Merge remote-tracking branch 'origin/main' into perf/dirty-tracking

# Conflicts:
#	src/display_manager.py

src/common/snapshot_policy.py

@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+"""Snapshot write policy for the display preview mirror.
+
+The display service mirrors frames to /tmp/led_matrix_preview.png, which
+serves two consumers with different needs:
+
+- The web UI's live preview (SSE reader in web_interface/app.py) wants
+  fresh frames — but only while a browser is actually watching.
+- The health check (web_interface/blueprints/api_v3.py, hardware status)
+  uses the file's AGE as a liveness proxy: age >= 60s reads as degraded.
+
+PNG-encoding every frame at 5 fps forever — identical frames, no viewers —
+was one of the biggest fixed CPU costs on the Pi. This module is the pure
+decision logic (extracted so it's unit-testable off-Pi; display_manager
+imports rgbmatrix unconditionally and can't be):
+
+    WRITE  — encode + atomically replace the snapshot file
+    TOUCH  — os.utime only: keeps the health-check mtime fresh and lets
+             the SSE reader (mtime-gated) resend at a low rate, without
+             paying for a PNG encode of an unchanged frame
+    SKIP   — do nothing
+
+Policy:
+- With a fresh viewer marker: changed frames write at up to 1/VIEWER_INTERVAL.
+- Without viewers: changed frames still write at 1/IDLE_INTERVAL so the
+  preview page shows something recent on open.
+- Unchanged frames are never re-encoded; the mtime is touched every
+  TOUCH_INTERVAL so the health check (60s threshold) never degrades.
+
+If any constant here changes, re-check the health threshold in
+api_v3.py (get_hardware_status) — TOUCH_INTERVAL must stay well under it.
+"""
+
+from enum import Enum
+
+# Snapshot cadence with a browser preview open (seconds).
+VIEWER_INTERVAL = 0.2
+# Snapshot cadence with no viewers — cheap freshness for page-open (seconds).
+IDLE_INTERVAL = 30.0
+# Max age of the last write/touch before bumping mtime for the health
+# check. MUST stay well under api_v3's 60s degraded threshold.
+TOUCH_INTERVAL = 20.0
+# A viewer marker older than this no longer counts as a live viewer.
+VIEWER_MARKER_FRESH_SEC = 5.0
+
+
+class SnapshotAction(Enum):
+    WRITE = "write"
+    TOUCH = "touch"
+    SKIP = "skip"
+
+
+def decide(now: float, last_write_ts: float, last_touch_ts: float,
+           viewer_fresh: bool, frame_changed: bool) -> SnapshotAction:
+    """Decide what to do with the current frame.
+
+    Args:
+        now: current monotonic-ish timestamp (same clock as the ts args)
+        last_write_ts: when a frame was last actually encoded+written
+        last_touch_ts: when the file mtime was last bumped (write or touch)
+        viewer_fresh: a browser preview is currently watching
+        frame_changed: the frame differs from the last WRITTEN frame
+    """
+    interval = VIEWER_INTERVAL if viewer_fresh else IDLE_INTERVAL
+    if frame_changed and (now - last_write_ts) >= interval:
+        return SnapshotAction.WRITE
+    if (now - max(last_write_ts, last_touch_ts)) >= TOUCH_INTERVAL:
+        return SnapshotAction.TOUCH
+    return SnapshotAction.SKIP

src/display_controller.py

@@ -2125,10 +2125,23 @@ class DisplayController:
 
                     # For plugins, call display multiple times to allow game rotation
                     if manager_to_display and hasattr(manager_to_display, 'display'):
-                        # Check if plugin needs high FPS (like stock ticker)
+                        # High-FPS decision, in precedence order:
-                        # Always enable high-FPS for static-image plugin (for GIF animation support)
+                        # 1. A plugin that declares needs_high_fps knows best
+                        #    (e.g. static-image sets it False for still PNGs,
+                        #    True for animated GIFs).
+                        # 2. Back-compat: older static-image versions without
+                        #    the attribute keep the historical forced high-FPS
+                        #    (GIF support).
+                        # 3. Otherwise scrolling plugins get high FPS.
                         plugin_id = getattr(manager_to_display, 'plugin_id', None)
-                        if plugin_id == 'static-image':
+                        declared = getattr(manager_to_display, 'needs_high_fps', None)
+                        if declared is not None:
+                            needs_high_fps = bool(declared)
+                            logger.debug(
+                                "[DisplayController] FPS check for %s (plugin=%s) - "
+                                "plugin declares needs_high_fps=%s",
+                                active_mode, plugin_id, needs_high_fps)
+                        elif plugin_id == 'static-image':
                             needs_high_fps = True
                             logger.debug("FPS check - static-image plugin: forcing high-FPS mode for GIF support")
                         else:

src/display_manager.py

@@ -31,14 +31,25 @@ if os.getenv("EMULATOR", "false") == "true":
 else:
     from rgbmatrix import RGBMatrix, RGBMatrixOptions
 from contextlib import contextmanager
+from pathlib import Path
 from PIL import Image, ImageDraw, ImageFont
+import threading
 import time
 from collections import OrderedDict
 from typing import Dict, Any, List, Optional, Tuple
 import logging
 import math
+import zlib
 import freetype
 
+from src.common import snapshot_policy
+from src.common.permission_utils import (
+    ensure_directory_permissions,
+    ensure_file_permissions,
+    get_assets_dir_mode,
+    get_assets_file_mode,
+)
+
 # Get logger without configuring
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 logger.setLevel(logging.INFO)  # Set to INFO level
@@ -191,15 +202,35 @@ class DisplayManager:
         # Cleared on _load_fonts() so stale entries don't survive a font reload.
         self._text_width_cache: "OrderedDict[tuple, Tuple[int, Any]]" = OrderedDict()
         self._TEXT_WIDTH_CACHE_MAX = 1024
-        # Snapshot settings for web preview integration (service writes, web reads)
+        # Snapshot mirror for web preview + health check (service writes, web
+        # reads). Cadence/skip decisions live in src/common/snapshot_policy.py:
+        # full rate only while the web SSE broadcaster keeps the viewer marker
+        # fresh; unchanged frames are never re-encoded, only mtime-touched.
         self._snapshot_path = "/tmp/led_matrix_preview.png"  # nosec B108 - fixed path intentional; web UI reads same path
-        self._snapshot_min_interval_sec = 0.2  # max ~5 fps
+        self._viewer_marker_path = "/tmp/led_matrix_preview_viewer"  # nosec B108 - touched by web SSE broadcaster
         self._last_snapshot_ts = 0.0
+        self._last_snapshot_touch_ts = 0.0
+        self._last_snapshot_digest: Optional[int] = None
+        self._snapshot_dir_prepared = False
+        self._viewer_check_ts = 0.0
+        self._viewer_fresh = False
+        self._viewer_was_fresh = False
         # Snapshot failures are logged as warnings, rate-limited so a
         # persistent failure (e.g. an unwritable file) can't spam the log —
         # but is never silent: the snapshot's mtime doubles as the web UI's
         # hardware-liveness signal, so a quiet failure makes health checks lie.
         self._snapshot_fail_log_ts = 0.0
+        # Dirty tracking: (image digest, brightness) of the last frame pushed
+        # to the panel; update_display() skips identical pushes. Kill switch:
+        # display.dirty_tracking: false.
+        self._dirty_tracking_enabled = bool(
+            self.config.get('display', {}).get('dirty_tracking', True))
+        self._last_pushed_digest = None
+        # Serializes update_display(): plugins can call it directly from
+        # background threads (see docstring on update_display), not just the
+        # render loop. RLock in case a caller within the critical section
+        # ever re-enters (e.g. via a nested draw callback).
+        self._update_lock = threading.RLock()
         
         # Scrolling state tracking for graceful updates
         self._scrolling_state = {
@@ -430,6 +461,10 @@ class DisplayManager:
         try:
             # RGBMatrix accepts brightness as a property
             self.matrix.brightness = brightness
+            # Brightness applies on the next swap — force a re-push even if
+            # the image itself is unchanged (belt-and-braces: brightness is
+            # also part of the dirty-tracking digest when readable).
+            self._last_pushed_digest = None
             logger.info(f"[BRIGHTNESS] Display brightness set to {brightness}%")
             return True
         except AttributeError as e:
@@ -521,33 +556,70 @@ class DisplayManager:
         return phys
 
     def update_display(self):
-        """Update the display using double buffering with proper sync."""
+        """Update the display using double buffering with proper sync.
+
+        Skips the panel push entirely when the frame is byte-identical to
+        the last pushed one (same image digest AND same brightness) — static
+        content re-rendered every second, and 125 fps loops between actual
+        scroll steps, otherwise re-walk the full framebuffer for nothing.
+        The panel keeps refreshing the current frame from its own thread,
+        so skipping a swap never blanks or freezes the hardware.
+
+        Correctness hinges on invalidation: clear() resets the digest (it
+        writes to the matrix directly), and brightness is PART of the digest
+        so a dim-schedule change is never skipped. Disable via config
+        ``display.dirty_tracking: false`` if a redraw issue is ever suspected.
+
+        Serialized via ``_update_lock``: plugins can call this directly from
+        background threads (e.g. sports base classes push an immediate
+        "live" refresh from inside update()), so without a lock two callers
+        could both pass the digest check before either writes it back,
+        double-pushing a frame, or interleave the offscreen/current canvas
+        swap below. The lock is scoped to this method, so callers never
+        need to know about it.
+        """
         try:
-            if self.matrix is None:
+            with self._update_lock:
-                # Fallback mode - no actual hardware to update
+                if self.matrix is None:
-                logger.debug("Update display called in fallback mode (no hardware)")
+                    # Fallback mode - no actual hardware to update
-                # Still write a snapshot so the web UI can preview
+                    logger.debug("Update display called in fallback mode (no hardware)")
+                    # Still write a snapshot so the web UI can preview
+                    self._write_snapshot_if_due()
+                    return
+
+                if self._capture_mode_active:
+                    return  # Skip hardware write — content is being captured off-screen
+
+                digest = None
+                if self._dirty_tracking_enabled:
+                    try:
+                        brightness = getattr(self.matrix, 'brightness', None)
+                    except AttributeError:
+                        brightness = None
+                    digest = (zlib.adler32(self.image.tobytes()), brightness)
+                    if digest == self._last_pushed_digest:
+                        # Nothing changed since the last push — the panel is
+                        # already showing exactly this frame.
+                        self._write_snapshot_if_due()
+                        return
+
+                # Copy the current image to the offscreen canvas. In double-sided
+                # mode the logical screen is first tiled across the full chain.
+                if self._double_sided is not None:
+                    self.offscreen_canvas.SetImage(self._composite_double_sided())
+                else:
+                    self.offscreen_canvas.SetImage(self.image)
+
+                # Swap buffers immediately
+                self.matrix.SwapOnVSync(self.offscreen_canvas)
+
+                # Swap our canvas references
+                self.offscreen_canvas, self.current_canvas = self.current_canvas, self.offscreen_canvas
+
+                self._last_pushed_digest = digest
+
+                # Write a snapshot for the web preview (throttled)
                 self._write_snapshot_if_due()
-                return
-
-            if self._capture_mode_active:
-                return  # Skip hardware write — content is being captured off-screen
-
-            # Copy the current image to the offscreen canvas. In double-sided
-            # mode the logical screen is first tiled across the full chain.
-            if self._double_sided is not None:
-                self.offscreen_canvas.SetImage(self._composite_double_sided())
-            else:
-                self.offscreen_canvas.SetImage(self.image)
-
-            # Swap buffers immediately
-            self.matrix.SwapOnVSync(self.offscreen_canvas)
-            
-            # Swap our canvas references
-            self.offscreen_canvas, self.current_canvas = self.current_canvas, self.offscreen_canvas
-
-            # Write a snapshot for the web preview (throttled)
-            self._write_snapshot_if_due()
         except Exception as e:
             logger.error(f"Error updating display: {e}")
 
@@ -581,6 +653,9 @@ class DisplayManager:
                 # Clear both canvases and the underlying matrix to ensure no artifacts.
                 # Failures are non-fatal — the image buffer is already black above, so
                 # the next update_display() call will push clean content regardless.
+                # The matrix content no longer matches the last pushed digest,
+                # so dirty tracking must not skip the next push.
+                self._last_pushed_digest = None
                 try:
                     self.offscreen_canvas.Clear()
                 except (RuntimeError, OSError) as e:
@@ -1145,27 +1220,56 @@ class DisplayManager:
             'deferred_update_ttl': self._scrolling_state['deferred_update_ttl']
         }
 
+    def _viewer_is_fresh(self, now: float) -> bool:
+        """True when a browser preview is watching (marker file touched by
+        the web SSE broadcaster). The marker is stat'd at most once per
+        second — at 125 fps loops a per-call stat would be pure overhead."""
+        if (now - self._viewer_check_ts) >= 1.0:
+            self._viewer_check_ts = now
+            try:
+                marker_age = now - os.stat(self._viewer_marker_path).st_mtime
+                self._viewer_fresh = marker_age < snapshot_policy.VIEWER_MARKER_FRESH_SEC
+            except OSError:
+                self._viewer_fresh = False
+        return self._viewer_fresh
+
     def _write_snapshot_if_due(self) -> None:
-        """Write the current image to a PNG snapshot file at a limited frequency."""
+        """Mirror the current frame to the preview snapshot when the policy
+        says it's worth it — see src/common/snapshot_policy.py. Unchanged
+        frames are never re-encoded; without viewers the cadence drops to
+        the idle keepalive."""
         try:
             now = time.time()
-            if (now - self._last_snapshot_ts) < self._snapshot_min_interval_sec:
+            viewer_fresh = self._viewer_is_fresh(now)
+            if viewer_fresh and not self._viewer_was_fresh:
+                # A preview just opened: let the next changed frame through
+                # immediately instead of waiting out the idle interval.
+                self._last_snapshot_ts = 0.0
+            self._viewer_was_fresh = viewer_fresh
+
+            digest = zlib.adler32(self.image.tobytes())
+            action = snapshot_policy.decide(
+                now, self._last_snapshot_ts, self._last_snapshot_touch_ts,
+                viewer_fresh, digest != self._last_snapshot_digest)
+            if action is snapshot_policy.SnapshotAction.SKIP:
                 return
-            # Ensure directory exists with proper permissions
+            if action is snapshot_policy.SnapshotAction.TOUCH:
-            from pathlib import Path
+                # mtime bump only: keeps the health check (snapshot age)
-            from src.common.permission_utils import (
+                # green without paying for a PNG encode of an unchanged frame
-                ensure_directory_permissions,
+                os.utime(self._snapshot_path, None)
-                ensure_file_permissions,
+                self._last_snapshot_touch_ts = now
-                get_assets_dir_mode,
+                return
-                get_assets_file_mode
+
-            )
+            # WRITE: ensure directory permissions once, not per frame
             snapshot_path_obj = Path(self._snapshot_path)
-            # Only ensure permissions on non-system directories
+            if not self._snapshot_dir_prepared:
-            # Never modify /tmp permissions - it has special system permissions (1777)
+                # Never modify /tmp permissions - it has special system
-            # that must not be changed or it breaks apt and other system tools
+                # permissions (1777) that must not be changed or it breaks
-            parent_dir = snapshot_path_obj.parent
+                # apt and other system tools
-            if parent_dir and str(parent_dir) != '/tmp':  # nosec B108 - guard to skip /tmp for permission ops
+                parent_dir = snapshot_path_obj.parent
-                ensure_directory_permissions(parent_dir, get_assets_dir_mode())
+                if parent_dir and str(parent_dir) != '/tmp':  # nosec B108 - guard to skip /tmp for permission ops
+                    ensure_directory_permissions(parent_dir, get_assets_dir_mode())
+                self._snapshot_dir_prepared = True
             # Write atomically: temp then replace
             tmp_path = f"{self._snapshot_path}.tmp"
             self.image.save(tmp_path, format='PNG')
@@ -1180,6 +1284,8 @@ class DisplayManager:
             except Exception:
                 pass
             self._last_snapshot_ts = now
+            self._last_snapshot_touch_ts = now
+            self._last_snapshot_digest = digest
         except Exception as e:
             # Snapshot failures must never break display — but they must not
             # be silent either: the snapshot's mtime is the web UI's display

src/plugin_system/store_manager.py

@@ -142,9 +142,28 @@ class PluginStoreManager:
         # then get the result from the warm cache (double-checked locking).
         self._registry_fetch_lock = threading.Lock()
 
+        # Per-plugin locks for _reinstall_with_rollback: the web UI runs
+        # Flask with threaded=True, so two overlapping requests for the
+        # same plugin_id (double-click, two browser tabs) would otherwise
+        # both rename the same directory aside — one succeeds, and the
+        # loser can end up renaming the winner's in-progress install aside
+        # mid-download, stealing its own rollback safety net. Keyed by
+        # plugin_id so unrelated plugins still update concurrently.
+        self._reinstall_locks: Dict[str, threading.Lock] = {}
+        self._reinstall_locks_guard = threading.Lock()
+
         # Ensure plugins directory exists
         self.plugins_dir.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
 
+    def _get_reinstall_lock(self, plugin_id: str) -> threading.Lock:
+        """Lazily create (or fetch) the per-plugin reinstall lock."""
+        with self._reinstall_locks_guard:
+            lock = self._reinstall_locks.get(plugin_id)
+            if lock is None:
+                lock = threading.Lock()
+                self._reinstall_locks[plugin_id] = lock
+            return lock
+
     def _record_cache_backoff(self, cache_dict: Dict, cache_key: str,
                               cache_timeout: int, payload: Any) -> None:
         """Bump a cache entry's timestamp so subsequent lookups hit the
@@ -2263,6 +2282,74 @@ class PluginStoreManager:
             self.logger.error(f"Error uninstalling plugin {plugin_id}: {e}")
             return False
     
+    def _reinstall_with_rollback(self, plugin_id: str, plugin_path: Path) -> bool:
+        """Replace an installed plugin with a fresh install, atomically.
+
+        The old install is renamed aside (not deleted) until the new install
+        succeeds, then removed; on ANY install failure the old directory is
+        restored. This is the difference between a failed update and a
+        destroyed plugin: the previous delete-then-install flow permanently
+        removed plugins whenever the download failed mid-update (seen in the
+        field during the monorepo migration on a Pi with broken DNS — every
+        old-remote plugin was deleted and none could be re-downloaded).
+
+        The aside name embeds '.standalone-backup-' so plugin discovery
+        (plugin_manager._scan_directory_for_plugins) ignores it even though
+        it still contains a manifest.json.
+
+        Held for the whole operation under a per-plugin_id lock: two
+        overlapping requests for the same plugin (double-click, two
+        browser tabs — the web UI runs Flask with threaded=True) must not
+        interleave their renames, or the second could steal the first's
+        rollback safety net mid-install. Other plugin_ids are unaffected.
+        """
+        with self._get_reinstall_lock(plugin_id):
+            backup_path = plugin_path.with_name(
+                f"{plugin_path.name}.standalone-backup-migrating")
+            # A stale aside from a previous crash would block the rename
+            if backup_path.exists():
+                if not self._safe_remove_directory(backup_path):
+                    self.logger.error(
+                        f"Could not clear stale backup for {plugin_id} at "
+                        f"{backup_path}; leaving old install in place")
+                    return False
+            try:
+                plugin_path.rename(backup_path)
+            except OSError as e:
+                self.logger.error(
+                    f"Could not set aside old plugin directory for {plugin_id}: {e}")
+                return False
+
+            try:
+                installed = self.install_plugin(plugin_id)
+            except Exception as e:
+                self.logger.error(f"Reinstall of {plugin_id} raised: {e}")
+                installed = False
+
+            if installed:
+                if not self._safe_remove_directory(backup_path):
+                    self.logger.warning(
+                        f"Update of {plugin_id} succeeded but the old backup "
+                        f"at {backup_path} could not be removed; it will be "
+                        f"cleared on the next update")
+                return True
+
+            # Install failed (bad network, registry error...) — put the old
+            # version back so the user still has a working plugin.
+            self.logger.error(
+                f"Reinstall of {plugin_id} failed; restoring previous version")
+            try:
+                if plugin_path.exists():
+                    # partial download debris from the failed install
+                    self._safe_remove_directory(plugin_path)
+                backup_path.rename(plugin_path)
+                self.logger.info(f"Restored previous install of {plugin_id}")
+            except OSError as e:
+                self.logger.error(
+                    f"CRITICAL: could not restore {plugin_id} from {backup_path}: {e}. "
+                    f"The previous install is preserved there — rename it back manually.")
+            return False
+
     def update_plugin(self, plugin_id: str) -> bool:
         """
         Update a plugin to the latest commit on its upstream branch.
@@ -2325,10 +2412,7 @@ class PluginStoreManager:
                             f"Plugin {resolved_id} git remote ({local_remote}) differs from registry ({registry_repo}). "
                             f"Reinstalling from registry to migrate to new source."
                         )
-                        if not self._safe_remove_directory(plugin_path):
+                        return self._reinstall_with_rollback(resolved_id, plugin_path)
-                            self.logger.error(f"Failed to remove old plugin directory for {resolved_id}")
-                            return False
-                        return self.install_plugin(resolved_id)
 
                     # Check if already up to date
                     if remote_sha and local_sha and remote_sha.startswith(local_sha):
@@ -2632,11 +2716,11 @@ class PluginStoreManager:
             # Plugin is not a git repo but is in registry and has a newer version - reinstall
             self.logger.info(f"Plugin {plugin_id} not installed via git; re-installing latest archive (registry id: {registry_id})")
 
-            # Remove directory and reinstall fresh
+            # Reinstall with the old version kept aside until the new
-            if not self._safe_remove_directory(plugin_path):
+            # download succeeds — this is the path every routine store
-                self.logger.error(f"Failed to remove old plugin directory for {plugin_id}")
+            # update takes, and a mid-update network failure must not
-                return False
+            # destroy the user's plugin.
-            return self.install_plugin(registry_id)
+            return self._reinstall_with_rollback(registry_id, plugin_path)
 
         except Exception as e:
             import traceback

test/test_display_dirty_tracking.py

@@ -0,0 +1,162 @@
+"""Tests for update_display dirty tracking (src/display_manager.py).
+
+Runs against RGBMatrixEmulator (EMULATOR=true), exercising the REAL
+DisplayManager — not a mock — so the skip logic, its invalidation hooks,
+and the kill switch are verified off-Pi.
+
+The invariants:
+- identical frames are pushed exactly once (SwapOnVSync not re-called)
+- ANY pixel change pushes
+- clear() and set_brightness() invalidate (the two paths that alter panel
+  state outside the digest's view)
+- the kill switch (display.dirty_tracking: false) restores always-push
+"""
+
+import os
+import sys
+import time
+
+os.environ["EMULATOR"] = "true"
+
+import pytest
+
+sys.path.insert(0, os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), ".."))
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="module")
+def dm():
+    """One real DisplayManager on the emulator (it's a process singleton)."""
+    from src.display_manager import DisplayManager
+    DisplayManager._instance = None
+    DisplayManager._initialized = False
+    manager = DisplayManager({
+        "display": {
+            "hardware": {"rows": 32, "cols": 64, "chain_length": 2,
+                         "parallel": 1, "brightness": 90},
+            "runtime": {"gpio_slowdown": 0},
+        },
+    }, suppress_test_pattern=True)
+    yield manager
+    DisplayManager._instance = None
+    DisplayManager._initialized = False
+
+
+class _SwapSpy:
+    """Counts SwapOnVSync calls through the real matrix object."""
+
+    def __init__(self, matrix):
+        self.matrix = matrix
+        self.count = 0
+        self._orig = matrix.SwapOnVSync
+
+    def __enter__(self):
+        def counting(canvas):
+            self.count += 1
+            return self._orig(canvas)
+        self.matrix.SwapOnVSync = counting
+        return self
+
+    def __exit__(self, *exc):
+        self.matrix.SwapOnVSync = self._orig
+
+
+class TestDirtyTracking:
+    def test_identical_frames_push_once(self, dm):
+        dm.draw.rectangle([0, 0, 10, 10], fill=(255, 0, 0))
+        with _SwapSpy(dm.matrix) as spy:
+            dm.update_display()
+            dm.update_display()
+            dm.update_display()
+        assert spy.count == 1
+
+    def test_pixel_change_pushes(self, dm):
+        dm.update_display()
+        with _SwapSpy(dm.matrix) as spy:
+            dm.draw.point((5, 5), fill=(0, 255, 0))
+            dm.update_display()
+            dm.update_display()  # unchanged again
+        assert spy.count == 1
+
+    def test_clear_invalidates(self, dm):
+        dm.draw.rectangle([0, 0, 20, 20], fill=(0, 0, 255))
+        dm.update_display()
+        dm.clear()  # writes to the matrix directly; digest must reset
+        with _SwapSpy(dm.matrix) as spy:
+            dm.update_display()  # black frame after clear must still push
+        assert spy.count == 1
+
+    def test_brightness_change_forces_push(self, dm):
+        dm.draw.rectangle([0, 0, 20, 20], fill=(200, 200, 200))
+        dm.update_display()
+        with _SwapSpy(dm.matrix) as spy:
+            dm.update_display()          # identical -> skipped
+            assert spy.count == 0
+            dm.set_brightness(40)        # dim schedule scenario
+            dm.update_display()          # same image, new brightness -> push
+        assert spy.count == 1
+        dm.set_brightness(90)
+
+    def test_snapshot_still_written_on_skip(self, dm, tmp_path):
+        """The web preview mirror must keep working through skipped panel
+        pushes: _write_snapshot_if_due() still runs on the dirty-tracking
+        skip path and applies its own write/touch policy rather than being
+        bypassed entirely (see src/common/snapshot_policy.py — an unchanged
+        frame is touched, not re-encoded, once TOUCH_INTERVAL elapses)."""
+        dm._snapshot_path = str(tmp_path / "snap.png")
+        dm._last_snapshot_ts = 0.0
+        dm._last_snapshot_touch_ts = 0.0
+        dm._last_snapshot_digest = None
+        dm.draw.rectangle([0, 0, 30, 8], fill=(255, 255, 0))
+        dm.update_display()   # push + snapshot write (first frame)
+        assert os.path.exists(dm._snapshot_path)
+        first_mtime = os.path.getmtime(dm._snapshot_path)
+
+        # Age the write/touch bookkeeping past TOUCH_INTERVAL so the next
+        # identical frame is due for a touch, then push it again: dirty
+        # tracking must skip the panel write, but the snapshot mirror must
+        # still get its mtime bumped so the health check doesn't go stale.
+        from src.common import snapshot_policy
+        stale_ts = time.time() - snapshot_policy.TOUCH_INTERVAL - 1.0
+        dm._last_snapshot_ts = stale_ts
+        dm._last_snapshot_touch_ts = stale_ts
+        with _SwapSpy(dm.matrix) as spy:
+            dm.update_display()  # identical frame -> panel push skipped
+        assert spy.count == 0
+        assert os.path.getmtime(dm._snapshot_path) > first_mtime
+
+
+class TestKillSwitch:
+    def test_dirty_tracking_can_be_disabled(self, dm):
+        dm._dirty_tracking_enabled = False
+        try:
+            dm.draw.rectangle([0, 0, 10, 10], fill=(1, 2, 3))
+            with _SwapSpy(dm.matrix) as spy:
+                dm.update_display()
+                dm.update_display()
+                dm.update_display()
+            assert spy.count == 3  # always-push, exactly the old behavior
+        finally:
+            dm._dirty_tracking_enabled = True
+            dm._last_pushed_digest = None
+
+    def test_config_flag_wires_through(self):
+        from src.display_manager import DisplayManager
+        DisplayManager._instance = None
+        DisplayManager._initialized = False
+        try:
+            manager = DisplayManager({
+                "display": {
+                    "hardware": {"rows": 32, "cols": 64, "chain_length": 1,
+                                 "parallel": 1},
+                    "runtime": {"gpio_slowdown": 0},
+                    "dirty_tracking": False,
+                },
+            }, suppress_test_pattern=True)
+            assert manager._dirty_tracking_enabled is False
+        finally:
+            DisplayManager._instance = None
+            DisplayManager._initialized = False
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    sys.exit(pytest.main([__file__, "-v"]))

test/test_snapshot_policy.py

@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+"""Tests for the snapshot write policy (src/common/snapshot_policy.py).
+
+The invariants that matter:
+- unchanged frames are NEVER re-encoded (the old code PNG-encoded identical
+  frames at 5 fps, 24/7)
+- the file mtime never goes stale enough to trip the health check's 60s
+  degraded threshold (api_v3 get_hardware_status)
+- a viewer gets full cadence; no viewer drops to the idle keepalive
+"""
+
+import os
+import sys
+
+import pytest
+
+sys.path.insert(0, os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), ".."))
+
+from src.common.snapshot_policy import (  # noqa: E402
+    IDLE_INTERVAL,
+    TOUCH_INTERVAL,
+    VIEWER_INTERVAL,
+    SnapshotAction,
+    decide,
+)
+
+
+class TestViewerCadence:
+    def test_changed_frame_with_viewer_writes_at_full_rate(self):
+        assert decide(now=100.0, last_write_ts=100.0 - VIEWER_INTERVAL,
+                      last_touch_ts=0, viewer_fresh=True,
+                      frame_changed=True) is SnapshotAction.WRITE
+
+    def test_changed_frame_with_viewer_respects_min_interval(self):
+        assert decide(now=100.0, last_write_ts=100.0 - VIEWER_INTERVAL / 2,
+                      last_touch_ts=100.0, viewer_fresh=True,
+                      frame_changed=True) is SnapshotAction.SKIP
+
+    def test_unchanged_frame_with_viewer_never_writes(self):
+        """A static screen with a viewer must not burn PNG encodes."""
+        assert decide(now=100.0, last_write_ts=90.0, last_touch_ts=90.0,
+                      viewer_fresh=True,
+                      frame_changed=False) is SnapshotAction.SKIP
+
+
+class TestIdleCadence:
+    def test_changed_frame_without_viewer_waits_for_idle_interval(self):
+        assert decide(now=100.0, last_write_ts=100.0 - IDLE_INTERVAL / 2,
+                      last_touch_ts=100.0, viewer_fresh=False,
+                      frame_changed=True) is SnapshotAction.SKIP
+
+    def test_changed_frame_without_viewer_writes_at_idle_rate(self):
+        assert decide(now=100.0, last_write_ts=100.0 - IDLE_INTERVAL,
+                      last_touch_ts=0, viewer_fresh=False,
+                      frame_changed=True) is SnapshotAction.WRITE
+
+
+class TestHealthKeepalive:
+    def test_stale_mtime_gets_touched(self):
+        """Whatever else happens, mtime must be bumped within TOUCH_INTERVAL
+        so the health check (60s threshold) never reads the display as dead."""
+        assert decide(now=100.0, last_write_ts=100.0 - TOUCH_INTERVAL,
+                      last_touch_ts=100.0 - TOUCH_INTERVAL, viewer_fresh=False,
+                      frame_changed=False) is SnapshotAction.TOUCH
+
+    def test_touch_applies_with_viewer_too(self):
+        """Viewer watching a static screen: no writes, but health stays green."""
+        assert decide(now=100.0, last_write_ts=100.0 - TOUCH_INTERVAL - 1,
+                      last_touch_ts=100.0 - TOUCH_INTERVAL - 1, viewer_fresh=True,
+                      frame_changed=False) is SnapshotAction.TOUCH
+
+    def test_recent_touch_suppresses_another(self):
+        assert decide(now=100.0, last_write_ts=0.0,
+                      last_touch_ts=100.0 - TOUCH_INTERVAL / 2, viewer_fresh=False,
+                      frame_changed=False) is SnapshotAction.SKIP
+
+    def test_touch_interval_stays_under_health_threshold(self):
+        """api_v3's hardware status treats snapshot age >= 60s as degraded.
+        Keep a 2x margin so scheduling jitter can't trip it."""
+        assert TOUCH_INTERVAL <= 30
+
+    def test_worst_case_mtime_age_is_bounded(self):
+        """Simulate any interleaving: from any state, within one policy call
+        after TOUCH_INTERVAL elapses, mtime gets refreshed (WRITE or TOUCH)."""
+        for viewer in (True, False):
+            for changed in (True, False):
+                action = decide(now=1000.0, last_write_ts=900.0,
+                                last_touch_ts=900.0, viewer_fresh=viewer,
+                                frame_changed=changed)
+                assert action in (SnapshotAction.WRITE, SnapshotAction.TOUCH)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    sys.exit(pytest.main([__file__, "-v"]))

test/test_store_update_rollback.py

@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+"""Tests for atomic plugin updates (store_manager._reinstall_with_rollback).
+
+Regression for a field data-loss incident: update_plugin's reinstall paths
+(monorepo migration AND routine archive updates) deleted the installed
+plugin BEFORE downloading its replacement — a mid-update network failure
+permanently destroyed the plugin. Seen live: a Pi with broken DNS lost 12
+plugins from one update pass.
+"""
+
+import json
+import os
+import sys
+import threading
+import time
+from pathlib import Path
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+import pytest
+
+sys.path.insert(0, os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), ".."))
+
+from src.plugin_system.store_manager import PluginStoreManager  # noqa: E402
+
+PLUGIN_ID = "rollback-test-plugin"
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def store(tmp_path):
+    mgr = PluginStoreManager(plugins_dir=str(tmp_path))
+    plugin_dir = tmp_path / PLUGIN_ID
+    plugin_dir.mkdir()
+    (plugin_dir / "manifest.json").write_text(json.dumps(
+        {"id": PLUGIN_ID, "name": "Rollback Test", "version": "1.0.0"}))
+    (plugin_dir / "manager.py").write_text("# old version marker\n")
+    return mgr, plugin_dir
+
+
+class TestReinstallWithRollback:
+    def test_failed_install_restores_old_version(self, store):
+        """The whole point: a failed download must leave the old install."""
+        mgr, plugin_dir = store
+        with patch.object(mgr, "install_plugin", return_value=False):
+            ok = mgr._reinstall_with_rollback(PLUGIN_ID, plugin_dir)
+        assert ok is False
+        assert plugin_dir.exists()
+        assert "old version marker" in (plugin_dir / "manager.py").read_text()
+        # no aside debris left behind
+        leftovers = [p for p in plugin_dir.parent.iterdir()
+                     if "standalone-backup" in p.name]
+        assert leftovers == []
+
+    def test_install_exception_restores_old_version(self, store):
+        mgr, plugin_dir = store
+        with patch.object(mgr, "install_plugin",
+                          side_effect=RuntimeError("network down")):
+            ok = mgr._reinstall_with_rollback(PLUGIN_ID, plugin_dir)
+        assert ok is False
+        assert plugin_dir.exists()
+        assert "old version marker" in (plugin_dir / "manager.py").read_text()
+
+    def test_successful_install_removes_aside(self, store):
+        mgr, plugin_dir = store
+
+        def fake_install(plugin_id):
+            new_dir = plugin_dir  # same path, new content
+            new_dir.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
+            (new_dir / "manager.py").write_text("# new version\n")
+            (new_dir / "manifest.json").write_text(json.dumps(
+                {"id": PLUGIN_ID, "name": "Rollback Test", "version": "2.0.0"}))
+            return True
+
+        with patch.object(mgr, "install_plugin", side_effect=fake_install):
+            ok = mgr._reinstall_with_rollback(PLUGIN_ID, plugin_dir)
+        assert ok is True
+        assert "new version" in (plugin_dir / "manager.py").read_text()
+        leftovers = [p for p in plugin_dir.parent.iterdir()
+                     if "standalone-backup" in p.name]
+        assert leftovers == []
+
+    def test_partial_download_debris_is_replaced_by_old_version(self, store):
+        """A failed install that left a partial directory must still roll back."""
+        mgr, plugin_dir = store
+
+        def fake_partial_install(plugin_id):
+            plugin_dir.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
+            (plugin_dir / "half-downloaded.tmp").write_text("junk")
+            return False
+
+        with patch.object(mgr, "install_plugin", side_effect=fake_partial_install):
+            ok = mgr._reinstall_with_rollback(PLUGIN_ID, plugin_dir)
+        assert ok is False
+        assert "old version marker" in (plugin_dir / "manager.py").read_text()
+        assert not (plugin_dir / "half-downloaded.tmp").exists()
+
+    def test_stale_aside_from_previous_crash_is_cleared(self, store):
+        mgr, plugin_dir = store
+        stale = plugin_dir.parent / f"{PLUGIN_ID}.standalone-backup-migrating"
+        stale.mkdir()
+        (stale / "old.txt").write_text("stale")
+        with patch.object(mgr, "install_plugin", return_value=False) as mock_install:
+            ok = mgr._reinstall_with_rollback(PLUGIN_ID, plugin_dir)
+        # The reinstall itself still fails (mocked) and the old install is
+        # restored, but the stale aside must not have survived — otherwise
+        # it would have blocked this run's own rename (or a future one).
+        assert not stale.exists()
+        mock_install.assert_called_once_with(PLUGIN_ID)
+        assert ok is False
+        assert plugin_dir.exists()
+        assert "old version marker" in (plugin_dir / "manager.py").read_text()
+
+    def test_concurrent_updates_for_same_plugin_are_serialized(self, store):
+        """Two overlapping requests for the same plugin_id (double-click,
+        two browser tabs — the web UI runs Flask with threaded=True) must
+        not interleave: the loser must wait for the winner to finish
+        rather than renaming the winner's in-progress install aside and
+        stealing its rollback safety net."""
+        mgr, plugin_dir = store
+
+        active = 0
+        max_active = 0
+        guard = threading.Lock()
+
+        def fake_install(plugin_id):
+            nonlocal active, max_active
+            with guard:
+                active += 1
+                max_active = max(max_active, active)
+            time.sleep(0.05)
+            plugin_dir.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
+            (plugin_dir / "manager.py").write_text("# new version\n")
+            (plugin_dir / "manifest.json").write_text(json.dumps(
+                {"id": PLUGIN_ID, "name": "Rollback Test", "version": "2.0.0"}))
+            with guard:
+                active -= 1
+            return True
+
+        results = []
+
+        def worker():
+            results.append(mgr._reinstall_with_rollback(PLUGIN_ID, plugin_dir))
+
+        with patch.object(mgr, "install_plugin", side_effect=fake_install):
+            threads = [threading.Thread(target=worker) for _ in range(2)]
+            for t in threads:
+                t.start()
+            for t in threads:
+                t.join(timeout=5)
+
+        assert max_active == 1, "install_plugin ran concurrently for the same plugin_id"
+        assert results == [True, True]
+        assert plugin_dir.exists()
+        assert "new version" in (plugin_dir / "manager.py").read_text()
+        leftovers = [p for p in plugin_dir.parent.iterdir()
+                     if "standalone-backup" in p.name]
+        assert leftovers == []
+
+    def test_aside_name_is_invisible_to_discovery(self, store, tmp_path):
+        """The aside still contains a manifest.json — discovery must skip it
+        (relies on the existing '.standalone-backup-' exclusion)."""
+        mgr, plugin_dir = store
+        from src.plugin_system.plugin_manager import PluginManager
+        aside = plugin_dir.parent / f"{PLUGIN_ID}.standalone-backup-migrating"
+        plugin_dir.rename(aside)
+        pm = PluginManager(plugins_dir=str(tmp_path), config_manager=None,
+                           display_manager=None, cache_manager=None)
+        found = pm._scan_directory_for_plugins(Path(tmp_path))
+        assert PLUGIN_ID not in found
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    sys.exit(pytest.main([__file__, "-v"]))

web_interface/app.py

@@ -608,9 +608,23 @@ def display_preview_generator():
     import base64
     from PIL import Image
     import io
-    
+
     snapshot_path = "/tmp/led_matrix_preview.png"  # nosec B108 - fixed path matches display_manager; only read here
+    # Viewer marker: this generator only runs while the broadcaster has
+    # subscribers (it exits with no clients), so touching the marker each
+    # loop tells the DISPLAY service a browser is actually watching — it
+    # only pays for full-rate PNG snapshot encodes while this stays fresh
+    # (see src/common/snapshot_policy.py).
+    viewer_marker_path = "/tmp/led_matrix_preview_viewer"  # nosec B108 - fixed path matches display_manager
     last_modified = None
+
+    def _touch_viewer_marker():
+        try:
+            with open(viewer_marker_path, 'a'):
+                pass
+            os.utime(viewer_marker_path, None)
+        except OSError:
+            pass  # display side treats a missing marker as "no viewer"
     
     # Get display dimensions from config
     try:
@@ -627,6 +641,7 @@ def display_preview_generator():
     
     while True:
         try:
+            _touch_viewer_marker()
             # Check if snapshot file exists and has been modified
             if os.path.exists(snapshot_path):
                 current_modified = os.path.getmtime(snapshot_path)