refactor(desktop): drop per-session icons, read-only cross-profile reads

The per-session icon picker added more noise than value — rip it out end
to end (sessions.icon column, set_session_icon, the PATCH field, the
picker UI, and the SessionInfo.icon type).

The cross-profile session aggregator now opens each profile's state.db
read-only (mode=ro, no schema init), so listing other profiles on every
sidebar refresh never DDLs or takes a write lock on their live DBs. The
single-profile hot path stays on par with /api/sessions.

apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/session-actions-menu.tsx

@@ -15,27 +15,17 @@ import {
 } from '@/components/ui/dialog'
 import { DropdownMenu, DropdownMenuContent, DropdownMenuItem, DropdownMenuTrigger } from '@/components/ui/dropdown-menu'
 import { Input } from '@/components/ui/input'
-import { renameSession, setSessionIcon } from '@/hermes'
+import { renameSession } from '@/hermes'
 import { triggerHaptic } from '@/lib/haptics'
 import { exportSession } from '@/lib/session-export'
-import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import { notify, notifyError } from '@/store/notifications'
 import { setSessions } from '@/store/session'
 
-// Curated glyphs for the per-session icon picker. Kept short so sessions from
-// different profiles stay visually distinguishable at a glance.
-const SESSION_ICON_CHOICES = [
-  '🦊', '🐙', '🦉', '🐝', '🐢', '🦄', '🚀', '⚡',
-  '🔥', '🌙', '⭐', '🎯', '🧪', '🔭', '🛠️', '🔒',
-  '💼', '📦', '🎨', '🧠'
-] as const
-
 interface SessionActions {
   sessionId: string
   title: string
   pinned?: boolean
   profile?: string
-  icon?: null | string
   onPin?: () => void
   onArchive?: () => void
   onDelete?: () => void
@@ -52,18 +42,8 @@ interface ItemSpec {
   variant?: 'destructive'
 }
 
-function useSessionActions({
+function useSessionActions({ sessionId, title, pinned = false, profile, onPin, onArchive, onDelete }: SessionActions) {
-  sessionId,
-  title,
-  pinned = false,
-  profile,
-  icon,
-  onPin,
-  onArchive,
-  onDelete
-}: SessionActions) {
   const [renameOpen, setRenameOpen] = useState(false)
-  const [iconOpen, setIconOpen] = useState(false)
 
   const items: ItemSpec[] = [
     {
@@ -103,15 +83,6 @@ function useSessionActions({
         setRenameOpen(true)
       }
     },
-    {
-      disabled: !sessionId,
-      icon: 'symbol-color',
-      label: 'Icon',
-      onSelect: () => {
-        triggerHaptic('selection')
-        setIconOpen(true)
-      }
-    },
     {
       disabled: !onArchive,
       icon: 'archive',
@@ -143,23 +114,13 @@ function useSessionActions({
     ))
 
   const renameDialog = (
-    <>
+    <RenameSessionDialog
-      <RenameSessionDialog
+      currentTitle={title}
-        currentTitle={title}
+      onOpenChange={setRenameOpen}
-        onOpenChange={setRenameOpen}
+      open={renameOpen}
-        open={renameOpen}
+      profile={profile}
-        profile={profile}
+      sessionId={sessionId}
-        sessionId={sessionId}
+    />
-      />
-      <IconPickerDialog
-        currentIcon={icon ?? null}
-        onOpenChange={setIconOpen}
-        open={iconOpen}
-        profile={profile}
-        sessionId={sessionId}
-        title={title}
-      />
-    </>
   )
 
   return { renameDialog, renderItems }
@@ -294,67 +255,3 @@ function RenameSessionDialog({ open, onOpenChange, sessionId, currentTitle, prof
     </Dialog>
   )
 }
-
-interface IconPickerDialogProps {
-  open: boolean
-  onOpenChange: (open: boolean) => void
-  sessionId: string
-  title: string
-  currentIcon: null | string
-  profile?: string
-}
-
-function IconPickerDialog({ open, onOpenChange, sessionId, title, currentIcon, profile }: IconPickerDialogProps) {
-  const [submitting, setSubmitting] = useState(false)
-
-  const apply = async (icon: string) => {
-    if (!sessionId || submitting) {
-      return
-    }
-
-    setSubmitting(true)
-
-    try {
-      const result = await setSessionIcon(sessionId, icon, profile)
-      const finalIcon = result.icon ?? null
-      setSessions(prev => prev.map(s => (s.id === sessionId ? { ...s, icon: finalIcon } : s)))
-      onOpenChange(false)
-    } catch (err) {
-      notifyError(err, 'Could not set icon')
-    } finally {
-      setSubmitting(false)
-    }
-  }
-
-  return (
-    <Dialog onOpenChange={onOpenChange} open={open}>
-      <DialogContent className="max-w-md">
-        <DialogHeader>
-          <DialogTitle>Session icon</DialogTitle>
-          <DialogDescription>Pick a glyph for “{title || 'this session'}” so it stands out in the list.</DialogDescription>
-        </DialogHeader>
-        <div className="grid grid-cols-8 gap-1.5">
-          {SESSION_ICON_CHOICES.map(glyph => (
-            <button
-              className={cn(
-                'grid aspect-square place-items-center rounded-md border border-transparent text-lg transition-colors hover:bg-(--ui-control-hover-background)',
-                currentIcon === glyph && 'border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) bg-(--ui-control-active-background)'
-              )}
-              disabled={submitting}
-              key={glyph}
-              onClick={() => void apply(glyph)}
-              type="button"
-            >
-              {glyph}
-            </button>
-          ))}
-        </div>
-        <DialogFooter>
-          <Button disabled={submitting || !currentIcon} onClick={() => void apply('')} type="button" variant="ghost">
-            Clear icon
-          </Button>
-        </DialogFooter>
-      </DialogContent>
-    </Dialog>
-  )
-}

apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/session-row.tsx

@@ -70,7 +70,6 @@ export function SidebarSessionRow({
 
   return (
     <SessionContextMenu
-      icon={session.icon}
       onArchive={onArchive}
       onDelete={onDelete}
       onPin={onPin}
@@ -159,11 +158,6 @@ export function SidebarSessionRow({
             <SidebarRowDot isWorking={isWorking} needsInput={needsInput} />
           </span>
           )}
-          {session.icon ? (
-            <span aria-hidden="true" className="shrink-0 text-xs leading-none">
-              {session.icon}
-            </span>
-          ) : null}
           <span className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate text-[0.8125rem] font-normal text-(--ui-text-secondary) group-hover:text-foreground group-data-[working=true]:text-foreground/90">
             {title}
           </span>
@@ -175,7 +169,6 @@ export function SidebarSessionRow({
             </span>
           )}
           <SessionActionsMenu
-            icon={session.icon}
             onArchive={onArchive}
             onDelete={onDelete}
             onPin={onPin}

apps/desktop/src/hermes.ts

@@ -209,20 +209,6 @@ export function renameSession(
   })
 }
 
-// Set ("" clears) a per-session icon glyph. `profile` targets another profile's
-// session (the backend opens its state.db). Omit for the current profile.
-export function setSessionIcon(
-  id: string,
-  icon: string,
-  profile?: string | null
-): Promise<{ ok: boolean; icon: string | null }> {
-  return window.hermesDesktop.api<{ ok: boolean; icon: string | null }>({
-    path: `/api/sessions/${encodeURIComponent(id)}`,
-    method: 'PATCH',
-    body: { icon, ...(profile ? { profile } : {}) }
-  })
-}
-
 export function getGlobalModelInfo(): Promise<ModelInfoResponse> {
   return window.hermesDesktop.api<ModelInfoResponse>({
     ...profileScoped(),

apps/desktop/src/types/hermes.ts

@@ -291,9 +291,6 @@ export interface SessionInfo {
   profile?: string
   /** True when {@link profile} is the default profile. */
   is_default_profile?: boolean
-  /** Optional per-session glyph the user picked so sessions from different
-   *  profiles are visually distinguishable in the unified list. */
-  icon?: null | string
 }
 
 export interface SessionMessage {

hermes_cli/web_server.py

@@ -1667,7 +1667,10 @@ async def get_profiles_sessions(
         if not db_path.exists():
             continue
         try:
-            db = SessionDB(db_path=db_path)
+            # Read-only: this loop runs on every sidebar refresh, so it must
+            # never DDL/write-lock another profile's live DB (see SessionDB
+            # read_only docstring).
+            db = SessionDB(db_path=db_path, read_only=True)
         except Exception as exc:
             errors.append({"profile": name, "error": str(exc)})
             continue
@@ -4840,9 +4843,6 @@ async def delete_session_endpoint(session_id: str):
 class SessionRename(BaseModel):
     title: Optional[str] = None
     archived: Optional[bool] = None
-    # Tri-state via the client contract: omit to leave unchanged, "" to clear,
-    # a short glyph to set. (None == omitted here.)
-    icon: Optional[str] = None
     # Mutate a session belonging to another profile (opens its state.db). Omit
     # for the current/default profile.
     profile: Optional[str] = None
@@ -4850,21 +4850,21 @@ class SessionRename(BaseModel):
 
 @app.patch("/api/sessions/{session_id}")
 async def rename_session_endpoint(session_id: str, body: SessionRename):
-    """Update a session: rename (or clear its title), archive, and/or set icon.
+    """Update a session: rename (or clear its title) and/or archive it.
 
     ``title`` renames (empty/null clears the title); ``archived`` soft-hides or
-    restores the session; ``icon`` sets a per-session glyph ("" clears it). Any
+    restores the session. Either field may be omitted. ``profile`` targets
-    field may be omitted. ``profile`` targets another profile's session.
+    another profile's session.
     """
     db = _open_session_db_for_profile(body.profile)
     try:
         sid = db.resolve_session_id(session_id)
         if not sid:
             raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail="Session not found")
-        if body.title is None and body.archived is None and body.icon is None:
+        if body.title is None and body.archived is None:
             raise HTTPException(
                 status_code=400,
-                detail="Nothing to update; provide 'title', 'archived', and/or 'icon'.",
+                detail="Nothing to update; provide 'title' and/or 'archived'.",
             )
         if body.title is not None:
             try:
@@ -4874,13 +4874,9 @@ async def rename_session_endpoint(session_id: str, body: SessionRename):
                 raise HTTPException(status_code=400, detail=str(e))
         if body.archived is not None:
             db.set_session_archived(sid, body.archived)
-        if body.icon is not None:
-            db.set_session_icon(sid, body.icon)
         result = {"ok": True, "title": db.get_session_title(sid) or ""}
         if body.archived is not None:
             result["archived"] = bool(body.archived)
-        if body.icon is not None:
-            result["icon"] = (body.icon or "").strip()[:16] or None
         return result
     finally:
         db.close()

hermes_state.py

@@ -265,7 +265,6 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS sessions (
     handoff_error TEXT,
     rewind_count INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
     archived INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
-    icon TEXT,
     FOREIGN KEY (parent_session_id) REFERENCES sessions(id)
 );
 
@@ -397,15 +396,35 @@ class SessionDB:
     # Attempt a PASSIVE WAL checkpoint every N successful writes.
     _CHECKPOINT_EVERY_N_WRITES = 50
 
-    def __init__(self, db_path: Path = None):
+    def __init__(self, db_path: Path = None, read_only: bool = False):
         self.db_path = db_path or DEFAULT_DB_PATH
-        self.db_path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        self.read_only = read_only
 
         self._lock = threading.Lock()
         self._write_count = 0
         self._fts_enabled = False
         self._fts_unavailable_warned = False
         try:
+            if read_only:
+                # Read-only attach for cross-profile aggregation: SELECT-only,
+                # so we skip schema init entirely (no DDL, no FTS probe, no
+                # column reconcile). Crucially this takes NO write lock, so
+                # polling another profile's live DB on every sidebar refresh
+                # never contends with that profile's running backend. The DB
+                # must already exist + be initialised (callers guard on
+                # db_path.exists()); a SELECT against an empty file raises and
+                # the caller degrades per-profile.
+                self._conn = sqlite3.connect(
+                    f"file:{self.db_path}?mode=ro",
+                    uri=True,
+                    check_same_thread=False,
+                    timeout=1.0,
+                    isolation_level=None,
+                )
+                self._conn.row_factory = sqlite3.Row
+                return
+
+            self.db_path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
             self._conn = sqlite3.connect(
                 str(self.db_path),
                 check_same_thread=False,
@@ -1445,23 +1464,6 @@ class SessionDB:
         rowcount = self._execute_write(_do)
         return rowcount > 0
 
-    def set_session_icon(self, session_id: str, icon: Optional[str]) -> bool:
-        """Set or clear a session's user-chosen icon glyph.
-
-        ``icon`` is a short display string (an emoji or a couple of chars);
-        passing None/"" clears it. Returns True when a row was updated.
-        """
-        cleaned = (icon or "").strip()[:16] or None
-
-        def _do(conn):
-            cursor = conn.execute(
-                "UPDATE sessions SET icon = ? WHERE id = ?",
-                (cleaned, session_id),
-            )
-            return cursor.rowcount
-        rowcount = self._execute_write(_do)
-        return rowcount > 0
-
     def get_session_by_title(self, title: str) -> Optional[Dict[str, Any]]:
         """Look up a session by exact title. Returns session dict or None."""
         with self._lock:

tests/hermes_cli/test_web_server.py

@@ -381,36 +381,6 @@ class TestWebServerEndpoints:
         resp = self.client.patch("/api/sessions/no-fields", json={})
         assert resp.status_code == 400
 
-    def test_set_and_clear_session_icon_via_patch(self):
-        """PATCH icon sets a per-session glyph; "" clears it back to None."""
-        from hermes_state import SessionDB
-
-        db = SessionDB()
-        try:
-            db.create_session(session_id="icon-me", source="cli")
-        finally:
-            db.close()
-
-        resp = self.client.patch("/api/sessions/icon-me", json={"icon": "🦊"})
-        assert resp.status_code == 200
-        assert resp.json()["icon"] == "🦊"
-
-        db = SessionDB()
-        try:
-            assert db.get_session("icon-me")["icon"] == "🦊"
-        finally:
-            db.close()
-
-        resp = self.client.patch("/api/sessions/icon-me", json={"icon": ""})
-        assert resp.status_code == 200
-        assert resp.json()["icon"] is None
-
-        db = SessionDB()
-        try:
-            assert db.get_session("icon-me")["icon"] is None
-        finally:
-            db.close()
-
     def test_profiles_sessions_tags_default_profile(self):
         """The cross-profile aggregator returns the default profile's rows
         tagged profile="default" (single-profile parity with /api/sessions)."""