[FEATURE REQUEST] Add Persistent Chat Sessions to Prevent Work Loss on Incomplete Projects #515
Description
Problem Statement
Currently, DeepSeek chat sessions expire automatically after certain time periods or due to length limits, causing significant work loss when developers are in the middle of complex projects. This disrupts workflow and leads to frustration as hours of work, code context, debugging progress, and conversation history are completely lost.
🎯 Impact on Developers
Work Loss: Hours/days of coding progress disappears when sessions reset
Context Disappearance: Critical project context, file structures, and problem-solving history lost
Productivity Hit: Developers must restart complex projects from scratch
Time Wastage: Repeated effort on same problems due to lost conversation history
Frustration: Breaking flow state and disrupting development momentum
💡 Proposed Solution
Implement persistent chat sessions that allow users to save and resume incomplete projects without losing context, code history, or conversation progress.
📋 Suggested Features
- Project-Based Session Management
Save conversations as named projects with descriptions
Resume from exact point of interruption
Maintain full context, file history, and code snippets
Project organization with folders/tags
- Session Persistence Options
Manual save/load functionality with keyboard shortcuts
Auto-save for active projects with configurable intervals
Warning before session expiration with save option
Project versioning to track changes over time
- Export/Import Capability
Export project state as JSON/PDF for backup
Import projects to continue work across devices
Share projects with team members
Local storage option for privacy-conscious users
- User Experience Improvements
Project dashboard showing all saved projects
Quick resume for recently active projects
Search functionality across project conversations
Project templates for common workflows
🎯 Implementation Approach
For Free Users:
Basic project saving (3-5 active projects)
30-day project retention
Standard export formats
For Pro Users:
Unlimited project storage
Extended retention periods
Advanced export options (PDF, Markdown, JSON)
Collaboration features
API access for project management
🔧 Technical Considerations
Minimal performance impact on existing chat functionality
Secure data storage and privacy protection
Backward compatibility with existing chats
Optional feature that doesn't disrupt current workflow
📈 Benefits
Increased Productivity: Eliminate restarting from scratch
Better Developer Experience: Support complex, multi-session projects
Professional Workflow: Match industry standards for development tools
Competitive Advantage: Superior to other AI coding assistants
User Retention: Reduce frustration and improve satisfaction
🎯 Use Cases
Complex web development projects spanning multiple days
Debugging sessions that require continuous context
Learning projects where progress accumulates over time
Team collaborations needing shared context
Research projects requiring maintained conversation threads
💬 User Quote
"I spent 6 hours building a payment gateway system, solved multiple complex issues, and when the chat expired, I lost everything. Had to start over completely. This feature would save developers countless hours and significant frustration."
📊 Priority Level: HIGH
This addresses a critical pain point affecting developer productivity and represents a fundamental workflow improvement that aligns with DeepSeek's mission as a coding assistant.
This feature would transform DeepSeek from a single-session tool into a comprehensive project development platform, significantly enhancing its value for serious developers and teams.