zulip/zulip

Don't immediately expand topics in left sidebar when viewing list of topics

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#35197 opened on Jul 9, 2025

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 (41 comments) (0 reactions) (0 assignees)Python (19,672 stars) (7,339 forks)batch import
area: left sidebar (logic & sorting)help wantedpriority: high

Description

For users with the "List of topics" setting for the Channel links in the left sidebar go to setting, we should experiment with the following rules for how navigation works in the left sidebar.

If you are not currently viewing the channel or a topic in it:

  1. First click on channel in left sidebar puts topic list in middle pane and does not expand topics for the channel. The buttons that are normally shown on the selected channel (+, three-dot menu) should be shown in this state.
  2. Second click on channel in left sidebar expands topics.
  3. Third click collapses topics.
  4. Subsequent clicks continue to toggle expand vs. collapse.

If you are currently viewing a topic in the channel:

  1. First click on channel in left sidebar puts topic list in middle pane. It doesn't collapse the channel in the left sidebar.
  2. Second click collapses topics.
  3. Subsequent clicks continue to toggle expand vs. collapse.

CZO thread: #feedback > channels links go to top unread topic? @ 💬

Contributor guide

Tech stack
pythonjavascriptcsshtml
Domain
frontend
Issue type
feature
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
half day
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
active
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
clear
Prerequisites
Basic JavaScriptFamiliarity with Zulip's frontend structure
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
65
Research direction
Examine the left sidebar code in Zulip (likely in static/js/ or web/). Understand the current click handlers for channel items and how topics are expanded/collapsed. Review the linked CZO thread for design context and any maintainer feedback. Look for existing functions that toggle topic visibility to determine where to add the new multi click logic.