Show the complete mailbox; sync_limit now caps body prefetch only

The local store was capped at sync_limit, so IMAP only ever listed the
newest N messages — a search in Thunderbird (the only search UI we have)
silently missed everything older. Now the syncer lists the *full* mailbox
metadata for every folder, and sync_limit governs only how many recent
message bodies are pre-warmed offline. Bodies outside that window are
fetched on demand the first time a client opens the message.

A one-time full-metadata sync (marker full_metadata_synced_v1) completes
the mailbox view on first launch after upgrade.

Crucially, an empty body is now stored as rfc2822 = None rather than a
rendered "(No body available)" placeholder: the placeholder looked like a
real body to the IMAP layer and suppressed the on-demand fetch. CachedMail
gains body_loaded to track whether the body (not just the headers) is final.

Validated live on a 19,322-message INBOX (26,965 mails total across
folders): full listing, on-demand body fetch (~0.1-0.4s), in-memory cache
on re-fetch.

crates/bridge/src/bridge.rs

@@ -367,7 +367,6 @@ impl BridgeHandle {
                 store.clone(),
                 local_store,
                 backend.clone(),
-                sync_limit,
                 bus_ids_for_handler,
                 event_rx,
                 shutdown_sync_rx.clone(),

crates/bridge/src/event_handler.rs

@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ pub async fn run_event_handler(
     store: Arc<MailStore>,
     local_store: Arc<LocalStore>,
     backend: Arc<dyn MailBackend>,
-    sync_limit: usize,
     last_batch_ids: Arc<Mutex<HashMap<String, String>>>,
     mut rx: mpsc::Receiver<EventBusMessage>,
     mut shutdown: watch::Receiver<bool>,
@@ -56,7 +55,7 @@ pub async fn run_event_handler(
             _ = shutdown.changed() => break,
             msg = rx.recv() => {
                 let Some(msg) = msg else { break };
-                process(&store, &local_store, &*backend, sync_limit, &last_batch_ids, msg).await;
+                process(&store, &local_store, &*backend, &last_batch_ids, msg).await;
             }
         }
     }
@@ -67,7 +66,6 @@ async fn process(
     store: &MailStore,
     local_store: &LocalStore,
     backend: &dyn MailBackend,
-    sync_limit: usize,
     last_batch_ids: &Mutex<HashMap<String, String>>,
     msg: EventBusMessage,
 ) {
@@ -82,7 +80,7 @@ async fn process(
         _ => return,
     };
 
-    apply_batch(store, local_store, backend, sync_limit, &batch).await;
+    apply_batch(store, local_store, backend, &batch).await;
 
     // Advance the in-memory catch-up state and persist it. The two must stay
     // in sync — the in-memory map drives the next reconnect's query string,
@@ -165,7 +163,6 @@ async fn apply_batch(
     store: &MailStore,
     local_store: &LocalStore,
     backend: &dyn MailBackend,
-    sync_limit: usize,
     batch: &EntityUpdateBatch,
 ) {
     let Bucketed {
@@ -244,7 +241,7 @@ async fn apply_batch(
             "Event bus: fallback full sync for {} (batch {})",
             folder.imap_path, batch.batch_id
         );
-        if let Err(e) = sync_folder(store, local_store, backend, folder, sync_limit).await {
+        if let Err(e) = sync_folder(store, local_store, backend, folder).await {
             warn!(
                 "Event bus fallback sync failed for {}: {}",
                 folder.imap_path, e

crates/bridge/src/imap/session.rs

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use log::{debug, info};
 use std::sync::Arc;
-use tutasdk::entities::generated::tutanota::{Mail, MailDetails};
+use tutasdk::entities::generated::tutanota::{Mail, MailDetails, TutanotaFile};
 
 use crate::mail::mail_to_rfc2822;
 use crate::mail::rfc2822::{extract_headers, format_internal_date};
@@ -19,6 +19,12 @@ struct CachedMail {
     mail: Mail,
     details: Option<MailDetails>,
     rfc2822: Option<String>,
+    /// `rfc2822` always carries the real headers, but for messages outside the
+    /// body-prefetch window it holds a placeholder body. `body_loaded` tracks
+    /// whether the *body* is final: `true` once we have real details (or have
+    /// confirmed the message has no body source), `false` while a body FETCH
+    /// still needs to pull it on demand.
+    body_loaded: bool,
     uid: u32,
     deleted: bool,
 }
@@ -368,44 +374,77 @@ impl ImapSession {
                 continue;
             }
 
-            if self.mails[idx].details.is_none() && needs_body(&items) {
+            // Make sure we have a renderable body before answering a body
+            // FETCH. The mailbox lists every message, but only the newest
+            // `sync_limit` bodies are pre-warmed — older ones are fetched
+            // here, on demand, the first time a client opens them.
+            if needs_body(&items) && !self.mails[idx].body_loaded {
                 let elem_id = self.mails[idx]
                     .mail
                     ._id
                     .as_ref()
                     .map(|id| id.element_id.to_string());
-                // Check store — syncer may have loaded details since our snapshot
-                let from_store = match (&elem_id, &self.selected_folder) {
-                    (Some(eid), Some(folder)) => self.store.get_details(&folder.id, eid).await,
-                    _ => None,
-                };
 
-                if let Some((details, rfc)) = from_store {
+                if self.mails[idx].details.is_some() {
-                    self.mails[idx].details = Some(details);
+                    // Have details already, just render the envelope.
-                    self.mails[idx].rfc2822 = Some(rfc);
-                } else {
-                    debug!("Details not yet synced for uid={}", self.mails[idx].uid);
-                }
-            }
-
-            if needs_body(&items) {
-                if self.mails[idx].details.is_some() && self.mails[idx].rfc2822.is_none() {
                     let rfc = mail_to_rfc2822(
                         &self.mails[idx].mail,
                         self.mails[idx].details.as_ref(),
                         &[],
                     );
                     self.mails[idx].rfc2822 = Some(rfc);
-                } else if self.mails[idx].rfc2822.is_none() {
+                    self.mails[idx].body_loaded = true;
-                    log::warn!(
+                } else if let Some((details, rfc)) = match (&elem_id, &self.selected_folder) {
-                        "No body for uid={}, will serve headers-only placeholder",
+                    // The syncer may have filled it in since our snapshot.
-                        self.mails[idx].uid,
+                    (Some(eid), Some(folder)) => self.store.get_details(&folder.id, eid).await,
-                    );
+                    _ => None,
+                } {
+                    self.mails[idx].details = Some(details);
+                    self.mails[idx].rfc2822 = Some(rfc);
+                    self.mails[idx].body_loaded = true;
+                } else {
+                    // Out of the prefetch window — fetch the body on demand.
+                    let mail = self.mails[idx].mail.clone();
+                    match self.backend.load_mail_details(&mail).await {
+                        Ok(Some(details)) => {
+                            let atts = self
+                                .backend
+                                .load_attachments(&mail)
+                                .await
+                                .unwrap_or_default();
+                            let refs: Vec<(&TutanotaFile, &[u8])> =
+                                atts.iter().map(|(f, d)| (f, d.as_slice())).collect();
+                            let rfc = mail_to_rfc2822(&mail, Some(&details), &refs);
+                            // Share into the in-memory store so other
+                            // connections (and stats) see it too.
+                            if let (Some(eid), Some(folder)) = (&elem_id, &self.selected_folder) {
+                                self.store
+                                    .update_mail_details(
+                                        &folder.id,
+                                        eid,
+                                        details.clone(),
+                                        rfc.clone(),
+                                        false,
+                                    )
+                                    .await;
+                            }
+                            self.mails[idx].details = Some(details);
+                            self.mails[idx].rfc2822 = Some(rfc);
+                            self.mails[idx].body_loaded = true;
+                        }
+                        Ok(None) => {
+                            // Legacy mail with no body reference — headers only.
+                            // Mark loaded so we don't re-hit the network on
+                            // every body FETCH of a message that has no body.
+                            self.mails[idx].body_loaded = true;
+                            debug!("uid={} has no body source", self.mails[idx].uid);
+                        }
+                        Err(e) => log::warn!(
+                            "On-demand body fetch failed for uid={}: {e}",
+                            self.mails[idx].uid
+                        ),
+                    }
                 }
-                // If `rfc2822` is already populated (Phase 0 read it from
-                // disk), there is nothing else to do — the body will be
-                // served from it; `details` being None is normal and not a
-                // placeholder situation.
             }
 
             let cached = &self.mails[idx];
@@ -661,6 +700,12 @@ impl ImapSession {
             }
 
             let details = sm.details.or(old_details);
+            // The body is final if we have real details, or a previously
+            // rendered rfc2822 (from the store or this session) — those always
+            // carry a real body. With none of those, the rfc2822 we render
+            // below has a placeholder body, so the body still needs an
+            // on-demand fetch the first time a client opens the message.
+            let body_loaded = details.is_some() || sm.rfc2822.is_some() || old_rfc.is_some();
             let rfc2822 = sm
                 .rfc2822
                 .or(old_rfc)
@@ -670,6 +715,7 @@ impl ImapSession {
                 mail: sm.mail,
                 details,
                 rfc2822: Some(rfc2822),
+                body_loaded,
                 uid,
                 deleted: false,
             });
@@ -994,6 +1040,7 @@ mod tests {
             },
             details: None,
             rfc2822: Some("Date: Wed, 25 Dec 2024 12:30:45 +0000\r\nFrom: sender@tuta.com\r\nSubject: Test\r\n\r\nBody\r\n".to_string()),
+            body_loaded: true,
             uid,
             deleted: false,
         }

crates/bridge/src/store.rs

@@ -137,6 +137,27 @@ impl LocalStore {
         .is_ok()
     }
 
+    /// Read a value from the generic `store_meta` key-value table.
+    pub fn get_meta(&self, key: &str) -> Option<String> {
+        let conn = self.conn.lock().unwrap();
+        conn.query_row(
+            "SELECT value FROM store_meta WHERE key = ?1",
+            [key],
+            |row| row.get::<_, String>(0),
+        )
+        .ok()
+    }
+
+    /// Write a value into the generic `store_meta` key-value table.
+    pub fn set_meta(&self, key: &str, value: &str) -> Result<(), StoreError> {
+        let conn = self.conn.lock().unwrap();
+        conn.execute(
+            "INSERT OR REPLACE INTO store_meta(key, value) VALUES (?1, ?2)",
+            [key, value],
+        )?;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     pub fn reset(&self) -> Result<(), StoreError> {
         warn!("Resetting local store — all cached data will be deleted");
         let conn = self.conn.lock().unwrap();

crates/bridge/src/sync.rs

@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ impl MailStore {
         }
     }
 
-    async fn update_mail_details(
+    pub(crate) async fn update_mail_details(
         &self,
         folder_id: &str,
         element_id: &str,
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ pub async fn run_syncer(
     shutdown: watch::Receiver<bool>,
 ) {
     info!(
-        "Mail syncer started (limit={})",
+        "Mail syncer started (body prefetch depth={})",
         if sync_limit == 0 {
             "all".to_string()
         } else {
@@ -378,10 +378,15 @@ pub async fn run_syncer(
         }
     }
 
-    // Bootstrap: if we have no cached event-bus catch-up state, the on-disk
+    // We run a one-shot full **metadata** sync (the whole mail list of every
-    // cache may be stale or empty. Run a one-shot full list sync of every
+    // folder) when either:
-    // folder so the store reflects current server state; from then on the
+    //   * there's no cached event-bus state (fresh install / cache wiped), or
-    // event bus drives all updates (no periodic polling).
+    //   * we've never completed a full-metadata sync before — the marker
+    //     below. This second case migrates existing installs that were synced
+    //     under the old `sync_limit`-truncated model up to a complete mailbox.
+    // After it runs once, the event bus keeps the list current; we don't
+    // re-list every launch (the metadata is persisted + loaded in Phase 0).
+    const FULL_METADATA_MARKER: &str = "full_metadata_synced_v1";
     let needs_bootstrap = match local_store.load_event_bus_state() {
         Ok(s) => s.is_empty(),
         Err(e) => {
@@ -389,24 +394,49 @@ pub async fn run_syncer(
             true
         }
     };
-    if needs_bootstrap && !folders.is_empty() {
+    let full_metadata_done = local_store.get_meta(FULL_METADATA_MARKER).is_some();
-        info!("Bootstrap sync (no cached event-bus state)");
+    let do_full_sync = (needs_bootstrap || !full_metadata_done) && !folders.is_empty();
+
+    if do_full_sync {
+        if needs_bootstrap {
+            info!("Bootstrap sync (no cached event-bus state)");
+        } else {
+            info!("One-time full-metadata sync (completing the mailbox view)");
+        }
+        let mut all_ok = true;
         for folder in &folders {
             if *shutdown.borrow() {
                 return;
             }
-            if let Err(e) = sync_folder(&store, &local_store, &*backend, folder, sync_limit).await {
+            if let Err(e) = sync_folder(&store, &local_store, &*backend, folder).await {
-                warn!("Bootstrap sync failed for {}: {}", folder.imap_path, e);
+                warn!("Full-metadata sync failed for {}: {}", folder.imap_path, e);
+                all_ok = false;
             }
             tokio::time::sleep(INTER_FOLDER_DELAY).await;
         }
-    } else if !needs_bootstrap {
+        // Only set the marker if every folder synced, so a transient failure
-        debug!("Skipping bootstrap sync — event-bus catch-up will reconcile");
+        // gets retried on the next launch rather than silently leaving the
+        // mailbox incomplete.
+        if all_ok {
+            if let Err(e) = local_store.set_meta(FULL_METADATA_MARKER, "1") {
+                warn!("Could not persist full-metadata marker: {e}");
+            }
+        }
+    } else {
+        debug!("Skipping full-metadata sync — already complete, event bus reconciles");
     }
 
-    // From here on the syncer only owns the slow body prefetch. Folder /
+    // From here on the syncer only owns the slow body prefetch (capped at
-    // new-mail refresh is driven by the event bus + `event_handler`.
+    // `sync_limit` — the body-prefetch depth). Folder / new-mail refresh is
-    prefetch_loop(&store, &local_store, &*backend, shutdown.clone()).await;
+    // driven by the event bus + `event_handler`.
+    prefetch_loop(
+        &store,
+        &local_store,
+        &*backend,
+        sync_limit,
+        shutdown.clone(),
+    )
+    .await;
     info!("Mail syncer shutting down");
 }
 
@@ -420,6 +450,7 @@ async fn prefetch_loop(
     store: &MailStore,
     local_store: &LocalStore,
     backend: &dyn MailBackend,
+    body_prefetch_limit: usize,
     mut shutdown: watch::Receiver<bool>,
 ) {
     let mut store_watch = store.subscribe();
@@ -442,6 +473,7 @@ async fn prefetch_loop(
                 local_store,
                 backend,
                 &folder,
+                body_prefetch_limit,
                 &mut attachment_retry_history,
             )
             .await;
@@ -509,10 +541,14 @@ async fn load_cached_folder(
                 }
                 Some(eml)
             }
-            Ok(None) => Some(mail_to_rfc2822(&mail, None, &[])),
+            // No cached body — leave `rfc2822` empty rather than baking in a
+            // placeholder. A placeholder would look like a real body to the
+            // IMAP layer and suppress the on-demand fetch; `None` is what tells
+            // it the body still has to be pulled the first time it's opened.
+            Ok(None) => None,
             Err(e) => {
                 warn!("Failed to read cached eml {}: {e}", meta.element_id);
-                Some(mail_to_rfc2822(&mail, None, &[]))
+                None
             }
         };
 
@@ -530,14 +566,19 @@ async fn load_cached_folder(
     Ok(count)
 }
 
+/// Sync a folder's full mail-list **metadata** (subject / sender / date /
+/// flags) — every message, not a `sync_limit`-capped slice. This is what
+/// makes the whole mailbox visible over IMAP; message *bodies* are fetched
+/// separately and lazily (see [`prefetch_details`] + on-demand FETCH).
 pub(crate) async fn sync_folder(
     store: &MailStore,
     local_store: &LocalStore,
     backend: &dyn MailBackend,
     folder: &FolderInfo,
-    limit: usize,
 ) -> Result<(), String> {
-    let new_mails = retry(|| backend.load_mail_ids_for_folder(folder, limit)).await?;
+    // `0` = load every entry (the SDK paginates). Metadata is cheap relative
+    // to bodies (no blob fetch), so we never truncate the list.
+    let new_mails = retry(|| backend.load_mail_ids_for_folder(folder, 0)).await?;
 
     let existing = store.get_folder(&folder.id).await;
     let existing_map: HashMap<String, StoredMail> = existing
@@ -592,11 +633,12 @@ pub(crate) async fn sync_folder(
                 attachments_pending: existing.attachments_pending,
             });
         } else {
-            let rfc2822 = mail_to_rfc2822(mail, None, &[]);
+            // New mail, body not fetched yet — leave `rfc2822` empty so the
+            // IMAP layer fetches it on demand (a placeholder would mask that).
             updated.push(StoredMail {
                 mail: mail.clone(),
                 details: None,
-                rfc2822: Some(rfc2822),
+                rfc2822: None,
                 uid,
                 attachments_pending: false,
             });
@@ -644,12 +686,24 @@ async fn prefetch_details(
     local_store: &LocalStore,
     backend: &dyn MailBackend,
     folder: &FolderInfo,
+    body_prefetch_limit: usize,
     attachment_retry_history: &mut HashMap<String, std::time::Instant>,
 ) {
     let mails = store.get_folder(&folder.id).await;
 
-    // First pass — fresh mails still missing their `.eml` on disk.
+    // Body prefetch is the *capped* part: eagerly pull bodies only for the
-    let api_needed: Vec<Mail> = mails
+    // newest `body_prefetch_limit` messages (the store is newest-first).
+    // `0` = no cap (prefetch every body). Bodies beyond the window are fetched
+    // on demand when the client FETCHes them. (Metadata for the whole folder
+    // is always present — see `sync_folder`.)
+    let prefetch_window: &[StoredMail] = if body_prefetch_limit == 0 {
+        &mails
+    } else {
+        &mails[..mails.len().min(body_prefetch_limit)]
+    };
+
+    // First pass — messages in the prefetch window still missing their `.eml`.
+    let api_needed: Vec<Mail> = prefetch_window
         .iter()
         .filter(|m| m.details.is_none())
         .filter_map(|m| {

src/main.rs

@@ -192,7 +192,6 @@ async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         store.clone(),
         local_store.clone(),
         backend.clone(),
-        cfg.sync_limit,
         bus_ids_for_handler,
         event_rx,
         shutdown_rx.clone(),

ui/src/components/ConfigPanel.tsx

@@ -82,18 +82,23 @@ export function ConfigPanel({ config, status, loading, onSave, onRestart }: Prop
         />
       </div>
       <div className="form-group">
-        <label>Mail to sync</label>
+        <label>Offline message bodies</label>
+        <small className="field-hint">
+          Your whole mailbox is always listed and searchable by subject, sender
+          and date. This only sets how many recent message <em>bodies</em> are
+          kept ready offline — older ones load on demand when you open them.
+        </small>
         <label className="checkbox-field">
           <input
             type="checkbox"
             checked={fetchAll}
             onChange={(e) => setFetchAll(e.target.checked)}
           />
-          <span>Fetch all mail (entire account, kept locally)</span>
+          <span>Keep every message body offline (full local copy)</span>
         </label>
         {fetchAll ? (
           <small className="field-hint">
-            Downloads every mail from the start — can be slow on large accounts.
+            Downloads every body — slow + uses the most disk on large accounts.
           </small>
         ) : (
           <input
@@ -101,7 +106,7 @@ export function ConfigPanel({ config, status, loading, onSave, onRestart }: Prop
             min={1}
             value={syncLimit}
             onChange={(e) => setSyncLimit(Math.max(1, Number(e.target.value)))}
-            placeholder="Max mails per folder"
+            placeholder="Bodies to keep offline (most recent)"
           />
         )}
       </div>