eryao/docs/protocols/notification/notification-inbox-protocol.md

# Notification Inbox Protocol (Frontend <-> Backend)

This document defines the notification inbox contract for authenticated users.

Protocol verification status:

- Backend route source: `backend/src/v1/notifications/router.py`
- Backend service source: `backend/src/v1/notifications/service.py`
- Backend repository source: `backend/src/v1/notifications/repository.py`
- Backend schema source: `backend/src/v1/notifications/schemas.py`

## Compatibility strategy

- Additive evolution only.
- Existing response fields are stable and must remain backward-compatible.
- New `action` values may be added to `payload`; unknown `action` values must be ignored by the client.

## Routes

### GET /api/v1/notifications

List notifications for the current user.

**Authorization**: Requires authenticated session. User identity from JWT `sub`.

**Query parameters**:

- `limit` (optional, integer, default 20, max 50): number of items per page
- `cursor` (optional, string): pagination cursor (ISO 8601 timestamp of last item's `created_at`)

**Response (200)**:

```json
{
  "items": [
    {
      "id": "uuid",
      "notificationId": "uuid",
      "type": "system",
      "title": "Welcome",
      "body": "Welcome to the app!",
      "payload": {
        "action": "none"
      },
      "isRead": false,
      "readAt": null,
      "createdAt": "2026-04-10T00:00:00Z"
    }
  ],
  "nextCursor": "2026-04-09T12:00:00Z",
  "hasMore": true
}
```

Field rules:

- `items`: array of notification items, ordered by `createdAt` descending
- `nextCursor`: timestamp cursor for next page, `null` if no more items
- `hasMore`: boolean indicating if more items exist
- `type`: string, currently only `system`
- `payload`: discriminated union (see Payload section below)
- `isRead`: boolean
- `readAt`: ISO 8601 timestamp or `null`
- Results are filtered: `notifications.status = 'published'` and `notifications.deleted_at IS NULL`

### GET /api/v1/notifications/unread-count

Get the number of unread notifications for the current user.

**Authorization**: Requires authenticated session. User identity from JWT `sub`.

**Response (200)**:

```json
{
  "count": 5
}
```

Field rules:

- `count`: integer `>= 0`
- Counts only notifications where `notifications.status = 'published'` and `notifications.deleted_at IS NULL`

### PATCH /api/v1/notifications/{notification_id}/read

Mark a single notification as read. Idempotent.

**Authorization**: Requires authenticated session. `notification_id` must belong to the current user's `user_notifications`.

**Path parameters**:

- `notification_id`: UUID of the `user_notifications` record

**Response (200)**:

```json
{
  "id": "uuid",
  "notificationId": "uuid",
  "type": "system",
  "title": "Welcome",
  "body": "Welcome to the app!",
  "payload": {
    "action": "none"
  },
  "isRead": true,
  "readAt": "2026-04-10T01:00:00Z",
  "createdAt": "2026-04-10T00:00:00Z"
}
```

**Error responses**:

- 404 `NOTIFICATION_NOT_FOUND`: notification not found or not owned by current user
- Already-read notifications return 200 with current state (idempotent)

### PATCH /api/v1/notifications/mark-all-read

Mark all unread notifications for the current user as read. Idempotent.

**Authorization**: Requires authenticated session. User identity from JWT `sub`.

**Response (200)**:

```json
{
  "updatedCount": 3
}
```

Field rules:

- `updatedCount`: integer `>= 0`, number of notifications that were actually changed from unread to read
- If all notifications are already read, returns `{ "updatedCount": 0 }`
- Only affects notifications where `notifications.status = 'published'` and `notifications.deleted_at IS NULL`

## Payload

`payload` is a discriminated union based on the `action` field.

### action = "none"

No navigation action on tap.

```json
{
  "action": "none"
}
```

### action = "open_route"

Navigate to an in-app route.

```json
{
  "action": "open_route",
  "route": "/divination/history",
  "entityId": "optional-uuid",
  "tab": "optional-tab-name"
}
```

Field rules:

- `route`: required, string, max 200 characters, app-internal route path
- `entityId`: optional, string, max 64 characters, business object ID
- `tab`: optional, string, max 32 characters, sub-page navigation parameter
- `url`: must be absent

### action = "open_url"

Open an external URL.

```json
{
  "action": "open_url",
  "url": "https://example.com/page"
}
```

Field rules:

- `url`: required, string, max 500 characters, external URL
- `route`, `entityId`, `tab`: must be absent

## Error contract linkage

- RFC7807 + extension `code`, optional `params`.
- Shared registry: `docs/protocols/common/http-error-codes.md`.
- New error codes for this feature are registered in the same registry.