Checklist

• I have used the search function for OPEN issues to see if someone else has already submitted the same feature request.
• I have also used the search function for CLOSED issues to see if the feature was already implemented and is just waiting to be released, or if the feature was rejected.
• I will describe the problem with as much detail as possible.
• This request contains only one single feature, not a list of multiple (related) features.

App version

0.7.2

Feature or improvement you want

Improve Password-Protected Channel Discovery UX

Problem

Password-protected channels have poor discoverability and UX in BitChat:

• Users don't know a channel is password-protected until they see encrypted messages
• No visual indicators for password-protected channels
• Channels discovered through messages aren't shown in any UI
• Users must manually track which channels they've seen

Current Behavior

1. User sees encrypted message in a channel (e.g., "#secret")
2. Message shows as "[Encrypted message - password required]"
3. User must manually type /join #secret password to join
4. No indication in UI that #secret exists or needs a password
5. If user forgets channel name, they can't find it again

Expected Behavior

1. Auto-detect password-protected channels from encrypted messages
2. Show discovered channels in UI with lock icon (🔒)
3. Clicking on password-protected channel prompts for password
4. Remember discovered channels between sessions
5. Visual distinction between joined/unjoined/password-protected channels

Privacy Considerations

• Do NOT broadcast channel metadata to mesh (privacy leak)
• Only discover channels through actual message traffic
• All discovery is local to the device
• No CHANNEL_ANNOUNCE implementation (intentionally)

Benefits

• Better UX while maintaining privacy
• Easier to join password-protected channels
• No protocol changes required

Why This Feature Should Be Added

Better UX for password-protected channels while maintaining privacy. Users currently can't find or rejoin channels they've seen.

Problem Solved & Use Cases

Problem: Users see encrypted messages but have no way to discover, track, or easily rejoin password-protected channels.

Use cases:

• User sees encrypted message in "#secret" but forgets the channel name
• User wants to join a password-protected channel they previously discovered
• User needs visual indication of which channels require passwords

UI Design & User Interaction

• Channel list shows discovered password-protected channels with 🔒 icon
• Clicking locked channel opens password prompt dialog
• Visual states: joined (normal), unjoined (grayed), password-protected (🔒)
• Channels persist in list between app sessions

Technical Implementation Details

• Parse channel names from encrypted message headers (local only)
• Store discovered channels in local database
• No mesh broadcasting of channel metadata (privacy preserved)
• Password prompt triggers existing /join #channel password logic