feat(desktop): add 10-minute message grouping window (#1578)

Signed-off-by: npub13fn4ahfnvaa2qwylvegdgeajqs0mph6v4qsw4jcqnw4mjh3hzh2quuucm5 <8a675edd33677aa0389f6650d467b2041fb0df4ca820eacb009babb95e3715d4@sprout-oss.stage.blox.sqprod.co>
Co-authored-by: npub13fn4ahfnvaa2qwylvegdgeajqs0mph6v4qsw4jcqnw4mjh3hzh2quuucm5 <8a675edd33677aa0389f6650d467b2041fb0df4ca820eacb009babb95e3715d4@sprout-oss.stage.blox.sqprod.co>

desktop/src/features/home/lib/inbox.ts

@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ export type InboxReply = {
   authorPubkey: string;
   avatarUrl: string | null;
   content: string;
+  createdAt: number;
   depth?: number;
   fullTimestampLabel: string;
   id: string;

desktop/src/features/home/ui/HomeView.tsx

@@ -371,6 +371,7 @@ export function HomeView({
         authorPubkey,
         avatarUrl: message.avatarUrl ?? null,
         content: message.body,
+        createdAt: message.createdAt,
         depth: event ? getContextMessageDepth(event, eventById) : message.depth,
         fullTimestampLabel: formatInboxFullTimestamp(message.createdAt),
         isSelected: message.id === selectedItem.id,
@@ -704,6 +705,7 @@ export function HomeView({
                             ?.avatarUrl ?? null)
                         : null,
                     content,
+                    createdAt: result.createdAt,
                     depth: result.depth,
                     fullTimestampLabel: formatInboxFullTimestamp(
                       result.createdAt,

desktop/src/features/home/ui/InboxDetailPane.tsx

@@ -14,7 +14,10 @@ import {
 } from "@/features/home/ui/InboxMessageRow";
 import type { TimelineMessage } from "@/features/messages/types";
 import { formatTime } from "@/features/messages/lib/dateFormatters";
-import { hasSameMessageAuthor } from "@/features/messages/lib/messageGrouping";
+import {
+  hasSameMessageAuthor,
+  isWithinGroupingWindow,
+} from "@/features/messages/lib/messageGrouping";
 import { MessageComposer } from "@/features/messages/ui/MessageComposer";
 import { UpdateIndicator } from "@/features/settings/UpdateIndicator";
 import type { Channel } from "@/shared/api/types";
@@ -192,6 +195,7 @@ export function InboxDetailPane({
             authorPubkey: item.item.pubkey,
             avatarUrl: item.avatarUrl,
             content: item.preview,
+            createdAt: item.item.createdAt,
             depth: 0,
             fullTimestampLabel: item.fullTimestampLabel,
             id: item.id,
@@ -325,11 +329,16 @@ export function InboxDetailPane({
           <div>
             {displayMessages.map((message, index) => {
               const isAfterSeparator = index === 1;
+              const previousMessage = displayMessages[index - 1];
               const isContinuation =
                 !isAfterSeparator &&
                 hasSameMessageAuthor(
-                  { pubkey: displayMessages[index - 1]?.authorPubkey },
+                  { pubkey: previousMessage?.authorPubkey },
                   { pubkey: message.authorPubkey },
+                ) &&
+                isWithinGroupingWindow(
+                  previousMessage?.createdAt,
+                  message.createdAt,
                 );
 
               return (

desktop/src/features/messages/lib/messageGrouping.test.mjs

@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import test from "node:test";
+
+import {
+  MESSAGE_GROUPING_WINDOW_SECONDS,
+  hasSameMessageAuthor,
+  isWithinGroupingWindow,
+} from "./messageGrouping.ts";
+
+test("hasSameMessageAuthor: matches case-insensitively and trims", () => {
+  assert.equal(
+    hasSameMessageAuthor({ pubkey: " ABC " }, { pubkey: "abc" }),
+    true,
+  );
+  assert.equal(
+    hasSameMessageAuthor({ pubkey: "abc" }, { pubkey: "def" }),
+    false,
+  );
+});
+
+test("hasSameMessageAuthor: missing pubkeys never match", () => {
+  assert.equal(hasSameMessageAuthor(null, { pubkey: "abc" }), false);
+  assert.equal(hasSameMessageAuthor({ pubkey: "abc" }, undefined), false);
+  assert.equal(hasSameMessageAuthor({ pubkey: "" }, { pubkey: "" }), false);
+});
+
+test("isWithinGroupingWindow: at or under the boundary is in window", () => {
+  const base = 1_000_000;
+  assert.equal(isWithinGroupingWindow(base, base), true);
+  assert.equal(
+    isWithinGroupingWindow(base, base + MESSAGE_GROUPING_WINDOW_SECONDS),
+    true,
+  );
+});
+
+test("isWithinGroupingWindow: past the boundary is out of window", () => {
+  const base = 1_000_000;
+  assert.equal(
+    isWithinGroupingWindow(base, base + MESSAGE_GROUPING_WINDOW_SECONDS + 1),
+    false,
+  );
+});
+
+test("isWithinGroupingWindow: out-of-order (negative gap) is out of window", () => {
+  const base = 1_000_000;
+  assert.equal(isWithinGroupingWindow(base + 60, base), false);
+});
+
+test("isWithinGroupingWindow: missing timestamps are out of window", () => {
+  assert.equal(isWithinGroupingWindow(null, 1_000_000), false);
+  assert.equal(isWithinGroupingWindow(1_000_000, undefined), false);
+  assert.equal(isWithinGroupingWindow(undefined, undefined), false);
+});

desktop/src/features/messages/lib/messageGrouping.ts

@@ -2,6 +2,15 @@ type MessageAuthorCandidate = {
   pubkey?: string | null;
 };
 
+/**
+ * Max gap (seconds) between two same-author messages for the later one to still
+ * render as a continuation (time-only, no avatar). Beyond this the message
+ * reads as a new thought and gets the traditional avatar + header treatment,
+ * even from the same author. Applied consistently across the channel timeline,
+ * the threaded reply panel, and the home inbox detail view.
+ */
+export const MESSAGE_GROUPING_WINDOW_SECONDS = 10 * 60;
+
 export function hasSameMessageAuthor(
   previous: MessageAuthorCandidate | null | undefined,
   current: MessageAuthorCandidate | null | undefined,
@@ -13,3 +22,24 @@ export function hasSameMessageAuthor(
     previousPubkey && currentPubkey && previousPubkey === currentPubkey,
   );
 }
+
+/**
+ * Whether `current` falls within {@link MESSAGE_GROUPING_WINDOW_SECONDS} of
+ * `previous`. Both timestamps are Unix seconds. A missing previous timestamp
+ * (or one in the future) is treated as out of window. Callers combine this
+ * with {@link hasSameMessageAuthor} to decide continuation grouping.
+ */
+export function isWithinGroupingWindow(
+  previousCreatedAt: number | null | undefined,
+  currentCreatedAt: number | null | undefined,
+) {
+  if (
+    typeof previousCreatedAt !== "number" ||
+    typeof currentCreatedAt !== "number"
+  ) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  const gap = currentCreatedAt - previousCreatedAt;
+  return gap >= 0 && gap <= MESSAGE_GROUPING_WINDOW_SECONDS;
+}

desktop/src/features/messages/lib/timelineItems.test.mjs

@@ -8,9 +8,9 @@ import {
   getTimelineItemKey,
 } from "./timelineItems.ts";
 
-function dayAt(year, month, day, hour = 12) {
+function dayAt(year, month, day, hour = 12, minute = 0) {
   return Math.floor(
-    new Date(year, month - 1, day, hour, 0, 0).getTime() / 1_000,
+    new Date(year, month - 1, day, hour, minute, 0).getTime() / 1_000,
   );
 }
 
@@ -90,11 +90,19 @@ test("buildTimelineItems: system messages flatten to a 'system' item", () => {
   assert.deepEqual(kinds(items), ["day-divider", "message", "system"]);
 });
 
-test("buildTimelineItems: consecutive messages from the same author are grouped", () => {
+test("buildTimelineItems: consecutive same-author messages within the window are grouped", () => {
   const entries = [
     entry({ id: "a", pubkey: "author-a", createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14) }),
-    entry({ id: "b", pubkey: "AUTHOR-A", createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 13) }),
-    entry({ id: "c", pubkey: "author-b", createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 14) }),
+    entry({
+      id: "b",
+      pubkey: "AUTHOR-A",
+      createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 12, 2),
+    }),
+    entry({
+      id: "c",
+      pubkey: "author-b",
+      createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 12, 3),
+    }),
   ];
 
   const messageItems = buildTimelineItems(entries, null).items.filter(
@@ -111,6 +119,53 @@ test("buildTimelineItems: consecutive messages from the same author are grouped"
   );
 });
 
+test("buildTimelineItems: same-author messages past the window start a new group", () => {
+  const author = "author-a";
+  const entries = [
+    entry({ id: "a", pubkey: author, createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 12, 0) }),
+    // 8 min later — within the 10-min window, groups as a continuation.
+    entry({ id: "b", pubkey: author, createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 12, 8) }),
+    // 12 min after "b" — past the window, breaks into a new thought.
+    entry({ id: "c", pubkey: author, createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 12, 20) }),
+    // 5 min after "c" — within the window again, groups onto "c".
+    entry({ id: "d", pubkey: author, createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 12, 25) }),
+  ];
+
+  const messageItems = buildTimelineItems(entries, null).items.filter(
+    (item) => item.kind === "message",
+  );
+
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    messageItems.map((item) => item.isContinuation),
+    [false, true, false, true],
+  );
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    messageItems.map((item) => item.isFollowedByContinuation),
+    [true, false, true, false],
+  );
+});
+
+test("buildTimelineItems: window is measured against the previous message, not the group start", () => {
+  const author = "author-a";
+  // Each message is 8 min after the one above it — a steady stream that never
+  // gaps out, so grouping continues even though the span (16 min) exceeds the
+  // 10-min window.
+  const entries = [
+    entry({ id: "a", pubkey: author, createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 12, 0) }),
+    entry({ id: "b", pubkey: author, createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 12, 8) }),
+    entry({ id: "c", pubkey: author, createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 12, 16) }),
+  ];
+
+  const messageItems = buildTimelineItems(entries, null).items.filter(
+    (item) => item.kind === "message",
+  );
+
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    messageItems.map((item) => item.isContinuation),
+    [false, true, true],
+  );
+});
+
 test("buildTimelineItems: dividers break grouping while thread summaries do not", () => {
   const sameAuthor = "author-a";
   const entries = [
@@ -119,16 +174,20 @@ test("buildTimelineItems: dividers break grouping while thread summaries do not"
       ...entry({
         id: "b",
         pubkey: sameAuthor,
-        createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 13),
+        createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 12, 1),
       }),
       summary: {
         threadHeadId: "b",
         replyCount: 1,
-        lastReplyAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 13),
+        lastReplyAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 12, 1),
         participants: [],
       },
     },
-    entry({ id: "c", pubkey: sameAuthor, createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 14) }),
+    entry({
+      id: "c",
+      pubkey: sameAuthor,
+      createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 12, 2),
+    }),
     entry({ id: "d", pubkey: sameAuthor, createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 15) }),
   ];
 

desktop/src/features/messages/lib/timelineItems.ts

@@ -12,7 +12,10 @@ import {
 } from "@/features/messages/lib/timelineSnapshot";
 import { shouldRenderUnreadDivider } from "@/features/messages/lib/threadPanel";
 import type { MainTimelineEntry } from "@/features/messages/lib/threadPanel";
-import { hasSameMessageAuthor } from "@/features/messages/lib/messageGrouping";
+import {
+  hasSameMessageAuthor,
+  isWithinGroupingWindow,
+} from "@/features/messages/lib/messageGrouping";
 import { KIND_SYSTEM_MESSAGE } from "@/shared/constants/kinds";
 
 /**
@@ -109,7 +112,11 @@ export function buildTimelineItems(
 
     const isContinuation =
       previousGroupEntry !== null &&
-      hasSameMessageAuthor(previousGroupEntry.message, message);
+      hasSameMessageAuthor(previousGroupEntry.message, message) &&
+      isWithinGroupingWindow(
+        previousGroupEntry.message.createdAt,
+        message.createdAt,
+      );
 
     if (isContinuation && previousMessageItemIndex !== null) {
       const previousItem = items[previousMessageItemIndex];

desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageThreadPanel.tsx

@@ -6,7 +6,10 @@ import {
   hasNestedThreadBranches,
   type MainTimelineEntry,
 } from "@/features/messages/lib/threadPanel";
-import { hasSameMessageAuthor } from "@/features/messages/lib/messageGrouping";
+import {
+  hasSameMessageAuthor,
+  isWithinGroupingWindow,
+} from "@/features/messages/lib/messageGrouping";
 import type { ImetaMedia } from "@/features/messages/lib/imetaMediaMarkdown";
 import { canManageMessageForCurrentUser } from "@/features/messages/lib/canManageMessage";
 import type { TimelineMessage } from "@/features/messages/types";
@@ -543,7 +546,11 @@ export function MessageThreadPanel({
       const isContinuation =
         !startsUnreadSection &&
         entry.summary === null &&
-        hasSameMessageAuthor(previousGroupMessage, entry.message);
+        hasSameMessageAuthor(previousGroupMessage, entry.message) &&
+        isWithinGroupingWindow(
+          previousGroupMessage?.createdAt,
+          entry.message.createdAt,
+        );
 
       if (connectsToVisibleChild && !entry.summary) {
         ancestorStack.push({ index, message: entry.message });