broswer-automation/app/chrome-extension/PERSISTENT_CONNECTION_CHANGES.md

Persistent Connection Implementation Summary

Overview

Modified the Chrome extension to implement persistent connection management that maintains connections until explicitly disconnected by the user.

Key Changes Made

1. Enhanced RemoteServerClient (utils/remote-server-client.ts)

Connection State Persistence

• Added persistent connection state management:
  • persistentConnectionEnabled = true by default
  • connectionStateKey = 'remoteServerConnectionState' for storage
  • Automatic state saving/loading to chrome.storage.local

New Methods Added

• saveConnectionState(): Saves connection state to chrome storage
• loadConnectionState(): Loads and restores connection state on startup
• clearConnectionState(): Clears saved state on manual disconnect
• setPersistentConnection(enabled): Enable/disable persistent behavior
• isPersistentConnectionEnabled(): Get current persistence setting

Enhanced Reconnection Logic

• Increased max reconnection attempts: From 10 to 50 for persistent connections
• Extended reconnection delays: Up to 60 seconds for persistent connections
• Smarter reconnection: Only attempts reconnection for unexpected disconnections
• Connection restoration: Automatically restores connections within 24 hours

Connection Lifecycle Improvements

• State saving on connect: Automatically saves state when connection established
• State clearing on disconnect: Clears state only on manual disconnect
• Robust error handling: Better handling of connection timeouts and errors

2. Enhanced Background Script (entrypoints/background/index.ts)

Browser Event Listeners

• Added initBrowserEventListeners() function with listeners for:
  • chrome.runtime.onStartup: Browser startup detection
  • chrome.runtime.onInstalled: Extension install/update events
  • chrome.runtime.onSuspend: Browser suspension events
  • chrome.tabs.onActivated: Tab switch monitoring
  • chrome.windows.onFocusChanged: Window focus monitoring

Connection Health Monitoring

• Added startConnectionHealthCheck(): 5-minute interval health checks
• Periodic status logging: Regular connection status verification
• Proactive monitoring: Detects and logs connection state changes

3. Enhanced Popup UI (entrypoints/popup/App.vue)

Visual Indicators

• Persistent connection badge: "🔗 Persistent: Active" indicator
• Enhanced status text: "Connected (Persistent)" vs "Disconnected - Click Connect for persistent connection"
• Persistent info message: "🔗 Connection will persist until manually disconnected"

CSS Styling

• .persistent-indicator: Styling for persistent connection elements
• .persistent-badge: Green gradient badge with shadow
• .persistent-info: Info box with green accent border

Status Text Updates

• Clear messaging: Emphasizes persistent nature of connections
• User guidance: Explains that connections persist until manual disconnect

Technical Implementation Details

Connection State Storage

const state = {
  wasConnected: boolean,
  connectionTime: number,
  serverUrl: string,
  lastSaveTime: number
}

Reconnection Strategy

• Exponential backoff: 5s, 10s, 20s, 40s, up to 60s intervals
• Persistent attempts: Up to 50 attempts for persistent connections
• Smart restoration: Only restores connections from last 24 hours

Browser Event Handling

• Tab switches: Connection maintained across all tab operations
• Window focus: Connection persists during window focus changes
• Browser suspension: State saved before suspension, restored after
• Extension updates: Connection state preserved across updates

Behavior Changes

Before Implementation

• Manual connection required each session
• Connections might not survive browser events
• Limited reconnection attempts (10)
• No connection state persistence

After Implementation

• "Connect once, stay connected" behavior
• Connections persist across:
  • Popup open/close cycles
  • Browser tab switches
  • Window focus changes
  • Extended idle periods
  • Browser suspension/resume
• Robust reconnection: Up to 50 attempts with smart backoff
• State restoration: Automatic connection restoration after browser restart
• Manual disconnect only: Connections only terminate when explicitly disconnected

User Experience Improvements

Clear Visual Feedback

• Persistent connection status clearly indicated
• Real-time connection duration display
• Visual badges and indicators for connection state

Predictable Behavior

• Users know connections will persist until manually disconnected
• No unexpected disconnections during tool operations
• Consistent behavior across browser lifecycle events

Robust Connectivity

• Automatic reconnection when server becomes available
• Connection state restoration after browser restart
• Extended retry attempts for better reliability

Testing

• Comprehensive test plan provided in PERSISTENT_CONNECTION_TEST_PLAN.md
• Covers all aspects of persistent connection behavior
• Includes verification points and success criteria

Compatibility

• Maintains backward compatibility with existing MCP clients
• No breaking changes to tool execution or API
• Enhanced reliability without changing core functionality