Add chat history retention limit and Clear Chat option for ClimateBot

[hainsshaju1919-png]

Description

ClimateBot currently stores chat history in localStorage and restores it when the page is refreshed. While this improves continuity, there is currently no option for users to clear saved conversations and no retention limit is applied to stored messages.

As a result, chat history can continue growing indefinitely over time, increasing localStorage usage and potentially affecting performance when restoring conversations.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Open ClimateBot.
2. Send several messages.
3. Refresh the page.
4. Observe that previous messages are restored.
5. Continue chatting and refreshing.
6. Notice that there is no option to clear chat history and stored messages continue accumulating.

Expected Behavior

• Users should have a Clear Chat option.
• Stored chat history should have a reasonable retention limit (for example, the most recent 50–100 messages).
• Local storage usage should remain bounded.

Actual Behavior

• Chat history persists after page refresh.
• There is no way to clear stored conversations.
• Message history can grow indefinitely.

Suggested Enhancement

• Add a "Clear Chat" button to remove stored conversations.
• Implement a retention limit before saving messages to localStorage.
• Optionally provide a confirmation prompt before clearing history.

[hainsshaju1919-png]

Hi maintainers,

I verified that chat history persists across page refreshes and that there is currently no option to clear stored conversations.

I would like to work on this enhancement under SSOC 2026. Could you please assign this issue to me?

Thank you!

[hainsshaju1919-png]

can u please assign me so i can start working on this?

[arcgod-design]

Hi @thetechguardians! I'd love to work on this as part of SSoC '26.

My Approach:

• Add a configurable chat history retention limit (e.g., last 50 messages) stored in localStorage
• Implement a "Clear Chat" button in the ClimateBot UI that clears all stored history with a confirmation prompt
• Auto-prune old messages beyond the retention limit to prevent localStorage from growing indefinitely
• Persist the retention setting in user preferences

Could you please assign this to me (@arcgod-design)? Thank you!

[hainsshaju1919-png]

Kindly raise your own issue and avoid duplicating

[hainsshaju1919-png]

I would love to start working on this issue if you would kindly assign me?

[MamidiDhana]

Hi @thetechguardians,
I would like to work on this enhancement under SSoC'26.
I have reviewed the issue and understand the current chat history implementation. I can implement a robust solution that includes:

• 🗑️ A Clear Chat button to remove all stored conversations from localStorage.
• ⚠️ An optional confirmation prompt before clearing chat history to prevent accidental data loss.
• 📌 A configurable retention limit (e.g., the latest 50–100 messages) to automatically prune older messages before saving.
• 🔄 Seamless restoration of only the retained messages after page refresh.
• 🚀 A lightweight, efficient implementation that keeps localStorage usage bounded without affecting the existing chat experience.
  I will ensure the feature integrates smoothly with the current UI, follows the project's coding standards, and maintains existing functionality.
  Kindly assign this issue to me. I would be happy to contribute.
  Thank you!