Components › Foundation › Session Management
AI05 · System

Session Management

Purpose Context window indicators, memory state, session history, and session start/end affordances — making invisible session state visible and actionable.
Use when Any AI interface with persistent or multi-turn interaction. Required whenever context window limits or memory state could affect behavior.
Do not use For single-turn, stateless AI queries with no session continuity.
Failure mode prevented Users assuming continuity that doesn't exist, or not realizing their session context has been truncated — leading to contradictory model behavior they cannot explain.
Example Dark Academia
Dark Academia
The Atelier
Neon Tide
The Archive
Candlelight
The Conservatory
Session · Pipeline Review Active
Context window 6,241 / 8,192 tokens · 76%
In memory
  • ✓ Q3 activity report
  • ✓ Previous 4 exchanges
  • ○ legacy data export truncated
Overview
Design rule

Session state must always be visible. Context window usage, memory inclusions, and session boundaries must be surfaced without the user having to ask.

Theming API

Override these CSS custom properties to apply your own visual treatment without touching the component's behavioral contracts.

Shared semantic tokens

Token Controls
--rad-surface-card Card background
--rad-border-subtle Card border
--rad-color-approve Active status text, pulse, memory check icons
--rad-color-text-meta Title, meta labels, memory section label
--rad-radius-card Card border radius

Component-scoped tokens

Token Controls
--rad-session-divider Internal section dividers
--rad-session-context-usage-color Context usage warning color
--rad-session-context-bar-start Context fill gradient start
--rad-session-context-bar-end Context fill gradient end
--rad-session-context-track-bg Context bar track background
--rad-session-item-active-color Active memory item text
--rad-session-item-truncated-color Truncated memory item text
--rad-session-tag-bg Truncated tag background

"*Context windows are finite. You know this better than the person who wrote these specs.*"

← Previous AI Error States Next → Empty States

Intellectual Property

RAD is the original work of Jackie Curry. All rights reserved. No portion may be reproduced, adapted, or incorporated into any product or system without express written permission.

Permitted: citation in academic or editorial contexts with full attribution.

Licensing

© 2025 Jackie Curry. All rights reserved. Publication date: 2025.

For licensing inquiries, connect on LinkedIn →