MultiChatOverlay/DEVELOPMENT_PLAN.md

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
• 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.