Direct messages

The most common case is a single call — Messages::direct() finds the DM between two models or creates it:

use RoundlyConsulting\Messages\Facades\Messages;

$thread = Messages::direct($alice, $bob);   // find-or-create the DM
Messages::send($thread, $alice, 'Hi Bob!');

Messages::unreadCount($bob);          // 1
Messages::markRead($thread, $bob);
Messages::unreadCount($bob);          // 0

It always returns the same direct thread for the same two participants, so you never end up with duplicate DMs. It matches a direct thread whose participants are exactly those two — a third participant would make it a group.

Safe under concurrent first contact

Not even when both sides make first contact at the same moment: the DM carries a unique pair key (direct_key), the database refuses the second insert, and the loser gets the winner’s thread. A DM that was deleted, or that someone left, hands the key to the fresh one.

From the model

The HasMessaging trait offers the same flow as shorthand — conversationWith() calls Messages::direct() under the hood:

$thread = $alice->conversationWith($bob); // find-or-create the DM
$alice->sendMessageTo($thread, 'Hi Bob!');

$bob->unreadCount();          // 1
$bob->markThreadRead($thread);
$bob->unreadCount();          // 0

How direct threads differ

• Always private — is_public and everyone_can_join are forced to false, whatever the publicity config says.
• Roleless — participants carry no role, role enforcement is skipped, and setRole() or transferOwnership() throws ParticipationException::directThreadHasNoRoles().
• Unnamed — a direct thread is created without a name.

Querying direct threads

use RoundlyConsulting\Messages\Models\Thread;

Thread::query()->direct()->get();                 // every 1:1 thread
Thread::query()->between($alice, $bob)->first();  // the DM of exactly these two, or null

$thread->is_direct;   // true
$thread->is_public;   // always false for a direct thread
$thread->name;        // null
$thread->direct_key;  // the unique pair key — Thread::directKeyFor($alice, $bob)

Messages::start()->direct()->…->create() creates a new direct thread every time — use Messages::direct() or conversationWith() when you want find-or-create.