# Multi-Platform Chat Overlay Development Plan (v4 - Simplified Stack)

This document outlines the development plan for a multi-user, web-based chat overlay service using a simplified technology stack.

## 1. Project Overview

The goal is to create a service where streamers can log in using their platform accounts (Twitch, YouTube), configure a personalized chat overlay, and use it in their streaming software (e.g., OBS). The service will aggregate chat from their connected accounts and provide moderation tools.

## 2. Technology Stack

*   **Team Communications:** Discord and Nextcloud, primarily. This can change. There's a list of links in the [README.md](README.md)
*   **Backend:** Python 3.13+ (FastAPI)
*   **Database:** SQLite (for initial development) with SQLAlchemy ORM
*   **Frontend:** Vanilla HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
*   **Chat Listeners:** `twitchio` (Twitch), `pytchat` (YouTube)

## 3. Implementation Roadmap

### Phase 1: User Authentication & Database (FastAPI)
**Status: ✔️ Complete**

1.  **Project Skeleton:** Establish the core FastAPI application structure, dependencies, and version control.
2.  **Database Schema:** Define the data models for users and settings using SQLAlchemy.
3.  **Twitch OAuth2:** Implement the server-side OAuth2 flow within FastAPI to authenticate users and securely store encrypted tokens in the database.
4.  **Session Management:** Create a system to manage logged-in user sessions.
5.  **Basic Frontend:** Develop a simple login page.

### Phase 2: User Dashboard & Configuration
**Status: ✔️ Complete**

1.  **Dashboard UI:** Create a dashboard page accessible only to authenticated users.
2.  **Settings API:** Build API endpoints for users to save and retrieve their overlay settings.
3.  **Overlay URL Generation:** Display a unique, persistent overlay URL for each user.
4.  **Theming System:** Implement a site-wide light/dark theme switcher.
5.  **Custom CSS Themes:** Develop a full CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) system allowing users to create, manage, and preview their own private CSS overlay themes.
6.  **Help & Documentation:** Add a help page to guide users in creating their custom CSS.

### Phase 3: Dynamic Listeners & Basic Overlay
**Status: ✔️ Complete**

1.  **Dynamic Listener Manager:** Design and build a background service that starts and stops chat listener processes (`twitchio`, `pytchat`) based on user activity.
2.  **Real-time Message Broadcasting:** Implement a WebSocket system within FastAPI to push chat messages to the correct user's overlay in real-time.
3.  **Basic Overlay UI:** Create the `overlay.html` page that connects to the WebSocket and renders incoming chat messages.

### Phase 4: Integration & Refinement
**Status: ⏳ Not Started**

1.  **YouTube Integration:** Implement the full YouTube OAuth2 flow and integrate the `pytchat` listener into the dynamic listener manager.
2.  **Advanced Overlay Customization:** Add more features for users to customize their overlay's appearance and behavior.
3.  **Twitch Chat Writeback:** Re-introduce the `chat:write` scope during authentication to allow the service (and potentially moderators, as per Issue #2) to send messages to the user's Twitch chat.

## 4. Requirements for Completion (Initial Version)

The project will be considered complete for its initial version when Phases 1, 2, and 3 are functional:
1.  Users can log in with their Twitch account. 
2.  Users can see their unique overlay URL on a dashboard.
3.  The overlay successfully connects to their Twitch chat and displays messages when opened in a browser source.

## 6. Future Enhancements from Gitea Issues

These are enhancement suggestions gathered from the project's Gitea issues, representing potential future features or considerations:

*   **Issue #1: Multi select chat display order**
    *   Allow streamer to click on messages that appear whilst discussing chat message already on screen. This will enable quick progress through important messages without having to scroll back up chat.
*   **Issue #2: Moderator chat assistance with streamer over ride**
    *   Moderators can select messages on their end, marking them for discussion, freeing up the streamer to simply stream. The streamer would have override to reject messages as the stream owner.
*   **Issue #3: Chat Speed toggle for busier chat streams**
    *   Implement a toggle to adjust the display speed of chat messages, useful for very active streams.
*   **Issue #4: Auto add YT Superchats to Highlights**
    *   Add a setting to automatically include YouTube Superchats in the highlighted messages.
*   **Issue #5: Donations page somewhere**
    *   Consider integrating a donations page or feature within the service.