fix: rename tmp directory to data for saved chats - Fixes #14896

[liqzheng]

Summary

Fixes #14896

Changes

• Renamed TMP_DIR_NAME from 'tmp' to 'data' in storage.ts
• Updated storage.test.ts to match
• Updated all documentation references (7 files)

Why

The tmp directory name was confusing as it suggested temporary/volatile storage, which could lead to accidental deletion of valuable saved chats.

[gemini-code-assist[bot]]

Summary of Changes

Hello @liqzheng, I'm Gemini Code Assist[^1]! I'm currently reviewing this pull request and will post my feedback shortly. In the meantime, here's a summary to help you and other reviewers quickly get up to speed!

This pull request addresses a potential source of confusion by renaming the directory used for storing persistent user data, such as saved chats and session history, from 'tmp' to 'data'. The previous 'tmp' designation misleadingly suggested volatile storage, which could lead users to accidentally delete valuable information. The change clarifies the directory's purpose, ensuring that users understand the data stored there is intended to be permanent.

Highlights

• Core Logic Change: The internal constant TMP_DIR_NAME in packages/core/src/config/storage.ts has been renamed from 'tmp' to 'data' to better reflect its purpose of storing persistent user data like saved chats.
• Test Updates: The corresponding test file packages/core/src/config/storage.test.ts was updated to reflect the new directory name in its test assertions.
• Documentation Alignment: Seven documentation files across docs/cli/ and docs/get-started/ were updated to replace references to ~/.gemini/tmp/ with ~/.gemini/data/, ensuring consistency with the new naming convention.

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[samucodesh]

Summary

Fixes #14896

Changes

• Renamed TMP_DIR_NAME from 'tmp' to 'data' in storage.ts
• Updated storage.test.ts to match
• Updated all documentation references (7 files)

Why

The tmp directory name was confusing as it suggested temporary/volatile storage, which could lead to accidental deletion of valuable saved chats.

Hi @liqzheng,

Thanks for addressing #14896. This change looks good for clarifying the storage location of saved chats.

However, I noticed that renaming tmp to data for the saved chats directory (e.g., from ~/.gemini/tmp/<project_hash>/ to ~/.gemini/data/<project_hash>/) will likely cause users to lose any chat they have previously saved. The current saved chats in the tmp directory will no longer be accessible throu the new data path.

Did you consider a migration strategy for existing saved chats, or is this intended to be a breaking change that resets existing saved chat history? It would be good to clarify this for users.

Thanks for your work on this!

[liqzheng]

Summary

Fixes #14896

Changes

• Renamed TMP_DIR_NAME from 'tmp' to 'data' in storage.ts
• Updated storage.test.ts to match
• Updated all documentation references (7 files)

Why

The tmp directory name was confusing as it suggested temporary/volatile storage, which could lead to accidental deletion of valuable saved chats.

Hi @liqzheng,

Thanks for addressing #14896. This change looks good for clarifying the storage location of saved chats.

However, I noticed that renaming tmp to data for the saved chats directory (e.g., from ~/.gemini/tmp/<project_hash>/ to ~/.gemini/data/<project_hash>/) will likely cause users to lose any chat they have previously saved. The current saved chats in the tmp directory will no longer be accessible throu the new data path.

Did you consider a migration strategy for existing saved chats, or is this intended to be a breaking change that resets existing saved chat history? It would be good to clarify this for users.

Thanks for your work on this!

@samucodesh I've added a migration function that automatically moves existing chats from tmp/ to data/ on first run. Users won't lose their saved chats.

[jacob314]

Thank you for the PR but we do not plan to change this at this time.