feat(backup): backup, restore and snapshots before migrations

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -6,6 +6,12 @@ and versions follow [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/).
 ## [Unreleased]
 
 ### Added
+- **Backups and restore:** Settings > Backups backs up everything Sentient keeps (chats, memory, tasks, settings,
+  skills and files) to one file, in a folder you pick, by hand or every day or week. Restore one from the list or from
+  a file: you see what is in it and confirm, Sentient keeps a snapshot of what you have now, then restarts with the
+  backup. Passwords, API keys and sign-ins stay in your computer's keychain and are never in a backup; after a restore
+  Sentient lists the ones to sign in to again. Sentient also takes a snapshot on its own before it updates its
+  database, before a Hermes import and before a restore, keeps the last five, and any of them can be restored.
 - **One local model job at a time, your chats first:** a local Ollama model now works on one thing at a time, so
   background work no longer pushes it off the graphics card and slows your chat to a crawl. Your chat always goes
   next; tasks, suggestions, memory upkeep and chat titles wait while you are chatting (and for 30 seconds after), and

desktop/electron/main/index.ts

@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import type {
   DictationStatus,
   NativeNotification,
   OpenPathTarget,
+  PickFilesOptions,
   ShellPrefs,
   ShortcutId
 } from '../../src/types/bridge'
@@ -361,15 +362,20 @@ function registerIpc(): void {
     platform: process.platform,
     arch: process.arch
   }))
-  ipcMain.handle(CH.pickFiles, async (_e, options?: { multiple?: boolean; directory?: boolean }) => {
+  ipcMain.handle(CH.pickFiles, async (_e, options?: PickFilesOptions) => {
     const parent = win ?? undefined
     const props: Array<'openFile' | 'openDirectory' | 'multiSelections' | 'showHiddenFiles'> = options?.directory
       ? ['openDirectory', 'showHiddenFiles']
       : ['openFile']
     if (options?.multiple !== false) props.push('multiSelections')
+    const filters = Array.isArray(options?.filters)
+      ? options.filters
+          .filter((f) => typeof f?.name === 'string' && Array.isArray(f.extensions))
+          .map((f) => ({ name: f.name, extensions: f.extensions.filter((x) => typeof x === 'string' && /^[a-z0-9]{1,10}$/i.test(x)) }))
+      : undefined
     const result = parent
-      ? await dialog.showOpenDialog(parent, { properties: props })
-      : await dialog.showOpenDialog({ properties: props })
+      ? await dialog.showOpenDialog(parent, { properties: props, filters })
+      : await dialog.showOpenDialog({ properties: props, filters })
     return result.canceled ? [] : result.filePaths
   })
   ipcMain.on(CH.readyForScreenshot, () => smokeRunner?.ready())

desktop/electron/main/paths.ts

@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ export const homePaths = {
   logs: () => join(sentientHome(), 'logs'),
   files: () => join(sentientHome(), 'files'),
   workspace: () => join(sentientHome(), 'workspace'),
-  skills: () => join(sentientHome(), 'skills')
+  skills: () => join(sentientHome(), 'skills'),
+  backups: () => join(sentientHome(), 'backups')
 }
 
 /**

desktop/src/features/settings/SchemaForm.tsx

@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ export const LABELS: Record<string, FieldLabel> = {
   'models.background_quiet_s': { label: 'Background work waits after you chat', unit: 's' },
   'models.background_on_battery': { label: 'Background work on battery' },
   // tasks
+  'backups.schedule': { label: 'Back up automatically' },
+  'backups.keep': { label: 'Automatic backups to keep', unit: 'backups' },
+  'backups.snapshots_keep': { label: 'Snapshots to keep', unit: 'snapshots' },
+
   'tasks.tick_seconds': { label: 'Scheduler check interval', unit: 's' },
   'tasks.max_concurrent_runs': { label: 'Runs at the same time' },
   'tasks.run_timeout_minutes': { label: 'Stop a run after', unit: 'min' },

desktop/src/features/settings/SettingsPage.tsx

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import { schemaMatches } from './SchemaForm'
 import { SETTINGS_SECTIONS, sectionById } from './sections'
 import { AdvancedSection } from './sections/Advanced'
+import { BackupsSection } from './sections/Backups'
 import { GeneralSection } from './sections/General'
 import { ModelsSection } from './sections/Models'
 import { PersonalitySection } from './sections/Personality'
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ const SECTION_COMPONENTS: Record<string, ComponentType<SectionProps>> = {
   terminal: TerminalSection,
   browser: BrowserSection,
   subagents: SubagentsSection,
+  backups: BackupsSection,
   advanced: AdvancedSection
 }
 

desktop/src/features/settings/sections.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import {
+  IconArchive,
   IconBolt,
   IconBrain,
   IconChartBar,
@@ -145,6 +146,14 @@ export const SETTINGS_SECTIONS: SettingsSectionMeta[] = [
     icon: IconChartBar,
     keywords: ['tokens', 'cost', 'insights', 'statistics']
   },
+  {
+    id: 'backups',
+    label: 'Backups',
+    description: 'Back up and restore your data, and snapshots taken before updates.',
+    icon: IconArchive,
+    keywords: ['backup', 'back up', 'restore', 'snapshot', 'export', 'copy', 'undo', 'schedule', 'new computer', 'move'],
+    schemaSections: ['backups']
+  },
   {
     id: 'advanced',
     label: 'Advanced',