# Conversation 652de05f-f133-456f-b35e-809de0535ad6

- Source: `cursor`
- User: `pascal`
- System: `Pascals-MBP.local`
- Started: `2026-02-19T18:05:59.880000Z`
- CWD: `/Users/pascal/Code/business/convx`

## User

let's come up with a simple UI to explore the history. I'm thinking `convx explore` which then opens either A) a web UI or B) a TUI. 

WDYT is better? And how can we make the search super snappy? I'm thinking to create an index whenever we run that command so the search function we get rapid search results. 

1. we should use state of the art search libraries ideally rust/C based
2. same for the indexing, not python if possible, just have python as the scripting tool to tie it all together. 
3. how easy is it to bundle a nice webUI / server into a python application? Since I dont' want to also pull npm ecosystem into this but keep this lean/python+C/Rust stubs only

## User

pls search for goot libraries

## Agent

Here's my analysis across all three dimensions:

---

## TUI vs Web UI

**Recommendation: TUI (Textual)**

For a CLI-native tool like `convx`, a TUI fits the ethos perfectly:
- No browser window required, lives entirely in the terminal
- Textual v8.0 is genuinely polished — it supports CSS-like layout, async, and has a built-in `fuzzy_matcher` module
- Markdown rendering via Rich (already in Textual's dependency chain) is good enough for conversation transcripts
- Single `pip install` dependency, no server to spin up/kill

The web UI approach (FastHTML or FastAPI+HTMX) is actually quite lean — HTMX is a single 14KB file you can bundle inline, no npm at all. The main upside would be richer markdown rendering in the browser. But for a history explorer, the TUI wins on simplicity and workflow integration.

---

## Search: tantivy-py

**`tantivy-py`** is the clear choice:
- Rust bindings via PyO3 — ships pre-built wheels so no Rust toolchain needed
- Actively maintained (v0.25.1, Dec 2025), backed by Quickwit
- **<1ms query latency** on large corpora, ~20x faster than pure-Python alternatives like Whoosh
- Supports full-text, phrase search, AND/OR/exclusion operators, integer range queries
- Creates a persistent index directory you can update incrementally

```bash
uv add tantivy
```

The index would live at `.convx/search-index/` in the output repo, and you'd index these fields:

| Field | Type | Stored |
|---|---|---|
| `title` | text (tokenized) | yes |
| `content` | text (tokenized) | no (big) |
| `date` | date | yes |
| `source` | text (fast) | yes |
| `path` | text | yes |

For **live typing** (before tantivy kicks in), Textual has a built-in `textual.fuzzy.FuzzySearch` that can filter the already-loaded session list in memory instantly.

---

## Indexing strategy

Two-phase approach:
1. **On `convx sync`** — build/update the tantivy index as part of the normal sync. Since you're already fingerprinting files, index only changed sessions.
2. **On `convx explore`** — if no index exists yet, build it on first run (with a progress bar via Rich/Textual). Otherwise, open immediately.

This means `explore` feels instant after any prior `sync`.

---

## Bundling a web UI (if you ever want it)

Genuinely easy without npm:
- **FastHTML** — pure Python, HTMX is baked in, you write HTML in Python functions, no templates, no build step. `uv add python-fasthtml`.
- Or **FastAPI + Jinja2** with HTMX loaded from a local file or inline `<script>` tag.
- Open the browser automatically with `webbrowser.open("http://localhost:8000")`.

The main friction is managing the server lifecycle from a CLI command (start server → open browser → block until Ctrl+C → cleanup). Textual avoids all of that.

---

## Suggested stack

```
convx explore
    │
    ├── Textual (TUI framework, v8.0)
    │     ├── ListView of sessions (date, title, source)
    │     ├── Search bar → textual.fuzzy for instant list filtering
    │     └── Detail pane → Rich Markdown rendering of .md file
    │
    └── tantivy-py (full-text search index)
          ├── Index built/updated on sync
          ├── Queried on Enter / after debounce
          └── Results replace the fuzzy-filtered list
```

The split is: fuzzy matching on session titles while typing (in-memory, zero latency), tantivy for full-content search when you submit a query. That gives you the best of both.

## User

let's plan to build this. + we should make sure that .convx/ content is not committed to repos ofc. I guess easiest is to add a .gitignore to that repo that ignores everything except itself? 

let's start with textual can't wait to see it

## Agent

Now I have what I need. Let me create the plan.

## User

Implement the plan as specified, it is attached for your reference. Do NOT edit the plan file itself.

To-do's from the plan have already been created. Do not create them again. Mark them as in_progress as you work, starting with the first one. Don't stop until you have completed all the to-dos.

## Agent

Adding a function to list all sessions from the index for the TUI:

## Agent

Tracking displayed sessions and fixing the preview lookup:

## Agent

Running tests and fixing lint issues:

## Agent

Summary of changes:

## Summary

### 1. `.convx/.gitignore` ([engine.py](src/conversation_exporter/engine.py))
- Added `_ensure_convx_gitignore()` that writes `*\n!.gitignore` to `.convx/.gitignore`
- Called from `sync_sessions` when writing the index (non–dry-run)

### 2. Dependencies ([pyproject.toml](pyproject.toml))
- Added `tantivy>=0.22` and `textual>=8.0`

### 3. Search module ([search.py](src/conversation_exporter/search.py))
- `ensure_index(repo)` – builds/updates tantivy index when `.convx/index.json` is newer
- `list_sessions(repo)` – returns sessions from `index.json` sorted by date
- `query_index(repo, q, limit)` – returns tantivy search results

### 4. TUI ([tui.py](src/conversation_exporter/tui.py))
- `ExploreApp` with search bar, session list, and markdown preview
- Typing: fuzzy filter on session titles
- Enter: full-text search via tantivy
- Escape: clear search and return to full list
- `q` to quit

### 5. CLI ([cli.py](src/conversation_exporter/cli.py))
- `convx explore` command with `--output-path` (default: CWD)

### 6. Layout ([explore.css](src/conversation_exporter/explore.css))
- Session list: 40 columns width
- Preview: remaining width

Run with:

```bash
uv run convx explore
```

## User

❯ .venv/bin/convx 
                                                                                                                                                                                 
 Usage: convx [OPTIONS] COMMAND [ARGS]...                                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                                                 
 Export AI conversations into a Git repo.                                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                                                 
╭─ Options ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ --install-completion          Install completion for the current shell.                                                                                                       │
│ --show-completion             Show completion for the current shell, to copy it or customize the installation.                                                                │
│ --help                        Show this message and exit.                                                                                                                     │
╰───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
╭─ Commands ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ sync     Sync conversations for the current Git repo into it.                                                                                                                 │
│ backup   Full backup of all conversations into a target Git repo.                                                                                                             │
│ explore  Browse and search exported conversations in a TUI.                                                                                                                   │
│ stats                                                                                                                                                                         │
╰───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
❯ .venv/bin/convx explore
╭────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Traceback (most recent call last) ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ /Users/pascal/Code/business/convx/src/conversation_exporter/tui.py:90 in on_input_submitted                                                                                   │
│                                                                                                                                                                               │
│    87 │   │   self._apply_fuzzy(event.value)                                                                                                                                  │
│    88 │                                                                                                                                                                       │
│    89 │   def on_input_submitted(self, event: Input.Submitted) -> None:                                                                                                       │
│ ❱  90 │   │   self._run_tantivy(event.value)                                                                                                                                  │
│    91 │                                                                                                                                                                       │
│    92 │   def on_list_view_highlighted(self, event: ListView.Highlighted) -> None:                                                                                            │
│    93 │   │   lst = self.query_one("#sessions", ListView)                                                                                                                     │
│                                                                                                                                                                               │
│ ╭───────────────────────────────────────────── locals ─────────────────────────────────────────────╮                                                                          │
│ │ event = Submitted()                                                                              │                                                                          │
│ │  self = ExploreApp(title='ExploreApp', classes={'-dark-mode'}, pseudo_classes={'dark', 'focus'}) │                                                                          │
│ ╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯                                                                          │
│                                                                                                                                                                               │
│ /Users/pascal/Code/business/convx/src/conversation_exporter/tui.py:83 in _run_tantivy                                                                                         │
│                                                                                                                                                                               │
│    80 │   │   if not query.strip():                                                                                                                                           │
│    81 │   │   │   self.displayed = self.sessions                                                                                                                              │
│    82 │   │   else:                                                                                                                                                           │
│ ❱  83 │   │   │   self.displayed = query_index(self.repo, query, limit=50)                                                                                                    │
│    84 │   │   self._refresh_list()                                                                                                                                            │
│    85 │                                                                                                                                                                       │
│    86 │   def on_input_changed(self, event: Input.Changed) -> None:                                                                                                           │
│                                                                                                                                                                               │
│ ╭───────────────────────────────────────────── locals ─────────────────────────────────────────────╮                                                                          │
│ │ query = 'codex'                                                                                  │                                                                          │
│ │  self = ExploreApp(title='ExploreApp', classes={'-dark-mode'}, pseudo_classes={'dark', 'focus'}) │                                                                          │
│ ╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯                                                                          │
│                                                                                                                                                                               │
│ /Users/pascal/Code/business/convx/src/conversation_exporter/search.py:95 in query_index                                                                                       │
│                                                                                                                                                                               │
│    92 │   │   doc = searcher.doc(doc_address)                                                                                                                                 │
│    93 │   │   out.append(                                                                                                                                                     │
│    94 │   │   │   {                                                                                                                                                           │
│ ❱  95 │   │   │   │   "session_key": doc.get("session_key", [""])[0],                                                                                                         │
│    96 │   │   │   │   "title": doc.get("title", [""])[0],                                                                                                                     │
│    97 │   │   │   │   "date": doc.get("date", [""])[0],                                                                                                                       │
│    98 │   │   │   │   "source": doc.get("source", [""])[0],                                                                                                                   │
│                                                                                                                                                                               │
│ ╭───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── locals ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮ │
│ │           _ = 2.7976949214935303                                                                                                                                          │ │
│ │         doc = Document(date=[2026-02-19],path=[history/pa],session_key=[codex:019c],source=[codex],title=[2026-02-15])                                                    │ │
│ │ doc_address = <tantivy.tantivy.DocAddress object at 0x108fdd670>                                                                                                          │ │
│ │        hits = [                                                                                                                                                           │ │
│ │               │   (2.7976949214935303, <tantivy.tantivy.DocAddress object at 0x108fdd670>),                                                                               │ │
│ │               │   (1.4028359651565552, <tantivy.tantivy.DocAddress object at 0x108fdeb70>),                                                                               │ │
│ │               │   (0.9876874089241028, <tantivy.tantivy.DocAddress object at 0x108fdcbf0>)                                                                                │ │
│ │               ]                                                                                                                                                           │ │
│ │       index = <tantivy.tantivy.Index object at 0x10808f930>                                                                                                               │ │
│ │       limit = 50                                                                                                                                                          │ │
│ │         out = []                                                                                                                                                          │ │
│ │           q = 'codex'                                                                                                                                                     │ │
│ │       query = Query(BooleanQuery { subqueries: [(Should, TermQuery(Term(field=1, type=Str, "codex"))), (Should, TermQuery(Term(field=2, type=Str, "codex")))],            │ │
│ │               minimum_number_should_match: 1 })                                                                                                                           │ │
│ │        repo = PosixPath('/Users/pascal/Code/business/convx')                                                                                                              │ │
│ │      schema = <tantivy.tantivy.Schema object at 0x108fde4f0>                                                                                                              │ │
│ │  search_dir = PosixPath('/Users/pascal/Code/business/convx/.convx/search-index')                                                                                          │ │
│ │    searcher = Searcher(num_docs=6, num_segments=1)                                                                                                                        │ │
│ ╰───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯ │
╰───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
AttributeError: 'tantivy.tantivy.Document' object has no attribute 'get'

## Agent

Using bracket notation for tantivy Documents instead of `.get()`.

## Agent

The problem was that tantivy `Document` objects use bracket access (`doc["field"]`), not `.get()`. The code now uses `doc[name]` and safely handles missing fields. Full-text search for "codex" works as expected.

## User

how do we navigate the UI with keyboard? search, scroll etc. Let's write a documentation into docs/explore.md

## Agent

Added `docs/explore.md` with keyboard navigation details. Summary:

- **Search bar**: Type for fuzzy filter, Enter for full-text search, Escape to clear, Tab to move focus
- **Session list**: Up/Down to move, Enter to select, Tab/Shift+Tab to change focus
- **Preview pane**: Arrow keys and Page Up/Down for scrolling when focused
- **Global**: `q` to quit
