FAILURE MAP
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FA-34576 / Notification interfaces / Open access

Notification inbox initial restoration: fresh-empty from fetching · case 01

The fresh-empty event leaves a notification in ready instead of empty.

Verified by executionVariant 1 · 33 checks per implementationDownload source bundle ↓JSON ↗

ROOT CAUSE

Initial empty fetch pretends a populated inbox exists.

THE FAILURE

Initial empty fetch pretends a populated inbox exists.

Unsuccessful approach: Leaving the spinner running hides authoritative emptiness.

Case contract

Notification inbox initial restoration is a bounded visual-notification workflow with mutable policy state {'rows': ['cached'], 'version': 3, 'warning': False}. Its default transition relation is {('placeholder', 'cache-found'): 'cached-unverified', ('placeholder', 'cache-missing'): 'fetching', ('cached-unverified', 'refresh-start'): 'refreshing-cache', ('refreshing-cache', 'fresh-nonempty'): 'ready', ('refreshing-cache', 'fresh-empty'): 'empty', ('refreshing-cache', 'refresh-error'): 'stale-warning', ('fetching', 'fresh-nonempty'): 'ready', ('fetching', 'fresh-empty'): 'empty', ('fetching', 'refresh-error'): 'load-error', ('stale-warning', 'retry-refresh'): 'refreshing-cache'}; domain inputs can suppress or redirect transitions and update policy fields, as specified in solve. Different-generation events are inert. Batches apply in order. Optional observe returns the selected policy field alongside the phase.

Why this case matters

Visual notification lifecycle ordering can leave an inbox or toast showing the wrong actionable state even when transport succeeds.

1 / The failure

Exit 1
"""Failure Map reference implementation. Python standard library only."""
import json

N = 1
observations = []
def solve(initial, events, generation, payload=None, observe=None):
    table = {('placeholder', 'cache-found'): 'cached-unverified', ('placeholder', 'cache-missing'): 'fetching', ('cached-unverified', 'refresh-start'): 'refreshing-cache', ('refreshing-cache', 'fresh-nonempty'): 'ready', ('refreshing-cache', 'fresh-empty'): 'empty', ('refreshing-cache', 'refresh-error'): 'stale-warning', ('fetching', 'fresh-nonempty'): 'ready', ('fetching', 'fresh-empty'): 'ready', ('fetching', 'refresh-error'): 'load-error', ('stale-warning', 'retry-refresh'): 'refreshing-cache'}
    data = json.loads(json.dumps({'rows': ['cached'], 'version': 3, 'warning': False})) if payload is None else {**json.loads(json.dumps({'rows': ['cached'], 'version': 3, 'warning': False})), **json.loads(json.dumps(payload))}
    state = initial
    for delivery in events:
        event, event_generation = delivery[:2]
        arg = delivery[2] if len(delivery) > 2 else {}
        if event_generation == generation:
            previous = state
            if event in ('fresh-nonempty','fresh-empty'):
                if arg.get('version',data['version']) < data['version']: event = 'unknown-event'
                else:
                    data['version'] = arg.get('version',data['version'])
                    data['rows'] = arg.get('rows',[] if event == 'fresh-empty' else ['fresh'])[:]
            if event == 'cache-found' and 'rows' in arg: data['rows'] = arg['rows'][:]
            state = table.get((state, event), state)
            if state == 'stale-warning': data['warning'] = True
            if state in ('ready','empty'): data['warning'] = False
            if state == 'empty': data['rows'] = []
    return {'phase': state, 'value': data[observe]} if observe else state
def check(label, actual, expected):
    observations.append({"check": label, "actual": actual, "expected": expected, "passed": actual == expected})
check('placeholder / cache-found', solve('placeholder', [('cache-found', N)], N), 'cached-unverified')
check('placeholder / cache-missing', solve('placeholder', [('cache-missing', N)], N), 'fetching')
check('cached-unverified / refresh-start', solve('cached-unverified', [('refresh-start', N)], N), 'refreshing-cache')
check('refreshing-cache / fresh-nonempty', solve('refreshing-cache', [('fresh-nonempty', N)], N), 'ready')
check('refreshing-cache / fresh-empty', solve('refreshing-cache', [('fresh-empty', N)], N), 'empty')
check('refreshing-cache / refresh-error', solve('refreshing-cache', [('refresh-error', N)], N), 'stale-warning')
check('fetching / fresh-nonempty', solve('fetching', [('fresh-nonempty', N)], N), 'ready')
check('fetching / fresh-empty', solve('fetching', [('fresh-empty', N)], N), 'empty')
check('fetching / refresh-error', solve('fetching', [('refresh-error', N)], N), 'load-error')
check('stale-warning / retry-refresh', solve('stale-warning', [('retry-refresh', N)], N), 'refreshing-cache')
check('older notification incarnation', solve('placeholder', [('cache-found', N - 1)], N), 'placeholder')
check('future notification incarnation', solve('placeholder', [('cache-found', N + 1)], N), 'placeholder')
check('unknown event is inert', solve('placeholder', [('unknown-event', N)], N), 'placeholder')
check('empty delivery batch', solve('placeholder', [], N), 'placeholder')
check('N stale deliveries before current delivery', solve('placeholder', [('cache-found', N - 1)] * N + [('cache-found', N)], N), 'cached-unverified')
check('trace cache-found then refresh-start', solve('placeholder', [('cache-found', N), ('refresh-start', N)], N), 'refreshing-cache')
check('trace cache-missing then fresh-nonempty', solve('placeholder', [('cache-missing', N), ('fresh-nonempty', N)], N), 'ready')
check('trace cache-missing then fresh-empty', solve('placeholder', [('cache-missing', N), ('fresh-empty', N)], N), 'empty')
check('trace cache-missing then refresh-error', solve('placeholder', [('cache-missing', N), ('refresh-error', N)], N), 'load-error')
check('trace refresh-start then fresh-nonempty', solve('cached-unverified', [('refresh-start', N), ('fresh-nonempty', N)], N), 'ready')
check('trace refresh-start then fresh-empty', solve('cached-unverified', [('refresh-start', N), ('fresh-empty', N)], N), 'empty')
check('trace refresh-start then refresh-error', solve('cached-unverified', [('refresh-start', N), ('refresh-error', N)], N), 'stale-warning')
check('trace refresh-error then retry-refresh', solve('refreshing-cache', [('refresh-error', N), ('retry-refresh', N)], N), 'refreshing-cache')
check('trace retry-refresh then fresh-nonempty', solve('stale-warning', [('retry-refresh', N), ('fresh-nonempty', N)], N), 'ready')
check('trace retry-refresh then fresh-empty', solve('stale-warning', [('retry-refresh', N), ('fresh-empty', N)], N), 'empty')
check('trace retry-refresh then refresh-error', solve('stale-warning', [('retry-refresh', N), ('refresh-error', N)], N), 'stale-warning')
check('domain state regression 1: rows', solve('refreshing-cache', [('fresh-nonempty', N, {'version': 2, 'rows': ['old']})], N, {}, 'rows'), {'phase': 'refreshing-cache', 'value': ['cached']})
check('domain state regression 2: rows', solve('refreshing-cache', [('fresh-nonempty', N, {'version': 4, 'rows': ['new']})], N, {}, 'rows'), {'phase': 'ready', 'value': ['new']})
check('domain state regression 3: rows', solve('refreshing-cache', [('refresh-error', N, {})], N, {}, 'rows'), {'phase': 'stale-warning', 'value': ['cached']})
check('domain state regression 4: warning', solve('refreshing-cache', [('refresh-error', N, {})], N, {}, 'warning'), {'phase': 'stale-warning', 'value': True})
check('domain state regression 5: rows', solve('refreshing-cache', [('fresh-empty', N, {})], N, {}, 'rows'), {'phase': 'empty', 'value': []})
check('domain state regression 6: rows', solve('placeholder', [('cache-found', N, {'rows': ['a', 'b']})], N, {}, 'rows'), {'phase': 'cached-unverified', 'value': ['a', 'b']})
check('domain state regression 7: rows', solve('placeholder', [('cache-found', N, {'rows': ['saved']}), ('refresh-start', N, {}), ('refresh-error', N, {})], N, {}, 'rows'), {'phase': 'stale-warning', 'value': ['saved']})
print(json.dumps({"observations": observations, "passed": all(x["passed"] for x in observations)}, ensure_ascii=False))
raise SystemExit(0 if all(x["passed"] for x in observations) else 1)
Boundary fixtureActualExpectedOutcome
placeholder / cache-foundcached-unverifiedcached-unverifiedPassed
placeholder / cache-missingfetchingfetchingPassed
cached-unverified / refresh-startrefreshing-cacherefreshing-cachePassed
refreshing-cache / fresh-nonemptyreadyreadyPassed
refreshing-cache / fresh-emptyemptyemptyPassed
refreshing-cache / refresh-errorstale-warningstale-warningPassed
fetching / fresh-nonemptyreadyreadyPassed
fetching / fresh-emptyreadyemptyFailed
fetching / refresh-errorload-errorload-errorPassed
stale-warning / retry-refreshrefreshing-cacherefreshing-cachePassed
older notification incarnationplaceholderplaceholderPassed
future notification incarnationplaceholderplaceholderPassed
unknown event is inertplaceholderplaceholderPassed
empty delivery batchplaceholderplaceholderPassed
N stale deliveries before current deliverycached-unverifiedcached-unverifiedPassed
trace cache-found then refresh-startrefreshing-cacherefreshing-cachePassed
trace cache-missing then fresh-nonemptyreadyreadyPassed
trace cache-missing then fresh-emptyreadyemptyFailed
trace cache-missing then refresh-errorload-errorload-errorPassed
trace refresh-start then fresh-nonemptyreadyreadyPassed
trace refresh-start then fresh-emptyemptyemptyPassed
trace refresh-start then refresh-errorstale-warningstale-warningPassed
trace refresh-error then retry-refreshrefreshing-cacherefreshing-cachePassed
trace retry-refresh then fresh-nonemptyreadyreadyPassed
trace retry-refresh then fresh-emptyemptyemptyPassed
trace retry-refresh then refresh-errorstale-warningstale-warningPassed
domain state regression 1: rows{'phase': 'refreshing-cache', 'value': ['cached']}{'phase': 'refreshing-cache', 'value': ['cached']}Passed
domain state regression 2: rows{'phase': 'ready', 'value': ['new']}{'phase': 'ready', 'value': ['new']}Passed
domain state regression 3: rows{'phase': 'stale-warning', 'value': ['cached']}{'phase': 'stale-warning', 'value': ['cached']}Passed
domain state regression 4: warning{'phase': 'stale-warning', 'value': True}{'phase': 'stale-warning', 'value': True}Passed
domain state regression 5: rows{'phase': 'empty', 'value': []}{'phase': 'empty', 'value': []}Passed
domain state regression 6: rows{'phase': 'cached-unverified', 'value': ['a', 'b']}{'phase': 'cached-unverified', 'value': ['a', 'b']}Passed
domain state regression 7: rows{'phase': 'stale-warning', 'value': ['saved']}{'phase': 'stale-warning', 'value': ['saved']}Passed

SHA-256 / e9409050aa63bbb508805749008882b1efbd592f46918a5de1f1357ba502c439

2 / The unsuccessful fix

Exit 1
"""Failure Map reference implementation. Python standard library only."""
import json

N = 1
observations = []
def solve(initial, events, generation, payload=None, observe=None):
    table = {('placeholder', 'cache-found'): 'cached-unverified', ('placeholder', 'cache-missing'): 'fetching', ('cached-unverified', 'refresh-start'): 'refreshing-cache', ('refreshing-cache', 'fresh-nonempty'): 'ready', ('refreshing-cache', 'fresh-empty'): 'empty', ('refreshing-cache', 'refresh-error'): 'stale-warning', ('fetching', 'fresh-nonempty'): 'ready', ('fetching', 'fresh-empty'): 'fetching', ('fetching', 'refresh-error'): 'load-error', ('stale-warning', 'retry-refresh'): 'refreshing-cache'}
    data = json.loads(json.dumps({'rows': ['cached'], 'version': 3, 'warning': False})) if payload is None else {**json.loads(json.dumps({'rows': ['cached'], 'version': 3, 'warning': False})), **json.loads(json.dumps(payload))}
    state = initial
    for delivery in events:
        event, event_generation = delivery[:2]
        arg = delivery[2] if len(delivery) > 2 else {}
        if event_generation == generation:
            previous = state
            if event in ('fresh-nonempty','fresh-empty'):
                if arg.get('version',data['version']) < data['version']: event = 'unknown-event'
                else:
                    data['version'] = arg.get('version',data['version'])
                    data['rows'] = arg.get('rows',[] if event == 'fresh-empty' else ['fresh'])[:]
            if event == 'cache-found' and 'rows' in arg: data['rows'] = arg['rows'][:]
            state = table.get((state, event), state)
            if state == 'stale-warning': data['warning'] = True
            if state in ('ready','empty'): data['warning'] = False
            if state == 'empty': data['rows'] = []
    return {'phase': state, 'value': data[observe]} if observe else state
def check(label, actual, expected):
    observations.append({"check": label, "actual": actual, "expected": expected, "passed": actual == expected})
check('placeholder / cache-found', solve('placeholder', [('cache-found', N)], N), 'cached-unverified')
check('placeholder / cache-missing', solve('placeholder', [('cache-missing', N)], N), 'fetching')
check('cached-unverified / refresh-start', solve('cached-unverified', [('refresh-start', N)], N), 'refreshing-cache')
check('refreshing-cache / fresh-nonempty', solve('refreshing-cache', [('fresh-nonempty', N)], N), 'ready')
check('refreshing-cache / fresh-empty', solve('refreshing-cache', [('fresh-empty', N)], N), 'empty')
check('refreshing-cache / refresh-error', solve('refreshing-cache', [('refresh-error', N)], N), 'stale-warning')
check('fetching / fresh-nonempty', solve('fetching', [('fresh-nonempty', N)], N), 'ready')
check('fetching / fresh-empty', solve('fetching', [('fresh-empty', N)], N), 'empty')
check('fetching / refresh-error', solve('fetching', [('refresh-error', N)], N), 'load-error')
check('stale-warning / retry-refresh', solve('stale-warning', [('retry-refresh', N)], N), 'refreshing-cache')
check('older notification incarnation', solve('placeholder', [('cache-found', N - 1)], N), 'placeholder')
check('future notification incarnation', solve('placeholder', [('cache-found', N + 1)], N), 'placeholder')
check('unknown event is inert', solve('placeholder', [('unknown-event', N)], N), 'placeholder')
check('empty delivery batch', solve('placeholder', [], N), 'placeholder')
check('N stale deliveries before current delivery', solve('placeholder', [('cache-found', N - 1)] * N + [('cache-found', N)], N), 'cached-unverified')
check('trace cache-found then refresh-start', solve('placeholder', [('cache-found', N), ('refresh-start', N)], N), 'refreshing-cache')
check('trace cache-missing then fresh-nonempty', solve('placeholder', [('cache-missing', N), ('fresh-nonempty', N)], N), 'ready')
check('trace cache-missing then fresh-empty', solve('placeholder', [('cache-missing', N), ('fresh-empty', N)], N), 'empty')
check('trace cache-missing then refresh-error', solve('placeholder', [('cache-missing', N), ('refresh-error', N)], N), 'load-error')
check('trace refresh-start then fresh-nonempty', solve('cached-unverified', [('refresh-start', N), ('fresh-nonempty', N)], N), 'ready')
check('trace refresh-start then fresh-empty', solve('cached-unverified', [('refresh-start', N), ('fresh-empty', N)], N), 'empty')
check('trace refresh-start then refresh-error', solve('cached-unverified', [('refresh-start', N), ('refresh-error', N)], N), 'stale-warning')
check('trace refresh-error then retry-refresh', solve('refreshing-cache', [('refresh-error', N), ('retry-refresh', N)], N), 'refreshing-cache')
check('trace retry-refresh then fresh-nonempty', solve('stale-warning', [('retry-refresh', N), ('fresh-nonempty', N)], N), 'ready')
check('trace retry-refresh then fresh-empty', solve('stale-warning', [('retry-refresh', N), ('fresh-empty', N)], N), 'empty')
check('trace retry-refresh then refresh-error', solve('stale-warning', [('retry-refresh', N), ('refresh-error', N)], N), 'stale-warning')
check('domain state regression 1: rows', solve('refreshing-cache', [('fresh-nonempty', N, {'version': 2, 'rows': ['old']})], N, {}, 'rows'), {'phase': 'refreshing-cache', 'value': ['cached']})
check('domain state regression 2: rows', solve('refreshing-cache', [('fresh-nonempty', N, {'version': 4, 'rows': ['new']})], N, {}, 'rows'), {'phase': 'ready', 'value': ['new']})
check('domain state regression 3: rows', solve('refreshing-cache', [('refresh-error', N, {})], N, {}, 'rows'), {'phase': 'stale-warning', 'value': ['cached']})
check('domain state regression 4: warning', solve('refreshing-cache', [('refresh-error', N, {})], N, {}, 'warning'), {'phase': 'stale-warning', 'value': True})
check('domain state regression 5: rows', solve('refreshing-cache', [('fresh-empty', N, {})], N, {}, 'rows'), {'phase': 'empty', 'value': []})
check('domain state regression 6: rows', solve('placeholder', [('cache-found', N, {'rows': ['a', 'b']})], N, {}, 'rows'), {'phase': 'cached-unverified', 'value': ['a', 'b']})
check('domain state regression 7: rows', solve('placeholder', [('cache-found', N, {'rows': ['saved']}), ('refresh-start', N, {}), ('refresh-error', N, {})], N, {}, 'rows'), {'phase': 'stale-warning', 'value': ['saved']})
print(json.dumps({"observations": observations, "passed": all(x["passed"] for x in observations)}, ensure_ascii=False))
raise SystemExit(0 if all(x["passed"] for x in observations) else 1)
Boundary fixtureActualExpectedOutcome
placeholder / cache-foundcached-unverifiedcached-unverifiedPassed
placeholder / cache-missingfetchingfetchingPassed
cached-unverified / refresh-startrefreshing-cacherefreshing-cachePassed
refreshing-cache / fresh-nonemptyreadyreadyPassed
refreshing-cache / fresh-emptyemptyemptyPassed
refreshing-cache / refresh-errorstale-warningstale-warningPassed
fetching / fresh-nonemptyreadyreadyPassed
fetching / fresh-emptyfetchingemptyFailed
fetching / refresh-errorload-errorload-errorPassed
stale-warning / retry-refreshrefreshing-cacherefreshing-cachePassed
older notification incarnationplaceholderplaceholderPassed
future notification incarnationplaceholderplaceholderPassed
unknown event is inertplaceholderplaceholderPassed
empty delivery batchplaceholderplaceholderPassed
N stale deliveries before current deliverycached-unverifiedcached-unverifiedPassed
trace cache-found then refresh-startrefreshing-cacherefreshing-cachePassed
trace cache-missing then fresh-nonemptyreadyreadyPassed
trace cache-missing then fresh-emptyfetchingemptyFailed
trace cache-missing then refresh-errorload-errorload-errorPassed
trace refresh-start then fresh-nonemptyreadyreadyPassed
trace refresh-start then fresh-emptyemptyemptyPassed
trace refresh-start then refresh-errorstale-warningstale-warningPassed
trace refresh-error then retry-refreshrefreshing-cacherefreshing-cachePassed
trace retry-refresh then fresh-nonemptyreadyreadyPassed
trace retry-refresh then fresh-emptyemptyemptyPassed
trace retry-refresh then refresh-errorstale-warningstale-warningPassed
domain state regression 1: rows{'phase': 'refreshing-cache', 'value': ['cached']}{'phase': 'refreshing-cache', 'value': ['cached']}Passed
domain state regression 2: rows{'phase': 'ready', 'value': ['new']}{'phase': 'ready', 'value': ['new']}Passed
domain state regression 3: rows{'phase': 'stale-warning', 'value': ['cached']}{'phase': 'stale-warning', 'value': ['cached']}Passed
domain state regression 4: warning{'phase': 'stale-warning', 'value': True}{'phase': 'stale-warning', 'value': True}Passed
domain state regression 5: rows{'phase': 'empty', 'value': []}{'phase': 'empty', 'value': []}Passed
domain state regression 6: rows{'phase': 'cached-unverified', 'value': ['a', 'b']}{'phase': 'cached-unverified', 'value': ['a', 'b']}Passed
domain state regression 7: rows{'phase': 'stale-warning', 'value': ['saved']}{'phase': 'stale-warning', 'value': ['saved']}Passed

SHA-256 / bb46b8699f70f37b4914564b9ff41a9321f4c9bcc5c6c5fa908939703bab839b

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This mechanism has 33 recorded checks per implementation. The open-access tier publishes the failure and the unsuccessful fix; the repaired source that passes every check, and the observations that prove it, are available to members.

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Verification & scope

Stipulated single-notification state and policy model only. Event delivery and acknowledgements are explicit test inputs. No DOM, accessibility announcements, live timers, networking, actual rendering, or production-platform conformance is simulated. This reproducer isolates one failure mechanism. Results cover the supplied fixtures. Variants within a family share a test contract and should remain grouped when constructing evaluation splits. Related mechanisms with a shared evaluation_group must also remain together; these controlled models are not independent production incidents.

Observations recorded using Python 3.12.14 at 2026-09-29T14:42:33.350916+00:00.

Case digest / ee39d2634cfd5d455393e9a4d84ec6dd9b555c772b9ab730a58c3d8e3748a23b