From fda6ab0f8071ac6c4224e7d6d3c8c3d6bd2f8ab8 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: darshankabariya <darshan@status.im>
Date: Fri, 1 May 2026 02:20:22 +0530
Subject: [PATCH] feat: prioritise most-overdue entries when attaching repair
 requests

---
 sds.nim                    | 19 ++++++++++++++-----
 tests/test_reliability.nim | 37 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 51 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/sds.nim b/sds.nim
index 6df906d..7c724d5 100644
--- a/sds.nim
+++ b/sds.nim
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import std/[times, locks, tables, sets, options]
+import std/[algorithm, times, locks, tables, sets, options]
 import chronos, results, chronicles
 import sds/[types, protobuf, sds_utils, rolling_bloom_filter]
 
@@ -89,14 +89,23 @@ proc wrapOutgoingMessage*(
         error "Failed to serialize bloom filter", channelId = channelId
         return err(ReliabilityError.reSerializationError)
 
-      # SDS-R: collect eligible expired repair requests to attach
+      # SDS-R: collect eligible expired repair requests to attach. Per
+      # spec (sds-r-send-message, RECOMMENDED), prioritise the entries with
+      # the smallest minTimeRepairReq — they are the most overdue and the
+      # ones the network most needs us to ask about.
       var repairReqs: seq[HistoryEntry] = @[]
       let now = getTime()
       var expiredKeys: seq[SdsMessageID] = @[]
+      var eligible: seq[(SdsMessageID, OutgoingRepairEntry)] = @[]
       for msgId, repairEntry in channel.outgoingRepairBuffer:
-        if now >= repairEntry.minTimeRepairReq and repairReqs.len < rm.config.maxRepairRequests:
-          repairReqs.add(repairEntry.outHistEntry)
-          expiredKeys.add(msgId)
+        if now >= repairEntry.minTimeRepairReq:
+          eligible.add((msgId, repairEntry))
+      eligible.sort do(a, b: (SdsMessageID, OutgoingRepairEntry)) -> int:
+        cmp(a[1].minTimeRepairReq, b[1].minTimeRepairReq)
+      let take = min(eligible.len, rm.config.maxRepairRequests)
+      for i in 0 ..< take:
+        repairReqs.add(eligible[i][1].outHistEntry)
+        expiredKeys.add(eligible[i][0])
       for key in expiredKeys:
         channel.outgoingRepairBuffer.del(key)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_reliability.nim b/tests/test_reliability.nim
index 6346395..d6d8993 100644
--- a/tests/test_reliability.nim
+++ b/tests/test_reliability.nim
@@ -1148,6 +1148,43 @@ suite "SDS-R: Repair Buffer Management":
       # Should be removed from buffer after attaching
       "missing-msg" notin channel.outgoingRepairBuffer
 
+  test "expired repair requests attach the most-overdue first when capped":
+    # Per spec (sds-r-send-message, RECOMMENDED): when more entries are
+    # eligible than maxRepairRequests, attach the ones with the smallest
+    # minTimeRepairReq — i.e. the most overdue.
+    rm.setCallbacks(
+      proc(messageId: SdsMessageID, channelId: SdsChannelID) {.gcsafe.} = discard,
+      proc(messageId: SdsMessageID, channelId: SdsChannelID) {.gcsafe.} = discard,
+      proc(messageId: SdsMessageID, missingDeps: seq[HistoryEntry], channelId: SdsChannelID) {.gcsafe.} = discard,
+    )
+    let channel = rm.channels[testChannel]
+    let now = getTime()
+
+    # Five eligible entries with strictly ordered minTimeRepairReq (most-overdue first).
+    # All are expired; the cap is the default 3, so two should be left behind.
+    let expected = ["oldest", "second", "third", "fourth", "newest"]
+    for i, id in expected:
+      channel.outgoingRepairBuffer[id] = OutgoingRepairEntry(
+        outHistEntry: HistoryEntry(messageId: id, senderId: "sender"),
+        minTimeRepairReq: now - initDuration(seconds = 50 - i * 10),
+      )
+
+    let wrapped = rm.wrapOutgoingMessage(@[byte(1)], "outbound", testChannel)
+    check wrapped.isOk()
+
+    let attached = deserializeMessage(wrapped.get()).get().repairRequest
+    check:
+      attached.len == rm.config.maxRepairRequests
+      attached[0].messageId == "oldest"
+      attached[1].messageId == "second"
+      attached[2].messageId == "third"
+      # Two least-overdue remain in the buffer for next time.
+      "fourth" in channel.outgoingRepairBuffer
+      "newest" in channel.outgoingRepairBuffer
+      "oldest" notin channel.outgoingRepairBuffer
+      "second" notin channel.outgoingRepairBuffer
+      "third" notin channel.outgoingRepairBuffer
+
   test "incoming repair request adds to incoming repair buffer when eligible":
     rm.setCallbacks(
       proc(messageId: SdsMessageID, channelId: SdsChannelID) {.gcsafe.} = discard,