# Aura IDE v1.9.8

[CarpseDeam]

This release sharpens Aura’s two biggest real product surfaces: Aura Credits and Aura Companion.

Aura is getting closer to the thing it was always trying to become. A serious desktop coding agent with a phone side command center and a simple way to keep running without juggling API keys.

Highlights

Aura Credits feels like a real account surface now

Aura Credits has been pulled into a cleaner standalone popout with a more professional checkout flow, clearer onboarding copy, and a stronger first-time user path.

• Added a polished Aura Credits popout
• Made buying credits the primary path instead of burying it behind settings
• Kept BYOK available as an advanced option
• Added clearer copy around pay-as-you-go credits and service margin
• Added a status-bar Add Credits / Aura Credits pill
• Removed the old Credits & Account settings-tab feel
• Restored more precise session cost display, for example $0.1923 instead of $0.19

Aura Companion is now a pocket command center

The mobile Companion is no longer just a viewer. It can now start new chat threads directly from the phone.

• Added mobile New Chat support
• Phone can create a new project conversation thread
• Desktop creates the real conversation file and thread metadata
• New phone-created threads load into the existing desktop conversation flow
• Fixed the empty-project mobile state so it shows one clean New Chat action
• Added a compact New Chat shortcut from the mobile chat header
• Improved the desktop Companion badge/popout flow

Status bar polish

The lower status bar has been cleaned up into clearer zones:

• Cache hit/miss/out telemetry in the middle
• Session cost beside telemetry
• Aura Credits/Add Credits isolated on the right
• More precise session cost formatting for better “instrument panel” feel

Worker flow anti-thrash guard

Aura now has a tighter guard against Worker Flow loops where the worker keeps rereading or replanning instead of making progress.

• Allows one Worker Flow steering nudge
• Resets the nudge after real edit or validation progress
• Stops repeated plan-only thrash with a recoverable follow-up
• Helps avoid runaway “let me inspect again” loops

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This discussion was created from the release # Aura IDE v1.9.8.