feat: Add XEP-0231 Bits of Binary support #3922

sreeshanth-soma · 2026-01-26T11:14:10Z

Summary

Implements XEP-0231: Bits of Binary, enabling Converse.js to receive and display inline binary data such as custom smileys from clients like Pidgin.
Closes #3611

Implementation

New `converse-bob` Plugin

In-memory cache with TTL and max-age expiration
API: api.bob.get(), api.bob.store(), api.bob.has()
IQ handling: Fetches uncached BOB data via <iq type="get">
Message parsing: Extracts <data xmlns="urn:xmpp:bob"> elements
Disco feature: Registers urn:xmpp:bob
Security: Image MIME types only, 8KB size limit per spec

Test Results

TOTAL: 94 SUCCESS

New Tests (7)

Cache storage, retrieval, expiration
Size and MIME validation
Message parsing and IQ requests
Error handling

Capability Hash

Adding urn:xmpp:bob updates XEP-0115 verification string from 1T0pIfIxYO645OaT9gpXVXOvb9s= to ZXDrJD54GWZYlZif9IuMxum/u+g=

jcbrand · 2026-01-29T20:38:09Z

src/headless/plugins/bob/plugin.js

+import _converse from '../../shared/_converse.js';
+import log from '@converse/log';
+
+const { Strophe, $iq } = converse.env;


Please pay attention to these security bot messages.

src/headless/plugins/bob/plugin.js

jcbrand

Thanks for your pull request @sreeshanth-soma

You noted that the headless tests failed, but there are also non-headless tests which now fail due to the new urn:xmpp:bob feature supported.

Please fix those as well.

- Add converse-bob plugin for receiving BOB images (custom smileys) - Implements cache, API, IQ handling, and message parsing - Register urn:xmpp:bob disco feature - Add comprehensive test suite (7 tests) - Update capability hashes for new feature

Update XEP-0115 entity capability verification hashes in test files to account for the added urn:xmpp:bob feature. Headless tests now use: 9zuZdgDXVE0fkcAjeaokq9JxHJw= Non-headless tests now use: KjyaPNsNXajTrXVlYimRsIvje2g= RAI tests now use: 3Tday6wfQnY1R8zGPMO3CBYFrik=

sreeshanth-soma · 2026-01-27T12:59:25Z

Hello @jcbrand . I've addressed your feedback. The non-headless tests that were failing due to the urn:xmpp:bob feature have been fixed:

Updated all capability hashes in the non-headless test files
Added TypeScript type definitions for the BOB plugin
All tests are now passing locally (matching upstream/master behavior). Ready for re-review!

jcbrand

Thanks @sreeshanth-soma, please see my review comments.

jcbrand · 2026-01-29T06:33:57Z

src/headless/plugins/bob/plugin.js

+const MAX_BOB_SIZE = 8192;
+
+// In-memory cache for BOB data
+const bob_cache = new Map();


I'm not convinced that an in-memory cache is the right way to go here.

Every time you reload the tab the cache will be wiped and then you lose all the images.
If you then try to refetch the images, you might not get all of them due to the sender being offline.

So instead, we should probably create a persistent collection of BOB images, similar to what we do with VCards: https://github.com/conversejs/converse.js/blob/master/src/headless/plugins/vcard/vcards.js

Thanks for the feedback! I've replaced the in-memory Map with a persistent Skeletor Collection, following the VCards pattern:

Created bob.js model with isExpired() and getBlobURL() methods.

Created bobs.js collection using initStorage() for IndexedDB persistence

Collection is initialized on connected event and cleaned up on clearSession

BOB images now persist across page reloads and remain available even if the sender goes offline.

jcbrand · 2026-01-29T06:37:49Z

src/shared/texture/texture.js

+     * @param {number} offset - The index of the passed in text relative to
+     *  the start of the message body text.
+     */
+    async addBOBImages(text, offset) {


This function should go into a bob-views plugin and then in that plugin you should listen for the afterMessageBodyTransformed event in order to call this function.

See here:

converse.js/src/plugins/omemo-views/index.js

Line 34 in 0ea38d7

api.listen.on('afterMessageBodyTransformed', handleEncryptedFiles);

Done! Created a new bob-views plugin that:

Listens to afterMessageBodyTransformed event (following the omemo-views pattern)

Moved the BOB image handling logic from texture.js to the new plugin

Registered it in src/index.js and added to VIEW_PLUGINS whitelist

This properly separates the headless BOB storage from the view-layer rendering.

…ugin

src/shared/texture/texture.js

 import { until } from "lit/directives/until.js";
 import { Directive, directive } from "lit/directive.js";
 import { api, u } from "@converse/headless";
+import log from "@converse/log";


src/headless/plugins/bob/bob.js

src/headless/plugins/bob/bobs.js

jcbrand · 2026-01-29T20:38:09Z

src/headless/plugins/bob/plugin.js

+import _converse from '../../shared/_converse.js';
+import log from '@converse/log';
+
+const { Strophe, $iq } = converse.env;


Please pay attention to these security bot messages.

src/headless/plugins/bob/plugin.js

src/shared/chat/message-body.js

src/shared/texture/texture.js

src/headless/plugins/bob/plugin.js

…eanup Use configurable max_bob_size setting, add setInterval for expired blob cleanup, and update test fixtures for new caps hashes

sreeshanth-soma mentioned this pull request Jan 26, 2026

XEP-0231: Bits of Binary - for custom smileys and CAPTCHA #3611

Open

github-advanced-security bot found potential problems Jan 26, 2026

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jcbrand requested changes Jan 26, 2026

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sreeshanth-soma added 2 commits January 27, 2026 01:59

sreeshanth-soma force-pushed the xep-0231-bits-of-binary branch from 06c6529 to 6deb51b Compare January 27, 2026 02:14

sreeshanth-soma added 2 commits January 27, 2026 09:47

fix: Make message-images test null-safe to prevent intermittent failures

bc9c335

chore: Add TypeScript type definitions for BOB plugin

b2ab10a

sreeshanth-soma requested a review from jcbrand January 28, 2026 06:59

jcbrand requested changes Jan 29, 2026

View reviewed changes

refactor(bob): use persistent collection storage and add bob-views pl…

1a7018f

…ugin

sreeshanth-soma requested a review from jcbrand January 29, 2026 07:53

Merge branch 'conversejs:master' into xep-0231-bits-of-binary

2a03f11

github-advanced-security bot found potential problems Jan 29, 2026

View reviewed changes

jcbrand requested changes Jan 29, 2026

View reviewed changes

refactor(bob): simplify BOB plugin implementation and add periodic cl…

de4ff0e

…eanup Use configurable max_bob_size setting, add setInterval for expired blob cleanup, and update test fixtures for new caps hashes

sreeshanth-soma requested a review from jcbrand January 29, 2026 22:18

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feat: Add XEP-0231 Bits of Binary support #3922

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feat: Add XEP-0231 Bits of Binary support #3922

Conversation

sreeshanth-soma commented Jan 26, 2026

Summary

Implementation

New converse-bob Plugin

Test Results

New Tests (7)

Capability Hash

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New `converse-bob` Plugin