryComponent } from "@/lib/copilot/gallery-registry";
 import { Badge, GalleryFrame, type Tone } from "./frame";
+import { GalleryMarkdown } from "./markdown";
 import { byPosition } from "./positions";
 
 const tone = z
@@ -226,13 +227,17 @@ export function NoticeCard({
       action={badge ? <Badge tone={noticeTone}>{badge}</Badge> : undefined}
       title={title}
     >
-      <p className="text-sm">{body}</p>
+      <GalleryMarkdown>{body}</GalleryMarkdown>
       {points?.length ? (
         <ul className="mt-2 space-y-1 text-sm text-muted-foreground">
           {byPosition(points).map(({ item: entry, key }) => (
-            <li className="flex gap-2" key={key}>
+            // A point can already be a Markdown list, so give it only its own marker and indent.
+            <li
+              className="flex gap-2 [&:has(>div>:is(ol,ul):first-child)>span]:hidden [&>div>:is(ol,ul)]:pl-0"
+              key={key}
+            >
               <span aria-hidden="true">·</span>
-              <span className="min-w-0">{entry}</span>
+              <GalleryMarkdown>{entry}</GalleryMarkdown>
             </li>
           ))}
         </ul>
@@ -300,7 +305,7 @@ export const GALLERY: GalleryComponent[] = [
     summary:
       "Shows the steps of a piece of work and which ones are done, such as a release plan.",
     description:
-      "Show the tasks or steps of a piece of work and which are finished, such as a release plan or an onboarding list. Only for work somebody ticks off. Not for presenting information: findings, options, recommendations or a list of points go in text or a notice. The person cannot tick these here, so do not use it to ask for anything.",
+      "Show the tasks or steps of a piece of work and which are finished, such as a release plan or an onboarding list. Only for work somebody ticks off. Not for presenting information: findings, options, recommendations and ordinary lists of points belong in a Markdown reply. The person cannot tick these here, so do not use it to ask for anything.",
     parameters: ChecklistCardProps,
     Component: ChecklistCard as GalleryComponent["Component"],
     preview: {
@@ -320,7 +325,7 @@ export const GALLERY: GalleryComponent[] = [
     summary:
       "Shows a headline with a short explanation and a few supporting points.",
     description:
-      "Show a headline, a short explanation and optional supporting points. Use instead of writing several paragraphs of prose.",
+      "Show a distinct actionable alert needing the person's attention, such as a failed scheduled task requiring intervention or a new issue blocking their work. Also use when the person explicitly asks for a notice card. Answer ordinary questions, explanations, summaries, recommendations and short lists directly in Markdown, including important emails or deadlines. Importance, a caveat or several paragraphs alone does not justify a notice. Do not use this to wrap or repeat a routine answer. Body and supporting points support Markdown.",
     parameters: NoticeCardProps,
     Component: NoticeCard as GalleryComponent["Component"],
     preview: {

@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import { useContext } from "react";
+import { Streamdown } from "streamdown";
+import { markdownComponents, markdownPlugins } from "@/lib/markdown";
+import { GalleryStreamingContext } from "./streaming";
+
+/** Bot-authored card prose uses the same renderer and links as a chat reply. */
+export function GalleryMarkdown({ children }: { children?: string }) {
+  const streaming = useContext(GalleryStreamingContext);
+  return (
+    <Streamdown
+      className="min-w-0 break-words text-sm"
+      components={markdownComponents}
+      mode={streaming ? "streaming" : "static"}
+      plugins={markdownPlugins}
+    >
+      {children ?? ""}
+    </Streamdown>
+  );
+}
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+import { afterAll, afterEach, beforeAll, expect, test } from "bun:test";
+import { GlobalRegistrator } from "@happy-dom/global-registrator";
+import { cleanup, render, waitFor } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { NoticeCard } from "@/components/gallery/cards";
+import { GalleryStreamingContext } from "@/components/gallery/streaming";
+import { settleReactWork } from "./settle-react-work";
+
+beforeAll(() => GlobalRegistrator.register({ url: "http://localhost/" }));
+afterEach(cleanup);
+afterAll(async () => {
+  await settleReactWork();
+  GlobalRegistrator.unregister();
+});
+
+test("notice body and supporting points render Markdown with the reply's links", () => {
+  const view = render(
+    <NoticeCard
+      title="Two emails to check"
+      tone="caution"
+      body="These are my **highest-priority** picks. See the [review](https://docs.google.com/document/d/review/edit)."
+      points={[
+        "1. ElevenLabs — new login. [Read the email](https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#all/example-one).",
+        "2. AWS — update `redis`. [Read the email](https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#all/example-two).",
+      ]}
+    />,
+  );
+
+  expect(view.getByText("Heads up")).toBeTruthy();
+  expect(
+    view.getByText("highest-priority").getAttribute("data-streamdown"),
+  ).toBe("strong");
+  expect(view.getByText("redis").tagName).toBe("CODE");
+  const emails = view.getAllByRole("link", { name: "Read the email" });
+  expect(emails.map((link) => link.getAttribute("href"))).toEqual([
+    "https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#all/example-one",
+    "https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#all/example-two",
+  ]);
+  for (const link of emails) {
+    expect(link.getAttribute("target")).toBe("_blank");
+    expect(link.getAttribute("rel")).toBe("noreferrer noopener");
+  }
+  expect(view.getByRole("link", { name: "review Doc" })).toBeTruthy();
+  expect(view.container.textContent).not.toContain("[Read the email]");
+});
+
+test("notice Markdown supports blocks and keeps the existing renderer's sanitization", async () => {
+  const view = render(
+    <NoticeCard
+      body={
+        "## Review\n\n- **First**\n- Second\n\n```js\nconst ready = true;\n```"
+      }
+      points={["[Unsafe](javascript:alert(1))", '<script>alert("no")</script>']}
+    />,
+  );
+
+  expect(view.getByRole("heading", { name: "Review" })).toBeTruthy();
+  expect(view.getByText("First").getAttribute("data-streamdown")).toBe(
+    "strong",
+  );
+  expect(view.container.querySelector("p pre, p div, p ul")).toBeNull();
+  expect(view.container.querySelector("script")).toBeNull();
+  expect(view.container.querySelector('a[href^="javascript:"]')).toBeNull();
+  await waitFor(() => {
+    expect(
+      view.container.querySelector('pre span[style*="--shiki-dark"]'),
+    ).toBeTruthy();
+  });
+  expect(view.getByRole("button", { name: /copy/i })).toBeTruthy();
+});
+
+test("notice Markdown handles partial arguments while streaming and completed text on replay", () => {
+  const view = render(
+    <GalleryStreamingContext.Provider value>
+      <NoticeCard body="Check **priority" points={["Read **first"]} />
+    </GalleryStreamingContext.Provider>,
+  );
+  expect(view.getByText("priority").getAttribute("data-streamdown")).toBe(
+    "strong",
+  );
+  expect(view.getByText("first").getAttribute("data-streamdown")).toBe(
+    "strong",
+  );
+
+  view.rerender(
+    <GalleryStreamingContext.Provider value={false}>
+      <NoticeCard body="Check **priority**." points={["Read **first**."]} />
+    </GalleryStreamingContext.Provider>,
+  );
+  expect(view.getByText("priority").getAttribute("data-streamdown")).toBe(
+    "strong",
+  );
+  expect(view.getByText("first").getAttribute("data-streamdown")).toBe(
+    "strong",
+  );
+
+  view.rerender(<NoticeCard />);
+  expect(view.container.textContent).toBe("");
+});
@@ -1410,10 +1410,9 @@ describe("where a Bot says its answer came from", () => {
 });
 
 /**
- * A Bot is told to answer with a component when the answer has structure.
+ * A Bot answers in Markdown by default and uses components when they add value.
  *
- * Every Bot was offered the gallery and none was told when to use it, so structured answers came back
- * as prose. The rule travels the same three ways the provenance rule does, and each is asserted,
+ * The rule travels the same three ways the provenance rule does, and each is asserted,
  * because they are built by different code: the built-in prompt, the standing role that is a remote
  * Bot's only instruction, and a background turn, which builds its Bot through the resolver rather
  * than the request path.
@@ -1434,7 +1433,7 @@ describe("when a Bot answers with a component", () => {
     );
     const prompt = "prompt" in configuration ? configuration.prompt : undefined;
 
-    // Its last line points at "the rules above", so the order is part of the rule.
+    // Its provenance reference points at "the rules above", so the order is part of the rule.
     expect(prompt).toContain(`${PROVENANCE_GUIDANCE}\n\n${COMPONENT_GUIDANCE}`);
   });
 
@@ -1446,7 +1445,17 @@ describe("when a Bot answers with a component", () => {
     const guidance = COMPONENT_GUIDANCE.toLowerCase().replace(/\s+/g, " ");
     for (const kind of ["a chart", "a checklist", "a record card", "choose"])
       expect(guidance).toContain(kind);
-    expect(guidance).toContain("plain text only for a short conversational");
+    expect(guidance).toContain("answer directly in markdown by default");
+    expect(guidance).toContain("when the person explicitly asks for it");
+    expect(guidance).toContain(
+      "materially easier to understand or use than markdown",
+    );
+    expect(guidance).toContain(
+      "reserve a notice card for a distinct actionable alert",
+    );
+    expect(guidance).not.toContain(
+      "plain text only for a short conversational",
+    );
     // Tool names are camelCase or snake_case; the tools on a turn vary per Bot and grant.
     expect(COMPONENT_GUIDANCE).not.toMatch(/\b[a-z]+[A-Z]\w*\b|\b\w+_\w+\b/);
   });

@@ -230,32 +230,36 @@ export const PROVENANCE_GUIDANCE = asParagraphs(PROVENANCE_GUIDANCE_LINES);
 /**
  * When to answer with a component rather than prose.
  *
- * Every Bot is offered the gallery (charts, tables, record cards, checklists, choices), sandboxed UI
- * in the browser, and the display half of the gallery on a background turn. Nothing said when to use
- * any of it, so each tool's own description decided alone: a comparison of figures got a chart, but
- * a first-week plan came back as headed lists and a landmark's key facts as bullets, from a Bot
- * holding a checklist and a record card.
+ * Every Bot is offered the gallery and generated UI. Preferring a component whenever an answer had
+ * structure made ordinary answers into cards: even a short list of emails became a notice. Markdown
+ * is the default; a component needs a concrete benefit or an explicit request.
  *
  * It names kinds of answer and never a tool, because the tools on a turn differ: by Bot, by grant,
  * and between a person's own turn and a background one, where nothing that waits on a person is
  * offered. A list of names would promise a component somebody's turn does not hold.
  *
- * It goes straight after `PROVENANCE_GUIDANCE` in every prompt, which is what "the rules above" in
- * its last line points at: a chart drawn because this said to is still a chart whose figures have to
+ * It goes straight after `PROVENANCE_GUIDANCE` in every prompt, which is what "the rules above"
+ * points at: a chart drawn because this said to is still a chart whose figures have to
  * say where they came from.
  */
 const COMPONENT_GUIDANCE_LINES = [
-  "When an answer has structure, answer with a component from your tools rather than in prose.",
-  "Numbers or a comparison: a chart or headline figures. Rows that share the same fields: a table.",
-  "Tasks or steps of a piece of work, with which are finished: a checklist. A list of points, findings",
-  "or recommendations: text or a notice, never a checklist, whose ticks would mark the answer done.",
-  "The details of one thing, such as a person, an order or an account: a record card. A choice",
-  "the person has to make: a card they choose from. Use whichever of the tools you hold on this turn",
-  "fits, and put a sentence or two of text around it saying what it shows or what comes next, without",
-  "repeating what it already shows.",
+  "Answer directly in Markdown by default. Simple questions, explanations, summaries, recommendations",
+  "and short lists belong in your reply, including a list of the top emails and why they matter.",
+  "Headings, bullets, links, numbers or several paragraphs are not by themselves a reason to draw a",
+  "component or generate an interface. When in doubt, answer in Markdown.",
   "",
-  "Answer in plain text only for a short conversational reply, or when none of your tools fits the",
-  "answer. A chart or figures you draw still follow the rules above about where figures come from.",
+  "Use a component from the tools you hold when the person explicitly asks for it, or when its visual",
+  "or interactive behavior makes the answer materially easier to understand or use than Markdown.",
+  "A chart can reveal a trend; a table can help compare many rows; a checklist can track tasks and",
+  "which are finished; a record card can organize a record's fields; a choice card lets the person",
+  "choose. Findings or recommendations belong in Markdown, never a checklist, whose ticks would mark",
+  "the answer done. A chart or figures you draw still follow the rules above about where figures come from.",
+  "",
+  "Reserve a notice card for a distinct actionable alert that needs the person's attention, such as",
+  "a failed scheduled task needing intervention or a new issue blocking their work, or for an explicit",
+  "request for a notice card. An ordinary answer about risks, deadlines or important emails is still",
+  "an answer: give it in Markdown. Importance or a caveat alone does not call for a notice.",
+  "Do not wrap a routine answer in a notice or repeat the same answer in both text and a card.",
   "",
   "Draw a component once, when you have the result it shows. Do not draw a draft and then a second",
   "one that replaces it: everything you draw stays in front of the person.",