feat: configurable AI channel blocklist (#180)

config.json

@@ -1,15 +1,16 @@
 {
   "ai": {
     "enabled": true,
-    "systemPrompt": "You are Volvox Bot, the friendly AI assistant for the Volvox developer community Discord server.\n\nYou're witty, snarky (but warm), and deeply knowledgeable about programming, software development, and tech.\n\nKey traits:\n- Helpful but not boring\n- Can roast people lightly when appropriate\n- Enthusiastic about cool tech and projects\n- Supportive of beginners learning to code\n- Concise - this is Discord, not an essay\n\nIf asked about your own infrastructure, model, or internals — say you don't know the specifics\nand suggest asking a server admin. Don't guess or speculate about what you run on.\n\nCRITICAL RULES:\n- NEVER type @everyone or @here — these ping hundreds of people\n- NEVER use mass mention pings under any circumstances\n- If you need to address the group, say \"everyone\" or \"folks\" without the @ symbol\n\nKeep responses under 2000 chars. Use Discord markdown when helpful.",
+    "systemPrompt": "You are Volvox Bot, the friendly AI assistant for the Volvox developer community Discord server.\n\nYou're witty, snarky (but warm), and deeply knowledgeable about programming, software development, and tech.\n\nKey traits:\n- Helpful but not boring\n- Can roast people lightly when appropriate\n- Enthusiastic about cool tech and projects\n- Supportive of beginners learning to code\n- Concise - this is Discord, not an essay\n\nIf asked about your own infrastructure, model, or internals \u2014 say you don't know the specifics\nand suggest asking a server admin. Don't guess or speculate about what you run on.\n\nCRITICAL RULES:\n- NEVER type @everyone or @here \u2014 these ping hundreds of people\n- NEVER use mass mention pings under any circumstances\n- If you need to address the group, say \"everyone\" or \"folks\" without the @ symbol\n\nKeep responses under 2000 chars. Use Discord markdown when helpful.",
     "channels": [],
     "historyLength": 20,
     "historyTTLDays": 30,
     "threadMode": {
       "enabled": false,
       "autoArchiveMinutes": 60,
       "reuseWindowMinutes": 30
-    }
+    },
+    "blockedChannelIds": []
   },
   "triage": {
     "enabled": true,
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@
   "welcome": {
     "enabled": true,
     "channelId": "1438631182379253814",
-    "message": "Welcome to Volvox, {user}! 🌱 You're member #{memberCount}!\n\nWe're a community of developers building cool stuff together. Feel free to introduce yourself!\n\nCheck out <#1446317676988465242> to see what we're working on, share your projects in <#1444154471704957069>, or just say hi in <#1438631182379253814>.\n\nHave questions? Just ask — we're here to help. 💚",
+    "message": "Welcome to Volvox, {user}! \ud83c\udf31 You're member #{memberCount}!\n\nWe're a community of developers building cool stuff together. Feel free to introduce yourself!\n\nCheck out <#1446317676988465242> to see what we're working on, share your projects in <#1444154471704957069>, or just say hi in <#1438631182379253814>.\n\nHave questions? Just ask \u2014 we're here to help. \ud83d\udc9a",
     "dynamic": {
       "enabled": true,
       "timezone": "America/New_York",
@@ -213,19 +214,19 @@
     "activityBadges": [
       {
         "days": 90,
-        "label": "👑 Legend"
+        "label": "\ud83d\udc51 Legend"
       },
       {
         "days": 30,
-        "label": "🌳 Veteran"
+        "label": "\ud83c\udf33 Veteran"
       },
       {
         "days": 7,
-        "label": "🌿 Regular"
+        "label": "\ud83c\udf3f Regular"
       },
       {
         "days": 0,
-        "label": "🌱 Newcomer"
+        "label": "\ud83c\udf31 Newcomer"
       }
     ]
   },

src/api/utils/configValidation.js

@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ export const CONFIG_SCHEMA = {
       enabled: { type: 'boolean' },
       systemPrompt: { type: 'string' },
       channels: { type: 'array' },
+      blockedChannelIds: { type: 'array' },
       historyLength: { type: 'number' },
       historyTTLDays: { type: 'number' },
       threadMode: {

src/modules/ai.js

@@ -25,6 +25,32 @@ let cleanupTimer = null;
 /** In-flight async hydrations keyed by channel ID (dedupes concurrent DB reads) */
 const pendingHydrations = new Map();
 
+/**
+ * Check whether a channel (or its parent thread channel) is in the AI blocklist.
+ *
+ * When `parentId` is provided (i.e. the message is inside a thread), the parent
+ * channel ID is also checked so that blocking a channel implicitly blocks all
+ * threads that belong to it.
+ *
+ * @param {string} channelId - The channel ID to test.
+ * @param {string|null} [parentId] - Optional parent channel ID (for threads).
+ * @param {string} guildId - The guild ID for per-guild configuration.
+ * @returns {boolean} `true` when the channel is blocked, `false` otherwise.
+ */
+export function isChannelBlocked(channelId, parentId = null, guildId) {
+  try {
+    const config = getConfig(guildId);
+    const blocked = config?.ai?.blockedChannelIds;
+    if (!Array.isArray(blocked) || blocked.length === 0) return false;
+    if (blocked.includes(channelId)) return true;
+    if (parentId && blocked.includes(parentId)) return true;
+    return false;
+  } catch {
+    // Config not loaded yet — fail open (don't block)
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
 /**
  * Get the configured history length from config
  * @returns {number} History length

src/modules/events.js

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import { getUserFriendlyMessage } from '../utils/errors.js';
 // safe wrapper applies identically to either target type.
 import { safeEditReply, safeReply } from '../utils/safeSend.js';
 import { handleAfkMentions } from './afkHandler.js';
+import { isChannelBlocked } from './ai.js';
 import { handleHintButton, handleSolveButton } from './challengeScheduler.js';
 import { getConfig } from './config.js';
 import { trackMessage, trackReaction } from './engagement.js';
@@ -219,6 +220,12 @@ export function registerMessageCreateHandler(client, _config, healthMonitor) {
       const isAllowedChannel =
         allowedChannels.length === 0 || allowedChannels.includes(channelIdToCheck);
 
+      // Check blocklist — blocked channels never get AI responses.
+      // For threads, parentId is also checked so blocking the parent channel
+      // blocks all its child threads.
+      const parentId = message.channel.isThread?.() ? message.channel.parentId : null;
+      if (isChannelBlocked(message.channel.id, parentId, message.guild.id)) return;
+
       if ((isMentioned || isReply) && isAllowedChannel) {
         // Accumulate the message into the triage buffer (for context).
         // Even bare @mentions with no text go through triage so the classifier
@@ -255,6 +262,7 @@ export function registerMessageCreateHandler(client, _config, healthMonitor) {
     // Gated on ai.enabled — this is the master kill-switch for all AI responses.
     // accumulateMessage also checks triage.enabled internally.
     if (guildConfig.ai?.enabled) {
+
       try {
         const p = accumulateMessage(message, guildConfig);
         p?.catch((err) => {

tests/modules/ai.test.js

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import {
   getConversationHistory,
   getHistoryAsync,
   initConversationHistory,
+  isChannelBlocked,
   setConversationHistory,
   setPool,
   startConversationCleanup,
@@ -204,6 +205,58 @@ describe('ai module', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  // ── isChannelBlocked ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+  describe('isChannelBlocked', () => {
+    it('should return false when blockedChannelIds is not set', () => {
+      getConfig.mockReturnValue({ ai: {} });
+      expect(isChannelBlocked('ch1')).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should return false when blockedChannelIds is empty', () => {
+      getConfig.mockReturnValue({ ai: { blockedChannelIds: [] } });
+      expect(isChannelBlocked('ch1')).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should return true when channelId is in blockedChannelIds', () => {
+      getConfig.mockReturnValue({ ai: { blockedChannelIds: ['ch1', 'ch2'] } });
+      expect(isChannelBlocked('ch1')).toBe(true);
+      expect(isChannelBlocked('ch2')).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should return false when channelId is not in blockedChannelIds', () => {
+      getConfig.mockReturnValue({ ai: { blockedChannelIds: ['ch1'] } });
+      expect(isChannelBlocked('ch3')).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should return true when parentId is in blockedChannelIds (thread in blocked parent)', () => {
+      getConfig.mockReturnValue({ ai: { blockedChannelIds: ['parent-ch'] } });
+      expect(isChannelBlocked('thread-ch', 'parent-ch')).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should return true when channelId matches even if parentId is not blocked', () => {
+      getConfig.mockReturnValue({ ai: { blockedChannelIds: ['thread-ch'] } });
+      expect(isChannelBlocked('thread-ch', 'parent-ch')).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should return false when neither channelId nor parentId is in blockedChannelIds', () => {
+      getConfig.mockReturnValue({ ai: { blockedChannelIds: ['other-ch'] } });
+      expect(isChannelBlocked('thread-ch', 'parent-ch')).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should return false when parentId is null and channelId is not blocked', () => {
+      getConfig.mockReturnValue({ ai: { blockedChannelIds: ['ch1'] } });
+      expect(isChannelBlocked('ch2', null)).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should fail open (return false) when getConfig throws', () => {
+      getConfig.mockImplementation(() => {
+        throw new Error('Config not loaded');
+      });
+      expect(isChannelBlocked('ch1')).toBe(false);
+    });
+  });
+
   // ── cleanup scheduler ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
   describe('cleanup scheduler', () => {

tests/modules/events.test.js

@@ -355,6 +355,89 @@ describe('events module', () => {
       expect(evaluateNow).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
 
+    // ── Blocked channels ──────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    it('should not send AI response in blocked channel (mention)', async () => {
+      setup({ ai: { enabled: true, channels: [], blockedChannelIds: ['blocked-ch'] } });
+      const message = {
+        author: { bot: false, username: 'user', id: 'user-1' },
+        guild: { id: 'g1' },
+        content: '<@bot-user-id> help',
+        channel: {
+          id: 'blocked-ch',
+          sendTyping: vi.fn(),
+          send: vi.fn(),
+          isThread: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
+        },
+        mentions: { has: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(true), repliedUser: null },
+        reference: null,
+        reply: vi.fn(),
+      };
+      await onCallbacks.messageCreate(message);
+      expect(evaluateNow).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('should not accumulate messages in blocked channel (non-mention)', async () => {
+      setup({ ai: { enabled: true, channels: [], blockedChannelIds: ['blocked-ch'] } });
+      const message = {
+        author: { bot: false, username: 'user', id: 'user-1' },
+        guild: { id: 'g1' },
+        content: 'regular message',
+        channel: {
+          id: 'blocked-ch',
+          sendTyping: vi.fn(),
+          send: vi.fn(),
+          isThread: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
+        },
+        mentions: { has: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false), repliedUser: null },
+        reference: null,
+      };
+      await onCallbacks.messageCreate(message);
+      expect(accumulateMessage).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(evaluateNow).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('should not send AI response in thread whose parent is blocked', async () => {
+      setup({ ai: { enabled: true, channels: [], blockedChannelIds: ['parent-ch'] } });
+      const message = {
+        author: { bot: false, username: 'user', id: 'user-1' },
+        guild: { id: 'g1' },
+        content: '<@bot-user-id> help',
+        channel: {
+          id: 'thread-ch',
+          parentId: 'parent-ch',
+          sendTyping: vi.fn(),
+          send: vi.fn(),
+          isThread: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(true),
+        },
+        mentions: { has: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(true), repliedUser: null },
+        reference: null,
+        reply: vi.fn(),
+      };
+      await onCallbacks.messageCreate(message);
+      expect(evaluateNow).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('should allow AI in non-blocked channels when blocklist is configured', async () => {
+      setup({ ai: { enabled: true, channels: [], blockedChannelIds: ['blocked-ch'] } });
+      const message = {
+        author: { bot: false, username: 'user', id: 'user-1' },
+        guild: { id: 'g1' },
+        content: '<@bot-user-id> help',
+        channel: {
+          id: 'allowed-ch',
+          sendTyping: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+          send: vi.fn(),
+          isThread: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
+        },
+        mentions: { has: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(true), repliedUser: null },
+        reference: null,
+        reply: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+      };
+      await onCallbacks.messageCreate(message);
+      expect(evaluateNow).toHaveBeenCalledWith('allowed-ch', config, client, null);
+    });
+
     // ── Non-mention ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
     it('should call accumulateMessage only (not evaluateNow) for non-mention', async () => {

web/src/components/dashboard/config-editor.tsx

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import { toast } from 'sonner';
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
 import { Card, CardContent, CardDescription, CardHeader, CardTitle } from '@/components/ui/card';
+import { ChannelSelector } from '@/components/ui/channel-selector';
 import { Input } from '@/components/ui/input';
 import { RoleSelector } from '@/components/ui/role-selector';
 import { GUILD_SELECTED_EVENT, SELECTED_GUILD_KEY } from '@/lib/guild-selection';
@@ -410,6 +411,16 @@ export function ConfigEditor() {
     [updateDraftConfig],
   );
 
+  const updateAiBlockedChannels = useCallback(
+    (channels: string[]) => {
+      updateDraftConfig((prev) => {
+        if (!prev) return prev;
+        return { ...prev, ai: { ...prev.ai, blockedChannelIds: channels } } as GuildConfig;
+      });
+    },
+    [updateDraftConfig],
+  );
+
   const updateWelcomeEnabled = useCallback(
     (enabled: boolean) => {
       updateDraftConfig((prev) => {
@@ -721,6 +732,31 @@ export function ConfigEditor() {
         maxLength={SYSTEM_PROMPT_MAX_LENGTH}
       />
 
+      {/* AI Blocked Channels */}
+      <Card>
+        <CardHeader>
+          <CardTitle className="text-base">Blocked Channels</CardTitle>
+          <CardDescription>
+            The AI will not respond in these channels (or their threads).
+          </CardDescription>
+        </CardHeader>
+        <CardContent className="space-y-2">
+          {guildId ? (
+            <ChannelSelector
+              id="ai-blocked-channels"
+              guildId={guildId}
+              selected={(draftConfig.ai?.blockedChannelIds ?? []) as string[]}
+              onChange={updateAiBlockedChannels}
+              placeholder="Select channels to block AI in..."
+              disabled={saving}
+              filter="text"
+            />
+          ) : (
+            <p className="text-muted-foreground text-sm">Select a server first</p>
+          )}
+        </CardContent>
+      </Card>
+
       {/* Welcome section */}
       <Card>
         <CardHeader>

web/src/types/config.ts

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ export interface AiConfig {
   enabled: boolean;
   systemPrompt: string;
   channels: string[];
+  blockedChannelIds: string[];
   historyLength: number;
   historyTTLDays: number;
   threadMode: AiThreadMode;