Important Links

Introduction

This proposal introduces the ability to give a title to a thread to help keep organized and to better identify conversations.

Optional thread titles

This functionality will be introduced as an optional element and will not be mandatory.

Available in CRT and non-CRT

This feature will be available for all users of Mattermost whether they are using CRT or not.

Composing a new thread with a title

When creating a new message in a channel, DM or GM, users can include a thread title while composing their message.

Using markdown headings at the start of a message

If a message starts with a markdown heading (using either # heading, ## heading, or ### heading), it will be treated as the thread title.

Thread title Character limit

Thread titles are limited to 128 characters.

A few exceptions:

• When migrating existing posts that start with heading tags, this limit cannot be imposed

• When typing a heading using normal markdown (not using the explicit thread title button), this limit cannot be imposed

Adding the thread title option to the message input formatting bar

The thread title feature will be added as the left-most control in the message formatting bar. This is only available when the formatting bar is expanded, not when collapsed.

When the thread title is toggled ON, a title element is added to the input field

The message input container expands and animates upward to accommodate for the title.

Open

While typing in the thread title, disable formatting controls that aren’t supported

While users are typing in the thread title field, Bold, Heading, Quote, Bulleted List and Numbered List controls should be disabled. See below for more details on what is supported within the thread title.

Autocomplete support within thread titles

Within titles, we should allow support for autocomplete mentions, channels, emojis, but not slash commands.

Markdown formatting support within thread titles

Titles should support the following markdown:

• Links

• Emojis

• Mentions

• Italic

• Strikethrough

• Inline Code

The following will not be supported:

• Bold

• Tables

• Bulleted Lists

• Numbered Lists

• Quotes

• Code Blocks

• Images

• Horizontal Rules

Adding a title to an existing untitled thread

Existing messages that start with markdown headings

When the thread titles feature is released, messages that start with markdown heading tags (using # heading, ## heading, or ### heading) will be automatically converted to thread titles and displayed as such in the channel, thread and threads inbox (see notes that follow for how titles display).

Add a title through the Edit message option in the ••• menu of a root post

If a user is editing an existing root post, the formatting bar should be available with the ability to edit or add the thread title.

Open

Add a title through the Add a thread title option in the ••• menu on a root post in the center channel.

For threads that have already been posted to a channel, DM, or GM, users can add a title after the fact. A new menu item to Add a thread title is added to any root post above the Edit message option.

This option is only available for users with access to edit the post.

NOTE: this menu item changes to Edit thread title if a title has already been added.

Add a title through the More actions menu on a root post in the thread RHS, and the threads view

Similar to the center channel more actions menu for a root post, the Add a thread title option also displays above the Edit message option in the menu.

Again, this option is only available for users with access to edit the post.

This option can be accessed through the more actions menu in the following contexts:

1. The ••• menu on a root post (Channel context)

2. The ••• menu on a root post (RHS context)

3. The ••• menu on a root post in the thread view (Threads context)

4. The ••• menu in the header of the thread view (Threads context)

NOTE: this menu item changes to Edit thread title if a title has already been added.

Editing the title inline - channel

Once ‘Add a thread title’ is selected from the ••• menu:

• a title input is added to the thread post

• the cursor is focused at the beginning of the input with a ‘Thread title’ placeholder.

• Once the user types a title the placeholder is replaced with what is typed, ENTER saves the change, ESC cancels. Typing and then clicking outside of the title area also will save the change.

Editing the title inline - RHS or Threads view

Once ‘Add a thread title’ is selected from the ••• menu, the thread is scrolled to the top and the thread header is focused on the thread title with a ‘Thread title’ placeholder until the user types. Once the user types a title, ENTER saves the change, ESC cancels. Typing and then clicking outside of the title area also will save the change.

States of an editable thread title

Editing a thread title when one already exists

If a thread title already exists there are a few ways to edit it:

1. Hovering over the title and clicking in to edit

2. Choosing ‘Edit thread title’ from the ••• menu on a root post

3. Choosing ‘Edit thread title’ from the ••• menu in the Threads View header.

4. Choosing ‘Edit message’ from the ••• menu on a root post which will open up the entire message to be edited with the title in place.

How the thread title displays

In the channel context

In the channel context, when a thread is titled, the title is displayed above the main message content and the post.

The post is identified as a thread even through it may not have replies yet. If there are no replies, the thread footer still shows with ‘No replies’ displayed and the follow button visible.

In the thread RHS

In the RHS context, when a thread has a title, a new thread intro is added to the top of the thread RHS view with an enlarged icon and title. The root post’s layout is slightly altered as well to show the avatar/name and time stamp above the message content and a divider below the message to identify it as the root message.

In addition:

• A ••• icon displays in the top-right corner

  • This opens the existing thread options menu

• A reply count icon button displays next to the ••• button

  • If there are no replies, this is hidden

  • If there are replies, show the count of replies

  • If there thread is followed and there are unread replies, show the unread dot next to the count indicator

Collapsed sticky header in thread view

If the user is scrolled down and the thread header is out of view, a collapsed header displays with the thread title.

Clicking this header bar will scroll the user to the top of the thread.

Untitled threads sticky header

If a thread is untitled, the sticky header will not show, but a dismissable banner will display prompting the user to to give the thread a title.

Clicking the banner will scroll to the top of the thread, add the thread title input and autofocus on editing it.

If the user doesn’t have access to edit the thread title, there will be no sticky header or prompt displayed at all.

In the Threads Inbox list

Threads with titles show the thread title under the author.

• The title will be truncated - hovering over truncated titles will display the full title in a tooltip

In the Thread view

A thread title displays the same way as it does in the RHS thread view in the intro.

• Title is displayed in full in this context - not truncated.

Collapsed sticky header in thread view

If it is a long thread, the thread title displays in a sticky header. This sticky header only shows if the user is scrolled below the thread title intro area.

In this context, the title is truncated to a single line. Hovering over it should reveal the title in full in a tooltip (only if it is getting truncated).

Clicking this sticky header bar will scroll the user to the top of the thread.

Untitled threads sticky header

If a thread is untitled, the sticky header will not show when scrolled down below the root post, but a dismissable banner will display prompting the user to to give the thread a title.

Clicking the banner will scroll to the top of the thread, add the thread title input and autofocus on editing it.

If the user doesn’t have access to edit the thread title, there will be no sticky header or prompt displayed at all.

In recent mentions, saved messages, pinned messages and search results

In these contexts, the thread title displays similarly to how it displays in the channel context adding the large thread title above the username.

Thread titles should be indexed for search results

When using the global search, thread titles should be searchable and highlighted in the search results. Order of priority to be determined.

Mobile app experience

See the experience documented and designed in this figma file.

Onboarding the new feature

Message Input Tour Point with NEW badge

Once this feature is released, when the text formatting bar is open for the first time, an automatic tour point opens drawing attention to the thread title feature.

Menu item NEW badge

In addition to the tour point, a NEW badge is added to the menu item for adding a title. We could consider removing the ‘NEW’ badge once a user has successfully added/edited a thread title. Or we could make this a time-based badge.