feat: show who is typing in a chat

.lane/attic/packages/channel/src/channel.ts/01M5J3KZ44GVZ61NBP4E3170JN-typing-is-never-stored-it-re.md

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+id: 01M5J3KZ44GVZ61NBP4E3170JN
+anchor: class Channel
+created: 2026-10-22T15:28:04Z
+norm: '1'
+sig: c905677fa4be33c1
+body_hash: 11e85e18fedef3f8
+raw_hash: 4a0a2a86ff71e00a
+lines: 162-1046
+---
+
+typing is never stored: it reaches only listeners of that chat whose watch asked for typing, so replays and older clients never see it

.lane/memory/apps/app/src/composer.tsx/01M4YQG7BVWEFZPD56A2BA0VE9-mode-ace-mode-channels-id-an.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: function Composer
 created: 2026-10-15T02:50:44Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: 6e0e6c5c8afbd01a
-body_hash: c1bc4d0ff6028d0a
-raw_hash: f2b2dae833097ad7
-vouched: 2026-10-22T15:13:29Z
+body_hash: f1ce2fae59a8c894
+raw_hash: 0815737299df6f4a
+vouched: 2026-10-22T15:28:03Z
 lines: 99-282
 ---
 

.lane/memory/apps/app/src/composer.tsx/01M4ZSEZBJJ3AMEBTR7SH36FW4-models-are-read-only-while-t.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: function Composer
 created: 2026-10-15T12:44:15Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: 6e0e6c5c8afbd01a
-body_hash: c1bc4d0ff6028d0a
-raw_hash: f2b2dae833097ad7
-vouched: 2026-10-22T15:13:29Z
+body_hash: f1ce2fae59a8c894
+raw_hash: 0815737299df6f4a
+vouched: 2026-10-22T15:28:03Z
 lines: 101-290
 ---
 

.lane/memory/apps/app/src/composer.tsx/01M4ZYQVGB6C87WBEV12WPQ8PF-a-withdrawn-message-returns.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: function Composer
 created: 2026-10-15T14:16:28Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: 6e0e6c5c8afbd01a
-body_hash: c1bc4d0ff6028d0a
-raw_hash: f2b2dae833097ad7
-vouched: 2026-10-22T15:13:25Z
+body_hash: f1ce2fae59a8c894
+raw_hash: 0815737299df6f4a
+vouched: 2026-10-22T15:28:03Z
 lines: 104-326
 ---
 

.lane/memory/apps/app/src/transcript.ts/01M4YQRMMB6JT09W33MJMPKSMF-a-re-watch-keeps-showing-the.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: function useTranscript
 created: 2026-10-15T02:55:20Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: 3961cde46070e655
-body_hash: cd0b6429068face3
-raw_hash: 9d8f485b8e977dab
-vouched: 2026-10-16T22:08:16Z
+body_hash: 6eead60056a515f0
+raw_hash: e83ea96acc31564a
+vouched: 2026-10-22T15:28:03Z
 lines: 174-275
 ---
 

.lane/memory/apps/app/src/transcript.ts/01M4YYQEXJX6JQ04TBRZ4DW1X8-a-watch-rejected-with-discon.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: function useTranscript
 created: 2026-10-15T04:57:01Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: 3961cde46070e655
-body_hash: cd0b6429068face3
-raw_hash: 9d8f485b8e977dab
-vouched: 2026-10-16T22:08:16Z
+body_hash: 6eead60056a515f0
+raw_hash: e83ea96acc31564a
+vouched: 2026-10-22T15:28:03Z
 lines: 197-314
 ---
 

.lane/memory/apps/host/src/demo.ts/01M5D4PGYZHXCA8WY1C8ZF4NF7-synthetic-people-stay-in-the.md

@@ -4,8 +4,9 @@ anchor: '@file'
 created: 2026-10-20T17:10:44Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: e3b0c44298fc1c14
-body_hash: fead7ca7cb28760f
-raw_hash: 5b36bffc37f91339
+body_hash: 34d1a59cc18e2a4e
+raw_hash: 154e8bdfc835590a
+vouched: 2026-10-22T15:28:03Z
 lines: 1-187
 ---
 

.lane/memory/apps/host/src/gateway.ts/01M50KBA3ME0Q9274A639MK6KJ-gateway-sockets-must-never-d.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: function websocket
 created: 2026-10-15T20:16:37Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: 1b462e5d3bc33728
-body_hash: 39ee5954e9b924c2
-raw_hash: 0abdf1cfc47ee529
-vouched: 2026-10-22T14:33:27Z
+body_hash: 4e6ce6a0eaa1ee2f
+raw_hash: fd92f6b6617f653e
+vouched: 2026-10-22T15:28:03Z
 lines: 673-737
 ---
 

.lane/memory/apps/host/src/gateway.ts/01M5D4BXMERGZ1EZ3EYAFM3YC4-worker-requests-worker-never.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: '@file'
 created: 2026-10-20T17:04:56Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: 1acdc0f6a0895ac5
-body_hash: 2c286a27ab7e9d25
-raw_hash: 0da8b2103ee9b539
-vouched: 2026-10-22T15:20:51Z
+body_hash: d40ee870a4451138
+raw_hash: 07401839125f7e0e
+vouched: 2026-10-22T15:28:03Z
 lines: 1-1153
 ---
 

.lane/memory/apps/host/src/gateway.ts/01M5HYM54QCSF4ESXJSWZK588G-every-project-op-that-change.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: '@file'
 created: 2026-10-22T14:00:47Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: 1acdc0f6a0895ac5
-body_hash: 2c286a27ab7e9d25
-raw_hash: 0da8b2103ee9b539
-vouched: 2026-10-22T15:20:51Z
+body_hash: d40ee870a4451138
+raw_hash: 07401839125f7e0e
+vouched: 2026-10-22T15:28:03Z
 lines: 1-1309
 ---
 

.lane/memory/packages/channel/src/channel.ts/01M4XQKND0900E94CG3BXBEJP7-a-run-s-end-is-read-from-the.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: class Channel
 created: 2026-10-14T17:33:22Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: c905677fa4be33c1
-body_hash: 3278b21f03ff7630
-raw_hash: 3e66d7913dbb2b75
-vouched: 2026-10-22T15:24:38Z
+body_hash: 97ca0ac50b13c167
+raw_hash: 4b1f599e8b95d697
+vouched: 2026-10-22T15:29:33Z
 lines: 114-792
 ---
 

.lane/memory/packages/channel/src/channel.ts/01M4YFFTK7TWGKENJAD1W10HJJ-the-desktop-default-changes.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: class Channel
 created: 2026-10-15T00:30:42Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: c905677fa4be33c1
-body_hash: 3278b21f03ff7630
-raw_hash: 3e66d7913dbb2b75
-vouched: 2026-10-22T15:24:38Z
+body_hash: 97ca0ac50b13c167
+raw_hash: 4b1f599e8b95d697
+vouched: 2026-10-22T15:29:33Z
 lines: 114-792
 ---
 

.lane/memory/packages/channel/src/channel.ts/01M4YPJQB6KKEW1YTRD08YCYJY-only-gateways-admit-clients.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: class Channel
 created: 2026-10-15T02:34:37Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: c905677fa4be33c1
-body_hash: 3278b21f03ff7630
-raw_hash: 3e66d7913dbb2b75
-vouched: 2026-10-22T15:24:38Z
+body_hash: 97ca0ac50b13c167
+raw_hash: 4b1f599e8b95d697
+vouched: 2026-10-22T15:29:33Z
 lines: 114-794
 ---
 

.lane/memory/packages/channel/src/channel.ts/01M4ZH31DXZK0Y57C97DP84ZKX-handoffs-learns-queued-hando.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: class Channel
 created: 2026-10-15T10:17:55Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: c905677fa4be33c1
-body_hash: 3278b21f03ff7630
-raw_hash: 3e66d7913dbb2b75
-vouched: 2026-10-22T15:24:38Z
+body_hash: 97ca0ac50b13c167
+raw_hash: 4b1f599e8b95d697
+vouched: 2026-10-22T15:29:33Z
 lines: 121-817
 ---
 

.lane/memory/packages/channel/src/channel.ts/01M53CAGW2RVRKCYF5BCJRTZX2-a-fork-s-starting-lane-is-re.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: class Channel
 created: 2026-10-16T22:11:35Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: c905677fa4be33c1
-body_hash: 3278b21f03ff7630
-raw_hash: 3e66d7913dbb2b75
-vouched: 2026-10-22T15:24:39Z
+body_hash: 97ca0ac50b13c167
+raw_hash: 4b1f599e8b95d697
+vouched: 2026-10-22T15:29:33Z
 lines: 127-873
 ---
 

apps/app/src/composer.tsx

@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ export function Composer(
 ) {
 	const composer = useRef<ChatComposerHandle>(null);
 	const sending = useRef(false);
+	const typed = useRef(0);
 	const [pending, setPending] = useState(false);
 	const [attached, setAttached] = useState<Attachment[]>([]);
 	// Kept beside the channel's draft so a deliberate mode and an unsent model pick survive relaunch.
@@ -334,6 +335,12 @@ export function Composer(
 				busy={busy}
 				submitBusy={pending}
 				submitLabel={waiting}
+				onTypingChange={(value) => {
+					// Watchers drop a typist after 5 s without a signal, so one every 3 s keeps them shown.
+					if (!value || !ready || Date.now() - typed.current < 3000) return;
+					typed.current = Date.now();
+					host.channel(channel.id, { op: "typing", chat: id, author: user }).catch(() => {});
+				}}
 				canStop={busy && !blocked}
 				onStop={() => void host.channel(channel.id, { op: "stop", chat: id, author: user })}
 				canSend={ready && status === "open" && !pending}

apps/app/src/conversation.tsx

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { useEffect, useMemo, useState, useSyncExternalStore } from "react";
 
-import { Button, Timeline, toast } from "@ace/ui";
+import { Button, ChatStatus, Timeline, toast } from "@ace/ui";
 import { channelProject, type Listing } from "@ace/host/protocol";
 
 import { Checks } from "./checks";
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import { OfflineHost, useRoster } from "./onboarding";
 import { present } from "./presence";
 import { pendingQuestion, Question } from "./question";
 import { sources, toEvents } from "./timeline";
-import { useTranscript } from "./transcript";
+import { useTranscript, useTyping } from "./transcript";
 import { Usage } from "./usage";
 
 const stopped = (who: string) => `${who} isn't responding. The chat continues when it answers.`;
@@ -176,6 +176,8 @@ export function Conversation(
 			.filter((name) => name !== self && name !== "ace" && !name.includes("@"))
 			.map((name) => ({ name, avatar: avatars[name] }));
 	}, [people, user, presence, channel, transcript.items, roster, avatars]);
+	const typing = useTyping(transcript.typing).filter((author) => author !== user)
+		.map((author) => people[author] || author);
 	const results = useMemo(
 		() =>
 			transcript.items.reduce(
@@ -274,6 +276,9 @@ export function Conversation(
 				/>
 			)}
 			<div className="utils:max-width relative z-20 shrink-0 px-3 pb-3">
+				{typing.length > 0 && (
+					<ChatStatus className="absolute inset-x-5 bottom-full" typing={typing} disclaimer="" />
+				)}
 				{transcript.live && (notice || transition || transcript.restarting) && (
 					<p className="pb-2 text-center text-xs text-muted-foreground" role="status">
 						{notice || transition || "Channel is restarting…"}

apps/app/src/transcript.ts

@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@ export type Transcript = {
 	/** Each tool call's recap of the work it was part of, by call ID. */
 	recaps: Record<string, string>;
 	reactions: Reactions;
+	/** When each person last said they were typing, in ms; their message ends it. */
+	typing: Record<string, number>;
 	/** Text streamed for the reply being generated. */
 	draft: string;
 	busy: boolean;
@@ -80,6 +82,7 @@ const EMPTY: Transcript = {
 	captions: {},
 	recaps: {},
 	reactions: {},
+	typing: {},
 	draft: "",
 	busy: false,
 	live: false,
@@ -98,11 +101,16 @@ export function apply(state: Transcript, event: Event): Transcript {
 			const items = withdraw(state.items, event.withdrawn);
 			return { ...state, queue: event.messages, returned, items };
 		}
-		case "message":
+		case "message": {
+			const { [event.author]: _, ...typing } = state.typing;
 			return {
 				...state,
+				typing,
 				items: [...state.items, { kind: "message", key: `e${event.entry}`, ...pick(event) }],
 			};
+		}
+		case "typing":
+			return { ...state, typing: { ...state.typing, [event.author]: Date.now() } };
 		case "deleted":
 			return {
 				...state,
@@ -271,6 +279,22 @@ function pick(event: Extract<Event, { kind: "message" }>) {
 }
 
 /** Automatic re-watches allowed before a watch stays open for `STABLE` ms. */
+/** Typists send a signal every few seconds while writing; one this old has stopped. */
+const TYPING = 5000;
+
+/** Who said they were typing within the last few seconds, read again as each goes stale. */
+export function useTyping(typing: Record<string, number>): string[] {
+	const [now, setNow] = useState(Date.now);
+	const fresh = Object.entries(typing).filter(([, at]) => at > now - TYPING);
+	const next = Math.min(...fresh.map(([, at]) => at + TYPING));
+	useEffect(() => {
+		if (next === Infinity) return;
+		const timer = setTimeout(() => setNow(Date.now()), next - Date.now());
+		return () => clearTimeout(timer);
+	}, [next]);
+	return fresh.map(([author]) => author);
+}
+
 const RECOVERIES = 3;
 const STABLE = 60_000;
 
@@ -339,6 +363,7 @@ export function useTranscript(
 				captions: true,
 				progress: true,
 				actions: true,
+				typing: true,
 				...(chat === undefined ? {} : { chat }),
 			}, {
 				event(event) {

apps/host/src/demo.ts

@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ type Step =
 		| ({ close: true } & Target)
 		| { away: boolean }
 		| { leave: true }
+		/** Shows as typing in the chat for this many seconds. */
+		| ({ type: number } & Target)
 		| ({ say: string } & Target)
 		| ({ ask: string } & Target)
 		/** Reacts to the chat's newest message or reply. */
@@ -137,6 +139,14 @@ async function run(step: Step) {
 	}
 	const id = await present(step.who, step);
 	const chat = step.chat === undefined ? {} : { chat: step.chat };
+	if ("type" in step) {
+		// The app drops a typist 5 s after their last signal.
+		for (let left = step.type; left > 0; left -= 3) {
+			await request(id, { op: "typing", author, ...chat });
+			await Bun.sleep(Math.min(left, 3) * 1000);
+		}
+		return;
+	}
 	if ("say" in step) return void await request(id, { op: "say", author, text: step.say, ...chat });
 	// An ask returns once admitted; the run continues in the channel as anyone's would.
 	if ("ask" in step) return void await request(id, { op: "ask", author, text: step.ask, ...chat });

apps/host/src/gateway.ts

@@ -959,7 +959,8 @@ function websocket(): Bun.WebSocketHandler<Client> {
 				|| request.op === "hello" || request.op === "models"
 				|| request.op === "release" || request.op === "terminal-input"
 				|| request.op === "terminal-resize"
-				|| (request.op === "channel" && ["watch", "info", "models"].includes(request.request.op));
+				|| (request.op === "channel"
+					&& ["watch", "info", "models", "typing"].includes(request.request.op));
 			const handling = handle(socket, request, send, id, trace);
 			pending.add(handling);
 			try {

docs/demo.md

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ Seed the channels first with `ace import` (see [channel data](data.md#seeds)).
 	},
 	"steps": [
 		{ "at": 0, "who": "alex", "open": true, "channel": "checkout" },
+		{ "at": 1, "who": "alex", "type": 2, "channel": "checkout" },
 		{ "at": 3, "who": "alex", "say": "pushed a fix, can someone check?", "channel": "checkout" },
 		{
 			"at": 6,
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ Seed the channels first with `ace import` (see [channel data](data.md#seeds)).
 
 - `login` is the author their messages carry; `github` picks the avatar and name the app shows.
 - `at` is seconds from the start. `loop` restarts the script that many seconds after its last step.
-- Steps: `open`/`close` a channel (present there), `away` true or false, `leave`, `say`, `ask`, and
-  `react`, which reacts to the chat's newest message or reply. Acting opens the channel first.
+- Steps: `open`/`close` a channel (present there), `away` true or false, `leave`, `type` (shows
+  them typing for that many seconds), `say`, `ask`, and `react`, which reacts to the chat's newest
+  message or reply. Acting opens the channel first.
   `chat` targets a chat other than the root.