Add Plexi assistant onboarding and sidebar updates

README.md

@@ -46,6 +46,14 @@ Chat with an AI that **only answers using actual study materials from Database**
 - Every answer includes **source citations** so you know exactly where the information came from
 - Bring your own API key (free tiers available from most providers)
 
+### Use Plexi Anywhere
+
+Plexi is also available outside this app:
+
+- ChatGPT GPT: [Plexi on ChatGPT](https://chatgpt.com/g/g-69caa671910481919ce71d19952e34e5-plexi)
+- MCP Server: [https://plexi-mcp.vercel.app/](https://plexi-mcp.vercel.app/)
+- MCP Endpoint: `https://plexi-mcp.vercel.app/api/mcp`
+
 ### Contribute Materials
 
 Have notes that could help others? Submit them through a simple form — they'll be reviewed and added for everyone automatically.

pages/Plexi-Assistant.py

@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ from utils import (
     load_subject_context,
     render_page_header,
     render_panel,
-    render_sidebar,
+    render_sidebar_footer,
+    render_sidebar_intro,
     render_stat_cards,
     summarize_subject_catalog,
 )
@@ -100,6 +101,9 @@ PROVIDERS = {
     },
 }
 PROVIDER_NAMES = list(PROVIDERS.keys())
+PLEXI_GPT_URL = "https://chatgpt.com/g/g-69caa671910481919ce71d19952e34e5-plexi"
+PLEXI_MCP_GUIDE_URL = "https://lazyhuman.notion.site/Setting-Up-Plexi-MCP-for-Claude-and-ChatGPT-336e3502f0918090b69fdbed148e8e55"
+PLEXI_MCP_ENDPOINT = "https://plexi-mcp.vercel.app/api/mcp"
 
 
 def _matches_scope(node, semester: str, subject: str) -> bool:
@@ -114,6 +118,24 @@ def queue_prompt(prompt: str):
     st.rerun()
 
 
+def render_external_access():
+    """Render low-emphasis outbound access actions."""
+    st.markdown(
+        '<div class="plexi-section-label">Use Plexi Elsewhere</div>',
+        unsafe_allow_html=True,
+    )
+    st.caption(
+        "Open the GPT directly or use the MCP endpoint in any compatible client."
+    )
+    button_cols = st.columns([1, 1], gap="small")
+    with button_cols[0]:
+        st.link_button("Open Plexi GPT", PLEXI_GPT_URL, use_container_width=True)
+    with button_cols[1]:
+        st.link_button("Open MCP Guide", PLEXI_MCP_GUIDE_URL, use_container_width=True)
+    with st.expander("MCP endpoint", expanded=False):
+        st.code(PLEXI_MCP_ENDPOINT, language=None)
+
+
 def local_retrieve(index, query: str, semester: str, subject: str, top_k: int = TOP_K):
     """Retrieve top-k relevant chunks scoped to the active semester + subject."""
     if index is None:
@@ -189,7 +211,7 @@ def _is_configured():
     )
 
 
-def render_onboarding():
+def render_onboarding(manifest):
     """Render the setup flow before chat becomes available."""
     render_page_header(
         "Plexi assistant",
@@ -244,7 +266,40 @@ def render_onboarding():
                 placeholder="Paste your API key here",
             )
 
-        can_start = bool(model_name and (not needs_key or api_key))
+        semester_names = sorted(manifest.keys())
+        default_semester = st.session_state.get("asst_semester")
+        semester_index = (
+            semester_names.index(default_semester)
+            if default_semester in semester_names
+            else 0
+        )
+        selected_semester = st.selectbox(
+            "Semester",
+            semester_names,
+            index=semester_index,
+            key="ob_semester",
+        )
+
+        subject_names = sorted(manifest[selected_semester].keys())
+        default_subject = st.session_state.get("asst_subject")
+        subject_index = (
+            subject_names.index(default_subject)
+            if default_subject in subject_names
+            else 0
+        )
+        selected_subject = st.selectbox(
+            "Subject",
+            subject_names,
+            index=subject_index,
+            key="ob_subject",
+        )
+
+        can_start = bool(
+            model_name
+            and selected_semester
+            and selected_subject
+            and (not needs_key or api_key)
+        )
         if st.button(
             "Start Chatting",
             type="primary",
@@ -254,12 +309,15 @@ def render_onboarding():
             st.session_state.cfg_provider = provider_name
             st.session_state.cfg_base_url = base_url
             st.session_state.cfg_model = model_name
+            st.session_state.asst_semester = selected_semester
+            st.session_state.asst_subject = selected_subject
             if api_key:
                 st.session_state.api_key = api_key
             st.session_state.pop("messages", None)
             st.rerun()
 
     with right_col:
+        render_external_access()
         render_panel(
             "What Plexi does",
             "Keeps answers grounded in the currently loaded course materials instead of drifting into generic knowledge.",
@@ -288,10 +346,20 @@ def render_onboarding():
         )
 
 
-render_sidebar()
+render_sidebar_intro()
+
+try:
+    manifest = get_manifest()
+except Exception as err:
+    st.error(f"Failed to load materials catalog: {err}")
+    st.stop()
+
+if not manifest:
+    st.info("No study materials are available yet.")
+    st.stop()
 
 if not _is_configured():
-    render_onboarding()
+    render_onboarding(manifest)
     st.stop()
 
 provider_name = st.session_state.cfg_provider
@@ -303,16 +371,6 @@ rag_index, rag_error = fetch_rag_index()
 rag_active = rag_index is not None
 mode_label = "RAG retrieval" if rag_active else "Full-context fallback"
 
-try:
-    manifest = get_manifest()
-except Exception as err:
-    st.error(f"Failed to load materials catalog: {err}")
-    st.stop()
-
-if not manifest:
-    st.info("No study materials are available yet.")
-    st.stop()
-
 with st.sidebar:
     st.markdown(
         '<div class="plexi-section-label">Study Scope</div>',
@@ -431,6 +489,8 @@ with st.sidebar:
         st.session_state.pop("messages", None)
         st.rerun()
 
+render_sidebar_footer()
+
 render_page_header(
     "Plexi assistant",
     f"Ask anything from {selected_subject}",
@@ -441,6 +501,8 @@ render_page_header(
     badges=[selected_semester, selected_subject, provider_name, mode_label],
 )
 
+render_external_access()
+
 render_stat_cards(
     [
         {

utils.py

@@ -787,13 +787,9 @@ def get_mime_type(filename):
     return mime or "application/octet-stream"
 
 
-def render_sidebar():
-    """Render the shared sidebar with branding and outbound links."""
+def render_sidebar_intro():
+    """Render the shared sidebar intro card."""
     with st.sidebar:
-        current_mode = get_theme_mode()
-        widget_value = current_mode.capitalize()
-        if st.session_state.get(THEME_MODE_WIDGET_KEY) != widget_value:
-            st.session_state[THEME_MODE_WIDGET_KEY] = widget_value
         st.markdown(
             """
             <section class="plexi-sidecard">
@@ -807,6 +803,15 @@ def render_sidebar():
             """,
             unsafe_allow_html=True,
         )
+
+
+def render_sidebar_footer():
+    """Render shared appearance controls and outbound links at the end of the sidebar."""
+    with st.sidebar:
+        current_mode = get_theme_mode()
+        widget_value = current_mode.capitalize()
+        if st.session_state.get(THEME_MODE_WIDGET_KEY) != widget_value:
+            st.session_state[THEME_MODE_WIDGET_KEY] = widget_value
         st.markdown(
             '<div class="plexi-section-label">Appearance</div>',
             unsafe_allow_html=True,
@@ -833,6 +838,12 @@ def render_sidebar():
         st.markdown('<div class="plexi-divider"></div>', unsafe_allow_html=True)
 
 
+def render_sidebar():
+    """Render the shared sidebar for pages without extra sidebar sections."""
+    render_sidebar_intro()
+    render_sidebar_footer()
+
+
 def read_pdf_text(pdf_bytes):
     """Extract text from PDF bytes with error handling."""
     text = []