From ae3bef4cc4b5505c5aa32d08944db99246b16bf5 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Devin Zuczek <devin.zuczek@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 5 Aug 2026 15:30:50 -0400
Subject: [PATCH] real featured inventions

---
 apps/api/src/inventions-db.ts             | 10 +++++++---
 apps/api/src/routes/avatar.ts             |  9 +++++----
 apps/api/src/test/integration/api.test.ts | 15 +++++++++++----
 3 files changed, 23 insertions(+), 11 deletions(-)

diff --git a/apps/api/src/inventions-db.ts b/apps/api/src/inventions-db.ts
index 98a9876..d3d1d3d 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/inventions-db.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/inventions-db.ts
@@ -377,8 +377,13 @@ export async function getTopInventions(
 /**
  * The featured feed — published inventions flagged `IsFeatured`, newest first.
  * Selected on the indexed `is_featured` column rather than by parsing every public
- * invention. Nothing sets that flag yet, so this falls back to the top feed rather
- * than handing the client an empty shelf; once inventions are curated it serves them.
+ * invention.
+ *
+ * Curated means curated: when nothing is flagged this serves an EMPTY list rather than
+ * standing in the top feed. It used to fall back, from when no invention could be
+ * featured at all, but a fallback makes the shelf lie — the client labels these as
+ * hand-picked, and a feed that silently becomes "top today" hides the fact that nobody
+ * has picked anything.
  */
 export async function getFeaturedInventions(
 	db: D1Database,
@@ -386,7 +391,6 @@ export async function getFeaturedInventions(
 	take: number
 ): Promise<SavedInvention[]> {
 	const featured = await publicInventions(db, true)
-	if (featured.length === 0) return getTopInventions(db, skip, take)
 	return featured
 		.sort((a, b) => b.CreatedAt.localeCompare(a.CreatedAt) || b.InventionId - a.InventionId)
 		.slice(skip, skip + take)
diff --git a/apps/api/src/routes/avatar.ts b/apps/api/src/routes/avatar.ts
index e43f24a..e037468 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/routes/avatar.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/routes/avatar.ts
@@ -643,16 +643,17 @@ export const avatarRoutes = new Hono<App>({ strict: false })
 		}
 	)
 
-	// The featured invention feed — curated (`IsFeatured`) inventions, falling back
-	// to the top feed while nothing is curated. Bare array, like toptoday.
+	// The featured invention feed — the curated (`IsFeatured`) inventions and nothing
+	// else, newest first. Empty until someone flags one. Bare array, like toptoday.
 	.get(
 		'/api/inventions/v1/featured',
 		describeRoute({
 			tags: ['Inventions'],
 			summary: 'The featured feed',
 			description:
-				'Curated (`IsFeatured`) inventions, falling back to the top feed while nothing is ' +
-				'curated — so this is never empty just because no one has picked favourites.',
+				'Curated (`IsFeatured`) inventions, newest first — published and non-hidden only. ' +
+				'Serves an empty list while nothing is flagged rather than standing in the top ' +
+				'feed: the client presents these as hand-picked, so a fallback would be a lie.',
 			parameters: pageParams(50),
 			responses: { 200: json(InventionDto.array(), 'The featured inventions') },
 		}),
diff --git a/apps/api/src/test/integration/api.test.ts b/apps/api/src/test/integration/api.test.ts
index 004354f..6278279 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/test/integration/api.test.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/test/integration/api.test.ts
@@ -1138,12 +1138,14 @@ describe('public endpoints', () => {
 		const ids = async (res: Response): Promise<number[]> =>
 			((await res.json()) as SavedInvention[]).map((i) => i.InventionId)
 
-		// Nothing is flagged IsFeatured yet → featured falls back to the top feed.
+		// Nothing is flagged IsFeatured yet, so featured is EMPTY — it does not stand in the
+		// top feed, which by now has published inventions in it.
 		const beforeTop = await ids(await exports.default.fetch(`${ORIGIN}/api/inventions/v1/toptoday`))
+		expect(beforeTop.length).toBeGreaterThan(0)
 		const beforeFeatured = await ids(
 			await exports.default.fetch(`${ORIGIN}/api/inventions/v1/featured`)
 		)
-		expect(beforeFeatured).toEqual(beforeTop)
+		expect(beforeFeatured).toEqual([])
 
 		const feedInvention = (
 			id: number,
@@ -1187,13 +1189,18 @@ describe('public endpoints', () => {
 		expect(top).not.toContain(204)
 		expect(top).not.toContain(205)
 
-		// Featured: only the flagged, visible inventions — newest first.
+		// Featured: only the flagged, visible inventions — newest first. 201 is published but
+		// unflagged, so it stays out however popular it is.
 		const featured = await ids(await exports.default.fetch(`${ORIGIN}/api/inventions/v1/featured`))
 		expect(featured).toEqual([203, 202])
 
-		// skip/take paginate the top feed.
+		// skip/take paginate both feeds.
 		const page = await exports.default.fetch(`${ORIGIN}/api/inventions/v1/toptoday?skip=1&take=1`)
 		expect(await ids(page)).toEqual([203])
+		const featuredPage = await exports.default.fetch(
+			`${ORIGIN}/api/inventions/v1/featured?skip=1&take=1`
+		)
+		expect(await ids(featuredPage)).toEqual([202])
 	})
 
 	test('POST /api/sanitize/v1 echoes the value; isPure reports true', async () => {