cinny/docs/handoff/features/direct-messages/HANDOFF.md

Direct messages — handoff

Summary

The DMs panel lists direct chats and provides flows to start new conversations. Uses m.direct account data to identify DM rooms.

User-facing behavior

• Sidebar Direct tab shows DM rooms sorted
• Create new DM / group chat
• DM room opens in direct route layout
• Paarrot logo badge states on tab (shared with home tab styling)

Architecture

client/direct/
  Direct.tsx — DM room list page
  DirectCreate.tsx — start new chat
  useDirectRooms.ts — room list from m.direct
  RoomProvider.tsx — route-level room context
mDirectAtom — direct room index

Key files

Path	Role
cinny/src/app/pages/client/direct/Direct.tsx	DM list
cinny/src/app/pages/client/direct/DirectCreate.tsx	Create DM
cinny/src/app/pages/client/direct/useDirectRooms.ts	List logic
cinny/src/app/pages/client/sidebar/DirectTab.tsx	Sidebar tab
cinny/src/app/state/mDirectList.ts	mDirectAtom
cinny/src/app/hooks/useDirectUsers.ts	DM user helpers

Data model

Key	Scope
m.direct	User account data — map userId → roomIds[]

Dependencies

• matrix-js-sdk DM APIs
• is_direct on member events

Integration points

• home-and-sidebar: DirectTab
• routing-and-navigation: DIRECT_PATH
• create-flows: create-chat feature
• room-timeline: same Room component for DM rooms

Testing

Manual

1. Start DM with user; appears in direct list.
2. Group DM with multiple users.
3. Unread badge on Direct tab.

Automated

• None

Known issues & gotchas

• m.direct can be stale — client may repair on sync
• DM vs private room distinction relies on account data

Future work

• Pin favorite DMs
• DM search filter

Related docs

• home-and-sidebar HANDOFF
• create-flows HANDOFF

Add your extra things here

• getDirectRoomPath in pathUtils for DM room URLs