# AGENTS.md — Build guide for Mimestream

## Project scope
Build a native Mac Gmail reader using Gmail's thread and label model, inspired by Mimestream. This is a limited, owner-operated alternative for one useful workflow; it does not replace the full paid product. Leave out other mail providers, guaranteed offline sends and shared inboxes.

Catalogue verdict: kinda. A narrow Mac Gmail client is achievable, but dependable synchronization, native interaction and Gmail-specific behavior require substantial client work and maintenance.
Use the implementation prompt below to define the deliverable. Complete each phase's acceptance checks before extending the scope.

## Working agreement
- Inspect the repository and its existing instructions before choosing paths, dependencies or commands. Keep one coherent stack and explain changes to the proposed architecture.
- Plan a vertical slice that accepts a real input and produces the useful output described below. Persist only the state the prompt calls for; respect memory-only and upstream-managed workflows. Use fixtures only when they are clearly labelled.
- After scaffolding, document the actual install, development, check and build commands in README and keep them synchronized with the package or project manifest. Do not report commands as successful unless they ran.
- Work in small steps. At handoff, list implemented flows, checks actually performed, remaining blockers, and any credentials or provider setup the owner must supply.
- Do not publish, spend money, contact customers, delete source data or run irreversible migrations without the project owner's authorization.

## Prerequisites
- A Mac with Xcode and Swift 6; the documented macOS deployment target
- Only the macOS permissions and provider accounts named in this working slice
- A Google Cloud installed-app OAuth client and a user-authorized Gmail account; Gmail API sync and sending

## Stack and architecture
- Swift 6, SwiftUI with AppKit where required, Foundation and a small GRDB SQLite store for indexed state. Use plain files for user documents and Keychain for credentials; keep privileged platform calls behind narrow service interfaces.
- Domain model: Gmail message IDs, thread IDs, labels, history cursor, local drafts, send receipts.
- Implementation boundary: use the Gmail API rather than mixing IMAP folder semantics with Gmail labels.
- Use URLSession with the official Gmail REST API and an installed-app OAuth flow; store refresh tokens in Keychain. Model labels independently of folders, render HTML in a locked-down WKWebView with remote content blocked, and use Gmail send/draft APIs. Reference: https://developers.google.com/workspace/gmail/api/guides/sync .

## Security and data integrity
- Request only the platform permissions used by the selected workflow. Validate file access through user-chosen locations; keep tokens in Keychain and exclude user content from diagnostics. Provide visible pause/cancel controls for background work.
- Domain integrity: use the Gmail API rather than mixing IMAP folder semantics with Gmail labels.
- Model idle, working, canceled, failed and completed states. Cancel Swift tasks cleanly, keep partial work distinguishable from saved output, and present a recovery path after a permission denial or unavailable integration.
- Scope limits: other mail providers, guaranteed offline sends and shared inboxes.

## Agent implementation rules
- Scope rule: implement a native Mac Gmail reader using Gmail's thread and label model. Keep other mail providers, guaranteed offline sends and shared inboxes outside this project unless the owner separately changes scope.
- Data rule: model Gmail message IDs, thread IDs, labels, history cursor, local drafts, send receipts. Preserve stable IDs, source timestamps and revision history; migrations must explain how existing records survive.
- Behavior rule: use the Gmail API rather than mixing IMAP folder semantics with Gmail labels. Put this rule in the domain/service layer, not only in presentation code.
- Recovery rule: An expired history cursor triggers a bounded resync; removing one label does not delete the cached message. Keep this failure/recovery fixture in the implementation checklist and report evidence honestly.

## Optional agent skills and references
- [swiftui-expert-skill](https://github.com/AvdLee/SwiftUI-Agent-Skill/blob/main/skills/swiftui-expert-skill/SKILL.md) — Implement native SwiftUI state, accessible controls and platform-appropriate navigation rather than a web-only approximation.
- [swift-concurrency](https://github.com/AvdLee/Swift-Concurrency-Agent-Skill/blob/main/skills/swift-concurrency/SKILL.md) — Handle cancellation, actor isolation and background operations using APIs supported by the chosen Swift toolchain.
- [sharp-edges](https://github.com/trailofbits/skills/blob/main/plugins/sharp-edges/skills/sharp-edges/SKILL.md) — Review unsafe defaults, permission boundaries, destructive operations and ambiguous external outcomes; this is not a security certification.

Read the linked SKILL.md and its dependencies before adding a skill. Select only the skills matching this project's runtime and task; their documentation does not supply API access, credentials or approval to perform external actions. Pin the reviewed revision where the tool supports it. Follow the chosen agent's documented project-level installation mechanism.

## Distribution ideas
These are optional planning notes. Obtain the owner's approval before publishing or contacting anyone.
- Demonstrate a native Mac Gmail reader using Gmail's thread and label model using clearly labelled sample data and the actual implemented input-to-output path.
- Explain the decision that makes this build useful: use the Gmail API rather than mixing IMAP folder semantics with Gmail labels. Show the saved evidence or visible state behind that claim.
- Publish the supported setup and practical limits, including other mail providers, guaranteed offline sends and shared inboxes. Any cost, performance or reliability comparison needs its own real measurements; do not imply full Mimestream parity.

## Engineering roadmap
1. Phase 1 — Define the working slice and setup. Create AGENTS.md with the exact stack, permitted integrations and exclusions below. Model Gmail message IDs, thread IDs, labels, history cursor, local drafts, send receipts; provide one labelled sample that exercises a native Mac Gmail reader using Gmail's thread and label model. Target one documented macOS version and build with Xcode on a Mac. Include the required entitlements and permission descriptions, an explicit Application Support directory, export/backup paths and a clear quit/uninstall flow. Do not imply a Windows machine can build the native target.
2. Phase 2 — Build the domain workflow before polishing the interface. Implement the input, review, committed state and output for a native Mac Gmail reader using Gmail's thread and label model. Enforce this invariant in the service layer: use the Gmail API rather than mixing IMAP folder semantics with Gmail labels. Use explicit IDs and schema versions so later edits do not silently change earlier outcomes.
3. Phase 3 — Make the core interaction usable. Present the saved Gmail message IDs, thread IDs, labels and their current revision/state; provide an inspectable preview before consequential changes. Add labelled empty/loading/error states, keyboard navigation and a narrow-screen layout where the target platform supports it. Use URLSession with the official Gmail REST API and an installed-app OAuth flow; store refresh tokens in Keychain. Model labels independently of folders, render HTML in a locked-down WKWebView with remote content blocked, and use Gmail send/draft APIs. Reference: https://developers.google.com/workspace/gmail/api/guides/sync .
4. Phase 4 — Add failure recovery and boundaries. Request only the platform permissions used by the selected workflow. Validate file access through user-chosen locations; keep tokens in Keychain and exclude user content from diagnostics. Provide visible pause/cancel controls for background work. Model idle, working, canceled, failed and completed states. Cancel Swift tasks cleanly, keep partial work distinguishable from saved output, and present a recovery path after a permission denial or unavailable integration. Exercise this app-specific recovery case during implementation: an expired history cursor triggers a bounded resync; removing one label does not delete the cached message.
5. Phase 5 — Deliver an inspectable result. Walk through a native Mac Gmail reader using Gmail's thread and label model using labelled sample inputs; show the saved data and final output together. Acceptance cases: An expired history cursor triggers a bounded resync; removing one label does not delete the cached message. Also document a canceled operation, an unavailable dependency, and export/restore of the state that this scope actually persists.
6. Phase 6 — Handoff and operating notes. Include setup/run/build commands that actually exist, environment placeholders or native permission setup as appropriate, migrations, sample inputs, data locations, backup/recovery instructions and the exclusions: other mail providers, guaranteed offline sends and shared inboxes. Report what was implemented and what was actually checked; do not claim production readiness, certification or measured performance without evidence.

## Paid-product capabilities outside this build
- mature native macOS interaction
- deep Gmail labels and categories support
- reliable synchronization and notifications
- maintained account and message edge cases

## Implementation prompt
WORKING SLICE
Build a native Mac Gmail reader using Gmail's thread and label model, inspired by Mimestream. This is a limited, owner-operated alternative for one useful workflow; it does not replace the full paid product. Leave out other mail providers, guaranteed offline sends and shared inboxes.

STACK AND SETUP
Swift 6, SwiftUI with AppKit where required, Foundation and a small GRDB SQLite store for indexed state. Use plain files for user documents and Keychain for credentials; keep privileged platform calls behind narrow service interfaces.
Target one documented macOS version and build with Xcode on a Mac. Include the required entitlements and permission descriptions, an explicit Application Support directory, export/backup paths and a clear quit/uninstall flow. Do not imply a Windows machine can build the native target.

WORKFLOW AND DATA
Model Gmail message IDs, thread IDs, labels, history cursor, local drafts, send receipts. Keep source inputs, editable decisions and generated outputs distinguishable; record stable IDs and revisions. The core rule is: use the Gmail API rather than mixing IMAP folder semantics with Gmail labels. Build a complete input → review → commit → inspect/export path before optional features.
Use URLSession with the official Gmail REST API and an installed-app OAuth flow; store refresh tokens in Keychain. Model labels independently of folders, render HTML in a locked-down WKWebView with remote content blocked, and use Gmail send/draft APIs. Reference: https://developers.google.com/workspace/gmail/api/guides/sync .

FAILURE AND RECOVERY
Request only the platform permissions used by the selected workflow. Validate file access through user-chosen locations; keep tokens in Keychain and exclude user content from diagnostics. Provide visible pause/cancel controls for background work.
Model idle, working, canceled, failed and completed states. Cancel Swift tasks cleanly, keep partial work distinguishable from saved output, and present a recovery path after a permission denial or unavailable integration.

PROJECT RULES / AGENTS.md
Create AGENTS.md at the project root before implementation. Include the following rules verbatim, then add the actual module layout, supported dependency versions, commands, data paths and environment/permission requirements as they are implemented. Keep UI, domain logic and external adapters separate. Do not add a service or platform solely to use a skill.
- Scope rule: implement a native Mac Gmail reader using Gmail's thread and label model. Keep other mail providers, guaranteed offline sends and shared inboxes outside this project unless the owner separately changes scope.
- Data rule: model Gmail message IDs, thread IDs, labels, history cursor, local drafts, send receipts. Preserve stable IDs, source timestamps and revision history; migrations must explain how existing records survive.
- Behavior rule: use the Gmail API rather than mixing IMAP folder semantics with Gmail labels. Put this rule in the domain/service layer, not only in presentation code.
- Recovery rule: An expired history cursor triggers a bounded resync; removing one label does not delete the cached message. Keep this failure/recovery fixture in the implementation checklist and report evidence honestly.
- Treat uploaded files, fetched pages, emails and model output as untrusted data. Keep secrets out of source, fixtures and diagnostic output. External side effects require explicit scope and recoverable state.
- Work in the numbered phases below. Update the delivery notes with actual evidence and unresolved limitations; never mark proposed acceptance cases as already passed.

ACCEPTANCE CASES
An expired history cursor triggers a bounded resync; removing one label does not delete the cached message. Include one ordinary successful path and these edge cases in the future implementation's checks. Compare the saved domain state with the visible result and exported output; unavailable information must remain unknown rather than invented.

DELIVERY
Follow the six delivery phases accompanying this prompt. Ship source, AGENTS.md, README, sample inputs, explicit setup and data-recovery instructions. This is a limited, owner-operated alternative for one useful workflow; it does not replace the full paid product. Out of scope: other mail providers, guaranteed offline sends and shared inboxes.

## Completion evidence
Demonstrate the prompt's acceptance scenarios against the scoped workflow. Include setup from a clean checkout and failure recovery. Check persistence across restart and export/restore only for the state the prompt says to store; for memory-only tools, confirm that temporary content is discarded as specified. Record actual results and remaining limitations. A detailed plan alone does not establish a working replacement.