feat: chat

components/chat/add-members-dialog.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,184 @@
+"use client";
+
+/**
+ * Search for people and add them to a group.
+ *
+ * Search runs through the same-origin /api/search/users proxy the search page
+ * uses. It returns handles, which is exactly what the member API takes — no id
+ * plumbing needed.
+ */
+
+import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
+import { Check, Search, X } from "lucide-react";
+import { toast } from "sonner";
+import { useAuth } from "@/components/auth/auth-provider";
+import { UserAvatar } from "@/components/ui/user-avatar";
+import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
+import { chat } from "@/lib/chat";
+
+type Candidate = { handle: string; name: string; avatar_url: string | null };
+
+export function AddMembersDialog({
+  conversationId,
+  existing,
+  onClose,
+  onAdded,
+}: {
+  conversationId: string;
+  /** Handles already in the group. Filtered out of results entirely. */
+  existing: string[];
+  onClose: () => void;
+  onAdded: () => void;
+}) {
+  const { user } = useAuth();
+  const [query, setQuery] = useState("");
+  // Results are stored with the query they belong to, so what's displayed can
+  // be derived: a stale page from a previous query simply stops matching, and
+  // nothing has to be cleared from an effect.
+  const [results, setResults] = useState<{ q: string; rows: Candidate[] }>({
+    q: "",
+    rows: [],
+  });
+  const [picked, setPicked] = useState<Set<string>>(new Set());
+  const [busy, setBusy] = useState(false);
+
+  const q = query.trim();
+  const searchable = q.length >= 2;
+  // Current members and the caller are dropped rather than shown greyed out:
+  // this list exists to answer "who can I add?", and anyone already here is
+  // not an answer to that.
+  const alreadyIn = new Set(existing);
+  const visible =
+    results.q === q
+      ? results.rows.filter(
+          (u) => u.handle !== user?.handle && !alreadyIn.has(u.handle),
+        )
+      : [];
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!searchable) return;
+    const timer = setTimeout(() => {
+      fetch(`/api/search/users?q=${encodeURIComponent(q)}&limit=15`)
+        .then((r) => r.json())
+        .then((data: { results?: Candidate[] }) =>
+          setResults({ q, rows: data.results ?? [] }),
+        )
+        .catch(() => setResults({ q, rows: [] }));
+    }, 300);
+    return () => clearTimeout(timer);
+  }, [q, searchable]);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const onKey = (e: KeyboardEvent) => e.key === "Escape" && onClose();
+    window.addEventListener("keydown", onKey);
+    return () => window.removeEventListener("keydown", onKey);
+  }, [onClose]);
+
+  const toggle = (handle: string) =>
+    setPicked((prev) => {
+      const next = new Set(prev);
+      if (next.has(handle)) next.delete(handle);
+      else next.add(handle);
+      return next;
+    });
+
+  const submit = async () => {
+    if (picked.size === 0) return;
+    setBusy(true);
+    try {
+      await chat.addMembers(conversationId, [...picked]);
+      toast.success(
+        picked.size === 1 ? "Member added" : `${picked.size} members added`,
+      );
+      onAdded();
+      onClose();
+    } catch {
+      toast.error("Could not add members");
+    } finally {
+      setBusy(false);
+    }
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <div className="fixed inset-0 z-50 flex items-end justify-center bg-black/40 sm:items-center">
+      <div className="absolute inset-0" onClick={onClose} aria-hidden />
+      <div className="relative z-10 flex max-h-[75vh] w-full max-w-md flex-col overflow-hidden rounded-t-2xl border border-border bg-background sm:rounded-2xl">
+        <div className="flex items-center justify-between border-b border-border px-4 py-3">
+          <h2 className="text-sm font-semibold text-foreground">Add members</h2>
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            onClick={onClose}
+            aria-label="Close"
+            className="rounded-md p-1 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
+          >
+            <X className="size-4" />
+          </button>
+        </div>
+
+        <div className="border-b border-border p-3">
+          <div className="flex items-center gap-2 rounded-lg bg-muted/40 px-3 py-2">
+            <Search className="size-4 shrink-0 text-muted-foreground" />
+            <input
+              autoFocus
+              value={query}
+              onChange={(e) => setQuery(e.target.value)}
+              placeholder="Search by name or handle"
+              className="flex-1 bg-transparent text-sm outline-none placeholder:text-muted-foreground"
+            />
+          </div>
+        </div>
+
+        <div className="flex-1 overflow-y-auto">
+          {!searchable ? (
+            <p className="p-4 text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+              Type at least two characters to search.
+            </p>
+          ) : visible.length === 0 ? (
+            <p className="p-4 text-sm text-muted-foreground">No one found.</p>
+          ) : (
+            <ul className="divide-y divide-border">
+              {visible.map((u) => (
+                <li key={u.handle}>
+                  <button
+                    type="button"
+                    onClick={() => toggle(u.handle)}
+                    className="flex w-full items-center gap-3 px-4 py-3 text-left hover:bg-muted/60"
+                  >
+                    <UserAvatar
+                      src={u.avatar_url}
+                      name={u.name}
+                      className="size-9 shrink-0"
+                    />
+                    <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
+                      <p className="truncate text-sm text-foreground">
+                        {u.name}
+                      </p>
+                      <p className="truncate text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                        @{u.handle}
+                      </p>
+                    </div>
+                    {picked.has(u.handle) && (
+                      <Check className="size-4 shrink-0 text-primary" />
+                    )}
+                  </button>
+                </li>
+              ))}
+            </ul>
+          )}
+        </div>
+
+        <div className="border-t border-border p-3">
+          <Button
+            className="w-full"
+            disabled={picked.size === 0 || busy}
+            onClick={submit}
+          >
+            {picked.size === 0
+              ? "Select people to add"
+              : `Add ${picked.size} ${picked.size === 1 ? "person" : "people"}`}
+          </Button>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}

components/chat/chat-composer.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,294 @@
+"use client";
+
+/**
+ * The message composer.
+ *
+ * Formatting is deliberately NOT parsed here — the user types `*bold*` and the
+ * BFF turns markers into clean text plus spans. Keeping one parser on the
+ * server means every client renders identically and no client can dictate how
+ * its text is decorated in someone else's thread.
+ *
+ * Link previews and attachments layer onto this in the next phase; nothing here
+ * needs to change to accommodate them.
+ */
+
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
+import { Paperclip, SendHorizonal, X } from "lucide-react";
+import { LinkPreviewCard } from "@/components/chat/link-preview-card";
+import {
+  ComposerAttachments,
+  type StagedAttachment,
+} from "@/components/chat/composer-attachments";
+import { compressImage } from "@/lib/compress-image";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+import {
+  ACCEPTED_ATTACHMENTS,
+  chat,
+  firstUrl,
+  uploadAttachment,
+  type ChatMessage,
+  type LinkPreview,
+  type UploadedAttachment,
+} from "@/lib/chat";
+
+const MAX_ROWS_PX = 140;
+
+export function ChatComposer({
+  replyTo,
+  onCancelReply,
+  onSend,
+  conversationId,
+  disabled = false,
+  placeholder = "Message…",
+  replyToName,
+}: {
+  conversationId: string;
+  replyTo: ChatMessage | null;
+  onCancelReply: () => void;
+  onSend: (
+    body: string,
+    replyToId?: string,
+    previewUrl?: string,
+    attachments?: UploadedAttachment[],
+  ) => void;
+  disabled?: boolean;
+  placeholder?: string;
+  /** Display name of whoever wrote the message being replied to. */
+  replyToName: string;
+}) {
+  const [value, setValue] = useState("");
+  const [preview, setPreview] = useState<LinkPreview | null>(null);
+  // URLs the sender dismissed. Kept so re-typing doesn't resurrect a card
+  // they've already said no to.
+  const [dismissed, setDismissed] = useState<Set<string>>(new Set());
+  const [staged, setStaged] = useState<StagedAttachment[]>([]);
+  const ref = useRef<HTMLTextAreaElement>(null);
+  const fileRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
+  const lookupSeq = useRef(0);
+
+  // Grow with the content, up to a cap.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const el = ref.current;
+    if (!el) return;
+    el.style.height = "auto";
+    el.style.height = `${Math.min(el.scrollHeight, MAX_ROWS_PX)}px`;
+  }, [value]);
+
+  // Which link, if any, the draft currently wants a card for.
+  const activeUrl = firstUrl(value);
+  const wantsPreview = !!activeUrl && !dismissed.has(activeUrl);
+
+  // Whether to SHOW a card is derived during render rather than cleared from
+  // an effect: a stale card for a link the user has since edited away simply
+  // stops matching, so there is no state to reset.
+  const visiblePreview =
+    wantsPreview && preview?.url === activeUrl ? preview : null;
+
+  // The effect only fetches. Requests are sequenced so a slow earlier response
+  // cannot overwrite a newer one, and debounced so a lookup doesn't fire on
+  // every keystroke.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!wantsPreview || !activeUrl) return;
+    const seq = ++lookupSeq.current;
+    const timer = setTimeout(() => {
+      chat
+        .linkPreview(activeUrl)
+        .then((p) => {
+          if (seq === lookupSeq.current) setPreview(p);
+        })
+        // No card is a normal outcome — many pages carry no metadata.
+        .catch(() => {});
+    }, 500);
+    return () => clearTimeout(timer);
+  }, [activeUrl, wantsPreview]);
+
+  const dismissPreview = useCallback(() => {
+    if (activeUrl) setDismissed((prev) => new Set(prev).add(activeUrl));
+    setPreview(null);
+  }, [activeUrl]);
+
+  // Starting a reply should put the cursor where the user is about to type.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (replyTo) ref.current?.focus();
+  }, [replyTo]);
+
+  /**
+   * Uploads each pick straight to the private bucket, so by the time the user
+   * hits send the bytes are already there and sending is just metadata.
+   * Images are compressed first, which also strips EXIF — location data
+   * shouldn't ride along into someone else's chat.
+   */
+  const addFiles = useCallback(
+    async (files: FileList) => {
+      for (const original of Array.from(files)) {
+        const id = crypto.randomUUID();
+        const file = original.type.startsWith("image/")
+          ? await compressImage(original).catch(() => original)
+          : original;
+        const previewUrl = file.type.startsWith("image/")
+          ? URL.createObjectURL(file)
+          : undefined;
+
+        setStaged((prev) => [
+          ...prev,
+          { id, file, previewUrl, status: "uploading" },
+        ]);
+
+        uploadAttachment(conversationId, file)
+          .then((uploaded) => {
+            setStaged((prev) =>
+              prev.map((s) =>
+                s.id === id ? { ...s, status: "ready", uploaded } : s,
+              ),
+            );
+          })
+          .catch(() => {
+            // One failure shouldn't discard the others — mark it and let the
+            // user remove it.
+            setStaged((prev) =>
+              prev.map((s) => (s.id === id ? { ...s, status: "failed" } : s)),
+            );
+          });
+      }
+    },
+    [conversationId],
+  );
+
+  const removeStaged = useCallback((id: string) => {
+    setStaged((prev) => {
+      const target = prev.find((s) => s.id === id);
+      if (target?.previewUrl) URL.revokeObjectURL(target.previewUrl);
+      return prev.filter((s) => s.id !== id);
+    });
+  }, []);
+
+  // Object URLs are a leak if the composer unmounts mid-compose.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    return () => {
+      staged.forEach((s) => s.previewUrl && URL.revokeObjectURL(s.previewUrl));
+    };
+    // Intentionally on unmount only; removeStaged handles the per-chip case.
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, []);
+
+  const uploading = staged.some((s) => s.status === "uploading");
+  const ready = staged.filter((s) => s.status === "ready" && s.uploaded);
+  const canSend =
+    !disabled && !uploading && (value.trim() !== "" || ready.length > 0);
+
+  const submit = () => {
+    if (!canSend) return;
+    const body = value.trim();
+    onSend(
+      body,
+      replyTo?.id,
+      visiblePreview?.url,
+      ready.map((s) => s.uploaded as UploadedAttachment),
+    );
+    staged.forEach((s) => s.previewUrl && URL.revokeObjectURL(s.previewUrl));
+    setStaged([]);
+    setValue("");
+    setPreview(null);
+    setDismissed(new Set());
+    onCancelReply();
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <div className="border-t border-border bg-background">
+      {replyTo && (
+        <div className="flex items-start gap-2 border-b border-border px-4 py-2">
+          <div className="min-w-0 flex-1 border-l-2 border-primary/50 pl-2">
+            <p className="text-xs font-medium text-foreground">
+              Replying to {replyToName}
+            </p>
+            <p className="line-clamp-1 break-words text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+              {replyTo.body}
+            </p>
+          </div>
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            onClick={onCancelReply}
+            aria-label="Cancel reply"
+            className="rounded-md p-1 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
+          >
+            <X className="size-4" />
+          </button>
+        </div>
+      )}
+
+      {visiblePreview && (
+        <div className="px-4 pt-2">
+          <LinkPreviewCard
+            preview={visiblePreview}
+            onDismiss={dismissPreview}
+            compact
+          />
+        </div>
+      )}
+
+      <ComposerAttachments items={staged} onRemove={removeStaged} />
+
+      <div className="flex items-end gap-2 px-4 py-3">
+        <input
+          ref={fileRef}
+          type="file"
+          multiple
+          accept={ACCEPTED_ATTACHMENTS}
+          className="hidden"
+          onChange={(e) => {
+            if (e.target.files?.length) void addFiles(e.target.files);
+            // Reset so picking the same file twice still fires a change.
+            e.target.value = "";
+          }}
+        />
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          onClick={() => fileRef.current?.click()}
+          disabled={disabled}
+          aria-label="Attach a file"
+          className="inline-flex size-9 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground disabled:opacity-40"
+        >
+          <Paperclip className="size-4" />
+        </button>
+
+        <textarea
+          ref={ref}
+          rows={1}
+          value={value}
+          disabled={disabled}
+          placeholder={placeholder}
+          onChange={(e) => setValue(e.target.value)}
+          onKeyDown={(e) => {
+            // Enter sends on a physical keyboard; Shift+Enter makes a newline.
+            // On touch keyboards Enter must insert a newline instead — there is
+            // no Shift to reach for — so the send button is the only way there.
+            if (e.key !== "Enter" || e.shiftKey) return;
+            const touch =
+              typeof window !== "undefined" &&
+              window.matchMedia("(pointer: coarse)").matches;
+            if (touch) return;
+            e.preventDefault();
+            submit();
+          }}
+          className={cn(
+            "flex-1 resize-none rounded-2xl border border-border bg-muted/40 px-3 py-2 text-sm",
+            "placeholder:text-muted-foreground focus:outline-none focus:ring-1 focus:ring-primary/40",
+            "disabled:opacity-60",
+          )}
+        />
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          onClick={submit}
+          disabled={!canSend}
+          aria-label="Send message"
+          className={cn(
+            "inline-flex size-9 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full transition-colors",
+            "bg-primary text-primary-foreground disabled:opacity-40 dark:text-white",
+          )}
+        >
+          <SendHorizonal className="size-4" />
+        </button>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}

components/chat/chat-list-item.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+"use client";
+
+/**
+ * One row of the chat inbox: avatar, title, the last message (truncated, with
+ * its sender), the time, and an unread badge.
+ *
+ * `highlighted` is driven by realtime `chat_activity` — a new message flashes
+ * its row here rather than raising a notification, which is what keeps chat out
+ * of the notification tray.
+ */
+
+import Link from "next/link";
+import { BellOff } from "lucide-react";
+import { UserAvatar } from "@/components/ui/user-avatar";
+import { KautilyaIcon } from "@/components/selection-toolbar/shared";
+import { timeAgo } from "@/lib/time";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+import {
+  conversationTitle,
+  groupAvatarUrl,
+  isMuted,
+  type InboxItem,
+} from "@/lib/chat";
+
+/** "You: ..." for your own messages, "Name: ..." in groups, bare in a DM. */
+function previewText(item: InboxItem, selfId: string): string {
+  const m = item.last_message;
+  if (!m) return "No messages yet";
+  if (m.deleted_at) return "This message was deleted";
+
+  const body = m.body || "Attachment";
+  if (m.sender_id === selfId) return `You: ${body}`;
+  // A DM's peer is already named by the row title, so repeating it wastes the
+  // line. Groups need the name to tell speakers apart.
+  if (item.kind === "group" && m.sender_name) return `${m.sender_name}: ${body}`;
+  return body;
+}
+
+export function ChatListItem({
+  item,
+  selfId,
+  highlighted = false,
+}: {
+  item: InboxItem;
+  selfId: string;
+  highlighted?: boolean;
+}) {
+  const muted = isMuted(item);
+  const unread = item.unread > 0;
+
+  return (
+    <li>
+      <Link
+        href={`/chats/${item.id}`}
+        className={cn(
+          "flex items-center gap-3 px-4 py-3 transition-colors hover:bg-muted/60",
+          highlighted && "bg-primary/5",
+        )}
+      >
+        {item.kind === "ai" ? (
+          <span
+            aria-hidden
+            className="inline-flex size-10 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full bg-primary/10 text-primary"
+          >
+            <KautilyaIcon className="size-5" />
+          </span>
+        ) : (
+          <UserAvatar
+            src={
+              item.kind === "group"
+                ? groupAvatarUrl(item.id, item.avatar_key)
+                : item.peer?.avatar_url
+            }
+            name={conversationTitle(item)}
+            className="size-10 shrink-0"
+          />
+        )}
+
+        <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
+          <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+            <span
+              className={cn(
+                "truncate text-sm text-foreground",
+                unread ? "font-semibold" : "font-medium",
+              )}
+            >
+              {conversationTitle(item)}
+            </span>
+            {muted && (
+              <BellOff
+                className="size-3.5 shrink-0 text-muted-foreground"
+                aria-label="Muted"
+              />
+            )}
+          </div>
+          <p
+            className={cn(
+              "truncate text-sm",
+              unread ? "text-foreground" : "text-muted-foreground",
+            )}
+          >
+            {previewText(item, selfId)}
+          </p>
+        </div>
+
+        <div className="flex shrink-0 flex-col items-end gap-1">
+          {item.last_message_at && (
+            <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+              {timeAgo(item.last_message_at)}
+            </span>
+          )}
+          {unread && (
+            <span
+              className={cn(
+                "inline-flex h-5 min-w-5 items-center justify-center rounded-full px-1.5 text-xs font-semibold",
+                // A muted thread still counts, but shouldn't shout.
+                muted
+                  ? "bg-muted text-muted-foreground"
+                  : "bg-primary text-primary-foreground dark:text-white",
+              )}
+            >
+              {item.unread > 99 ? "99+" : item.unread}
+            </span>
+          )}
+        </div>
+      </Link>
+    </li>
+  );
+}

components/chat/chat-profile-header.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,153 @@
+"use client";
+
+/**
+ * The relationship block on a chat profile: how long you've been connected,
+ * which way the follow runs, mute, and blocking.
+ *
+ * One-way follows are stated plainly rather than collapsed into "friends" —
+ * "they follow you" and "you follow each other" are different facts, and the
+ * profile is where someone goes to check exactly that.
+ *
+ * Centred, to sit under the avatar and name above it — which are centred too.
+ */
+
+import { useState } from "react";
+import { BellOff, Bell, ShieldBan, ShieldCheck } from "lucide-react";
+import { toast } from "sonner";
+import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
+import { relationships } from "@/lib/social";
+import {
+  chat,
+  followSummary,
+  isMuted,
+  type ConversationDetail,
+  type MuteDuration,
+} from "@/lib/chat";
+
+function friendsSinceLabel(iso?: string | null): string | null {
+  if (!iso) return null;
+  const d = new Date(iso);
+  if (Number.isNaN(d.getTime())) return null;
+  return `Connected since ${d.toLocaleDateString(undefined, {
+    month: "long",
+    year: "numeric",
+  })}`;
+}
+
+export function ChatProfileHeader({
+  conversationId,
+  detail,
+  onChanged,
+}: {
+  conversationId: string;
+  detail: ConversationDetail;
+  onChanged: () => void;
+}) {
+  const [busy, setBusy] = useState(false);
+  const rel = detail.relationship;
+  const peer = detail.peer;
+  const muted = isMuted(detail);
+
+  const setMute = async (duration: MuteDuration) => {
+    setBusy(true);
+    try {
+      await chat.setMute(conversationId, duration);
+      toast.success(duration === "off" ? "Chat unmuted" : "Chat muted");
+      onChanged();
+    } catch {
+      toast.error("Could not change mute settings");
+    } finally {
+      setBusy(false);
+    }
+  };
+
+  const toggleBlock = async () => {
+    if (!peer) return;
+    const blocking = !rel?.blocked;
+    if (blocking && !window.confirm(`Block ${peer.name}? They won't be able to message you.`)) {
+      return;
+    }
+    setBusy(true);
+    try {
+      if (blocking) await relationships.block(peer.handle);
+      else await relationships.unblock(peer.handle);
+      toast.success(blocking ? `Blocked ${peer.name}` : `Unblocked ${peer.name}`);
+      onChanged();
+    } catch {
+      toast.error("Could not update block settings");
+    } finally {
+      setBusy(false);
+    }
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <div className="space-y-4 p-4">
+      {peer && rel && (
+        <div className="space-y-1 text-center text-sm">
+          <p className="text-foreground">{followSummary(rel, peer.name)}</p>
+          {friendsSinceLabel(rel.friends_since) && (
+            <p className="text-muted-foreground">
+              {friendsSinceLabel(rel.friends_since)}
+            </p>
+          )}
+          {rel.blocked_by && (
+            <p className="text-muted-foreground">
+              {peer.name} has blocked you.
+            </p>
+          )}
+        </div>
+      )}
+
+      <div className="flex flex-wrap justify-center gap-2">
+        {muted ? (
+          <Button
+            variant="outline"
+            size="sm"
+            disabled={busy}
+            onClick={() => setMute("off")}
+          >
+            <Bell className="size-4" /> Unmute
+          </Button>
+        ) : (
+          <>
+            <Button
+              variant="outline"
+              size="sm"
+              disabled={busy}
+              onClick={() => setMute("8h")}
+            >
+              <BellOff className="size-4" /> Mute 8h
+            </Button>
+            <Button
+              variant="outline"
+              size="sm"
+              disabled={busy}
+              onClick={() => setMute("always")}
+            >
+              Mute always
+            </Button>
+          </>
+        )}
+
+        {peer && (
+          <Button
+            variant={rel?.blocked ? "outline" : "destructive"}
+            size="sm"
+            disabled={busy}
+            onClick={toggleBlock}
+          >
+            {rel?.blocked ? (
+              <>
+                <ShieldCheck className="size-4" /> Unblock
+              </>
+            ) : (
+              <>
+                <ShieldBan className="size-4" /> Block
+              </>
+            )}
+          </Button>
+        )}
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}

components/chat/composer-attachments.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+"use client";
+
+/**
+ * The row of files staged in the composer before a message is sent.
+ *
+ * Each chip shows its own upload state, because one failure among several
+ * shouldn't discard the rest — the user removes the failed one and sends.
+ */
+
+import { AlertCircle, FileText, Loader2, X } from "lucide-react";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+import type { UploadedAttachment } from "@/lib/chat";
+
+export type StagedAttachment = {
+  /** Client-side id; the upload has no server identity until it is sent. */
+  id: string;
+  file: File;
+  /** Object URL for an image thumbnail, revoked when the chip is removed. */
+  previewUrl?: string;
+  status: "uploading" | "ready" | "failed";
+  uploaded?: UploadedAttachment;
+};
+
+export function ComposerAttachments({
+  items,
+  onRemove,
+}: {
+  items: StagedAttachment[];
+  onRemove: (id: string) => void;
+}) {
+  if (items.length === 0) return null;
+
+  return (
+    <div className="flex flex-wrap gap-2 px-4 pt-2">
+      {items.map((item) => (
+        <div
+          key={item.id}
+          className={cn(
+            "relative flex items-center gap-2 rounded-lg border border-border bg-muted/40 p-1.5",
+            item.status === "failed" && "border-destructive/60",
+          )}
+        >
+          {item.previewUrl ? (
+            // eslint-disable-next-line @next/next/no-img-element
+            <img
+              src={item.previewUrl}
+              alt=""
+              className="size-10 rounded object-cover"
+            />
+          ) : (
+            <span className="inline-flex size-10 items-center justify-center rounded bg-background text-muted-foreground">
+              <FileText className="size-4" />
+            </span>
+          )}
+
+          <span className="max-w-32 truncate text-xs text-foreground">
+            {item.file.name}
+          </span>
+
+          {item.status === "uploading" && (
+            <Loader2
+              className="size-3.5 shrink-0 animate-spin text-muted-foreground"
+              aria-label="Uploading"
+            />
+          )}
+          {item.status === "failed" && (
+            <AlertCircle
+              className="size-3.5 shrink-0 text-destructive"
+              aria-label="Upload failed"
+            />
+          )}
+
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            onClick={() => onRemove(item.id)}
+            aria-label={`Remove ${item.file.name}`}
+            className="ml-1 rounded-md p-1 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
+          >
+            <X className="size-3.5" />
+          </button>
+        </div>
+      ))}
+    </div>
+  );
+}

components/chat/forward-dialog.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+"use client";
+
+/**
+ * Pick a thread to forward a message into.
+ *
+ * The destination list is the caller's own inbox, so there is no way to name a
+ * thread they aren't in — and the BFF re-checks both memberships anyway, since
+ * a client-supplied conversation id proves nothing.
+ */
+
+import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
+import { X } from "lucide-react";
+import { toast } from "sonner";
+import { UserAvatar } from "@/components/ui/user-avatar";
+import {
+  chat,
+  conversationTitle,
+  groupAvatarUrl,
+  type ChatMessage,
+  type InboxItem,
+} from "@/lib/chat";
+
+export function ForwardDialog({
+  message,
+  onClose,
+}: {
+  message: ChatMessage;
+  onClose: () => void;
+}) {
+  const [threads, setThreads] = useState<InboxItem[]>([]);
+  const [busy, setBusy] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [state, setState] = useState<"loading" | "ready" | "error">("loading");
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    let cancelled = false;
+    chat
+      .inbox("chats")
+      .then((rows) => {
+        if (cancelled) return;
+        setThreads(rows ?? []);
+        setState("ready");
+      })
+      .catch(() => !cancelled && setState("error"));
+    return () => {
+      cancelled = true;
+    };
+  }, []);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const onKey = (e: KeyboardEvent) => e.key === "Escape" && onClose();
+    window.addEventListener("keydown", onKey);
+    return () => window.removeEventListener("keydown", onKey);
+  }, [onClose]);
+
+  const forward = async (to: InboxItem) => {
+    setBusy(to.id);
+    try {
+      await chat.forward(to.id, message.id);
+      toast.success(`Forwarded to ${conversationTitle(to)}`);
+      onClose();
+    } catch {
+      toast.error("Could not forward the message");
+    } finally {
+      setBusy(null);
+    }
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <div className="fixed inset-0 z-50 flex items-end justify-center bg-black/40 sm:items-center">
+      <div
+        className="absolute inset-0"
+        onClick={onClose}
+        aria-hidden
+      />
+      <div className="relative z-10 max-h-[70vh] w-full max-w-md overflow-hidden rounded-t-2xl border border-border bg-background sm:rounded-2xl">
+        <div className="flex items-center justify-between border-b border-border px-4 py-3">
+          <h2 className="text-sm font-semibold text-foreground">Forward to…</h2>
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            onClick={onClose}
+            aria-label="Close"
+            className="rounded-md p-1 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
+          >
+            <X className="size-4" />
+          </button>
+        </div>
+
+        <div className="max-h-[55vh] overflow-y-auto">
+          {state === "error" ? (
+            <p className="p-4 text-sm text-destructive">
+              Could not load your chats.
+            </p>
+          ) : state === "loading" ? (
+            <p className="p-4 text-sm text-muted-foreground">Loading…</p>
+          ) : threads.length === 0 ? (
+            <p className="p-4 text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+              You have no other chats yet.
+            </p>
+          ) : (
+            <ul className="divide-y divide-border">
+              {threads.map((t) => (
+                <li key={t.id}>
+                  <button
+                    type="button"
+                    disabled={busy !== null}
+                    onClick={() => forward(t)}
+                    className="flex w-full items-center gap-3 px-4 py-3 text-left hover:bg-muted/60 disabled:opacity-60"
+                  >
+                    <UserAvatar
+                      src={
+                        t.kind === "group"
+                          ? groupAvatarUrl(t.id, t.avatar_key)
+                          : t.peer?.avatar_url
+                      }
+                      name={conversationTitle(t)}
+                      className="size-9 shrink-0"
+                    />
+                    <span className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate text-sm text-foreground">
+                      {conversationTitle(t)}
+                    </span>
+                    {busy === t.id && (
+                      <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                        Sending…
+                      </span>
+                    )}
+                  </button>
+                </li>
+              ))}
+            </ul>
+          )}
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}

components/chat/group-members-tab.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,163 @@
+"use client";
+
+/**
+ * The group profile's Members tab: who is in the group, their role, and the
+ * admin controls for changing that.
+ *
+ * Which controls appear follows the same rules the BFF enforces — the server is
+ * the authority, this just avoids offering buttons that would be refused.
+ */
+
+import { useState } from "react";
+import { Plus, ShieldMinus, ShieldPlus, UserMinus } from "lucide-react";
+import { toast } from "sonner";
+import { UserAvatar } from "@/components/ui/user-avatar";
+import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
+import { AddMembersDialog } from "@/components/chat/add-members-dialog";
+import { chat, isGroupAdmin, type ConversationDetail } from "@/lib/chat";
+
+const ROLE_LABEL: Record<string, string> = {
+  owner: "Owner",
+  admin: "Admin",
+  member: "",
+};
+
+export function GroupMembersTab({
+  conversationId,
+  detail,
+  selfId,
+  onChanged,
+}: {
+  conversationId: string;
+  detail: ConversationDetail;
+  selfId: string;
+  onChanged: () => void;
+}) {
+  const [busy, setBusy] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [adding, setAdding] = useState(false);
+  const iAmAdmin = isGroupAdmin(detail.my_role);
+  const iAmOwner = detail.my_role === "owner";
+
+  const act = async (handle: string, fn: () => Promise<unknown>, ok: string) => {
+    setBusy(handle);
+    try {
+      await fn();
+      toast.success(ok);
+      onChanged();
+    } catch {
+      toast.error("That didn't work");
+    } finally {
+      setBusy(null);
+    }
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <div className="space-y-3">
+      {iAmAdmin && (
+        <Button variant="outline" size="sm" onClick={() => setAdding(true)}>
+          <Plus className="size-4" /> Add members
+        </Button>
+      )}
+
+      <ul className="divide-y divide-border rounded-2xl border border-border overflow-hidden">
+        {detail.participants.map((m) => {
+          const isSelf = m.id === selfId;
+          // The owner cannot be demoted or removed by anyone, and only the
+          // owner may change roles at all.
+          const canChangeRole = iAmOwner && !isSelf && m.role !== "owner";
+          // An admin may remove members; only the owner may remove an admin.
+          const canRemove =
+            !isSelf &&
+            m.role !== "owner" &&
+            (iAmOwner || (iAmAdmin && m.role !== "admin"));
+
+          return (
+            <li key={m.id} className="flex items-center gap-3 px-4 py-3">
+              <UserAvatar
+                src={m.avatar_url}
+                name={m.name}
+                className="size-9 shrink-0"
+              />
+              <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
+                <p className="truncate text-sm font-medium text-foreground">
+                  {m.name}
+                  {isSelf && (
+                    <span className="text-muted-foreground"> (you)</span>
+                  )}
+                </p>
+                <p className="truncate text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                  @{m.handle}
+                </p>
+              </div>
+
+              {m.role && ROLE_LABEL[m.role] && (
+                <span className="shrink-0 rounded-full bg-muted px-2 py-0.5 text-[11px] font-medium text-muted-foreground">
+                  {ROLE_LABEL[m.role]}
+                </span>
+              )}
+
+              {canChangeRole && (
+                <button
+                  type="button"
+                  disabled={busy === m.handle}
+                  aria-label={
+                    m.role === "admin" ? "Remove admin" : "Make admin"
+                  }
+                  onClick={() =>
+                    act(
+                      m.handle,
+                      () =>
+                        chat.setMemberRole(
+                          conversationId,
+                          m.handle,
+                          m.role === "admin" ? "member" : "admin",
+                        ),
+                      m.role === "admin"
+                        ? `${m.name} is no longer an admin`
+                        : `${m.name} is now an admin`,
+                    )
+                  }
+                  className="shrink-0 rounded-md p-1.5 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground disabled:opacity-40"
+                >
+                  {m.role === "admin" ? (
+                    <ShieldMinus className="size-4" />
+                  ) : (
+                    <ShieldPlus className="size-4" />
+                  )}
+                </button>
+              )}
+
+              {canRemove && (
+                <button
+                  type="button"
+                  disabled={busy === m.handle}
+                  aria-label={`Remove ${m.name}`}
+                  onClick={() => {
+                    if (!window.confirm(`Remove ${m.name} from the group?`)) return;
+                    void act(
+                      m.handle,
+                      () => chat.removeMember(conversationId, m.handle),
+                      `${m.name} was removed`,
+                    );
+                  }}
+                  className="shrink-0 rounded-md p-1.5 text-destructive hover:opacity-80 disabled:opacity-40"
+                >
+                  <UserMinus className="size-4" />
+                </button>
+              )}
+            </li>
+          );
+        })}
+      </ul>
+
+      {adding && (
+        <AddMembersDialog
+          conversationId={conversationId}
+          existing={detail.participants.map((p) => p.handle)}
+          onClose={() => setAdding(false)}
+          onAdded={onChanged}
+        />
+      )}
+    </div>
+  );
+}

components/chat/group-settings-tab.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,268 @@
+"use client";
+
+/**
+ * The group profile's Settings tab: rename, choose who may post, and leave.
+ *
+ * Editing is admin-only; everyone else sees the same facts read-only, so the
+ * tab still answers "why can't I post here?" for a plain member.
+ */
+
+import { useRef, useState } from "react";
+import { Camera, Loader2, LogOut } from "lucide-react";
+import { toast } from "sonner";
+import { useRouter } from "next/navigation";
+import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
+import { UserAvatar } from "@/components/ui/user-avatar";
+import { compressImage } from "@/lib/compress-image";
+import {
+  chat,
+  groupAvatarUrl,
+  isGroupAdmin,
+  uploadGroupAvatar,
+  type ConversationDetail,
+  type SendPolicy,
+} from "@/lib/chat";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+
+export function GroupSettingsTab({
+  conversationId,
+  detail,
+  selfHandle,
+  onChanged,
+}: {
+  conversationId: string;
+  detail: ConversationDetail;
+  selfHandle: string;
+  onChanged: () => void;
+}) {
+  const router = useRouter();
+  const [title, setTitle] = useState(detail.title ?? "");
+  const [busy, setBusy] = useState(false);
+  const [uploading, setUploading] = useState(false);
+  const fileRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
+  const iAmAdmin = isGroupAdmin(detail.my_role);
+  const renamed = title.trim() !== (detail.title ?? "").trim();
+
+  /**
+   * Upload first, then point the group at the new key. Two steps because the
+   * bytes go straight to storage and never through the BFF — the same path
+   * message attachments take.
+   */
+  const changePhoto = async (file: File) => {
+    setUploading(true);
+    try {
+      const compressed = await compressImage(file).catch(() => file);
+      const key = await uploadGroupAvatar(conversationId, compressed);
+      await chat.updateGroup(conversationId, { avatar_key: key });
+      toast.success("Group photo updated");
+      onChanged();
+    } catch {
+      toast.error("Could not update the group photo");
+    } finally {
+      setUploading(false);
+    }
+  };
+
+  const rename = async () => {
+    if (!renamed || title.trim() === "") return;
+    setBusy(true);
+    try {
+      await chat.updateGroup(conversationId, { title: title.trim() });
+      toast.success("Group renamed");
+      onChanged();
+    } catch {
+      toast.error("Could not rename the group");
+    } finally {
+      setBusy(false);
+    }
+  };
+
+  const setPolicy = async (policy: SendPolicy) => {
+    if (policy === detail.send_policy) return;
+    setBusy(true);
+    try {
+      await chat.updateGroup(conversationId, { send_policy: policy });
+      toast.success(
+        policy === "admins"
+          ? "Only admins can send messages now"
+          : "Everyone can send messages now",
+      );
+      onChanged();
+    } catch {
+      toast.error("Could not change the setting");
+    } finally {
+      setBusy(false);
+    }
+  };
+
+  const leave = async () => {
+    if (
+      !window.confirm(
+        detail.my_role === "owner"
+          ? "Leave this group? Another admin will become the owner."
+          : "Leave this group?",
+      )
+    ) {
+      return;
+    }
+    setBusy(true);
+    try {
+      await chat.removeMember(conversationId, selfHandle);
+      toast.success("You left the group");
+      router.push("/chats");
+    } catch {
+      toast.error("Could not leave the group");
+      setBusy(false);
+    }
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <div className="space-y-6">
+      <section className="space-y-2">
+        <h3 className="text-sm font-medium text-foreground">Group photo</h3>
+        <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
+          <div className="relative">
+            <UserAvatar
+              src={groupAvatarUrl(conversationId, detail.avatar_key)}
+              name={detail.title ?? "Group"}
+              className="size-16"
+              textClassName="text-lg"
+            />
+            {uploading && (
+              <span className="absolute inset-0 flex items-center justify-center rounded-full bg-black/40">
+                <Loader2 className="size-5 animate-spin text-white" />
+              </span>
+            )}
+          </div>
+
+          {iAmAdmin ? (
+            <>
+              <input
+                ref={fileRef}
+                type="file"
+                accept="image/*"
+                className="hidden"
+                onChange={(e) => {
+                  const file = e.target.files?.[0];
+                  if (file) void changePhoto(file);
+                  // Reset so re-picking the same file still fires a change.
+                  e.target.value = "";
+                }}
+              />
+              <Button
+                variant="outline"
+                size="sm"
+                disabled={uploading || busy}
+                onClick={() => fileRef.current?.click()}
+              >
+                <Camera className="size-4" />
+                {detail.avatar_key ? "Change photo" : "Add photo"}
+              </Button>
+            </>
+          ) : (
+            <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+              Only group admins can change the photo.
+            </p>
+          )}
+        </div>
+      </section>
+
+      <section className="space-y-2">
+        <h3 className="text-sm font-medium text-foreground">Group name</h3>
+        {iAmAdmin ? (
+          <div className="flex gap-2">
+            <input
+              value={title}
+              onChange={(e) => setTitle(e.target.value)}
+              maxLength={120}
+              className="flex-1 rounded-lg border border-border bg-muted/40 px-3 py-2 text-sm outline-none focus:ring-1 focus:ring-primary/40"
+            />
+            <Button size="sm" disabled={!renamed || busy} onClick={rename}>
+              Save
+            </Button>
+          </div>
+        ) : (
+          <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">{detail.title}</p>
+        )}
+      </section>
+
+      <section className="space-y-2">
+        <h3 className="text-sm font-medium text-foreground">
+          Who can send messages
+        </h3>
+        <div className="space-y-2">
+          <PolicyOption
+            active={detail.send_policy === "everyone"}
+            disabled={!iAmAdmin || busy}
+            onClick={() => setPolicy("everyone")}
+            title="Everyone"
+            description="Any member can send messages."
+          />
+          <PolicyOption
+            active={detail.send_policy === "admins"}
+            disabled={!iAmAdmin || busy}
+            onClick={() => setPolicy("admins")}
+            title="Only admins"
+            description="Members can read but not post — an announcement group."
+          />
+        </div>
+        {!iAmAdmin && (
+          <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+            Only group admins can change these settings.
+          </p>
+        )}
+      </section>
+
+      <section className="space-y-2">
+        <h3 className="text-sm font-medium text-foreground">Leave</h3>
+        <Button
+          variant="destructive"
+          size="sm"
+          disabled={busy}
+          onClick={leave}
+        >
+          <LogOut className="size-4" /> Leave group
+        </Button>
+        {detail.my_role === "owner" && (
+          <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+            You own this group. If you leave, the longest-serving admin becomes
+            the owner.
+          </p>
+        )}
+      </section>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
+function PolicyOption({
+  active,
+  disabled,
+  onClick,
+  title,
+  description,
+}: {
+  active: boolean;
+  disabled: boolean;
+  onClick: () => void;
+  title: string;
+  description: string;
+}) {
+  return (
+    <button
+      type="button"
+      disabled={disabled}
+      onClick={onClick}
+      aria-pressed={active}
+      className={cn(
+        "flex w-full flex-col items-start gap-0.5 rounded-lg border p-3 text-left transition-colors",
+        active
+          ? "border-primary bg-primary/5"
+          : "border-border hover:bg-muted/60",
+        disabled && "cursor-default opacity-70 hover:bg-transparent",
+      )}
+    >
+      <span className="text-sm font-medium text-foreground">{title}</span>
+      <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">{description}</span>
+    </button>
+  );
+}

components/chat/link-preview-card.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+"use client";
+
+/**
+ * The link card shown under a message, and in the composer before sending.
+ *
+ * Everything rendered here was fetched by the BFF. A client can choose whether
+ * a card appears, never what it says — otherwise any link could be dressed up
+ * as any site.
+ */
+
+import { X } from "lucide-react";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+import type { LinkPreview } from "@/lib/chat";
+
+export function LinkPreviewCard({
+  preview,
+  onDismiss,
+  compact = false,
+  className,
+}: {
+  preview: LinkPreview;
+  /** When set, a dismiss control is shown (composer only). */
+  onDismiss?: () => void;
+  compact?: boolean;
+  className?: string;
+}) {
+  const body = (
+    <div className="flex min-w-0 gap-2">
+      {preview.image_url && (
+        // Remote preview images come from arbitrary hosts, which next/image
+        // would need configured per-domain.
+        // eslint-disable-next-line @next/next/no-img-element
+        <img
+          src={preview.image_url}
+          alt=""
+          loading="lazy"
+          className={cn(
+            "shrink-0 rounded object-cover",
+            compact ? "size-10" : "size-14",
+          )}
+        />
+      )}
+      <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
+        {preview.site_name && (
+          <p className="truncate text-[11px] uppercase tracking-wide opacity-70">
+            {preview.site_name}
+          </p>
+        )}
+        <p className="line-clamp-2 text-xs font-medium">
+          {preview.title || preview.url}
+        </p>
+        {!compact && preview.description && (
+          <p className="line-clamp-2 text-[11px] opacity-80">
+            {preview.description}
+          </p>
+        )}
+      </div>
+      {onDismiss && (
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          onClick={onDismiss}
+          aria-label="Remove link preview"
+          className="shrink-0 self-start rounded-md p-1 opacity-70 hover:opacity-100"
+        >
+          <X className="size-3.5" />
+        </button>
+      )}
+    </div>
+  );
+
+  const shell = cn(
+    "rounded-lg border-l-2 border-current/30 bg-black/5 px-2 py-1.5 dark:bg-white/10",
+    className,
+  );
+
+  // In the composer the card is being edited, so it isn't a link; under a
+  // message it is.
+  if (onDismiss) return <div className={shell}>{body}</div>;
+  return (
+    <a
+      href={preview.url}
+      target="_blank"
+      rel="noopener noreferrer"
+      className={cn(shell, "block hover:opacity-90")}
+    >
+      {body}
+    </a>
+  );
+}

components/chat/media-grid.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+"use client";
+
+/**
+ * The media tiles inside a bubble.
+ *
+ * One item fills the bubble; several tile into a 2×2. Beyond four, the fourth
+ * tile carries a "+N more" overlay rather than growing the bubble — a message
+ * with twenty photos should still be one glanceable block.
+ *
+ * Every tile is square so the grid stays even regardless of what was sent;
+ * portrait and landscape both crop to the same cell.
+ */
+
+import { Play } from "lucide-react";
+import { attachmentUrl, type Attachment } from "@/lib/chat";
+
+/** Tiles shown before the rest collapse into the "+N more" overlay. */
+const MAX_TILES = 4;
+
+export function MediaGrid({
+  items,
+  onOpen,
+}: {
+  items: Attachment[];
+  /** Opens the lightbox at this index. */
+  onOpen: (index: number) => void;
+}) {
+  if (items.length === 0) return null;
+
+  const visible = items.slice(0, MAX_TILES);
+  const hidden = items.length - visible.length;
+
+  if (items.length === 1) {
+    return (
+      <button
+        type="button"
+        onClick={() => onOpen(0)}
+        className="block overflow-hidden rounded-lg"
+      >
+        <Tile item={items[0]} className="max-h-72 w-auto" />
+      </button>
+    );
+  }
+
+  return (
+    // Two columns throughout: two items make a row, three or four make the
+    // 2×2. A three-item grid deliberately leaves the fourth cell empty rather
+    // than stretching one tile — an uneven crop reads worse than a gap.
+    <div className="grid w-56 grid-cols-2 gap-0.5 overflow-hidden rounded-lg sm:w-64">
+      {visible.map((item, i) => {
+        const isLast = i === visible.length - 1;
+        return (
+          <button
+            key={item.id}
+            type="button"
+            onClick={() => onOpen(i)}
+            className="relative aspect-square overflow-hidden"
+          >
+            <Tile item={item} className="size-full object-cover" />
+            {isLast && hidden > 0 && (
+              <span className="absolute inset-0 flex items-center justify-center bg-black/60 text-sm font-medium text-white">
+                +{hidden} more
+              </span>
+            )}
+          </button>
+        );
+      })}
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
+function Tile({ item, className }: { item: Attachment; className?: string }) {
+  if (item.kind === "video") {
+    return (
+      <span className="relative block size-full">
+        <video
+          src={attachmentUrl(item.id)}
+          // Just the poster frame: the lightbox is where it plays.
+          preload="metadata"
+          muted
+          playsInline
+          className={className}
+        />
+        <span className="absolute inset-0 flex items-center justify-center">
+          <span className="rounded-full bg-black/50 p-2">
+            <Play className="size-4 fill-white text-white" />
+          </span>
+        </span>
+      </span>
+    );
+  }
+  return (
+    // eslint-disable-next-line @next/next/no-img-element
+    <img
+      src={attachmentUrl(item.id)}
+      alt={item.file_name ?? "Shared media"}
+      loading="lazy"
+      width={item.width ?? undefined}
+      height={item.height ?? undefined}
+      className={className}
+    />
+  );
+}

components/chat/media-lightbox.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,204 @@
+"use client";
+
+/**
+ * Full-screen viewer for a message's media.
+ *
+ * A horizontally scroll-snapped carousel rather than a slide animation: swipe
+ * comes free on touch, the scrollbar reflects position, and the browser handles
+ * momentum. Arrow keys and the on-screen buttons scroll to a slide rather than
+ * setting state, so every input path drives the same mechanism.
+ */
+
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
+import { ChevronLeft, ChevronRight, Download, Loader2, X } from "lucide-react";
+import { toast } from "sonner";
+import { attachmentUrl, type Attachment } from "@/lib/chat";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+
+export function MediaLightbox({
+  items,
+  startIndex = 0,
+  onClose,
+}: {
+  items: Attachment[];
+  startIndex?: number;
+  onClose: () => void;
+}) {
+  const trackRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+  const [index, setIndex] = useState(startIndex);
+  const [downloading, setDownloading] = useState(false);
+
+  const scrollTo = useCallback((i: number, smooth = true) => {
+    const track = trackRef.current;
+    if (!track) return;
+    track.scrollTo({
+      left: i * track.clientWidth,
+      behavior: smooth ? "smooth" : "auto",
+    });
+  }, []);
+
+  // Jump to the tapped item before the first paint, so opening the third photo
+  // doesn't visibly scroll from the first.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    scrollTo(startIndex, false);
+  }, [startIndex, scrollTo]);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const onKey = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
+      if (e.key === "Escape") onClose();
+      if (e.key === "ArrowRight") scrollTo(Math.min(index + 1, items.length - 1));
+      if (e.key === "ArrowLeft") scrollTo(Math.max(index - 1, 0));
+    };
+    window.addEventListener("keydown", onKey);
+    return () => window.removeEventListener("keydown", onKey);
+  }, [index, items.length, onClose, scrollTo]);
+
+  const current = items[index];
+
+  /**
+   * Download through a blob so the file keeps its name. The `download`
+   * attribute is ignored cross-origin, and chat media is served from the BFF,
+   * so a plain link would just navigate. If the fetch is refused (the signed
+   * storage URL needs CORS), fall back to opening it — better than nothing.
+   */
+  const download = async () => {
+    if (!current) return;
+    setDownloading(true);
+    const href = attachmentUrl(current.id);
+    try {
+      const res = await fetch(href, { credentials: "include" });
+      if (!res.ok) throw new Error(String(res.status));
+      const blob = await res.blob();
+      const objectUrl = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
+      const a = document.createElement("a");
+      a.href = objectUrl;
+      a.download = current.file_name ?? `attachment-${current.id}`;
+      document.body.appendChild(a);
+      a.click();
+      a.remove();
+      URL.revokeObjectURL(objectUrl);
+    } catch {
+      window.open(href, "_blank", "noopener,noreferrer");
+      toast.message("Opened in a new tab");
+    } finally {
+      setDownloading(false);
+    }
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <div className="fixed inset-0 z-50 flex flex-col bg-black/95">
+      <div className="flex items-center justify-between gap-2 px-3 py-2 text-white">
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          onClick={onClose}
+          aria-label="Close"
+          className="rounded-md p-2 hover:bg-white/10"
+        >
+          <X className="size-5" />
+        </button>
+
+        {items.length > 1 && (
+          <span className="text-xs tabular-nums text-white/70">
+            {index + 1} / {items.length}
+          </span>
+        )}
+
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          onClick={download}
+          disabled={downloading}
+          aria-label="Download"
+          className="rounded-md p-2 hover:bg-white/10 disabled:opacity-50"
+        >
+          {downloading ? (
+            <Loader2 className="size-5 animate-spin" />
+          ) : (
+            <Download className="size-5" />
+          )}
+        </button>
+      </div>
+
+      <div className="relative flex-1 overflow-hidden">
+        <div
+          ref={trackRef}
+          onScroll={(e) => {
+            const el = e.currentTarget;
+            const next = Math.round(el.scrollLeft / el.clientWidth);
+            if (next !== index) setIndex(next);
+          }}
+          className="flex h-full snap-x snap-mandatory overflow-x-auto overflow-y-hidden [scrollbar-width:none] [&::-webkit-scrollbar]:hidden"
+        >
+          {items.map((a) => (
+            <div
+              key={a.id}
+              className="flex h-full w-full shrink-0 snap-center items-center justify-center p-4"
+            >
+              {a.kind === "video" ? (
+                <video
+                  src={attachmentUrl(a.id)}
+                  controls
+                  playsInline
+                  className="max-h-full max-w-full"
+                />
+              ) : (
+                // eslint-disable-next-line @next/next/no-img-element
+                <img
+                  src={attachmentUrl(a.id)}
+                  alt={a.file_name ?? "Shared media"}
+                  className="max-h-full max-w-full object-contain"
+                />
+              )}
+            </div>
+          ))}
+        </div>
+
+        {items.length > 1 && (
+          <>
+            <Arrow
+              side="left"
+              disabled={index === 0}
+              onClick={() => scrollTo(index - 1)}
+            />
+            <Arrow
+              side="right"
+              disabled={index === items.length - 1}
+              onClick={() => scrollTo(index + 1)}
+            />
+          </>
+        )}
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
+function Arrow({
+  side,
+  disabled,
+  onClick,
+}: {
+  side: "left" | "right";
+  disabled: boolean;
+  onClick: () => void;
+}) {
+  return (
+    <button
+      type="button"
+      onClick={onClick}
+      disabled={disabled}
+      aria-label={side === "left" ? "Previous" : "Next"}
+      className={cn(
+        // Pointer devices only: on touch the swipe is the gesture, and arrows
+        // would sit over the image for no reason.
+        "absolute top-1/2 hidden -translate-y-1/2 rounded-full bg-white/10 p-2 text-white",
+        "hover:bg-white/20 disabled:opacity-0 sm:block",
+        side === "left" ? "left-3" : "right-3",
+      )}
+    >
+      {side === "left" ? (
+        <ChevronLeft className="size-5" />
+      ) : (
+        <ChevronRight className="size-5" />
+      )}
+    </button>
+  );
+}

components/chat/message-attachments.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+"use client";
+
+/**
+ * Attachments under a message bubble.
+ *
+ * Media (images and videos) tile into a grid and open in a lightbox; links and
+ * files keep their own row treatments, since a link card and a photo are read
+ * very differently.
+ *
+ * Media is fetched through the BFF's stable /chat/attachments/{id} URL, which
+ * re-checks membership and redirects to a short-lived signed URL. The object
+ * itself lives in a private bucket and is never public.
+ */
+
+import { useState } from "react";
+import { FileText } from "lucide-react";
+import { LinkPreviewCard } from "@/components/chat/link-preview-card";
+import { MediaGrid } from "@/components/chat/media-grid";
+import { MediaLightbox } from "@/components/chat/media-lightbox";
+import { attachmentUrl, type Attachment } from "@/lib/chat";
+
+function humanSize(bytes?: number | null): string {
+  if (!bytes) return "";
+  const units = ["B", "KB", "MB", "GB"];
+  let n = bytes;
+  let i = 0;
+  while (n >= 1024 && i < units.length - 1) {
+    n /= 1024;
+    i += 1;
+  }
+  return `${n < 10 && i > 0 ? n.toFixed(1) : Math.round(n)} ${units[i]}`;
+}
+
+export function MessageAttachments({
+  attachments,
+}: {
+  attachments: Attachment[];
+}) {
+  const [lightboxAt, setLightboxAt] = useState<number | null>(null);
+
+  if (!attachments || attachments.length === 0) return null;
+
+  // Only images and videos tile; everything else keeps its own row.
+  const media = attachments.filter(
+    (a) => a.kind === "image" || a.kind === "video",
+  );
+  const rest = attachments.filter(
+    (a) => a.kind !== "image" && a.kind !== "video",
+  );
+
+  return (
+    <>
+      <div className="mt-1 flex flex-col gap-1.5">
+        {media.length > 0 && (
+          <MediaGrid items={media} onOpen={(i) => setLightboxAt(i)} />
+        )}
+
+        {rest.map((a) => {
+          switch (a.kind) {
+            case "link":
+              return (
+                <LinkPreviewCard
+                  key={a.id}
+                  compact
+                  preview={{
+                    url: a.url ?? "",
+                    title: a.title ?? undefined,
+                    description: a.description ?? undefined,
+                    site_name: a.site_name ?? undefined,
+                    image_url: a.image_url ?? undefined,
+                  }}
+                />
+              );
+
+            case "audio":
+              return (
+                <audio
+                  key={a.id}
+                  src={attachmentUrl(a.id)}
+                  controls
+                  className="w-56"
+                />
+              );
+
+            default:
+              return (
+                <a
+                  key={a.id}
+                  href={attachmentUrl(a.id)}
+                  target="_blank"
+                  rel="noopener noreferrer"
+                  className="flex items-center gap-2 rounded-lg bg-black/5 px-2 py-1.5 text-xs hover:opacity-90 dark:bg-white/10"
+                >
+                  <FileText className="size-4 shrink-0" />
+                  <span className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate">
+                    {a.file_name ?? "Attachment"}
+                  </span>
+                  {a.size_bytes ? (
+                    <span className="shrink-0 opacity-70">
+                      {humanSize(a.size_bytes)}
+                    </span>
+                  ) : null}
+                </a>
+              );
+          }
+        })}
+      </div>
+
+      {lightboxAt !== null && (
+        <MediaLightbox
+          items={media}
+          startIndex={lightboxAt}
+          onClose={() => setLightboxAt(null)}
+        />
+      )}
+    </>
+  );
+}

components/chat/message-gestures.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,177 @@
+"use client";
+
+/**
+ * Owns every pointer gesture on a chat bubble: swipe right to reply, and
+ * long-press (or right-click) to open the context menu.
+ *
+ * They live in ONE component because they share a pointer stream and must
+ * arbitrate between themselves. Two independent listeners would both claim the
+ * same press — you would get a menu in the middle of a swipe, or a swipe that
+ * never fires because the menu opened first.
+ *
+ * Swipe-to-reply behaves as before:
+ *
+ * Details that make the gesture feel right rather than fight the page:
+ *
+ *  • Only horizontal drags are captured. A gesture that starts out mostly
+ *    vertical is released back to the scroller immediately, so swiping never
+ *    steals a scroll.
+ *  • Rightward only, with resistance past the trigger point, so the bubble
+ *    can't be dragged across the screen.
+ *  • The reply fires on release, not on crossing the threshold, so a drag can
+ *    still be cancelled by sliding back.
+ *
+ * Pointer Events cover touch and mouse, so the same code gives desktop a
+ * click-drag; the context menu in a later phase adds a non-gesture route.
+ */
+
+import { useCallback, useRef, useState } from "react";
+import { Reply } from "lucide-react";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+
+/** Drag distance that arms the reply. */
+const TRIGGER_PX = 56;
+/** Hard stop, so the bubble never travels far. */
+const MAX_PX = 80;
+/** Horizontal movement needed before we claim the gesture from the scroller. */
+const CLAIM_PX = 10;
+
+/** Hold time before a stationary press becomes a context menu. */
+const LONG_PRESS_MS = 450;
+/** Movement that cancels a long press — a drag is not a hold. */
+const LONG_PRESS_SLOP_PX = 8;
+
+export function MessageGestures({
+  onReply,
+  onMenu,
+  disabled = false,
+  children,
+}: {
+  onReply: () => void;
+  /** Opens the context menu at the given viewport point. */
+  onMenu: (point: { x: number; y: number }) => void;
+  disabled?: boolean;
+  children: React.ReactNode;
+}) {
+  const [offset, setOffset] = useState(0);
+  const [dragging, setDragging] = useState(false);
+  const start = useRef<{ x: number; y: number } | null>(null);
+  // null = undecided, true = ours, false = the scroller's
+  const claimed = useRef<boolean | null>(null);
+  const holdTimer = useRef<ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null>(null);
+  // Set once a long press fires, so the release doesn't also trigger a reply.
+  const consumed = useRef(false);
+
+  const cancelHold = useCallback(() => {
+    if (holdTimer.current) {
+      clearTimeout(holdTimer.current);
+      holdTimer.current = null;
+    }
+  }, []);
+
+  const reset = useCallback(() => {
+    cancelHold();
+    start.current = null;
+    claimed.current = null;
+    setDragging(false);
+    setOffset(0);
+  }, [cancelHold]);
+
+  const onPointerDown = (e: React.PointerEvent) => {
+    if (disabled || (e.pointerType === "mouse" && e.button !== 0)) return;
+    start.current = { x: e.clientX, y: e.clientY };
+    claimed.current = null;
+    consumed.current = false;
+
+    // A stationary hold opens the menu. Touch only: a mouse has right-click,
+    // and making a held left-click open a menu would surprise desktop users.
+    if (e.pointerType !== "mouse") {
+      const point = { x: e.clientX, y: e.clientY };
+      cancelHold();
+      holdTimer.current = setTimeout(() => {
+        consumed.current = true;
+        reset();
+        onMenu(point);
+      }, LONG_PRESS_MS);
+    }
+  };
+
+  const onPointerMove = (e: React.PointerEvent) => {
+    if (!start.current || disabled) return;
+    const dx = e.clientX - start.current.x;
+    const dy = e.clientY - start.current.y;
+
+    // Any real movement means this is a drag, not a hold.
+    if (Math.abs(dx) > LONG_PRESS_SLOP_PX || Math.abs(dy) > LONG_PRESS_SLOP_PX) {
+      cancelHold();
+    }
+
+    if (claimed.current === null) {
+      if (Math.abs(dx) < CLAIM_PX && Math.abs(dy) < CLAIM_PX) return;
+      // Vertical intent, or a leftward drag: hand it back to the scroller and
+      // stay out of the way for the rest of this gesture.
+      claimed.current = Math.abs(dx) > Math.abs(dy) && dx > 0;
+      if (!claimed.current) {
+        start.current = null;
+        return;
+      }
+      e.currentTarget.setPointerCapture?.(e.pointerId);
+      setDragging(true);
+    }
+
+    // Resistance past the trigger point.
+    const travel = dx <= TRIGGER_PX ? dx : TRIGGER_PX + (dx - TRIGGER_PX) * 0.25;
+    setOffset(Math.max(0, Math.min(travel, MAX_PX)));
+  };
+
+  const onPointerUp = () => {
+    cancelHold();
+    // A long press already acted; releasing must not also fire a reply.
+    if (!consumed.current && claimed.current && offset >= TRIGGER_PX) onReply();
+    reset();
+  };
+
+  const armed = offset >= TRIGGER_PX;
+
+  return (
+    <div
+      className="relative"
+      onPointerDown={onPointerDown}
+      onPointerMove={onPointerMove}
+      onPointerUp={onPointerUp}
+      onPointerCancel={reset}
+      onContextMenu={(e) => {
+        if (disabled) return;
+        e.preventDefault();
+        cancelHold();
+        onMenu({ x: e.clientX, y: e.clientY });
+      }}
+      // Let the browser own vertical panning; we only ever take horizontal.
+      style={{ touchAction: "pan-y" }}
+    >
+      <span
+        aria-hidden
+        className={cn(
+          "pointer-events-none absolute inset-y-0 left-0 flex items-center transition-opacity",
+          offset > 8 ? "opacity-100" : "opacity-0",
+        )}
+      >
+        <span
+          className={cn(
+            "inline-flex size-7 items-center justify-center rounded-full transition-colors",
+            armed ? "bg-primary text-primary-foreground" : "bg-muted text-muted-foreground",
+          )}
+        >
+          <Reply className="size-3.5" />
+        </span>
+      </span>
+
+      <div
+        style={{ transform: `translateX(${offset}px)` }}
+        className={cn(!dragging && "transition-transform duration-200")}
+      >
+        {children}
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}

components/chat/message-group.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,241 @@
+"use client";
+
+/**
+ * One stack of consecutive messages from a single sender, rendered the way
+ * Instagram does: the avatar appears once beside the last bubble, the corners
+ * tighten between stacked bubbles, and one timestamp closes the stack.
+ */
+
+import { Clock, Reply, RotateCcw, Star } from "lucide-react";
+import { UserAvatar } from "@/components/ui/user-avatar";
+import { MessageGestures } from "@/components/chat/message-gestures";
+import { MessageText } from "@/components/chat/message-text";
+import { MessageAttachments } from "@/components/chat/message-attachments";
+import { MessageTicks } from "@/components/chat/message-ticks";
+import { tickState } from "@/lib/chat-format";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+import type { ChatMessage, ChatPeer, Receipts, ReplyPreview } from "@/lib/chat";
+
+/** Time only — the day is already established by the date separator above. */
+function clockTime(iso: string): string {
+  return new Date(iso).toLocaleTimeString(undefined, {
+    hour: "numeric",
+    minute: "2-digit",
+  });
+}
+
+function bubbleCorners(mine: boolean, index: number, total: number): string {
+  if (total === 1) return "rounded-2xl";
+  const first = index === 0;
+  const last = index === total - 1;
+  // Only the edge nearest the sender tightens, so the stack reads as one unit.
+  if (mine) {
+    return cn(
+      "rounded-2xl",
+      !first && "rounded-tr-md",
+      !last && "rounded-br-md",
+    );
+  }
+  return cn("rounded-2xl", !first && "rounded-tl-md", !last && "rounded-bl-md");
+}
+
+/**
+ * The quoted line above a reply. Kept to one line: it is a pointer back to the
+ * original, not a second copy of it.
+ */
+function QuotedReply({
+  reply,
+  mine,
+  selfId,
+  nameFor,
+}: {
+  reply: ReplyPreview;
+  mine: boolean;
+  selfId: string;
+  nameFor: (senderId: string | null | undefined) => string;
+}) {
+  // The server hydrates sender_name, but it is empty for messages no user
+  // wrote (Kautilya, system notices) — fall back to the participant lookup so
+  // those quote as something meaningful rather than "Unknown".
+  const who =
+    reply.sender_id === selfId
+      ? "You"
+      : reply.sender_name || nameFor(reply.sender_id);
+  return (
+    <div
+      className={cn(
+        "mb-1 rounded-lg border-l-2 px-2 py-1 text-xs",
+        mine
+          ? "border-primary-foreground/50 bg-black/10 text-primary-foreground/90 dark:text-white/90"
+          : "border-primary/50 bg-background/60 text-muted-foreground",
+      )}
+    >
+      <span className="block font-medium">{who}</span>
+      <span className="line-clamp-1 break-words">
+        {reply.deleted ? "This message was deleted" : reply.body}
+      </span>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
+export function MessageGroup({
+  messages,
+  mine,
+  peer,
+  receipts,
+  showAvatar,
+  selfId,
+  onReply,
+  onMenu,
+  starredIds,
+  onRetry,
+  nameFor,
+}: {
+  messages: ChatMessage[];
+  mine: boolean;
+  peer?: ChatPeer | null;
+  receipts: Receipts | null;
+  /** Groups show an avatar; a DM's own side never does. */
+  showAvatar: boolean;
+  selfId: string;
+  onReply: (message: ChatMessage) => void;
+  /** Opens the context menu for a message at a viewport point. */
+  onMenu: (message: ChatMessage, point: { x: number; y: number }) => void;
+  /** Ids the caller has starred, so the bubble can show its star. */
+  starredIds: Set<string>;
+  /** Re-send a message whose delivery failed. */
+  onRetry: (message: ChatMessage) => void;
+  /** Names a quoted sender; supplied by the thread's participant list. */
+  nameFor: (senderId: string | null | undefined) => string;
+}) {
+  const last = messages[messages.length - 1];
+
+  return (
+    <div
+      className={cn(
+        "flex w-full items-end gap-2",
+        mine ? "justify-end" : "justify-start",
+      )}
+    >
+      {!mine && showAvatar && (
+        <UserAvatar
+          src={peer?.avatar_url}
+          name={peer?.name ?? "?"}
+          className="size-7 shrink-0"
+          textClassName="text-[10px]"
+        />
+      )}
+
+      <div
+        className={cn(
+          "flex max-w-[78%] flex-col gap-0.5",
+          mine ? "items-end" : "items-start",
+          !mine && !showAvatar && "ml-9",
+        )}
+      >
+        {messages.map((m, i) => (
+          // A deleted message has nothing to quote, so it isn't swipeable.
+          <MessageGestures
+            key={m.id}
+            disabled={!!m.deleted_at || !!m.pending}
+            onReply={() => onReply(m)}
+            onMenu={(point) => onMenu(m, point)}
+          >
+            <div
+              className={cn(
+                "group/bubble relative px-3 py-2 text-sm",
+                bubbleCorners(mine, i, messages.length),
+                m.deleted_at
+                  ? "bg-muted italic text-muted-foreground"
+                  : mine
+                    ? "bg-primary text-primary-foreground dark:text-white"
+                    : "bg-muted text-foreground",
+              )}
+            >
+              {m.reply_to && !m.deleted_at && (
+                <QuotedReply
+                  reply={m.reply_to}
+                  mine={mine}
+                  selfId={selfId}
+                  nameFor={nameFor}
+                />
+              )}
+              {m.deleted_at ? (
+                <span>This message was deleted</span>
+              ) : (
+                <>
+                  {m.body && <MessageText body={m.body} entities={m.entities} />}
+                  <MessageAttachments attachments={m.attachments} />
+                  {/* An optimistic bubble for a captionless attachment has
+                      nothing to draw until the server answers — say so rather
+                      than render an empty box. */}
+                  {m.pending && !m.body && m.attachments.length === 0 && (
+                    <span className="italic opacity-80">Sending attachment…</span>
+                  )}
+                  {starredIds.has(m.id) && (
+                    <Star
+                      className="mt-1 size-3 fill-current opacity-70"
+                      aria-label="Starred"
+                    />
+                  )}
+                </>
+              )}
+
+              {/* Desktop affordance. Swiping is the mobile gesture, but a
+                  drag is not discoverable with a mouse — and a real button is
+                  also reachable by keyboard, which a gesture never is. */}
+              {!m.deleted_at && !m.pending && (
+                <button
+                  type="button"
+                  onClick={() => onReply(m)}
+                  aria-label="Reply to this message"
+                  className={cn(
+                    "absolute top-1/2 hidden -translate-y-1/2 rounded-full border border-border bg-background p-1.5 text-muted-foreground shadow-sm",
+                    "opacity-0 transition-opacity group-hover/bubble:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100",
+                    "hover:text-foreground sm:block",
+                    mine ? "-left-9" : "-right-9",
+                  )}
+                >
+                  <Reply className="size-3.5" />
+                </button>
+              )}
+            </div>
+          </MessageGestures>
+        ))}
+
+        <div className="flex items-center gap-1 px-1">
+          <time
+            dateTime={last.created_at}
+            className="text-[11px] text-muted-foreground"
+          >
+            {clockTime(last.created_at)}
+          </time>
+          {/* Ticks belong only to your own messages — you can't know whether
+              someone else's message reached you before it did. A message still
+              in flight has earned no tick at all. */}
+          {mine && last.failed && (
+            <button
+              type="button"
+              onClick={() => onRetry(last)}
+              className="inline-flex items-center gap-1 text-[11px] font-medium text-destructive hover:underline"
+            >
+              <RotateCcw className="size-3" />
+              Not sent — retry
+            </button>
+          )}
+          {mine && !last.deleted_at && !last.failed && (
+            last.pending ? (
+              <Clock
+                role="img"
+                aria-label="Sending"
+                className="size-3.5 shrink-0 text-muted-foreground"
+              />
+            ) : (
+              <MessageTicks state={tickState(last.seq, receipts)} />
+            )
+          )}
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}

components/chat/message-list.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,178 @@
+"use client";
+
+/**
+ * The scrolling thread: date separators, grouped bubbles, and infinite scroll
+ * upwards into older history.
+ *
+ * Two scroll behaviours matter and are easy to get wrong:
+ *
+ *  1. Loading older messages PREPENDS content, which would otherwise shove the
+ *     reader down the page. We record scrollHeight before the prepend and add
+ *     the difference back afterwards, so the message they were reading stays
+ *     under their eyes.
+ *
+ *  2. A new message should only auto-scroll if they were already at the
+ *     bottom. Yanking someone away from history they are reading is worse than
+ *     making them tap to catch up.
+ */
+
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useLayoutEffect, useRef } from "react";
+import { groupMessages } from "@/lib/chat-grouping";
+import { MessageGroup } from "@/components/chat/message-group";
+import type { ChatMessage, ChatPeer, Receipts } from "@/lib/chat";
+
+/** Distance from the bottom still considered "at the bottom". */
+const AT_BOTTOM_PX = 120;
+/** Distance from the top that triggers loading older history. */
+const LOAD_MORE_PX = 200;
+
+function dayLabel(iso: string): string {
+  const d = new Date(iso);
+  const today = new Date();
+  const yesterday = new Date(today);
+  yesterday.setDate(today.getDate() - 1);
+  const sameDay = (a: Date, b: Date) => a.toDateString() === b.toDateString();
+  if (sameDay(d, today)) return "Today";
+  if (sameDay(d, yesterday)) return "Yesterday";
+  return d.toLocaleDateString(undefined, {
+    day: "numeric",
+    month: "short",
+    year: d.getFullYear() === today.getFullYear() ? undefined : "numeric",
+  });
+}
+
+export function MessageList({
+  messages,
+  selfId,
+  peer,
+  receipts,
+  isGroup,
+  hasMore,
+  loadingMore,
+  onLoadMore,
+  onReply,
+  onMenu,
+  starredIds,
+  onRetry,
+  nameFor,
+}: {
+  /** Ascending by seq — oldest first. */
+  messages: ChatMessage[];
+  selfId: string;
+  peer?: ChatPeer | null;
+  receipts: Receipts | null;
+  isGroup: boolean;
+  hasMore: boolean;
+  loadingMore: boolean;
+  onLoadMore: () => void;
+  onReply: (message: ChatMessage) => void;
+  onMenu: (message: ChatMessage, point: { x: number; y: number }) => void;
+  starredIds: Set<string>;
+  onRetry: (message: ChatMessage) => void;
+  nameFor: (senderId: string | null | undefined) => string;
+}) {
+  const scrollRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+  const atBottomRef = useRef(true);
+  // Height captured just before older messages are prepended.
+  const prependAnchorRef = useRef<number | null>(null);
+  const prevOldestRef = useRef<string | null>(null);
+  const prevNewestRef = useRef<string | null>(null);
+
+  const oldest = messages[0]?.id ?? null;
+  const newest = messages[messages.length - 1]?.id ?? null;
+
+  const onScroll = useCallback(() => {
+    const el = scrollRef.current;
+    if (!el) return;
+    atBottomRef.current =
+      el.scrollHeight - el.scrollTop - el.clientHeight < AT_BOTTOM_PX;
+
+    if (el.scrollTop < LOAD_MORE_PX && hasMore && !loadingMore) {
+      // Capture the anchor before the parent prepends, so the layout effect
+      // below can restore the reading position.
+      prependAnchorRef.current = el.scrollHeight;
+      onLoadMore();
+    }
+  }, [hasMore, loadingMore, onLoadMore]);
+
+  // Runs before paint, so the correction is never visible as a jump.
+  useLayoutEffect(() => {
+    const el = scrollRef.current;
+    if (!el) return;
+
+    const prependedOlder =
+      prevOldestRef.current !== null && oldest !== prevOldestRef.current;
+    const appendedNewer =
+      prevNewestRef.current !== null && newest !== prevNewestRef.current;
+    const firstRender = prevNewestRef.current === null && newest !== null;
+
+    if (prependedOlder && prependAnchorRef.current !== null) {
+      el.scrollTop += el.scrollHeight - prependAnchorRef.current;
+      prependAnchorRef.current = null;
+    } else if (firstRender) {
+      el.scrollTop = el.scrollHeight; // open at the newest message
+    } else if (appendedNewer && atBottomRef.current) {
+      el.scrollTop = el.scrollHeight;
+    }
+
+    prevOldestRef.current = oldest;
+    prevNewestRef.current = newest;
+  }, [oldest, newest, messages.length]);
+
+  // Keep pulling while the thread is still shorter than its viewport —
+  // otherwise a short first page leaves nothing to scroll and history stalls.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const el = scrollRef.current;
+    if (!el || loadingMore || !hasMore) return;
+    if (el.scrollHeight <= el.clientHeight) onLoadMore();
+  }, [messages.length, loadingMore, hasMore, onLoadMore]);
+
+  const rows = groupMessages(messages);
+
+  return (
+    <div
+      ref={scrollRef}
+      onScroll={onScroll}
+      className="flex-1 overflow-y-auto overscroll-contain px-4 py-4"
+    >
+      {loadingMore && (
+        <p className="pb-3 text-center text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+          Loading earlier messages…
+        </p>
+      )}
+
+      <div className="flex flex-col gap-3">
+        {rows.map((row) =>
+          row.kind === "date" ? (
+            <div key={row.key} className="flex justify-center py-1">
+              <span className="rounded-full bg-muted px-3 py-1 text-[11px] font-medium text-muted-foreground">
+                {dayLabel(row.at)}
+              </span>
+            </div>
+          ) : row.messages[0]?.kind === "system" ? (
+            <div key={row.key} className="flex justify-center">
+              <span className="max-w-[80%] text-center text-[11px] text-muted-foreground">
+                {row.messages[0].body}
+              </span>
+            </div>
+          ) : (
+            <MessageGroup
+              key={row.key}
+              messages={row.messages}
+              mine={row.senderId === selfId}
+              peer={peer}
+              receipts={receipts}
+              showAvatar={isGroup}
+              selfId={selfId}
+              onReply={onReply}
+              onMenu={onMenu}
+              starredIds={starredIds}
+              onRetry={onRetry}
+              nameFor={nameFor}
+            />
+          ),
+        )}
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}

components/chat/message-menu.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,173 @@
+"use client";
+
+/**
+ * The message context menu: reply, copy, star, forward, delete, report.
+ *
+ * Opened by long-press on touch and right-click on desktop, both arbitrated by
+ * MessageGestures. Positioned at the pointer and clamped to the viewport, so a
+ * bubble near an edge doesn't push the menu off-screen.
+ */
+
+import { useEffect, useLayoutEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
+import {
+  Copy,
+  Flag,
+  Forward,
+  Reply,
+  Star,
+  StarOff,
+  Trash2,
+} from "lucide-react";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+
+export type MenuPoint = { x: number; y: number };
+
+export type MessageMenuActions = {
+  onReply: () => void;
+  onCopy: () => void;
+  onStar: () => void;
+  onForward: () => void;
+  onDeleteForMe: () => void;
+  /** Absent when the caller isn't the sender — only they may erase for all. */
+  onDeleteForEveryone?: () => void;
+  onReport?: () => void;
+};
+
+const MARGIN = 8;
+
+export function MessageMenu({
+  point,
+  starred,
+  actions,
+  onClose,
+}: {
+  point: MenuPoint;
+  starred: boolean;
+  actions: MessageMenuActions;
+  onClose: () => void;
+}) {
+  const ref = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+  const [pos, setPos] = useState<MenuPoint>(point);
+
+  // Clamp after measuring, before paint, so the menu never flashes off-screen.
+  useLayoutEffect(() => {
+    const el = ref.current;
+    if (!el) return;
+    const { width, height } = el.getBoundingClientRect();
+    setPos({
+      x: Math.min(Math.max(MARGIN, point.x), window.innerWidth - width - MARGIN),
+      y: Math.min(Math.max(MARGIN, point.y), window.innerHeight - height - MARGIN),
+    });
+  }, [point.x, point.y]);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const onKey = (e: KeyboardEvent) => e.key === "Escape" && onClose();
+    window.addEventListener("keydown", onKey);
+    return () => window.removeEventListener("keydown", onKey);
+  }, [onClose]);
+
+  const run = (fn?: () => void) => () => {
+    fn?.();
+    onClose();
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <>
+      {/* Catches the next click or scroll anywhere and dismisses. */}
+      <div
+        className="fixed inset-0 z-40"
+        onClick={onClose}
+        onContextMenu={(e) => {
+          e.preventDefault();
+          onClose();
+        }}
+      />
+      <div
+        ref={ref}
+        role="menu"
+        style={{ left: pos.x, top: pos.y }}
+        // min-w-56 rather than something tighter: "Delete for everyone" is the
+        // longest label and, with its icon and padding, was wrapping or sitting
+        // flush against the edge at a narrower width.
+        className="fixed z-50 min-w-56 overflow-hidden rounded-xl border border-border bg-background py-1 shadow-lg"
+      >
+        <Item icon={<Reply className="size-4" />} onClick={run(actions.onReply)}>
+          Reply
+        </Item>
+        <Item icon={<Copy className="size-4" />} onClick={run(actions.onCopy)}>
+          Copy
+        </Item>
+        <Item
+          icon={
+            starred ? <StarOff className="size-4" /> : <Star className="size-4" />
+          }
+          onClick={run(actions.onStar)}
+        >
+          {starred ? "Remove star" : "Star"}
+        </Item>
+        <Item
+          icon={<Forward className="size-4" />}
+          onClick={run(actions.onForward)}
+        >
+          Forward
+        </Item>
+
+        <div className="my-1 h-px bg-border" />
+
+        <Item
+          icon={<Trash2 className="size-4" />}
+          onClick={run(actions.onDeleteForMe)}
+        >
+          Delete for me
+        </Item>
+        {actions.onDeleteForEveryone && (
+          <Item
+            danger
+            icon={<Trash2 className="size-4" />}
+            onClick={run(actions.onDeleteForEveryone)}
+          >
+            Delete for everyone
+          </Item>
+        )}
+        {actions.onReport && (
+          <Item
+            danger
+            icon={<Flag className="size-4" />}
+            onClick={run(actions.onReport)}
+          >
+            Report
+          </Item>
+        )}
+      </div>
+    </>
+  );
+}
+
+function Item({
+  icon,
+  onClick,
+  danger = false,
+  children,
+}: {
+  icon: React.ReactNode;
+  onClick: () => void;
+  danger?: boolean;
+  children: React.ReactNode;
+}) {
+  return (
+    <button
+      type="button"
+      role="menuitem"
+      onClick={onClick}
+      className={cn(
+        "flex w-full items-center gap-2.5 px-3 py-2 text-left text-sm transition-colors",
+        danger
+          ? "text-destructive hover:bg-destructive/10"
+          : "text-foreground hover:bg-muted",
+      )}
+    >
+      {icon}
+      {children}
+    </button>
+  );
+}

components/chat/message-text.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+"use client";
+
+/**
+ * Renders a message body from its entity spans.
+ *
+ * Nothing here parses markup — the server already turned the composer's
+ * markers into clean text plus spans, so a message cannot inject markup into
+ * anyone else's thread. This component only decorates ranges.
+ */
+
+import { buildEntityTree, type EntityNode } from "@/lib/chat-format";
+import type { MessageEntity } from "@/lib/chat";
+
+function renderNodes(nodes: EntityNode[], keyPrefix: string): React.ReactNode[] {
+  return nodes.map((node, i) => {
+    const key = `${keyPrefix}-${i}`;
+    if (node.kind === "text") return <span key={key}>{node.text}</span>;
+
+    const children = renderNodes(node.children, key);
+    switch (node.entity.type) {
+      case "bold":
+        return <strong key={key} className="font-semibold">{children}</strong>;
+      case "strike":
+        return <s key={key}>{children}</s>;
+      case "code":
+        return (
+          <code
+            key={key}
+            className="rounded bg-black/10 px-1 py-0.5 font-mono text-[0.9em] dark:bg-white/15"
+          >
+            {children}
+          </code>
+        );
+      case "url":
+        return (
+          <a
+            key={key}
+            href={node.entity.url}
+            target="_blank"
+            // noreferrer as well as noopener: the destination shouldn't learn
+            // which conversation the link was shared in.
+            rel="noopener noreferrer"
+            className="underline underline-offset-2 hover:opacity-80"
+          >
+            {children}
+          </a>
+        );
+      default:
+        return <span key={key}>{children}</span>;
+    }
+  });
+}
+
+export function MessageText({
+  body,
+  entities,
+}: {
+  body: string;
+  entities: MessageEntity[];
+}) {
+  // whitespace-pre-wrap keeps the sender's line breaks without turning the
+  // body into markup.
+  return (
+    <span className="whitespace-pre-wrap break-words">
+      {renderNodes(buildEntityTree(body, entities), "e")}
+    </span>
+  );
+}

components/chat/message-ticks.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+"use client";
+
+/**
+ * Delivery ticks for your own messages: one for sent, two for delivered, two
+ * in blue for read.
+ *
+ * "Read" means read by everyone — the cursors behind it are the minimum across
+ * the other participants, so a group only turns blue once the last member has
+ * caught up.
+ */
+
+import { Check, CheckCheck } from "lucide-react";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+import type { TickState } from "@/lib/chat-format";
+
+const LABEL: Record<TickState, string> = {
+  sent: "Sent",
+  delivered: "Delivered",
+  read: "Read by everyone",
+};
+
+export function MessageTicks({
+  state,
+  className,
+}: {
+  state: TickState;
+  className?: string;
+}) {
+  const Icon = state === "sent" ? Check : CheckCheck;
+  return (
+    <Icon
+      role="img"
+      aria-label={LABEL[state]}
+      className={cn(
+        "size-3.5 shrink-0",
+        state === "read" ? "text-sky-500" : "text-muted-foreground",
+        className,
+      )}
+    />
+  );
+}

components/chat/new-group-dialog.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,188 @@
+"use client";
+
+/**
+ * Create a group: name it, pick people, done.
+ *
+ * Members are named by handle, matching the member-management API — search
+ * results already identify people that way, so nothing needs id plumbing.
+ */
+
+import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
+import { useRouter } from "next/navigation";
+import { Check, Search, X } from "lucide-react";
+import { toast } from "sonner";
+import { useAuth } from "@/components/auth/auth-provider";
+import { UserAvatar } from "@/components/ui/user-avatar";
+import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
+import { chat } from "@/lib/chat";
+
+type Candidate = { handle: string; name: string; avatar_url: string | null };
+
+export function NewGroupDialog({ onClose }: { onClose: () => void }) {
+  const router = useRouter();
+  const { user } = useAuth();
+  const [title, setTitle] = useState("");
+  const [query, setQuery] = useState("");
+  // Results are stored with the query they belong to, so what's displayed can
+  // be derived: a stale page from a previous query simply stops matching, and
+  // nothing has to be cleared from an effect.
+  const [results, setResults] = useState<{ q: string; rows: Candidate[] }>({
+    q: "",
+    rows: [],
+  });
+  const [picked, setPicked] = useState<Map<string, Candidate>>(new Map());
+  const [busy, setBusy] = useState(false);
+
+  const q = query.trim();
+  const searchable = q.length >= 2;
+  // Never offer yourself: you're the group's creator, and the BFF drops the
+  // caller from the member list anyway — so picking yourself would look like it
+  // worked and then silently do nothing.
+  const visible =
+    results.q === q
+      ? results.rows.filter((u) => u.handle !== user?.handle)
+      : [];
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!searchable) return;
+    const timer = setTimeout(() => {
+      fetch(`/api/search/users?q=${encodeURIComponent(q)}&limit=15`)
+        .then((r) => r.json())
+        .then((d: { results?: Candidate[] }) =>
+          setResults({ q, rows: d.results ?? [] }),
+        )
+        .catch(() => setResults({ q, rows: [] }));
+    }, 300);
+    return () => clearTimeout(timer);
+  }, [q, searchable]);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const onKey = (e: KeyboardEvent) => e.key === "Escape" && onClose();
+    window.addEventListener("keydown", onKey);
+    return () => window.removeEventListener("keydown", onKey);
+  }, [onClose]);
+
+  const toggle = (u: Candidate) =>
+    setPicked((prev) => {
+      const next = new Map(prev);
+      if (next.has(u.handle)) next.delete(u.handle);
+      else next.set(u.handle, u);
+      return next;
+    });
+
+  const create = async () => {
+    const name = title.trim();
+    if (!name) return;
+    setBusy(true);
+    try {
+      const conv = await chat.createGroup(name, [...picked.keys()]);
+      toast.success("Group created");
+      router.push(`/chats/${conv.id}`);
+    } catch {
+      toast.error("Could not create the group");
+      setBusy(false);
+    }
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <div className="fixed inset-0 z-50 flex items-end justify-center bg-black/40 sm:items-center">
+      <div className="absolute inset-0" onClick={onClose} aria-hidden />
+      <div className="relative z-10 flex max-h-[80vh] w-full max-w-md flex-col overflow-hidden rounded-t-2xl border border-border bg-background sm:rounded-2xl">
+        <div className="flex items-center justify-between border-b border-border px-4 py-3">
+          <h2 className="text-sm font-semibold text-foreground">New group</h2>
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            onClick={onClose}
+            aria-label="Close"
+            className="rounded-md p-1 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
+          >
+            <X className="size-4" />
+          </button>
+        </div>
+
+        <div className="space-y-3 border-b border-border p-3">
+          <input
+            autoFocus
+            value={title}
+            onChange={(e) => setTitle(e.target.value)}
+            maxLength={120}
+            placeholder="Group name"
+            className="w-full rounded-lg border border-border bg-muted/40 px-3 py-2 text-sm outline-none focus:ring-1 focus:ring-primary/40"
+          />
+          <div className="flex items-center gap-2 rounded-lg bg-muted/40 px-3 py-2">
+            <Search className="size-4 shrink-0 text-muted-foreground" />
+            <input
+              value={query}
+              onChange={(e) => setQuery(e.target.value)}
+              placeholder="Add people"
+              className="flex-1 bg-transparent text-sm outline-none placeholder:text-muted-foreground"
+            />
+          </div>
+
+          {picked.size > 0 && (
+            <div className="flex flex-wrap gap-1.5">
+              {[...picked.values()].map((u) => (
+                <button
+                  key={u.handle}
+                  type="button"
+                  onClick={() => toggle(u)}
+                  className="inline-flex items-center gap-1 rounded-full bg-primary/10 px-2 py-1 text-xs text-primary"
+                >
+                  {u.name}
+                  <X className="size-3" />
+                </button>
+              ))}
+            </div>
+          )}
+        </div>
+
+        <div className="flex-1 overflow-y-auto">
+          {!searchable ? (
+            <p className="p-4 text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+              Search to add people. You can also add them later.
+            </p>
+          ) : visible.length === 0 ? (
+            <p className="p-4 text-sm text-muted-foreground">No one found.</p>
+          ) : (
+            <ul className="divide-y divide-border">
+              {visible.map((u) => (
+                <li key={u.handle}>
+                  <button
+                    type="button"
+                    onClick={() => toggle(u)}
+                    className="flex w-full items-center gap-3 px-4 py-3 text-left hover:bg-muted/60"
+                  >
+                    <UserAvatar
+                      src={u.avatar_url}
+                      name={u.name}
+                      className="size-9 shrink-0"
+                    />
+                    <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
+                      <p className="truncate text-sm text-foreground">{u.name}</p>
+                      <p className="truncate text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                        @{u.handle}
+                      </p>
+                    </div>
+                    {picked.has(u.handle) && (
+                      <Check className="size-4 shrink-0 text-primary" />
+                    )}
+                  </button>
+                </li>
+              ))}
+            </ul>
+          )}
+        </div>
+
+        <div className="border-t border-border p-3">
+          <Button
+            className="w-full"
+            disabled={title.trim() === "" || busy}
+            onClick={create}
+          >
+            Create group
+          </Button>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}

components/layout/site-bottom-nav.tsx

@@ -13,9 +13,8 @@
 import Image from "next/image";
 import Link from "next/link";
 import { usePathname } from "next/navigation";
-import { Home, Search, User as UserIcon } from "lucide-react";
+import { Home, MessageCircle, Search, User as UserIcon } from "lucide-react";
 import { useAuth } from "@/components/auth/auth-provider";
-import { KautilyaIcon } from "@/components/selection-toolbar/shared";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 
 type Item = {
@@ -52,9 +51,9 @@ export function SiteBottomNav() {
       ],
     },
     {
-      href: "/ask",
-      label: "Kautilya",
-      icon: <KautilyaIcon className="size-5" />,
+      href: "/chat",
+      label: "Chat",
+      icon: <MessageCircle className="size-5" />,
     },
     {
       href: user ? "/u/me" : "/login",

components/layout/site-sidebar.tsx

@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import {
   DownloadCloud,
   FolderClosed,
   Home,
+  MessageCircle,
   LogIn,
   Search,
   Settings2,
@@ -77,9 +78,9 @@ const TOP_ITEMS: NavItem[] = [
     ],
   },
   {
-    href: "/ask",
-    label: "Kautilya",
-    icon: <KautilyaIcon className="size-5" />,
+    href: "/chats",
+    label: "Chats",
+    icon: <MessageCircle className="size-5" />,
   },
   {
     href: "/u/me/collections",

components/notifications/notification-matrix.tsx

@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ const EVENTS: {
     key: "community",
     label: "Community",
     description:
-      "Rare announcements — such as a direct disciple of Śrīla Prabhupāda joining.",
+      "Rare announcements — such as new feature, downtime etc.",
     // Announcements are in-app/push only; we deliberately don't email them.
     channels: ["in_app", "push"],
   },

components/notifications/notifications-provider.tsx

@@ -44,6 +44,22 @@ type NotificationsContextValue = {
   refreshUnread: () => void;
   /** Zero the badge locally (after the page marks everything read). */
   clearUnread: () => void;
+  /**
+   * Last chat message seen over realtime, or null. Chat deliberately does NOT
+   * flow through the notification tray — a new message highlights its row in
+   * the inbox instead — so it rides the same private channel under its own
+   * event name and is surfaced here rather than bumping `unread`.
+   */
+  lastChatActivity: ChatActivity | null;
+};
+
+/** Payload of the BFF's `chat_activity` event. */
+export type ChatActivity = {
+  conversation_id: string;
+  seq: number;
+  sender_id: string;
+  /** Client-side receipt time, so consumers can react to repeats. */
+  at: number;
 };
 
 const NotificationsContext = createContext<NotificationsContextValue | null>(
@@ -93,6 +109,9 @@ export function NotificationsProvider({
   const { user } = useAuth();
   const [unread, setUnread] = useState(0);
   const [lastEventAt, setLastEventAt] = useState(0);
+  const [lastChatActivity, setLastChatActivity] = useState<ChatActivity | null>(
+    null,
+  );
 
   const refreshUnread = useCallback(() => {
     notifications
@@ -178,6 +197,15 @@ export function NotificationsProvider({
       channel.bind("pusher:subscription_error", (status: unknown) => {
         console.warn("notifications: realtime subscription failed", status);
       });
+      // Chat activity: no toast, no unread bump, nothing in the tray. The
+      // inbox subscribes to this to highlight the affected row.
+      channel.bind(
+        "chat_activity",
+        (data: Omit<ChatActivity, "at">) => {
+          if (!data?.conversation_id) return;
+          setLastChatActivity({ ...data, at: Date.now() });
+        },
+      );
       channel.bind("notification", (data: IncomingEvent) => {
         setUnread((u) => u + 1);
         setLastEventAt(Date.now());
@@ -208,7 +236,13 @@ export function NotificationsProvider({
 
   return (
     <NotificationsContext.Provider
-      value={{ unread, lastEventAt, refreshUnread, clearUnread }}
+      value={{
+        unread,
+        lastEventAt,
+        refreshUnread,
+        clearUnread,
+        lastChatActivity,
+      }}
     >
       {children}
     </NotificationsContext.Provider>

components/profile/message-button.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+"use client";
+
+/**
+ * The Message button on someone else's profile.
+ *
+ * Shown only when the BFF says the viewer may actually start a conversation —
+ * `can_message` reflects the target's "who can message you" setting and any
+ * block. Offering a button that fails on tap is worse than not offering one, so
+ * when messaging is closed this explains why instead.
+ *
+ * A blocked profile shows nothing at all: the block itself is already conveyed
+ * by the rest of the action row, and spelling it out again would be noise.
+ */
+
+import { useState } from "react";
+import { useRouter } from "next/navigation";
+import { Loader2, MessageCircle } from "lucide-react";
+import { toast } from "sonner";
+import { useAuthGate } from "@/components/auth/auth-gate";
+import { chat } from "@/lib/chat";
+import type { RelationshipState } from "@/lib/social";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+
+/** Why messaging is closed, in the target's own terms. */
+const REASON: Record<string, string> = {
+  friends: "only accepts messages from friends",
+  account_age: "only accepts messages from established accounts",
+  same_gender: "limits who can message them",
+};
+
+export function MessageButton({
+  handle,
+  name,
+  relationship,
+}: {
+  handle: string;
+  name: string;
+  relationship: RelationshipState | null;
+}) {
+  const router = useRouter();
+  const { requireAuth } = useAuthGate();
+  const [busy, setBusy] = useState(false);
+
+  // Anonymous viewers get the button and hit the auth gate on tap — hiding it
+  // would make the feature invisible to exactly the people who need to sign up.
+  if (relationship && !relationship.can_message) {
+    const reason = REASON[relationship.message_restriction ?? ""];
+    if (!reason) return null; // blocked, or self — say nothing
+    return (
+      <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+        {name} {reason}.
+      </p>
+    );
+  }
+
+  const open = async () => {
+    if (!(await requireAuth())) return;
+    setBusy(true);
+    try {
+      const conv = await chat.openDM(handle);
+      router.push(`/chats/${conv.id}`);
+    } catch (err) {
+      toast.error(
+        err instanceof Error && err.message
+          ? err.message
+          : "Could not open the conversation",
+      );
+      setBusy(false);
+    }
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <button
+      type="button"
+      onClick={open}
+      disabled={busy}
+      className={cn(
+        "inline-flex h-9 items-center justify-center gap-1.5 rounded-lg px-3 shrink-0",
+        "border border-border text-sm font-medium text-foreground hover:bg-muted",
+        "transition-colors outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring",
+        "disabled:opacity-50",
+      )}
+    >
+      {busy ? (
+        <Loader2 className="size-4 animate-spin" />
+      ) : (
+        <MessageCircle className="size-4" />
+      )}
+      Message
+    </button>
+  );
+}

components/profile/profile-actions.tsx

@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ import { countryName } from "@/lib/countries";
 import { useAuth } from "@/components/auth/auth-provider";
 import { useAuthGate } from "@/components/auth/auth-gate";
 import { useMediaQuery } from "@/components/selection-toolbar/shared";
+import { MessageButton } from "@/components/profile/message-button";
 import {
   Drawer,
   DrawerContent,
@@ -206,8 +207,11 @@ export function ProfileActions({
 
   return (
     <>
-      <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+      <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2">
         {primary}
+        {/* Offered only when the target's settings allow it — see
+            MessageButton. */}
+        <MessageButton handle={handle} name={name} relationship={rel} />
         {/* Block / Report / Remove are signed-in-only (their BFF routes
             require auth) and only appear when `authed`. "More info" is
             public, so the menu always renders with at least that item. */}