perf(timeline): gate heavy message render behind useDeferredValue (#1022)

Signed-off-by: Taylor Ho <taylorkmho@gmail.com>
Co-authored-by: npub1223z34hd7vtwc6qj4s7flsxkj644nlre2nthu7lrrmkumhu3xddsrx9r6w <52a228d6edf316ec6812ac3c9fc0d696ab59fc7954d77e7be31eedcddf91335b@sprout-oss.stage.blox.sqprod.co>
Co-authored-by: npub14vtk7pvazqrq9639qu7e560wnqtl0d53ca4gjuvq6jzf3k2el23qqlwa7f <ab176f059d100602ea25073d9a69ee9817f7b691c76a897180d48498d959faa2@sprout-oss.stage.blox.sqprod.co>

desktop/src/features/messages/lib/threadPanel.test.mjs

@@ -103,6 +103,114 @@ test("buildThreadPanelData keeps direct comments unindented", () => {
   );
 });
 
+// Per-id stabilization: thread rows feed `MessageRow` a depth-normalized copy
+// of each reply. When `timelineMessages` churns (typing/presence) but the
+// reply objects survive by reference, rebuilding the thread panel must hand
+// `MessageRow` the SAME normalized object reference so the row/markdown memo
+// hits — instead of a fresh `{ ...reply, depth }` spread every render.
+test("thread reply objects keep identity across unrelated timelineMessages churn", () => {
+  const root = message({ id: "root", createdAt: 1 });
+  const replyA = message({
+    id: "a",
+    createdAt: 2,
+    parentId: "root",
+    rootId: "root",
+    depth: 1,
+    tags: [["e", "root", "", "reply"]],
+  });
+  const replyB = message({
+    id: "b",
+    createdAt: 3,
+    parentId: "a",
+    rootId: "root",
+    depth: 2,
+    tags: [["e", "a", "", "reply"]],
+  });
+
+  // First render of the thread.
+  const first = buildThreadPanelData(
+    [root, replyA, replyB],
+    "root",
+    "root",
+    new Set(["a"]),
+  );
+
+  // An unrelated channel churn produces a NEW `timelineMessages` array, but the
+  // reply objects themselves are reused by reference (only their position in
+  // the surrounding array changed — e.g. a presence ping or typing indicator
+  // that the snapshot layer leaves the reply identities intact for).
+  const churned = [
+    message({ id: "noise", createdAt: 99 }),
+    root,
+    replyA,
+    replyB,
+  ];
+  const second = buildThreadPanelData(churned, "root", "root", new Set(["a"]));
+
+  const firstById = new Map(
+    first.visibleReplies.map((entry) => [entry.message.id, entry.message]),
+  );
+  const secondById = new Map(
+    second.visibleReplies.map((entry) => [entry.message.id, entry.message]),
+  );
+
+  assert.ok(firstById.size > 0, "expected at least one visible reply");
+  for (const [id, normalized] of firstById) {
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      secondById.get(id),
+      normalized,
+      `normalized reply ${id} must be the SAME object reference across an unrelated churn (memo hit)`,
+    );
+    // Depth must still reach the row correctly via the cached object.
+    assert.equal(
+      typeof normalized.depth,
+      "number",
+      `normalized reply ${id} must carry a numeric depth`,
+    );
+  }
+});
+
+test("thread reply objects recompute when the source reply object is replaced", () => {
+  const root = message({ id: "root", createdAt: 1 });
+  const reply = message({
+    id: "a",
+    createdAt: 2,
+    parentId: "root",
+    rootId: "root",
+    depth: 1,
+    tags: [["e", "root", "", "reply"]],
+  });
+
+  const first = buildThreadPanelData([root, reply], "root", "root", new Set());
+
+  // A genuine edit/refresh: the reply is a brand-new object (new identity).
+  const editedReply = message({
+    id: "a",
+    createdAt: 2,
+    parentId: "root",
+    rootId: "root",
+    depth: 1,
+    body: "edited body",
+    tags: [["e", "root", "", "reply"]],
+  });
+  const second = buildThreadPanelData(
+    [root, editedReply],
+    "root",
+    "root",
+    new Set(),
+  );
+
+  const firstA = first.visibleReplies.find((e) => e.message.id === "a");
+  const secondA = second.visibleReplies.find((e) => e.message.id === "a");
+  assert.ok(firstA && secondA, "expected reply 'a' in both renders");
+  assert.notStrictEqual(
+    secondA.message,
+    firstA.message,
+    "a replaced source reply must produce a fresh normalized object",
+  );
+  assert.equal(secondA.message.body, "edited body");
+});
+
 test("buildThreadPanelDataFromIndex matches direct panel data", () => {
   const root = message({ id: "root", createdAt: 1 });
   const directComment = message({

desktop/src/features/messages/lib/threadPanel.ts

@@ -47,14 +47,47 @@ function normalizeHeadMessage(message: TimelineMessage): TimelineMessage {
   };
 }
 
+// Thread rows feed `MessageRow` a depth-normalized copy of each reply. Building
+// that copy fresh (`{ ...message, depth }`) on every render hands `MessageRow` a
+// new object identity every time `timelineMessages` churns (typing/presence),
+// even when the reply and its depth are byte-identical — which defeats the
+// row/markdown memo and forces a ~1.4ms/row re-parse on threads where the main
+// timeline (which passes the raw stable ref) stays cheap.
+//
+// Mirror the main list's per-id context memoization (`videoReviewContextById`):
+// cache the normalized object keyed on the source reply identity + depth, so an
+// unrelated channel churn that leaves a reply (and its tree position) intact
+// reuses the exact same object reference and the memo hits.
+//
+// Keyed on the source `reply` reference via a WeakMap: a new `timelineMessages`
+// set produces new reply objects (genuine recompute), and stale entries are
+// collected automatically when the old message set is dropped.
+const normalizedInlineReplyCache = new WeakMap<
+  TimelineMessage,
+  Map<number, TimelineMessage>
+>();
+
 function normalizeInlineReplyMessage(
   message: TimelineMessage,
   depth: number,
 ): TimelineMessage {
-  return {
+  let byDepth = normalizedInlineReplyCache.get(message);
+  if (!byDepth) {
+    byDepth = new Map<number, TimelineMessage>();
+    normalizedInlineReplyCache.set(message, byDepth);
+  }
+
+  const cached = byDepth.get(depth);
+  if (cached) {
+    return cached;
+  }
+
+  const normalized: TimelineMessage = {
     ...message,
     depth,
   };
+  byDepth.set(depth, normalized);
+  return normalized;
 }
 
 function buildDirectChildrenByParentId(messages: TimelineMessage[]) {

desktop/src/features/messages/lib/timelineSnapshot.test.mjs

@@ -0,0 +1,289 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import test from "node:test";
+
+import {
+  BOTTOM_THRESHOLD_PX,
+  buildDayGroupBoundaries,
+  isNearBottomMetrics,
+  resolveDeepLinkTarget,
+  selectDeferredListRenderState,
+  selectLatestMessageKey,
+} from "./timelineSnapshot.ts";
+
+// Local-midnight unix-second timestamps so isSameDay (local time) is stable
+// regardless of the machine's timezone.
+function dayAt(year, month, day, hour = 12) {
+  return Math.floor(
+    new Date(year, month - 1, day, hour, 0, 0).getTime() / 1_000,
+  );
+}
+
+function message(overrides) {
+  return {
+    id: "message",
+    renderKey: undefined,
+    createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14),
+    pubkey: "author",
+    author: "Author",
+    avatarUrl: null,
+    role: undefined,
+    personaDisplayName: undefined,
+    time: "12:00 PM",
+    body: "body",
+    parentId: null,
+    rootId: null,
+    depth: 0,
+    accent: false,
+    pending: undefined,
+    edited: false,
+    kind: 9,
+    tags: [],
+    reactions: undefined,
+    ...overrides,
+  };
+}
+
+// --- sticky-bottom autoscroll -------------------------------------------------
+
+test("isNearBottomMetrics: true when within threshold of the bottom", () => {
+  // distance = scrollHeight - clientHeight - scrollTop = 1000 - 600 - 380 = 20
+  assert.equal(
+    isNearBottomMetrics({
+      scrollHeight: 1_000,
+      clientHeight: 600,
+      scrollTop: 380,
+    }),
+    true,
+  );
+});
+
+test("isNearBottomMetrics: true exactly at the threshold boundary", () => {
+  const scrollTop = 1_000 - 600 - BOTTOM_THRESHOLD_PX; // distance === threshold
+  assert.equal(
+    isNearBottomMetrics({ scrollHeight: 1_000, clientHeight: 600, scrollTop }),
+    true,
+  );
+});
+
+test("isNearBottomMetrics: false when scrolled up beyond the threshold", () => {
+  // distance = 1000 - 600 - 100 = 300 > 72
+  assert.equal(
+    isNearBottomMetrics({
+      scrollHeight: 1_000,
+      clientHeight: 600,
+      scrollTop: 100,
+    }),
+    false,
+  );
+});
+
+test("selectLatestMessageKey: prefers renderKey, falls back to id, undefined when empty", () => {
+  assert.equal(selectLatestMessageKey([]), undefined);
+  assert.equal(
+    selectLatestMessageKey([message({ id: "a" }), message({ id: "b" })]),
+    "b",
+  );
+  assert.equal(
+    selectLatestMessageKey([message({ id: "b", renderKey: "local-b" })]),
+    "local-b",
+  );
+});
+
+test("selectLatestMessageKey: detects a newly arrived latest message", () => {
+  const before = [message({ id: "a" }), message({ id: "b" })];
+  const after = [
+    ...before,
+    message({ id: "c", createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 13) }),
+  ];
+  assert.notEqual(
+    selectLatestMessageKey(before),
+    selectLatestMessageKey(after),
+  );
+});
+
+// --- day dividers -------------------------------------------------------------
+
+test("buildDayGroupBoundaries: empty snapshot has no groups", () => {
+  assert.deepEqual(buildDayGroupBoundaries([]), []);
+});
+
+test("buildDayGroupBoundaries: messages on one day form a single group", () => {
+  const messages = [
+    message({ id: "a", createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 9) }),
+    message({ id: "b", createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 10) }),
+    message({ id: "c", createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 23) }),
+  ];
+  const groups = buildDayGroupBoundaries(messages);
+  assert.equal(groups.length, 1);
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    { startIndex: groups[0].startIndex, count: groups[0].count },
+    { startIndex: 0, count: 3 },
+  );
+});
+
+test("buildDayGroupBoundaries: a day boundary opens a new group", () => {
+  const messages = [
+    message({ id: "a", createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 13, 22) }),
+    message({ id: "b", createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 1) }),
+    message({ id: "c", createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 2) }),
+    message({ id: "d", createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 15, 8) }),
+  ];
+  const groups = buildDayGroupBoundaries(messages);
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    groups.map((g) => ({ startIndex: g.startIndex, count: g.count })),
+    [
+      { startIndex: 0, count: 1 },
+      { startIndex: 1, count: 2 },
+      { startIndex: 3, count: 1 },
+    ],
+  );
+});
+
+test("buildDayGroupBoundaries: group counts always sum to message count", () => {
+  const messages = [
+    message({ id: "a", createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 13) }),
+    message({ id: "b", createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14) }),
+    message({ id: "c", createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14) }),
+  ];
+  const total = buildDayGroupBoundaries(messages).reduce(
+    (n, g) => n + g.count,
+    0,
+  );
+  assert.equal(total, messages.length);
+});
+
+// --- jump-to-message deep links ----------------------------------------------
+
+test("resolveDeepLinkTarget: unresolved with no target", () => {
+  const messages = [message({ id: "a" })];
+  assert.deepEqual(resolveDeepLinkTarget(messages, null), {
+    resolved: false,
+    index: -1,
+  });
+  assert.deepEqual(resolveDeepLinkTarget(messages, undefined), {
+    resolved: false,
+    index: -1,
+  });
+});
+
+test("resolveDeepLinkTarget: resolves a present target to its index", () => {
+  const messages = [
+    message({ id: "a" }),
+    message({ id: "b" }),
+    message({ id: "c" }),
+  ];
+  assert.deepEqual(resolveDeepLinkTarget(messages, "b"), {
+    resolved: true,
+    index: 1,
+  });
+});
+
+test("resolveDeepLinkTarget: unresolved when the target is not in the snapshot", () => {
+  const messages = [message({ id: "a" }), message({ id: "b" })];
+  assert.deepEqual(resolveDeepLinkTarget(messages, "missing"), {
+    resolved: false,
+    index: -1,
+  });
+});
+
+// --- shared-snapshot / no-tearing guarantee ----------------------------------
+//
+// All three must-keep decisions must read off the SAME snapshot. If the deep-link
+// decision reads a fresh snapshot while the rendered list / scroll math still
+// read a stale one, the jump fires against a row that hasn't committed and
+// silently fails.
+
+test("no-tearing: a target only in the fresh snapshot does NOT resolve against the stale one", () => {
+  const stale = [message({ id: "a" }), message({ id: "b" })];
+  const fresh = [
+    ...stale,
+    message({ id: "target", createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 15) }),
+  ];
+
+  // Reading the deep link against the stale snapshot (what the painted DOM
+  // still shows) must report unresolved — you can't scroll to an uncommitted row.
+  assert.equal(resolveDeepLinkTarget(stale, "target").resolved, false);
+  // Against the fresh snapshot it resolves — proving the gate is which snapshot
+  // you feed, not the function.
+  assert.equal(resolveDeepLinkTarget(fresh, "target").resolved, true);
+});
+
+test("no-tearing: all three decisions agree when fed one shared snapshot", () => {
+  const snapshot = [
+    message({ id: "a", createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 13) }),
+    message({ id: "b", createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14) }),
+    message({
+      id: "target",
+      renderKey: "rk-target",
+      createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 18),
+    }),
+  ];
+
+  // Deep link resolves to the last index...
+  const link = resolveDeepLinkTarget(snapshot, "target");
+  // ...the day grouping covers that same index...
+  const groups = buildDayGroupBoundaries(snapshot);
+  const coveredCount = groups.reduce((n, g) => n + g.count, 0);
+  // ...and the sticky-bottom latest-key points at that same final message.
+  const latestKey = selectLatestMessageKey(snapshot);
+
+  assert.equal(link.index, snapshot.length - 1);
+  assert.equal(coveredCount, snapshot.length);
+  assert.equal(latestKey, snapshot[snapshot.length - 1].renderKey);
+});
+
+test("no-tearing: stale snapshot keeps all three decisions internally consistent", () => {
+  // Feeding the stale list everywhere keeps the decisions consistent with each
+  // other — none of them see the uncommitted row.
+  const stale = [
+    message({ id: "a", createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 9) }),
+    message({ id: "b", createdAt: dayAt(2026, 6, 14, 10) }),
+  ];
+
+  const link = resolveDeepLinkTarget(stale, "target");
+  const coveredCount = buildDayGroupBoundaries(stale).reduce(
+    (n, g) => n + g.count,
+    0,
+  );
+  const latestKey = selectLatestMessageKey(stale);
+
+  assert.equal(link.resolved, false);
+  assert.equal(coveredCount, stale.length);
+  assert.equal(latestKey, "b");
+});
+
+// --- deferred reply-list render state (thread side pane) --------------------
+//
+// When MessageThreadPanel gates its reply render behind useDeferredValue, the
+// painted (deferred) snapshot lags the live one for a frame. selectDeferredList
+// RenderState picks which of three states the reply region paints so we never
+// flash "No replies" over a list that's streaming in on the deferred commit.
+
+test("deferred-render: paints the list whenever the deferred snapshot has rows", () => {
+  // deferred caught up — normal steady state.
+  assert.equal(selectDeferredListRenderState(3, 3), "list");
+  // deferred still showing the OLD non-empty list while a new one streams in;
+  // we keep painting rows (no flash) — the dim-pending styling handles the lag.
+  assert.equal(selectDeferredListRenderState(2, 5), "list");
+});
+
+test("deferred-render: empty state only when the LIVE list is genuinely empty", () => {
+  // Both empty — the thread truly has no replies.
+  assert.equal(selectDeferredListRenderState(0, 0), "empty");
+});
+
+test("deferred-render: pending when deferred is empty but live has content", () => {
+  // Deferred snapshot hasn't committed the rows yet but the live list is
+  // non-empty. Must NOT report "empty" — that would flash the "No replies"
+  // affordance for a frame on thread-open.
+  assert.equal(selectDeferredListRenderState(0, 4), "pending");
+  assert.notEqual(selectDeferredListRenderState(0, 4), "empty");
+});
+
+test("deferred-render: keys the empty decision off the live count, not deferred", () => {
+  // Same deferred count (0), opposite verdicts — proving the live count is the
+  // tie-breaker. This is the no-tearing guarantee for the empty affordance:
+  // the empty state is a function of the LIVE list, never the lagging one.
+  assert.equal(selectDeferredListRenderState(0, 0), "empty");
+  assert.equal(selectDeferredListRenderState(0, 1), "pending");
+});

desktop/src/features/messages/lib/timelineSnapshot.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,150 @@
+/**
+ * Pure helpers that read a timeline message snapshot to compute the values the
+ * timeline render needs: sticky-bottom autoscroll, day dividers, jump-to-message
+ * deep links, and the deferred reply-list render state.
+ *
+ * Keeping these out of the component render body / scroll-manager effects lets
+ * them be covered by the lib-level `*.test.mjs` suite. It also enforces the key
+ * correctness property: every decision must read off the SAME snapshot. If the
+ * deep-link lookup reads a fresher list than the rows the DOM has actually
+ * committed, a jump fires against a row that isn't there yet and silently fails.
+ */
+
+import type { TimelineMessage } from "@/features/messages/types";
+import { isSameDay } from "./dateFormatters";
+
+/** Distance (px) from the bottom within which the timeline counts as "at bottom". */
+export const BOTTOM_THRESHOLD_PX = 72;
+
+/** Minimal scroll geometry the sticky-bottom decision needs — a pure subset of the DOM element. */
+export type ScrollMetrics = {
+  scrollHeight: number;
+  clientHeight: number;
+  scrollTop: number;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Is the timeline scrolled close enough to the bottom to count as "at bottom"?
+ * Pure over geometry so the threshold math is testable without a DOM.
+ */
+export function isNearBottomMetrics(metrics: ScrollMetrics): boolean {
+  return (
+    metrics.scrollHeight - metrics.clientHeight - metrics.scrollTop <=
+    BOTTOM_THRESHOLD_PX
+  );
+}
+
+/** Reads live scroll geometry off a container and applies the bottom-threshold rule. */
+export function isNearBottom(container: HTMLDivElement): boolean {
+  return isNearBottomMetrics({
+    scrollHeight: container.scrollHeight,
+    clientHeight: container.clientHeight,
+    scrollTop: container.scrollTop,
+  });
+}
+
+/**
+ * Identity of the last message in a snapshot, used to detect "a new latest
+ * message arrived" for autoscroll. Prefers `renderKey` (stable across optimistic
+ * send-ack) and falls back to `id`. Returns `undefined` for an empty snapshot.
+ */
+export function selectLatestMessageKey(
+  messages: readonly TimelineMessage[],
+): string | undefined {
+  if (messages.length === 0) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  const latest = messages[messages.length - 1];
+  return latest.renderKey ?? latest.id;
+}
+
+/** A single day boundary in the timeline: where it starts and how many messages it covers. */
+export type DayGroupBoundary = {
+  /** Stable key for the day section. */
+  key: string;
+  /** Index into `messages` of the first message in this day. */
+  startIndex: number;
+  /** Number of messages in this day group. */
+  count: number;
+  /** The `createdAt` (unix seconds) used to render the heading label. */
+  headingTimestamp: number;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Walks a snapshot in order and produces the day-group boundaries. A new group
+ * starts at index 0 and whenever a message falls on a different calendar day
+ * than the one before it.
+ */
+export function buildDayGroupBoundaries(
+  messages: readonly TimelineMessage[],
+): DayGroupBoundary[] {
+  const boundaries: DayGroupBoundary[] = [];
+
+  for (let i = 0; i < messages.length; i++) {
+    const message = messages[i];
+    const prev = i > 0 ? messages[i - 1] : null;
+
+    if (!prev || !isSameDay(prev.createdAt, message.createdAt)) {
+      boundaries.push({
+        key: `day-${message.createdAt}`,
+        startIndex: i,
+        count: 1,
+        headingTimestamp: message.createdAt,
+      });
+    } else {
+      boundaries[boundaries.length - 1].count += 1;
+    }
+  }
+
+  return boundaries;
+}
+
+/** Outcome of resolving a deep-link target against the current snapshot. */
+export type DeepLinkResolution = {
+  /** Whether the target message exists in this snapshot (i.e. a row would be committed). */
+  resolved: boolean;
+  /** Index of the target in `messages`, or -1 when unresolved. */
+  index: number;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Does a jump-to-message target resolve against THIS snapshot? The scroll-manager
+ * effect only does `querySelector` + `scrollIntoView` once a target row is
+ * actually committed, so the jump must read the same snapshot the list rendered
+ * — otherwise it scrolls to a row that isn't there yet.
+ */
+export function resolveDeepLinkTarget(
+  messages: readonly TimelineMessage[],
+  targetMessageId: string | null | undefined,
+): DeepLinkResolution {
+  if (!targetMessageId) {
+    return { resolved: false, index: -1 };
+  }
+  const index = messages.findIndex((message) => message.id === targetMessageId);
+  return { resolved: index !== -1, index };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Which of three states a deferred list should paint. A list gated behind
+ * `useDeferredValue` lags the live one for a frame, so the deferred snapshot can
+ * be empty while the live list is not. Keying the empty state off the LIVE count
+ * stops us flashing an "empty" affordance over a list that's streaming in:
+ *
+ *   - "list"    → the deferred snapshot has rows; paint them
+ *   - "empty"   → the LIVE list is genuinely empty; paint the empty state
+ *   - "pending" → deferred is empty but live has content; paint nothing yet
+ */
+export type DeferredListRenderState = "list" | "empty" | "pending";
+
+export function selectDeferredListRenderState(
+  deferredCount: number,
+  liveCount: number,
+): DeferredListRenderState {
+  if (deferredCount > 0) {
+    return "list";
+  }
+  if (liveCount === 0) {
+    return "empty";
+  }
+  return "pending";
+}

desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageThreadPanel.tsx

@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import { MessageThreadSummaryRow } from "./MessageThreadSummaryRow";
 import { TypingIndicatorRow } from "./TypingIndicatorRow";
 import { useComposerHeightPadding } from "./useComposerHeightPadding";
 import { useTimelineScrollManager } from "./useTimelineScrollManager";
+import { selectDeferredListRenderState } from "@/features/messages/lib/timelineSnapshot";
 
 type MessageThreadPanelProps = {
   agentPubkeys?: ReadonlySet<string>;
@@ -83,6 +84,12 @@ type MessageThreadPanelProps = {
   onUnfollowThread?: () => void;
 };
 
+/** Stable empty reference used as the `useDeferredValue` initial value so the
+ *  first render when a thread opens stays light instead of blocking on the full
+ *  reply list. Must be module-level so its identity never changes. Mirrors
+ *  `EMPTY_MESSAGES` in MessageTimeline. */
+const EMPTY_THREAD_REPLIES: MainTimelineEntry[] = [];
+
 type MessageThreadPanelSkeletonProps = {
   isSinglePanelView?: boolean;
   layout?: "standalone" | "split";
@@ -314,9 +321,35 @@ export function MessageThreadPanel({
         }
       : null;
 
+  // The thread side pane renders its reply list straight into heavy
+  // `react-markdown` rows (`MessageRow`), so opening a deep thread would block
+  // the main thread and the OS would show the busy cursor. Gate the reply render
+  // behind `useDeferredValue`. `initialValue: []` keeps even the FIRST render on
+  // thread-open light; the heavy list streams in on a deferred, interruptible
+  // commit. We deliberately drive BOTH the scroll manager and the rendered list
+  // off the SAME deferred value — sticky-bottom / deep-link logic reads the DOM
+  // (`scrollIntoView`), so it must stay consistent with what's actually painted.
+  // You can't scroll to a reply that hasn't committed yet. The thread pane gets
+  // this no-tearing guarantee for free by routing through the same
+  // `useTimelineScrollManager` (and its `timelineSnapshot` helpers) as the main
+  // timeline.
+  const deferredThreadReplies = React.useDeferredValue(
+    threadReplies,
+    EMPTY_THREAD_REPLIES,
+  );
+  const isRepliesPending = deferredThreadReplies !== threadReplies;
+
+  // Which of the three states the reply region paints this frame. Delegated to
+  // a pure helper so the "don't flash empty over an incoming list" rule is
+  // covered in the lib test suite (see selectDeferredListRenderState).
+  const repliesRenderState = selectDeferredListRenderState(
+    deferredThreadReplies.length,
+    threadReplies.length,
+  );
+
   const threadMessages = React.useMemo(
-    () => threadReplies.map((entry) => entry.message),
+    () => deferredThreadReplies.map((entry) => entry.message),
-    [threadReplies],
+    [deferredThreadReplies],
   );
 
   const {
@@ -385,9 +418,19 @@ export function MessageThreadPanel({
         </div>
 
         <div className="px-3 pb-3 pt-1" data-testid="message-thread-replies">
-          {threadReplies.length > 0 ? (
+          {repliesRenderState === "list" ? (
-            <div className="space-y-2.5">
+            <div
-              {threadReplies.map((entry) => {
+              className={cn(
+                "space-y-2.5",
+                // While a deferred render is in flight the painted reply list
+                // lags the latest `threadReplies`. Dim it slightly so the
+                // streaming-in reads as intentional instead of frozen — mirrors
+                // the main timeline.
+                isRepliesPending && "opacity-60 transition-opacity",
+              )}
+              data-render-pending={isRepliesPending ? "true" : undefined}
+            >
+              {deferredThreadReplies.map((entry) => {
                 return (
                   <div
                     className={cn(
@@ -431,7 +474,10 @@ export function MessageThreadPanel({
                 );
               })}
             </div>
-          ) : (
+          ) : repliesRenderState === "empty" ? (
+            // Only show the empty state when the thread is GENUINELY empty.
+            // Keying off `deferredThreadReplies` would flash "No replies" for a
+            // frame while a non-empty list streams in on the deferred commit.
             <div className="rounded-2xl border border-dashed border-border/70 bg-card/40 px-4 py-6 text-center">
               <p className="text-sm font-medium text-foreground/80">
                 No replies in this branch yet
@@ -440,7 +486,10 @@ export function MessageThreadPanel({
                 Reply in the thread to continue this branch.
               </p>
             </div>
-          )}
+          ) : // "pending": deferred list is empty but the live list has content —
+          // rows are streaming in on the deferred commit. Paint nothing rather
+          // than flashing the empty state.
+          null}
           <div aria-hidden className="h-px" ref={bottomAnchorRef} />
         </div>
       </div>

desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageTimeline.tsx

@@ -90,6 +90,11 @@ type ChannelIntro = {
   icon?: React.ReactNode;
 };
 
+/** Stable empty reference used as the `useDeferredValue` initial value so the
+ *  first render on channel entry stays light instead of blocking on the full
+ *  message list. Must be module-level so its identity never changes. */
+const EMPTY_MESSAGES: TimelineMessage[] = [];
+
 type DirectMessageIntroParticipant = {
   avatarUrl: string | null;
   displayName: string;
@@ -135,6 +140,20 @@ export const MessageTimeline = React.memo(function MessageTimeline({
   const internalScrollRef = React.useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
   const scrollContainerRef = externalScrollRef ?? internalScrollRef;
   const topSentinelRef = React.useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+
+  // Gate the heavy timeline render (each row runs a synchronous
+  // react-markdown parse) behind React concurrency. `useDeferredValue` lets the
+  // commit that rebuilds the message list yield to higher-priority work, so the
+  // main thread stops freezing and the OS no longer shows the busy cursor when
+  // entering a channel. We pass `initialValue: []` so even the FIRST render on
+  // channel entry stays light — the heavy list streams in on a deferred commit
+  // rather than blocking the initial paint. We deliberately drive BOTH the
+  // scroll manager and the rendered list off the same deferred value —
+  // scroll/autoscroll/deep-link logic reads the DOM (`scrollIntoView`,
+  // ResizeObserver on the content), so it must stay consistent with what's
+  // actually painted. You can't scroll to a row that hasn't committed yet.
+  const deferredMessages = React.useDeferredValue(messages, EMPTY_MESSAGES);
+  const isRenderPending = deferredMessages !== messages;
   const scrollRestorationId = targetMessageId
     ? `message-timeline:${channelId ?? "none"}:target:${targetMessageId}`
     : `message-timeline:${channelId ?? "none"}`;
@@ -151,7 +170,7 @@ export const MessageTimeline = React.memo(function MessageTimeline({
   } = useTimelineScrollManager({
     channelId,
     isLoading,
-    messages,
+    messages: deferredMessages,
     onTargetReached,
     scrollContainerRef,
     targetMessageId,
@@ -196,10 +215,10 @@ export const MessageTimeline = React.memo(function MessageTimeline({
   const showIntro = showDirectMessageIntro || showChannelIntro;
   const showGenericEmpty =
     !isLoading &&
-    messages.length === 0 &&
+    deferredMessages.length === 0 &&
     directMessageIntro === null &&
     channelIntro === null;
-  const showMessageList = !isLoading && messages.length > 0;
+  const showMessageList = !isLoading && deferredMessages.length > 0;
   const timelineSkeletonRows = useTimelineSkeletonRows({
     channelId,
     isLoading,
@@ -378,7 +397,15 @@ export const MessageTimeline = React.memo(function MessageTimeline({
 
               {showMessageList ? (
                 <div
-                  className={cn("flex flex-col gap-2", !showIntro && "mt-auto")}
+                  className={cn(
+                    "flex flex-col gap-2",
+                    !showIntro && "mt-auto",
+                    // While a deferred render is in flight the painted
+                    // list lags the latest `messages`. Dim it slightly so the
+                    // streaming-in feels intentional instead of frozen.
+                    isRenderPending && "opacity-60 transition-opacity",
+                  )}
+                  data-render-pending={isRenderPending ? "true" : undefined}
                 >
                   <TimelineMessageList
                     agentPubkeys={agentPubkeys}
@@ -390,7 +417,7 @@ export const MessageTimeline = React.memo(function MessageTimeline({
                     highlightedMessageId={highlightedMessageId}
                     isFollowingThreadById={isFollowingThreadById}
                     messageFooters={messageFooters}
-                    messages={messages}
+                    messages={deferredMessages}
                     onDelete={onDelete}
                     onEdit={onEdit}
                     onMarkUnread={onMarkUnread}

desktop/src/features/messages/ui/TimelineMessageList.tsx

@@ -1,14 +1,12 @@
 import * as React from "react";
 
-import {
+import { formatDayHeading } from "@/features/messages/lib/dateFormatters";
-  formatDayHeading,
-  isSameDay,
-} from "@/features/messages/lib/dateFormatters";
 import { buildMainTimelineEntries } from "@/features/messages/lib/threadPanel";
 import {
   buildVideoReviewCommentsByRootId,
   buildVideoReviewContextForMessage,
 } from "@/features/messages/lib/videoReviewContext";
+import { buildDayGroupBoundaries } from "@/features/messages/lib/timelineSnapshot";
 import type { TimelineMessage } from "@/features/messages/types";
 import type { UserProfileLookup } from "@/features/profile/lib/identity";
 import type { ChannelType } from "@/shared/api/types";
@@ -137,12 +135,21 @@ export const TimelineMessageList = React.memo(function TimelineMessageList({
   }> = [];
   let currentDayGroup: (typeof dayGroups)[number] | null = null;
 
+  // Day-divider decision delegated to a pure, lib-tested helper: a new group
+  // starts at index 0 and whenever a message falls on a different calendar day
+  // than the one before it. We index the boundary start positions so the render
+  // loop below stays a straight walk while the grouping logic lives in `lib/`.
+  const dayGroupStartIndices = new Set(
+    buildDayGroupBoundaries(entries.map((entry) => entry.message)).map(
+      (boundary) => boundary.startIndex,
+    ),
+  );
+
   for (let i = 0; i < entries.length; i++) {
     const { message, summary } = entries[i];
-    const prev = i > 0 ? entries[i - 1]?.message : null;
     const messageRenderKey = message.renderKey ?? message.id;
 
-    if (!prev || !isSameDay(prev.createdAt, message.createdAt)) {
+    if (dayGroupStartIndices.has(i)) {
       currentDayGroup = {
         key: `day-${message.createdAt}`,
         label: formatDayHeading(message.createdAt),

desktop/src/features/messages/ui/messageTimelineUtils.ts

@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-const BOTTOM_THRESHOLD_PX = 72;
-
-export function isNearBottom(container: HTMLDivElement) {
-  return (
-    container.scrollHeight - container.clientHeight - container.scrollTop <=
-    BOTTOM_THRESHOLD_PX
-  );
-}

desktop/src/features/messages/ui/useTimelineScrollManager.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 import * as React from "react";
 
+import {
+  isNearBottom,
+  resolveDeepLinkTarget,
+  selectLatestMessageKey,
+} from "@/features/messages/lib/timelineSnapshot";
 import type { TimelineMessage } from "@/features/messages/types";
-import { isNearBottom } from "./messageTimelineUtils";
 
 type UseTimelineScrollManagerOptions = {
   channelId?: string | null;
@@ -97,9 +101,7 @@ export function useTimelineScrollManager({
 
   const latestMessage =
     messages.length > 0 ? messages[messages.length - 1] : undefined;
-  const latestMessageKey = latestMessage
+  const latestMessageKey = selectLatestMessageKey(messages);
-    ? (latestMessage.renderKey ?? latestMessage.id)
-    : undefined;
 
   // biome-ignore lint/correctness/useExhaustiveDependencies: timelineRef is a stable React ref passed from the parent — its identity never changes
   const syncScrollState = React.useCallback(() => {
@@ -356,6 +358,15 @@ export function useTimelineScrollManager({
       return;
     }
 
+    // Deep-link decision delegated to a pure, lib-tested helper: only attempt the
+    // jump once the target actually exists in THIS (deferred) snapshot. If it
+    // doesn't, the row hasn't committed yet — bail and let the next snapshot that
+    // includes it drive the jump. This reads the same `messages` snapshot the
+    // list rendered, which closes the tearing race.
+    if (!resolveDeepLinkTarget(messages, targetMessageId).resolved) {
+      return;
+    }
+
     const timeline = timelineRef.current;
     if (!timeline) {
       return;

desktop/tests/e2e/relay-connectivity-screenshots.spec.ts

@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@ const SELF_PROFILE_CACHE_KEY = `buzz-self-profile.v1:${MOCK_RELAY_URL}:${MOCK_PU
 
 async function settle(page: import("@playwright/test").Page) {
   await page.evaluate(() =>
+    // Tolerate cancelled animations: a SkeletonReveal animation cancelled
+    // mid-flight (skeleton → live content swap) rejects `.finished` with an
+    // AbortError. allSettled lets the animations that DO finish settle instead
+    // of aborting the whole wait on the first cancel.
     Promise.allSettled(document.getAnimations().map((a) => a.finished)),
   );
 }