From 50d4d66357429c0109a40b93f89ab9cc460ce863 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Thomas Petersen <thomasp@squareup.com>
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2026 14:03:26 -0400
Subject: [PATCH] feat(desktop): open latest project conversation from
 workspace Channels tab

Clicking a channel row now opens the newest message referencing the
project in the side conversation panel (whose header still jumps to the
channel), matching the Related Conversations card instead of navigating
away. The click routing and latest-hit lookup are shared helpers now.

Signed-off-by: Thomas Petersen <thomasp@squareup.com>
---
 .../projects/ui/DiscussionChannels.tsx        | 115 +++++++++++++-----
 1 file changed, 82 insertions(+), 33 deletions(-)

diff --git a/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/DiscussionChannels.tsx b/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/DiscussionChannels.tsx
index 03af4ca91a..9715e43a01 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/DiscussionChannels.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/projects/ui/DiscussionChannels.tsx
@@ -64,6 +64,53 @@ export function useDiscussionChannels(query: string): {
   };
 }
 
+/** Hits are sorted newest first, so the first hit per channel is the one a
+ * click should land on (and the one worth quoting). */
+function useLatestHitByChannel(hits: SearchHit[]) {
+  return React.useMemo(() => {
+    const byChannel = new Map<string, SearchHit>();
+    for (const hit of hits) {
+      if (hit.channelId && !byChannel.has(hit.channelId)) {
+        byChannel.set(hit.channelId, hit);
+      }
+    }
+    return byChannel;
+  }, [hits]);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Shared row-click behavior: land on the latest matching message — in the
+ * side conversation panel when one is mounted — instead of jumping straight
+ * to the channel. Forum content opens in place (the panel renders chat
+ * threads only), and channels with no quotable hit fall back to plain
+ * channel navigation.
+ */
+function openDiscussionHit({
+  channelId,
+  goChannel,
+  latestHit,
+  openSearchHit,
+  panel,
+}: {
+  channelId: string;
+  goChannel: (channelId: string) => unknown;
+  latestHit: SearchHit | undefined;
+  openSearchHit: (hit: SearchHit) => unknown;
+  panel: { openConversation: (hit: SearchHit) => void } | null;
+}) {
+  if (!latestHit) {
+    void goChannel(channelId);
+    return;
+  }
+  const opensForum =
+    latestHit.kind === KIND_FORUM_POST || latestHit.kind === KIND_FORUM_COMMENT;
+  if (!panel || opensForum) {
+    void openSearchHit(latestHit);
+    return;
+  }
+  panel.openConversation(latestHit);
+}
+
 /** Channel display name, preferring the hit's name, then the channel list,
  * then a short id so private/renamed channels still render something. */
 function useChannelNameLookup(enabled: boolean) {
@@ -137,19 +184,10 @@ export function DiscussedInChannels({
     { enabled: visible.length > 0 },
   );
   const profiles = profilesQuery.data?.profiles;
-  // Hits are sorted newest first, so the first hit per channel is the one a
-  // click should land on (and the one worth quoting). The origin channel has
-  // no such hit: the `h` tag proves only the channel, so its row navigates
-  // to the channel without claiming any particular message.
-  const latestHitByChannel = React.useMemo(() => {
-    const byChannel = new Map<string, SearchHit>();
-    for (const hit of hits) {
-      if (hit.channelId && !byChannel.has(hit.channelId)) {
-        byChannel.set(hit.channelId, hit);
-      }
-    }
-    return byChannel;
-  }, [hits]);
+  // The origin channel has no quotable hit: the `h` tag proves only the
+  // channel, so its row navigates to the channel without claiming any
+  // particular message.
+  const latestHitByChannel = useLatestHitByChannel(hits);
   if (channels.length === 0) return null;
 
   const hiddenCount = channels.length - visible.length;
@@ -169,21 +207,14 @@ export function DiscussedInChannels({
         {visible.map((channel) => {
           const latestHit = latestHitByChannel.get(channel.id);
           const name = channelName(channel.id, channel.name);
-          const opensForum =
-            latestHit != null &&
-            (latestHit.kind === KIND_FORUM_POST ||
-              latestHit.kind === KIND_FORUM_COMMENT);
-          const openConversation = () => {
-            if (!latestHit) {
-              void goChannel(channel.id);
-              return;
-            }
-            if (!projectConversationPanel || opensForum) {
-              void openSearchHit(latestHit);
-              return;
-            }
-            projectConversationPanel.openConversation(latestHit);
-          };
+          const openConversation = () =>
+            openDiscussionHit({
+              channelId: channel.id,
+              goChannel,
+              latestHit,
+              openSearchHit,
+              panel: projectConversationPanel,
+            });
           return (
             <div
               className="group relative flex w-full min-w-0 items-start gap-2.5 px-3 py-2 transition-colors hover:bg-muted/30"
@@ -332,7 +363,9 @@ function DiscussionNameList({
 /**
  * Full-width channel list for the workspace "Channels" tab: every channel
  * where the repository (or its PRs/issues) is linked in chat, with the
- * people who discussed it there.
+ * people who discussed it there. Clicking a row opens the latest matching
+ * conversation in the side panel (whose header still jumps to the channel)
+ * rather than leaving the project view.
  */
 export function DiscussionChannelsPanel({
   query,
@@ -341,8 +374,11 @@ export function DiscussionChannelsPanel({
   query: string;
   repositoryName: string;
 }) {
-  const { channels, isLoading, isTruncated } = useDiscussionChannels(query);
-  const { goChannel } = useAppNavigation();
+  const { channels, hits, isLoading, isTruncated } =
+    useDiscussionChannels(query);
+  const { goChannel, openSearchHit } = useAppNavigation();
+  const projectConversationPanel = useProjectConversationPanel();
+  const latestHitByChannel = useLatestHitByChannel(hits);
   const channelName = useChannelNameLookup(channels.length > 0);
   const profilesQuery = useUsersBatchQuery(
     channels.flatMap((channel) => channel.participants),
@@ -375,6 +411,7 @@ export function DiscussionChannelsPanel({
       <ul data-testid="discussion-channels">
         {channels.map((channel) => {
           const name = channelName(channel.id, channel.name);
+          const latestHit = latestHitByChannel.get(channel.id);
           return (
             <li className="relative" key={channel.id}>
               <ProjectEntityListRow
@@ -389,7 +426,15 @@ export function DiscussionChannelsPanel({
                 dateSeconds={channel.lastActivityAt}
                 dateTestId="project-channel-row-date"
                 icon={<Hash className="h-3.5 w-3.5 text-muted-foreground/70" />}
-                onClick={() => void goChannel(channel.id)}
+                onClick={() =>
+                  openDiscussionHit({
+                    channelId: channel.id,
+                    goChannel,
+                    latestHit,
+                    openSearchHit,
+                    panel: projectConversationPanel,
+                  })
+                }
                 people={channel.participants}
                 peopleTestId="project-channel-participants"
                 profiles={profiles}
@@ -403,7 +448,11 @@ export function DiscussionChannelsPanel({
                 }}
                 testId="project-channel-row"
                 title={`#${name}`}
-                titleAttr={`Open #${name}`}
+                titleAttr={
+                  latestHit
+                    ? `Open the latest conversation in #${name}`
+                    : `Open #${name}`
+                }
               />
             </li>
           );