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Update MSC3765: Rich text in room topics (#4215)
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Updates MSC from feedback,
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Johennes authored Oct 17, 2024
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84 changes: 63 additions & 21 deletions proposals/3765-rich-room-topics.md
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Expand Up @@ -44,33 +44,52 @@ The wrapping `m.topic` content block is similar to `m.caption` for file
uploads as defined in [MSC3551]. It avoids clients accidentally rendering
the topic state event as a room message.

It is recommended that clients always include a plain text variant when
sending `m.topic` events. This prevents bad UX in situations where a plain
text topic is sufficient such as the public rooms directory.

In order to prevent formatting abuse in room topics, clients are
encouraged to limit the length of topics to at most two lines. Additionally,
clients should ignore things like headings and enumerations (or format them
as regular text). A future MSC may introduce a mechanism to capture extended
multiline details that are not suitable for room topics in a separate field
or event type.

A change to `/_matrix/client/v3/createRoom` is not necessary. The
endpoint has a plain text `topic` parameter but also allows to specify a
full `m.topic` event in `initial_state`.

Room topics also occur as part of the `PublicRoomsChunk` object in the
responses of `/_matrix/client/v3/publicRooms` and
`/_matrix/client/v1/rooms/{roomId}/hierarchy`. The topic can be kept
plain text here because this data should commonly only be displayed to
users that are *not* a member of the room yet. These users will not have
the same need for rich room topics as users who are inside the room. If
no plain text topic exists, home servers should return an empty topic
string from these end points. Since this will inevitably lead to bad UX,
client implementations are encouraged to always include a plain text
variant when sending `m.topic` events.
On the server side, any logic that currently operates on `m.room.topic` is
updated to use `m.topic` instead.

In [`/_matrix/client/v3/createRoom`], the `topic` parameter causes `m.topic`
to be written with a `text/plain` mimetype. If an `m.topic` event is supplied
in `initial_state`, the `topic` parameter overwrites its `text/plain` mimetype
but retains any other mimetypes.

In [`GET /_matrix/client/v3/publicRooms`], [`GET /_matrix/federation/v1/publicRooms`]
and their `POST` siblings, the `topic` response field is read from the
`text/plain` mimetype of `m.topic` if it exists or omitted otherwise.
A plain text topic is sufficient here because this data is commonly
only displayed to users that are *not* a member of the room yet. These
users don't have the same need for rich room topics as users who already
reside in the room.

The same logic is applied to [`/_matrix/client/v1/rooms/{roomId}/hierarchy`]
and [`/_matrix/federation/v1/hierarchy/{roomId}`].

In [server side search], the `room_events` category is expanded to search
over the `text/plain` mimetype in `m.topic`.

Finally, `m.topic` is also added to the events that are recommended for
inclusion in [stripped state].

## Transition

As this MSC replaces `m.room.topic` for an extensible alternative,
clients and servers are expected to treat `m.room.topic` as invalid in
extensible event-supporting room versions.
extensible event-supporting room versions. Similarly, `m.topic` cannot
be used in non-extensible-supporting room versions.

It is recommended that servers replicate `m.room.topic` to `m.topic`
with a plain text mimetype and vice versa when [upgrading] between room
versions that do and don't support extensible events.

## Potential issues

Expand All @@ -87,18 +106,41 @@ described in the introductory section of [MSC1767].
## Security considerations

Allowing HTML in room topics is subject to the same security
considerations that apply to HTML in room messages.
considerations that apply to HTML in room messages. In particular,
topics are already included in the content that clients should [sanitise]
for unsafe HTML.

## Other notes

Normally extensible events would only be permitted in a specific
room version. However, to facilitate adoption, clients MAY include
the `m.topic` content block in `m.room.topic` events in room
versions that don't support extensible events. They must, however,
take care to always duplicate the plain text mimetype into the
normal `topic` field, too. This ensures compatibility for clients
and servers that don't support this proposal. Since such clients
are likely to delete the `m.topic` content block when updating
`m.room.topic` themselves, it also helps prevent inconsistencies.

## Unstable prefix

While this MSC is not considered stable, `m.topic` should be referred to
as `org.matrix.msc3765.topic`.
as `org.matrix.msc3765.topic`. Note that extensible events and content
blocks might have their own prefixing requirements.

## Dependencies

- [MSC1767]

[plain text]: https://spec.matrix.org/v1.2/client-server-api/#mroomtopic
[MSC1767]: https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals/pull/1767
[MSC3551]: https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals/pull/3551
[`/rooms/{roomId}/upgrade`]: https://spec.matrix.org/v1.5/client-server-api/#post_matrixclientv3roomsroomidupgrade
[plain text]: https://spec.matrix.org/v1.12/client-server-api/#mroomtopic
[MSC1767]: https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals/pull/1767
[MSC3551]: https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals/pull/3551
[sanitise]: https://spec.matrix.org/v1.12/client-server-api/#security-considerations
[server side search]: https://spec.matrix.org/v1.12/client-server-api/#server-side-search
[stripped state]: https://spec.matrix.org/v1.12/client-server-api/#stripped-state
[upgrading]: https://spec.matrix.org/v1.12/client-server-api/#room-upgrades
[`/_matrix/client/v1/rooms/{roomId}/hierarchy`]: https://spec.matrix.org/v1.12/client-server-api/#get_matrixclientv1roomsroomidhierarchy
[`/_matrix/client/v3/createRoom`]: https://spec.matrix.org/v1.12/client-server-api/#post_matrixclientv3createroom
[`/_matrix/federation/v1/hierarchy/{roomId}`]: https://spec.matrix.org/v1.12/server-server-api/#get_matrixfederationv1hierarchyroomid
[`GET /_matrix/client/v3/publicRooms`]: https://spec.matrix.org/v1.12/client-server-api/#get_matrixclientv3publicrooms
[`GET /_matrix/federation/v1/publicRooms`]: https://spec.matrix.org/v1.12/server-server-api/#get_matrixfederationv1publicrooms

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