Mail list: name everyone who wrote in the thread, and call the user "me"

The sender column showed participants[0], and participants are rebuilt
newest message first — so replying to a thread put the user in that slot
and the list named them instead of the person who wrote in.

Thread summaries (list and search) now carry `senders`: the distinct From
addresses of the thread's visible messages, oldest first, with the same
Trash/Spam visibility as the message count. The list joins them and shows
the user's own account addresses as "me" ("me, Alice" for a thread the
user started), and the avatar prefers the other side of the conversation.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

backend/app/api/schemas.py

@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ class ThreadSummary(BaseModel):
     subject: str
     snippet: str
     participants: list[Address]
+    # Distinct From addresses of the thread's visible messages, oldest first —
+    # what the list's sender column shows (recipients excluded).
+    senders: list[Address] = []
     account_ids: list[uuid.UUID]
     message_count: int
     unread_count: int

backend/app/api/search.py

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from sqlalchemy import select
 from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncSession
 
 from app.api.schemas import SearchOut, SearchThreadHit
-from app.api.threads import _summary
+from app.api.threads import _summary, thread_senders
 from app.db import get_session
 from app.identity.deps import CurrentUser
 from app.models import Thread
@@ -56,8 +56,12 @@ async def search(
             select(Thread).where(Thread.id.in_(order), Thread.user_id == user.id)
         )
     }
+    senders = await thread_senders(db, user.id, list(threads))
     results = [
-        SearchThreadHit(thread=_summary(threads[tid]), highlights=highlights.get(tid, {}))
+        SearchThreadHit(
+            thread=_summary(threads[tid], senders=senders.get(tid)),
+            highlights=highlights.get(tid, {}),
+        )
         for tid in order
         if tid in threads
     ]

backend/app/api/threads.py

@@ -33,12 +33,15 @@ def _addresses(raw: list[dict[str, str]]) -> list[Address]:
     return [Address(name=a.get("name", ""), email=a.get("email", "")) for a in raw]
 
 
-def _summary(thread: Thread, message_count: int | None = None) -> ThreadSummary:
+def _summary(
+    thread: Thread, message_count: int | None = None, senders: list[Address] | None = None
+) -> ThreadSummary:
     return ThreadSummary(
         id=thread.id,
         subject=thread.subject_norm or "(no subject)",
         snippet=thread.snippet,
         participants=_addresses(thread.participants),
+        senders=senders or [],
         account_ids=list(thread.account_ids),
         # Count only the messages this view actually shows (deleted/spam excluded
         # elsewhere); falls back to the denormalized total.
@@ -152,6 +155,7 @@ async def list_threads(
     # Per-thread visible message count matching what get_thread shows for this view:
     # Trash/Spam count only their own messages; every other view excludes them. This
     # keeps the list count in step with a single deleted message.
+    current_special = view.split(":", 1)[1] if view.startswith("folder:") else None
     counts: dict[uuid.UUID, int] = {}
     if threads:
         # count DISTINCT deliveries so collapsed cross-account copies count once,
@@ -163,22 +167,60 @@ async def list_threads(
             .where(Message.user_id == user.id, Message.thread_id.in_([t.id for t in threads]))
             .group_by(Message.thread_id)
         )
-        current_special = view.split(":", 1)[1] if view.startswith("folder:") else None
-        if current_special in _REMOVAL_FOLDERS:
-            count_stmt = count_stmt.where(Mailbox.special_use == current_special)
-        else:
-            count_stmt = count_stmt.where(
-                or_(Mailbox.special_use.is_(None), Mailbox.special_use.notin_(_REMOVAL_FOLDERS))
-            )
-        counts = {
-            r[0]: r[1] for r in (await db.execute(count_stmt)).all() if r[0] is not None
-        }
+        count_stmt = count_stmt.where(_visible_in(current_special))
+        counts = {r[0]: r[1] for r in (await db.execute(count_stmt)).all() if r[0] is not None}
+    senders = await thread_senders(db, user.id, [t.id for t in threads], current_special)
 
     return ThreadListOut(
-        threads=[_summary(t, counts.get(t.id)) for t in threads], total=total
+        threads=[_summary(t, counts.get(t.id), senders.get(t.id)) for t in threads],
+        total=total,
     )
 
 
+def _visible_in(current_special: str | None) -> ColumnElement[bool]:
+    """Which of a thread's messages a view shows (see ``_REMOVAL_FOLDERS``): Trash/Spam
+    show only their own messages; every other view hides them."""
+    if current_special in _REMOVAL_FOLDERS:
+        return Mailbox.special_use == current_special
+    return or_(Mailbox.special_use.is_(None), Mailbox.special_use.notin_(_REMOVAL_FOLDERS))
+
+
+async def thread_senders(
+    db: AsyncSession,
+    user_id: uuid.UUID,
+    thread_ids: list[uuid.UUID],
+    current_special: str | None = None,
+) -> dict[uuid.UUID, list[Address]]:
+    """Distinct From addresses per thread, oldest message first, over the messages
+    the view shows. Recipients are left out: the list's sender column names who
+    wrote, not everyone copied."""
+    if not thread_ids:
+        return {}
+    rows = await db.execute(
+        select(Message.thread_id, Message.from_addr)
+        .join(Mailbox, Mailbox.id == Message.mailbox_id)
+        .where(
+            Message.user_id == user_id,
+            Message.thread_id.in_(thread_ids),
+            _visible_in(current_special),
+        )
+        .order_by(Message.internal_date.asc(), Message.id.asc())
+    )
+    senders: dict[uuid.UUID, list[Address]] = {}
+    seen: dict[uuid.UUID, set[str]] = {}
+    for thread_id, from_addr in rows.all():
+        if thread_id is None:
+            continue
+        for addr in from_addr:
+            email = (addr.get("email") or "").lower()
+            if email and email not in seen.setdefault(thread_id, set()):
+                seen[thread_id].add(email)
+                senders.setdefault(thread_id, []).append(
+                    Address(name=addr.get("name", ""), email=addr.get("email", ""))
+                )
+    return senders
+
+
 async def _resolve_thread(db: AsyncSession, user: User, thread_id: uuid.UUID) -> Thread:
     thread = await db.scalar(
         select(Thread).where(Thread.id == thread_id, Thread.user_id == user.id)
@@ -212,15 +254,9 @@ async def get_thread(
         .where(Message.thread_id == thread_id, Message.user_id == user.id)
         .order_by(Message.internal_date.asc(), Message.id.asc())
     )
-    if current_special in _REMOVAL_FOLDERS:
-        # Show only the messages actually in this Trash/Spam folder.
-        stmt = stmt.where(Mailbox.special_use == current_special)
-    else:
-        # Conversation view: hide messages that were individually trashed or spammed
-        # (keep custom folders, special_use IS NULL, and every non-removal folder).
-        stmt = stmt.where(
-            or_(Mailbox.special_use.is_(None), Mailbox.special_use.notin_(_REMOVAL_FOLDERS))
-        )
+    # Trash/Spam: only the messages actually filed there. Conversation view: hide
+    # messages that were individually trashed or spammed.
+    stmt = stmt.where(_visible_in(current_special))
     messages = list(await db.scalars(stmt))
 
     # Collapse duplicate deliveries: the same email (same delivery_id) that landed

backend/tests/api/test_api.py

@@ -37,11 +37,17 @@ class ApiCtx:
 
 
 def _raw(
-    subject: str, body: str, *, mid: str, refs: str | None = None, html: str | None = None
+    subject: str,
+    body: str,
+    *,
+    mid: str,
+    refs: str | None = None,
+    html: str | None = None,
+    sender: str = "Alice <alice@example.com>",
 ) -> bytes:
     m = EmailMessage()
     m["Subject"] = subject
-    m["From"] = "Alice <alice@example.com>"
+    m["From"] = sender
     m["To"] = "me@example.com"
     m["Message-ID"] = mid
     m["Date"] = "Mon, 09 Mar 2026 08:36:37 +0100"
@@ -159,6 +165,40 @@ async def test_list_threads(api: ApiCtx) -> None:
     assert kickoff["message_count"] == 2
 
 
+async def test_list_senders_are_authors_oldest_first(api: ApiCtx) -> None:
+    # Our reply joins the kickoff thread: the sender column lists both authors in
+    # the order they wrote — Alice twice collapses to one entry, and the recipients
+    # (me, on Alice's messages) are not senders.
+    assert api.session is not None and api.account_id is not None
+    inbox = await api.session.scalar(
+        select(Mailbox).where(Mailbox.account_id == api.account_id, Mailbox.path == "INBOX")
+    )
+    assert inbox is not None
+    raw = _raw(
+        "Re: Project kickoff",
+        "thanks",
+        mid="<d@x.com>",
+        refs="<b@x.com>",
+        sender="Me <me@example.com>",
+    )
+    remote = RemoteMessage(uid=9, raw=raw, flags=frozenset(), internal_date=datetime.now(UTC))
+    await persist_message(
+        api.session,
+        user_id=api.user_id,
+        account_id=api.account_id,
+        mailbox_id=inbox.id,
+        mailbox_special_use="inbox",
+        remote=remote,
+    )
+    await api.session.commit()
+
+    resp = await api.client.get("/api/threads")
+    kickoff = next(t for t in resp.json()["threads"] if "kickoff" in t["subject"].lower())
+    assert [a["email"] for a in kickoff["senders"]] == ["alice@example.com", "me@example.com"]
+    lunch = next(t for t in resp.json()["threads"] if t["subject"] == "Lunch")
+    assert [a["email"] for a in lunch["senders"]] == ["alice@example.com"]
+
+
 async def test_folder_view(api: ApiCtx) -> None:
     # all seeded mail is in an inbox mailbox
     inbox = await api.client.get("/api/threads", params={"view": "folder:inbox"})

frontend/src/components/list/MessageList.tsx

@@ -102,6 +102,11 @@ export function MessageList({
   });
   const labelMap = labelsQuery.data ?? {};
 
+  // The user's own addresses, shown as "me" in the sender column.
+  const accounts = useQuery({ queryKey: ["accounts"], queryFn: api.accounts });
+  const myEmails = new Set((accounts.data ?? []).map((a) => a.email.toLowerCase()));
+  const isMe = (a: Address) => myEmails.has(a.email.toLowerCase());
+
   const virtualizer = useVirtualizer({
     count: threads.length,
     getScrollElement: () => parentRef.current,
@@ -128,11 +133,15 @@ export function MessageList({
           const selected = selectedId === thread.id;
           const checked = checkedIds.has(thread.id);
           const dimmed = dimmedIds?.has(thread.id) ?? false;
-          // `participants` is from + to + cc, newest message first — so the first
-          // entry is the sender and the rest are recipients (usually just you).
-          // The list shows the sender only.
-          const primary = thread.participants[0];
-          const names = primary ? primary.name || primary.email : "(no one)";
+          // The sender column lists everyone who wrote in the thread, oldest first,
+          // with the user's own accounts shown as "me" — so a thread you started
+          // and someone answered reads "me, Alice". Recipients are not listed.
+          const senders = thread.senders.length ? thread.senders : thread.participants.slice(0, 1);
+          const names = senders.length
+            ? senders.map((a) => (isMe(a) ? t("mail.me") : a.name || a.email)).join(", ")
+            : "(no one)";
+          // The avatar is the other side of the conversation where there is one.
+          const primary = senders.find((a) => !isMe(a)) ?? senders[0];
           // The badge still counts everyone involved — the name is narrowed, the
           // "how many people are in this" signal is not.
           const extra = Math.max(0, thread.participants.length - 1);

frontend/src/i18n/en.ts

@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ export const en = {
   "nav.refresh": "Refresh all folders",
 
   "mail.noConversations": "No conversations.",
+  "mail.me": "me",
   "mail.selectConversation": "Select a conversation.",
   "mail.loadingThread": "Loading thread…",
   "mail.expandAll": "Expand all",

frontend/src/lib/types.ts

@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ export interface ThreadSummary {
   subject: string;
   snippet: string;
   participants: Address[];
+  /** Distinct From addresses of the thread's visible messages, oldest first. */
+  senders: Address[];
   account_ids: string[];
   message_count: number;
   unread_count: number;