Favorites: remove npub resend tracking and nickname-based key migration; rely on Noise key as identity

bitchat/Services/FavoritesPersistenceService.swift

@@ -13,12 +13,16 @@ final class FavoritesPersistenceService: ObservableObject {
         let theyFavoritedUs: Bool
         let favoritedAt: Date
         let lastUpdated: Date
+        // Track what we last sent as OUR npub to this peer, to avoid resending unless it changes
+        // Note: we do not track which npub we last sent to them; sending happens only on favorite toggle
         
         var isMutual: Bool {
             isFavorite && theyFavoritedUs
         }
     }
     
+    // We intentionally do not track when we last sent our npub; sending happens only on favorite toggle.
+
     private static let storageKey = "chat.bitchat.favorites"
     private static let keychainService = "chat.bitchat.favorites"
     

bitchat/Services/MessageRouter.swift

@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ final class MessageRouter {
     }
 
     func sendFavoriteNotification(to peerID: String, isFavorite: Bool) {
+        // Route via mesh when connected; else use Nostr
         if mesh.isPeerConnected(peerID) {
             mesh.sendFavoriteNotification(to: peerID, isFavorite: isFavorite)
         } else {

bitchat/Services/UnifiedPeerService.swift

@@ -195,27 +195,6 @@ final class UnifiedPeerService: ObservableObject, TransportPeerEventsDelegate {
            let favoriteStatus = favorites[noiseKey] {
             peer.favoriteStatus = favoriteStatus
             peer.nostrPublicKey = favoriteStatus.peerNostrPublicKey
-        } else {
-            // Check by nickname for reconnected peers
-            let favoriteByNickname = favorites.values.first { 
-                $0.peerNickname == peerInfo.nickname 
-            }
-            
-            if let favorite = favoriteByNickname,
-               let noiseKey = peerInfo.noisePublicKey {
-                SecureLogger.debug("🔄 Found favorite for '\(peerInfo.nickname)' by nickname, updating noise key", category: .session)
-                
-                // Update the favorite's key in persistence
-                favoritesService.updateNoisePublicKey(
-                    from: favorite.peerNoisePublicKey,
-                    to: noiseKey,
-                    peerNickname: peerInfo.nickname
-                )
-                
-                // Get updated favorite
-                peer.favoriteStatus = favoritesService.getFavoriteStatus(for: noiseKey)
-                peer.nostrPublicKey = peer.favoriteStatus?.peerNostrPublicKey ?? favorite.peerNostrPublicKey
-            }
         }
         
         return peer

bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift

@@ -420,6 +420,7 @@ final class ChatViewModel: ObservableObject, BitchatDelegate {
     private var geoSamplingSubs: [String: String] = [:] // subID -> geohash
     private var lastGeoNotificationAt: [String: Date] = [:] // geohash -> last notify time
     
+    
     // MARK: - Message Delivery Tracking
     
     // Delivery tracking
@@ -4599,16 +4600,8 @@ final class ChatViewModel: ObservableObject, BitchatDelegate {
             // Register ephemeral session with identity manager
             SecureIdentityStateManager.shared.registerEphemeralSession(peerID: peerID)
             
-            // Check if we favorite this peer and resend notification on reconnect
+            // Intentionally do not resend favorites on reconnect.
-            // This ensures Nostr key mapping is maintained across reconnections
+            // We only send our npub when a favorite is toggled on, or if our npub changes.
-            if let peer = unifiedPeerService.getPeer(by: peerID),
-               let favoriteStatus = FavoritesPersistenceService.shared.getFavoriteStatus(for: peer.noisePublicKey),
-               favoriteStatus.isFavorite {
-                // Resend favorite notification with our Nostr key after a short delay
-                try? await Task.sleep(nanoseconds: TransportConfig.uiAsyncMediumSleepNs) // 0.5 seconds
-                meshService.sendFavoriteNotification(to: peerID, isFavorite: true)
-                SecureLogger.debug("📤 Resent favorite notification to reconnected peer \(peerID)", category: .session)
-            }
             
             // Force UI refresh
             objectWillChange.send()
@@ -4957,6 +4950,26 @@ final class ChatViewModel: ObservableObject, BitchatDelegate {
         messages.append(systemMessage)
     }
 
+    /// Add a system message to the mesh timeline only (never geohash).
+    /// If mesh is currently active, also append to the visible `messages`.
+    @MainActor
+    private func addMeshOnlySystemMessage(_ content: String) {
+        let systemMessage = BitchatMessage(
+            sender: "system",
+            content: content,
+            timestamp: Date(),
+            isRelay: false
+        )
+        // Persist to mesh timeline
+        meshTimeline.append(systemMessage)
+        trimMeshTimelineIfNeeded()
+        // Only show inline if mesh is the active channel
+        if case .mesh = activeChannel {
+            messages.append(systemMessage)
+        }
+        objectWillChange.send()
+    }
+
     /// Public helper to add a system message to the public chat timeline.
     /// Also persists the message into the active channel's backing store so it survives timeline rebinds.
     @MainActor
@@ -5384,23 +5397,27 @@ final class ChatViewModel: ObservableObject, BitchatDelegate {
             SecureLogger.warning("⚠️ Cannot get Noise key for peer \(peerID)", category: .session)
             return
         }
-        
+        // Determine prior state to avoid duplicate system messages on repeated notifications
-        // Update the favorite relationship
+        let prior = FavoritesPersistenceService.shared.getFavoriteStatus(for: finalNoiseKey)?.theyFavoritedUs ?? false
+
+        // Update the favorite relationship (idempotent storage)
         FavoritesPersistenceService.shared.updatePeerFavoritedUs(
             peerNoisePublicKey: finalNoiseKey,
             favorited: isFavorite,
             peerNickname: senderNickname,
             peerNostrPublicKey: nostrPubkey
         )
-        
+
-        // If they favorited us and provided their Nostr key, ensure it's stored
+        // If they favorited us and provided their Nostr key, ensure it's stored (log only)
         if isFavorite && nostrPubkey != nil {
             SecureLogger.info("💾 Storing Nostr key association for \(senderNickname): \(nostrPubkey!.prefix(16))...", category: .session)
         }
-        
+
-        // Show system message
+        // Only show a system message when the state changes, and only in mesh
-        let action = isFavorite ? "favorited" : "unfavorited"
+        if prior != isFavorite {
-        addSystemMessage("\(senderNickname) \(action) you")
+            let action = isFavorite ? "favorited" : "unfavorited"
+            addMeshOnlySystemMessage("\(senderNickname) \(action) you")
+        }
     }
     
     @MainActor