fix(catalog): a follow from YouTube keeps an explored channel, and the list counts only what can come

A subscription pulled in from YouTube left an explored channel flagged as an exploration's, so its
later videos came in hidden from the Library with their watched marks waiting for good; a subscribe
landing while an exploration's videos came in left those flagged too. One step, settle_explored,
now holds the rule by who follows the channel now: the subscribe here, the subscription import, the
watched-channel videos and the explore page all end with it. Migration 0116 clears what the gap
left behind.

The list's "may still grow" count no longer counts a channel it already shows from a stub row, and
the comments on the cleanup's keep rule and on the in-memory daily shares say what they do.

backend/tests/test_catalog_service.py

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
 from sqlalchemy import select
 
 from app.catalog import queries, search, service
+from app.db import SessionLocal
 from app.catalog.models import (
     BlockedChannel,
     Channel,
@@ -23,6 +24,7 @@ from app.catalog.models import (
 from app.reader import queries as reader_queries
 from app.reader import service as reader_service
 from app.sync import explore as sync_explore
+from app.sync import subscriptions as sync_subscriptions
 
 
 def _channel(db, cid="UCc", **kw):
@@ -166,6 +168,65 @@ def test_exploring_a_channel_someone_follows_brings_its_uploads_in_as_the_catalo
     assert (ch.from_explore, db.get(Video, "v1").via_explore) == (False, False)
 
 
+def test_a_follow_pulled_in_from_youtube_makes_an_explored_channel_the_catalogs_own(
+    db, make_user, monkeypatch
+):
+    explorer, follower = make_user(), make_user()
+    ch = _channel(db, details_synced_at=datetime.now(timezone.utc))
+    service.explore(db, explorer, ch)
+    db.commit()
+    _video(db, "v1", via_explore=True)
+
+    class _Yt:
+        def __init__(self, session, user):
+            pass
+
+        def __enter__(self):
+            return self
+
+        def __exit__(self, *exc):
+            return False
+
+        def iter_subscriptions(self):
+            yield {"channel_id": "UCc", "title": "UCc", "yt_subscription_id": "sub-UCc"}
+
+        def get_channels(self, ids):
+            return []
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sync_subscriptions, "YouTubeClient", _Yt)
+    sync_subscriptions.import_subscriptions(db, follower)
+    db.commit()
+    db.expire_all()
+    # Followed on youtube.com is followed all the same: left flagged, the channel's later videos
+    # came in as an exploration's, hidden from the Library and their watched marks waiting for good.
+    assert (db.get(Channel, "UCc").from_explore, db.get(Video, "v1").via_explore) == (False, False)
+
+
+def test_a_follow_landing_while_an_explored_page_comes_in_leaves_none_of_it_flagged(
+    db, make_user, monkeypatch
+):
+    explorer, follower = make_user(), make_user()
+    ch = _channel(db, uploads_playlist_id="UUc")
+    service.explore(db, explorer, ch)
+    db.commit()
+
+    class _Yt:
+        def get_playlist_items(self, playlist_id, page_token):
+            # Someone subscribes, in a request of their own, while YouTube answers this one.
+            with SessionLocal() as other:
+                service.record_subscription(other, follower, other.get(Channel, "UCc"), "sub-UCc")
+                other.commit()
+            item = {"contentDetails": {"videoId": "v1", "videoPublishedAt": "2026-05-01T00:00:00Z"}}
+            return {"items": [item]}
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sync_explore, "_enrich_new", lambda session, yt, ids: 0)
+    sync_explore.explore_ingest_page(db, _Yt(), ch)
+    db.commit()
+    db.expire_all()
+    # The subscribe cleared what was flagged before it; a page that lands after it must not be.
+    assert (db.get(Channel, "UCc").from_explore, db.get(Video, "v1").via_explore) == (False, False)
+
+
 def test_a_block_is_once_and_ends_the_exploration(db, make_user):
     user = make_user()
     ch = _channel(db)

backend/tests/test_migration_0116.py

@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+"""Migration 0116's data step, DB-lane: an explored channel someone already follows becomes the
+catalog's own, and no video stays flagged as an exploration's on a channel that is not one.
+
+The schema half is checked by test_migrations.py; a flag left on is invisible there.
+"""
+
+from alembic import command
+from alembic.config import Config
+from sqlalchemy import text
+
+from app.db import engine
+
+
+def test_followed_explored_channels_and_their_videos_are_the_catalogs_own(db, make_user):
+    follower = make_user().id
+    cfg = Config("alembic.ini")
+    command.downgrade(cfg, "0115_takeout_channels")
+    try:
+        with engine.begin() as conn:
+
+            def channel(cid, explored):
+                conn.execute(
+                    text("INSERT INTO channels (id, from_explore) VALUES (:c, :e)"),
+                    {"c": cid, "e": explored},
+                )
+                conn.execute(
+                    text(
+                        "INSERT INTO videos (id, channel_id, published_at, via_explore)"
+                        " VALUES (:v, :c, now(), true)"
+                    ),
+                    {"v": f"v-{cid}", "c": cid},
+                )
+
+            channel("UCfollowed", True)  # explored, then followed on youtube.com
+            channel("UCexplored", True)  # explored, nobody follows it: stays the exploration's
+            channel("UCorganic", False)  # a video flagged after a subscribe had cleared the channel
+            conn.execute(
+                text("INSERT INTO subscriptions (user_id, channel_id) VALUES (:u, 'UCfollowed')"),
+                {"u": follower},
+            )
+    finally:
+        command.upgrade(cfg, "head")
+
+    with engine.connect() as conn:
+        channels = dict(conn.execute(text("SELECT id, from_explore FROM channels")).tuples().all())
+        videos = dict(
+            conn.execute(text("SELECT channel_id, via_explore FROM videos")).tuples().all()
+        )
+    assert channels == {"UCfollowed": False, "UCexplored": True, "UCorganic": False}
+    assert videos == {"UCfollowed": False, "UCexplored": True, "UCorganic": False}

backend/tests/test_watched_channels.py

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ from sqlalchemy import select, update
 from app import quota
 from app.catalog import service as catalog_service
 from app.catalog.models import BlockedChannel, Channel, ExploredChannel, Subscription, Video
+from app.db import SessionLocal
 from app.reader import queries, service, takeout
 from app.reader.models import TakeoutChannelDismissal, TakeoutItem, TakeoutKind
 from app.routes import feed as feed_routes
@@ -318,6 +319,18 @@ def test_naming_the_channels_is_tried_again_and_meanwhile_the_list_says_it_is_no
     assert queries.watched_channels_pending(db, user) == 0
 
 
+def test_a_listed_channel_still_to_be_described_is_not_counted_as_one_to_come(db, make_user):
+    user = make_user("stub@example.com")
+    # A stub the catalog made when one of its videos came in: a title, no details yet.
+    db.add(Channel(id=_ch(1), title="From a video"))
+    db.commit()
+    _watched(db, user, 1, [LONG] * 5)
+    assert queries.watched_channels_to_describe(db, user) == [_ch(1)]
+    assert _listed(db, user) == [(_ch(1), 5)]
+    # It is on the list already: "the list may grow" would promise one more that cannot come.
+    assert queries.watched_channels_pending(db, user) == 0
+
+
 def test_the_lengths_leave_the_watch_later_lookups_their_own_share(
     db, make_user, youtube, monkeypatch
 ):
@@ -400,6 +413,31 @@ def test_a_followed_channels_watched_videos_come_in_as_the_catalogs_own(
     assert db.get(Channel, _ch(1)).from_explore is False
 
 
+def test_a_follow_landing_while_the_videos_come_in_leaves_none_of_them_flagged(
+    db, make_user, as_user, monkeypatch
+):
+    user, follower = make_user("racer@example.com"), make_user("late@example.com")
+    _channel(db, 1)
+    _watched(db, user, 1, [LONG] * 5)
+    fake = _fake_ensure(calls := [])
+
+    def ensure(session, yt, ids, *, explore=False):
+        # Someone subscribes, in a request of their own, while YouTube answers this one.
+        with SessionLocal() as other:
+            ch = other.get(Channel, _ch(1))
+            catalog_service.record_subscription(other, follower, ch, "sub-late")
+            other.commit()
+        fake(session, yt, ids, explore=explore)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(feed_routes, "ensure_videos", ensure)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(feed_routes.quota, "backfill_reserve_reached", lambda: False)
+    assert as_user(user).post(f"/api/takeout/channels/{_ch(1)}/videos").status_code == 200
+    assert calls[0][1] is True  # asked as the exploration's
+    db.expire_all()
+    flagged = db.scalars(select(Video.id).where(Video.via_explore.is_(True))).all()
+    assert (db.get(Channel, _ch(1)).from_explore, flagged) == (False, [])
+
+
 def test_the_cleanup_keeps_a_channel_a_watch_history_lists_and_reclaims_its_videos(db, make_user):
     user = make_user("kept@example.com")
     _channel(db, 1)