Add an opt-in SSR mode with a Node adapter behind PUBLIC_SSR

.env.example

@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@ PUBLIC_RELAY_URL=ws://localhost:3334   # required — NIP-29 relay hosting the g
 PUBLIC_MODE=simple                     # simple | full (single forum vs. many rooms)
 PUBLIC_GROUP_ID=mygrouprandomid        # required in simple mode; the single forum's group id (ignored in full mode)
 PUBLIC_TITLE=                          # top-bar title; empty falls back to the group name
+# Render on the server (Node deploy) instead of shipping a static SPA
+PUBLIC_SSR=no
+
 PUBLIC_SEARCH=no                       # yes | no — enable the search box (requires a relay with NIP-50 support)
 PUBLIC_LABELS=                         # comma-separated discussion labels (e.g., bug,feature,question)
 PUBLIC_BLOSSOM_URL=                    # Blossom server URL for uploads (e.g., https://blossom.primal.net)

README.md

@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ Squalk is configured entirely through environment variables (all prefixed `PUBLI
 | `PUBLIC_GROUP_ID` | in simple mode | — | The single forum's group id. Required when `PUBLIC_MODE=simple`; ignored in full mode, where rooms are selected at runtime. |
 | `PUBLIC_TITLE` | no | group name | Title shown in the top bar. When empty it falls back to the group's name. |
 | `PUBLIC_JOINCODE` | no | `no` | `yes` to show an invite-code field when a join request is rejected (for code-gated relays). |
+| `PUBLIC_SSR` | no | `no` | `yes` to render pages on the server (crawlable HTML, real 404s). The build then targets Node (`node build`) instead of a static bundle; see [Deploying](#deploying). |
 | `PUBLIC_SEARCH` | no | `no` | `yes` to show a search box at the top of the homepage. Requires a relay with NIP-50 search support. |
 | `PUBLIC_LABELS` | no | — | Comma-separated discussion labels offered when composing, e.g. `bug,feature,question`. |
 | `PUBLIC_BLOSSOM_URL` | no | — | Blossom server URL used for media uploads, e.g. `https://blossom.primal.net`. Uploads are disabled when unset. |

package.json

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
   "devDependencies": {
     "@eslint/compat": "^2.0.4",
     "@eslint/js": "^10.0.1",
-    "@sveltejs/adapter-auto": "^7.0.1",
+    "@sveltejs/adapter-node": "^5.5.7",
     "@sveltejs/adapter-static": "^3.0.10",
     "@sveltejs/kit": "^2.57.0",
     "@sveltejs/vite-plugin-svelte": "^7.0.0",

src/lib/chat.svelte.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import type { Event } from "@nostr/tools";
-import { loadNostrUser, type NostrUser } from "@nostr/gadgets/metadata";
+import { loadNostrUser, type NostrUser } from "$lib/gadgets";
 import { RELAY_URL } from "$lib/config";
 import { auth } from "$lib/auth.svelte";
 import { queryForum, publishForum, subscribeForum } from "$lib/relay";

src/lib/components/ChatContent.svelte

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <script lang="ts">
-  import { loadNostrUser, type NostrUser } from "@nostr/gadgets/metadata";
+  import { loadNostrUser, type NostrUser } from "$lib/gadgets";
   import { tokenizeChat } from "$lib/linkify";
   import {
     resolveThreadRef,

src/lib/components/MentionAutocomplete.svelte

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <script lang="ts">
   import { tick } from "svelte";
   import * as nip19 from "@nostr/tools/nip19";
-  import { loadRelayList } from "@nostr/gadgets/lists";
+  import { loadRelayList } from "$lib/gadgets";
   import {
     profileStore,
     searchLocalProfiles,

src/lib/components/PostContent.svelte

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <script lang="ts">
-  import { loadNostrUser, type NostrUser } from "@nostr/gadgets/metadata";
+  import { loadNostrUser, type NostrUser } from "$lib/gadgets";
   import * as nip19 from "@nostr/tools/nip19";
   import {
     resolveThreadRef,

src/lib/config.ts

@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ export const GROUP_ID = env.PUBLIC_GROUP_ID ?? "";
 if (MODE === "simple" && !GROUP_ID) {
   throw new Error("PUBLIC_GROUP_ID is required in simple mode");
 }
+// Server-side rendering: opt-in, and only meaningful when the build targets the
+// Node adapter (svelte.config.js reads the same variable).
+export const SSR_ENABLED = env.PUBLIC_SSR === "yes";
 // Requires a relay with NIP-50 support.
 export const SEARCH_ENABLED = env.PUBLIC_SEARCH === "yes";
 export const LABELS = (env.PUBLIC_LABELS ?? "")

src/lib/gadgets.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+import type { NostrUser } from "@nostr/gadgets/metadata";
+import type { ListFetcher, RelayItem } from "@nostr/gadgets/lists";
+
+export type { NostrUser, RelayItem };
+
+// @nostr/gadgets reads localStorage when imported, so it can't be loaded on
+// the server. Every consumer goes through these lazy wrappers; the library is
+// pulled in on first use, in the browser only.
+export async function loadNostrUser(pubkey: string): Promise<NostrUser> {
+  const m = await import("@nostr/gadgets/metadata");
+  return m.loadNostrUser(pubkey);
+}
+
+export const loadRelayList: ListFetcher<RelayItem> = async (...args) => {
+  const m = await import("@nostr/gadgets/lists");
+  return m.loadRelayList(...args);
+};

src/lib/mentions.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import * as nip19 from "@nostr/tools/nip19";
-import { loadRelayList } from "@nostr/gadgets/lists";
+import { loadRelayList } from "$lib/gadgets";
 
 const RELAY_HINT_TIMEOUT_MS = 1500;
 

src/lib/overview.svelte.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import type { AbstractRelay } from "@nostr/tools/abstract-relay";
 import type { Event } from "@nostr/tools/core";
 import type { Filter } from "@nostr/tools/filter";
-import { loadNostrUser, type NostrUser } from "@nostr/gadgets/metadata";
+import { loadNostrUser, type NostrUser } from "$lib/gadgets";
 import { ensureForumRelay } from "$lib/relay";
 import { ingestNostrUser } from "$lib/profiles.svelte";
 

src/lib/thread.svelte.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { loadNostrUser, type NostrUser } from "@nostr/gadgets/metadata";
+import { loadNostrUser, type NostrUser } from "$lib/gadgets";
 import { RELAY_URL, GROUP_ID } from "$lib/config";
 import { queryForum, publishForum } from "$lib/relay";
 import { threads as mockThreads } from "$lib/mock";

src/lib/threads.svelte.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import type { AbstractRelay } from "@nostr/tools/abstract-relay";
 import type { Event } from "@nostr/tools/core";
 import type { Filter } from "@nostr/tools/filter";
-import { loadNostrUser, type NostrUser } from "@nostr/gadgets/metadata";
+import { loadNostrUser, type NostrUser } from "$lib/gadgets";
 import { ensureForumRelay } from "$lib/relay";
 import { ingestNostrUser } from "$lib/profiles.svelte";
 

src/routes/+layout.svelte

@@ -179,7 +179,9 @@
   <link rel="icon" href={favicon} />
 </svelte:head>
 
-{#if relayAccess.state !== "open"}
+<!-- The server and the pre-probe client render the forum; the gate only
+   replaces it once a probe confirms the relay refuses this visitor. -->
+{#if relayAccess.state !== "open" && relayAccess.state !== "checking"}
   <RelayGate />
 {:else}
   <div

src/routes/+layout.ts

@@ -1 +1,3 @@
-export const ssr = false;
+import { SSR_ENABLED } from "$lib/config";
+
+export const ssr = SSR_ENABLED;

src/routes/thread/[id]/+page.svelte

@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
   import MessageEditor from "$lib/components/MessageEditor.svelte";
   import PostContent from "$lib/components/PostContent.svelte";
   import Tag from "$lib/components/Tag.svelte";
-  import { type NostrUser } from "@nostr/gadgets/metadata";
+  import type { NostrUser } from "$lib/gadgets";
 
   type Author = { pubkey: string; name: string; picture?: string };
 

svelte.config.js

@@ -1,11 +1,21 @@
-import adapter from "@sveltejs/adapter-static";
+import { loadEnv } from "vite";
+import adapterNode from "@sveltejs/adapter-node";
+import adapterStatic from "@sveltejs/adapter-static";
+
+// PUBLIC_SSR picks the deployment target: a Node server that renders pages
+// (yes) or a static single-page bundle (no, the default). The same flag turns
+// SSR on in +layout.ts.
+const env = loadEnv(
+  process.env.NODE_ENV ?? "production",
+  process.cwd(),
+  "PUBLIC_",
+);
+const ssr = (process.env.PUBLIC_SSR ?? env.PUBLIC_SSR) === "yes";
 
 /** @type {import('@sveltejs/kit').Config} */
 const config = {
   kit: {
-    adapter: adapter({
+    adapter: ssr ? adapterNode() : adapterStatic({ fallback: "index.html" }),
-      fallback: "index.html",
-    }),
   },
 };