Update the roadmap for cacheable media and session-only completions

The board rendered every persisted completed row with a dismiss button and a
dismiss-all that sent the whole column to the 1000-id bulk endpoint. Now that
the backend deletes completed rows and reports them through the status feed:

- the Auto-uploaded & Indexed column renders the live feed only; a reload or
  leaving the page forgets them, and there is nothing to dismiss (just a
  client-side clear)
- duplicates complete during staging and get their card immediately from the
  upload response
- failures get their own persisted column with per-card retry and discard
- bulk discard chunks requests at 500 ids, so backlogs over the server's
  1000-id cap are still removable in one action

.gitea/workflows/cd.yml

@@ -162,8 +162,7 @@ jobs:
           fi
 
           EXISTING="$(curl -sf -H "$AUTH" "$API/releases/$RELEASE_ID/assets" \
-            | python3 -c 'import json,sys; print("\n".join(a["name"] for a in json.load(sys.stdin)))' \
+            || echo '[]')"
-            || true)"
           for FILE in desktop/release/*"$VERSION"*.deb \
                       desktop/release/*"$VERSION"*.pkg.tar.zst \
                       desktop/release/latest-linux.yml \
@@ -172,11 +171,25 @@ jobs:
                       desktop/release/*"$VERSION"*.exe.blockmap; do
             [ -e "$FILE" ] || continue
             NAME="$(basename "$FILE")"
-            case "$EXISTING" in
+            # Replace the asset when it is already there: latest*.yml must
-              *"$NAME"*) echo "    already attached: $NAME"; continue ;;
+            # reference the installers built by *this* run (NSIS builds are
-            esac
+            # not bit-reproducible), so old copies are deleted first.
-            echo "    attaching $NAME"
+            ASSET_ID="$(printf '%s' "$EXISTING" | python3 -c '
+          import json, sys
+          name = sys.argv[1]
+          print(next((str(a["id"]) for a in json.load(sys.stdin) if a["name"] == name), ""))
+          ' "$NAME")"
+            if [ -n "$ASSET_ID" ]; then
+              echo "    replacing $NAME"
+              curl -sf -X DELETE -H "$AUTH" \
+                "$API/releases/$RELEASE_ID/assets/$ASSET_ID" >/dev/null
+            else
+              echo "    attaching $NAME"
+            fi
+            # Names like "J621 Setup 0.1.1.exe" contain spaces: encode them
+            # or curl refuses the URL (exit 3).
+            ENCODED="$(python3 -c 'import sys, urllib.parse; print(urllib.parse.quote(sys.argv[1]))' "$NAME")"
             curl -sf -X POST -H "$AUTH" -H "Content-Type: application/octet-stream" \
-              --data-binary @"$FILE" "$API/releases/$RELEASE_ID/assets?name=$NAME" >/dev/null
+              --data-binary @"$FILE" "$API/releases/$RELEASE_ID/assets?name=$ENCODED" >/dev/null
           done
           echo "Release: ${{ github.server_url }}/${{ github.repository }}/releases/tag/$TAG"

ROADMAP.md

@@ -20,6 +20,13 @@ they land.
   - [x] Tag cloud in the sidebar (click to search, hidden from guests for
         blacklisted items)
   - [x] Status filter (matched / not_found / deleted / custom / unknown)
+- [x] **Cacheable media serving**
+  - [x] Stable signed URLs (7 d TTL, 24 h rotation) plus a `v=<md5>` cache
+        buster, so replacing a file under the same J-ID invalidates it
+  - [x] ETag/Last-Modified and a private `Cache-Control` (immutable for
+        versioned media), conditional 304s
+  - [x] Real 480 px image thumbnails (cached by MD5) instead of serving
+        full-size originals through the thumbnail endpoint
 
 - [x] **Random image** endpoint and page: `GET /api/random/` (aliases
       `/random`, `/random/`) with `rating=s,q,e` filters; fastfetch mode
@@ -104,12 +111,16 @@ Files now stage first and are resolved before entering the library.
         shell indicator; rate-limited runs retry with backoff
   - [x] Perceptual-hash comparison against the library, loaded once per batch
   - [x] IQDB candidates stored with one batched enrichment request
+  - [x] Indexed uploads are announced through a bounded per-run feed and the
+        staged row is deleted; nothing persists on the board to dismiss
 - [x] **Upload UI**
-  - [x] Three-column board: Pending & Unmatched / Visual Similarity Detected /
+  - [x] Four-column board: Pending & Unmatched / Visual Similarity Detected /
-        Auto-uploaded & Indexed, private per user (staff included)
+        Auto-uploaded & Indexed (session feed) / Failed, private per user
+        (staff included)
   - [x] Metadata modal (link to e621 post, IQDB candidates, custom metadata)
   - [x] Per-file progress plus background pipeline status
-  - [x] Bulk actions: bulk rate, discard all (pending/visual), dismiss all
+  - [x] Bulk actions: bulk rate and discard all (chunked past the API's
+        1000-id cap)
 
 ## 4. Staff tools
 

backend/apps/core/tests/test_security.py

@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ from apps.library.models import (
     TempUpload,
 )
 from apps.library.services import MEDIA_FILE_SALT
+from apps.library.signing_urls import sign_payload
 
 User = get_user_model()
 
@@ -122,21 +123,15 @@ class SecurityTestCase(TestCase):
         return item
 
     def old_signature(self, item, action="raw", age=3 * 86400):
-        """A valid signature minted `age` seconds ago."""
+        """A signed media URL whose expiry is `age` seconds in the past."""
-        real_time = signing.time
+        return signing.Signer(salt=MEDIA_FILE_SALT).sign_object(
-
+            {
-        class Backdated:
+                "item": item.id,
-            def time(self):
+                "user": self.users["sec-uploader"].id,
-                return real_time.time() - age
+                "action": action,
-
+                "exp": int(time.time()) - age,
-        try:
+            }
-            signing.time = Backdated()
+        )
-            return signing.dumps(
-                {"item": item.id, "user": self.users["sec-uploader"].id, "action": action},
-                salt=MEDIA_FILE_SALT,
-            )
-        finally:
-            signing.time = real_time
 
 
 class GuestVisibilityTests(SecurityTestCase):
@@ -183,9 +178,9 @@ class GuestVisibilityTests(SecurityTestCase):
     def test_authenticated_users_and_signed_urls_see_protected_items(self):
         uploader = self.client_for("sec-uploader")
         self.assertEqual(uploader.get(f"/api/files/J-{self.hidden.id}/").status_code, 200)
-        signed = signing.dumps(
+        signed = sign_payload(
             {"item": self.hidden.id, "user": self.users["sec-uploader"].id, "action": "raw"},
-            salt=MEDIA_FILE_SALT,
+            MEDIA_FILE_SALT,
         )
         self.assertEqual(
             self.guest.get(f"/api/files/J-{self.hidden.id}/raw/?sig={signed}").status_code,
@@ -193,9 +188,9 @@ class GuestVisibilityTests(SecurityTestCase):
         )
 
     def test_signature_integrity(self):
-        signed = signing.dumps(
+        signed = sign_payload(
             {"item": self.hidden.id, "user": self.users["sec-uploader"].id, "action": "raw"},
-            salt=MEDIA_FILE_SALT,
+            MEDIA_FILE_SALT,
         )
         raw = f"/api/files/J-{self.hidden.id}/raw/"
         thumbnail = f"/api/files/J-{self.hidden.id}/thumbnail/"
@@ -203,10 +198,29 @@ class GuestVisibilityTests(SecurityTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(self.guest.get(f"{raw}?sig={signed[:-4]}AAAA").status_code, 404)
         # Valid signature, wrong action.
         self.assertEqual(self.guest.get(f"{thumbnail}?sig={signed}").status_code, 404)
-        # Expired signature (minted three days ago).
+        # Expired signature (expiry three days ago).
         expired = self.old_signature(self.hidden)
         self.assertEqual(self.guest.get(f"{raw}?sig={expired}").status_code, 404)
 
+    def test_signed_media_urls_are_stable_and_versioned(self):
+        """The same item must keep the same URL across responses.
+
+        A per-second signature made browsers re-download every image on every
+        poll; the MD5 version parameter busts caches only when the file itself
+        changes (the optimize flow rewrites files under the same J-ID).
+        """
+        item = self.visible
+        first = services.signed_media_url(item, self.users["sec-uploader"])
+        time.sleep(1.1)
+        second = services.signed_media_url(item, self.users["sec-uploader"])
+        self.assertEqual(first, second)
+        self.assertIn(f"v={item.md5}", first)
+        MediaItem.objects.filter(pk=item.pk).update(md5="b" * 32)
+        item.refresh_from_db()
+        self.assertNotEqual(
+            services.signed_media_url(item, self.users["sec-uploader"]), first
+        )
+
 
 class RoleBoundaryTests(SecurityTestCase):
     def test_non_uploader_is_read_only(self):
@@ -451,9 +465,9 @@ class ThrottleTests(SecurityTestCase):
             md5=hashlib.md5(b"throttle-temp").hexdigest(),
             size=6,
         )
-        signature = signing.dumps(
+        signature = sign_payload(
             {"temp": str(temp.id), "user": self.users["sec-uploader"].id},
-            salt=services.UPLOAD_FILE_SALT,
+            services.UPLOAD_FILE_SALT,
         )
         url = f"/api/uploads/{temp.id}/file/?sig={signature}"
         codes = {self.guest.get(url).status_code for _ in range(150)}

backend/apps/library/migrations/0012_uploadrun_recent_completions.py

@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+# Generated by Django 6.1.1 on 2026-09-23
+
+from django.db import migrations, models
+
+
+def purge_completed_uploads(apps, schema_editor):
+    """Completed staged uploads are notifications, not records.
+
+    The board used to keep every auto-uploaded/indexed row until it was
+    dismissed by hand, so they accumulated without bound (and bulk dismissal
+    is capped at 1000 ids). Completions now live in a small per-run feed, so
+    the old rows are removed here.
+    """
+    TempUpload = apps.get_model("library", "TempUpload")
+    for temp in TempUpload.objects.filter(status="completed").iterator():
+        if temp.file:
+            temp.file.delete(save=False)
+        temp.delete()
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ("library", "0011_upload_pipeline"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name="uploadrun",
+            name="recent_completions",
+            field=models.JSONField(blank=True, default=list),
+        ),
+        migrations.RunPython(purge_completed_uploads, migrations.RunPython.noop),
+    ]

backend/apps/library/models.py

@@ -229,6 +229,11 @@ class UploadRun(models.Model):
     matched = models.IntegerField(default=0)
     failed = models.IntegerField(default=0)
     error = models.TextField(blank=True, default="")
+    # Rolling feed of recent completions for the upload board. Completed
+    # staged uploads are deleted as soon as they are indexed; this only tells
+    # the live page "filename -> J-x" while it watches. Bounded, never
+    # dismissed, and ignored by fresh page loads.
+    recent_completions = models.JSONField(default=list, blank=True)
     started_at = models.DateTimeField(null=True, blank=True)
     updated_at = models.DateTimeField(auto_now=True)
 

backend/apps/library/serializers.py

@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ from datetime import timedelta
 from pathlib import Path
 
 from django.conf import settings
-from django.core import signing
 from rest_framework import serializers
 
 from .models import (
@@ -20,6 +19,7 @@ from .services import (
     VIDEO_EXTENSIONS,
     signed_media_url,
 )
+from .signing_urls import sign_payload
 
 
 class MediaLocationSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
@@ -199,9 +199,9 @@ class TempUploadSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
         user = self._request_user()
         if user is None:
             return None
-        signature = signing.dumps(
+        signature = sign_payload(
             {"temp": str(obj.id), "user": user.id},
-            salt=UPLOAD_FILE_SALT,
+            UPLOAD_FILE_SALT,
         )
         url = f"/api/uploads/{obj.id}/file/?sig={signature}"
         request = self.context.get("request")
@@ -339,9 +339,9 @@ class SimilarityCheckSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
         user = self._request_user()
         if user is None or not obj.file:
             return None
-        signature = signing.dumps(
+        signature = sign_payload(
             {"check": str(obj.id), "user": user.id},
-            salt=UPLOAD_FILE_SALT,
+            UPLOAD_FILE_SALT,
         )
         url = f"/api/similarity/{obj.id}/file/?sig={signature}"
         request = self.context.get("request")

backend/apps/library/services.py

@@ -6,16 +6,20 @@ import os
 import re
 import shutil
 import subprocess
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
 from pathlib import Path
+from urllib.parse import urlencode
 
 import imagehash
 from django.conf import settings
-from django.core import signing
 from django.http import FileResponse, Http404, HttpResponse
+from django.utils.cache import get_conditional_response
+from django.utils.http import http_date
 from django.utils.text import get_valid_filename
-from PIL import Image
+from PIL import Image, ImageOps
 
 from .models import MediaItem, MediaLocation
+from .signing_urls import sign_payload
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -37,6 +41,11 @@ UPLOAD_FILE_SALT = "j621.upload-file"
 MEDIA_FILE_SALT = "j621.media-file"
 CHUNK_SIZE = 1024 * 1024
 RANGE_RE = re.compile(r"bytes=(\d*)-(\d*)$")
+# Versioned media URLs are immutable, so they may sit in the browser cache for
+# as long as the signature is guaranteed to stay valid (7 days).
+MEDIA_CACHE_SECONDS = 6 * 86400
+# Staged uploads and similarity files can be deleted at any moment.
+TEMP_CACHE_SECONDS = 3600
 
 
 def compute_md5(path):
@@ -78,14 +87,24 @@ def signed_media_url(item, user, action="raw", request=None):
 
     With a ``request`` the URL is absolute, so the SPA also works when it is
     served from a different origin; without one it stays relative.
+
+    The ``v`` parameter is the item's MD5: it busts the browser cache exactly
+    when the file is replaced (the optimize flow rewrites files under the same
+    J-ID), which is what lets the URL be cached for days instead of re-minted
+    on every response.
     """
     path = f"/api/files/J-{item.id}/{action}/"
+    params = {}
     if user is not None and getattr(user, "is_authenticated", False):
-        signature = signing.dumps(
+        params = {
-            {"item": item.id, "user": user.id, "action": action},
+            "v": item.md5,
-            salt=MEDIA_FILE_SALT,
+            "sig": sign_payload(
-        )
+                {"item": item.id, "user": user.id, "action": action},
-        path = f"{path}?sig={signature}"
+                MEDIA_FILE_SALT,
+            ),
+        }
+    if params:
+        path = f"{path}?{urlencode(params)}"
     if request is None:
         return path
     return request.build_absolute_uri(path)
@@ -207,12 +226,36 @@ class RangeFileWrapper:
         self.file.close()
 
 
-def serve_file(request, path, download=False):
+def _apply_cache_headers(response, cache_control, etag, mtime):
-    """Serve a file with HTTP range support (needed for video seeking)."""
+    response["Cache-Control"] = cache_control
+    response["ETag"] = etag
+    response["Last-Modified"] = http_date(mtime)
+    return response
+
+
+def serve_file(request, path, download=False, *, max_age=TEMP_CACHE_SECONDS, immutable=False):
+    """Serve a file with HTTP range support (needed for video seeking).
+
+    Responses carry validators (ETag/Last-Modified) and a private
+    ``Cache-Control`` so browsers reuse media instead of re-downloading it on
+    every SPA poll. ``max_age``/``immutable`` are chosen by the caller: versioned
+    library media can be cached hard, staged files only briefly.
+    """
     path = Path(path)
     if not path.is_file():
         raise Http404
-    size = path.stat().st_size
+    stat = path.stat()
+    size = stat.st_size
+    etag = f'W/"{size:x}-{stat.st_mtime_ns:x}"'
+    last_modified = datetime.fromtimestamp(stat.st_mtime, tz=timezone.utc)
+    conditional = get_conditional_response(
+        request, etag=etag, last_modified=last_modified
+    )
+    if conditional is not None:
+        return conditional
+    cache_control = f"private, max-age={int(max_age)}"
+    if immutable:
+        cache_control += ", immutable"
     content_type = mimetypes.guess_type(str(path))[0] or "application/octet-stream"
     range_header = request.headers.get("Range", "").strip()
     if range_header:
@@ -240,7 +283,9 @@ def serve_file(request, path, download=False):
             response["Content-Length"] = str(length)
             response["Content-Range"] = f"bytes {start}-{end}/{size}"
             response["Accept-Ranges"] = "bytes"
-            return response
+            return _apply_cache_headers(
+                response, cache_control, etag, stat.st_mtime
+            )
     response = FileResponse(
         open(path, "rb"),
         content_type=content_type,
@@ -248,7 +293,7 @@ def serve_file(request, path, download=False):
         filename=path.name,
     )
     response["Accept-Ranges"] = "bytes"
-    return response
+    return _apply_cache_headers(response, cache_control, etag, stat.st_mtime)
 
 
 class DownloadCancelled(Exception):
@@ -465,3 +510,31 @@ def generate_video_thumbnail(md5, path):
     except (subprocess.SubprocessError, OSError):
         return None
     return target if target.exists() else None
+
+
+def generate_image_thumbnail(md5, path):
+    """Downscale an image, cached under MEDIA_ROOT/thumbs like video thumbs.
+
+    The thumbnail action used to serve full-size originals for images; a
+    cached 480px JPEG keeps the library grid light without touching the
+    original file. Returns ``None`` when Pillow cannot decode the format, so
+    callers can fall back to the original.
+    """
+    thumbs_dir = Path(settings.MEDIA_ROOT) / "thumbs"
+    thumbs_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    target = thumbs_dir / f"{md5}.jpg"
+    if target.exists() and target.stat().st_mtime >= os.path.getmtime(path):
+        return target
+    try:
+        with Image.open(path) as image:
+            # Animated formats: the first frame is the preview.
+            image.seek(0)
+            frame = ImageOps.exif_transpose(image) or image
+            frame = frame.convert("RGB")
+            frame.thumbnail((480, 480))
+            frame.save(target, "JPEG", quality=82, optimize=True)
+    except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001 - previews must never break serving
+        logger.exception("Could not build an image thumbnail for %s", path)
+        target.unlink(missing_ok=True)
+        return None
+    return target if target.exists() else None

backend/apps/library/signing_urls.py

@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+"""Stable, expiring signatures for media URLs.
+
+The SPA loads media with ``<img>``/``<video>`` tags, which cannot send the
+API's ``Authorization`` header, so those URLs carry a signature instead. The
+signature has to be *stable*: a URL that changes on every response makes the
+browser treat every refetch as a new resource and re-download the file.
+
+URLs are signed with a plain ``Signer`` (no per-second timestamp) plus an
+explicit ``exp`` claim quantized to a bucket, so every request inside a bucket
+mints the exact same URL. The URL rotates once per bucket and is valid for at
+least ``URL_TTL_SECONDS`` and at most ``URL_TTL_SECONDS + URL_BUCKET_SECONDS``.
+"""
+
+import time
+
+from django.core import signing
+
+URL_TTL_SECONDS = 7 * 86400
+URL_BUCKET_SECONDS = 24 * 3600
+_BUCKETS = URL_TTL_SECONDS // URL_BUCKET_SECONDS
+
+
+def _expiry(now=None):
+    current = time.time() if now is None else now
+    bucket = int(current // URL_BUCKET_SECONDS)
+    return (bucket + _BUCKETS + 1) * URL_BUCKET_SECONDS
+
+
+def sign_payload(payload, salt, now=None):
+    """Sign a payload with a stable, bucket-quantized expiry."""
+    return signing.Signer(salt=salt).sign_object(
+        {**payload, "exp": _expiry(now)}
+    )
+
+
+def load_payload(signature, salt, legacy_max_age=86400):
+    """Verify a signed payload; ``None`` when missing, tampered with or expired.
+
+    Signatures minted before the stable scheme (``TimestampSigner``) are still
+    accepted for one release so pages open across the deploy keep working.
+    """
+    try:
+        data = signing.Signer(salt=salt).unsign_object(signature)
+    except signing.BadSignature:
+        try:
+            return signing.TimestampSigner(salt=salt).unsign_object(
+                signature, max_age=legacy_max_age
+            )
+        except signing.BadSignature:
+            return None
+    if not isinstance(data, dict):
+        return None
+    try:
+        expired = int(data.get("exp", 0)) < time.time()
+    except (TypeError, ValueError):
+        return None
+    return None if expired else data

backend/apps/library/similarity.py

@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ from datetime import timedelta
 from pathlib import Path
 
 from django.conf import settings
-from django.core import signing
 from django.utils import timezone
 from rest_framework import mixins, status, viewsets
 from rest_framework.decorators import action
@@ -22,6 +21,7 @@ from rest_framework.response import Response
 from . import services
 from .models import MediaItem, SimilarityCheck
 from .serializers import SimilarityCheckSerializer
+from .signing_urls import load_payload
 from .tools import item_brief
 from .uploads import find_library_matches
 
@@ -149,14 +149,7 @@ class SimilarityCheckViewSet(
             check = self.get_queryset().filter(pk=pk).first()
         else:
             signature = request.query_params.get("sig")
-            payload = None
+            payload = load_payload(signature, services.UPLOAD_FILE_SALT) if signature else None
-            if signature:
-                try:
-                    payload = signing.loads(
-                        signature, salt=services.UPLOAD_FILE_SALT, max_age=86400
-                    )
-                except signing.BadSignature:
-                    payload = None
             if payload and payload.get("check") == str(pk):
                 check = SimilarityCheck.objects.filter(pk=pk).first()
         if check is None or not check.file:

backend/apps/library/tests/test_media_cache.py

@@ -0,0 +1,139 @@
+"""Signed media URLs must be stable, versioned and cacheable.
+
+Regression: signatures embedded the current second, so every API response
+re-minted every URL and browsers re-downloaded each image on every poll; the
+file responses also carried no cache headers at all.
+"""
+
+import base64
+import hashlib
+import io
+import shutil
+import tempfile
+import time
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from django.contrib.auth import get_user_model
+from django.core.files.uploadedfile import SimpleUploadedFile
+from django.test import Client, TestCase, override_settings
+
+from PIL import Image
+
+from rest_framework.authtoken.models import Token
+
+from apps.library import services
+from apps.library.models import MediaItem, MediaLocation, TempUpload
+from apps.library.signing_urls import sign_payload
+
+User = get_user_model()
+
+TINY_PNG = base64.b64decode(
+    "iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAYAAAAfFcSJAAAADUlEQVR42mP8z8BQDwAEhQGAhKmMIQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg=="
+)
+
+
+def png_bytes(width=1200, height=800, color=(20, 120, 200)):
+    buffer = io.BytesIO()
+    Image.new("RGB", (width, height), color).save(buffer, format="PNG")
+    return buffer.getvalue()
+
+
+class MediaCacheTests(TestCase):
+    @classmethod
+    def setUpClass(cls):
+        super().setUpClass()
+        cls._tmp = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="j621-cache-")
+        cls._media = Path(cls._tmp) / "media"
+        cls._watched = cls._media / "library"
+        cls._watched.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        cls._settings = override_settings(
+            MEDIA_ROOT=str(cls._media), WATCHED_FOLDER=str(cls._watched)
+        )
+        cls._settings.enable()
+
+    @classmethod
+    def tearDownClass(cls):
+        cls._settings.disable()
+        shutil.rmtree(cls._tmp, ignore_errors=True)
+        super().tearDownClass()
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.user = User.objects.create_user(
+            username="cache-uploader", password="cache-pass-123456"
+        )
+        self.user.role = "uploader"
+        self.user.save(update_fields=["role"])
+        self.token = Token.objects.create(user=self.user).key
+        payload = png_bytes()
+        path = self._watched / "cache-image.png"
+        path.write_bytes(payload)
+        self.item = MediaItem.objects.create(
+            md5=hashlib.md5(payload).hexdigest(), size=len(payload)
+        )
+        MediaLocation.objects.create(
+            item=self.item, path=str(path), rel_path=path.name, mtime=time.time()
+        )
+        self.client = Client()
+
+    def signed(self, action):
+        return {
+            "sig": sign_payload(
+                {"item": self.item.id, "user": self.user.id, "action": action},
+                services.MEDIA_FILE_SALT,
+            )
+        }
+
+    def test_media_response_carries_cache_headers(self):
+        response = self.client.get(
+            f"/api/files/J-{self.item.id}/raw/", self.signed("raw")
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
+        self.assertIn("private", response["Cache-Control"])
+        self.assertIn(
+            f"max-age={services.MEDIA_CACHE_SECONDS}", response["Cache-Control"]
+        )
+        self.assertIn("immutable", response["Cache-Control"])
+        self.assertTrue(response["ETag"])
+        self.assertTrue(response["Last-Modified"])
+
+    def test_media_revalidation_returns_304(self):
+        url = f"/api/files/J-{self.item.id}/raw/"
+        first = self.client.get(url, self.signed("raw"))
+        second = self.client.get(
+            url, self.signed("raw"), HTTP_IF_NONE_MATCH=first["ETag"]
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(second.status_code, 304)
+        self.assertEqual(second.content, b"")
+
+    def test_image_thumbnail_is_generated_and_reused(self):
+        url = f"/api/files/J-{self.item.id}/thumbnail/"
+        response = self.client.get(url, self.signed("thumbnail"))
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
+        self.assertEqual(response["Content-Type"], "image/jpeg")
+        thumb = self._media / "thumbs" / f"{self.item.md5}.jpg"
+        self.assertTrue(thumb.exists())
+        with Image.open(thumb) as image:
+            self.assertLessEqual(max(image.size), 480)
+        before = thumb.stat().st_mtime_ns
+        self.client.get(url, self.signed("thumbnail"))
+        self.assertEqual(thumb.stat().st_mtime_ns, before)
+
+    def test_staged_files_cache_briefly(self):
+        temp = TempUpload.objects.create(
+            user=self.user,
+            file=SimpleUploadedFile("staged.png", TINY_PNG, content_type="image/png"),
+            original_filename="staged.png",
+            md5=hashlib.md5(b"staged").hexdigest(),
+            size=len(TINY_PNG),
+        )
+        signature = sign_payload(
+            {"temp": str(temp.id), "user": self.user.id}, services.UPLOAD_FILE_SALT
+        )
+        response = self.client.get(
+            f"/api/uploads/{temp.id}/file/", {"sig": signature}
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
+        self.assertIn(
+            f"max-age={services.TEMP_CACHE_SECONDS}", response["Cache-Control"]
+        )
+        self.assertNotIn("immutable", response["Cache-Control"])

backend/apps/library/tests/test_uploads.py

@@ -170,12 +170,18 @@ class StagedUploadWorkflowTests(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(len(body["resolved"]), 2)
         self.assertEqual(body["errors"], [])
 
-        for temp in (first, second):
+        # Completed uploads are notifications now: the staged rows are gone
-            temp.refresh_from_db()
+        # and the live feed carries the filename -> J-ID mapping.
-            self.assertEqual(temp.status, TempUpload.STATUS_COMPLETED)
+        self.assertFalse(
-            self.assertIsNotNone(temp.library_item_id)
+            TempUpload.objects.filter(pk__in=[first.id, second.id]).exists()
-            self.assertEqual(temp.library_item.rating, "q")
+        )
-            self.assertEqual(temp.library_item.uploaded_by_id, self.uploader.id)
+        feed = UploadRun.objects.get(user=self.uploader).recent_completions
+        self.assertEqual(
+            {entry["filename"] for entry in feed}, {"one.png", "two.png"}
+        )
+        for item in MediaItem.objects.all():
+            self.assertEqual(item.rating, "q")
+            self.assertEqual(item.uploaded_by_id, self.uploader.id)
         untouched.refresh_from_db()
         self.assertEqual(untouched.status, TempUpload.STATUS_PENDING)
 
@@ -231,6 +237,25 @@ class StagedUploadWorkflowTests(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
         return seed
 
+    def test_duplicate_upload_returns_a_completion_without_a_record(self):
+        client = self.api_client(self.uploader)
+        first = self.upload_via_api(client, "same.png")
+        self.assertEqual(first.status_code, 201)
+        # Index the first upload so the second one is byte-identical.
+        seed = TempUpload.objects.get(pk=first.json()["temp_id"])
+        self.resolve_bulk(client, [seed.id], "s")
+
+        response = self.upload_via_api(client, "same.png")
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 201)
+        body = response.json()
+        self.assertEqual(body["status"], TempUpload.STATUS_COMPLETED)
+        self.assertEqual(body["resolution"], TempUpload.RESOLUTION_DUPLICATE)
+        self.assertTrue(body["library_j_id"].startswith("J-"))
+        # Duplicates never become board records; the feed announces them.
+        self.assertFalse(TempUpload.objects.filter(pk=body["temp_id"]).exists())
+        feed = UploadRun.objects.get(user=self.uploader).recent_completions
+        self.assertEqual(feed[-1]["filename"], "same.png")
+
     def test_upload_defers_visual_similarity_to_its_phase(self):
         client = self.api_client(self.uploader)
         self.seed_library_item(client, "seed-defer")
@@ -312,14 +337,23 @@ class StagedUploadWorkflowTests(TestCase):
         body = response.json()
         self.assertEqual(body["errors"], [])
         self.assertEqual(len(body["updated"]), 2)
-        for temp, post_id in ((first, 900001), (second, 900002)):
+        for entry, post_id in zip(body["updated"], (900001, 900002)):
-            temp.refresh_from_db()
+            self.assertEqual(entry["resolution"], TempUpload.RESOLUTION_AUTO_MD5)
-            self.assertEqual(temp.status, TempUpload.STATUS_COMPLETED)
+            self.assertEqual(entry["e621_post_id"], post_id)
-            self.assertEqual(temp.library_item_id is not None, True)
+            self.assertTrue(entry["library_j_id"].startswith("J-"))
-            self.assertEqual(temp.e621_post_id, post_id)
+        # Indexed uploads no longer leave a board record; the completion feed
-            self.assertEqual(temp.resolution, TempUpload.RESOLUTION_AUTO_MD5)
+        # carries them for the live page instead.
-            self.assertEqual(temp.library_item.e621_post_id, post_id)
+        self.assertFalse(TempUpload.objects.exists())
-        self.assertEqual(MediaItem.objects.count(), 2)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            {item.e621_post_id for item in MediaItem.objects.all()},
+            {900001, 900002},
+        )
+        feed = UploadRun.objects.get(user=self.uploader).recent_completions
+        self.assertEqual(len(feed), 2)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            {entry["filename"] for entry in feed},
+            {"bulk-link-1.png", "bulk-link-2.png"},
+        )
 
 
 class IqdbRecordingTests(TestCase):
@@ -461,6 +495,7 @@ class UploadPipelineTests(TestCase):
 
     def test_md5_match_auto_imports_the_file(self):
         temp = self.stage(label="match")
+        temp_id = temp.id
         post = {
             "id": 123456,
             "rating": "s",
@@ -477,17 +512,42 @@ class UploadPipelineTests(TestCase):
         ):
             upload_pipeline.run_pipeline(self.uploader.id)
 
-        temp.refresh_from_db()
+        # The indexed upload leaves no board record; the feed reports it.
-        self.assertEqual(temp.status, TempUpload.STATUS_COMPLETED)
+        self.assertFalse(TempUpload.objects.filter(pk=temp_id).exists())
-        self.assertEqual(temp.resolution, TempUpload.RESOLUTION_AUTO_MD5)
+        item = MediaItem.objects.get(e621_post_id=123456)
-        self.assertEqual(temp.e621_post_id, 123456)
+        self.assertEqual(item.uploaded_by_id, self.uploader.id)
-        self.assertIsNotNone(temp.library_item_id)
-        self.assertIsNotNone(temp.e621_checked_at)
-        self.assertIsNone(temp.claimed_at)
         run = UploadRun.objects.get(user=self.uploader)
         self.assertEqual(run.status, UploadRun.STATUS_IDLE)
         self.assertEqual(run.matched, 1)
         self.assertEqual(run.processed, 1)
+        self.assertEqual(len(run.recent_completions), 1)
+        entry = run.recent_completions[0]
+        self.assertEqual(entry["id"], str(temp_id))
+        self.assertEqual(entry["item_id"], item.id)
+        self.assertEqual(entry["filename"], "match.png")
+        self.assertEqual(entry["resolution"], TempUpload.RESOLUTION_AUTO_MD5)
+
+    def test_status_reports_the_completion_feed(self):
+        temp = self.stage(label="feed")
+        client = self.api_client(self.uploader)
+        post = {
+            "id": 654321,
+            "rating": "s",
+            "file": {"md5": temp.md5, "url": "https://static1.e621.net/data/f.png"},
+        }
+        with mock.patch.object(
+            upload_pipeline.e621,
+            "check_md5_batch",
+            return_value={temp.md5: post},
+        ):
+            upload_pipeline.run_pipeline(self.uploader.id)
+
+        body = client.get("/api/uploads/status/").json()
+        completions = body["recent_completions"]
+        self.assertEqual(len(completions), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(completions[0]["filename"], "feed.png")
+        self.assertEqual(completions[0]["j_id"], f"J-{MediaItem.objects.get().id}")
+        self.assertIn("/thumbnail/", completions[0]["thumbnail_url"])
 
     def test_unmatched_file_runs_every_phase(self):
         temp = self.stage(label="nomatch")

backend/apps/library/upload_pipeline.py

@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ from django.db.models import F, Q
 from django.utils import timezone
 
 from . import e621, services
-from .models import TempUpload, UploadRun
+from .models import MediaItem, TempUpload, UploadRun
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ MAX_ATTEMPTS = 3
 # Round-level e621 retries before the run is paused.
 ROUND_ATTEMPTS = 3
 ROUND_RETRY_SECONDS = 20
+# Completions kept in the live feed. The board only shows what happened while
+# the page was open, so a bounded rolling window is plenty.
+COMPLETION_FEED_LIMIT = 200
 
 WORK_STATUSES = (TempUpload.STATUS_PENDING, TempUpload.STATUS_VISUAL_MATCH)
 VIDEO_RE = r"\.(mp4|webm)$"
@@ -116,7 +119,7 @@ def waiting_counts(user):
     }
 
 
-def status_payload(user):
+def status_payload(user, request=None):
     """Cheap state for the shell/upload page to poll."""
     run = UploadRun.objects.filter(user=user).first()
     outstanding = count_outstanding(user)
@@ -141,10 +144,67 @@ def status_payload(user):
         "error": run.error if run is not None else "",
         "outstanding": outstanding,
         "waiting": waiting_counts(user),
+        "recent_completions": completion_payload(run, user, request=request),
         "updated_at": run.updated_at.isoformat() if run is not None else None,
     }
 
 
+def completion_payload(run, user, request=None):
+    """The live completion feed: filename -> J-ID for freshly indexed uploads.
+
+    Completed ``TempUpload`` rows are deleted, so this is the only place the
+    board learns about them. It is a notification feed, not durable state:
+    bounded, never dismissed, and ignored by fresh page loads.
+    """
+    entries = list(run.recent_completions or []) if run is not None else []
+    if not entries:
+        return []
+    ids = [entry.get("item_id") for entry in entries if entry.get("item_id")]
+    items = MediaItem.objects.in_bulk(ids)
+    out = []
+    for entry in reversed(entries):  # newest first
+        item = items.get(entry.get("item_id"))
+        if item is None:
+            continue
+        out.append(
+            {
+                "id": entry.get("id"),
+                "filename": entry.get("filename"),
+                "j_id": f"J-{item.id}",
+                "resolution": entry.get("resolution", ""),
+                "post_id": entry.get("post_id"),
+                "thumbnail_url": services.signed_media_url(
+                    item, user, "thumbnail", request=request
+                ),
+                "at": entry.get("at"),
+            }
+        )
+    return out
+
+
+def record_completion(temp, item, resolution=""):
+    """Append one completion to the owner's feed; never fails an import."""
+    entry = {
+        "id": str(temp.pk),
+        "filename": temp.original_filename,
+        "item_id": item.pk,
+        "resolution": resolution or temp.resolution or "",
+        "post_id": temp.e621_post_id,
+        "at": timezone.now().isoformat(),
+    }
+    try:
+        with transaction.atomic():
+            run, _ = UploadRun.objects.select_for_update().get_or_create(
+                user_id=temp.user_id
+            )
+            feed = list(run.recent_completions or [])
+            feed.append(entry)
+            run.recent_completions = feed[-COMPLETION_FEED_LIMIT:]
+            run.save(update_fields=["recent_completions", "updated_at"])
+    except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001 - a notification must not break an import
+        logger.exception("Could not record the completion of %s", temp.pk)
+
+
 def reap_stale_claims():
     """Queue rows left claimed by a recycled worker and pause dead runs."""
     cutoff = timezone.now() - STALE_CLAIM_AFTER
@@ -237,20 +297,17 @@ def run_pipeline(user_id):
                 break
             process_round(run, user, rows)
     except PipelinePaused as exc:
-        run.status = UploadRun.STATUS_PAUSED
+        _save_run(run, status=UploadRun.STATUS_PAUSED, phase="", error=str(exc))
-        run.phase = ""
-        run.error = str(exc)
-        run.save()
     except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001 - surface crashes as a run error
         logger.exception("Upload pipeline for user %s failed", user_id)
-        run.status = UploadRun.STATUS_ERROR
+        _save_run(
-        run.phase = ""
+            run,
-        run.error = f"The upload pipeline stopped: {exc}"
+            status=UploadRun.STATUS_ERROR,
-        run.save()
+            phase="",
+            error=f"The upload pipeline stopped: {exc}",
+        )
     else:
-        run.status = UploadRun.STATUS_IDLE
+        _save_run(run, status=UploadRun.STATUS_IDLE, phase="")
-        run.phase = ""
-        run.save()
 
 
 def claim_round(user, size=CLAIM_SIZE):
@@ -460,7 +517,9 @@ def finalize_round(run, ids, matched):
         TempUpload.objects.filter(pk__in=release).update(claimed_at=None)
     _save_run(
         run,
-        processed=run.processed + len(finished),
+        # Completed rows are deleted as they are imported, so they cannot be
+        # seen in the refreshed rows; count the matches explicitly.
+        processed=run.processed + len(finished) + matched,
         failed=run.failed + len(failed - finished),
         matched=run.matched + matched,
     )

backend/apps/library/uploads.py

@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ from urllib.parse import urlparse
 
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.contrib.auth import get_user_model
-from django.core import signing
 from django.core.exceptions import ValidationError
 from django.http import Http404
 from django.utils import timezone
@@ -30,6 +29,7 @@ from . import services
 from .models import MediaItem, TempUpload
 from .permissions import CanUpload
 from .serializers import TempUploadListSerializer, TempUploadSerializer
+from .signing_urls import load_payload
 from .tools import HASH_FIELDS, hashed_items, hashes_similarity
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -158,6 +158,13 @@ def complete_temp_upload(temp, download_url=None):
         item.save(update_fields=update_fields + ["updated_at"])
 
     temp.save()
+    from .upload_pipeline import record_completion
+
+    record_completion(temp, item)
+    # The board learns about completions from the live feed, so the record is
+    # deleted as soon as the file is indexed: nothing left to dismiss. Delete
+    # through the queryset so callers keep ``temp.pk`` for their response.
+    TempUpload.objects.filter(pk=temp.pk).delete()
     return item
 
 
@@ -190,6 +197,28 @@ class TempUploadViewSet(
             user=self.request.user
         )
 
+    def _completed_payload(self, temp, item):
+        """Synthetic row for an upload that is indexed immediately.
+
+        Duplicates and resolved uploads never leave a board record; the SPA
+        turns this response (or the live completion feed) into a "J-x
+        uploaded" card that lives only in the page session.
+        """
+        return {
+            "temp_id": str(temp.pk),
+            "original_filename": temp.original_filename,
+            "md5": temp.md5,
+            "size": temp.size,
+            "status": TempUpload.STATUS_COMPLETED,
+            "resolution": temp.resolution,
+            "e621_post_id": temp.e621_post_id,
+            "library_j_id": f"J-{item.id}",
+            "file_url": None,
+            "preview_url": services.signed_media_url(
+                item, self.request.user, "thumbnail", request=self.request
+            ),
+        }
+
     def create(self, request):
         upload = request.FILES.get("file")
         if upload is None:
@@ -217,6 +246,13 @@ class TempUploadViewSet(
             temp.resolution = TempUpload.RESOLUTION_DUPLICATE
             temp.library_item = existing
             temp.file.delete(save=False)
+            temp.save()
+            from .upload_pipeline import record_completion
+
+            record_completion(temp, existing)
+            payload = self._completed_payload(temp, existing)
+            TempUpload.objects.filter(pk=temp.pk).delete()
+            return Response(payload, status=status.HTTP_201_CREATED)
         # Visual similarity and IQDB run in the background pipeline so a large
         # batch uploads at full speed and the work survives the browser.
         temp.save()
@@ -257,7 +293,7 @@ class TempUploadViewSet(
         """Cheap pipeline state for the shell indicator and the upload page."""
         from .upload_pipeline import status_payload
 
-        return Response(status_payload(request.user))
+        return Response(status_payload(request.user, request=request))
 
     @action(detail=False, methods=["post"])
     def process(self, request):
@@ -269,7 +305,7 @@ class TempUploadViewSet(
         from .upload_pipeline import start_pipeline, status_payload
 
         start_pipeline(request.user)
-        return Response(status_payload(request.user))
+        return Response(status_payload(request.user, request=request))
 
     @action(detail=True, methods=["post"])
     def retry(self, request, pk=None):
@@ -314,7 +350,7 @@ class TempUploadViewSet(
             update["status"] = TempUpload.STATUS_PENDING
         TempUpload.objects.filter(pk=temp.pk).update(**update)
         start_pipeline(request.user)
-        return Response(status_payload(request.user))
+        return Response(status_payload(request.user, request=request))
 
     @action(detail=False, methods=["post"], url_path="retry-all")
     def retry_all(self, request):
@@ -340,7 +376,7 @@ class TempUploadViewSet(
             e621_checked_at=None,
         )
         start_pipeline(request.user)
-        return Response(status_payload(request.user))
+        return Response(status_payload(request.user, request=request))
 
     @action(detail=False, methods=["post"], url_path="discard-bulk")
     def discard_bulk(self, request):
@@ -393,14 +429,7 @@ class TempUploadViewSet(
         if user is None:
             signature = request.query_params.get("sig")
             if signature:
-                try:
+                payload = load_payload(signature, services.UPLOAD_FILE_SALT)
-                    payload = signing.loads(
-                        signature,
-                        salt=services.UPLOAD_FILE_SALT,
-                        max_age=86400,
-                    )
-                except signing.BadSignature:
-                    payload = None
                 if payload and str(payload.get("temp")) == str(pk):
                     user = (
                         get_user_model()
@@ -501,7 +530,7 @@ class TempUploadViewSet(
 
         temp.save()
         try:
-            complete_temp_upload(temp, download_url=download_url)
+            item = complete_temp_upload(temp, download_url=download_url)
         except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001 - report completion failures
             logger.exception("Could not complete staged upload %s", temp.id)
             temp.status = TempUpload.STATUS_ERROR
@@ -510,8 +539,7 @@ class TempUploadViewSet(
                 {"detail": f"Could not finish the upload: {exc}"},
                 status=status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST,
             )
-        temp.refresh_from_db()
+        return Response(self._completed_payload(temp, item))
-        return Response(self.get_serializer(temp).data)
 
     @action(detail=False, methods=["post"], url_path="link-bulk")
     def link_bulk(self, request):
@@ -583,15 +611,14 @@ class TempUploadViewSet(
                 candidate_url = ""
             temp.save()
             try:
-                complete_temp_upload(temp, download_url=candidate_url or None)
+                item = complete_temp_upload(temp, download_url=candidate_url or None)
             except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001 - report per-file failures
                 logger.exception("Could not complete staged upload %s", temp.id)
                 temp.status = TempUpload.STATUS_ERROR
                 temp.save(update_fields=["status", "updated_at"])
                 errors.append({"temp_id": temp_id, "error": str(exc)})
                 continue
-            temp.refresh_from_db()
+            updated.append(self._completed_payload(temp, item))
-            updated.append(self.get_serializer(temp).data)
 
         return Response({"updated": updated, "errors": errors})
 

backend/apps/library/views.py

@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ from pathlib import Path
 from urllib.parse import urlparse
 
 from django.conf import settings
-from django.core import signing
 from django.db.models import Min, Q
 from django.http import Http404, StreamingHttpResponse
 from django.shortcuts import get_object_or_404
@@ -31,6 +30,7 @@ from .serializers import (
     MatchTaskSerializer,
     MediaItemSerializer,
 )
+from .signing_urls import load_payload
 
 LIST_ORDERINGS = {"name", "-name", "size", "-size", "created_at", "-created_at"}
 MD5_RE = re.compile(r"[0-9a-fA-F]{32}")
@@ -132,11 +132,8 @@ class MediaItemViewSet(
         signature = request.query_params.get("sig")
         if not signature:
             return None
-        try:
+        payload = load_payload(signature, services.MEDIA_FILE_SALT)
-            payload = signing.loads(
+        if payload is None:
-                signature, salt=services.MEDIA_FILE_SALT, max_age=86400
-            )
-        except signing.BadSignature:
             return None
         if payload.get("action") != action_name:
             return None
@@ -158,7 +155,11 @@ class MediaItemViewSet(
                 status=status.HTTP_404_NOT_FOUND,
             )
         return services.serve_file(
-            request, location.path, download=request.query_params.get("download") == "1"
+            request,
+            location.path,
+            download=request.query_params.get("download") == "1",
+            max_age=services.MEDIA_CACHE_SECONDS,
+            immutable=True,
         )
 
     @action(detail=True, methods=["get"], throttle_classes=[])
@@ -173,13 +174,26 @@ class MediaItemViewSet(
         path = Path(location.path)
         if path.suffix.lower() in services.VIDEO_EXTENSIONS:
             thumbnail = services.generate_video_thumbnail(item.md5, path)
-            if thumbnail is None:
+        else:
-                return Response(
+            thumbnail = services.generate_image_thumbnail(item.md5, path)
-                    {"detail": "Thumbnail unavailable."},
+        if thumbnail is not None:
-                    status=status.HTTP_404_NOT_FOUND,
+            return services.serve_file(
-                )
+                request,
-            return services.serve_file(request, thumbnail)
+                thumbnail,
-        return services.serve_file(request, path)
+                max_age=services.MEDIA_CACHE_SECONDS,
+                immutable=True,
+            )
+        if path.suffix.lower() in services.VIDEO_EXTENSIONS:
+            return Response(
+                {"detail": "Thumbnail unavailable."},
+                status=status.HTTP_404_NOT_FOUND,
+            )
+        return services.serve_file(
+            request,
+            path,
+            max_age=services.MEDIA_CACHE_SECONDS,
+            immutable=True,
+        )
 
     @action(detail=False, methods=["post"], permission_classes=[AllowAny])
     def lookup(self, request):

frontend/src/components/MediaCard.tsx

@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@ const ratingLabels: Record<string, string> = {
 };
 
 export function MediaCard({ item }: { item: MediaItem }) {
-  const preview = apiUrl(
+  // The thumbnail endpoint now builds real 480px previews for images too, so
-    item.kind === "video" ? item.thumbnail_url : item.raw_url,
+  // the grid no longer pulls full-size originals.
-  );
+  const preview = apiUrl(item.thumbnail_url);
   const rating = item.display_rating;
 
   return (

frontend/src/features/upload/UploadPage.tsx

@@ -28,7 +28,13 @@ import {
   RATING_LABELS,
 } from "@/lib/e621";
 import { formatBytes } from "@/lib/format";
-import type { E621IqdbCandidate, Rating, TempUpload } from "@/lib/types";
+import type {
+  E621IqdbCandidate,
+  Rating,
+  TempUpload,
+  UploadCompletion,
+  UploadStagingResult,
+} from "@/lib/types";
 import {
   postProcessUploads,
   uploadStatusQueryKey,
@@ -272,6 +278,21 @@ function TempCard({
         </div>
       ) : null}
 
+      {temp.status === "error" ? (
+        <div className="mt-2 flex flex-wrap items-center gap-1.5">
+          <Button className="px-2 py-1 text-xs" onClick={onRetry}>
+            Retry
+          </Button>
+          <Button
+            variant="secondary"
+            className="px-2 py-1 text-xs"
+            onClick={onOpen}
+          >
+            Set metadata
+          </Button>
+        </div>
+      ) : null}
+
       <button
         type="button"
         onClick={onDismiss}
@@ -289,6 +310,58 @@ function TempCard({
   );
 }
 
+/**
+ * A "J-x uploaded" notification.
+ *
+ * Completions are not stored on the board: the pipeline deletes the staged
+ * record and announces it through the status feed, so these cards only exist
+ * while the page is open.
+ */
+function CompletionCard({ completion }: { completion: UploadCompletion }) {
+  const preview = apiUrl(completion.thumbnail_url ?? "");
+  return (
+    <div className="rounded-lg border border-ctp-surface0 bg-ctp-base p-2.5">
+      <div className="relative aspect-video overflow-hidden rounded-md bg-ctp-mantle">
+        {preview ? (
+          <img
+            src={preview}
+            alt={completion.filename}
+            loading="lazy"
+            className="h-full w-full object-cover"
+          />
+        ) : (
+          <div className="flex h-full w-full items-center justify-center text-xs text-ctp-overlay0">
+            No preview
+          </div>
+        )}
+        <span className="absolute right-2 top-2 flex items-center gap-1 rounded-full bg-ctp-green/90 px-1.5 py-0.5 font-mono text-[10px] font-medium text-ctp-crust">
+          <CheckCircle2 className="h-2.5 w-2.5" />
+          indexed
+        </span>
+      </div>
+
+      <p
+        className="mt-2 truncate font-mono text-xs text-ctp-subtext1"
+        title={completion.filename}
+      >
+        {completion.filename}
+      </p>
+      <p className="mt-1 flex items-center gap-1.5 text-xs text-ctp-green">
+        <CheckCircle2 className="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0" />
+        <Link
+          to={`/detail/${completion.j_id}`}
+          className="font-mono hover:underline"
+        >
+          {completion.j_id}
+        </Link>
+        <span className="truncate text-ctp-overlay0">
+          {RESOLUTION_LABELS[completion.resolution] ?? completion.resolution}
+        </span>
+      </p>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
 /**
  * Full metadata editor for one staged upload.
  *
@@ -816,6 +889,10 @@ export default function UploadPage() {
   const [discarding, setDiscarding] = useState(false);
   const [modalId, setModalId] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [bulkOpen, setBulkOpen] = useState(false);
+  // Indexed uploads shown while this page is open (never persisted).
+  const [completions, setCompletions] = useState<UploadCompletion[]>([]);
+  const completionsSeeded = useRef(false);
+  const seenCompletions = useRef<Set<string>>(new Set());
 
   useEffect(() => {
     const urls = objectUrls.current;
@@ -836,6 +913,27 @@ export default function UploadPage() {
   });
   const uploads = uploadsQuery.data ?? [];
 
+  // Completions are session notifications. Seed what the server already has
+  // when the page opens (so a reload does not resurrect old ones) and append
+  // only what happens while the page is watching.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const feed = status?.recent_completions;
+    if (!feed) return;
+    if (!completionsSeeded.current) {
+      completionsSeeded.current = true;
+      // Merge: a staging duplicate may have been added before the first poll.
+      seenCompletions.current = new Set([
+        ...seenCompletions.current,
+        ...feed.map((entry) => entry.id),
+      ]);
+      return;
+    }
+    const fresh = feed.filter((entry) => !seenCompletions.current.has(entry.id));
+    if (fresh.length === 0) return;
+    for (const entry of fresh) seenCompletions.current.add(entry.id);
+    setCompletions((current) => [...fresh, ...current].slice(0, 200));
+  }, [status]);
+
   function cacheStatus(data: unknown) {
     queryClient.setQueryData(uploadStatusQueryKey, data);
   }
@@ -892,9 +990,7 @@ export default function UploadPage() {
 
   const pending = uploads.filter((temp) => temp.status === "pending");
   const visual = uploads.filter((temp) => temp.status === "visual_match");
-  const completed = uploads.filter(
+  const failed = uploads.filter((temp) => temp.status === "error");
-    (temp) => temp.status === "completed" || temp.status === "error",
-  );
 
   // Active work stays in insertion order (the grid must not reshuffle while
   // you scroll it); the in-flight files get their own strip above it.
@@ -1001,10 +1097,26 @@ export default function UploadPage() {
           error: undefined,
         });
         try {
-          await uploadFile(entry.file, {}, (percent) =>
+          const result = await uploadFile<UploadStagingResult>(
-            reportProgress(entry.id, percent),
+            entry.file,
+            {},
+            (percent) => reportProgress(entry.id, percent),
           );
           finishEntry(entry);
+          // An exact duplicate completes during staging: show its card now.
+          if (result?.status === "completed" && result.library_j_id) {
+            const completion: UploadCompletion = {
+              id: result.temp_id,
+              filename: result.original_filename,
+              j_id: result.library_j_id,
+              resolution: result.resolution,
+              post_id: result.e621_post_id ?? null,
+              thumbnail_url: result.preview_url ?? null,
+              at: new Date().toISOString(),
+            };
+            seenCompletions.current.add(completion.id);
+            setCompletions((current) => [completion, ...current].slice(0, 200));
+          }
           // Processing starts while the rest of the drop is still uploading.
           kickPipeline();
         } catch (error) {
@@ -1060,39 +1172,40 @@ export default function UploadPage() {
       .catch((error) => toast.error(errorMessage(error)));
   }
 
-  async function discardAll(
+  async function discardAll(items: TempUpload[]) {
-    items: TempUpload[],
-    kind: "discard" | "dismiss",
-  ) {
     if (items.length === 0 || discarding) return;
-    const noun = kind === "discard" ? "Discard" : "Dismiss";
     const confirmed = await confirmAction({
-      title: `${noun} ${items.length} record${items.length === 1 ? "" : "s"}?`,
+      title: `Discard ${items.length} record${items.length === 1 ? "" : "s"}?`,
       description:
-        kind === "discard"
+        "The staged files are deleted from the staging folder and never enter the library. Files the pipeline is importing right now are skipped.",
-          ? "The staged files are deleted from the staging folder and never enter the library. Files the pipeline is importing right now are skipped."
+      confirmLabel: "Discard all",
-          : "This only removes the board records; library files are untouched.",
+      danger: true,
-      confirmLabel: `${noun} all`,
-      danger: kind === "discard",
     });
     if (!confirmed) return;
     setDiscarding(true);
     try {
-      const result = await api<{
+      // The endpoint caps one request at 1000 ids; large staging backlogs
-        discarded: string[];
+      // must still be discardable in one go.
-        errors: { temp_id: string; error: string }[];
+      const ids = items.map((temp) => temp.temp_id);
-      }>("/api/uploads/discard-bulk/", {
+      const chunkSize = 500;
-        method: "POST",
+      const discarded: string[] = [];
-        json: { temp_ids: items.map((temp) => temp.temp_id) },
+      const errors: { temp_id: string; error: string }[] = [];
-      });
+      for (let start = 0; start < ids.length; start += chunkSize) {
-      const verb = kind === "discard" ? "Discarded" : "Dismissed";
+        const result = await api<{
-      if (result.discarded.length > 0) {
+          discarded: string[];
-        toast.ok(`${verb} ${result.discarded.length} record(s).`);
+          errors: { temp_id: string; error: string }[];
+        }>("/api/uploads/discard-bulk/", {
+          method: "POST",
+          json: { temp_ids: ids.slice(start, start + chunkSize) },
+        });
+        discarded.push(...result.discarded);
+        errors.push(...result.errors);
       }
-      if (result.errors.length > 0) {
+      if (discarded.length > 0) {
-        toast.error(
+        toast.ok(`Discarded ${discarded.length} record(s).`);
-          `${result.errors.length} record(s) could not be removed.`,
+      }
-        );
+      if (errors.length > 0) {
+        toast.error(`${errors.length} record(s) could not be removed.`);
       }
       void queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ["uploads"] });
       void queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ["upload-status"] });
@@ -1127,10 +1240,11 @@ export default function UploadPage() {
     );
   }
 
-  const column = (
+  const column = <T,>(
     title: string,
-    items: TempUpload[],
+    items: T[],
     emptyText: string,
+    render: (item: T) => ReactNode,
     action?: ReactNode,
   ) => (
     <section className="flex min-w-0 flex-col gap-3">
@@ -1148,17 +1262,7 @@ export default function UploadPage() {
           {emptyText}
         </p>
       ) : (
-        <div className="flex flex-col gap-3">
+        <div className="flex flex-col gap-3">{items.map(render)}</div>
-          {items.map((temp) => (
-            <TempCard
-              key={temp.temp_id}
-              temp={temp}
-              onOpen={() => setModalId(temp.temp_id)}
-              onRetry={() => retry(temp, "iqdb")}
-              onDismiss={() => dismiss(temp)}
-            />
-          ))}
-        </div>
       )}
     </section>
   );
@@ -1387,11 +1491,20 @@ export default function UploadPage() {
         </section>
       ) : null}
 
-      <div className="grid gap-6 lg:grid-cols-3">
+      <div className="grid gap-6 lg:grid-cols-4">
         {column(
           "Pending & Unmatched",
           pending,
           "Nothing waiting.",
+          (temp) => (
+            <TempCard
+              key={temp.temp_id}
+              temp={temp}
+              onOpen={() => setModalId(temp.temp_id)}
+              onRetry={() => retry(temp, "iqdb")}
+              onDismiss={() => dismiss(temp)}
+            />
+          ),
           pending.length > 0 ? (
             <span className="flex items-center gap-1.5">
               <Button
@@ -1407,7 +1520,7 @@ export default function UploadPage() {
                 variant="danger"
                 className="px-2 py-0.5 text-[11px]"
                 disabled={discarding}
-                onClick={() => void discardAll(pending, "discard")}
+                onClick={() => void discardAll(pending)}
                 title="Delete every staged file in this column"
               >
                 <Trash2 className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
@@ -1420,12 +1533,21 @@ export default function UploadPage() {
           "Visual Similarity Detected",
           visual,
           "No IQDB matches right now.",
+          (temp) => (
+            <TempCard
+              key={temp.temp_id}
+              temp={temp}
+              onOpen={() => setModalId(temp.temp_id)}
+              onRetry={() => retry(temp, "iqdb")}
+              onDismiss={() => dismiss(temp)}
+            />
+          ),
           visual.length > 0 ? (
             <Button
               variant="danger"
               className="px-2 py-0.5 text-[11px]"
               disabled={discarding}
-              onClick={() => void discardAll(visual, "discard")}
+              onClick={() => void discardAll(visual)}
               title="Delete every staged file in this column"
             >
               <Trash2 className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
@@ -1435,20 +1557,48 @@ export default function UploadPage() {
         )}
         {column(
           "Auto-uploaded & Indexed",
-          completed,
+          completions,
-          "Nothing indexed yet.",
+          "Nothing indexed while you were watching.",
-          completed.length > 0 ? (
+          (completion) => (
+            <CompletionCard key={completion.id} completion={completion} />
+          ),
+          completions.length > 0 ? (
             <button
               type="button"
-              disabled={discarding}
+              onClick={() => setCompletions([])}
-              onClick={() => void discardAll(completed, "dismiss")}
+              title="Clear these notifications (nothing is stored)"
-              title="Dismiss every indexed record"
               className="rounded-md px-1.5 py-0.5 font-mono text-[10px] text-ctp-overlay0 transition hover:bg-ctp-surface0 hover:text-ctp-text"
             >
-              dismiss all
+              clear
             </button>
           ) : null,
         )}
+        {column(
+          "Failed",
+          failed,
+          "No failed uploads.",
+          (temp) => (
+            <TempCard
+              key={temp.temp_id}
+              temp={temp}
+              onOpen={() => setModalId(temp.temp_id)}
+              onRetry={() => retry(temp)}
+              onDismiss={() => dismiss(temp)}
+            />
+          ),
+          failed.length > 0 ? (
+            <Button
+              variant="danger"
+              className="px-2 py-0.5 text-[11px]"
+              disabled={discarding}
+              onClick={() => void discardAll(failed)}
+              title="Delete every failed staged file in this column"
+            >
+              <Trash2 className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
+              discard all
+            </Button>
+          ) : null,
+        )}
       </div>
 
       {modalId ? (

frontend/src/lib/types.ts

@@ -388,6 +388,28 @@ export interface TempUpload {
   updated_at: string;
 }
 
+/** One upload the pipeline indexed while the page was watching. */
+export interface UploadCompletion {
+  id: string;
+  filename: string;
+  j_id: string;
+  resolution: string;
+  post_id: number | null;
+  thumbnail_url: string | null;
+  at: string;
+}
+
+/** Response of POST /api/uploads/ — a pending row or an instant completion. */
+export interface UploadStagingResult {
+  temp_id: string;
+  original_filename: string;
+  status: "pending" | "visual_match" | "completed" | "error";
+  resolution: string;
+  library_j_id: string | null;
+  preview_url: string | null;
+  e621_post_id?: number | null;
+}
+
 /** Progress of the server-side staged-upload pipeline. */
 export interface UploadStatus {
   status: "idle" | "running" | "paused" | "error";
@@ -400,6 +422,8 @@ export interface UploadStatus {
   error: string;
   outstanding: number;
   waiting: { md5: number; visual: number; iqdb: number };
+  /** Session notification feed: indexed uploads, newest first. */
+  recent_completions: UploadCompletion[];
   updated_at: string | null;
 }