Merge pull request #2875 from vitorpamplona/claude/timeago-toggle-format-Y3lGX

Make timestamps toggleable between relative and absolute formats

amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/ui/note/TimeAgoFormatter.kt

@@ -21,11 +21,14 @@
 package com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.note
 
 import android.content.Context
+import android.text.format.DateFormat
 import android.text.format.DateUtils
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.R
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.stringRes
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.utils.TimeUtils
 import java.text.SimpleDateFormat
+import java.util.Calendar
+import java.util.Date
 import java.util.Locale
 import kotlin.math.round
 
@@ -42,6 +45,51 @@ var monthFormatter = SimpleDateFormat(MONTH_DATE_FORMAT, locale)
 var yearNoDayFormatter = SimpleDateFormat(YEAR_NO_DAY_DATE_FORMAT, locale)
 var monthNoDayFormatter = SimpleDateFormat(MONTH_NO_DAY_DATE_FORMAT, locale)
 
+/**
+ * Formats a Unix timestamp (seconds) as an absolute date/time string, picking the
+ * granularity from how far away the timestamp is:
+ *   - same day → time only (e.g. "14:32" / "2:32 PM", locale-aware)
+ *   - same year → "MMM dd, HH:mm"
+ *   - older    → "MMM dd, yyyy"
+ *
+ * Used by [com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.note.elements.TimeAgo] when the user
+ * taps the relative timestamp to reveal the absolute one.
+ */
+fun timeAbsolute(
+    time: Long?,
+    context: Context,
+    prefix: String = " • ",
+): String {
+    if (time == null) return " "
+    if (time == 0L) return prefix + stringRes(context, R.string.never)
+
+    if (locale != Locale.getDefault()) {
+        locale = Locale.getDefault()
+        yearFormatter = SimpleDateFormat(YEAR_DATE_FORMAT, locale)
+        monthFormatter = SimpleDateFormat(MONTH_DATE_FORMAT, locale)
+    }
+
+    val timeMs = time * 1000
+    val now = Calendar.getInstance()
+    val then = Calendar.getInstance().apply { timeInMillis = timeMs }
+
+    val sameYear = now.get(Calendar.YEAR) == then.get(Calendar.YEAR)
+    val sameDay = sameYear && now.get(Calendar.DAY_OF_YEAR) == then.get(Calendar.DAY_OF_YEAR)
+
+    val timeOfDay = DateFormat.getTimeFormat(context).format(Date(timeMs))
+
+    return when {
+        sameDay -> prefix + timeOfDay
+        sameYear -> prefix + monthFormatter.format(timeMs) + ", " + timeOfDay
+        else -> prefix + yearFormatter.format(timeMs)
+    }
+}
+
+fun timeAbsoluteNoDot(
+    time: Long?,
+    context: Context,
+): String = timeAbsolute(time, context, prefix = "")
+
 fun timeAgo(
     time: Long?,
     context: Context,

amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/ui/note/elements/TimeAgo.kt

@@ -20,22 +20,110 @@
  */
 package com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.note.elements
 
+import androidx.compose.foundation.clickable
+import androidx.compose.foundation.interaction.MutableInteractionSource
+import androidx.compose.material3.LocalContentColor
 import androidx.compose.material3.MaterialTheme
 import androidx.compose.material3.Text
 import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
 import androidx.compose.runtime.derivedStateOf
 import androidx.compose.runtime.getValue
+import androidx.compose.runtime.mutableStateOf
 import androidx.compose.runtime.remember
+import androidx.compose.runtime.setValue
 import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
+import androidx.compose.ui.graphics.Color
 import androidx.compose.ui.platform.LocalContext
 import androidx.compose.ui.text.style.TextOverflow
+import androidx.compose.ui.unit.TextUnit
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.R
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.model.Note
+import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.note.timeAbsolute
+import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.note.timeAbsoluteNoDot
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.note.timeAgo
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.note.timeAgoShort
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.stringRes
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.theme.placeholderText
 
+/**
+ * Which relative-time format to use when the timestamp is *not* toggled to absolute.
+ * Absolute-mode uses [timeAbsolute] (dotted) or [timeAbsoluteNoDot] regardless.
+ */
+enum class TimeAgoStyle {
+    /** "• 5m", uses [timeAgo]. Used by note timestamps and chatroom row last-message time. */
+    Dotted,
+
+    /** "5m" (no dot, no leading space), uses [timeAgoShort]. Used by chat bubbles and channel headers. */
+    Short,
+}
+
+/**
+ * Core toggleable timestamp Text. All on-screen TimeAgo composables delegate to this.
+ *
+ * Behaviour:
+ * - Renders the timestamp relative to "now" (subscribing to [LocalNowSeconds]); on click,
+ *   flips to an absolute date/time formatted by [timeAbsolute] / [timeAbsoluteNoDot].
+ * - When displaying the absolute form we **stop subscribing to the tick** — the
+ *   `derivedStateOf` lambda doesn't read `nowState.value` in that branch, so the Text
+ *   does not recompose every 30s for items the user has "frozen" to a specific time.
+ * - Uses [remember] (not `rememberSaveable`): the toggle is a transient peek, not state
+ *   worth saving to the SavedStateRegistry for every visible+scrolled-past note in the
+ *   feed. Recycling resets to relative, which matches how peeking should work.
+ * - A single [MutableInteractionSource] per item, no ripple — tiny timestamp Text
+ *   doesn't benefit from the indication.
+ *
+ * Stable params: all values, so the Compose compiler can skip this entirely when nothing changes.
+ */
+@Composable
+fun ToggleableTimeAgoText(
+    timestamp: Long,
+    modifier: Modifier = Modifier,
+    style: TimeAgoStyle = TimeAgoStyle.Dotted,
+    color: Color = LocalContentColor.current,
+    fontSize: TextUnit = TextUnit.Unspecified,
+    maxLines: Int = 1,
+    overflow: TextOverflow = TextOverflow.Clip,
+) {
+    val context = LocalContext.current
+    val nowState = LocalNowSeconds.current
+    val nowStr = stringRes(id = R.string.now)
+    val interactionSource = remember { MutableInteractionSource() }
+    var showAbsolute by remember(timestamp) { mutableStateOf(false) }
+
+    val text by
+        remember(timestamp, context, style, nowState, nowStr) {
+            derivedStateOf {
+                if (showAbsolute) {
+                    when (style) {
+                        TimeAgoStyle.Dotted -> timeAbsolute(timestamp, context)
+                        TimeAgoStyle.Short -> timeAbsoluteNoDot(timestamp, context)
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    // Read nowState only when displaying a relative time, so an item
+                    // toggled to absolute doesn't recompose on every 30-second tick.
+                    nowState.value
+                    when (style) {
+                        TimeAgoStyle.Dotted -> timeAgo(timestamp, context)
+                        TimeAgoStyle.Short -> timeAgoShort(timestamp, nowStr)
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+    Text(
+        text = text,
+        color = color,
+        fontSize = fontSize,
+        maxLines = maxLines,
+        overflow = overflow,
+        modifier =
+            modifier.clickable(
+                interactionSource = interactionSource,
+                indication = null,
+            ) { showAbsolute = !showAbsolute },
+    )
+}
+
 @Composable
 fun TimeAgo(note: Note) {
     val time = note.createdAt() ?: return
@@ -44,22 +132,10 @@ fun TimeAgo(note: Note) {
 
 @Composable
 fun TimeAgo(time: Long) {
-    val context = LocalContext.current
+    ToggleableTimeAgoText(
-    // Subscribe to the shared coarse ticker; `derivedStateOf` ensures the Text only
+        timestamp = time,
-    // recomposes when the formatted string actually flips (e.g. 1m → 2m), not on every tick.
+        style = TimeAgoStyle.Dotted,
-    val nowState = LocalNowSeconds.current
-    val timeStr by
-        remember(time, context, nowState) {
-            derivedStateOf {
-                nowState.value
-                timeAgo(time, context = context)
-            }
-        }
-
-    Text(
-        text = timeStr,
         color = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.placeholderText,
-        maxLines = 1,
     )
 }
 
@@ -68,20 +144,10 @@ fun NormalTimeAgo(
     baseNote: Note,
     modifier: Modifier,
 ) {
-    val nowStr = stringRes(id = R.string.now)
+    val time = baseNote.createdAt() ?: 0L
-    val nowState = LocalNowSeconds.current
+    ToggleableTimeAgoText(
-
+        timestamp = time,
-    val time by
+        style = TimeAgoStyle.Short,
-        remember(baseNote, nowStr, nowState) {
-            derivedStateOf {
-                nowState.value
-                timeAgoShort(baseNote.createdAt() ?: 0L, nowStr)
-            }
-        }
-
-    Text(
-        text = time,
-        maxLines = 1,
         overflow = TextOverflow.Ellipsis,
         modifier = modifier,
     )

amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/ui/screen/loggedIn/chats/feed/ChatTimeAgo.kt

@@ -26,8 +26,6 @@ import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.size
 import androidx.compose.material3.MaterialTheme
 import androidx.compose.material3.Text
 import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
-import androidx.compose.runtime.derivedStateOf
-import androidx.compose.runtime.getValue
 import androidx.compose.runtime.remember
 import androidx.compose.ui.Alignment
 import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
@@ -37,8 +35,8 @@ import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.R
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.icons.symbols.Icon
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.icons.symbols.MaterialSymbols
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.model.Note
-import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.note.elements.LocalNowSeconds
+import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.note.elements.TimeAgoStyle
-import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.note.timeAgoShort
+import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.note.elements.ToggleableTimeAgoText
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.note.timeAheadNoDot
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.stringRes
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.theme.Font12SP
@@ -48,21 +46,11 @@ import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip40Expiration.expiration
 
 @Composable
 fun ChatTimeAgo(baseNote: Note) {
-    val nowStr = stringRes(id = R.string.now)
+    ToggleableTimeAgoText(
-    val nowState = LocalNowSeconds.current
+        timestamp = baseNote.createdAt() ?: 0L,
-    val time by
+        style = TimeAgoStyle.Short,
-        remember(baseNote, nowStr, nowState) {
-            derivedStateOf {
-                nowState.value
-                timeAgoShort(baseNote.createdAt() ?: 0L, nowStr)
-            }
-        }
-
-    Text(
-        text = time,
         color = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.placeholderText,
         fontSize = Font12SP,
-        maxLines = 1,
     )
 }
 

amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/ui/screen/loggedIn/chats/rooms/ChatroomHeaderCompose.kt

@@ -27,13 +27,11 @@ import androidx.compose.material3.MaterialTheme
 import androidx.compose.material3.Text
 import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
 import androidx.compose.runtime.LaunchedEffect
-import androidx.compose.runtime.derivedStateOf
 import androidx.compose.runtime.getValue
 import androidx.compose.runtime.mutableStateOf
 import androidx.compose.runtime.remember
 import androidx.compose.runtime.setValue
 import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
-import androidx.compose.ui.platform.LocalContext
 import androidx.compose.ui.text.SpanStyle
 import androidx.compose.ui.text.buildAnnotatedString
 import androidx.compose.ui.text.font.FontWeight
@@ -61,8 +59,8 @@ import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.note.LoadDecryptedContentOrNull
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.note.LoadPublicChatChannel
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.note.NonClickableUserPictures
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.note.ObserveDraftEvent
-import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.note.elements.LocalNowSeconds
+import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.note.elements.TimeAgoStyle
-import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.note.timeAgo
+import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.note.elements.ToggleableTimeAgoText
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.screen.loggedIn.AccountViewModel
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.screen.loggedIn.chats.privateDM.header.RoomNameDisplay
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.screen.loggedIn.chats.publicChannels.ephemChat.LoadEphemeralChatChannel
@@ -483,20 +481,10 @@ fun ChannelName(
 @Composable
 private fun TimeAgo(channelLastTime: Long?) {
     if (channelLastTime == null) return
-
+    ToggleableTimeAgoText(
-    val context = LocalContext.current
+        timestamp = channelLastTime,
-    val nowState = LocalNowSeconds.current
+        style = TimeAgoStyle.Dotted,
-    val timeAgo by
-        remember(channelLastTime, context, nowState) {
-            derivedStateOf {
-                nowState.value
-                timeAgo(channelLastTime, context)
-            }
-        }
-    Text(
-        text = timeAgo,
         color = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.grayText,
-        maxLines = 1,
     )
 }
 

commons/src/jvmAndroid/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/commons/util/TimeAgoFormatter.kt

@@ -21,7 +21,10 @@
 package com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.util
 
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.utils.TimeUtils
+import java.text.DateFormat
 import java.text.SimpleDateFormat
+import java.util.Calendar
+import java.util.Date
 import java.util.Locale
 
 private const val YEAR_DATE_FORMAT = "MMM dd, yyyy"
@@ -30,12 +33,14 @@ private const val MONTH_DATE_FORMAT = "MMM dd"
 private var locale = Locale.getDefault()
 private var yearFormatter = SimpleDateFormat(YEAR_DATE_FORMAT, locale)
 private var monthFormatter = SimpleDateFormat(MONTH_DATE_FORMAT, locale)
+private var timeOnlyFormatter = DateFormat.getTimeInstance(DateFormat.SHORT, locale)
 
 private fun updateFormattersIfNeeded() {
     if (locale != Locale.getDefault()) {
         locale = Locale.getDefault()
         yearFormatter = SimpleDateFormat(YEAR_DATE_FORMAT, locale)
         monthFormatter = SimpleDateFormat(MONTH_DATE_FORMAT, locale)
+        timeOnlyFormatter = DateFormat.getTimeInstance(DateFormat.SHORT, locale)
     }
 }
 
@@ -145,3 +150,39 @@ fun dateFormatter(
  * Extension function for Long timestamps.
  */
 fun Long.toTimeAgo(withDot: Boolean = true): String = timeAgo(this, withDot)
+
+/**
+ * Formats a Unix timestamp (seconds) as an absolute date/time string. Granularity
+ * depends on how far in the past the timestamp is:
+ *   - same day → time only (e.g. "14:32"), locale-aware
+ *   - same year → "MMM dd, HH:mm"
+ *   - older    → "MMM dd, yyyy"
+ */
+fun timeAbsolute(
+    time: Long?,
+    withDot: Boolean = true,
+    never: String = "never",
+): String {
+    if (time == null) return " "
+    val prefix = if (withDot) " • " else ""
+    if (time == 0L) return prefix + never
+
+    updateFormattersIfNeeded()
+
+    val timeMs = time * 1000
+    val now = Calendar.getInstance()
+    val then = Calendar.getInstance().apply { timeInMillis = timeMs }
+
+    val sameYear = now.get(Calendar.YEAR) == then.get(Calendar.YEAR)
+    val sameDay = sameYear && now.get(Calendar.DAY_OF_YEAR) == then.get(Calendar.DAY_OF_YEAR)
+
+    val timeOfDay = timeOnlyFormatter.format(Date(timeMs))
+
+    return when {
+        sameDay -> prefix + timeOfDay
+        sameYear -> prefix + monthFormatter.format(timeMs) + ", " + timeOfDay
+        else -> prefix + yearFormatter.format(timeMs)
+    }
+}
+
+fun Long.toTimeAbsolute(withDot: Boolean = true): String = timeAbsolute(this, withDot)

desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/ui/NotificationsScreen.kt

@@ -56,13 +56,13 @@ import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.icons.symbols.rememberMaterialSymbolPa
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.state.EventCollectionState
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.ui.components.EmptyState
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.ui.components.LoadingState
-import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.util.toTimeAgo
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.desktop.account.AccountState
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.desktop.cache.DesktopLocalCache
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.desktop.network.DesktopRelayConnectionManager
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.desktop.subscriptions.DesktopRelaySubscriptionsCoordinator
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.desktop.subscriptions.createNotificationsSubscription
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.desktop.subscriptions.rememberSubscription
+import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.desktop.ui.components.ToggleableTimeAgoText
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.core.Event
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.core.hexToByteArrayOrNull
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip10Notes.TextNoteEvent
@@ -342,8 +342,8 @@ fun NotificationCard(notification: NotificationItem) {
                     )
                 }
 
-                Text(
+                ToggleableTimeAgoText(
-                    text = notification.timestamp.toTimeAgo(withDot = false),
+                    timestamp = notification.timestamp,
                     style = MaterialTheme.typography.labelSmall,
                     color = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.onSurfaceVariant.copy(alpha = 0.7f),
                 )

desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/ui/chats/ChatPane.kt

@@ -84,10 +84,10 @@ import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.model.cache.ICacheProvider
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.service.upload.UploadOrchestrator
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.ui.components.LoadingState
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.ui.feeds.FeedState
-import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.util.toTimeAgo
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.viewmodels.ChatNewMessageState
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.viewmodels.ChatroomFeedViewModel
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.desktop.DesktopPreferences
+import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.desktop.ui.components.ToggleableTimeAgoText
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.desktop.ui.media.DesktopFilePicker
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.desktop.ui.media.MediaAttachmentRow
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.hints.EventHintBundle
@@ -528,8 +528,8 @@ private fun MessageWithReactions(
 
                         // Timestamp
                         note.createdAt()?.let { timestamp ->
-                            Text(
+                            ToggleableTimeAgoText(
-                                text = timestamp.toTimeAgo(withDot = false),
+                                timestamp = timestamp,
                                 style = MaterialTheme.typography.labelSmall,
                                 color = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.onSurfaceVariant.copy(alpha = 0.6f),
                             )

desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/ui/chats/ConversationListPane.kt

@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ import androidx.compose.ui.unit.dp
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.icons.symbols.Icon
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.icons.symbols.MaterialSymbols
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.ui.components.UserAvatar
-import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.util.toTimeAgo
+import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.desktop.ui.components.ToggleableTimeAgoText
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip17Dm.base.ChatroomKey
 import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
 
@@ -363,8 +363,8 @@ private fun ConversationCard(
 
                 if (item.lastMessageTimestamp > 0) {
                     Spacer(Modifier.width(8.dp))
-                    Text(
+                    ToggleableTimeAgoText(
-                        text = item.lastMessageTimestamp.toTimeAgo(withDot = false),
+                        timestamp = item.lastMessageTimestamp,
                         style = MaterialTheme.typography.labelSmall,
                         color = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.onSurfaceVariant.copy(alpha = 0.6f),
                     )

desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/ui/components/ToggleableTimeAgoText.kt

@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2025 Vitor Pamplona
+ *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of
+ * this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in
+ * the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use,
+ * copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the
+ * Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so,
+ * subject to the following conditions:
+ *
+ * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+ * copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+ * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS
+ * FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR
+ * COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN
+ * AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION
+ * WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+ */
+package com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.desktop.ui.components
+
+import androidx.compose.foundation.clickable
+import androidx.compose.foundation.interaction.MutableInteractionSource
+import androidx.compose.material3.Text
+import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
+import androidx.compose.runtime.getValue
+import androidx.compose.runtime.mutableStateOf
+import androidx.compose.runtime.remember
+import androidx.compose.runtime.setValue
+import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
+import androidx.compose.ui.graphics.Color
+import androidx.compose.ui.text.TextStyle
+import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.util.timeAbsolute
+import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.util.toTimeAgo
+
+/**
+ * Timestamp text that toggles between a relative ("5m") and an absolute, scale-adjusted
+ * ("14:32" / "Dec 12, 14:32" / "Dec 12, 2023") form when the user clicks it.
+ *
+ * Notes for the audit:
+ * - Plain [remember] (not `rememberSaveable`): the toggle is a transient peek. Persisting
+ *   it for every visible+scrolled-past notification/chat/note across config changes is
+ *   pure memory bloat — recycling resets to relative, which is the right default.
+ * - Both formatters here are pure functions of the timestamp, so for desktop we don't need
+ *   any tick subscription at all (desktop has no shared "now" ticker). The string is
+ *   stable for a given (timestamp, showAbsolute) pair, so a [derivedStateOf] also isn't
+ *   needed — we just compute on flip.
+ * - All params are primitives/value types, so the Compose compiler can skip this composable
+ *   when nothing changes.
+ */
+@Composable
+fun ToggleableTimeAgoText(
+    timestamp: Long,
+    style: TextStyle,
+    color: Color,
+    modifier: Modifier = Modifier,
+) {
+    val interactionSource = remember { MutableInteractionSource() }
+    var showAbsolute by remember(timestamp) { mutableStateOf(false) }
+
+    Text(
+        text = if (showAbsolute) timeAbsolute(timestamp, withDot = false) else timestamp.toTimeAgo(withDot = false),
+        style = style,
+        color = color,
+        modifier =
+            modifier.clickable(
+                interactionSource = interactionSource,
+                indication = null,
+            ) { showAbsolute = !showAbsolute },
+    )
+}

desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/ui/note/NoteCard.kt

@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.richtext.RichTextParser
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.richtext.UrlParser
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.richtext.Urls
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.ui.components.UserAvatar
-import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.util.toTimeAgo
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.desktop.cache.DesktopLocalCache
+import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.desktop.ui.components.ToggleableTimeAgoText
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.desktop.ui.media.AnimatedGifImage
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.desktop.ui.media.AudioPlayer
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.desktop.ui.media.DesktopVideoPlayer
@@ -202,8 +202,8 @@ fun NoteCard(
                     }
 
                     // Timestamp
-                    Text(
+                    ToggleableTimeAgoText(
-                        text = note.createdAt.toTimeAgo(withDot = false),
+                        timestamp = note.createdAt,
                         style = MaterialTheme.typography.labelSmall,
                         color = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.onSurfaceVariant,
                     )