Message Flow & Protocol Interactions

This guide explains how Mostrix communicates with the Mostro daemon and handles the flow of orders and messages through the Nostr network.

See also DM_LISTENER_FLOW.md for the background listen_for_order_messages task: relay subscriptions, waiter vs tracked-order routing, and the in-memory Messages list.

Restart / Messages tab: the UI message list is rebuilt from relays at startup (fetch_events replay per active trade key), not from a local message table. The database stores order rows, trade_index, and an optional last_seen_dm_ts cursor for subscription/sync; see DATABASE.md and DM_LISTENER_FLOW.md (“Startup bootstrap”).

Communication Protocols

Mostrix uses Nostr transports for two distinct purposes:

Traffic	Transport	Notes
Mostro protocol DMs (orders, take, pay, release, admin actions to daemon)	Dual transport via `send_dm` → `wrap_message_with`: v1 GiftWrap (1059) or v2 signed kind 14	Selected from instance `protocol_version` on kind 38385 (inbound + outbound)
P2P order chat (My Trades) and admin dispute chat	NIP-59 GiftWrap via `mostro_core::chat`	Unchanged by protocol v2; shared ECDH keys

Protocol v2 discovery, outbound send, and subscriptions (partial)

Mostro daemons advertise wire format on the instance status event (kind 38385):

Tag protocol_version: "1" → GiftWrap, "2" → NIP-44 direct messages.
Mostrix parses this into MostroInstanceInfo.protocol_version and resolves Transport with transport_from_instance.
AppState.transport is kept in sync whenever instance info updates (set_mostro_info).
The Mostro Info tab displays protocol version and resolved wire transport.

Outbound send (implemented): send_dm uses transport_from_instance + wrap_message_with; v2 adds default NIP-40 expiration (30 days) when expiration is None.

Transport before listener: startup awaits instance info; reload/reconnect uses dm_transport_for_mostro.

Relay filters (implemented):

Transport	Inbound filter (Mostro → client)
v1 GiftWrap	`.pubkey(trade_key).kind(1059)`
v2 NIP-44	`.author(mostro_pubkey).pubkey(trade_key).kind(14)`

Used by dm_helpers::ensure_order_dm_subscription, startup fetch_and_replay_startup_trade_dms, and RegisterWaiter via filter_protocol_dm_from_mostro with the resolved transport.

Legacy overview

NIP-59 Gift Wrap (1059): Protocol v1 wire format and all P2P chat.
NIP-44 direct (signed kind 14): Protocol v2 for Mostro DMs — inbound and outbound via dual transport helpers.

Proof-of-work (NIP-13)

Required difficulty comes from kind 38385 tags pow and optional pow_first_contact. Mostrix uses nostr_pow_for_protocol_dm in send_dm (v2 first-contact actions: max(pow, pow_first_contact)). See POW_AND_OUTBOUND_EVENTS.md.

Order Creation Flow

When a user creates a new order through the TUI, the following sequence occurs:

sequenceDiagram
    participant User
    participant TUI
    participant Client
    participant DB
    participant TradeKey
    participant IdentityKey
    participant NostrRelays
    participant Mostro

    User->>TUI: Fill form & confirm (Enter)
    TUI->>Client: send_new_order()
    Client->>DB: Get user & last_trade_index
    DB-->>Client: user data
    Client->>TradeKey: Derive key (index + 1)
    Client->>DB: Update last_trade_index
    Client->>Client: Construct message (request_id, trade_index)
    Client->>IdentityKey: Sign Seal
    Client->>TradeKey: Sign Rumor
    Client->>Client: Register DM waiter in router
    Client->>NostrRelays: Publish NIP-59 Gift Wrap
    NostrRelays->>Mostro: Forward Gift Wrap
    Mostro->>Mostro: Process NewOrder
    alt Bonds disabled or range order (Phase 5)
        Mostro->>NostrRelays: Action::NewOrder (pending)
    else Maker bond required (Phase 5+)
        Mostro->>NostrRelays: PayBondInvoice + PaymentRequest (waiting-maker-bond)
    end
    NostrRelays-->>Client: Receive response (timeout: 15s)
    Client->>TradeKey: Decrypt Gift Wrap
    Client->>Client: Validate request_id
    Client->>DB: Save order + trade_keys + index + TrackOrder
    alt Action::NewOrder
        Client-->>TUI: OperationResult::Success
        TUI-->>User: Order Created Successfully
    else Action::PayBondInvoice
        Client-->>TUI: PaymentRequestRequired (bond popup)
        TUI-->>User: Anti-abuse Bond Invoice (Acknowledge / Cancel)
        Note over Mostro,NostrRelays: After wallet payment, deferred NewOrder publishes to book
    end

1. User Input → Form Validation

Source: src/ui/key_handler.rs:743

        UiMode::UserMode(UserMode::ConfirmingOrder(form)) => {
            // User confirmed, send the order
            let form_clone = form.clone();
            app.mode = UiMode::UserMode(UserMode::WaitingForMostro(form_clone.clone()));

The user fills out the order form and confirms with Enter on the "Create New Order" form. The UI switches to WaitingForMostro mode.

2. Trade Key Derivation

Source: src/util/order_utils/send_new_order.rs:84

    let user = User::get(pool).await?;
    let next_idx = user.last_trade_index.unwrap_or(1) + 1;
    let trade_keys = user.derive_trade_keys(next_idx)?;
    let _ = User::update_last_trade_index(pool, next_idx).await;

A fresh trade key is derived using the next available index. This ensures privacy by using a unique key for each order.

3. Message Construction

Source: src/util/order_utils/send_new_order.rs:108

    // Create message
    let request_id = uuid::Uuid::new_v4().as_u128() as u64;
    let order_content = Payload::Order(small_order);
    let message = Message::new_order(
        None,
        Some(request_id),
        Some(next_idx),
        Action::NewOrder,
        Some(order_content),
    );

A Message is constructed with:

A unique request_id for tracking the response
The trade_index to identify which key Mostro should use
The Action::NewOrder action type
The order payload containing all order details

4. Sending the Direct Message

Source: src/util/order_utils/send_new_order.rs:131

    let identity_keys = User::get_identity_keys(pool).await?;
    let new_order_message = send_dm(
        client,
        Some(&identity_keys),
        &trade_keys,
        &mostro_pubkey,
        message_json,
        None,
        mostro_instance,
    );

The message is sent via send_dm, which:

Resolves wire transport from cached instance info (transport_from_instance)
Wraps with wrap_message_with: v1 NIP-59 Gift Wrap or v2 signed kind 14 (identity proof in ciphertext)
Uses the Identity Key for reputation binding and the Trade Key to sign the published event and inner message tuple
On v2, adds a default NIP-40 expiration (30 days) when the caller passes None

5. Waiting for Response

Source: src/util/order_utils/send_new_order.rs:141

    // Wait for Mostro response (subscribes first, then sends message to avoid missing messages)
    let recv_event =
        wait_for_dm(client, &trade_keys, FETCH_EVENTS_TIMEOUT, new_order_message).await?;

The wait_for_dm function now uses the shared DM router:

Registers a waiter (RegisterWaiter) for the specific trade_keys
Sends the message after waiter registration
Waits up to 15 seconds (FETCH_EVENTS_TIMEOUT) on a oneshot response channel
The background DM listener decrypt-checks incoming protocol DM events (GiftWrap or kind 14 per transport) against pending waiters and delivers the first match to wait_for_dm

Waiter subscription detail:

RegisterWaiter uses filter_protocol_dm_from_mostro with .limit(0) (live-only)

6. Parsing and Handling Response

Source: src/util/order_utils/send_new_order.rs

The response is:

Decrypted using the trade key (parse_dm_events)
Validated by handle_mostro_response (including CantDo and request_id match)
Processed by action:

First reply	Payload	Mostrix result	UI
`Action::NewOrder`	`Payload::Order`	`OperationResult::Success`	"Order Created Successfully" modal
`Action::PayBondInvoice`	`PaymentRequest` (order often `waiting-maker-bond`)	`PaymentRequestRequired`	Bond popup via `order_ch_mng.rs` (no success modal)

Both paths call save_order(..., is_maker: true), send TrackOrder on dm_subscription_tx, and set order_chat_static. The bond path delegates persistence + popup wiring to shared payment_request_operation_result (also used by take_order for taker bonds).

Post-bond publication: after the maker pays in their wallet, Mostro sends a follow-up Action::NewOrder on the trade DM subscription (listener path). Generic hydration updates SQLite waiting-maker-bond → pending; the order then appears on the public book.

Taking Orders Flow

When a user takes an existing order from the order book:

sequenceDiagram
    participant User
    participant TUI
    participant Client
    participant DB
    participant TradeKey
    participant NostrRelays
    participant Mostro

    User->>TUI: Select order & press Enter
    TUI->>Client: take_order(order_id)
    Client->>DB: Get user & last_trade_index
    DB-->>Client: user data
    Client->>TradeKey: Derive new key (index + 1)
    Client->>DB: Update last_trade_index
    Client->>Client: Construct TakeOrder message
    Client->>NostrRelays: Subscribe + Publish NIP-59
    NostrRelays->>Mostro: Forward TakeOrder
    Mostro->>Mostro: Validate & process
    alt Buy Order
        Mostro->>NostrRelays: PaymentRequest (invoice)
    else Sell Order
        Mostro->>NostrRelays: Order status update
    else Error
        Mostro->>NostrRelays: Error message
    end
    NostrRelays-->>Client: Response
    Client->>TradeKey: Decrypt & validate
    Client->>DB: Save trade data
    Client-->>TUI: Trade result
    TUI-->>User: Show result/ invoice

1. User Selection

The user navigates to an order in the Orders tab and presses Enter.

2. Trade Key Derivation

Source: src/util/order_utils/take_order.rs:66

    let next_idx = user.last_trade_index.unwrap_or(1) + 1;
    let trade_keys = user.derive_trade_keys(next_idx)?;
    let _ = User::update_last_trade_index(pool, next_idx).await;

A new trade key is derived for this specific trade interaction.

3. Message Construction

Source: src/util/order_utils/take_order.rs:77

    // Create message
    let take_order_message = Message::new_order(
        Some(order_id),
        Some(request_id),
        Some(next_idx),
        action.clone(),
        payload,
    );

The message includes:

The order_id of the order being taken
A request_id for tracking
The trade_index for this new trade
The appropriate action (TakeBuy or TakeSell)

4. Response Handling

Similar to order creation, the client waits for Mostro's response, which may include:

A PaymentRequest (for buy orders, requiring a Lightning invoice)
Order status updates
Error messages if the order is no longer available

Background Message Listening

Mostrix runs a background task that continuously monitors relay notifications and routes trade DMs in real time.

For a detailed, code-level walkthrough of the DM router/listener (including how the in-memory Vec<OrderMessage> is built, how TrackOrder vs waiters work, and how Action/Status/DB updates relate), see DM_LISTENER_FLOW.md.

sequenceDiagram
    participant Router as DM Listener
    participant Cmd as Command Channel
    participant Relays as NostrRelays
    participant UI

    Cmd->>Router: TrackOrder(order_id, trade_index)
    Router->>Relays: subscribe protocol DM filter (transport-aware)
    Cmd->>Router: RegisterWaiter(trade_keys, response_tx)
    Router->>Relays: (if needed) subscribe waiter pubkey
    Relays-->>Router: RelayPoolNotification::Event(protocol DM)
    Router->>Router: Gate: event.kind == transport.event_kind(); try waiter decrypt match
    alt waiter matched
        Router-->>Cmd: oneshot response_tx.send(event)
    end
    Router->>Router: Route by subscription_id or active-order fallback
    Router->>UI: message_notification_tx.send(...)

Message Listener Task

Source: src/util/dm_utils/mod.rs

pub async fn listen_for_order_messages(
    client: Client,
    mostro_pubkey: PublicKey,
    transport: Transport,
    pool: SqlitePool,
    active_order_trade_indices: Arc<Mutex<HashMap<Uuid, i64>>>,
    order_last_seen_dm_ts: HashMap<Uuid, i64>,
    // ... messages, notification tx, dm_subscription_rx
)

This task:

Maintains a command-driven subscription router (TrackOrder + RegisterWaiter) using filter_protocol_dm_from_mostro for subscribe/replay/waiter filters
Consumes client.notifications() and handles protocol DM events matching transport.event_kind()
Routes events by known subscription_id to (order_id, trade_index)
Falls back to decrypting against active tracked trade keys when subscription_id is unknown
Parses/decrypts with parse_dm_events, updates order state, and emits UI notifications

User order chat local cache (My Trades)

In addition to relay-driven trade DMs, Mostrix keeps a lightweight local transcript cache for user-to-user order chat:

Path: ~/.mostrix/orders_chat/<order_id>.txt
Startup restore: load_user_order_chats_at_startup restores cached chat into AppState.order_chats, seeds order_chat_last_seen, then runs an initial fetch_user_order_chat_updates relay backfill.
Periodic relay sync (User role): on the shared admin_chat_interval timer (every 2 seconds in src/main.rs), the User-role branch calls spawn_user_order_chat_fetch, which polls active orders via fetch_user_order_chat_updates. Uses the same single-flight CHAT_MESSAGES_SEMAPHORE as admin chat so overlapping fetches are skipped. Shared keys come from persisted order_chat_shared_key_hex when set, otherwise ECDH from local trade_keys + counterparty_pubkey (src/util/chat_utils.rs).
Incremental merge: apply_user_order_chat_updates in src/ui/helpers/startup.rs:
- Skip own relay echoes: each OrderChatUpdate carries local_trade_pubkey; messages whose decrypted sender_pubkey matches are ignored (same rule as admin chat and Mostro Mobile — avoids showing your send on both You and Peer after the optimistic local append on Enter).
- Dedup: relay self-echoes are skipped by sender_pubkey == local_trade_pubkey; peer dedup matches only existing Peer rows at the same (timestamp, content) (or same attachment / legacy placeholder) so an optimistic You line cannot hide a real counterparty message in the same second.
- Peer-only from relay: counterparty messages are stored as UserChatSender::Peer; local sends are appended as You in handle_enter_user_order_chat before the relay round-trip.
- Persists new entries with save_order_chat_message and advances per-order order_chat_last_seen.
Attachments (receive + save): image_encrypted / file_encrypted JSON (Mostro Mobile Encrypted File Messaging) is parsed in apply_user_order_chat_updates via try_parse_attachment_message. Attachment rows show yellow placeholder lines in the chat pane; the block title includes a file count when non-zero; a transient toast notifies on new peer files. Ctrl+S on My Trades opens UiMode::UserSaveAttachmentPopup (pinned order_id + list index). Saving downloads from Blossom and decrypts with the attachment key when present, otherwise derives the 32-byte shared secret via order_chat_decryption_key_bytes (from order_chat_shared_key_hex or ECDH). Files land in ~/.mostrix/downloads/<order_id>_<filename>.
Attachments (send): Ctrl+O on My Trades opens UiMode::UserSendAttachmentPicker (src/ui/send_attachment_picker.rs, ratatui-explorer) filtered to allowed extensions; Enter enqueues SendOrderAttachmentJob::FromPath. Ctrl+Shift+O retries with RetryPrepared when pending_order_attachment_sends holds the order. Pipeline in src/util/send_attachment.rs:
1. Validate local path — validate_attachment_file in src/util/file_validation.rs (max 25 MB, extensions jpg/jpeg/png/pdf/mp4/mov/avi/doc/docx, PDF magic-byte check). Images must yield non-zero width/height via read_image_dimensions (PNG IHDR / JPEG SOF) — required for mobile image_encrypted JSON.
2. Encrypt — ChaCha20-Poly1305 with the order shared key (order_chat_decryption_key_bytes); blob layout [nonce:12][ciphertext][tag:16] (encrypt_blob in src/util/blossom.rs).
3. Upload — NIP-24242 auth event (kind 24242) signed with the order trade_keys (same pubkey as the chat GiftWrap sender — not an ephemeral key) + HTTP PUT to {blossom_server}/upload; upload_blob_with_retry tries servers from Settings.blossom_servers or DEFAULT_BLOSSOM_SERVERS when the list is empty. Download (Ctrl+S save) remains an unauthenticated HTTPS GET by blob URL; payload privacy is ChaCha-only (see fetch_blob in src/util/blossom.rs).
4. Wire JSON — build_image_encrypted_json / build_file_encrypted_json in src/ui/helpers/attachments.rs (hex nonce, width/height for images, sizes; no embedded key — peers decrypt via the same shared-key DM path as text chat). Mobile compatibility: field names and types match Mostro Mobile EncryptedImageUploadResult / EncryptedFileUploadResult (MostroP2P/mobile); nonce is hex (not base64). Messages sent before this shape may fail to parse on mobile.
5. DM — send_user_order_chat_message_via_shared_key with the order trade_keys; up to 3 retries (2s apart) after upload without re-uploading the blob.
6. UI feedback — success: OperationResult::OrderChatAttachmentSent → append You row, JSON transcript save, Info popup. Early failure (validate / encrypt / upload): OrderChatAttachmentError { order_id, error } → Error popup. Upload ok / send failed: OrderChatAttachmentSendFailed stores PreparedOrderChatAttachment in AppState.pending_order_attachment_sends and shows an Error popup with the Blossom URL (Ctrl+Shift+O retries DM without re-upload). All three attachment-specific variants clear AppState.sending_attachment_order_id only when the embedded order_id matches the in-flight send; unrelated OperationResult::Error traffic on order_result_tx does not drop the send lock.
- Enqueue: SendOrderAttachmentJob::FromPath { order_id, path } or RetryPrepared(PreparedOrderChatAttachment) on send_order_attachment_tx (create_app_channels in src/ui/key_handler/async_tasks.rs); main.rs drain_send_order_attachment_queue spawns spawn_send_order_chat_attachment before each draw.
Transcript persistence (Phase A.5): new messages with attachments are stored as JSON in orders_chat/<order_id>.txt via serialize_attachment_for_transcript (not the human [Image: …] placeholder). On startup, load_order_chat_from_file restores full ChatAttachment metadata so Ctrl+S and file counts work immediately after restart. Legacy transcript files that still contain placeholder lines are hydrated in memory when the next relay fetch returns the same attachment at the same timestamp (apply_user_order_chat_updates replaces the placeholder row in place; does not append a duplicate). Rows with empty blossom_url in JSON are shown as plain text and are not listed for save (attachment_is_saveable in src/ui/helpers/attachments.rs).
My Trades interactive mode: after startup or role switch, AppState.mode is UiMode::default_for_role (UserMode::Normal for users). Chat input, Ctrl+S, Ctrl+O, and scroll shortcuts require UiMode::user_my_trades_interactive() (Normal or UserMode::Normal) — see TUI_INTERFACE.md.
Save / send completion UI: main.rs drains save_attachment_rx, send_order_attachment_rx, and order_result_rx before every terminal.draw so Blossom download and upload results surface without an extra keypress (see STARTUP_AND_CONFIG.md — Main Event Loop).
Compatibility parsing: legacy sender labels from older files (Admin, Admin to Buyer, Admin to Seller, Buyer, Seller) are mapped to You/Peer when loading.
UI selection safety: the "My Trades" sidebar and Enter/send handlers resolve the active order list from the same shared projection (helpers::build_active_order_chat_list), ensuring selected_order_chat_idx cannot target a different order than the highlighted row.
My Trades static header (order_chat_static): in-memory map AppState.order_chat_static (see src/ui/orders.rs — OrderChatStaticHeader) is written by handle_operation_result in src/util/dm_utils/order_ch_mng.rs on OperationResult::Success and PaymentRequestRequired (after take / PayInvoice / PayBondInvoice path — the variant now carries the originating Action so the same write covers anti-abuse bond responses), and populated from the local orders table during sync_user_order_history_messages_from_db in src/ui/helpers/startup.rs. It is cleared for removed trades when TradeClosed / OrderHistoryDeleted are handled. It supplies stable header fields (order id, kind, created time, trade index, initiator) so the UI does not depend on folding those out of the DM stream.
Live fields from DMs: the projection over AppState.messages per order merges Payload::Order (first economic snapshot, buyer/seller trade pubkeys) with Payload::Peer so counterparty UserInfo can populate buyer/seller rating, and order_status updates status for the header and for resolve_selected_mytrades_order_status in src/ui/key_handler/chat_helpers.rs.

Source: src/ui/helpers/startup.rs, src/ui/helpers/chat_storage.rs, src/ui/helpers/chat_visibility.rs, src/ui/helpers/attachments.rs, src/ui/helpers/order_chat_projection.rs, src/ui/save_attachment_popup.rs, src/ui/send_attachment_picker.rs, src/util/dm_utils/order_ch_mng.rs, src/util/chat_utils.rs, src/util/blossom.rs, src/util/file_validation.rs, src/util/send_attachment.rs

Message Parsing

Source: src/util/dm_utils/mod.rs:137

        let (created_at, message, sender) = match dm.kind {
            nostr_sdk::Kind::GiftWrap => {
                let unwrapped_gift = match nip59::extract_rumor(pubkey, dm).await {
                    Ok(u) => u,
                    Err(e) => {
                        log::warn!("Could not decrypt gift wrap (event {}): {}", dm.id, e);
                        continue;
                    }
                };
                let (message, _): (Message, Option<String>) =
                    match serde_json::from_str(&unwrapped_gift.rumor.content) {
                        Ok(msg) => msg,
                        Err(e) => {
                            log::warn!("Could not parse message content (event {}): {}", dm.id, e);
                            continue;
                        }
                    };

                (
                    unwrapped_gift.rumor.created_at,
                    message,
                    unwrapped_gift.sender,
                )
            }

The parser handles:

NIP-59 Gift Wrap: Extracts the rumor, decrypts using the trade key, and parses the JSON message
NIP-44 Private Direct Messages: Decrypts using the conversation key derived from the trade key and receiver's public key

Sending Trade Messages

When a user needs to send a message during an active trade (e.g., "Fiat Sent", "Release"):

sequenceDiagram
    participant User
    participant TUI
    participant Client
    participant DB
    participant TradeKey
    participant IdentityKey
    participant NostrRelays
    participant Mostro

    User->>TUI: Trigger action (Fiat Sent/Release)
    TUI->>Client: execute_send_msg(order_id, action)
    Client->>DB: Get order by ID
    DB-->>Client: order + trade_keys
    Client->>DB: Get identity keys
    DB-->>Client: identity_keys
    Client->>Client: Create payload & request_id
    Client->>IdentityKey: Sign Seal
    Client->>TradeKey: Sign Rumor
    Client->>NostrRelays: Publish NIP-59 Gift Wrap
    NostrRelays->>Mostro: Forward message
    Mostro->>Mostro: Process action
    Mostro->>NostrRelays: Acknowledgment
    NostrRelays-->>Client: Response
    Client-->>TUI: Result
    TUI-->>User: Success/Error

Message Sending Flow

Source: src/util/order_utils/execute_send_msg.rs:44

pub async fn execute_send_msg(
    order_id: &Uuid,
    action: Action,
    pool: &sqlx::SqlitePool,
    client: &Client,
    mostro_pubkey: PublicKey,
) -> Result<()> {
    // Get order from database
    let order = Order::get_by_id(pool, &order_id.to_string()).await?;

    // Get trade keys of specific order
    let trade_keys = order
        .trade_keys
        .clone()
        .ok_or(anyhow::anyhow!("Missing trade keys"))?;

    let order_trade_keys = Keys::parse(&trade_keys)?;

    // Get identity keys
    let identity_keys = User::get_identity_keys(pool).await?;

    // Determine payload based on action
    // For FiatSent on range orders, we might need NextTrade payload
    let payload: Option<Payload> = create_msg_payload(&action, &order, pool).await?;

    // Create request id
    let request_id = Uuid::new_v4().as_u128() as u64;

    // Create message
    let message = Message::new_order(
        Some(*order_id),
        Some(request_id),
        None,
        action.clone(),
        payload,
    );

    // Serialize the message
    let message_json = message
        .as_json()
        .map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("Failed to serialize message: {e}"))?;

    // Send the DM
    let sent_message = send_dm(
        client,
        Some(&identity_keys),
        &order_trade_keys,
        &mostro_pubkey,
        message_json,
        None,
    );

Key points:

The trade keys are retrieved from the database (they were stored when the order was created/taken)
The identity keys are used for the Seal signature
A request_id is generated for tracking the response
The message is sent and the client waits for Mostro's acknowledgment
For range orders, see RANGE_ORDERS.md for details on the NextTrade payload mechanism
For Action::Cancel, a successful response may be Canceled or CooperativeCancelAccepted (execute_send_msg in src/util/order_utils/execute_send_msg.rs).

Cooperative cancel (peer request)

When the counterparty initiates cooperative cancel, Mostrix receives a trade DM whose action is CooperativeCancelInitiatedByPeer. The user can confirm from the Messages tab:

Enter opens UiMode::ViewingMessage with the same YES/NO chrome as other confirms (helpers::render_yes_no_buttons in src/ui/tabs/tab_content.rs).
YES + Enter runs execute_send_msg with Action::Cancel, which waits for Mostro’s DM response.
On success, the client:
- persists CooperativelyCanceled on the orders row (update_order_status from src/ui/key_handler/message_handlers.rs);
- sends OperationResult::TradeClosed so the main loop removes the order from the in-memory Messages list and clears active_order_trade_indices (handle_operation_result in src/util/dm_utils/order_ch_mng.rs — the UI then shows a short success Info toast).

When the relay later delivers CooperativeCancelAccepted, the DM listener treats it as terminal (trade_message_is_terminal), may update status again if needed, and performs the usual subscription cleanup. See DM_LISTENER_FLOW.md (terminal cleanup, status inference).

Invoice notifications in Messages tab

For invoice-related trade actions, the Messages Enter path normally uses UiMode::NewMessageNotification with a dual-action popup model. AddInvoice may be preceded by a saved-Lightning-address confirmation:

Saved buyer Lightning address (settings.toml → ln_address): If the trimmed address is non-empty when AddInvoice should open (incoming notification handled by handle_message_notification, or Messages → Enter via present_add_invoice_popup in src/util/dm_utils/notifications_ch_mng.rs), the client shows UiMode::ConfirmSavedLnAddressForInvoice (YES/NO). YES immediately runs submit_add_invoice (src/ui/key_handler/message_handlers.rs) with the saved address — execute_add_invoice in the background, UI WaitingAddInvoice — without opening NewMessageNotification for a second submit step; UseSavedLnAddress is stored in buyer_invoice_preference only after send succeeds (OperationResult::InvoiceSubmitted → handle_operation_result in order_ch_mng.rs). That path is handled only from handle_enter_key (src/ui/key_handler/enter_handlers.rs), not handle_confirm_key. NO inserts ManualInvoice via apply_saved_ln_address_invoice_choice and opens NewMessageNotification with an empty invoice field. The confirmation popup body lists the address string read from disk during ui_draw.
Per-order cache: AppState.buyer_invoice_preference skips repeating the confirmation until canceled/trade cleanup (Cancel Order from the invoice popup removes the order_id preference row; TradeClosed / history deletion clears it in order_ch_mng).

Otherwise:

Action mapping:
- AddInvoice and WaitingBuyerInvoice -> AddInvoice popup mode.
- PayInvoice and WaitingSellerToPay -> PayInvoice popup mode.
- PayBondInvoice (Mostro Phase 1.5+ taker / Phase 5+ maker) -> dedicated anti-abuse bond popup mode (render_pay_bond_invoice in src/ui/message_notification.rs). Same Payload::PaymentRequest shape as PayInvoice, but distinguished visually (shield emoji title, maker/taker amount label, and a yellow "Locked, not spent — refunded on normal completion" disclaimer). The popup is gated on order_status ∈ {WaitingTakerBond, WaitingMakerBond, None} and role (invoice_popup_allowed_for_order_status + local_user_must_act_on_invoice_popup in src/ui/orders.rs). send_new_order and take_order both return PaymentRequestRequired when Mostro's first reply is PayBondInvoice.
Popup selection:
- Left/Right toggles between Primary and Cancel Order.
- Enter confirms the selected action.
- For PayBondInvoice the Primary button is labelled Acknowledge (closes the popup) since the actual payment happens in the user's wallet; cancel still sends Action::Cancel.
Cancel path:
- Selecting Cancel Order sends Action::Cancel through execute_send_msg, reusing the existing async order-result channel flow. Valid during WaitingTakerBond (taker) and WaitingMakerBond (maker abandoning an unpublished listing).
Paste/copy details:
- AddInvoice supports bracketed paste plus key/mouse fallbacks where terminals do not emit Event::Paste.
- PayInvoice and PayBondInvoice keep copy (C) + scroll behavior while supporting cancel selection.
Lightning address as invoice: If the input is a Lightning address (user@domain.com), Mostrix still sends AddInvoice with a PaymentRequest payload, but first verifies the LNURL metadata endpoint returns tag: payRequest (util::ln_address::ln_address_pay_request_reachable) so unreachable addresses fail before hitting Mostro.

Rating the counterparty (`RateUser`)

After a successful trade, Mostro may prompt with a DM whose action is rate and payload is null, while the local DB row may still show success. The client must not infer the UI step from Status::Success alone for that message.

UI: UiMode::RatingOrder (src/ui/app_state.rs) — star row 1–5 (mostro_core::MIN_RATING / MAX_RATING), Left/Right or +/- to adjust, Enter to submit, Esc to dismiss. Rendered in src/ui/tabs/tab_content.rs (render_rating_order), opened from Messages Enter when the selected message’s action is Rate (src/ui/key_handler/enter_handlers.rs).
Send path: execute_rate_user in src/util/order_utils/execute_send_msg.rs builds Message::new_order with Action::RateUser, Payload::RatingUser(rating), and the trade order_id; identity + trade keys and send_dm / wait_for_dm match other trade messages. The response is expected to be Action::RateReceived. No counterparty pubkey is sent — Mostro resolves the peer server-side.

Relay → SQLite order status reconcile

Mostrix can align local orders.status with terminal states published on Mostro nostr order events when trade DMs were missed or the client was offline.

Source: src/util/order_utils/relay_order_db_reconcile.rs, wired from src/util/order_utils/fetch_scheduler.rs and startup in src/main.rs.

Path	When	What
Bulk	Orders updater tick (~30s) + startup	`fetch_mostro_order_events` → `aggregate_latest_orders_by_id` → `reconcile_terminal_order_statuses_from_relay`
Targeted	Same tick + startup	`Order::list_ids_for_targeted_relay_reconcile` (non-terminal rows with `trade_keys`) → round-robin up to `TARGETED_RELAY_RECONCILE_MAX_PER_TICK` (5) per-order fetches → `reconcile_one_order_if_terminal`

reconcile_one_order_if_terminal only writes when the relay snapshot status is terminal (is_terminal_trade_status) and passes should_apply_status_transition (same monotonic rules as DM updates). Pending orders on the book are not “healed” from relay unless the relay reports a terminal outcome (e.g. Expired).

Messages tab: trade timeline stepper (buy and sell listings)

The Messages detail panel shows a six-step timeline for trades with known order_kind. The highlighted column comes from message_trade_timeline_step → FlowStep (src/ui/orders.rs): BuyFlowStep(StepLabelsBuy) or SellFlowStep(StepLabelsSell). Step enums use repr(u8) discriminants passed to FlowStep::step_number() (UI columns are 1…6 in message_flow_tab.rs; discriminant 0 = no highlight).

Resolution dispatches to buy_listing_flow_step or sell_listing_flow_step, combining OrderMessage::order_status, is_mine (maker/taker), and action, via listing_step_from_status(order_kind, status) (kind-specific status mapping) and kind-specific _flow_step_from_action. Action::Rate / RateReceived are handled before status so rate DMs without a full order payload still highlight the final step.

Status::Pending / Status::WaitingTakerBond / Status::WaitingMakerBond → StepPendingOrder (discriminant 0): stepper shows no green/current column (all gray) until payment/bond phases start.
Status::Success → final column (StepRate, discriminant 6); avoids snapping back to an older step when reboot replay delivers a pre-success DM after the trade completed.

Step wording (strings per column) lives in src/ui/constants.rs (StepLabel, buy/sell step arrays); listing_timeline_labels selects the array by kind and role.

Sidebar / info popups: message_action_compact_label_for_message maps status to short labels (Pending order, Trade Completed, …) so list text stays accurate after hydration.

Success-before-DM placeholder: try_placeholder_order_message_from_success builds one synthetic OrderMessage when OperationResult::Success lands before any DM row (My Trades sidebar); placeholder action is status-driven (maker + WaitingMakerBond → PayBondInvoice; maker + published → NewOrder) and never uses synthetic take-buy / take-sell (those break Messages Enter). Maker bond uses PaymentRequestRequired (not Success), so the bond popup opens immediately; order_chat_static is still written on that path.

Restart recovery: sync_user_order_history_messages_from_db (startup.rs) synthesizes maker rows in waiting-maker-bond as PayBondInvoice with auto_popup_shown: false so Messages Enter can reopen the bond popup after reboot.

See buy order flow.md and sell order flow.md for product context and TUI_INTERFACE.md for UiMode overlays.

Error Handling Patterns

Timeout Handling

If no waiter-matching GiftWrap arrives within FETCH_EVENTS_TIMEOUT (15 seconds), wait_for_dm fails with a timeout error.

Request ID Mismatch

Source: src/util/order_utils/send_new_order.rs:199

                } else {
                    Err(anyhow::anyhow!("Mismatched request_id"))
                }

If the response's request_id doesn't match the sent request, the operation is rejected.

Decryption Failures

Source: src/util/dm_utils/mod.rs:139

                let unwrapped_gift = match nip59::extract_rumor(pubkey, dm).await {
                    Ok(u) => u,
                    Err(e) => {
                        log::warn!("Could not decrypt gift wrap (event {}): {}", dm.id, e);
                        continue;
                    }
                };

If a message cannot be decrypted (wrong key, corrupted data, etc.), it is logged and skipped rather than crashing the listener.

`CantDo` reasons (`mostro-core` 0.13.0+)

User-facing strings for Payload::CantDo(Some(reason)) come from get_cant_do_description. Notable cases:

InvalidPayload — wrong payload shape or impossible values (e.g. bond_resolution slashing a side with no bond).
Cashu escrow (0.12.x): InvalidCashuToken, CashuMintUnavailable, InvalidMintUrl, CashuEscrowNotLocked, CashuSignatureMissing.

Trade DMs carrying CantDo are not upserted into the Messages list (DM_LISTENER_FLOW.md); they surface via waiters / OperationResult popups.

Admin Chat Fetch (Single-Flight, Shared-Key Based)

When the user is in Admin mode, the main event loop runs a periodic admin chat sync so the "Disputes in Progress" tab stays up to date with NIP‑59 gift-wrap messages exchanged over per‑dispute shared keys.

Trigger: Every 2 seconds on the shared admin_chat_interval timer in src/main.rs when app.user_role == UserRole::Admin (the same timer’s User-role branch calls spawn_user_order_chat_fetch instead).
Shared keys: For each AdminDispute in InProgress state, the database may hold buyer_shared_key_hex / seller_shared_key_hex. At runtime these are converted back to Keys via keys_from_shared_hex in src/util/chat_utils.rs.
Entry point: spawn_admin_chat_fetch in src/util/order_utils/fetch_scheduler.rs is called with the Nostr client, the current disputes, admin_chat_last_seen, and the channel to send results.
Single-flight guard: A shared AtomicBool (CHAT_MESSAGES_SEMAPHORE) ensures that only one admin chat fetch runs concurrently. If a previous fetch is still running, subsequent ticks are skipped until the flag is cleared.
Fetch work: The spawned task calls fetch_admin_chat_updates, which, for every dispute+party that has a stored shared key:
- Rebuilds the shared Keys from hex.
- Fetches Kind::GiftWrap events addressed to the shared key’s public key over a 7‑day rolling window.
- Decrypts each event with the shared key (first trying standard NIP‑59 from_gift_wrap, then falling back to the simplified Mostro‑chat format).
- Applies per‑(dispute, party) last_seen_timestamp filtering so only newer messages are returned.
Application: The main loop receives results on admin_chat_updates_rx and applies them via apply_admin_chat_updates, which:
- Appends new DisputeChatMessage items into AppState.admin_dispute_chats.
- Updates in‑memory admin_chat_last_seen entries.
- Persists cursors to the admin_disputes table (buyer_chat_last_seen, seller_chat_last_seen) via update_chat_last_seen_by_dispute_id.
Attachments: Attachment messages (Mostro Mobile Encrypted File Messaging: image_encrypted / file_encrypted) are parsed into structured attachment entries. From the dispute chat, the admin presses Ctrl+S to open a Save attachment popup listing all attachments for the current dispute/party; they select one with ↑/↓ and press Enter to download from Blossom (blossom:// → https://), optionally decrypt with ChaCha20‑Poly1305 (nonce + ciphertext + tag), and save to ~/.mostrix/downloads/<dispute_id>_<filename>. See src/util/blossom.rs and the "Receiving and saving file attachments" section in ADMIN_DISPUTES.md.

This avoids overlapping relay queries and duplicate work when the 2‑second tick fires before a previous fetch has finished, while ensuring admin chat is driven entirely by the per‑dispute shared keys stored in the database.

Database Errors

Database operations (saving orders, updating trade indices) log errors but don't necessarily fail the entire operation, allowing the user to continue using the client.

Admin dispute finalization (`AdminSettle` / `AdminCancel`)

Admins resolve in-progress disputes by sending encrypted DMs signed with admin_privkey (FINALIZE_DISPUTES.md).

Action	Trade outcome	Payload (via `BondSlashChoice`)
`AdminSettle`	Pay buyer (release escrow to buyer)	`None` → `null`; slash variants → `BondResolution`
`AdminCancel`	Refund seller	same

Bond resolution (Mostro anti-abuse bond Phase 2+): optional bond_resolution: { slash_seller, slash_buyer } on both actions only. Four combinations plus legacy null (= no slash). See admin settle / admin cancel.

Client types: mostro-core 0.13.0 — BondResolution, Payload::BondResolution, Status::WaitingMakerBond, Transport / transport helpers.
Mostrix helper: BondSlashChoice::to_optional_payload() — None for no slash (payload: null), Some(BondResolution) when slashing; unit tests in bond_resolution.rs.
Errors: invalid slash (e.g. no bond for that side) → CantDo(InvalidPayload) → user string from get_cant_do_description.
Post-slash payout: Action::AddBondInvoice with Payload::BondPayoutRequest (order amount = counterparty share, slashed_at anchor for claim deadline). Mostrix:
- Parses amount from the DM in dm_utils
- Auto-popup via notifications_ch_mng.rs (same pattern as AddInvoice)
- UI: render_add_bond_invoice in message_notification.rs
- Submit: execute_bond_payment_request_reply (via execute_add_bond_invoice) — sends PaymentRequest on the wire with request_id, then wait_for_dm (15s).

Bond payout submit outcomes (execute_add_bond_invoice → Result<Option<OperationResult>>):

Mostro reply	Mostrix result	UI
`WaitingBuyerInvoice`, `AddInvoice`, `WaitingSellerToPay`, …	`Some(OpenInvoicePopup { … })`	Next popup via `apply_open_invoice_popup_from_execute`: Add Invoice if `local_user_must_act_on_invoice_popup`, else waiting-phase popup
`PayBondInvoice` + `PaymentRequest` (create or take)	`Some(PaymentRequestRequired { … })`	Bond popup (`send_new_order` maker bond or `take_order` taker bond)
`PayInvoice` + `PaymentRequest`	`Some(PaymentRequestRequired { … })`	Hold invoice popup (take-order)
`CantDo`	`Err`	Operation Failed
Timeout / empty DM	`Ok(None)`	Success toast only (“Bond payout invoice sent successfully”)

Example: on a sell listing, after the taker pays the anti-abuse bond and submits a bond-payout bolt11, Mostro may reply with waiting-buyer-invoice; Mostrix should open the Add Invoice popup for the taker (buyer) without requiring a manual trip through the Messages tab.

sequenceDiagram
    participant TUI
    participant Execute as execute_add_bond_invoice
    participant Relays
    participant Mostro

    TUI->>Execute: bond payout bolt11 (AddBondInvoice)
    Execute->>Relays: PaymentRequest DM (request_id)
    Relays->>Mostro: encrypted order message
    Mostro-->>Relays: e.g. WaitingBuyerInvoice / PayBondInvoice / CantDo
    Relays-->>Execute: wait_for_dm (15s)
    alt follow-up action
        Execute-->>TUI: OpenInvoicePopup or PaymentRequestRequired
        TUI->>TUI: apply_open_invoice_popup_from_execute
    else timeout or empty
        Execute-->>TUI: Ok → InvoiceSubmitted toast
    else CantDo
        Execute-->>TUI: Err
    end

AddInvoice (regular trade invoice, not bond payout) still uses execute_payment_request_reply and expects WaitingSellerToPay or HoldInvoicePaymentAccepted; it does not treat wait_for_dm timeout as success.

Entry points: execute_finalize_dispute(dispute_id, bond, …) → execute_admin_settle / execute_admin_cancel with admin slash picker (FINALIZE_DISPUTES.md).

Request/response (admin keys, same pattern as execute_admin_add_solver):

sequenceDiagram
    participant TUI
    participant Execute as execute_admin_settle/cancel
    participant Relays
    participant Mostro

    TUI->>Execute: finalize (bond, order_id)
    Execute->>Relays: AdminSettle or AdminCancel DM (request_id)
    Relays->>Mostro: encrypted dispute message
    Mostro-->>Relays: AdminSettled / AdminCanceled or CantDo
    Relays-->>Execute: wait_for_dm (15s)
    alt success
        Execute-->>TUI: Ok → DB status update + finalize_success_message popup
    else CantDo / timeout / wrong action
        Execute-->>TUI: Err → Operation Failed (no DB update)
    end

Outbound	Inbound success	Inbound failure
`AdminSettle`	`AdminSettled`	`CantDo` → `handle_mostro_response` → user string
`AdminCancel`	`AdminCanceled`	same

execute_finalize_dispute updates admin_disputes only after the low-level execute call returns Ok.

Stateless Recovery

Mostrix's message handling is designed to be stateless:

sequenceDiagram
    participant Client
    participant DB
    participant TradeKey
    participant NostrRelays
    participant Mostro

    Note over Client: Startup
    Client->>DB: Load active orders
    DB-->>Client: order_id, trade_index pairs
    loop For each order
        Client->>TradeKey: Re-derive key (trade_index)
        Client->>NostrRelays: Query Gift Wrap events
        NostrRelays-->>Client: Recent events
        Client->>TradeKey: Decrypt events
        Client->>Client: Parse & reconstruct state
    end
    Note over Client: State synchronized with Mostro

This approach means:

No local trade-message database is required
The client can recover from crashes or restarts
Message delivery for in-flight requests is race-resistant through router waiters
The runtime state is synchronized from active order/trade-key tracking + relay notifications

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Message Flow & Protocol Interactions

Communication Protocols

Protocol v2 discovery, outbound send, and subscriptions (partial)

Legacy overview

Proof-of-work (NIP-13)

Order Creation Flow

1. User Input → Form Validation

2. Trade Key Derivation

3. Message Construction

4. Sending the Direct Message

5. Waiting for Response

6. Parsing and Handling Response

Taking Orders Flow

1. User Selection

2. Trade Key Derivation

3. Message Construction

4. Response Handling

Background Message Listening

Message Listener Task

User order chat local cache (My Trades)

Message Parsing

Sending Trade Messages

Message Sending Flow

Cooperative cancel (peer request)

Invoice notifications in Messages tab

Rating the counterparty (RateUser)

Relay → SQLite order status reconcile

Messages tab: trade timeline stepper (buy and sell listings)

Error Handling Patterns

Timeout Handling

Request ID Mismatch

Decryption Failures

CantDo reasons (mostro-core 0.13.0+)

Admin Chat Fetch (Single-Flight, Shared-Key Based)

Database Errors

Admin dispute finalization (AdminSettle / AdminCancel)

Stateless Recovery

Rating the counterparty (`RateUser`)

`CantDo` reasons (`mostro-core` 0.13.0+)

Admin dispute finalization (`AdminSettle` / `AdminCancel`)