UX: Remove the topics_unread_when_closed user preference (#42899)

the "consider topics unread when they are closed" preference and the
"notify users" option on bulk close currently have no effect, because
#40481 stopped small actions from advancing `highest_post_number`

this change removes the preference, the dead
`TopicStatusUpdater#update_read_state_for`, and the notify option on
bulk close

app/models/user_option.rb

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ class UserOption < ActiveRecord::Base
     "only_chat_push_notifications", # TODO(2027-01): replaced by push_notification_level; drop the column in a follow-up PR once this has shipped
     "chat_send_shortcut", # TODO(2027-01): replaced by send_shortcut; drop the column in a follow-up PR once this has shipped
     "enable_defer", # TODO(2027-02): the preference was removed; drop the column in a follow-up PR once this has shipped
+    "topics_unread_when_closed", # TODO: Remove when 20260826124054_drop_topics_unread_when_closed_from_user_options has been promoted to pre-deploy
   ]
   # TODO: remove after 20260824051214_drop_ai_search_discovery_preferences_from_user_options has been promoted
   self.ignored_columns += %w[
@@ -350,7 +351,6 @@ end
 #  theme_key_seq                                  :integer          default(0), not null
 #  timezone                                       :string
 #  title_count_mode_key                           :integer          default(0), not null
-#  topics_unread_when_closed                      :boolean          default(TRUE), not null
 #  understood_languages                           :string           default([]), not null, is an Array
 #  watched_precedence_over_muted                  :boolean          default(FALSE), not null
 #  color_scheme_id                                :integer

app/serializers/user_option_serializer.rb

@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ class UserOptionSerializer < ApplicationSerializer
              :sidebar_link_to_filtered_list,
              :sidebar_show_count_of_new_items,
              :watched_precedence_over_muted,
-             :topics_unread_when_closed,
              :composition_mode,
              :interface_color_mode,
              :show_original_content,

app/services/topic_status_updater.rb

@@ -10,15 +10,7 @@ TopicStatusUpdater =
       updated = nil
       Topic.transaction do
         updated = change(status, opts)
-        if updated
-          highest_post_number = topic.highest_post_number
-          create_moderator_post_for(status, opts)
-          update_read_state_for(
-            status,
-            highest_post_number,
-            silent_tracking: opts[:silent_tracking],
-          )
-        end
+        create_moderator_post_for(status, opts) if updated
       end
 
       updated
@@ -106,29 +98,6 @@ TopicStatusUpdater =
       topic.reload
     end
 
-    def update_read_state_for(status, old_highest_read, silent_tracking: false)
-      if (status.autoclosed? && status.enabled?) || (status.closed? && silent_tracking)
-        # let's pretend all the people that read up to the autoclose message
-        # actually read the topic
-        PostTiming.pretend_read(topic.id, old_highest_read, topic.highest_post_number)
-      end
-
-      if status.closed? && status.enabled?
-        sql_query = <<-SQL
-          SELECT DISTINCT post_timings.user_id
-          FROM post_timings
-          JOIN user_options ON user_options.user_id = post_timings.user_id
-          WHERE post_timings.topic_id = :topic_id
-            AND user_options.topics_unread_when_closed = 'f'
-        SQL
-        user_ids = DB.query_single(sql_query, topic_id: topic.id)
-
-        if user_ids.present?
-          PostTiming.pretend_read(topic.id, old_highest_read, topic.highest_post_number, user_ids)
-        end
-      end
-    end
-
     def message_for(status)
       if status.autoclosed?
         locale_key = status.locale_key.dup

app/services/user_updater.rb

@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@ class UserUpdater
     sidebar_link_to_filtered_list
     sidebar_show_count_of_new_items
     watched_precedence_over_muted
-    topics_unread_when_closed
     composition_mode
     send_shortcut
     automatically_translate

config/locales/client.en.yml

@@ -2484,7 +2484,6 @@ en:
         watch_topic: "Watch topic"
         track_topic: "Track topic"
         do_nothing: "Do nothing"
-      topics_unread_when_closed: "Consider topics unread when they are closed"
 
       invited:
         title: "Invites"

db/post_migrate/20260826124054_drop_topics_unread_when_closed_from_user_options.rb

@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+require "migration/column_dropper"
+
+class DropTopicsUnreadWhenClosedFromUserOptions < ActiveRecord::Migration[8.0]
+  DROPPED_COLUMNS = { user_options: %i[topics_unread_when_closed] }
+
+  def up
+    DROPPED_COLUMNS.each { |table, columns| Migration::ColumnDropper.execute_drop(table, columns) }
+  end
+
+  def down
+    raise ActiveRecord::IrreversibleMigration
+  end
+end

db/structure.sql

@@ -11873,7 +11873,6 @@ CREATE TABLE public.user_options (
     sidebar_show_count_of_new_items boolean DEFAULT false NOT NULL,
     watched_precedence_over_muted boolean DEFAULT false NOT NULL,
     chat_separate_sidebar_mode integer DEFAULT 0 NOT NULL,
-    topics_unread_when_closed boolean DEFAULT true NOT NULL,
     show_thread_title_prompts boolean DEFAULT true NOT NULL,
     auto_image_caption boolean DEFAULT false NOT NULL,
     enable_smart_lists boolean DEFAULT true NOT NULL,
@@ -23358,6 +23357,7 @@ ALTER TABLE ONLY public.ad_plugin_house_ads_groups
 SET search_path TO "$user", public;
 
 INSERT INTO "schema_migrations" (version) VALUES
+('20260826124054'),
 ('20260824091843'),
 ('20260824072257'),
 ('20260824051214'),

frontend/discourse/app/components/bulk-select-topics-dropdown.gjs

@@ -297,7 +297,6 @@ export default class BulkSelectTopicsDropdown extends Component {
         break;
       case "close-topics":
         this.showBulkTopicActionsModal("close", "close_topics", {
-          allowSilent: true,
           description: i18n(`topic_bulk_actions.close_topics.description`),
           confirmButtonTranslationKey: "topics.bulk.confirm_close_topics",
         });

frontend/discourse/app/controllers/preferences/tracking.js

@@ -170,7 +170,6 @@ export default class extends Controller {
       "tracked_category_ids",
       "watched_first_post_category_ids",
       "watched_precedence_over_muted",
-      "topics_unread_when_closed",
     ];
 
     if (this.siteSettings.tagging_enabled) {

frontend/discourse/app/models/user.js

@@ -154,7 +154,6 @@ let userOptionFields = [
   "theme_ids",
   "timezone",
   "title_count_mode",
-  "topics_unread_when_closed",
   "understood_languages",
   "watched_precedence_over_muted",
 ];

frontend/discourse/app/templates/preferences/tracking.gjs

@@ -69,11 +69,6 @@ export default <template>
           customAttrNames=@controller.customAttrNames
         }}
       />
-
-      <PreferenceCheckbox
-        @labelKey="user.topics_unread_when_closed"
-        @checked={{@controller.model.user_option.topics_unread_when_closed}}
-      />
     </div>
   </div>
 

lib/topics_bulk_action.rb

@@ -238,12 +238,7 @@ class TopicsBulkAction
   def close
     topics.each do |t|
       if guardian.can_moderate?(t)
-        t.update_status(
-          "closed",
-          true,
-          @user,
-          { message: @operation[:message], silent_tracking: @operation[:silent] },
-        )
+        t.update_status("closed", true, @user, { message: @operation[:message] })
         @changed_ids << t.id
       end
     end

migrations/converters/lib/migrations/converters/discourse/steps/user_options.rb

@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@ module Migrations
               theme_key_seq: item[:theme_key_seq],
               timezone: item[:timezone],
               title_count_mode_key: item[:title_count_mode_key],
-              topics_unread_when_closed: item[:topics_unread_when_closed],
               understood_languages: item[:understood_languages],
               watched_precedence_over_muted: item[:watched_precedence_over_muted],
             )

migrations/core/db/intermediate_db_schema/100-base-schema.sql

@@ -560,7 +560,6 @@ CREATE TABLE user_options
     theme_key_seq                                  INTEGER,
     timezone                                       TEXT,
     title_count_mode_key                           INTEGER,
-    topics_unread_when_closed                      BOOLEAN,
     understood_languages                           TEXT,
     watched_precedence_over_muted                  BOOLEAN
 );

migrations/core/lib/migrations/database/intermediate_db/user_option.rb

@@ -61,12 +61,11 @@ module Migrations
             theme_key_seq,
             timezone,
             title_count_mode_key,
-            topics_unread_when_closed,
             understood_languages,
             watched_precedence_over_muted
           )
           VALUES (
-            ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?
+            ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?
           )
         SQL
         private_constant :SQL
@@ -124,7 +123,6 @@ module Migrations
         # @param theme_key_seq                                    [Integer, nil]
         # @param timezone                                         [String, nil]
         # @param title_count_mode_key                             [Integer, nil]
-        # @param topics_unread_when_closed                        [Boolean, nil]
         # @param understood_languages                             [String, nil]
         # @param watched_precedence_over_muted                    [Boolean, nil]
         #
@@ -181,7 +179,6 @@ module Migrations
           theme_key_seq: nil,
           timezone: nil,
           title_count_mode_key: nil,
-          topics_unread_when_closed: nil,
           understood_languages: nil,
           watched_precedence_over_muted: nil
         )
@@ -238,7 +235,6 @@ module Migrations
             theme_key_seq,
             timezone,
             title_count_mode_key,
-            Migrations::Database.format_boolean(topics_unread_when_closed),
             understood_languages,
             Migrations::Database.format_boolean(watched_precedence_over_muted),
           )

spec/requests/api/schemas/json/user_get_response.json

@@ -841,9 +841,6 @@
             "seen_popups": {
               "type": ["array", "null"]
             },
-            "topics_unread_when_closed": {
-              "type": "boolean"
-            },
             "composition_mode": {
               "type": "integer"
             },
@@ -905,7 +902,6 @@
             "title_count_mode",
             "timezone",
             "skip_new_user_tips",
-            "topics_unread_when_closed",
             "interface_color_mode",
             "show_original_content",
             "send_shortcut",

spec/services/topic_status_updater_spec.rb

@@ -7,8 +7,7 @@ RSpec.describe TopicStatusUpdater do
   fab!(:user) { Fabricate(:user, refresh_auto_groups: true) }
   fab!(:admin)
 
-  it "avoids notifying on automatically closed topics" do
-    # TODO: TopicStatusUpdater should suppress message bus updates from the users it "pretends to read"
+  it "does not advance read state when a topic is automatically closed" do
     post =
       PostCreator.create(
         user,
@@ -23,16 +22,14 @@ RSpec.describe TopicStatusUpdater do
 
     expect(post.topic.posts.count).to eq(2)
 
+    # The autoclose small_action advances no counter, so the author's read state
+    # stays on the original post.
     tu = TopicUser.find_by(user_id: user.id)
     expect(tu.last_read_post_number).to eq(1)
   end
 
-  it "respects topics_unread_when_closed preference for private messages" do
-    user_wants_unread = Fabricate(:user)
-    user_wants_unread.user_option.update!(topics_unread_when_closed: true)
-
-    user_wants_read = Fabricate(:user)
-    user_wants_read.user_option.update!(topics_unread_when_closed: false)
+  it "does not advance read state when a private message is closed" do
+    recipient = Fabricate(:user)
 
     post =
       PostCreator.create(
@@ -40,27 +37,21 @@ RSpec.describe TopicStatusUpdater do
         raw: "this is a private message",
         title: "private message title",
         archetype: Archetype.private_message,
-        target_usernames: [user_wants_unread.username, user_wants_read.username],
+        target_usernames: [recipient.username],
       )
 
-    TopicUser.update_last_read(user_wants_unread, post.topic.id, 1, 1, 0)
-    TopicUser.update_last_read(user_wants_read, post.topic.id, 1, 1, 0)
-
-    PostTiming.create!(topic: post.topic, post_number: 1, user: user_wants_unread, msecs: 1000)
-    PostTiming.create!(topic: post.topic, post_number: 1, user: user_wants_read, msecs: 1000)
+    TopicUser.update_last_read(recipient, post.topic.id, 1, 1, 0)
+    PostTiming.create!(topic: post.topic, post_number: 1, user: recipient, msecs: 1000)
 
     TopicStatusUpdater.new(post.topic, admin).update!("closed", true)
 
     # Should have 2 posts (original + close action)
     expect(post.topic.posts.count).to eq(2)
 
-    # In PMs, close small_action posts only bump highest_staff_post_number,
-    # so neither user's last_read_post_number advances past the original post.
-    tu_wants_unread = TopicUser.find_by(user: user_wants_unread, topic: post.topic)
-    expect(tu_wants_unread.last_read_post_number).to eq(1)
-
-    tu_wants_read = TopicUser.find_by(user: user_wants_read, topic: post.topic)
-    expect(tu_wants_read.last_read_post_number).to eq(1)
+    # The close small_action advances no counter, so the recipient's read state
+    # stays on the original post.
+    tu = TopicUser.find_by(user: recipient, topic: post.topic)
+    expect(tu.last_read_post_number).to eq(1)
   end
 
   it "adds an autoclosed message" do

spec/system/page_objects/modals/topic_bulk_actions.rb

@@ -16,10 +16,6 @@ module PageObjects
         find("#dismiss-read-confirm").click
       end
 
-      def click_notify
-        find("#topic-bulk-action-options__notify").click
-      end
-
       def fill_in_close_note(message)
         find("#bulk-close-note").set(message)
       end

spec/system/topic_bulk_select_spec.rb

@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ describe "Topic bulk select" do
   let(:topic_list) { PageObjects::Components::TopicList.new }
   let(:topic_page) { PageObjects::Pages::Topic.new }
   let(:topic_bulk_actions_modal) { PageObjects::Modals::TopicBulkActions.new }
-  let(:topic_view) { PageObjects::Components::TopicView.new }
 
   def open_bulk_actions_modal(topics_to_select = nil, action)
     topic_list_header.click_bulk_select_button
@@ -356,7 +355,6 @@ describe "Topic bulk select" do
         topic_list.click_topic_checkbox(topics.third)
         topic_list_header.click_bulk_select_topics_dropdown
         topic_list_header.click_bulk_button("close-topics")
-        topic_bulk_actions_modal.click_notify
         topic_bulk_actions_modal.click_bulk_topics_confirm
         expect(topic_list).to have_closed_status(topics.third)
       end
@@ -367,32 +365,6 @@ describe "Topic bulk select" do
       expect(topic_list).to have_no_unread_badge(topics.third)
     end
 
-    it "closes topics silently" do
-      # Watch the topic as a user
-      sign_in(user)
-      topic = topics.first
-      visit("/t/#{topic.slug}/#{topic.id}")
-      expect(topic_view).to have_read_post(topic.posts.first)
-      topic_page.watch_topic
-
-      # Bulk close the topic as an admin
-      using_session(:admin) do
-        sign_in(admin)
-        visit("/latest")
-        topic_list_header.click_bulk_select_button
-        topic_list.click_topic_checkbox(topics.first)
-        topic_list_header.click_bulk_select_topics_dropdown
-        topic_list_header.click_bulk_button("close-topics")
-        topic_bulk_actions_modal.click_bulk_topics_confirm
-        expect(topic_list).to have_closed_status(topics.first)
-      end
-
-      # Check that the user didn't receive a new post notification badge
-      sign_in(user)
-      visit("/latest")
-      expect(topic_list).to have_no_unread_badge(topics.first)
-    end
-
     it "closes topics with message" do
       # Bulk close the topic with a message
       sign_in(admin)

spec/system/topic_close_read_state_spec.rb

@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+describe "Closing a topic" do
+  fab!(:topics) { Fabricate.times(10, :post).map(&:topic) }
+  fab!(:admin)
+  fab!(:user)
+
+  let(:topic_list) { PageObjects::Components::TopicList.new }
+  let(:topic_page) { PageObjects::Pages::Topic.new }
+
+  it "does not mark the topic unread" do
+    sign_in(user)
+    topic = topics.third
+    topic_page.visit_topic(topic)
+    topic_page.watch_topic
+    expect(topic_page).to have_read_post(1)
+
+    TopicStatusUpdater.new(topic, admin).update!("closed", true)
+
+    # The close action is a small action, which no longer marks a topic unread.
+    visit("/latest")
+    expect(topic_list).to have_no_unread_badge(topics.third)
+  end
+end

spec/system/topics_unread_when_closed_spec.rb

@@ -1,45 +0,0 @@
-# frozen_string_literal: true
-
-describe "Topics unread when closed" do
-  fab!(:topics) { Fabricate.times(10, :post).map(&:topic) }
-  let(:topic_list) { PageObjects::Components::TopicList.new }
-  let(:topic_page) { PageObjects::Pages::Topic.new }
-
-  context "when closing a topic" do
-    fab!(:admin)
-    fab!(:user)
-
-    it "close notifications do not appear when disabled" do
-      user.user_option.update!(topics_unread_when_closed: false)
-      sign_in(user)
-      topic = topics.third
-      topic_page.visit_topic(topic)
-      topic_page.watch_topic
-      expect(topic_page).to have_read_post(1)
-
-      # Close the topic as an admin
-      TopicStatusUpdater.new(topic, admin).update!("closed", true)
-
-      # Check that the user did not receive a new post notification badge
-      visit("/latest")
-      expect(topic_list).to have_no_unread_badge(topics.third)
-    end
-
-    it "close notifications do not appear even when enabled (the default)" do
-      user.user_option.update!(topics_unread_when_closed: true)
-      sign_in(user)
-      topic = topics.third
-      topic_page.visit_topic(topic)
-      topic_page.watch_topic
-      expect(topic_page).to have_read_post(1)
-
-      # Close the topic as an admin
-      TopicStatusUpdater.new(topic, admin).update!("closed", true)
-
-      # The close action is a small action, which no longer marks a topic unread,
-      # so the badge does not appear regardless of the topics_unread_when_closed preference.
-      visit("/latest")
-      expect(topic_list).to have_no_unread_badge(topics.third)
-    end
-  end
-end