Send to by node name or broadcast sentinel (GET-free resolution via node DB) (#9)

AGENTS.md

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 ## API
 
 1. **Live base URL** — `http://bot.dev.kkhost.pl` (Traefik → docker-compose stack on this host; container port 3000 via external network dev_net, no published ports).
-2. **Endpoints** — all under the `/api` global prefix: `GET /api/status` (`{ connected, myNodeNum, host, port }`), `POST /api/send` (body `{ "text": "...", "to"?: <node number | "!b" | "broadcast"> }`, returns `{ id }`), `GET /api/channels` (the device's Meshtastic channels as `{ index, name, uplinkEnabled, downlinkEnabled }[]`; psk/keys redacted), `GET /api/nodes` (known nodes sorted by num as `{ num, longName?, shortName?, hwModel?, batteryLevel?, lastHeard: number|null, position?: { lat, lon, alt? } }[]`, from the initial sync plus live POSITION_APP updates; reset on reconnect) and `GET /api/nodes/:id` (lookup by exact node number/numeric string, then case-insensitive exact long/short name, else unique substring; 404 when ambiguous or missing). Scalar API docs are served at `/` (OpenAPI JSON at `/docs-json`). Keep this list in sync with the controller. All `POST /api/send` traffic targets channel index 2 (`testowy`) on purpose — never the primary channel; override via `MESH_SEND_CHANNEL` (default `2`).
+2. **Endpoints** — all under the `/api` global prefix: `GET /api/status` (`{ connected, myNodeNum, host, port }`), `POST /api/send` (body `{ "text": "...", "to"?: <node number | node name | "!b" | "broadcast"> }` — numbers pass through as-is (integer 1..0xffffffff), names resolve like `GET /api/nodes/:id`, omitted/""/"!b"/"broadcast" → broadcast; unknown or ambiguous targets are a 400. Returns `{ id }`), `GET /api/channels` (the device's Meshtastic channels as `{ index, name, uplinkEnabled, downlinkEnabled }[]`; psk/keys redacted), `GET /api/messages` (message history newest first: rx text with `from`, tx sends with `to` + `status` pending→delivered/failed via routing ACKs — broadcasts stay pending because firmware strips want_ack; last 100, in-memory, reset on reconnect), `GET /api/nodes` (known nodes sorted by num as `{ num, longName?, shortName?, hwModel?, batteryLevel?, lastHeard: number|null, position?: { lat, lon, alt? } }[]`, from the initial sync plus live POSITION_APP updates; reset on reconnect) and `GET /api/nodes/:id` (lookup by exact node number/numeric string, then case-insensitive exact long/short name, else unique substring; 404 when ambiguous or missing). Scalar API docs are served at `/` (OpenAPI JSON at `/docs-json`). Keep this list in sync with the controller. All `POST /api/send` traffic targets channel index 2 (`testowy`) on purpose — never the primary channel; override via `MESH_SEND_CHANNEL` (default `2`).
 
 ## Other
 

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,5 +1,18 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## v0.4.0 — 2026-09-24 14:39
+
+- `POST /api/send` now accepts node names and explicit broadcast sentinels in `to`: omitted/"" or `"!b"`/`"broadcast"` (case-insensitive, trimmed) → broadcast address `0xffffffff`; numbers pass through as-is (must be an integer in 1..0xffffffff); numeric strings are parsed the same way; anything else is looked up by name via the existing node DB lookup (exact long/short name, then unique substring). Unknown or ambiguous targets are a 400 with `no node matching '<to>'`. New service method `MeshService.resolveDest(to?)` does the resolution — `sendText()` keeps its resolved-number signature.
+- Swagger: `SendTextDto.to` documented as `number | string` with the full resolution order and the DM-vs-broadcast caveat (DMs are unicast wantAck-tracked via `GET /api/messages`; broadcasts stay pending because firmware strips want_ack); `@ApiOperation` notes all sends still ride channel index 2 (`testowy`) regardless of DM or broadcast.
+- README + AGENTS.md endpoint lists updated for the new `to` semantics.
+- Unit tests: `resolveDest` coverage on the fake bridge — omitted/""/"!b"/"BROADCAST" → broadcast, number passthrough, numeric string, exact longName match → num (node DB seeded via framed FromRadio nodeInfo), unknown name → `no node matching`, and invalid numbers (0, negative, non-integer, > 0xffffffff) rejected.
+
+## v0.3.0 — 2026-09-24 14:08
+
+- Message history with delivery tracking, exposed as `GET /api/messages` (newest first): inbound TEXT_MESSAGE_APP packets (`dir:'rx'`, with `from`) and our sends (`dir:'tx'`, with `to` + `status`). tx records start `pending` and move to `delivered`/`failed` when the routing ACK/NACK arrives — ROUTING_APP packets carry a serialized `meshtastic.Routing` in `Data.payload` whose oneof variant is `errorReason` (`Routing_Error`: 0 NONE = delivered, anything else failed with a human-readable `ackError`, e.g. NO_ROUTE/GOT_NAK/TIMEOUT, fallback `reason <n>`), matched to our sends via `Data.requestId`. Broadcasts stay `pending` because firmware strips want_ack pre-TX (documented behavior, no timer). History is a bounded in-memory buffer of the last 100 records (newest kept) and resets on every bridge reconnect alongside channels/nodes.
+- Codec: new `PORT_ROUTING_APP = 5` constant (verified against the installed `@meshtastic/protobufs` PortNum enum), `decodeRouting()` for ROUTING_APP payloads, and `describeRoutingError()` which maps a Routing.Error code to its name from the installed package's `Mesh.Routing_Error` enum.
+- Swagger: `GET /api/messages` documented with the pending→delivered/failed lifecycle, the broadcast caveat, and an example matching the record shape; README + AGENTS.md endpoint lists updated.
+
 ## v0.2.0 — 2026-09-24 13:08
 
 - Node database collected during the initial sync (`FromRadio.nodeInfo` frames, upserted by node number) and kept fresh by live `POSITION_APP` packets (the Position is serialized in `Data.payload`; unknown senders get a stub entry). The map resets on every bridge reconnect alongside channels.

README.md

@@ -26,8 +26,9 @@ Exposed via Traefik only (no published ports) at `http://bot.dev.kkhost.pl`.
 All API endpoints live under the `/api` prefix:
 
 - `GET /api/status` — `{ connected, myNodeNum, host, port }`
-- `POST /api/send` — body `{ "text": "...", "to"?: <node number | "!b" | "broadcast"> }`, returns `{ id }`
+- `POST /api/send` — body `{ "text": "...", "to"?: <node number | node name | "!b" | "broadcast"> }`, returns `{ id }`. Numbers pass through as-is (integer in 1..0xffffffff); names resolve like `GET /api/nodes/:id` (exact long/short name, then unique substring) — unknown or ambiguous targets are a 400
 - `GET /api/channels` — the device's Meshtastic channels as `{ index, name, uplinkEnabled, downlinkEnabled }[]` (psk/keys are redacted; empty until the initial sync completes)
+- `GET /api/messages` — message history, newest first: inbound text (`dir:'rx'`, with `from`) and our sends (`dir:'tx'`, with `to` + `status`). tx records start `pending` and move to `delivered`/`failed` (with human-readable `ackError`) when the routing ACK/NACK arrives; broadcasts stay `pending` because firmware strips want_ack before TX. In-memory only, last 100, reset on every bridge reconnect
 - `GET /api/nodes` — known mesh nodes as `{ num, longName?, shortName?, hwModel?, batteryLevel?, lastHeard: number|null, position?: { lat, lon, alt? } }[]`, sorted by node number. Collected during the initial sync plus live position updates; names/hwModel/battery appear only when reported, `lastHeard` is epoch seconds (null = never heard), and `position` only when both coordinates are known
 - `GET /api/nodes/:id` — one node looked up by exact node number (numbers or numeric strings), then case-insensitive exact long/short name, else the unique case-insensitive substring match; 404 when nothing or more than one node matches
 
@@ -39,11 +40,15 @@ curl http://localhost:3000/api/status
 curl -X POST http://localhost:3000/api/send -H 'content-type: application/json' -d '{"text":"hi"}'
 curl -X POST http://localhost:3000/api/send -H 'content-type: application/json' -d '{"to":123456789,"text":"hello"}'
 curl http://localhost:3000/api/channels
+curl http://localhost:3000/api/messages
 curl http://localhost:3000/api/nodes
 curl http://localhost:3000/api/nodes/kamil
 ```
 
-`to` omitted, `"!b"`, or `"broadcast"` sends to the broadcast address `0xffffffff`.
+`to` omitted, `"!b"`, or `"broadcast"` (case-insensitive) sends to the
+broadcast address `0xffffffff`; anything else is a node number or name.
+DMs are unicast and wantAck-tracked via `GET /api/messages`; broadcasts stay
+pending because firmware strips want_ack before TX.
 
 All sends always target channel index 2 (`testowy`) — never the primary
 channel. Override with `MESH_SEND_CHANNEL`.

package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "mesh-bot",
-  "version": "0.2.0",
+  "version": "0.4.0",
   "description": "",
   "author": "",
   "private": true,

src/mesh/codec.ts

@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ export const BROADCAST_ADDR = 0xffffffff;
 export const PORT_TEXT_MESSAGE_APP = 1;
 // verified against installed @meshtastic/protobufs Portnums.PortNum.POSITION_APP
 export const PORT_POSITION_APP = 3;
+// verified against installed @meshtastic/protobufs Portnums.PortNum.ROUTING_APP
+export const PORT_ROUTING_APP = 5;
 
 const START1 = 0x94;
 const START2 = 0xc3;
@@ -71,6 +73,23 @@ export async function decodePosition(
   return fromBinary(P.Mesh.PositionSchema, bytes);
 }
 
+/** ROUTING_APP packets carry a serialized meshtastic.Routing in Data.payload (ACK/NACK for want_ack sends). */
+export async function decodeRouting(
+  bytes: Uint8Array,
+): Promise<import('@meshtastic/protobufs').Mesh.Routing> {
+  const P = await loadProto();
+  return fromBinary(P.Mesh.RoutingSchema, bytes);
+}
+
+/** Human-readable name for a Routing.Error code (from the installed @meshtastic/protobufs enum), `reason <n>` fallback. */
+export async function describeRoutingError(code: number): Promise<string> {
+  const P = await loadProto();
+  const hit = Object.entries(P.Mesh.Routing_Error).find(
+    ([, v]) => typeof v === 'number' && v === code,
+  );
+  return hit ? String(hit[0]) : `reason ${code}`;
+}
+
 let hwModelNames: Map<number, string> | null = null;
 /** Reverse lookup of meshtastic.HardwareModel (enum value -> name), loaded once. */
 export async function loadHwModelNames(): Promise<Map<number, string>> {

src/mesh/mesh.controller.ts

@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import {
   ApiResponse,
   ApiTags,
 } from '@nestjs/swagger';
-import { BROADCAST_ADDR } from './codec.js';
 import { MeshService } from './mesh.service.js';
 
 export class SendTextDto {
@@ -22,7 +21,7 @@ export class SendTextDto {
   @ApiProperty({
     required: false,
     description:
-      'Decimal node number, "!b", or "broadcast" (defaults to broadcast)',
+      'Send target. Resolution order: omitted or "" → broadcast (0xffffffff); number → used as-is (integer in 1..0xffffffff); numeric string → that node number; "!b" or "broadcast" (case-insensitive) → broadcast; anything else is looked up by name — exact long/short name, then unique substring. DMs are unicast and wantAck-tracked via GET /api/messages (pending→delivered/failed); broadcasts stay pending because firmware strips want_ack.',
     example: '!b',
   })
   to?: string | number;
@@ -58,7 +57,7 @@ export class MeshController {
   @ApiOperation({
     summary: 'Send a text message over the mesh',
     description:
-      'Queues a TEXT_MESSAGE_APP packet on the pinned test channel (index 2, "testowy" — never the primary channel). Returns the Meshtastic packet id.',
+      'Queues a TEXT_MESSAGE_APP packet to the resolved target (node number, node name, or broadcast). DMs are unicast and wantAck-tracked via GET /api/messages; broadcasts stay pending because firmware strips want_ack. All sends ride the pinned test channel (index 2, "testowy" — never the primary channel) regardless of DM or broadcast, since modern firmware PKI handles unicast encryption/channel anyway. Returns the Meshtastic packet id.',
   })
   @ApiResponse({
     status: 200,
@@ -71,15 +70,13 @@ export class MeshController {
     if (typeof body?.text !== 'string' || body.text.length === 0) {
       throw new BadRequestException('text must be a non-empty string');
     }
-    let to = BROADCAST_ADDR;
-    const t = body.to;
-    if (t !== undefined && t !== '!b' && t !== 'broadcast') {
-      const n = typeof t === 'number' ? t : Number(String(t));
-      if (!Number.isFinite(n))
+    let to: number;
+    try {
+      to = await this.mesh.resolveDest(body.to);
+    } catch (err) {
       throw new BadRequestException(
-          'to must be a decimal node number, "!b", or "broadcast"',
+        err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err),
       );
-      to = n;
     }
     return { id: await this.mesh.sendText(to, body.text) };
   }
@@ -107,6 +104,39 @@ export class MeshController {
     return this.mesh.channels();
   }
 
+  @Get('messages')
+  @ApiOperation({
+    summary: 'Message history (last 100)',
+    description:
+      'Inbound text messages and our sends, newest first. tx records start "pending" and move to "delivered"/"failed" when the routing ACK/NACK arrives; broadcasts stay "pending" because firmware strips want_ack before TX. History is in-memory only (last 100) and resets on every bridge reconnect.',
+  })
+  @ApiResponse({
+    status: 200,
+    description: 'Messages newest first',
+    example: [
+      {
+        id: 456789,
+        dir: 'tx',
+        to: 42,
+        text: 'hello testowy',
+        channel: 2,
+        at: 1758000123456,
+        status: 'delivered',
+      },
+      {
+        id: 123456,
+        dir: 'rx',
+        from: 987654321,
+        text: 'ping',
+        channel: 2,
+        at: 1758000000000,
+      },
+    ],
+  })
+  messages() {
+    return this.mesh.messages();
+  }
+
   @Get('nodes')
   @ApiOperation({
     summary: 'Known mesh nodes (lean summaries)',

src/mesh/mesh.service.spec.ts

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import * as P from '@meshtastic/protobufs';
 import * as net from 'node:net';
 import type { AddressInfo } from 'node:net';
 import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
-import { extractFrames, frame } from './codec.js';
+import { BROADCAST_ADDR, extractFrames, frame } from './codec.js';
 import { MeshService } from './mesh.service.js';
 
 function startBridge(onSocket?: (s: net.Socket) => void): Promise<{
@@ -81,6 +81,63 @@ function positionPacketFrame(
 }
 
 const KAMIL_NUM = 123456789;
+// inbound text message: TEXT_MESSAGE_APP packet with UTF-8 in Data.payload
+function textPacketFrame(
+  from: number,
+  to: number,
+  text: string,
+  channel = 0,
+): Uint8Array {
+  const data = create(P.Mesh.DataSchema, {
+    portnum: P.Portnums.PortNum.TEXT_MESSAGE_APP,
+    payload: new TextEncoder().encode(text),
+  });
+  const pkt = create(P.Mesh.MeshPacketSchema, {
+    from,
+    to,
+    id: 1,
+    channel,
+    payloadVariant: { case: 'decoded', value: data },
+  });
+  return frame(
+    toBinary(
+      P.Mesh.FromRadioSchema,
+      create(P.Mesh.FromRadioSchema, {
+        payloadVariant: { case: 'packet', value: pkt },
+      }),
+    ),
+  );
+}
+
+// ACK/NACK for our sends: ROUTING_APP packet with Data.requestId = original id and a serialized Routing in the payload
+function routingFrame(
+  requestId: number,
+  errorReason: P.Mesh.Routing_Error,
+): Uint8Array {
+  const data = create(P.Mesh.DataSchema, {
+    portnum: P.Portnums.PortNum.ROUTING_APP,
+    requestId,
+    payload: toBinary(
+      P.Mesh.RoutingSchema,
+      create(P.Mesh.RoutingSchema, {
+        variant: { case: 'errorReason', value: errorReason },
+      }),
+    ),
+  });
+  const pkt = create(P.Mesh.MeshPacketSchema, {
+    from: 1,
+    id: 2,
+    payloadVariant: { case: 'decoded', value: data },
+  });
+  return frame(
+    toBinary(
+      P.Mesh.FromRadioSchema,
+      create(P.Mesh.FromRadioSchema, {
+        payloadVariant: { case: 'packet', value: pkt },
+      }),
+    ),
+  );
+}
 function kamilNodeInfo(): Partial<P.Mesh.NodeInfo> {
   return {
     user: {
@@ -437,3 +494,179 @@ describe('MeshService node database', () => {
     }
   });
 });
+
+describe('MeshService message history', () => {
+  it('captures inbound text as rx records', async () => {
+    const bridge = await startBridge();
+    process.env.MESH_HOST = '127.0.0.1';
+    process.env.MESH_PORT = String(bridge.port);
+    const svc = new MeshService();
+    try {
+      svc.onModuleInit();
+      await waitFor(
+        () => bridge.sockets.length === 1 && svc.status().connected,
+      );
+
+      bridge.sockets[0].write(textPacketFrame(KAMIL_NUM, 42, 'ping', 2));
+
+      await waitFor(() => svc.messages().length === 1);
+      expect(svc.messages()).toEqual([
+        {
+          id: 1,
+          dir: 'rx',
+          from: KAMIL_NUM,
+          text: 'ping',
+          channel: 2,
+          at: expect.any(Number),
+        },
+      ]);
+    } finally {
+      svc.onModuleDestroy();
+      bridge.close();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('tracks a tx send pending -> delivered on the routing ACK', async () => {
+    const bridge = await startBridge();
+    process.env.MESH_HOST = '127.0.0.1';
+    process.env.MESH_PORT = String(bridge.port);
+    const svc = new MeshService();
+    try {
+      svc.onModuleInit();
+      await waitFor(
+        () => bridge.sockets.length === 1 && svc.status().connected,
+      );
+
+      const id = await svc.sendText(42, 'hello testowy');
+      expect(svc.messages()[0]).toMatchObject({
+        id,
+        dir: 'tx',
+        to: 42,
+        text: 'hello testowy',
+        channel: 2,
+        status: 'pending',
+      });
+
+      bridge.sockets[0].write(routingFrame(id, P.Mesh.Routing_Error.NONE));
+
+      await waitFor(() => svc.messages()[0]?.status === 'delivered');
+      expect(svc.messages()[0]).toMatchObject({
+        id,
+        dir: 'tx',
+        status: 'delivered',
+      });
+    } finally {
+      svc.onModuleDestroy();
+      bridge.close();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('marks a tx failed with the routing error reason on NACK', async () => {
+    const bridge = await startBridge();
+    process.env.MESH_HOST = '127.0.0.1';
+    process.env.MESH_PORT = String(bridge.port);
+    const svc = new MeshService();
+    try {
+      svc.onModuleInit();
+      await waitFor(
+        () => bridge.sockets.length === 1 && svc.status().connected,
+      );
+
+      const id = await svc.sendText(42, 'will fail');
+      expect(svc.messages()[0]?.status).toBe('pending');
+
+      bridge.sockets[0].write(routingFrame(id, P.Mesh.Routing_Error.TIMEOUT));
+
+      await waitFor(() => svc.messages()[0]?.status === 'failed');
+      expect(svc.messages()[0]).toMatchObject({
+        id,
+        status: 'failed',
+        ackError: 'TIMEOUT', // human-readable Routing.Error name
+      });
+    } finally {
+      svc.onModuleDestroy();
+      bridge.close();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('caps history at 100 records, dropping the oldest', async () => {
+    const bridge = await startBridge();
+    process.env.MESH_HOST = '127.0.0.1';
+    process.env.MESH_PORT = String(bridge.port);
+    const svc = new MeshService();
+    try {
+      svc.onModuleInit();
+      await waitFor(
+        () => bridge.sockets.length === 1 && svc.status().connected,
+      );
+
+      for (let i = 0; i < 105; i++)
+        bridge.sockets[0].write(textPacketFrame(42, KAMIL_NUM, `m-${i}`));
+
+      await waitFor(() => svc.messages().length === 100, 10000);
+      expect(svc.messages()[0]?.text).toBe('m-104'); // newest first
+      expect(svc.messages()[99]?.text).toBe('m-5'); // m-0..m-4 dropped
+    } finally {
+      svc.onModuleDestroy();
+      bridge.close();
+    }
+  });
+});
+
+describe('MeshService resolveDest', () => {
+  it('resolves broadcast sentinels, numbers and names to node numbers', async () => {
+    const bridge = await startBridge();
+    process.env.MESH_HOST = '127.0.0.1';
+    process.env.MESH_PORT = String(bridge.port);
+    const svc = new MeshService();
+    try {
+      svc.onModuleInit();
+      await waitFor(
+        () => bridge.sockets.length === 1 && svc.status().connected,
+      );
+
+      bridge.sockets[0].write(nodeInfoFrame(KAMIL_NUM, kamilNodeInfo()));
+      await waitFor(async () => (await svc.nodes()).length === 1);
+
+      expect(await svc.resolveDest(undefined)).toBe(BROADCAST_ADDR); // omitted → broadcast
+      expect(await svc.resolveDest('')).toBe(BROADCAST_ADDR); // empty → broadcast
+      expect(await svc.resolveDest('!b')).toBe(BROADCAST_ADDR);
+      expect(await svc.resolveDest('BROADCAST')).toBe(BROADCAST_ADDR); // case-insensitive
+      expect(await svc.resolveDest(42)).toBe(42); // number passthrough
+      expect(await svc.resolveDest(String(KAMIL_NUM))).toBe(KAMIL_NUM); // numeric string
+      expect(await svc.resolveDest('Kamil SP8MK/P')).toBe(KAMIL_NUM); // exact longName
+    } finally {
+      svc.onModuleDestroy();
+      bridge.close();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('throws for unknown names and invalid node numbers', async () => {
+    const bridge = await startBridge();
+    process.env.MESH_HOST = '127.0.0.1';
+    process.env.MESH_PORT = String(bridge.port);
+    const svc = new MeshService();
+    try {
+      svc.onModuleInit();
+      await waitFor(
+        () => bridge.sockets.length === 1 && svc.status().connected,
+      );
+
+      bridge.sockets[0].write(nodeInfoFrame(KAMIL_NUM, kamilNodeInfo()));
+      await waitFor(async () => (await svc.nodes()).length === 1);
+
+      await expect(svc.resolveDest('zzz-nope')).rejects.toThrow(
+        "no node matching 'zzz-nope'",
+      );
+      for (const bad of [0, -1, 42.5, BROADCAST_ADDR + 1]) {
+        await expect(svc.resolveDest(bad)).rejects.toThrow(
+          /invalid node number/,
+        );
+      }
+      await expect(svc.resolveDest('0')).rejects.toThrow(/invalid node number/);
+    } finally {
+      svc.onModuleDestroy();
+      bridge.close();
+    }
+  });
+});

src/mesh/mesh.service.ts

@@ -8,17 +8,42 @@ import {
 import * as net from 'node:net';
 import type * as Proto from '@meshtastic/protobufs';
 import {
+  BROADCAST_ADDR,
   PORT_POSITION_APP,
+  PORT_ROUTING_APP,
   PORT_TEXT_MESSAGE_APP,
   buildTextToRadio,
   buildWantConfigToRadio,
   decodeFromRadio,
   decodePosition,
+  decodeRouting,
+  describeRoutingError,
   extractFrames,
   frame,
   loadHwModelNames,
 } from './codec.js';
 
+/** One entry in the message history: an inbound text (dir 'rx') or one of our sends (dir 'tx'). */
+export interface MessageRecord {
+  id: number;
+  dir: 'rx' | 'tx';
+  /** sender node num — rx only */
+  from?: number;
+  /** destination node num (broadcast addr for broadcasts) — tx only */
+  to?: number;
+  text: string;
+  channel: number;
+  /** epoch ms */
+  at: number;
+  /** tx only: pending until the routing ACK/NACK arrives; broadcasts stay pending (firmware strips want_ack pre-TX) */
+  status?: 'pending' | 'delivered' | 'failed';
+  /** tx only, when failed: human-readable Routing.Error reason */
+  ackError?: string;
+}
+
+// bounded history: keep the newest N records, in-memory only
+const HISTORY_LIMIT = 100;
+
 /** What we know about a node so far: full NodeInfo after sync, possibly just {num}+position for live-only nodes. */
 type NodeEntry = Pick<Proto.Mesh.NodeInfo, 'num'> &
   Partial<Omit<Proto.Mesh.NodeInfo, 'num'>>;
@@ -63,6 +88,9 @@ export class MeshService implements OnModuleInit, OnModuleDestroy {
   >();
   // node database: NodeInfo frames from the initial sync + live POSITION_APP updates
   private nodeMap = new Map<number, NodeEntry>();
+  // message history (newest kept, capped at HISTORY_LIMIT) + pending tx records awaiting their routing ACK/NACK
+  private history: MessageRecord[] = [];
+  private pendingTx = new Map<number, MessageRecord>();
   private reconnectTimer: NodeJS.Timeout | null = null;
   private shuttingDown = false;
 
@@ -149,15 +177,69 @@ export class MeshService implements OnModuleInit, OnModuleDestroy {
     return null;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Resolve a send target to a node number for sendText().
+   * undefined/"" and "!b"/"broadcast" (case-insensitive, trimmed) → BROADCAST_ADDR;
+   * numbers pass through as-is (must be an integer in 1..0xffffffff); numeric strings are parsed the same way;
+   * anything else is looked up via node() — throws `no node matching '<to>'` when nothing or more than one matches.
+   */
+  async resolveDest(to?: number | string): Promise<number> {
+    if (typeof to === 'number') {
+      this.assertNodeNum(to);
+      return to;
+    }
+    const s = String(to ?? '').trim();
+    if (!s) return BROADCAST_ADDR; // omitted or empty → broadcast
+    if (s === '!b' || s.toLowerCase() === 'broadcast') return BROADCAST_ADDR;
+    if (/^\d+$/.test(s)) {
+      this.assertNodeNum(Number(s));
+      return Number(s);
+    }
+    const hit = await this.node(s);
+    if (!hit) throw new Error(`no node matching '${to}'`);
+    return hit.num;
+  }
+
+  private assertNodeNum(n: number): void {
+    if (!Number.isInteger(n) || n < 1 || n > BROADCAST_ADDR)
+      throw new Error(`invalid node number '${n}'`);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Message history, newest first: inbound TEXT_MESSAGE_APP packets (dir 'rx') and our sends (dir 'tx').
+   * tx records start 'pending' and move to 'delivered'/'failed' when the routing ACK/NACK arrives;
+   * broadcasts stay 'pending' because firmware strips want_ack before TX. In-memory only, last 100, reset on reconnect.
+   */
+  messages(): MessageRecord[] {
+    return [...this.history].reverse();
+  }
+
   /** Send `text` to node `to` on the pinned test channel; returns the packet id. Throws ServiceUnavailable when the bridge is down. */
   async sendText(to: number, text: string): Promise<number> {
     if (!this.connected || !this.socket)
       throw new ServiceUnavailableException('bridge not connected');
     const { bytes, id } = await buildTextToRadio(to, text, this.sendChannel);
+    const rec: MessageRecord = {
+      id,
+      dir: 'tx',
+      to,
+      text,
+      channel: this.sendChannel,
+      at: Date.now(),
+      status: 'pending',
+    };
+    this.pushHistory(rec);
+    this.pendingTx.set(id, rec);
     this.socket.write(bytes);
     return id;
   }
 
+  private pushHistory(rec: MessageRecord): void {
+    this.history.push(rec);
+    // ponytail: shift on a ≤100 array is fine; true ring buffer only if this ever gets hot
+    if (this.history.length > HISTORY_LIMIT) this.history.shift();
+  }
+
   private summarize(n: NodeEntry, names: Map<number, string>): NodeSummary {
     const s: NodeSummary = { num: n.num, lastHeard: n.lastHeard || null };
     if (n.user?.longName) s.longName = n.user.longName;
@@ -183,9 +265,11 @@ export class MeshService implements OnModuleInit, OnModuleDestroy {
     this.socket = socket;
     socket.on('connect', () => {
       this.connected = true;
-      // fresh sync on every (re)connect — drop stale channels/nodes from the old session
+      // fresh sync on every (re)connect — drop stale channels/nodes/history from the old session
       this.channelMap = new Map();
       this.nodeMap = new Map();
+      this.history = [];
+      this.pendingTx.clear();
       this.logger.log(`bridge connected ${this.host}:${this.port}`);
       const nonce = Math.floor(Math.random() * 0xffffffff) || 1;
       buildWantConfigToRadio(nonce)
@@ -256,9 +340,16 @@ export class MeshService implements OnModuleInit, OnModuleDestroy {
             ? pkt.payloadVariant.value
             : undefined;
         if (decoded && decoded.portnum === PORT_TEXT_MESSAGE_APP) {
-          this.logger.log(
-            `[mesh] ${pkt.from} -> ${pkt.to}: "${new TextDecoder().decode(decoded.payload)}"`,
-          );
+          const text = new TextDecoder().decode(decoded.payload);
+          this.logger.log(`[mesh] ${pkt.from} -> ${pkt.to}: "${text}"`);
+          this.pushHistory({
+            id: pkt.id,
+            dir: 'rx',
+            from: pkt.from,
+            text,
+            channel: pkt.channel ?? 0,
+            at: Date.now(),
+          });
         } else if (decoded && decoded.portnum === PORT_POSITION_APP) {
           // live position update: the Position is serialized in Data.payload
           let pos: Proto.Mesh.Position | undefined;
@@ -275,6 +366,28 @@ export class MeshService implements OnModuleInit, OnModuleDestroy {
               position: pos,
             });
           }
+        } else if (decoded && decoded.portnum === PORT_ROUTING_APP) {
+          // ACK/NACK for our want_ack sends: Routing serialized in Data.payload,
+          // Data.requestId = the original packet id we sent
+          let routing: Proto.Mesh.Routing | undefined;
+          try {
+            routing = await decodeRouting(decoded.payload);
+          } catch {
+            routing = undefined; // malformed payload — skip
+          }
+          if (routing?.variant.case === 'errorReason' && decoded.requestId) {
+            const rec = this.pendingTx.get(decoded.requestId);
+            if (rec) {
+              const reason = routing.variant.value;
+              if (reason === 0)
+                rec.status = 'delivered'; // Routing_Error.NONE
+              else {
+                rec.status = 'failed';
+                rec.ackError = await describeRoutingError(reason);
+              }
+              this.pendingTx.delete(decoded.requestId);
+            }
+          }
         }
         break;
       }