Profiles and contacts

Guide index · Direct messages

Update a profile

Use an initialized, authorized client with access to its home relay. GetProfileAsync resolves the current or another account's profile; client.Profile exposes the current account's cached profile. Profile changes are reported by ProfileChanged.

FieldUpdate<T> distinguishes an omitted field, an assigned value, and explicit deletion. An omitted update leaves the existing value unchanged; assigning FieldUpdate<T>.Delete removes an optional field. Required fields such as PublicDiscovery cannot be deleted.

public static Task<AccountProfile> UpdateProfileAsync(
    MeshlineClient client, CancellationToken cancellationToken = default) =>
    client.ProfileManager.UpdateProfileAsync(new ProfileUpdate
    {
        Nickname = "Alice",
        Bio = FieldUpdate<string>.Delete
        // Omitted Avatar and PublicDiscovery fields remain unchanged.
    }, cancellationToken);

Source: Messaging.cs, which imports Meshline.Models, Meshline.Models.Client, and Meshline.Models.Protocol. This changes the nickname, removes the biography, and leaves avatar and public-discovery preference unchanged. A content reference does not upload the avatar; the application provides content hosting and retrieval.

Exchange contact requests

MessageManager manages contacts as well as direct messages. Start both clients so they can synchronize account messages. On the requesting account:

public static Task<ContactRequestInfo> RequestContactAsync(
    MeshlineClient client, string accountId, CancellationToken cancellationToken = default) =>
    client.MessageManager.AddContactAsync(accountId, "Hello from my app", cancellationToken);

The receiving account lists requests with GetContactRequestsAsync or reacts to ContactRequestChanged. After the user accepts a specific incoming request:

public static Task<ContactInfo> AcceptContactAsync(
    MeshlineClient receivingClient, string requesterAccountId,
    CancellationToken cancellationToken = default) =>
    receivingClient.MessageManager.AcceptContactRequestAsync(requesterAccountId, cancellationToken);

Run these operations on the appropriate accounts. Sending a request does not immediately establish the authorization required to send ordinary direct messages. Observe contact changes and the contact's grant state before enabling messaging.

For invitation-based discovery, create a time-limited ContactInvite using CreateInviteAsync and pass it to the AddContactAsync overload on the other account. Keep invitations within their intended audience and expiry. DismissContactRequestAsync dismisses a request; SetAliasAsync changes a contact alias; RemoveContactAsync removes the relationship. List and lookup APIs return local contact views, so keep synchronization running and refresh after events.

Synchronization boundaries

Contact changes and account-message synchronization positions are committed together. A direct message received without the required local contact authorization is discarded; adding the contact later does not replay that message. Contact records more than five minutes ahead of the local clock are rejected and reported through BackgroundError; check clock accuracy when diagnosing validation failures.

API reference

ProfileManager · ProfileUpdate · FieldUpdate · MessageManager · ContactInfo