---
phase: 11-chat-finalization
plan: 01
subsystem: ui
tags: [react, redux, accessibility, aria, error-handling, websocket, ux]

# Dependency graph
requires:
  - phase: 10-read-unread-status
    provides: Complete chat UI with read/unread tracking and integration tests
provides:
  - Comprehensive error handling (API failures, WebSocket disconnection, fetch failures)
  - Full accessibility support (ARIA attributes, keyboard navigation, focus management)
  - Edge case handling (rapid actions, disconnection, empty states)
  - clearSendError Redux action for retry functionality
  - Production-ready chat with user-friendly error messages
affects: [11-02, testing, accessibility-audit, error-handling-patterns]

# Tech tracking
tech-stack:
  added: []
  patterns:
    - "Error display with color coding (red for critical, yellow for warnings)"
    - "ARIA attributes for screen reader support (roles, labels, descriptions)"
    - "Keyboard shortcuts (Escape to close, Enter to send, Tab order)"
    - "Focus management with auto-focus on window open"
    - "Retry button pattern for recoverable errors"

key-files:
  created: []
  modified:
    - jam-ui/src/store/features/sessionChatSlice.js
    - jam-ui/src/components/client/chat/JKChatComposer.js
    - jam-ui/src/components/client/JKSessionChatWindow.js
    - jam-ui/src/components/client/chat/JKChatMessageList.js
    - jam-ui/src/components/client/chat/JKChatHeader.js
    - jam-ui/src/components/client/JKSessionChatButton.js
    - jam-ui/src/components/client/chat/JKChatEmptyState.js

key-decisions:
  - "Red background (#dc3545) for critical errors (send failures), yellow (#fff3cd) for warnings (disconnection)"
  - "aria-modal='false' for chat window (modeless dialog pattern with WindowPortal)"
  - "100ms delay for textarea auto-focus to ensure DOM is ready"
  - "Escape key closes window globally (not scoped to dialog)"
  - "Retry button clears error and re-enables input without resending"

patterns-established:
  - "Error display pattern: persistent error + retry button for user actions"
  - "Disconnection banner pattern: yellow warning at top of window"
  - "ARIA live region pattern for validation messages (role='alert', aria-live='polite')"
  - "Focus management pattern: auto-focus on component mount with delay"
  - "Keyboard shortcut pattern: Escape key handler with useEffect cleanup"

issues-created: []

# Metrics
duration: 28min
completed: 2026-01-27
---

# Phase 11 Plan 1: Error Handling, Accessibility & Polish Summary

**Production-ready chat with comprehensive error handling, ARIA accessibility, keyboard navigation, and retry functionality**

## Performance

- **Duration:** 28 min
- **Started:** 2026-01-27T[start-time]
- **Completed:** 2026-01-27T[end-time]
- **Tasks:** 3
- **Files modified:** 7

## Accomplishments

- Comprehensive error handling for API failures, WebSocket disconnection, and fetch failures with color-coded displays
- Full accessibility support with ARIA attributes (roles, labels, descriptions, live regions)
- Keyboard navigation (Escape to close, Tab order preserved, Enter sends message)
- Focus management with auto-focus textarea on window open
- Retry functionality for send errors with clearSendError Redux action
- Edge case validation (rapid actions, disconnection, empty states, long messages)

## Task Commits

Each task was committed atomically:

1. **Task 1: Add comprehensive error handling and status display** - `6ce747385` (feat)
2. **Task 2: Add accessibility and keyboard navigation** - `d39dcf36f` (feat)
3. **Task 3: Polish and edge case handling** - `336f88d89` (refactor)

**Plan metadata:** [To be added after this commit] (docs: complete error handling & accessibility plan)

## Files Created/Modified

- `jam-ui/src/store/features/sessionChatSlice.js` - Added clearSendError action for retry functionality
- `jam-ui/src/components/client/chat/JKChatComposer.js` - Error display with retry button, ARIA attributes, textareaRef prop, PropTypes
- `jam-ui/src/components/client/JKSessionChatWindow.js` - Disconnection banner, role="dialog", Escape key handler, focus management
- `jam-ui/src/components/client/chat/JKChatMessageList.js` - Loading spinner, fetch error display
- `jam-ui/src/components/client/chat/JKChatHeader.js` - Added id="chat-window-title" for ARIA reference
- `jam-ui/src/components/client/JKSessionChatButton.js` - ARIA attributes (aria-label with unread count, aria-pressed, role, tabIndex)
- `jam-ui/src/components/client/chat/JKChatEmptyState.js` - Updated message to "Start the conversation!"

## Decisions Made

**Error color coding:**
- Red background (#dc3545) for critical errors (send failures requiring user action)
- Yellow background (#fff3cd) for warnings (disconnection, transient issues)
- Red text only for fetch errors (non-actionable)

**Accessibility approach:**
- aria-modal="false" for chat window (modeless dialog with WindowPortal)
- 100ms delay for auto-focus to ensure DOM readiness
- Escape key handler at window level (not scoped to dialog component)
- ARIA live regions for dynamic validation messages

**Retry pattern:**
- Retry button clears error state and re-enables input
- Does not automatically resend message (user must click Send again)
- Provides explicit control and prevents accidental duplicate sends

## Deviations from Plan

None - plan executed exactly as written. All edge cases were already handled by existing implementation from Phases 7-10, verified as working correctly.

## Issues Encountered

None - all features implemented smoothly following established patterns from media players (Backing Track/JamTrack).

## Next Phase Readiness

Ready for Phase 11 Plan 2 (UAT & Final Integration Testing).

All error handling, accessibility, and edge cases complete. Chat feature is production-ready with:
- User-friendly error messages for all failure scenarios
- Screen reader support with comprehensive ARIA attributes
- Keyboard navigation for all interactions
- Focus management for optimal UX
- Retry functionality for recoverable errors

---
*Phase: 11-chat-finalization*
*Completed: 2026-01-27*
