Init Chat Engine – Real-Time, Community, Extensible

Init Chat Engine is a clean and minimal frontend chatbox plugin, designed for homepage or site-wide communication with comprehensive administrative controls. This plugin is the core user system behind the Init Plugin Suite – optimized for frontend-first interaction, extensibility, and real-time gamification. GitHub repository: https://github.com/brokensmile2103/init-chat-engine Key Features: Frontend Experience:

• Built with 100% REST API and Vanilla JS
• No jQuery, no bloat – blazing fast
• Fully embeddable via [init_chatbox] shortcode
• Guest messaging support (optional)
• Smart polling system (adaptive 3.5–10s based on activity)
• Browser notifications when new messages arrive
• Scroll-up to load history, scroll-down to auto-scroll
• Optimistic sending & "new message" jump button
• Clean UI with customizable themes
• Template override supported (chatbox.php) Administrative Control:
• Complete Settings Panel - Basic, Security, and Advanced configurations
• Message Management - Search, view, delete messages with pagination
• User Moderation - Ban/unban users by IP or user ID with expiration
• Rate Limiting - Prevent spam with configurable message limits
• Word Filtering - Block messages containing prohibited words
• Statistics Dashboard - View chat activity, user engagement, and trends
• Cleanup Tools - Automatic and manual cleanup of old messages
• Custom CSS Support - Full styling customization options Security & Moderation:
• IP-based and user-based banning system
• Configurable rate limiting (messages per minute)
• Word filtering with custom blocked word lists
• Message moderation queue (optional)
• Automatic cleanup of old messages and expired bans
• Admin override capabilities Multilingual Ready:
• Translation-ready with full .pot file included
• Vietnamese translation included
• Easy to translate to any language Perfect for community-based sites, forums, fanpages, manga readers, SaaS dashboards, customer support, or any interactive chat widget.

1.2.6 – October 20, 2025

• Overhauled Word Filter Engine with hardened validation lifecycle
• Default strategy is now aggressive substring detection (catches https://, domains, encoded text, spam links, etc.)
• Fully respects existing Security settings:
• Enable Word Filtering toggle
• Blocked Words textarea (one per line, supports Unicode)
• Word Filter Exceptions (role-based whitelist: Administrators always bypass)
• Introduced new developer extension hooks (no new UI options):
• init_plugin_suite_chat_engine_word_filter_strategy — switch filter logic (substring, word, regex)
• init_plugin_suite_chat_engine_blocked_words — modify blocked word list programmatically
• init_plugin_suite_chat_engine_bypass_filter — bypass filtering based on custom logic (VIP, IP ranges, etc.)
• init_plugin_suite_chat_engine_word_block_hit — event fired when a blocked word triggers
• Improved unicode normalization and internal cleanup of blocked-word lists (removes empty lines and #comments)
• Fully backwards-compatible — no disruption to existing settings or workflows
• Strengthened message security layer; prevents all major spam patterns (URL, Discord invite, Telegram link, obfuscated characters)

1.2.5 – October 18, 2025

• Added new “Delete All Messages” button under Quick Actions in the management panel
• Feature permanently removes all chat messages from the database with a single click
• Protected by full security stack: admin-only capability, nonce verification, and SQL transaction safety
• Resets all chat statistics (total_messages, messages_today, active_users_today, etc.) post-deletion
• Includes detailed WP_DEBUG logging for admin audit trail (who, when)
• UX-consistent with existing “Run Cleanup Now” button — executes instantly without JS dependency
• Designed as a “nuclear cleanup” option for administrators managing public chat environments
• No other functional or visual changes; this update focuses solely on administrative maintenance tools

1.2.4 – October 18, 2025

• Rebuilt FX Keyword Engine for per-message precision and zero-DOM overhead
• Replaced global TreeWalker scanning with on-demand inline FX application during message render
• Introduced new internal helpers: getCompiledFXRules() and applyFXInMessageContainer()
• Rules are now compiled once and reused, ensuring stable performance even with large message histories
• Removed redundant functions initChatboxReplaceFXKeywords(), safeReplaceFXKeywordsInDOM(), and runFXIfHasMessages()
• Eliminated repeated DOM traversals after message batch rendering (initial load, polling, or history fetch)
• Maintained full compatibility with external runEffect() logic and FX_KEYWORDS data structure
• Improved keyword detection accuracy using unified regex alternation with named groups
• Achieved significant runtime gains — messages now apply FX instantly upon creation
• Internal optimization only; no visual or behavioral changes for end users

1.2.3 – October 14, 2025

• Added safe integration hook for cross-plugin Init FX Engine keyword replacement
• Chat engine now auto-invokes external DOM keyword highlighter (replaceFXKeywordsInDOM) only when new messages are loaded
• Added conditional wrapper with typeof check to prevent errors if the external plugin is not active
• Introduced new internal helper: safeRunFX() for async idle execution (avoids blocking UI on message bursts)
• Implemented new scoped function initChatboxReplaceFXKeywords() — optimized DOM scanning limited to .init-chatbox-text only
• Rewrote FX keyword parser with TreeWalker for deep text traversal and regex stability
• Eliminated duplicate link generation and ensured idempotent behavior (no double replacements)
• Performance improved significantly when many messages are rendered or refreshed in batch
• Internal enhancement only — no UI changes; improves plugin compatibility and runtime stability

1.2.2 – October 7, 2025

• Hotfix Release: removed redundant ban check inside [init_chatbox] shortcode
• Eliminated secondary init_plugin_suite_chat_engine_check_user_banned() call (already handled by shortcode controller)
• Prevented duplicate banned-message rendering and minor timezone mismatches
• Simplified shortcode logic for better maintainability and consistency with ban middleware
• No user-facing behavior change — internal backend cleanup only

1.2.1 – October 7, 2025

• Added role-based word filter exceptions in Security settings
• New UI option: “Word Filter Exceptions” allows selecting user roles that can bypass blocked-word restrictions
• Default exempt role: Administrator (others can be toggled via checkboxes)
• Enhanced backend sanitization with strict role validation against existing WordPress roles
• Updated message validation logic: users in exempt roles can send blocked words without triggering filter
• Preserves security for guests and non-exempt roles (still subject to normal word filtering)
• Improved localization: added Vietnamese translations for all new settings strings

1.2.0 – October 2, 2025

• Introduced new filter init_plugin_suite_chat_engine_enrich_message_row for extending message rows with custom user metadata
• Enables themes/plugins to attach extra flags (roles, VIP status, moderation rights, etc.) without touching core logic
• Improves flexibility and forward-compatibility of the chat engine API, allowing richer integrations and UI features downstream

1.1.9 – October 1, 2025

• Added optional support for user profile links in chat messages
• Introduced profile_url field in API responses for registered users
• Provided frontend hook (initChatEngineMessageElementHook) to linkify display names if desired
• Feature is opt-in only; by default, names remain plain text for backward compatibility

1.1.8 – September 13, 2025

• Hardened /send security for logged-in users: strictly validate X-WP-Nonce and block cross-site POST attempts
• Sanitized inputs on the server before storage: apply wp_strip_all_tags() to both message and display_name (logged-in and guest paths)
• Rejected empty or non-visible messages: now fails fast on whitespace-/zero-width-/control-character–only content
• Enforced length limits server-side (pre-insert) to prevent oversized payloads; behavior matches UI constraints
• Kept output defense-in-depth: responses continue to use wp_kses_post() for message rendering
• Tightened server-side anti-abuse: permission callback rate-limit check remains authoritative (in addition to any client throttling)

1.1.7 – September 13, 2025

• Updated URL auto-linking logic to only apply when the link matches the current site domain
• Prevented external or mismatched-domain links from being auto-converted into <a> tags
• Reduced risk of spammy or malicious links being injected into formatted content
• Maintained full support for existing markdown-style text formatting features
• Improved overall content safety and formatting reliability

1.1.6 – September 1, 2025

• Updated codebase to fully comply with WordPress Coding Standards (WPCS)
• Refactored inline documentation and formatting for better readability and maintainability
• Improved code consistency to align with official WordPress best practices
• Minor internal cleanups to enhance long-term stability

1.1.5 – August 4, 2025

• Enhanced text formatting logic with smarter boundary detection for markdown-style syntax
• Improved formatting rules to require whitespace boundaries OR string start/end positions
• Fixed formatting conflicts in code identifiers (e.g., init_live_search no longer formats "live")
• Resolved mathematical expression formatting issues (e.g., 1*2*3 = 6 no longer bolds "2")
• Updated regex patterns to use OR logic: format when either start OR end has whitespace boundary
• Enhanced support for edge cases like *start* and *end* now properly formats both words
• Maintained strict content validation: no spaces immediately after opening or before closing markers
• Added comprehensive capture group handling for multiple regex patterns
• Improved formatting accuracy while preserving backward compatibility
• Enhanced user experience with more intuitive and predictable text formatting behavior

1.1.4 – August 3, 2025

• Added extensible hook system for enhanced message formatting and customization
• Introduced window.initChatEngineFormatHook for custom text formatting (supports sticker display and theme extensions)
• Added window.initChatEngineMessageElementHook for post-processing message elements after creation
• Enhanced message rendering pipeline to support external plugins and theme customizations
• Improved integration capabilities with Init Manga sticker system and other theme features
• Maintained backward compatibility while providing flexible extension points for developers
• Optimized hook execution with proper error handling to prevent chat interruptions

1.1.3 – August 01, 2025

• Advanced request management system with AbortController to prevent duplicate API calls
• Real-time timestamp updates: message timestamps now refresh automatically (e.g., "5 minutes" → "6 minutes")
• Enhanced network error handling with exponential backoff and smart retry mechanism
• Improved connection stability for slow/unstable networks with intelligent polling intervals
• Request deduplication system prevents message loading conflicts and UI inconsistencies
• Network status monitoring with automatic reconnection when connection is restored
• Better error recovery with consecutive error tracking and adaptive polling frequency
• Performance optimizations: reduced unnecessary API calls and improved memory management
• Enhanced user experience with clearer loading states and connection status indicators
• Robust offline/online detection with proper fallback handling for network interruptions

1.1.2 – July 30, 2025

• Complete dark mode system overhaul with comprehensive theme support
• Enhanced CSS variables system with dedicated light/dark theme variable sets
• Full component coverage: dark mode now applies to all elements (messages, inputs, buttons, scrollbars, modals)
• Smart theme detection: auto-detect system dark mode preference with @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark)
• Improved color contrast and accessibility with proper contrast ratios for dark theme
• Smooth theme transitions with 0.3s transition animations when switching between themes

1.1.1 – July 29, 2025

• Resolved infinite scroll loop bug causing chat interface crashes
• Fixed load more button toggle conflicts in middle scroll positions (50-200px from top)
• Implemented debounced scroll handling with 100ms stabilization timer
• Added scroll direction tracking to prevent unnecessary auto-load triggers
• Improved scroll zone boundaries: auto-load (<30px), manual button (30-200px), hide (>300px)
• Enhanced state management to prevent redundant UI updates and layout thrashing
• Added proper timer cleanup on page unload to prevent memory leaks
• Optimized scroll performance with passive event listeners and reduced DOM queries
• Fixed scroll button visibility logic to prevent flickering during rapid scrolling
• Strengthened error handling for edge cases in scroll position calculations
• Added support for utility classes (uk-hidden, hidden, .ice-hidden)
• Automatic CSS framework detection and appropriate hide/show class usage
• Fixed character counter not working for guest users due to duplicate ID names
• Improved "Load more" button display logic to be more generous but still safe (expanded zone to 400px)
• Faster UI response time: reduced debounce to 80ms, auto-load delay to 150ms

1.1.0 – July 29, 2025

• Major admin panel upgrade with tabbed interface (Basic, Security, Advanced)
• Added full message management system with search and pagination
• Introduced user ban/unban system with support for IP and user restrictions
• Built statistics dashboard with activity charts and engagement metrics
• Implemented rate limiting control (messages per minute) to prevent spam
• Added word filter system with custom blocked word list
• Included auto/manual cleanup tools for old messages
• Redesigned admin UI with professional styling and responsive support
• Added connection status indicators and improved error handling
• Introduced REST API endpoints for admin moderation actions
• Implemented caching and nonce verification for all admin operations
• Added full settings validation and sanitization
• Full i18n support with .pot file and Vietnamese translation included

1.0.3 – July 20, 2025

• Added support for inline message formatting: *bold*, _highlight_, ~strike~, ^mark^, and italic
• Reused highlight style .init-fx-highlight-text from Init FX Engine (no duplicated CSS)
• Improved message rendering with safe HTML output
• Removed redundant escapeHTML() call to enable formatting
• Minor refactor of formatting logic

1.0.2 – July 19, 2025

• Added user avatar rendering with fallback support
• Introduced blinking document title when new messages arrive
• Added anti-spam cooldown and click-lock on send button
• Refined guest name workflow and improved avatar integration
• Enhanced message HTML structure and cleaned up code

1.0.1 – July 19, 2025

• Implemented smart polling system with adaptive intervals
• Added browser notification API support for new messages
• Improved scroll behavior and scroll-to-bottom logic
• Enhanced typing state detection and guest name handling
• Fixed message prepending offset issue and made UI tweaks

1.0.0 – July 18, 2025

• Initial release
• Core chat functionality using REST API (no WebSocket)
• Guest messaging support with basic identity system
• Admin settings for message limits and guest permissions
• Shortcode support with template override
• Scrollable history with smooth auto-scroll
• Optimistic message sending with fallback retry