fix: persist media messages and improve realtime chat handling (NSOC'26)

[SrashtiChauhan]

NSOC'26

Overview

This PR improves the Team Chat module by adding persistent media support and enhancing realtime message synchronization.
The update ensures that image and audio messages remain available after refresh while improving the overall reliability of the chat experience.

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Related Issue

Closes #60

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Features Added

Persistent Image Messages

• Added persistent support for image messages
• Uploaded images now remain available after page refresh
• Improved image rendering inside chat bubbles

Persistent Audio Messages

• Added persistent support for audio messages
• Converted recorded audio blobs into Base64 format for reliable storage
• Audio playback now works correctly after refresh

Realtime Media Synchronization

• Improved realtime Socket.IO message handling
• Media messages now appear instantly in chat
• Synced backend and frontend message flow

Duplicate Message Prevention

• Fixed duplicate rendering for:

  • Text messages
  • Image messages
  • Audio messages

• Improved frontend message deduplication logic

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Technical Improvements

• Increased Express payload size limit for media uploads
• Added image and audio fields support in backend message controller
• Updated Supabase message schema for media persistence
• Improved media upload handling logic
• Refactored realtime chat update flow
• Improved conditional rendering for media messages

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UI/UX Improvements

• Smoother realtime chat experience
• Reliable media playback after reload
• Cleaner media rendering inside chat bubbles
• Better consistency between backend and frontend state

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Preview

• Persistent image messages
• Persistent audio playback
• Realtime media updates
• Stable message rendering without duplication

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Tested

• Image upload persistence
• Audio recording persistence
• Audio playback after refresh
• Realtime message synchronization
• Duplicate message prevention
• Media rendering after page reload

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Screenshot

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[SrashtiChauhan]

hi @Shriii19 ,
Kindly review my pr.
Thank you!
NSOC'26

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Project	Deployment	Actions	Updated (UTC)
flow-forge	Error		May 16, 2026 2:54pm