Apple/Web Message Processing Parity

Status: Linux static audit
Created: 2026-06-01
Scope: user message persistence, assistant message persistence, message versions, deletion cleanup

Goal

Apple must preserve the same message lifecycle as web: a user message is locally visible and persisted immediately, assistant responses stream and then persist, messages_v tracks server-authoritative versions, and refresh/cold boot restores all messages.

Web Source

• frontend/apps/web_app/tests/message-sync.spec.ts
• frontend/packages/ui/src/services/chatSyncServiceHandlersAI.ts
• frontend/packages/ui/src/services/chatSyncServiceHandlersCoreSync.ts
• frontend/packages/ui/src/services/chatSyncMerge.ts
• frontend/packages/ui/src/types/chat.ts

Apple Source

• apple/OpenMates/Sources/Core/Models/ChatModels.swift
• apple/OpenMates/Sources/Core/Persistence/ChatStore.swift
• apple/OpenMates/Sources/Core/Persistence/OfflineStore.swift
• apple/OpenMates/Sources/Core/Persistence/OfflineSyncBridge.swift
• apple/OpenMates/Sources/Core/Networking/WebSocketManager.swift
• apple/OpenMates/Sources/Features/Chat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift
• apple/OpenMates/Sources/Features/Chat/Views/ChatView.swift

Web Contract From Specs

• After sending first prompt and receiving response, IndexedDB has at least 2 messages: 1 user and 1 assistant.
• After sending the second user prompt, the second user message is persisted before the assistant response arrives.
• Final state has at least 4 messages: 2 user and at least 2 assistant messages.
• messages_v is greater than or equal to message count and never zero once messages exist.
• Reloading the page and returning to the chat restores all messages.
• Deleting the chat removes the active chat item.

Confirmed Apple Behavior From Source

• Message decodes both camelCase and snake_case fields for IDs, encrypted content, timestamps, app ID, streaming state, embed refs, and model name.
• ChatStore.appendMessage upserts by message ID, updates in-memory state, and persists through OfflineSyncBridge.
• ChatStore.setMessages sorts by createdAt and persists.
• ChatStore.updateMessage updates content while preserving encrypted content, app ID, embed refs, and model name.
• OfflineStore.persistMessagesBatch upserts persisted messages by ID for a chat.
• ChatStore.makeSyncClientState includes messages_v for server diffing.
• Offline send queues a send_message pending action and immediately appends a local user message.

Likely Gaps To Verify Or Fix

• Message lacks several web-side fields visible in types/chat.ts, including status-like fields used by tests (status), highlight metadata, and richer attachment/embed metadata. Confirm whether Apple intentionally computes these elsewhere or needs model expansion.
• PersistedMessage.toMessage always returns isStreaming: false, so app relaunch cannot represent an interrupted/in-progress stream. Confirm desired behavior for background or interrupted AI responses.
• Apple Chat currently lacks unread_count, parent/sub-chat fields, hidden/private fields beyond persistence-only isPrivate, and some metadata present in web sync types. These may affect message list parity and cross-device state.
• messages_v is stored on Chat, but static audit did not prove it is updated after every local/remote message event. Verify with Mac tests.
• Deletion cleanup in ChatStore.removeChat removes in-memory messages and calls OfflineSyncBridge.onChatDeleted, but parity for message-level delete/highlight events needs a separate audit.

Testability IDs Needed

• new-chat-button
• message-editor
• message-user
• message-assistant
• chat-context-delete
• chat-item-wrapper already exists

Mac Verification Checklist

• Send two sequential user messages in the same chat and confirm both appear before/after assistant responses.
• Relaunch the app and confirm all messages remain present.
• Compare Apple chat message count and roles against web for the same chat.
• Verify messages_v is sent in the next phased sync request after message changes.
• Delete the test chat and confirm it disappears locally and does not reappear after sync.

First Implementation Tasks

• Add missing message test identifiers in Apple chat UI.
• Audit Apple message model fields against frontend/packages/ui/src/types/chat.ts and backend payloads.
• Add an Apple UI/integration test plan mirroring message-sync.spec.ts.