[FEATURE] Add Named Conversation History Management with Resume Capability

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing requests and this feature hasn't been requested yet
• [x] This is a single feature request (not multiple features)

Problem Statement

Currently, Claude Code lacks a way to save, name, and retrieve multiple conversation sessions for later reference. When working on long-term projects or multiple features, developers lose context when:

1. Switching between different features/tasks - Starting a new conversation erases the previous context
2. Resuming work after days/weeks - No way to retrieve the exact conversation state and decisions made
3. Context switching - Working on multiple unrelated tasks requires starting fresh each time

Current limitations:

• Agent resume IDs (--resume agent_abc123) only work for individual agent tasks, not full conversations
• /checkpoint saves planning state but not the full conversation thread
• Branch-based context doesn't preserve the Q&A history and iterative decisions

Use case example:
A developer analyzing "XYZ feature" over several days needs to pause work, switch to a bug fix, then resume the original conversation with all context, decisions, and discussion history intact—similar to how
GitHub Copilot allows saving and switching between named conversation threads.

Proposed Solution

Add a conversation management system with these capabilities:

Core Features:

1. Save & Name Conversations

/save-conversation "Meeting Options TFL Analysis"

Saves current conversation with a descriptive name

1. List Saved Conversations

/list-conversations
Shows:

1. Meeting Options Analysis (2026-01-27, 45 messages) 2. Bug fix: Calendar sync issue (2026-01-25, 23 messages) 3. Performance optimization review (2026-01-20, 67 messages)

1. Resume by Name or ID

claude --conversation "Meeting Options TFL Analysis"
or
claude --conversation conv_abc123

1. Delete Old Conversations

/delete-conversation conv_abc123

Storage & Organization:

• Store conversations locally in ~/.claude-code/conversations/
• Include metadata: name, timestamp, branch, working directory, message count
• Auto-associate with git branch (optional filtering)
• Search/filter capabilities by name, date, or branch

UI Enhancements (Future):

• Conversation panel (similar to GitHub Copilot's history panel)
• Quick-switch between conversations
• Export conversation to markdown
• Pin important conversations

Benefits:

✅ Context continuity across days/weeks
✅ Multi-tasking without losing conversation state
✅ Knowledge retention - review past discussions and decisions
✅ Team collaboration - share conversation IDs with teammates
✅ Audit trail - track decision-making process over time

Alternative Solutions

If full conversation management is complex, a simpler MVP could be:

/save-session <name> # Saves full conversation state
/load-session <name> # Resumes saved conversation
/list-sessions # Shows all saved sessions

This would be similar to tmux session management but for conversations.

Priority

High - Significant impact on productivity

Feature Category

CLI commands and flags

Use Case Example

_No response_

Additional Context

Related Comparisons

• GitHub Copilot: Has a conversation history panel with named threads
• ChatGPT: Maintains conversation history with auto-generated titles
• Cursor: Allows multiple chat tabs with persistent history