chore: Changelog

- Check announcements on first start
- Print out any fetch errors on first start in the admin room
- Randomly jitter the next check

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 ## Misc
 
-- Improve timeout-related code for federation and URL previews. Contributed by @Jade
+- Improve timeout-related code for federation and URL previews. Contributed by @Jade (#1278)
 
 
 # Continuwuity 0.5.2 (2026-01-09)

changelog.d/1288.feature.md

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+The announcement checker will now announce errors it encounters in the first run to the admin room, plus a few other misc improvements. Contributed by @Jade

docs/public/.well-known/continuwuity/announcements

@@ -6,10 +6,10 @@
             "message": "Welcome to Continuwuity! Important announcements about the project will appear here."
         },
         {
-            "id": 7,
-            "mention_room": true,
-            "date": "2025-12-30",
-            "message": "Continuwuity v0.5.1 has been released. **The release contains a fix for the critical vulnerability [GHSA-m5p2-vccg-8c9v](https://github.com/continuwuity/continuwuity/security/advisories/GHSA-m5p2-vccg-8c9v) (embargoed) affecting all Conduit-derived servers. Update as soon as possible.**\n\nThis has been *actively exploited* to attempt account takeover and forge events bricking the Continuwuity rooms. The new space is accessible at [Continuwuity (room list)](https://matrix.to/#/!8cR4g-i9ucof69E4JHNg9LbPVkGprHb3SzcrGBDDJgk?via=continuwuity.org&via=starstruck.systems&via=gingershaped.computer)\n"
+            "id": 8,
+            "mention_room": false,
+            "date": "2026-01-12",
+            "message": "Hey everyone!\n\nJust letting you know we've released [v0.5.3](https://forgejo.ellis.link/continuwuation/continuwuity/releases/tag/v0.5.3) - this one is a bit of a hotfix for an issue with inviting and allowing others to join rooms.\n\nIf you appreceate the round-the-clock work we've been doing to keep your servers secure over this holiday period, we'd really appreciate your support - you can sponsor individuals on our team using the 'sponsor' button at the top of [our GitHub repository](https://github.com/continuwuity/continuwuity). If you can't do that, even a star helps - spreading the word and advocating for our project helps keep it going.\n\nHave a lovely rest of your year \\\n[Jade \\(she/her\\)](https://matrix.to/#/%40jade%3Aellis.link) \n🩵"
         }
     ]
 }

src/api/server/send_join.rs

@@ -13,8 +13,7 @@ use conduwuit::{
 use conduwuit_service::Services;
 use futures::{FutureExt, StreamExt, TryStreamExt};
 use ruma::{
-	CanonicalJsonValue, OwnedEventId, OwnedRoomId, OwnedServerName, OwnedUserId, RoomId,
-	ServerName,
+	CanonicalJsonValue, OwnedEventId, OwnedRoomId, OwnedUserId, RoomId, ServerName,
 	api::federation::membership::create_join_event,
 	events::{
 		StateEventType,

src/api/server/send_knock.rs

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use conduwuit::{
 };
 use futures::FutureExt;
 use ruma::{
-	OwnedServerName, OwnedUserId,
+	OwnedUserId,
 	RoomVersionId::*,
 	api::federation::knock::send_knock,
 	events::{

src/service/announcements/mod.rs

@@ -18,8 +18,9 @@
 use std::{sync::Arc, time::Duration};
 
 use async_trait::async_trait;
-use conduwuit::{Result, Server, debug, info, warn};
+use conduwuit::{Result, Server, debug, error, info, warn};
 use database::{Deserialized, Map};
+use rand::Rng;
 use ruma::events::{Mentions, room::message::RoomMessageEventContent};
 use serde::Deserialize;
 use tokio::{
@@ -86,9 +87,27 @@ impl crate::Service for Service {
 			return Ok(());
 		}
 
+		// Run the first check immediately and send errors to admin room
+		if let Err(e) = self.check().await {
+			error!(?e, "Failed to check for announcements on startup");
+			self.services
+				.admin
+				.send_message(RoomMessageEventContent::text_plain(format!(
+					"Failed to check for announcements on startup: {e}"
+				)))
+				.await
+				.ok();
+		}
+
+		let first_check_jitter = {
+			let mut rng = rand::thread_rng();
+			let jitter_percent = rng.gen_range(-50.0..=10.0);
+			self.interval.mul_f64(1.0 + jitter_percent / 100.0)
+		};
+
 		let mut i = interval(self.interval);
 		i.set_missed_tick_behavior(MissedTickBehavior::Delay);
-		i.reset_after(self.interval);
+		i.reset_after(first_check_jitter);
 		loop {
 			tokio::select! {
 				() = self.interrupt.notified() => break,