bifrost/CLAUDE.md

Bifrost Fediverse Client - Development Plan

Development Workflow

• Check for any changes in git project before doing anything else. Make sure the latest changes have been pulled
• See what has changed, use git commands and examine the code to make sure you are up to date with the latest code

Development Notes

• When testing bifrost use DISPLAY=:0 so that it will start successfully.

Logging System

• Bifrost uses a centralized logging system configured in bifrost.py
• NEVER use print() statements for debugging - always use the logging system
• To enable debug logging, run bifrost with the -d flag:
  • DISPLAY=:0 python bifrost.py -d for console debug output
  • DISPLAY=:0 python bifrost.py -d bifrost.log for debug to file
• Use proper logger instances: logger = logging.getLogger('bifrost.module_name')
• Default logging levels: DEBUG, INFO, WARNING, ERROR
• Without -d flag, only WARNING and ERROR messages are shown

Architecture Notes

• Poll handling: For boosted/reblogged posts, poll data is in post.reblog.poll, not post.poll
• Post model: The Post class handles both regular posts and boosts via the reblog attribute
• Data access patterns: Always check for reblogged content when accessing post properties like polls, media, etc.
• API data structures: Poll options may come as objects with direct properties (e.g., option.title) rather than dictionaries requiring .get('title')

Common Pitfalls

• Don't assume poll data is in the main post object for boosts - check post.reblog.poll
• Don't use dict-style access for API objects without checking if they're actually dictionaries
• Always use the logging system for debugging instead of print statements
• When adding debug logging, make sure to test with -d flag to see the output# Bifrost Fediverse Client - Development Plan

Project Overview

Bifrost is a fully accessible fediverse client built with PySide6, designed specifically for screen reader users. The application uses "post/posts" terminology instead of "toot" and focuses on excellent keyboard navigation and audio feedback.

Development Workflow

• Check for any changes in git project before doing anything else. Make sure the latest changes have been pulled
• See what has changed, use git commands and examine the code to make sure you are up to date with the latest code

Duplicate Code Prevention Guidelines

Critical Areas Requiring Attention

1. Sound/Audio Events: Never add multiple paths that trigger the same sound event
2. UI Event Handlers: Avoid circular event chains (A triggers B which triggers A)
3. Timeline Operations: Coordinate refresh calls and state changes to prevent conflicts
4. Lifecycle Events: Ensure shutdown, close, and quit events don't overlap
5. Design: Ensure single point of truth is used as much as possible through out the code. This means functionality should not be duplicated across files.

Required Patterns for Event-Heavy Operations

Event Coordination Pattern

def operation_method(self):
    if hasattr(self, '_operation_in_progress') and self._operation_in_progress:
        return
    self._operation_in_progress = True
    try:
        # perform operation
        self.sound_manager.play_success()
    finally:
        # Reset flag after brief delay to prevent rapid-fire calls
        QTimer.singleShot(100, lambda: setattr(self, '_operation_in_progress', False))

Event Source Tracking Pattern

def ui_triggered_method(self, index, from_source="unknown"):
    # Handle differently based on source: "tab_change", "keyboard", "menu"
    if from_source == "tab_change":
        # Skip certain UI updates to prevent circular calls
        pass

Lifecycle Event Coordination Pattern

def quit_application(self):
    self._shutdown_handled = True  # Mark that shutdown is being handled
    self.sound_manager.play_shutdown()
    
def closeEvent(self, event):
    # Only handle if not already handled by explicit quit
    if not hasattr(self, '_shutdown_handled'):
        self.sound_manager.play_shutdown()

Development Review Checklist

Before implementing any sound, notification, or UI event:

1. Is there already another code path that triggers this same feedback?
2. Could this create an event loop (A calls B which calls A)?
3. Can rapid user actions (keyboard shortcuts) trigger this multiple times?
4. Does this operation need coordination with other similar operations?
5. Are there multiple UI elements (menu + button + shortcut) that trigger this?

Common Patterns to Avoid

• Multiple event handlers calling the same sound method
• UI updates that trigger their own event handlers
• Shutdown/close/quit events without coordination
• Timeline refresh without checking if already refreshing
• Direct sound calls in multiple places for the same user action

Testing Requirements

When adding event-driven features, always test:

• Rapid keyboard shortcut usage
• Multiple quick UI interactions
• Combinations of keyboard shortcuts + UI clicks
• Window closing during operations
• Tab switching with keyboard vs mouse

Professional Logging System

Bifrost includes a comprehensive logging system essential for AI-only development. All debugging should use proper logging instead of print statements.

Logging Standards

Command-line Debug Flags:

• python bifrost.py -d - Debug output to console
• python bifrost.py -d filename - Debug output to file
• python bifrost.py - Production mode (warnings/errors only)

Log Format: message - severity - timestamp

Timeline refresh requested: auto_refresh - DEBUG - 2025-07-22 23:17:33
New content detected: newest post changed from abc123 to def456 - INFO - 2025-07-22 23:17:34

Logger Setup Pattern

Every class should have a logger in __init__():

import logging

class MyClass:
    def __init__(self):
        self.logger = logging.getLogger('bifrost.module_name')

Logging Guidelines

What to Log at Each Level:

• DEBUG: Method calls, state changes, timing information, execution flow
• INFO: Important events (new content detected, sounds played, operations completed)
• WARNING: Recoverable issues (fallbacks, missing optional features, server incompatibilities)
• ERROR: Serious problems (network failures, invalid data, system errors)
• CRITICAL: Fatal issues that prevent operation

Required Logging Areas:

1. Auto-refresh System: Timing, triggers, new content detection
2. Sound Events: Which sounds played, when, and why
3. Network Operations: API calls, streaming connections, failures
4. User Actions: Post composition, timeline navigation, settings changes
5. Error Conditions: All exceptions, fallbacks, and recovery attempts

Logging Patterns:

# Method entry/exit for complex operations
self.logger.debug("method_name() called")
self.logger.debug("method_name() completed successfully")

# State changes
self.logger.info(f"Timeline switched from {old} to {new}")

# New content detection
self.logger.info(f"New content detected: {count} new posts")

# Sound events
self.logger.info(f"Playing {sound_type} sound for {reason}")

# Error handling with context
self.logger.error(f"Failed to {operation}: {error}")

Never Use Print Statements:

• All output should go through the logging system
• Print statements interfere with proper log formatting
• Use appropriate log levels instead of printing debug info

AI Development Benefits

This logging system is crucial for AI-only development because:

• Provides complete visibility into application behavior
• Enables systematic debugging without human intervention
• Shows exact timing and causation of events
• Facilitates troubleshooting of complex interactions
• Maintains clean separation between debug and production modes

Documentation and Dependencies

• README Updates: When adding new functionality or sound events, update README.md with detailed descriptions
• Requirements Management: Check and update requirements.txt when new dependencies are added
• Sound Pack Documentation: Document new sound events in both CLAUDE.md and user-facing documentation
• Version Tracking: Update version numbers and changelog when significant features are added

Core Features

• Full ActivityPub protocol support (Pleroma and GoToSocial primary targets)
• Threaded conversation navigation with collapsible tree view
• Comprehensive soundpack management system with secure repository support
• Smart autocomplete for mentions (@user@instance.com) and emojis (5,000+ Unicode)
• Auto-refresh with intelligent activity-based timing
• Screen reader optimized interface with Orca compatibility fixes
• XDG Base Directory specification compliance

Technology Stack

• PySide6: Main GUI framework (proven accessibility with existing doom launcher)
• requests: HTTP client for ActivityPub APIs
• simpleaudio: Cross-platform audio with subprocess fallback
• emoji: Comprehensive Unicode emoji library (5,000+ emojis with keyword search)
• plyer: Cross-platform desktop notifications
• XDG directories: Configuration and data storage

Architecture

Directory Structure

bifrost/
├── bifrost/
│   ├── __init__.py
│   ├── main.py                 # Application entry point
│   ├── accessibility/          # Accessibility widgets and helpers
│   │   ├── __init__.py
│   │   ├── accessible_tree.py  # AccessibleTreeWidget for conversations
│   │   └── accessible_combo.py # Enhanced ComboBox from doom launcher
│   ├── activitypub/            # Federation protocol handling
│   │   ├── __init__.py
│   │   ├── client.py           # Main ActivityPub client
│   │   ├── pleroma.py          # Pleroma-specific implementation
│   │   └── gotosocial.py       # GoToSocial-specific implementation
│   ├── models/                 # Data models
│   │   ├── __init__.py
│   │   ├── post.py             # Post data structure
│   │   ├── user.py             # User profiles
│   │   ├── timeline.py         # Timeline model for QTreeView
│   │   └── thread.py           # Conversation threading
│   ├── widgets/                # Custom UI components
│   │   ├── __init__.py
│   │   ├── timeline_view.py    # Main timeline widget with auto-refresh
│   │   ├── compose_dialog.py   # Post composition with smart autocomplete
│   │   ├── autocomplete_textedit.py # Mention and emoji autocomplete system
│   │   ├── settings_dialog.py  # Application settings
│   │   ├── soundpack_manager_dialog.py # Soundpack repository management
│   │   ├── profile_dialog.py   # User profile viewer with social actions
│   │   ├── post_details_dialog.py # Post interaction details (favorites, boosts)
│   │   ├── media_upload_widget.py # Media attachment system with alt text
│   │   ├── custom_emoji_manager.py # Instance-specific emoji caching
│   │   └── login_dialog.py     # Instance login
│   ├── audio/                  # Sound system
│   │   ├── __init__.py
│   │   ├── sound_manager.py    # Audio notification handler
│   │   └── soundpack_manager.py # Secure soundpack installation system
│   │   └── sound_pack.py       # Sound pack management
│   └── config/                 # Configuration management
│       ├── __init__.py
│       ├── settings.py         # Settings handler with XDG compliance
│       └── accounts.py         # Account management
├── sounds/                     # Sound packs directory
│   ├── default/
│   │   ├── pack.json
│   │   ├── private_message.wav
│   │   ├── mention.wav
│   │   ├── boost.wav
│   │   ├── reply.wav
│   │   ├── post_sent.wav
│   │   ├── timeline_update.wav
│   │   └── notification.wav
│   └── doom/                   # Example themed sound pack
│       ├── pack.json
│       └── *.wav files
├── tests/
│   ├── __init__.py
│   ├── test_accessibility.py
│   ├── test_activitypub.py
│   └── test_audio.py
├── requirements.txt
├── setup.py
└── README.md

XDG Directory Usage

• Config: ~/.config/bifrost/ - Settings, accounts, current sound pack
• Data: ~/.local/share/bifrost/ - Sound packs, cached data
• Cache: ~/.cache/bifrost/ - Temporary files, avatar cache

Accessibility Implementation

From Doom Launcher Success

• AccessibleComboBox: Enhanced keyboard navigation (Page Up/Down, Home/End)
• Proper Accessible Names: All widgets get descriptive setAccessibleName()
• Focus Management: Clear tab order and focus indicators
• No Custom Speech: Screen reader handles all announcements

Threaded Conversation Navigation

Navigation Pattern:

Timeline Item: "Alice posted: Hello world (3 replies, collapsed)"
[Right Arrow] → "Alice posted: Hello world (3 replies, expanded)"
[Down Arrow] → "    Bob replied: Hi there"
[Down Arrow] → "    Carol replied: How's it going?"
[Down Arrow] → "David posted: Another topic"

Key Behaviors:

• Right Arrow: Expand thread, announce "expanded" / Move to first child when expanded
• Left Arrow: Collapse thread, announce "collapsed" / Move to parent
• Shift+Left Arrow: Navigate to thread root from any reply
• Down Arrow: Next item (skip collapsed children)
• Up Arrow: Previous item
• Page Down/Up: Jump 5 items
• Home/End: First/last item

Known Qt Tree Widget Display Quirk

Due to Qt's visual display synchronization, thread collapse may require double-operation:

• Navigation logic works correctly after first collapse (skips collapsed items)
• Visual display may need expand→collapse cycle to fully sync
• Workaround: Navigate to root with Shift+Left, then Left→Right→Left if needed

AccessibleTreeWidget Requirements

• Inherit from QTreeWidget
• Override keyPressEvent for custom navigation
• Proper accessibility roles and states
• Focus management for nested items
• Status announcements via Qt accessibility

Sound System Design

Sound Events

• startup: Application started
• shutdown: Application closing
• private_message: Direct message received
• mention: User mentioned in post
• boost: Post boosted/reblogged
• reply: Reply to user's post
• post_sent: User successfully posted
• timeline_update: New posts in timeline
• notification: General notification
• expand: Thread expanded
• collapse: Thread collapsed
• success: General success feedback
• error: Error occurred
• autocomplete: Autocomplete suggestions available
• autocomplete_end: Autocomplete interaction ended

Sound System Policy

• No Sound Generation: The application should never generate sounds programmatically
• Sound Pack Reliance: All audio feedback must come from sound pack files
• Default Pack Requirement: A complete default sound pack must ship with the project
• Themed Packs: Users can install additional themed sound packs (like Doom)
• If someone requests sound generation, gently remind them that all sounds should be covered by sound packs

Sound Pack Structure

pack.json Format:

{
  "name": "Pack Display Name",
  "description": "Pack description",
  "author": "Creator name",
  "version": "1.0",
  "sounds": {
    "private_message": "filename.wav",
    "mention": "filename.wav",
    "boost": "filename.wav",
    "reply": "filename.wav",
    "post_sent": "filename.wav",
    "timeline_update": "filename.wav",
    "notification": "filename.wav"
  }
}

SoundManager Features

• simpleaudio for cross-platform WAV playback with volume control
• Subprocess fallback (sox/play on Linux, afplay on macOS, PowerShell on Windows)
• Fallback to default pack if sound missing
• Single volume control for all sound pack audio
• "None" sound pack option to disable all sounds
• Pack discovery and validation
• Smart threading (direct calls for simpleaudio, threaded for subprocess)

ActivityPub Implementation

Core Client Features

• Timeline Streaming: Real-time updates via WebSocket/polling
• Post Composition: Text, media attachments, visibility settings
• Thread Resolution: Fetch complete conversation trees
• User Profiles: Following, followers, profile viewing
• Notifications: Mentions, boosts, follows, favorites

Server Compatibility

Primary Targets:

• Pleroma: Full feature support
• GoToSocial: Full feature support

Extended Support:

• Mastodon: Best effort compatibility
• Other ActivityPub servers: Basic functionality

API Endpoints Usage

• /api/v1/timelines/home - Home timeline
• /api/v1/statuses - Post creation
• /api/v1/statuses/:id/context - Thread fetching
• /api/v1/streaming - Real-time updates
• /api/v1/notifications - Notification management

User Interface Design

Main Window Layout

[Menu Bar]
[Instance/Account Selector]
[Timeline Tree View - Main Focus]
[Compose Box]
[Status Bar]

Key UI Components

• Timeline View: AccessibleTreeWidget showing posts and threads with pagination
• Timeline Tabs: Home, Mentions, Local, Federated timeline switching
• Compose Dialog: Modal for creating posts with accessibility
• Settings Dialog: Sound pack, desktop notifications, accessibility options
• Login Dialog: Instance selection and authentication
• URL Selection Dialog: Choose from multiple URLs in posts
• Context Menu: Copy, URL opening, reply, boost, favorite actions

Keyboard Shortcuts

• Ctrl+N: New post
• Ctrl+R: Reply to selected post
• Ctrl+B: Boost selected post
• Ctrl+F: Favorite selected post
• Ctrl+C: Copy selected post to clipboard
• Ctrl+U: Open URLs from selected post in browser
• F5: Refresh timeline
• Ctrl+,: Settings
• Escape: Close dialogs

Development Phases

Phase 1: Foundation

1. Project structure setup
2. XDG configuration system
3. Basic PySide6 window with accessibility
4. AccessibleTreeWidget implementation
5. Sound system foundation

Phase 2: ActivityPub Core

1. Basic HTTP client
2. Authentication (OAuth2)
3. Timeline fetching and display
4. Post composition and sending
5. Basic thread display

Phase 3: Advanced Features

1. Thread expansion/collapse
2. Real-time updates
3. Notifications system
4. Sound pack system
5. Settings interface

Phase 4: Polish

1. Comprehensive accessibility testing
2. Screen reader testing (Orca, NVDA, JAWS)
3. Performance optimization
4. Error handling
5. Documentation

Testing Strategy

Accessibility Testing

• Automated testing with screen reader APIs
• Manual testing with Orca, NVDA (via Wine)
• Keyboard-only navigation testing
• Focus management verification

Functional Testing

• ActivityPub protocol compliance
• Thread navigation accuracy
• Sound system reliability
• Configuration persistence

Test Instances

• Pleroma test server
• GoToSocial test server
• Mock ActivityPub server for edge cases

Configuration Management

Settings Structure

[general]
instance_url = https://example.social
username = user
timeline_refresh_interval = 60
auto_refresh_enabled = true

[audio]
sound_pack = default
volume = 100

[notifications]
enabled = true
direct_messages = true
mentions = true
boosts = false
favorites = false
follows = true

[timeline]
posts_per_page = 40

[accessibility]
announce_thread_state = true
auto_expand_mentions = false
keyboard_navigation_wrap = true
page_step_size = 5
verbose_announcements = true

Account Storage

• Secure credential storage
• Multiple account support
• Instance-specific settings

Known Challenges and Solutions

ActivityPub Complexity

• Challenge: Different server implementations vary
• Solution: Modular client design with server-specific adapters

Screen Reader Performance

• Challenge: Large timelines may impact performance
• Solution: Virtual scrolling, lazy loading, efficient tree models

Thread Visualization

• Challenge: Complex thread structures hard to navigate
• Solution: Clear indentation, status announcements, skip collapsed

Sound Customization

• Challenge: Users want different audio feedback
• Solution: Comprehensive sound pack system with easy installation

Recently Implemented Features

Completed Features

• Direct Message Interface: ✅ Dedicated Messages tab with conversation threading
• Bookmarks Tab: ✅ Timeline tab for viewing saved/bookmarked posts
• Poll Support: ✅ Create and vote on polls with accessible interface
• Poll Creation: ✅ Add poll options to compose dialog with expiration times
• Poll Voting: ✅ Accessible poll interaction with keyboard navigation
• User Profile Viewer: ✅ Comprehensive profile dialog with bio, fields, recent posts
• Social Actions: ✅ Follow/unfollow, block/unblock, mute/unmute from profile viewer

Remaining High Priority Features

• User Blocking Management: Block/unblock users with dedicated management interface
• User Muting Management: Mute/unmute users with management interface
• Blocked Users Management: Tab/dialog to view and manage blocked users

Implementation Status

• Timeline tabs completed: Home, Messages, Mentions, Local, Federated, Bookmarks, Followers, Following
• Profile viewer includes all social actions (follow, block, mute) with API integration
• Poll accessibility fully implemented with screen reader announcements
• DM interface shows conversation threads with proper threading

Future Enhancements

Advanced Features

• Custom timeline filters
• Multiple column support
• List management
• Advanced search

Accessibility Extensions

• Braille display optimization
• Voice control integration
• High contrast themes
• Font size scaling

Federation Features

• Cross-instance thread following
• Server switching
• Federation status monitoring
• Custom emoji support

Dependencies

Core Requirements

PySide6>=6.0.0
requests>=2.25.0
simpleaudio>=1.0.4
plyer>=2.1.0
emoji>=2.0.0

Optional Dependencies

pytest (testing)
coverage (test coverage)
black (code formatting)
mypy (type checking)

Installation and Distribution

Development Setup

git clone <repository>
cd bifrost
pip install -r requirements.txt
# Run with proper display
DISPLAY=:0 ./bifrost.py
# Or
python bifrost.py

Packaging

• Python wheel distribution
• AppImage for Linux
• Consideration for distro packages

Accessibility Compliance

Standards Adherence

• WCAG 2.1 AA compliance
• Qt Accessibility framework usage
• AT-SPI2 protocol support (Linux)
• Platform accessibility APIs

Screen Reader Testing Matrix

• Orca (Linux): Primary target
• NVDA (Windows via Wine): Secondary
• JAWS (Windows via Wine): Basic compatibility
• VoiceOver (macOS): Future consideration

Critical Accessibility Rules

Text Truncation Is Forbidden

NEVER TRUNCATE TEXT: Bifrost is an accessibility-first client. Text truncation (using "..." or limiting character counts) is strictly forbidden as it prevents screen reader users from accessing complete information. Always display full content, descriptions, usernames, profiles, and any other text in its entirety.

Examples of forbidden practices:

• content[:100] + "..."
• Character limits on display text
• Shortened usernames or descriptions
• Abbreviated profile information

Screen Reader Accessibility Guidelines

Widget Choice and Layout

DO:

• Use QTextEdit (read-only) for all text content that needs to be accessible
• Use QListWidget with fake header items for navigable lists
• Set proper setAccessibleName() on all interactive widgets
• Enable keyboard navigation with Qt.TextSelectableByKeyboard

DON'T:

• Use QLabel for important information - screen readers often skip labels
• Use disabled QCheckBox or QRadioButton widgets - they get skipped
• Create single-item lists without fake headers - they're hard to navigate

Accessible List Pattern

For any list that users need to navigate (polls, favorites, boosts):

list_widget = QListWidget()
list_widget.setAccessibleName("Descriptive List Name")

# Add fake header for single-item navigation
fake_header = QListWidgetItem("List title:")
fake_header.setFlags(Qt.ItemIsEnabled)  # Not selectable
list_widget.addItem(fake_header)

# Add actual items
for item in items:
    list_item = QListWidgetItem(item_text)
    list_item.setData(Qt.UserRole, item_data)
    list_widget.addItem(list_item)

Context Menu Accessibility

Required keyboard shortcuts for context menus:

• Applications key (Qt.Key_Menu)
• Shift+F10 (Qt.Key_F10 with Qt.ShiftModifier)

Both must trigger: self.customContextMenuRequested.emit(center)

Interactive vs Display Content

For expired/completed interactive elements (polls, forms):

• Replace disabled controls with accessible display lists
• Show results using the accessible list pattern
• Never leave users with disabled widgets they can't interact with

For live interactive elements:

• Use standard Qt controls (QCheckBox, QRadioButton, QPushButton)
• Ensure all controls have meaningful setAccessibleName()
• Provide clear feedback for actions

Information Display Priority

All important information must be in accessible widgets:

1. Primary location: QTextEdit (read-only, keyboard selectable)
2. Secondary location: QListWidget items
3. Never primary: QLabel widgets (often skipped)

Example of accessible content display:

content_text = QTextEdit()
content_text.setAccessibleName("Full Post Details")
content_text.setPlainText(f"Author: @{username}\n\nContent:\n{post_content}\n\nMetadata:\n{details}")
content_text.setReadOnly(True)
content_text.setTextInteractionFlags(Qt.TextSelectableByKeyboard | Qt.TextSelectableByMouse)

Dialog and Tab Design

Avoid content duplication:

• Don't show the same information in multiple places
• Use tabs to organize different types of information
• Keep essential stats/counts at the top level
• Put detailed content in dedicated tabs

Tab organization example:

• Statistics: Brief counts at dialog top
• Poll tab: Interactive voting or accessible results list
• Content tab: Full post details in accessible text widget
• Interaction tabs: Who favorited/boosted in accessible lists

This document serves as the comprehensive development guide for Bifrost, ensuring all accessibility, functionality, and architectural decisions are preserved and can be referenced throughout development.