diff --git a/apps/electron/src/renderer/components/app-shell/ChatDisplay.tsx b/apps/electron/src/renderer/components/app-shell/ChatDisplay.tsx
index 81d0f1978..ec4915ca6 100644
--- a/apps/electron/src/renderer/components/app-shell/ChatDisplay.tsx
+++ b/apps/electron/src/renderer/components/app-shell/ChatDisplay.tsx
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import { toast } from "sonner"
 
 import { ScrollArea } from "@/components/ui/scroll-area"
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils"
+import { EmptyStateSuggestions } from "@/components/app-shell/EmptyStateSuggestions"
 import { Markdown, CollapsibleMarkdownProvider, StreamingMarkdown, type RenderMode } from "@/components/markdown"
 import { AnimatedCollapsibleContent } from "@/components/ui/collapsible"
 import {
@@ -1698,6 +1699,16 @@ export const ChatDisplay = React.forwardRef<ChatDisplayHandle, ChatDisplayProps>
                     {t('chat.emptyTitle')}
                   </h1>
                   {renderChatInputZone('mt-0 px-0 pb-0 @xs/panel:px-0')}
+                  {(inputValue ?? '').trim().length === 0 ? (
+                    <EmptyStateSuggestions
+                      disabled={isInputDisabled || disableSend || connectionUnavailable}
+                      onSelect={(prompt) => {
+                        onInputChange?.(prompt)
+                        // Let the controlled value propagate to the composer, then focus.
+                        requestAnimationFrame(() => textareaRef.current?.focus())
+                      }}
+                    />
+                  ) : null}
                 </motion.div>
               </div>
             ) : null}
diff --git a/apps/electron/src/renderer/components/app-shell/EmptyStateSuggestions.tsx b/apps/electron/src/renderer/components/app-shell/EmptyStateSuggestions.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..998e21a6f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/electron/src/renderer/components/app-shell/EmptyStateSuggestions.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+import * as React from 'react'
+import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next'
+import { BookOpen, Hammer, Bug, FlaskConical, type LucideIcon } from 'lucide-react'
+import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
+
+/**
+ * Starter prompt suggestions shown on the empty conversation state, beneath the
+ * centered composer. Mirrors the "prompt suggestions" surface in Claude Code
+ * Desktop / ChatGPT / Codex: a few clickable starting points that populate the
+ * composer (they do NOT auto-send, so the user can edit before submitting).
+ *
+ * Each suggestion pairs a short, localized label with a fuller prompt. Clicking
+ * one calls `onSelect(prompt)` — the parent seeds the (controlled) composer via
+ * the same draft channel used elsewhere, then focuses the input.
+ */
+
+interface SuggestionDef {
+  /** Stable id → i18n keys `chat.suggestions.<id>.title` / `.prompt`. */
+  id: string
+  icon: LucideIcon
+}
+
+/** The fixed set of starter suggestions. Order here is the render order. */
+const SUGGESTIONS: readonly SuggestionDef[] = [
+  { id: 'explain', icon: BookOpen },
+  { id: 'build', icon: Hammer },
+  { id: 'fix', icon: Bug },
+  { id: 'tests', icon: FlaskConical },
+] as const
+
+export interface EmptyStateSuggestionsProps {
+  /** Called with the full prompt text when a suggestion is chosen. */
+  onSelect: (prompt: string) => void
+  /** Hide the surface entirely (e.g. no connection / input disabled). */
+  disabled?: boolean
+  className?: string
+}
+
+export function EmptyStateSuggestions({
+  onSelect,
+  disabled = false,
+  className,
+}: EmptyStateSuggestionsProps) {
+  const { t } = useTranslation()
+
+  if (disabled) return null
+
+  return (
+    <div
+      data-testid="empty-suggestions"
+      className={cn(
+        'mx-auto mt-4 grid w-full max-w-[840px] grid-cols-1 gap-2 sm:grid-cols-2',
+        className,
+      )}
+    >
+      {SUGGESTIONS.map(({ id, icon: Icon }) => {
+        const title = t(`chat.suggestions.${id}.title`)
+        const prompt = t(`chat.suggestions.${id}.prompt`)
+        return (
+          <button
+            key={id}
+            type="button"
+            data-testid="empty-suggestion"
+            data-suggestion-id={id}
+            onClick={() => onSelect(prompt)}
+            className={cn(
+              'group flex items-center gap-2.5 rounded-[10px] border bg-muted/20 px-3.5 py-2.5 text-left',
+              'text-sm text-foreground/80 transition-colors',
+              'hover:bg-muted/50 hover:text-foreground',
+              'focus:outline-none focus-visible:ring-1 focus-visible:ring-ring',
+            )}
+          >
+            <Icon className="h-4 w-4 shrink-0 text-muted-foreground group-hover:text-foreground" />
+            <span className="min-w-0 truncate font-medium">{title}</span>
+          </button>
+        )
+      })}
+    </div>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/docs/loop/feature-ledger.md b/docs/loop/feature-ledger.md
index 404fb476b..7b9c1332d 100644
--- a/docs/loop/feature-ledger.md
+++ b/docs/loop/feature-ledger.md
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ log, not the system of record.
 
 | slug | title | source | feasibility | status | issue | pr | branch | updated | notes |
 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
+| starter-suggestions | Starter prompt suggestions on the empty conversation | Claude Code Desktop "prompt suggestions" / ChatGPT & Codex example prompts | frontend-only | pr-open | [#72](https://github.com/modelstudioai/openwork/issues/72) | [#73](https://github.com/modelstudioai/openwork/pull/73) | loop/starter-suggestions | 2026-07-09 | New `EmptyStateSuggestions` chip row rendered under the centered empty-state composer in `ChatDisplay` (only while composer is empty). Clicking a chip seeds the composer via the existing controlled draft channel (`onInputChange`) + focuses it — does NOT auto-send. 4 suggestions, 8 new i18n keys ×7 locales. typecheck:all / `bun test` zero-delta vs main (11 electron-typecheck + 56-test pre-existing baseline byte-identical); renderer build ✅; i18n parity ✅; lint 0 errors on touched files. CDP assertion `e2e/assertions/starter-suggestions.assert.ts` included; **could not execute locally** (Electron binary egress-blocked: `github.com` releases 403). |
 | scroll-to-bottom | "Jump to latest" (scroll-to-bottom) button in the chat transcript | Claude Code Desktop / ChatGPT / Codex desktop jump-to-latest affordance | frontend-only | pr-open | [#46](https://github.com/modelstudioai/openwork/issues/46) | [#47](https://github.com/modelstudioai/openwork/pull/47) | loop/scroll-to-bottom | 2026-07-02 | Reuses existing `ChatDisplay` scroll state (`distanceFromBottom`, `isStickToBottomRef`, `messagesEndRef`); floating `AnimatePresence` button shown when >200px from bottom. One new i18n key `chat.scrollToBottom` across all 6 locales. Added a reusable `seed(profileDirs)` hook to the e2e harness (`app.ts`/`runner.ts`) so assertions can pre-seed an on-disk session (backend-independent) — the scroll assertion seeds a 40-message session, opens it, scrolls up, asserts the button appears, clicks it, asserts return-to-bottom + hide. typecheck/`bun test` zero-delta vs main (11 pre-existing tsc errors, 56 pre-existing test fails, identical sets); renderer build ✅. **CDP could not run locally**: the Electron binary download is 403'd by the sandbox egress policy (github release host), so the app can't launch here — assertion transpiles and is included for CI/reviewer. |
 | thinking-level-picker | Thinking-level (reasoning effort) picker in the chat composer | Claude Code Desktop effort menu (⌘⇧E) + OpenWork's own model picker | frontend-only | merged | [#44](https://github.com/modelstudioai/openwork/issues/44) | [#45](https://github.com/modelstudioai/openwork/pull/45) | loop/thinking-level-picker | 2026-07-02 | Merged into `main`. `thinkingLevel`/`onThinkingLevelChange` already plumbed to `FreeFormInput`; only the UI trigger was missing. Reuses `thinking.*` + `settings.ai.thinking` i18n keys (zero new keys). typecheck/`bun test` zero-delta vs main. |
 | composer-expand | Expand / collapse (maximize) toggle for the chat composer | Claude/ChatGPT/Codex desktop composer maximize | frontend-only | pr-open | [#48](https://github.com/modelstudioai/openwork/issues/48) | [#49](https://github.com/modelstudioai/openwork/pull/49) | loop/composer-expand | 2026-07-03 | Opened by a prior run. Adds `isComposerExpanded` toggle in `FreeFormInput`; 2 new i18n keys. Awaiting review. |
diff --git a/e2e/assertions/starter-suggestions.assert.ts b/e2e/assertions/starter-suggestions.assert.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..329ea8b4a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e2e/assertions/starter-suggestions.assert.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+/**
+ * Feature assertion: starter prompt suggestions on the empty conversation state.
+ *
+ * Drives the real built app over CDP through the full path:
+ *   boot into the empty draft chat → the suggestion chips render → click one →
+ *   the composer is populated with that suggestion's (fuller) prompt → the
+ *   suggestions surface disappears once the composer has content.
+ *
+ * This proves the feature actually *does* something (seeds the composer), not
+ * merely that the chips render.
+ */
+
+import type { Assertion } from '../runner';
+
+const SUGGESTIONS = '[data-testid="empty-suggestions"]';
+const CHIP = '[data-testid="empty-suggestion"]';
+const COMPOSER = '[role="textbox"][aria-multiline="true"]';
+
+/** Visible chips only (defensive against hidden/duplicated nodes). */
+const VISIBLE_CHIPS_EXPR = `[...document.querySelectorAll(${JSON.stringify(
+  CHIP,
+)})].filter((el) => el.offsetParent !== null)`;
+
+/** Trimmed text of the (visible) composer, with zero-width chars stripped. */
+const COMPOSER_TEXT_EXPR = `(() => {
+  const el = [...document.querySelectorAll(${JSON.stringify(
+    COMPOSER,
+  )})].find((n) => n.offsetParent !== null);
+  if (!el) return null;
+  return (el.textContent || '').replace(/[\\u200B-\\u200D\\uFEFF]/g, '').trim();
+})()`;
+
+const assertion: Assertion = {
+  name: 'empty-state starter suggestions seed the composer',
+  async run(app) {
+    const { session } = app;
+
+    // App fully mounted.
+    await session.waitForFunction(
+      '!document.getElementById("_loader") && (document.getElementById("root")?.childElementCount ?? 0) > 0',
+      { timeoutMs: 30000, message: 'React UI did not mount' },
+    );
+
+    // Reach the ready AppShell (not onboarding / workspace-picker). The empty
+    // draft chat — with its centered composer — is the default landing view.
+    await session.waitForSelector('[aria-label="Craft menu"]', {
+      timeoutMs: 30000,
+      message: 'app did not reach the ready AppShell state',
+    });
+
+    // 1. The suggestions surface renders on the empty conversation.
+    await session.waitForSelector(SUGGESTIONS, {
+      timeoutMs: 15000,
+      message: 'starter suggestions did not render on the empty conversation',
+    });
+
+    // 2. It shows the full set of chips (4).
+    await session.waitForFunction(`${VISIBLE_CHIPS_EXPR}.length === 4`, {
+      timeoutMs: 8000,
+      message: 'expected 4 visible starter-suggestion chips',
+    });
+
+    // 3. The composer starts empty.
+    const before = await session.evaluate<string | null>(COMPOSER_TEXT_EXPR);
+    if (before == null) throw new Error('could not locate the composer text box');
+    if (before.length !== 0) {
+      throw new Error(`composer was not empty at start (saw: ${JSON.stringify(before)})`);
+    }
+
+    // 4. Capture the first chip's visible label, then click it.
+    const label = await session.evaluate<string | null>(
+      `(() => { const el = ${VISIBLE_CHIPS_EXPR}[0]; return el ? (el.textContent || '').trim() : null; })()`,
+    );
+    if (!label) throw new Error('could not read the first suggestion label');
+
+    const clicked = await session.evaluate<boolean>(
+      `(() => { const el = ${VISIBLE_CHIPS_EXPR}[0]; if (!el) return false; el.click(); return true; })()`,
+    );
+    if (!clicked) throw new Error('failed to click the first suggestion chip');
+
+    // 5. The composer is populated with the suggestion's prompt. The prompt is a
+    //    full sentence, so it must be non-empty and longer than the short label —
+    //    proving it seeded the *prompt*, not merely echoed the chip title.
+    await session.waitForFunction(
+      `(() => {
+        const text = ${COMPOSER_TEXT_EXPR};
+        return typeof text === 'string' && text.length > ${label.length} && text.length > 20;
+      })()`,
+      {
+        timeoutMs: 8000,
+        message: 'clicking a suggestion did not populate the composer with its prompt',
+      },
+    );
+
+    // 6. Once the composer has content, the suggestions surface goes away
+    //    (matching the empty-state-only behavior of the feature).
+    await session.waitForFunction(
+      `!document.querySelector(${JSON.stringify(SUGGESTIONS)})`,
+      {
+        timeoutMs: 8000,
+        message: 'suggestions did not hide after the composer was populated',
+      },
+    );
+  },
+};
+
+export default assertion;
diff --git a/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/de.json b/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/de.json
index 1d48afa80..e400f7736 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/de.json
+++ b/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/de.json
@@ -141,6 +141,14 @@
   "chat.contextUsage.title": "Kontextfenster",
   "chat.contextUsage.usedOfTotal": "{{used}} verwendet, {{total}} gesamt",
   "chat.emptyTitle": "Was sollen wir bauen?",
+  "chat.suggestions.explain.title": "Diese Codebasis erklären",
+  "chat.suggestions.explain.prompt": "Gib mir einen Überblick über diese Codebasis – ihren Zweck, die wichtigsten Komponenten und wie die Teile zusammenspielen.",
+  "chat.suggestions.build.title": "Ein Feature bauen",
+  "chat.suggestions.build.prompt": "Hilf mir, ein neues Feature zu bauen. Frag mich, was es können soll, schlage dann einen Ansatz vor und setze ihn um.",
+  "chat.suggestions.fix.title": "Einen Bug beheben",
+  "chat.suggestions.fix.prompt": "Hilf mir, einen Bug zu finden und zu beheben. Ich beschreibe das Problem und du untersuchst den relevanten Code.",
+  "chat.suggestions.tests.title": "Tests schreiben",
+  "chat.suggestions.tests.prompt": "Schreibe Tests für einen Teil meines Projekts. Sag mir, was abzudecken ist, und füge gründliche, bestehende Tests hinzu.",
   "chat.enterSessionName": "Sitzungsname eingeben...",
   "chat.failedToStopSharing": "Freigabe konnte nicht beendet werden",
   "chat.failedToUpdateShare": "Freigabe konnte nicht aktualisiert werden",
diff --git a/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/en.json b/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/en.json
index 9935f62d5..6ce067873 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/en.json
+++ b/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/en.json
@@ -141,6 +141,14 @@
   "chat.contextUsage.title": "Context window",
   "chat.contextUsage.usedOfTotal": "{{used}} used, {{total}} total",
   "chat.emptyTitle": "What should we build?",
+  "chat.suggestions.explain.title": "Explain this codebase",
+  "chat.suggestions.explain.prompt": "Give me a high-level overview of this codebase — its purpose, main components, and how the pieces fit together.",
+  "chat.suggestions.build.title": "Build a feature",
+  "chat.suggestions.build.prompt": "Help me build a new feature. Ask me what it should do, then propose an approach and implement it.",
+  "chat.suggestions.fix.title": "Fix a bug",
+  "chat.suggestions.fix.prompt": "Help me track down and fix a bug. I'll describe what's going wrong and you investigate the relevant code.",
+  "chat.suggestions.tests.title": "Write tests",
+  "chat.suggestions.tests.prompt": "Write tests for a part of my project. Point me at what to cover and add thorough, passing tests.",
   "chat.enterSessionName": "Enter session name...",
   "chat.failedToStopSharing": "Failed to stop sharing",
   "chat.failedToUpdateShare": "Failed to update share",
diff --git a/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/es.json b/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/es.json
index 1fdba2fa7..369f9306c 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/es.json
+++ b/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/es.json
@@ -141,6 +141,14 @@
   "chat.contextUsage.title": "Ventana de contexto",
   "chat.contextUsage.usedOfTotal": "{{used}} usados, {{total}} en total",
   "chat.emptyTitle": "¿Qué deberíamos construir?",
+  "chat.suggestions.explain.title": "Explicar este código",
+  "chat.suggestions.explain.prompt": "Dame una visión general de este código: su propósito, sus componentes principales y cómo encajan las piezas.",
+  "chat.suggestions.build.title": "Crear una función",
+  "chat.suggestions.build.prompt": "Ayúdame a crear una nueva función. Pregúntame qué debe hacer, propón un enfoque e impleméntalo.",
+  "chat.suggestions.fix.title": "Corregir un error",
+  "chat.suggestions.fix.prompt": "Ayúdame a localizar y corregir un error. Yo describo qué falla y tú investigas el código relevante.",
+  "chat.suggestions.tests.title": "Escribir pruebas",
+  "chat.suggestions.tests.prompt": "Escribe pruebas para una parte de mi proyecto. Indícame qué cubrir y añade pruebas completas que pasen.",
   "chat.enterSessionName": "Introduce el nombre de la sesión...",
   "chat.failedToStopSharing": "Error al detener la compartición",
   "chat.failedToUpdateShare": "Error al actualizar el compartido",
diff --git a/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/hu.json b/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/hu.json
index 465aa79a7..17aa14216 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/hu.json
+++ b/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/hu.json
@@ -141,6 +141,14 @@
   "chat.contextUsage.title": "Kontextusablak",
   "chat.contextUsage.usedOfTotal": "{{used}} felhasználva, összesen {{total}}",
   "chat.emptyTitle": "Mit építsünk?",
+  "chat.suggestions.explain.title": "Kódbázis bemutatása",
+  "chat.suggestions.explain.prompt": "Adj áttekintést erről a kódbázisról – a céljáról, a fő komponenseiről, és arról, hogyan illeszkednek össze a részek.",
+  "chat.suggestions.build.title": "Funkció létrehozása",
+  "chat.suggestions.build.prompt": "Segíts egy új funkció elkészítésében. Kérdezd meg, mit kell csinálnia, majd javasolj megközelítést és valósítsd meg.",
+  "chat.suggestions.fix.title": "Hiba javítása",
+  "chat.suggestions.fix.prompt": "Segíts megtalálni és kijavítani egy hibát. Leírom, mi a probléma, te pedig vizsgáld meg az érintett kódot.",
+  "chat.suggestions.tests.title": "Tesztek írása",
+  "chat.suggestions.tests.prompt": "Írj teszteket a projektem egy részéhez. Mondd meg, mit fedjek le, és adj hozzá alapos, sikeresen lefutó teszteket.",
   "chat.enterSessionName": "Add meg a munkamenet nevét...",
   "chat.failedToStopSharing": "A megosztás leállítása sikertelen",
   "chat.failedToUpdateShare": "A megosztás frissítése sikertelen",
diff --git a/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/ja.json b/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/ja.json
index c859d5ef6..ca8da03e2 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/ja.json
+++ b/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/ja.json
@@ -141,6 +141,14 @@
   "chat.contextUsage.title": "コンテキストウィンドウ",
   "chat.contextUsage.usedOfTotal": "{{used}} 使用済み、合計 {{total}}",
   "chat.emptyTitle": "何を構築しましょうか？",
+  "chat.suggestions.explain.title": "このコードベースを解説する",
+  "chat.suggestions.explain.prompt": "このコードベースの概要を教えてください。目的、主要なコンポーネント、そして各部分がどう組み合わさっているかを説明してください。",
+  "chat.suggestions.build.title": "機能を作る",
+  "chat.suggestions.build.prompt": "新しい機能の実装を手伝ってください。まず何をするべきか確認し、方針を提案してから実装してください。",
+  "chat.suggestions.fix.title": "バグを修正する",
+  "chat.suggestions.fix.prompt": "バグの特定と修正を手伝ってください。症状を説明するので、関連するコードを調査してください。",
+  "chat.suggestions.tests.title": "テストを書く",
+  "chat.suggestions.tests.prompt": "プロジェクトの一部にテストを追加してください。カバーすべき範囲を伝えるので、網羅的でパスするテストを書いてください。",
   "chat.enterSessionName": "セッション名を入力...",
   "chat.failedToStopSharing": "共有の停止に失敗しました",
   "chat.failedToUpdateShare": "共有の更新に失敗しました",
diff --git a/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/pl.json b/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/pl.json
index 205d92aa6..ac216ecf0 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/pl.json
+++ b/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/pl.json
@@ -141,6 +141,14 @@
   "chat.contextUsage.title": "Okno kontekstu",
   "chat.contextUsage.usedOfTotal": "Użyto {{used}}, łącznie {{total}}",
   "chat.emptyTitle": "Co powinniśmy zbudować?",
+  "chat.suggestions.explain.title": "Wyjaśnij tę bazę kodu",
+  "chat.suggestions.explain.prompt": "Przedstaw mi ogólny obraz tej bazy kodu — jej cel, główne komponenty i to, jak elementy do siebie pasują.",
+  "chat.suggestions.build.title": "Zbuduj funkcję",
+  "chat.suggestions.build.prompt": "Pomóż mi zbudować nową funkcję. Zapytaj, co ma robić, a następnie zaproponuj podejście i je wdróż.",
+  "chat.suggestions.fix.title": "Napraw błąd",
+  "chat.suggestions.fix.prompt": "Pomóż mi znaleźć i naprawić błąd. Opiszę, co jest nie tak, a ty zbadaj odpowiedni kod.",
+  "chat.suggestions.tests.title": "Napisz testy",
+  "chat.suggestions.tests.prompt": "Napisz testy dla części mojego projektu. Wskaż, co pokryć, i dodaj dokładne, przechodzące testy.",
   "chat.enterSessionName": "Wprowadź nazwę sesji...",
   "chat.failedToStopSharing": "Nie udało się zatrzymać udostępniania",
   "chat.failedToUpdateShare": "Nie udało się zaktualizować udostępnienia",
diff --git a/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/zh-Hans.json b/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/zh-Hans.json
index 859f25c33..564c407f7 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/zh-Hans.json
+++ b/packages/shared/src/i18n/locales/zh-Hans.json
@@ -141,6 +141,14 @@
   "chat.contextUsage.title": "上下文窗口",
   "chat.contextUsage.usedOfTotal": "已用 {{used}}，共 {{total}}",
   "chat.emptyTitle": "我们该构建什么",
+  "chat.suggestions.explain.title": "解读这个代码库",
+  "chat.suggestions.explain.prompt": "请从整体上介绍这个代码库——它的用途、主要组成部分，以及各部分如何协同工作。",
+  "chat.suggestions.build.title": "构建一个功能",
+  "chat.suggestions.build.prompt": "帮我构建一个新功能。先问清楚它需要做什么，然后提出方案并实现它。",
+  "chat.suggestions.fix.title": "修复一个 Bug",
+  "chat.suggestions.fix.prompt": "帮我定位并修复一个 Bug。我来描述出现的问题，你负责排查相关代码。",
+  "chat.suggestions.tests.title": "编写测试",
+  "chat.suggestions.tests.prompt": "为我项目的某个部分编写测试。告诉我需要覆盖的范围，并补充完整且能通过的测试。",
   "chat.enterSessionName": "输入会话名称...",
   "chat.failedToStopSharing": "无法停止共享",
   "chat.failedToUpdateShare": "无法更新共享",