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+# Phase 17: Object Storage - Context
+
+**Gathered:** 2026-04-05
+**Status:** Ready for planning
+
+<domain>
+## Phase Boundary
+
+Move image storage from local filesystem (`uploads/` directory) to MinIO (S3-compatible object storage). All image uploads go to MinIO. Existing images are migrated. Image URLs are served via presigned URLs or a proxy. Docker Compose includes MinIO for local development.
+
+</domain>
+
+<decisions>
+## Implementation Decisions
+
+### S3 Client
+- **D-01:** Use `@aws-sdk/client-s3` (AWS SDK v3) for MinIO communication. Works with any S3-compatible service. Tree-shakeable, well-maintained.
+- **D-02:** Use `@aws-sdk/s3-request-presigner` for generating presigned URLs.
+
+### Storage Service
+- **D-03:** Create `src/server/services/storage.service.ts` — thin wrapper around S3 SDK with functions: `uploadImage(buffer, filename, contentType)`, `deleteImage(filename)`, `getImageUrl(filename)`.
+- **D-04:** `getImageUrl()` returns a presigned URL with configurable expiry (default 1 hour). No proxy — client fetches directly from MinIO.
+- **D-05:** Environment variables: `S3_ENDPOINT`, `S3_ACCESS_KEY`, `S3_SECRET_KEY`, `S3_BUCKET` (default: `gearbox-images`), `S3_REGION` (default: `us-east-1`).
+
+### Image Upload Changes
+- **D-06:** `POST /api/images` and `POST /api/images/from-url` upload to MinIO instead of local filesystem. Same filename pattern (UUID-based).
+- **D-07:** `fetchImageFromUrl()` in image.service.ts uploads the fetched buffer to MinIO instead of writing to disk.
+- **D-08:** Remove the static file serving for `/uploads/*` from the server — images are served via presigned URLs from MinIO.
+
+### Image URL Serving
+- **D-09:** When returning item/candidate data with `imageFilename`, the API resolves it to a presigned MinIO URL. Add a `imageUrl` field to API responses (or replace `imageFilename` with the URL).
+- **D-10:** Client components use the presigned URL directly. No changes to image display components beyond using the URL field.
+
+### Migration
+- **D-11:** One-time migration script (`scripts/migrate-images-to-minio.ts`) reads all files from `uploads/`, uploads each to MinIO bucket, verifies upload, logs progress.
+- **D-12:** No filename changes during migration — existing `imageFilename` values in the database remain valid as MinIO object keys.
+
+### Docker Compose
+- **D-13:** MinIO service in docker-compose.yml (both dev and prod) with automatic bucket creation on startup.
+- **D-14:** Dev compose uses fixed credentials for simplicity. Prod compose uses env vars.
+
+### Claude's Discretion
+- Presigned URL expiry duration (1h default, configurable)
+- Whether to add a GET /api/images/:filename proxy endpoint as fallback
+- MinIO Docker image version
+- Bucket policy (private with presigned URLs vs public-read)
+- Whether to delete local files after successful migration
+- Error handling strategy for upload failures
+
+</decisions>
+
+<canonical_refs>
+## Canonical References
+
+**Downstream agents MUST read these before planning or implementing.**
+
+### Image Handling (to be refactored)
+- `src/server/services/image.service.ts` — Current local file storage logic
+- `src/server/routes/images.ts` — Upload endpoints (file + URL)
+- `src/server/index.ts` — Static file serving for uploads/
+
+### Schema (imageFilename columns)
+- `src/db/schema.ts` — `imageFilename` on items and threadCandidates tables
+
+### Docker
+- `docker-compose.yml` — Production compose (add MinIO)
+- `docker-compose.dev.yml` — Dev compose (add MinIO)
+- `.env.example` — Add S3 env vars
+
+### Client (image display)
+- `src/client/lib/api.ts` — API wrapper
+- `src/client/components/` — Components that display images
+
+### Requirements
+- `.planning/REQUIREMENTS.md` — IMG-01 through IMG-04
+
+</canonical_refs>
+
+<code_context>
+## Existing Code Insights
+
+### Reusable Assets
+- `image.service.ts` — refactor to use storage service instead of local fs
+- UUID filename generation pattern — keep as-is for MinIO object keys
+- Content type validation — keep in image routes
+
+### Established Patterns
+- Service DI pattern (db, userId params) — storage service is stateless, no db needed
+- Async operations — all storage ops will be async (already async pattern)
+- Environment config via `process.env` — same for S3 config
+
+### Integration Points
+- `src/server/routes/images.ts` — Replace Bun.write with storage.upload
+- `src/server/services/image.service.ts` — Replace Bun.write with storage.upload
+- `src/server/index.ts` — Remove static file serving for uploads/
+- API response serialization — add imageUrl field from presigned URL
+
+</code_context>
+
+<specifics>
+## Specific Ideas
+
+No specific requirements — open to standard approaches for S3-compatible object storage with MinIO.
+
+</specifics>
+
+<deferred>
+## Deferred Ideas
+
+None — discussion stayed within phase scope
+
+</deferred>
+
+---
+
+*Phase: 17-object-storage*
+*Context gathered: 2026-04-05*
diff --git a/.planning/phases/17-object-storage/17-DISCUSSION-LOG.md b/.planning/phases/17-object-storage/17-DISCUSSION-LOG.md
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+# Phase 17: Object Storage - Discussion Log
+
+> **Audit trail only.** Do not use as input to planning, research, or execution agents.
+
+**Date:** 2026-04-05
+**Phase:** 17-object-storage
+**Areas discussed:** S3 Client, URL Strategy, Storage Abstraction, Migration Approach
+**Mode:** --auto --batch
+
+---
+
+## S3 Client
+
+| Option | Description | Selected |
+|--------|-------------|----------|
+| @aws-sdk/client-s3 | Official AWS SDK v3, S3-compatible, tree-shakeable | ✓ |
+| minio-js | MinIO-specific client | |
+| undici/fetch with S3 API | Raw HTTP calls | |
+
+**User's choice:** @aws-sdk/client-s3 (auto-selected)
+
+---
+
+## URL Strategy
+
+| Option | Description | Selected |
+|--------|-------------|----------|
+| Presigned URLs | MinIO generates time-limited signed URLs, client fetches directly | ✓ |
+| Proxy through GearBox API | Server fetches from MinIO, streams to client | |
+| Public bucket | No auth needed, direct MinIO URLs | |
+
+**User's choice:** Presigned URLs (auto-selected)
+
+---
+
+## Storage Abstraction
+
+| Option | Description | Selected |
+|--------|-------------|----------|
+| Thin storage service | Single file wrapping S3 SDK with upload/delete/getUrl | ✓ |
+| Full abstraction layer | Interface with local/S3 implementations | |
+
+**User's choice:** Thin storage service (auto-selected)
+
+---
+
+## Migration Approach
+
+| Option | Description | Selected |
+|--------|-------------|----------|
+| One-time script | Reads uploads/, uploads to MinIO, same filenames | ✓ |
+| Lazy migration | Upload to MinIO on first access, fallback to local | |
+
+**User's choice:** One-time script (auto-selected)
+
+---
+
+## Claude's Discretion
+
+- Presigned URL expiry, proxy fallback, MinIO version, bucket policy, cleanup strategy
+
+## Deferred Ideas
+
+None