[FR] Improve UX for empty repositories #821
Description
Feature Description
When a repository is empty, Sourcebot currently displays a generic error such as "Error loading tree preview". This can confuse users by making it seem like there is a problem with syncing or an internal error, when in reality the repository is simply empty.
Proposed improvements:
- Detect when a repository is empty (no commits or no files in the default branch).
- Display a clear, user-friendly message in the main UI and file tree panel, like "This repository is empty".
- Ensure no misleading error states or sync suggestions are shown when a repo is simply empty.
- Optionally, provide a hint for users to initialize the repository if it is empty.
Benefits:
- Prevents user confusion about repo sync issues or technical errors.
- Communicates the actual repo state, improving clarity and onboarding.
- Aligns Sourcebot UX with GitHub's behaviour for empty repositories.
User Story
As a user viewing a repository with Sourcebot, if the repo is empty, I want to see a clear message that the repository is empty, so I don't think there's an error or bug syncing the repo.