fix(ui): start with no open files

scripts/e2e-session-persistence.test.mjs

@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ test('e2e: formats the installed extension version from either extension namespa
   assert.equal(getExtensionVersionLabel({}), '');
 });
 
-test('e2e: default no-workspace source uses an untitled tab that cannot compile', async () => {
+test('e2e: fresh no-workspace state has no open file and cannot compile', async () => {
   const originalDocument = global.document;
   global.document = createFakeDocument();
   try {
@@ -565,9 +565,11 @@ test('e2e: default no-workspace source uses an untitled tab that cannot compile'
 
     resetToNewProject();
 
-    assert.deepEqual(getToolbarOpenTabPaths(), ['untitled:default']);
-    assert.equal(getToolbarActiveTabPath(), 'untitled:default');
-    assert.equal(global.document.getElementById('tab-bar').children[0].children[0].textContent, 'unsaved file');
+    assert.deepEqual(getToolbarOpenTabPaths(), []);
+    assert.equal(getToolbarActiveTabPath(), null);
+    assert.equal(editorValue, '');
+    assert.equal(global.document.getElementById('tab-bar').children.length, 0);
+    assert.equal(global.document.getElementById('status-file').textContent, '');
 
     await assert.rejects(() => assembleCompilePayload({}), /Open a folder or save a file/);
   } finally {

scripts/e2e-workspace-file-tracking.test.mjs

@@ -954,14 +954,49 @@ test('e2e: toolbar compilation requires a ready compiler and root-level C/C++ so
 
 test('e2e: New file with no workspace opens the folder picker; cancel leaves state unchanged', async () => {
   const ctx = await setupToolbar({ openFolderResult: null });
-  ctx.toolbar.resetToNewProject(); // no workspace, single main.cpp tab
+  ctx.toolbar.resetToNewProject();
 
   ctx.document.getElementById('btn-new').click();
   await tick();
 
   assert.equal(ctx.fsCalls.openFolder, 1, 'folder picker invoked');
   assert.equal(inlineInput(ctx.document), null, 'no inline input after cancel');
   assert.equal(ctx.fsCalls.create.length, 0, 'no file created');
+  assert.deepEqual(ctx.toolbar.getOpenTabPaths(), [], 'no synthetic tab created');
+});
+
+test('e2e: Open Folder renders README in Explorer without opening it', async () => {
+  const ctx = await setupToolbar({
+    openFolderResult: { name: 'project', entries: [{ path: 'README.md', kind: 'file' }] },
+  });
+  ctx.toolbar.resetToNewProject();
+
+  ctx.document.getElementById('btn-open').click();
+  await tick();
+
+  assert.deepEqual(renderedTreePaths(ctx.document), ['README.md']);
+  assert.deepEqual(ctx.toolbar.getOpenTabPaths(), []);
+  assert.equal(ctx.toolbar.getActiveTabPath(), null);
+  assert.deepEqual(ctx.editorCalls.setValue.slice(-1), ['']);
+});
+
+test('e2e: saving from the empty state creates and opens a workspace file', async () => {
+  const originalPrompt = global.prompt;
+  global.prompt = () => 'main.cpp';
+  try {
+    const ctx = await setupToolbar({ openFolderResult: { name: 'project', entries: [] } });
+    ctx.toolbar.resetToNewProject();
+
+    ctx.document.getElementById('btn-save').click();
+    await tick();
+    await tick();
+
+    assert.deepEqual(ctx.fsCalls.create.map((file) => file.path), ['main.cpp']);
+    assert.deepEqual(ctx.toolbar.getOpenTabPaths(), ['main.cpp']);
+    assert.equal(ctx.toolbar.getActiveTabPath(), 'main.cpp');
+  } finally {
+    global.prompt = originalPrompt;
+  }
 });
 
 test('e2e: New file with a workspace shows an inline Explorer naming input', async () => {

src/ui/app.js

@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ import {
   getOpenTabsSnapshot,
   restoreWorkspace,
   resetToNewProject,
-  restoreNoWorkspaceSource,
   assembleCompilePayload,
   applyWorkspaceSnapshot,
 } from './toolbar.js';
@@ -111,7 +110,6 @@ window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', async () => {
     getActiveTabPath,
     getOpenTabsSnapshot,
     restoreWorkspace,
-    restoreNoWorkspaceSource,
     confirmReload: promptReloadPreviousProject,
     startNewProject: resetToNewProject,
     setExplorerLoading: (loading) => toolbarController?.setExplorerLoading(loading),

src/ui/editor.js

@@ -28,15 +28,6 @@ self.MonacoEnvironment = {
   },
 };
 
-// ── Default C++ starter source ────────────────────────────────────────────────
-export const DEFAULT_SOURCE = `#include <iostream>
-
-int main() {
-    std::cout << "Hello, World!" << std::endl;
-    return 0;
-}
-`;
-
 // ── Internal state ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 let _editor = null;
 
@@ -78,7 +69,7 @@ export function createEditor(container) {
   });
 
   _editor = monaco.editor.create(container, {
-    value: DEFAULT_SOURCE,
+    value: '',
     language: 'cpp',
     theme: 'browser-cpp-dark',
     fontSize: 14,

src/ui/session-persistence.mjs

@@ -178,8 +178,7 @@ export function createSessionPersistence({
     if (typeof fsAPI.resetWorkspace === 'function') fsAPI.resetWorkspace();
   }
 
-  // Abandon the saved session and load the default new-project state
-  // (no workspace, a `main.cpp` tab with editorAPI.DEFAULT_SOURCE).
+  // Abandon the saved session and return to the empty no-workspace state.
   async function abandonForNewProject() {
     await clearPersistedSession();
     await startNewProject();

src/ui/toolbar.js

@@ -53,10 +53,6 @@ const _openTabs = new Map();
 let _activeTabPath = null;
 /** When true, programmatic setValue calls do not trigger markDirty(true). */
 let _loadingFile = false;
-// Internal in-memory document identifier; never a workspace-relative path.
-const UNSAVED_TAB_PATH = 'untitled:default';
-const UNSAVED_TAB_LABEL = 'unsaved file';
-
 // ── Session persistence callback ──────────────────────────────────────────────
 /** Optional callback supplied by app.js to persist the session after state changes. */
 let _persistSession = null;
@@ -613,14 +609,23 @@ async function reloadOverwrittenTabs(changedPaths) {
 }
 
 /**
- * Load the default new-project state (no workspace, a single unsaved tab with
- * `editorAPI.DEFAULT_SOURCE`). Unlike {@link actionNew} this skips the
+ * Load the empty new-project state. Unlike {@link actionNew} this skips the
  * unsaved-changes confirmation so it can drive the relaunch "Start new project"
  * path, where the prior session is being intentionally abandoned.
  */
 export function resetToNewProject() {
   clearTransientProjectState();
-  restoreNoWorkspaceSource(_editorAPI.DEFAULT_SOURCE ?? '');
+  closeAllTabs();
+  _fsAPI.newFile();
+  clearWorkspaceMode();
+  _terminalAPI.resetTerminalSession?.(null);
+  _fileName = '';
+  _loadingFile = true;
+  _editorAPI.setValue('');
+  _editorAPI.clearDiagnostics();
+  _loadingFile = false;
+  const statusFile = document.getElementById('status-file');
+  if (statusFile) statusFile.textContent = '';
 }
 
 function clearTransientProjectState() {
@@ -630,16 +635,6 @@ function clearTransientProjectState() {
   _editorAPI.clearDiagnostics?.();
 }
 
-/** Restore a source-only session into the same no-workspace tab state as a new project. */
-export function restoreNoWorkspaceSource(source) {
-  closeAllTabs();
-  _fsAPI.newFile();
-  clearWorkspaceMode();
-  _terminalAPI.resetTerminalSession?.(null);
-  openTabForFile(UNSAVED_TAB_PATH, source);
-  markDirty(false);
-}
-
 async function actionSave() {
   try {
     if (_workspace && _activeTabPath && _fsAPI?.writeWorkspaceFile) {
@@ -679,19 +674,18 @@ async function saveUntitledDocument() {
 
   setWorkspaceMode(result.snapshot ?? workspace);
   applyWorkspaceSnapshot(result.snapshot ?? workspace);
-  renameActiveTabPath(result.path);
+  openTabForFile(result.path, _editorAPI.getValue());
   markDirty(false);
   _persistSession?.();
 }
 
 async function actionSaveAs() {
   try {
-    if (!_workspace && _activeTabPath === UNSAVED_TAB_PATH) {
+    if (!_workspace && !_activeTabPath) {
       await saveUntitledDocument();
       return;
     }
-    const suggestedName = _activeTabPath === UNSAVED_TAB_PATH ? 'main.cpp' : _fileName;
-    const name = await _fsAPI.saveFileAs(_editorAPI.getValue(), suggestedName);
+    const name = await _fsAPI.saveFileAs(_editorAPI.getValue(), _fileName || 'main.cpp');
     if (name) {
       renameActiveTabPath(name);
       markDirty(false);
@@ -843,7 +837,7 @@ function inferLanguage(path) {
 }
 
 function tabDisplayName(path) {
-  return path === UNSAVED_TAB_PATH ? UNSAVED_TAB_LABEL : workspaceBaseName(path) || path;
+  return workspaceBaseName(path) || path;
 }
 
 /** Returns true if any open tab has unsaved changes. */
@@ -1114,19 +1108,6 @@ function highlightWorkspaceFile(path) {
   if (active) active.classList.add('active');
 }
 
-async function openWorkspaceInitialFile(workspace) {
-  const file = pickInitialWorkspaceFile(workspace.entries);
-  if (!file) {
-    // No README.md at root – clear editor but open no tab automatically
-    _loadingFile = true;
-    _editorAPI.setValue('');
-    _editorAPI.clearDiagnostics();
-    _loadingFile = false;
-    return;
-  }
-  await openWorkspaceFile(file.path);
-}
-
 async function openWorkspaceFile(path) {
   if (_openTabs.has(path)) {
     switchToTab(path);
@@ -1160,13 +1141,6 @@ async function openWorkspaceFile(path) {
   openTabForFile(path, content);
 }
 
-function pickInitialWorkspaceFile(entries) {
-  // Only auto-open README.md if it exists at the workspace root
-  return entries.find(
-    (entry) => entry.kind === 'file' && entry.path.toLowerCase() === 'readme.md'
-  ) || null;
-}
-
 function showOpenError(err) {
   const kind = _workspace ? 'folder' : 'file';
   alert(`Could not open ${kind}:\n${err.message}`);
@@ -1274,7 +1248,13 @@ async function openFolderWorkspace() {
     clearTransientProjectState();
     closeAllTabs();
     setWorkspaceMode(workspace);
-    await openWorkspaceInitialFile(workspace);
+    _fileName = '';
+    _loadingFile = true;
+    _editorAPI.setValue('');
+    _editorAPI.clearDiagnostics();
+    _loadingFile = false;
+    const statusFile = document.getElementById('status-file');
+    if (statusFile) statusFile.textContent = '';
     renderWorkspaceSidebar(workspace);
     _persistSession?.(); // persist immediately so the new workspace survives unload
     return true;