Critical Reliability Fixes & Client Configuration
Released: [Release Date]

Commit: [Commit Hash]

Full Changelog: https://github.com/0ceanSlim/grain/compare/v0.4.1...v0.4.11

🐛 Critical Bug Fixes
Database Connection Stability 💪

Fixed relay crashes when MongoDB temporarily becomes unavailable
Added connection retry logic with configurable backoff to handle network interruptions
Eliminated relay shutdowns caused by database reconnection failures
Improved connection resilience preventing service interruption during database maintenance

Client Connectivity Resilience 🔗

Fixed offline startup failures when default relays are unreachable
Added graceful degradation - client now starts successfully even when external relays are down
Eliminated blocking behavior that prevented GRAIN from starting without external connectivity
Improved error handling for relay connection timeouts during startup


⚙️ New Client Configuration
Configurable Default Client Settings 🔧

Complete client configuration now available in config.yml
Hot-reload support for client settings without server restart
Customizable relay lists for the built-in web client

New Configuration Section
yaml
client:
  default_relays:
    - "wss://relay.damus.io"
    - "wss://nos.lol" 
    - "wss://relay.nostr.band"
  connection_timeout: 10     # seconds
  read_timeout: 30          # seconds
  write_timeout: 10         # seconds
  max_connections: 10
  retry_attempts: 3
  retry_delay: 2            # seconds
  keep_alive: true
  user_agent: "grain-client/1.0"
Flexible Operation Modes

Offline-capable startup - client initializes even when external relays are unreachable
Automatic relay discovery using configured defaults
Self-contained operation option by configuring localhost relay
Hybrid connectivity with external relay fallback when available


🔧 Reliability Improvements
Database Resilience

Connection retry mechanism prevents relay shutdown during temporary MongoDB outages
Graceful error handling maintains relay operation during database connectivity issues
Improved connection pooling with better timeout and retry configuration
Background reconnection restores full functionality when database becomes available

Network Resilience

Client starts offline when configured relays are unreachable at startup
Non-blocking initialization prevents startup failures due to external dependency issues
Improved timeout handling for relay connections with configurable retry behavior
Reduced external dependencies for basic relay operation


📖 Documentation Updates
Configuration Guide

New client configuration section with detailed explanations of all settings
Offline operation documentation covering startup behavior and fallback modes
Updated example configurations with new client settings and practical defaults
Hot-reload documentation for runtime configuration changes


⚙️ Migration from v0.4.1
Zero-Downtime Upgrade
```bash
Backup current configuration
cp config.yml config.yml.backup
Replace executable - existing configs remain fully compatible
mv grain grain.old
Extract new release
Optional: Customize client settings in config.yml
Defaults are provided if client section is not present
```
Backward Compatibility

No breaking changes - all existing v0.4.1 configurations work unchanged
Optional client settings - sensible defaults used when not specified
Automatic fallback to hardcoded defaults if client configuration is missing


🎯 Resolved Issues
Before This Release

❌ GRAIN would stop working when MongoDB became temporarily unavailable
❌ Relay would fail to start if external relays were unreachable
❌ Client configuration was hardcoded and not customizable
❌ Database reconnection failures caused permanent relay shutdown

After This Release

✅ GRAIN continues operating through temporary database outages
✅ Relay starts successfully even when external relays are offline
✅ Client behavior is fully configurable via YAML
✅ Automatic database reconnection prevents service interruption


🌟 Release Highlights
This patch release eliminates critical reliability issues that could make GRAIN unusable in production environments. Both database connectivity and external relay dependency problems are now handled gracefully.
Key Fixes:
- Database resilience preventing relay crashes during MongoDB outages
- Offline startup capability removing external relay dependencies
- Configurable client behavior providing deployment flexibility
- Production reliability with graceful error handling and automatic recovery

🔄 Production Impact
Improved Uptime

No more relay crashes due to temporary database connectivity issues
Reliable startup regardless of external relay availability
Graceful degradation maintaining core functionality during outages

Operational Benefits

Reduced maintenance overhead with automatic reconnection handling
Flexible deployment options supporting air-gapped and offline scenarios
Better monitoring with improved logging for connectivity events


This patch release addresses critical reliability issues that could prevent GRAIN from operating in production environments. The improved error handling and configurable client behavior make GRAIN significantly more robust and deployment-ready. 🚀
Full Changelog: https://github.com/0ceanSlim/grain/compare/v0.4.1...v0.4.11