Make accessing ChatClientConfig in the Database Layer safer

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/).
   - Adds `ChatThreadVC.loadNextReplies()` + `ChatThreadVC.didFinishLoadingNextReplies(error:)`
 ### 🐞 Fixed
 - Fix thread reply action shown when inside a Thread [#3561](https://github.com/GetStream/stream-chat-swift/pull/3561)
+- Fix creating controllers from background threads leading to rare crashes [#3566](https://github.com/GetStream/stream-chat-swift/pull/3566)
 
 # [4.70.0](https://github.com/GetStream/stream-chat-swift/releases/tag/4.70.0)
 _January 14, 2025_

Sources/StreamChat/ChatClient+Environment.swift

@@ -31,19 +31,11 @@ extension ChatClient {
 
         var databaseContainerBuilder: (
             _ kind: DatabaseContainer.Kind,
-            _ shouldFlushOnStart: Bool,
-            _ shouldResetEphemeralValuesOnStart: Bool,
-            _ localCachingSettings: ChatClientConfig.LocalCaching?,
-            _ deletedMessageVisibility: ChatClientConfig.DeletedMessageVisibility?,
-            _ shouldShowShadowedMessages: Bool?
+            _ chatClientConfig: ChatClientConfig
         ) -> DatabaseContainer = {
             DatabaseContainer(
                 kind: $0,
-                shouldFlushOnStart: $1,
-                shouldResetEphemeralValuesOnStart: $2,
-                localCachingSettings: $3,
-                deletedMessagesVisibility: $4,
-                shouldShowShadowedMessages: $5
+                chatClientConfig: $1
             )
         }
 

Sources/StreamChat/ChatClientFactory.swift

@@ -94,11 +94,7 @@ class ChatClientFactory {
                 let dbFileURL = storeURL.appendingPathComponent(config.apiKey.apiKeyString)
                 return environment.databaseContainerBuilder(
                     .onDisk(databaseFileURL: dbFileURL),
-                    config.shouldFlushLocalStorageOnStart,
-                    config.isClientInActiveMode, // Only reset Ephemeral values in active mode
-                    config.localCaching,
-                    config.deletedMessagesVisibility,
-                    config.shouldShowShadowedMessages
+                    config
                 )
             }
 
@@ -111,11 +107,7 @@ class ChatClientFactory {
 
         return environment.databaseContainerBuilder(
             .inMemory,
-            config.shouldFlushLocalStorageOnStart,
-            config.isClientInActiveMode, // Only reset Ephemeral values in active mode
-            config.localCaching,
-            config.deletedMessagesVisibility,
-            config.shouldShowShadowedMessages
+            config
         )
     }
 

Sources/StreamChat/Controllers/MessageController/MessageController.swift

@@ -887,9 +887,8 @@ private extension ChatMessageController {
 
     func setRepliesObserver() {
         let sortAscending = listOrdering == .topToBottom ? false : true
-        let deletedMessageVisibility = client.databaseContainer.viewContext
-            .deletedMessagesVisibility ?? .visibleForCurrentUser
-        let shouldShowShadowedMessages = client.databaseContainer.viewContext.shouldShowShadowedMessages ?? false
+        let deletedMessageVisibility = client.config.deletedMessagesVisibility
+        let shouldShowShadowedMessages = client.config.shouldShowShadowedMessages
 
         let pageSize: Int = repliesPageSize
         let observer = environment.repliesObserverBuilder(

Sources/StreamChat/Database/DTOs/ChannelDTO.swift

@@ -465,6 +465,8 @@ extension ChatChannel {
             throw InvalidModel(dto)
         }
 
+        let clientConfig = context.chatClientConfig
+
         let extraData: [String: RawJSON]
         do {
             extraData = try JSONDecoder.stream.decodeCachedRawJSON(from: dto.extraData)
@@ -500,7 +502,7 @@ extension ChatChannel {
 
         let latestMessages: [ChatMessage] = {
             var messages = sortedMessageDTOs
-                .prefix(dto.managedObjectContext?.localCachingSettings?.chatChannel.latestMessagesLimit ?? 25)
+                .prefix(clientConfig.localCaching.chatChannel.latestMessagesLimit)
                 .compactMap { try? $0.relationshipAsModel(depth: depth) }
             if let oldest = dto.oldestMessageAt?.bridgeDate {
                 messages = messages.filter { $0.createdAt >= oldest }
@@ -531,7 +533,7 @@ extension ChatChannel {
                 }
                 return lhsActivity > rhsActivity
             }
-            .prefix(context.localCachingSettings?.chatChannel.lastActiveWatchersLimit ?? 100)
+            .prefix(clientConfig.localCaching.chatChannel.lastActiveWatchersLimit)
             .compactMap { try? $0.asModel() }
 
         let members = dto.members
@@ -543,7 +545,7 @@ extension ChatChannel {
                 }
                 return lhsActivity > rhsActivity
             }
-            .prefix(context.localCachingSettings?.chatChannel.lastActiveMembersLimit ?? 100)
+            .prefix(clientConfig.localCaching.chatChannel.lastActiveMembersLimit)
             .compactMap { try? $0.asModel() }
 
         let muteDetails: MuteDetails? = {

Sources/StreamChat/Database/DTOs/MessageDTO.swift

@@ -442,7 +442,7 @@ class MessageDTO: NSManagedObject {
         MessageDTO.applyPrefetchingState(to: request)
         request.predicate = previewMessagePredicate(
             cid: cid,
-            includeShadowedMessages: context.shouldShowShadowedMessages ?? false
+            includeShadowedMessages: context.chatClientConfig.shouldShowShadowedMessages
         )
         request.sortDescriptors = [NSSortDescriptor(keyPath: \MessageDTO.createdAt, ascending: false)]
         request.fetchOffset = 0
@@ -1202,11 +1202,12 @@ extension NSManagedObjectContext: MessageDatabaseSession {
         before id: MessageId,
         cid: String
     ) throws -> MessageDTO? {
-        try MessageDTO.loadMessage(
+        let clientConfig = chatClientConfig
+        return try MessageDTO.loadMessage(
             before: id,
             cid: cid,
-            deletedMessagesVisibility: deletedMessagesVisibility ?? .alwaysVisible,
-            shouldShowShadowedMessages: shouldShowShadowedMessages ?? true,
+            deletedMessagesVisibility: clientConfig.deletedMessagesVisibility,
+            shouldShowShadowedMessages: clientConfig.shouldShowShadowedMessages,
             context: self
         )
     }
@@ -1217,13 +1218,14 @@ extension NSManagedObjectContext: MessageDatabaseSession {
         in cid: ChannelId,
         sortAscending: Bool
     ) throws -> [MessageDTO] {
-        try MessageDTO.loadMessages(
+        let clientConfig = chatClientConfig
+        return try MessageDTO.loadMessages(
             from: fromIncludingDate,
             to: toIncludingDate,
             in: cid,
             sortAscending: sortAscending,
-            deletedMessagesVisibility: deletedMessagesVisibility ?? .alwaysVisible,
-            shouldShowShadowedMessages: shouldShowShadowedMessages ?? true,
+            deletedMessagesVisibility: clientConfig.deletedMessagesVisibility,
+            shouldShowShadowedMessages: clientConfig.shouldShowShadowedMessages,
             context: self
         )
     }
@@ -1234,13 +1236,14 @@ extension NSManagedObjectContext: MessageDatabaseSession {
         in messageId: MessageId,
         sortAscending: Bool
     ) throws -> [MessageDTO] {
-        try MessageDTO.loadReplies(
+        let clientConfig = chatClientConfig
+        return try MessageDTO.loadReplies(
             from: fromIncludingDate,
             to: toIncludingDate,
             in: messageId,
             sortAscending: sortAscending,
-            deletedMessagesVisibility: deletedMessagesVisibility ?? .alwaysVisible,
-            shouldShowShadowedMessages: shouldShowShadowedMessages ?? true,
+            deletedMessagesVisibility: clientConfig.deletedMessagesVisibility,
+            shouldShowShadowedMessages: clientConfig.shouldShowShadowedMessages,
             context: self
         )
     }

Sources/StreamChat/Database/DatabaseContainer.swift

@@ -23,11 +23,7 @@ class DatabaseContainer: NSPersistentContainer, @unchecked Sendable {
         let context = newBackgroundContext()
         context.automaticallyMergesChangesFromParent = true
         context.mergePolicy = NSMergeByPropertyObjectTrumpMergePolicy
-        context.perform { [localCachingSettings, deletedMessageVisibility, shouldShowShadowedMessages] in
-            context.localCachingSettings = localCachingSettings
-            context.deletedMessagesVisibility = deletedMessageVisibility
-            context.shouldShowShadowedMessages = shouldShowShadowedMessages
-        }
+        context.setChatClientConfig(chatClientConfig)
         return context
     }()
 
@@ -43,11 +39,7 @@ class DatabaseContainer: NSPersistentContainer, @unchecked Sendable {
         let context = newBackgroundContext()
         context.automaticallyMergesChangesFromParent = true
         context.mergePolicy = NSMergeByPropertyObjectTrumpMergePolicy
-        context.perform { [localCachingSettings, deletedMessageVisibility, shouldShowShadowedMessages] in
-            context.localCachingSettings = localCachingSettings
-            context.deletedMessagesVisibility = deletedMessageVisibility
-            context.shouldShowShadowedMessages = shouldShowShadowedMessages
-        }
+        context.setChatClientConfig(chatClientConfig)
         return context
     }()
 
@@ -65,23 +57,18 @@ class DatabaseContainer: NSPersistentContainer, @unchecked Sendable {
         // Context is merged manually since automatically is too slow for reacting to changes needed by the state layer
         context.automaticallyMergesChangesFromParent = false
         context.mergePolicy = NSMergeByPropertyObjectTrumpMergePolicy
-        context.perform { [localCachingSettings, deletedMessageVisibility, shouldShowShadowedMessages] in
-            context.localCachingSettings = localCachingSettings
-            context.deletedMessagesVisibility = deletedMessageVisibility
-            context.shouldShowShadowedMessages = shouldShowShadowedMessages
-        }
         stateLayerContextRefreshObservers = [
             context.observeChanges(in: writableContext),
             context.observeChanges(in: viewContext)
         ]
+        context.setChatClientConfig(chatClientConfig)
         return context
     }()
 
     private var stateLayerContextRefreshObservers = [NSObjectProtocol]()
     private var loggerNotificationObserver: NSObjectProtocol?
-    private let localCachingSettings: ChatClientConfig.LocalCaching?
-    private let deletedMessageVisibility: ChatClientConfig.DeletedMessageVisibility?
-    private let shouldShowShadowedMessages: Bool?
+
+    let chatClientConfig: ChatClientConfig
 
     static var cachedModels = [String: NSManagedObjectModel]()
 
@@ -102,13 +89,9 @@ class DatabaseContainer: NSPersistentContainer, @unchecked Sendable {
     ///
     init(
         kind: Kind,
-        shouldFlushOnStart: Bool = false,
-        shouldResetEphemeralValuesOnStart: Bool = true,
         modelName: String = "StreamChatModel",
         bundle: Bundle? = .streamChat,
-        localCachingSettings: ChatClientConfig.LocalCaching? = nil,
-        deletedMessagesVisibility: ChatClientConfig.DeletedMessageVisibility? = nil,
-        shouldShowShadowedMessages: Bool? = nil
+        chatClientConfig: ChatClientConfig
     ) {
         let managedObjectModel: NSManagedObjectModel
         if let cachedModel = Self.cachedModels[modelName] {
@@ -122,9 +105,7 @@ class DatabaseContainer: NSPersistentContainer, @unchecked Sendable {
             Self.cachedModels[modelName] = model
         }
 
-        self.localCachingSettings = localCachingSettings
-        deletedMessageVisibility = deletedMessagesVisibility
-        self.shouldShowShadowedMessages = shouldShowShadowedMessages
+        self.chatClientConfig = chatClientConfig
 
         super.init(name: modelName, managedObjectModel: managedObjectModel)
 
@@ -140,36 +121,26 @@ class DatabaseContainer: NSPersistentContainer, @unchecked Sendable {
                             "Failed to initialize the in-memory storage with error: \(error). This is a non-recoverable error."
                         )
                     }
-                    if shouldResetEphemeralValuesOnStart {
+                    if chatClientConfig.isClientInActiveMode {
                         self?.resetEphemeralValues()
                     }
                 }
                 return
             }
-            if shouldResetEphemeralValuesOnStart {
+            if chatClientConfig.isClientInActiveMode {
                 self?.resetEphemeralValues()
             }
         }
 
-        if shouldFlushOnStart {
+        if chatClientConfig.shouldFlushLocalStorageOnStart {
             recreatePersistentStore(completion: persistentStoreCreatedCompletion)
         } else {
             setupPersistentStore(completion: persistentStoreCreatedCompletion)
         }
 
         viewContext.mergePolicy = NSMergeByPropertyObjectTrumpMergePolicy
         viewContext.automaticallyMergesChangesFromParent = true
-        if Thread.current.isMainThread {
-            viewContext.localCachingSettings = localCachingSettings
-            viewContext.deletedMessagesVisibility = deletedMessagesVisibility
-            viewContext.shouldShowShadowedMessages = shouldShowShadowedMessages
-        } else {
-            viewContext.perform { [viewContext, localCachingSettings, deletedMessagesVisibility, shouldShowShadowedMessages] in
-                viewContext.localCachingSettings = localCachingSettings
-                viewContext.deletedMessagesVisibility = deletedMessagesVisibility
-                viewContext.shouldShowShadowedMessages = shouldShowShadowedMessages
-            }
-        }
+        viewContext.setChatClientConfig(chatClientConfig)
 
         FetchCache.clear()
 

Sources/StreamChat/Database/DatabaseSession.swift

@@ -4,7 +4,23 @@
 
 import CoreData
 
-extension NSManagedObjectContext: DatabaseSession {}
+extension NSManagedObjectContext: DatabaseSession {
+    private static let chatClientConfigKey = "io.getStream.StreamChat.config.key"
+
+    var chatClientConfig: ChatClientConfig {
+        var config: ChatClientConfig?
+        performAndWait {
+            config = userInfo[Self.chatClientConfigKey] as? ChatClientConfig
+        }
+        return config!
+    }
+
+    func setChatClientConfig(_ config: ChatClientConfig) {
+        performAndWait {
+            userInfo[Self.chatClientConfigKey] = config
+        }
+    }
+}
 
 protocol UserDatabaseSession {
     /// Saves the provided payload to the DB. Return's the matching `UserDTO` if the save was successful. Throws an error

Sources/StreamChat/Repositories/MessageRepository.swift

@@ -265,8 +265,9 @@ class MessageRepository {
     ) {
         let context = database.backgroundReadOnlyContext
         context.perform {
-            let deletedMessagesVisibility = context.deletedMessagesVisibility ?? .alwaysVisible
-            let shouldShowShadowedMessages = context.shouldShowShadowedMessages ?? true
+            let clientConfig = context.chatClientConfig
+            let deletedMessagesVisibility = clientConfig.deletedMessagesVisibility
+            let shouldShowShadowedMessages = clientConfig.shouldShowShadowedMessages
             do {
                 let resultId = try MessageDTO.loadMessage(
                     before: messageId,