# Transcript

**Status:** Implemented · **Code:** `Scripts/transcript.js`

Nova sidebars hold only tree rows, so the readable conversation lives in an
editor tab as Markdown.

## Where it lives

`<workspaceStoragePath>/Claude Transcript.md` (global storage when the window
has no workspace). A real file rather than an untitled document so the tab has a
name, survives restarts, and can be saved without a dialog.

## Incremental rendering

`build()` produces the whole document; `_render()` diffs it against the previous
render, finds the common prefix, and replaces only the differing tail:

```js
edit.replace(new Range(prefix, current.length), text.slice(prefix));
```

Because output is append-mostly, the common prefix is usually the entire previous
text — one small edit at the end. This is what keeps scroll position and
selection stable while tokens stream in. Renders are throttled to 140ms;
`flush()` forces one and saves.

The viewport is only auto-scrolled when the caret was already at the end, so a
user reading earlier history is not yanked around.

## Format notes

- Tool results are fenced and truncated to 12 lines / 1200 chars.
- `Read` results are replaced by `<sub>read N lines</sub>` — echoing file
  contents Claude just read buries the conversation.
- Fences widen past any backtick run in the body, so fenced content can't break
  out.
- Thinking is rendered as a blockquote, controlled by `claudenova.showThinking`.

## Gotchas

- The document is user-editable. `_render()` diffs against the *document's*
  current text, not a cached copy, so manual edits are overwritten rather than
  corrupting the diff.
- `editor.onDidDestroy` clears the cached editor; the next `show()` reopens it.