# KoalaSync AI Onboarding (AI_INIT.md)
Welcome to the KoalaSync project. This file is the primary entry point for any developer or AI agent working on this codebase. It defines the architecture, non-negotiables, and workflows required to maintain the stability and security of the system.
> [!IMPORTANT]
> **Privacy & Data Sovereignty**: KoalaSync follows a strict **Zero-External-Requests Policy**: The extension and website must not make requests to any third-party domains (Google Fonts, CDNs, etc.). All assets (fonts, icons, scripts) must be self-hosted or use system defaults.
> - **Font Stack**: Use a modern system font stack (e.g., -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif) to maintain a premium look without external dependencies. Prohibit the use of `@import` or `` for external font services.
---
## 1. Project Overview
KoalaSync is a specialized tool for **synchronized video playback** across multiple remote peers. It supports YouTube, Twitch, and native HTML5 video elements.
- **Users**: Friends or groups wanting to watch synchronized content together.
- **Workflow**: A user creates a room, shares an invitation link, and all peers in that room are synchronized via a Node.js relay server.
- **Identity**: Users are identified by a unique hex `peerId` combined with a customizable `username`.
## 2. Repository Structure
- `extension/`: Browser Extension (Chrome & Firefox, Manifest V3). Contains background service worker, content scripts, and popup UI.
- `server/`: Node.js Relay Server using Socket.IO (WebSocket-only).
- `website/`: **Landing Page** & Invitation Bridge (Marketing, Tutorials, and Downloads).
- `shared/`: **Single Source of Truth** for protocol constants and event names.
- `scripts/`: Development utilities (e.g., `build-extension.js`).
- `docker-compose.yml`: Root-level orchestration for the relay server.
> [!IMPORTANT]
> **Single Source of Truth**: `shared/constants.js` and `shared/blacklist.js` are the master files. They must be synchronized to the `extension/shared/` directory using `node scripts/build-extension.js`.
> - **Extension Modules** (`background.js`, `popup.js`) import directly from `./shared/constants.js`.
> - **Content Scripts** (`content.js`) use a **marker-injected synchronous copy** of the constants. The build script automatically replaces the marked blocks — no manual mirroring needed.
## 3. Mandatory Reading
Before touching any code, you MUST read the following documents in order:
1. [docs/ARCHITECTURE.md](docs/ARCHITECTURE.md) – Detailed communication flows, Dual Heartbeat, and two-phase sync protocol.
2. [extension/README.md](extension/README.md) – Extension components, tab structure, and loading process.
3. [docs/SYNC_GUIDE.md](docs/SYNC_GUIDE.md) – Protocol constants and synchronization requirements.
## 4. The "Vanilla JS Mirror" Pattern
To avoid boot-time race conditions in Manifest V3 without a bundler, the following architectural trade-off is enforced:
- **Synchronous Execution**: `content.js` MUST execute synchronously to catch early media events.
- **Automated Injection**: The build script (`node scripts/build-extension.js`) automatically injects `EVENTS` and `HEARTBEAT_INTERVAL` into `content.js` using marker-based replacement (see `scripts/README.md` for marker details).
- **Maintenance**: After modifying `shared/constants.js`, simply run the build script. No manual mirroring is required.
## 5. File Responsibility Map
| File | Responsibility |
|:-----|:---------------|
| `background.js` | WebSocket client, state orchestrator, event router, session persistence |
| `content.js` | Video element detection, media control, event origin detection (loop prevention) |
| `popup.js` | UI rendering, user input handling, peer display, invitation link generation |
| `bridge.js` | Landing page ↔ extension communication for invitation join flow |
| `server/index.js` | Room management, message relay, rate limiting, authentication, peer lifecycle |
## 6. Design Guidelines
The popup UI follows a strict design system. Do not modify these variables or the layout structure without explicit approval.
- **Font**: System font stack. **MANDATORY**: No external CDNs or Google Fonts to ensure 100% privacy.
- **Popup Width**: Fixed at `320px`.
- **Tab Structure**: Must maintain the **Room**, **Sync**, **Settings**, and **Dev** tabs.
- **CSS Variables**:
| Variable | Value | Purpose |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| `--bg` | `#0f172a` | Main background |
| `--card` | `#1e293b` | Form and info cards |
| `--accent` | `#6366f1` | Primary actions and branding |
| `--success` | `#22c55e` | Success states / Online dot |
| `--error` | `#ef4444` | Errors / Offline dot |
## 7. Non-Negotiables (Core Logic)
The following features are critical and must not be removed or fundamentally altered:
- **Two-Phase Force Sync**: The `Prepare` → `ACK` → `Execute` flow ensures all peers are buffered before playback resumes.
- **Episode Auto-Sync**: Ensures series binges stay perfectly synced. A lobby initiates during title transitions, freezing peers until everyone is ready.
- **Dual Heartbeat**:
- **Background Heartbeat (30s)**: Ensures session persistence even without a video element.
- **Content Heartbeat (15s)**: Transmits current video metadata (time, title).
- **Dead Peer Pruning**: Server "Reaper" disconnects peers after 5 minutes of total silence (no heartbeats or events).
- **Deduplication**: Server kills old sockets if a user re-joins with the same `peerId` to prevent ghosts.
- **Platform Specifics**: Specialized click-logic for YouTube (`.ytp-play-button`) and Twitch.
- **pollSeekReady()**: Polling mechanism that checks `video.readyState` before acknowledging sync.
- **SW Keep-alive**: Use of `chrome.alarms` to prevent the Manifest V3 Service Worker from suspending.
- **Diagnostics**: The "Dev" tab provides real-time access to the underlying `