fix: only force-reconnect on tab visibility change, not on activity gaps

The 60s stale threshold was triggering during normal use (reading, thinking)
causing constant reconnects and presence join/leave toast spam. Now force-
reconnect only happens when the tab was hidden for 3+ minutes and becomes
visible again. Regular activity (mouse/keyboard) only resets the inactivity
timer without ever forcing a reconnect.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

src/app/editor/[projectId]/FlowchartEditor.tsx

@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ import type { FlowchartData, FlowchartNode, FlowchartEdge, Character, Variable,
 // LocalStorage key prefix for draft saves
 const DRAFT_KEY_PREFIX = 'vnwrite-draft-'
 
-// Debounce delay in ms
+// Debounce delay for LocalStorage draft saves
-const AUTOSAVE_DEBOUNCE_MS = 1000
+const AUTOSAVE_DEBOUNCE_MS = 5000
 
 type ContextMenuState = {
   x: number
@@ -566,6 +566,11 @@ function FlowchartEditorInner({ projectId, projectName, userId, userDisplayName,
       },
       onPersist: async (persistNodes: FlowchartNode[], persistEdges: FlowchartEdge[]) => {
         try {
+          // Auto-persist saves the current state for durability. We do NOT
+          // broadcast state-refresh here because CRDT already syncs nodes/edges
+          // via yjs-update broadcasts. Broadcasting here causes ping-pong:
+          // other clients fetch from DB, overwrite their local variables/characters,
+          // then their persist writes stale data back, causing a loop.
           await supabase
             .from('projects')
             .update({
@@ -577,8 +582,6 @@ function FlowchartEditorInner({ projectId, projectName, userId, userDisplayName,
               },
             })
             .eq('id', projectId)
-          // Notify other clients to refresh after successful auto-persist
-          realtimeRef.current?.broadcastStateRefresh()
         } catch {
           // Persistence failure is non-critical; will retry on next change
         }
@@ -602,6 +605,8 @@ function FlowchartEditorInner({ projectId, projectName, userId, userDisplayName,
           ...prev,
           { id: nanoid(), displayName: user.displayName, type: 'join', color: getUserColor(user.userId) },
         ])
+        // Send full CRDT state so the joining client gets caught up
+        crdtManager.broadcastFullState()
       },
       onPresenceLeave: (user) => {
         setCollaborationNotifications((prev) => [
@@ -682,6 +687,38 @@ function FlowchartEditorInner({ projectId, projectName, userId, userDisplayName,
   // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
   }, [projectId, userId, userDisplayName])
 
+  // Manage connection lifecycle based on visibility and user activity
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const handleVisibilityChange = () => {
+      if (!document.hidden) {
+        realtimeRef.current?.notifyVisibilityResumed()
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Throttle activity notifications to avoid excessive calls
+    let activityThrottled = false
+    const throttledActivity = () => {
+      if (activityThrottled) return
+      activityThrottled = true
+      realtimeRef.current?.notifyActivity()
+      setTimeout(() => { activityThrottled = false }, 10_000)
+    }
+
+    document.addEventListener('visibilitychange', handleVisibilityChange)
+    document.addEventListener('mousedown', throttledActivity)
+    document.addEventListener('keydown', throttledActivity)
+    document.addEventListener('scroll', throttledActivity, true)
+    document.addEventListener('mousemove', throttledActivity)
+
+    return () => {
+      document.removeEventListener('visibilitychange', handleVisibilityChange)
+      document.removeEventListener('mousedown', throttledActivity)
+      document.removeEventListener('keydown', throttledActivity)
+      document.removeEventListener('scroll', throttledActivity, true)
+      document.removeEventListener('mousemove', throttledActivity)
+    }
+  }, [])
+
   // Sync local React Flow state changes to CRDT (skip remote-originated updates)
   const nodesForCRDT = useMemo(() => {
     return nodes.map((node) => ({

src/lib/collaboration/crdt.ts

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import * as Y from 'yjs'
 import type { RealtimeChannel } from '@supabase/supabase-js'
 import type { FlowchartNode, FlowchartEdge } from '@/types/flowchart'
 
-const PERSIST_DEBOUNCE_MS = 2000
+const PERSIST_DEBOUNCE_MS = 30_000 // 30s - DB persist is for crash recovery only; CRDT handles real-time sync
 const BROADCAST_EVENT = 'yjs-update'
 
 export type CRDTCallbacks = {
@@ -63,6 +63,19 @@ export class CRDTManager {
   /** Connect to a Supabase Realtime channel for outbound broadcasts */
   connectChannel(channel: RealtimeChannel): void {
     this.channel = channel
+    // Broadcast full state so other clients merge any updates they missed
+    this.broadcastFullState()
+  }
+
+  /** Broadcast the full Yjs document state to sync all connected clients */
+  broadcastFullState(): void {
+    if (!this.channel || this.isDestroyed) return
+    const state = Y.encodeStateAsUpdate(this.doc)
+    this.channel.send({
+      type: 'broadcast',
+      event: BROADCAST_EVENT,
+      payload: { update: Array.from(state) },
+    })
   }
 
   /** Apply a remote CRDT update received via broadcast */

src/lib/collaboration/realtime.ts

@@ -42,17 +42,24 @@ type RealtimeCallbacks = {
 const HEARTBEAT_INTERVAL_MS = 30_000
 const RECONNECT_BASE_DELAY_MS = 1000
 const RECONNECT_MAX_DELAY_MS = 30_000
+const INACTIVITY_TIMEOUT_MS = 5 * 60_000 // 5 minutes of inactivity before pausing
+const CONNECTION_TIMEOUT_MS = 15_000 // 15s timeout for initial connection
+const STALE_THRESHOLD_MS = 3 * 60_000 // 3 minutes hidden before forcing fresh reconnect
 
 export class RealtimeConnection {
   private channel: RealtimeChannel | null = null
   private heartbeatTimer: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null = null
   private reconnectTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null
+  private inactivityTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null
+  private connectionTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null
   private reconnectAttempts = 0
   private projectId: string
   private userId: string
   private displayName: string
   private callbacks: RealtimeCallbacks
   private isDestroyed = false
+  private isPaused = false
+  private lastActivityTime = Date.now()
   private supabase = createClient()
 
   constructor(projectId: string, userId: string, displayName: string, callbacks: RealtimeCallbacks) {
@@ -64,7 +71,36 @@ export class RealtimeConnection {
 
   async connect(): Promise<void> {
     if (this.isDestroyed) return
+    this.isPaused = false
+    this.lastActivityTime = Date.now()
     this.callbacks.onConnectionStateChange('connecting')
+    this.resetInactivityTimer()
+    this.clearConnectionTimer()
+
+    // Ensure the Supabase client has a valid auth session before connecting.
+    // On initial page load, the session may still be loading from cookies.
+    try {
+      const { data: { session } } = await this.supabase.auth.getSession()
+      if (!session && !this.isDestroyed) {
+        // No session yet - wait briefly and retry
+        this.scheduleReconnect()
+        return
+      }
+    } catch {
+      // Session check failed - proceed anyway, channel will handle auth errors
+    }
+
+    if (this.isDestroyed || this.isPaused) return
+
+    // Set a timeout: if we don't connect within CONNECTION_TIMEOUT_MS, retry
+    this.connectionTimer = setTimeout(() => {
+      if (this.isDestroyed || this.isPaused) return
+      if (this.channel) {
+        this.supabase.removeChannel(this.channel)
+        this.channel = null
+      }
+      this.scheduleReconnect()
+    }, CONNECTION_TIMEOUT_MS)
 
     this.channel = this.supabase.channel(`project:${this.projectId}`, {
       config: { presence: { key: this.userId } },
@@ -143,6 +179,7 @@ export class RealtimeConnection {
       })
       .subscribe(async (status) => {
         if (this.isDestroyed) return
+        this.clearConnectionTimer()
 
         if (status === 'SUBSCRIBED') {
           this.reconnectAttempts = 0
@@ -162,15 +199,24 @@ export class RealtimeConnection {
           this.callbacks.onConnectionStateChange('reconnecting')
           this.scheduleReconnect()
         } else if (status === 'CLOSED') {
+          if (!this.isPaused) {
+            // Unexpected close - attempt to reconnect
+            this.callbacks.onConnectionStateChange('reconnecting')
+            this.scheduleReconnect()
+          } else {
             this.callbacks.onConnectionStateChange('disconnected')
           }
+        }
       })
   }
 
   async disconnect(): Promise<void> {
     this.isDestroyed = true
+    this.isPaused = false
     this.stopHeartbeat()
     this.clearReconnectTimer()
+    this.clearInactivityTimer()
+    this.clearConnectionTimer()
 
     if (this.channel) {
       await this.deleteSession()
@@ -181,6 +227,92 @@ export class RealtimeConnection {
     this.callbacks.onConnectionStateChange('disconnected')
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Pause the connection (e.g. on inactivity or tab hidden).
+   * Unlike disconnect(), this allows resuming later.
+   */
+  async pause(): Promise<void> {
+    if (this.isDestroyed || this.isPaused) return
+    this.isPaused = true
+    this.stopHeartbeat()
+    this.clearReconnectTimer()
+    this.clearInactivityTimer()
+    this.clearConnectionTimer()
+
+    if (this.channel) {
+      await this.deleteSession()
+      this.supabase.removeChannel(this.channel)
+      this.channel = null
+    }
+
+    this.callbacks.onConnectionStateChange('disconnected')
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Resume the connection after it was paused.
+   * Re-establishes the channel and presence.
+   */
+  async resume(): Promise<void> {
+    if (this.isDestroyed || !this.isPaused) return
+    this.isPaused = false
+    this.reconnectAttempts = 0
+    await this.connect()
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Notify that user activity has occurred, resetting the inactivity timer.
+   * If the connection was paused due to inactivity, it will resume.
+   */
+  notifyActivity(): void {
+    if (this.isDestroyed) return
+    this.lastActivityTime = Date.now()
+    this.resetInactivityTimer()
+
+    if (this.isPaused) {
+      this.resume()
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Called when the tab becomes visible again. If the tab was hidden for a
+   * significant period, force a fresh reconnect to handle stale WebSockets.
+   */
+  notifyVisibilityResumed(): void {
+    if (this.isDestroyed) return
+    const now = Date.now()
+    const hiddenDuration = now - this.lastActivityTime
+    this.lastActivityTime = now
+    this.resetInactivityTimer()
+
+    if (this.isPaused) {
+      this.resume()
+    } else if (hiddenDuration > STALE_THRESHOLD_MS && this.channel) {
+      this.forceReconnect()
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Force a fresh reconnect by tearing down the current channel and reconnecting.
+   */
+  private async forceReconnect(): Promise<void> {
+    if (this.isDestroyed || this.isPaused) return
+    this.stopHeartbeat()
+    this.clearReconnectTimer()
+    this.clearConnectionTimer()
+
+    if (this.channel) {
+      this.supabase.removeChannel(this.channel)
+      this.channel = null
+    }
+
+    this.reconnectAttempts = 0
+    await this.connect()
+  }
+
+  getIsPaused(): boolean {
+    return this.isPaused
+  }
+
   getChannel(): RealtimeChannel | null {
     return this.channel
   }
@@ -254,19 +386,44 @@ export class RealtimeConnection {
 
   private startHeartbeat(): void {
     this.stopHeartbeat()
+    let consecutiveFailures = 0
     this.heartbeatTimer = setInterval(async () => {
-      if (this.isDestroyed) {
+      if (this.isDestroyed || this.isPaused) {
         this.stopHeartbeat()
         return
       }
+
+      // Check if the channel is still in a healthy state
+      if (this.channel) {
+        const state = (this.channel as unknown as { state?: string }).state
+        if (state && state !== 'joined' && state !== 'joining') {
+          // Channel is in an unhealthy state - trigger reconnect
+          this.callbacks.onConnectionStateChange('reconnecting')
+          this.supabase.removeChannel(this.channel)
+          this.channel = null
+          this.stopHeartbeat()
+          this.scheduleReconnect()
+          return
+        }
+      }
+
       try {
         await this.supabase
           .from('collaboration_sessions')
           .update({ last_heartbeat: new Date().toISOString() })
           .eq('project_id', this.projectId)
           .eq('user_id', this.userId)
+        consecutiveFailures = 0
       } catch {
-        // Heartbeat failure is non-critical
+        consecutiveFailures++
+        // If heartbeat fails 3 times in a row, the connection is likely dead
+        if (consecutiveFailures >= 3 && this.channel) {
+          this.callbacks.onConnectionStateChange('reconnecting')
+          this.supabase.removeChannel(this.channel)
+          this.channel = null
+          this.stopHeartbeat()
+          this.scheduleReconnect()
+        }
       }
     }, HEARTBEAT_INTERVAL_MS)
   }
@@ -307,4 +464,28 @@ export class RealtimeConnection {
       this.reconnectTimer = null
     }
   }
+
+  private resetInactivityTimer(): void {
+    this.clearInactivityTimer()
+    if (this.isDestroyed) return
+    this.inactivityTimer = setTimeout(() => {
+      if (!this.isDestroyed && !this.isPaused) {
+        this.pause()
+      }
+    }, INACTIVITY_TIMEOUT_MS)
+  }
+
+  private clearInactivityTimer(): void {
+    if (this.inactivityTimer) {
+      clearTimeout(this.inactivityTimer)
+      this.inactivityTimer = null
+    }
+  }
+
+  private clearConnectionTimer(): void {
+    if (this.connectionTimer) {
+      clearTimeout(this.connectionTimer)
+      this.connectionTimer = null
+    }
+  }
 }