feat: load more message history when scrolling to top

src/EchoHub.Client/AppOrchestrator.cs

@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ public sealed class AppOrchestrator : IDisposable
     private readonly ConnectionManager _conn = new();
     private readonly Dictionary<string, List<UserPresenceDto>> _channelUsers = new(StringComparer.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
     private readonly Lock _channelUsersLock = new();
+    private readonly HashSet<string> _channelsLoadingMore = new(StringComparer.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
 
     private ClientConfig _config;
     private readonly UserSession _session = new();
@@ -92,6 +93,7 @@ public sealed class AppOrchestrator : IDisposable
         _mainWindow.OnUserProfileRequested += HandleViewProfile;
         _mainWindow.OnChannelJoinRequested += HandleChannelJoinFromMessage;
         _mainWindow.OnSearchRequested += HandleSearchRequested;
+        _mainWindow.OnLoadMoreRequested += HandleLoadMoreRequested;
     }
 
     // ── Command Handler Wiring ─────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -721,6 +723,31 @@ public sealed class AppOrchestrator : IDisposable
         }, "Failed to join channel");
     }
 
+    private void HandleLoadMoreRequested()
+    {
+        if (!_conn.IsConnected) return;
+
+        var channel = _mainWindow.CurrentChannel;
+        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(channel)) return;
+
+        if (!_channelsLoadingMore.Add(channel)) return;
+
+        var offset = _messageManager.GetMessages(channel)?.Count ?? 0;
+
+        RunAsync(async () =>
+        {
+            try
+            {
+                var history = await _conn.GetHistoryAsync(channel, HubConstants.DefaultHistoryCount, offset);
+                InvokeUI(() => _messageManager.PrependHistory(channel, history));
+            }
+            finally
+            {
+                _channelsLoadingMore.Remove(channel);
+            }
+        }, "Failed to load more messages");
+    }
+
     private void HandleChannelJoinFromMessage(string channelName)
     {
         if (!_conn.IsConnected) return;

src/EchoHub.Client/Services/ConnectionManager.cs

@@ -196,8 +196,8 @@ internal sealed class ConnectionManager : IAsyncDisposable
         _connection?.SendMessageAsync(channel, content)
         ?? throw new InvalidOperationException("Not connected");
 
-    public Task<List<MessageDto>> GetHistoryAsync(string channel) =>
-        _connection?.GetHistoryAsync(channel)
+    public Task<List<MessageDto>> GetHistoryAsync(string channel, int count = HubConstants.DefaultHistoryCount, int offset = 0) =>
+        _connection?.GetHistoryAsync(channel, count, offset)
         ?? throw new InvalidOperationException("Not connected");
 
     public Task<List<UserPresenceDto>> GetOnlineUsersAsync(string channel) =>

src/EchoHub.Client/Services/EchoHubConnection.cs

@@ -154,9 +154,9 @@ public sealed class EchoHubConnection : IAsyncDisposable
         await _connection.InvokeAsync("SendMessage", channelName, encrypted);
     }
 
-    public async Task<List<MessageDto>> GetHistoryAsync(string channelName, int count = HubConstants.DefaultHistoryCount)
+    public async Task<List<MessageDto>> GetHistoryAsync(string channelName, int count = HubConstants.DefaultHistoryCount, int offset = 0)
     {
-        var messages = await _connection.InvokeAsync<List<MessageDto>>("GetChannelHistory", channelName, count);
+        var messages = await _connection.InvokeAsync<List<MessageDto>>("GetChannelHistory", channelName, count, offset);
         return DecryptMessages(messages);
     }
 

src/EchoHub.Client/UI/Chat/ChatMessageManager.cs

@@ -186,6 +186,39 @@ public sealed class ChatMessageManager
             MessagesChanged?.Invoke(channelName);
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Prepend older messages at the front of a channel's buffer, skipping any that are already present.
+    /// Fires <see cref="HistoryPrepended"/> when new lines are actually inserted.
+    /// </summary>
+    public void PrependHistory(string channelName, List<MessageDto> olderMessages)
+    {
+        if (!_channelMessages.TryGetValue(channelName, out var existing))
+            return;
+
+        var existingIds = existing
+            .Where(l => l.MessageId.HasValue)
+            .Select(l => l.MessageId!.Value)
+            .ToHashSet();
+
+        var newLines = olderMessages
+            .Where(m => !existingIds.Contains(m.Id))
+            .SelectMany(FormatMessage)
+            .ToList();
+
+        if (newLines.Count == 0)
+            return;
+
+        existing.InsertRange(0, newLines);
+
+        if (channelName == _currentChannel)
+            HistoryPrepended?.Invoke(channelName);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Fired after older messages are prepended to a channel's buffer. Parameter is the channel name.
+    /// </summary>
+    public event Action<string>? HistoryPrepended;
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Reset all message state (used on disconnect).
     /// </summary>

src/EchoHub.Client/UI/MainWindow.cs

@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.Text.RegularExpressions;
 using EchoHub.Client.Services;
 using EchoHub.Client.Themes;
@@ -117,6 +118,11 @@ public sealed partial class MainWindow : Runnable
     /// </summary>
     public event Action? OnSavedServersRequested;
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Fired when the user scrolls to the top of the message list and older messages should be loaded.
+    /// </summary>
+    public event Action? OnLoadMoreRequested;
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Fired when the user requests to create a new channel.
     /// </summary>
@@ -162,6 +168,7 @@ public sealed partial class MainWindow : Runnable
         _app = app;
         _messageManager = messageManager;
         _messageManager.MessagesChanged += OnMessagesChanged;
+        _messageManager.HistoryPrepended += OnHistoryPrepended;
         Arrangement = ViewArrangement.Fixed;
 
         // Menu bar at the top
@@ -222,6 +229,9 @@ public sealed partial class MainWindow : Runnable
         };
         _messageList.Source = new ChatListSource();
         _messageList.Accepting += OnMessageListAccepting;
+        _messageList.VerticalScrollBar.Scrolled += OnMessageListVerticalScrollBarScrolled;
+        _messageList.VerticalScrollBar.Visible = true;
+
         _chatFrame.Add(_messageList);
         Add(_chatFrame);
 
@@ -478,6 +488,12 @@ public sealed partial class MainWindow : Runnable
         }
     }
 
+    private void OnMessageListVerticalScrollBarScrolled(object? sender, EventArgs<int> e)
+    {
+        if (_messageList.VerticalScrollBar.Value == 0)
+            OnLoadMoreRequested?.Invoke();
+    }
+
     private void OnUsersListAccepting(object? sender, CommandEventArgs e)
     {
         var index = _usersList.SelectedItem;
@@ -631,6 +647,26 @@ public sealed partial class MainWindow : Runnable
             RefreshChannelList();
     }
 
+    private void OnHistoryPrepended(string channelName)
+    {
+        if (channelName != _messageManager.CurrentChannel)
+            return;
+
+        var messages = _messageManager.GetMessages(channelName);
+        if (messages is null)
+            return;
+
+        var oldCount = (_messageList.Source as ChatListSource)?.Count ?? 0;
+
+        RefreshMessages();
+
+        // Scroll to the item that was at the top before the prepend so the user
+        // stays at their previous reading position rather than jumping to the top.
+        var prependedCount = (_messageList.Source as ChatListSource)?.Count - oldCount;
+        if (prependedCount > 0)
+            _messageList.SelectedItem = prependedCount;
+    }
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Set the list of available channels, storing topics, and refresh the channel list view.
     /// </summary>