diff --git a/docs/API-Reference/project/SidebarView.md b/docs/API-Reference/project/SidebarView.md
index 4b0184fec8..78d98ae61c 100644
--- a/docs/API-Reference/project/SidebarView.md
+++ b/docs/API-Reference/project/SidebarView.md
@@ -43,3 +43,23 @@ Returns the visibility state of the sidebar.
 
 **Kind**: global function  
 **Returns**: <code>boolean</code> - true if element is visible, false if it is not visible  
+<a name="resize"></a>
+
+## resize(width)
+Programmatically resize the sidebar to the given width. Persists
+the new size so it is restored on reload, resyncs the drag handle,
+and fires `panelResizeEnd`.
+
+**Kind**: global function  
+
+| Param | Type | Description |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| width | <code>number</code> | Desired sidebar width in pixels |
+
+<a name="getWidth"></a>
+
+## getWidth() ⇒ <code>number</code>
+Get the current sidebar width in pixels. Returns the CSS width
+even if the sidebar is hidden (so the value can be restored later).
+
+**Kind**: global function  
diff --git a/docs/API-Reference/view/SidebarTabs.md b/docs/API-Reference/view/SidebarTabs.md
index fbbd4bdd60..430d35d52a 100644
--- a/docs/API-Reference/view/SidebarTabs.md
+++ b/docs/API-Reference/view/SidebarTabs.md
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ cached jQuery/DOM references held by extensions remain valid.
 
 * [view/SidebarTabs](#module_view/SidebarTabs)
     * [.SIDEBAR_TAB_FILES](#module_view/SidebarTabs..SIDEBAR_TAB_FILES) : <code>string</code>
+    * [.AI_TAB_GOOD_WIDTH](#module_view/SidebarTabs..AI_TAB_GOOD_WIDTH) : <code>number</code>
+    * [.PREF_AI_WIDTH_SET_INITIAL](#module_view/SidebarTabs..PREF_AI_WIDTH_SET_INITIAL)
     * [.EVENT_TAB_ADDED](#module_view/SidebarTabs..EVENT_TAB_ADDED) : <code>string</code>
     * [.EVENT_TAB_REMOVED](#module_view/SidebarTabs..EVENT_TAB_REMOVED) : <code>string</code>
     * [.EVENT_TAB_CHANGED](#module_view/SidebarTabs..EVENT_TAB_CHANGED) : <code>string</code>
@@ -38,6 +40,19 @@ cached jQuery/DOM references held by extensions remain valid.
 ### view/SidebarTabs.SIDEBAR\_TAB\_FILES : <code>string</code>
 The built-in Files tab id.
 
+**Kind**: inner constant of [<code>view/SidebarTabs</code>](#module_view/SidebarTabs)  
+<a name="module_view/SidebarTabs..AI_TAB_GOOD_WIDTH"></a>
+
+### view/SidebarTabs.AI\_TAB\_GOOD\_WIDTH : <code>number</code>
+Preferred sidebar width (px) when a non-files tab (e.g. AI) is
+first activated. Applied once if the current width is narrower.
+
+**Kind**: inner constant of [<code>view/SidebarTabs</code>](#module_view/SidebarTabs)  
+<a name="module_view/SidebarTabs..PREF_AI_WIDTH_SET_INITIAL"></a>
+
+### view/SidebarTabs.PREF\_AI\_WIDTH\_SET\_INITIAL
+Preference key used to track whether the initial width bump has been applied.
+
 **Kind**: inner constant of [<code>view/SidebarTabs</code>](#module_view/SidebarTabs)  
 <a name="module_view/SidebarTabs..EVENT_TAB_ADDED"></a>
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index e93657da42..fa15bba19d 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -75,12 +75,12 @@
         "_patchVersionBump": "gulp patchVersionBump",
         "_minorVersionBump": "gulp minorVersionBump",
         "_majorVersionBump": "gulp majorVersionBump",
-        "serve": "node serve-proxy.js . -p 8000 -c-1",
-        "serveLocalAccount": "node serve-proxy.js . -p 8000 -c-1 --localAccount",
-        "serveStagingAccount": "node serve-proxy.js . -p 8000 -c-1 --stagingAccount",
+        "serve": "npm install --prefix src-node && node serve-proxy.js . -p 8000 -c-1",
+        "serveLocalAccount": "npm install --prefix src-node && node serve-proxy.js . -p 8000 -c-1 --localAccount",
+        "serveStagingAccount": "npm install --prefix src-node && node serve-proxy.js . -p 8000 -c-1 --stagingAccount",
         "_serveWithWebCacheHelp": "echo !!!Make sure to npm run release:dev/stageing/prod before testing the cache!!!",
         "serveWithWebCache": "npm run _releaseWebCache && npm run _serveWithWebCacheHelp && http-server ./dist -p 8000 -c-1",
-        "serveExternal": "node serve-proxy.js . -p 8000 -a 0.0.0.0 --log-ip -c-1",
+        "serveExternal": "npm install --prefix src-node && node serve-proxy.js . -p 8000 -a 0.0.0.0 --log-ip -c-1",
         "createJSDocs": "node build/api-docs-generator.js && git add docs",
         "_translateStrings": "gulp translateStrings",
         "_minify": "r.js -o require.min.config.js && echo this is untested see https://stackoverflow.com/questions/14337970/minifying-requirejs-javascript-codebase-to-a-single-file"
diff --git a/serve-proxy.js b/serve-proxy.js
index 33484fbd13..cbef43b270 100644
--- a/serve-proxy.js
+++ b/serve-proxy.js
@@ -270,6 +270,31 @@ const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
         return;
     }
 
+    // Handle getPhoenixPath API for Tauri dev mode
+    if (parsedUrl.pathname === '/api/getPhoenixPath') {
+        const response = {
+            phoenixPath: config.root
+        };
+
+        if (!config.silent) {
+            console.log(`[API] ${req.method} ${parsedUrl.pathname} -> ${JSON.stringify(response)}`);
+        }
+
+        const headers = {
+            'Content-Type': 'application/json'
+        };
+
+        if (config.cors) {
+            headers['Access-Control-Allow-Origin'] = '*';
+            headers['Access-Control-Allow-Methods'] = 'GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, OPTIONS';
+            headers['Access-Control-Allow-Headers'] = 'Origin, X-Requested-With, Content-Type, Accept, Authorization, Cache-Control';
+        }
+
+        res.writeHead(200, headers);
+        res.end(JSON.stringify(response));
+        return;
+    }
+
     // Handle proxy config request
     if (parsedUrl.pathname === '/proxy/config') {
         const configResponse = {
diff --git a/src/node-loader.js b/src/node-loader.js
index 67bcf80c1a..c612729f20 100644
--- a/src/node-loader.js
+++ b/src/node-loader.js
@@ -635,18 +635,34 @@ function nodeLoader() {
             nodeErrorLogCount = 0;
         }, NODE_ERROR_LOGS_RESET_INTERVAL);
 
-        async function _tauriNodeSetup() {
-            let nodeSrcPath = await window.__TAURI__.path.resolveResource("src-node/index.js");
+        async function _resolveSrcNodePath() {
+            // Check if running from localhost dev server
+            if (window.location.href.startsWith('http://localhost:')) {
+                // Fetch phoenix path from dev server API to use local src-node
+                const response = await fetch('/api/getPhoenixPath');
+                const pathInfo = await response.json();
+                const srcNodePath = `${pathInfo.phoenixPath}/src-node/index.js`;
+                console.log('PhNode: Using dev server src-node path:', srcNodePath);
+                return srcNodePath;
+            }
+
+            // Production Tauri path resolution
+            let srcNodePath = await window.__TAURI__.path.resolveResource("src-node/index.js");
             // Strip Windows UNC prefix (\\?\) that Tauri adds on Windows
             // Node 24 doesn't handle UNC paths correctly in module resolution
-            if (Phoenix.platform === "win" && nodeSrcPath.startsWith('\\\\?\\')) {
-                nodeSrcPath = nodeSrcPath.slice(4);
+            if (Phoenix.platform === "win" && srcNodePath.startsWith('\\\\?\\')) {
+                srcNodePath = srcNodePath.slice(4);
             }
-            if(Phoenix.platform === "linux") {
+            if (Phoenix.platform === "linux") {
                 // in linux installed distributions, src-node is present in the same dir as the executable.
                 const cliArgs = await window.__TAURI__.invoke('_get_commandline_args');
-                nodeSrcPath = `${window.path.dirname(cliArgs[0])}/src-node/index.js`;
+                srcNodePath = `${window.path.dirname(cliArgs[0])}/src-node/index.js`;
             }
+            return srcNodePath;
+        }
+
+        async function _tauriNodeSetup() {
+            const nodeSrcPath = await _resolveSrcNodePath();
             // node is designed such that it is not required at boot time to lower startup time.
             // Keep this so to increase boot speed.
             const inspectPort = Phoenix.isTestWindow ? getRandomNumber(5000, 50000) : 9229;