feat: improve channel message chunking boundary quality

docs/plans/state.json

@@ -5363,10 +5363,22 @@
         "docs/plans/state.json"
       ],
       "test_status": "pnpm test:run src/cli/setup/summary.test.ts src/cli/setup/channels.test.ts src/cli/setup/integration.test.ts + pnpm typecheck passing"
+    },
+    "streaming-chunking-quality-tier-b5": {
+      "status": "completed",
+      "date": "2026-02-18",
+      "updated": "2026-02-18",
+      "summary": "Implemented Tier B5 chunking-quality improvements by upgrading shared channel message splitting to prefer natural boundaries (paragraph/newline/sentence/space), while preserving markdown code-fence integrity across multi-part chunks. Added regression coverage for sentence-boundary preference and code-fence balancing.",
+      "files_modified": [
+        "src/channels/utils.ts",
+        "src/channels/utils.test.ts",
+        "docs/plans/state.json"
+      ],
+      "test_status": "pnpm test:run src/channels/utils.test.ts src/channels/telegram/adapter.test.ts src/channels/discord/adapter.test.ts src/channels/slack/adapter.test.ts src/channels/whatsapp/adapter.test.ts + pnpm typecheck passing"
     }
   },
   "overall_progress": {
-    "total_test_count": 1918,
+    "total_test_count": 1924,
     "all_tests_passing": true,
     "p0_completion": "3/3 (100%)",
     "p1_completion": "4/4 (100%)",
@@ -5386,7 +5398,7 @@
     "gmail_auth_cli": "flynn gmail-auth command implemented with OAuth2 flow, doctor check, config routed to Telegram",
     "native_audio_support": "completed — smart routing for native audio (Gemini/OpenAI/GitHub) vs Whisper transcription fallback",
     "remaining_phases_completion": "Phase 1: 3/3 (100%) — context levels, command registry, memory structure. Phase 2: 3/3 (100%) — component registry, confidence routing, history index. Phase 3: 2/2 (100%) — adaptive memory/compaction, truthfulness/autonomy hardening",
-    "next_up": "Implement Tier B5 streaming chunking quality parity checks"
+    "next_up": "Implement Tier B2 minimal companion app client"
   },
   "soul_md_and_cron_create": {
     "date": "2026-02-11",

src/channels/utils.test.ts

@@ -91,6 +91,23 @@ describe('splitMessage', () => {
     expect(result[0]).toBe('ab\ncdefghij');
     expect(result[1]).toBe('klmnopqrst');
   });
+
+  it('splits on sentence boundaries when available', () => {
+    const text = 'First sentence is here. Second sentence follows with more detail.';
+    const result = splitMessage(text, 36);
+    expect(result[0]).toBe('First sentence is here.');
+    expect(result.length).toBeGreaterThan(1);
+  });
+
+  it('balances markdown code fences across chunks', () => {
+    const text = '```ts\\nconst value = 1;\\nconsole.log(value);\\n```\\nAfter code.';
+    const result = splitMessage(text, 22);
+    expect(result.length).toBeGreaterThan(1);
+    for (const chunk of result) {
+      const fenceCount = (chunk.match(/```/g) ?? []).length;
+      expect(fenceCount % 2).toBe(0);
+    }
+  });
 });
 
 describe('normalizeResetCommandText', () => {

src/channels/utils.ts

@@ -6,32 +6,76 @@ import type { PairingManager } from './pairing.js';
 
 /**
  * Split a long message into chunks that respect a platform's character limit.
- * Prefers splitting at newlines, then spaces, then hard-cuts.
+ * Prefers splitting at natural boundaries:
+ * paragraph breaks, newlines, sentence endings, spaces, then hard-cuts.
+ * When code fences are split, chunks are balanced by closing/re-opening fences.
  */
 export function splitMessage(text: string, maxLength: number): string[] {
-  const chunks: string[] = [];
+  const rawChunks: string[] = [];
-  let remaining = text;
+  let remaining = text.trim();
 
   while (remaining.length > 0) {
     if (remaining.length <= maxLength) {
-      chunks.push(remaining);
+      rawChunks.push(remaining);
       break;
     }
 
-    // Try to split at a newline within the allowed window
+    const minAcceptable = Math.floor(maxLength * 0.45);
-    let splitIndex = remaining.lastIndexOf('\n', maxLength);
+    const window = remaining.slice(0, maxLength);
-    if (splitIndex === -1 || splitIndex < maxLength / 2) {
+    const paragraphSplit = window.lastIndexOf('\n\n');
-      splitIndex = remaining.lastIndexOf(' ', maxLength);
+    const newlineSplit = window.lastIndexOf('\n');
-    }
+    const sentenceSplit = window.search(/[\.\!\?;:](?!.*[\.\!\?;:])/);
-    if (splitIndex === -1 || splitIndex < maxLength / 2) {
+    const spaceSplit = window.lastIndexOf(' ');
-      splitIndex = maxLength;
+    const sentenceIndex = sentenceSplit >= 0 ? sentenceSplit + 1 : -1;
+
+    const preferred = [paragraphSplit + 1, newlineSplit, sentenceIndex, spaceSplit];
+    let splitIndex = maxLength;
+    for (const candidate of preferred) {
+      if (Number.isInteger(candidate) && candidate > 0 && candidate >= minAcceptable) {
+        splitIndex = candidate;
+        break;
+      }
     }
 
-    chunks.push(remaining.slice(0, splitIndex));
+    rawChunks.push(remaining.slice(0, splitIndex));
     remaining = remaining.slice(splitIndex).trimStart();
   }
 
-  return chunks;
+  return rebalanceMarkdownCodeFences(rawChunks);
+}
+
+function rebalanceMarkdownCodeFences(chunks: string[]): string[] {
+  const balanced: string[] = [];
+  let codeFenceOpen = false;
+  let rawParity = 0;
+
+  for (let i = 0; i < chunks.length; i++) {
+    const rawChunk = chunks[i];
+    let chunk = rawChunk;
+
+    if (codeFenceOpen && !chunk.startsWith('```')) {
+      chunk = `\`\`\`\n${chunk}`;
+    }
+
+    const rawFenceCount = (rawChunk.match(/```/g) ?? []).length;
+    rawParity = (rawParity + rawFenceCount) % 2;
+    const hasNextChunk = i < chunks.length - 1;
+
+    if (rawParity === 1 && hasNextChunk) {
+      chunk = `${chunk}\n\`\`\``;
+      codeFenceOpen = true;
+    } else {
+      codeFenceOpen = false;
+    }
+
+    balanced.push(chunk);
+  }
+
+  if (rawParity === 1 && balanced.length > 0) {
+    balanced[balanced.length - 1] = `${balanced[balanced.length - 1]}\n\`\`\``;
+  }
+
+  return balanced;
 }
 
 /**