tlsnotary · sinui0 · Jan 15, 2026
diff --git a/mux/SPEC.md b/mux/SPEC.md
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ MUX is a symmetric stream multiplexing protocol designed to run over reliable, o
 
 - Lightweight framing with minimal overhead (14-byte headers)
 - Per-stream flow control with automatic window tuning
-- Graceful and abrupt stream termination
+- Fast stream open/close with ID reuse
 - Connection-level resource limits
 - Symmetric operation (no client/server distinction)
 - Deterministic stream IDs derived from user-defined identifiers
@@ -98,15 +98,14 @@ Flags modify frame behavior. Multiple flags MAY be set simultaneously by combini
 
 | Flag | Value | Applicable Types | Description |
 |------|-------|------------------|-------------|
-| FIN | `0x01` | Data, Window Update | Half-closes the stream in the sender's direction. |
-| RST | `0x02` | Data, Window Update | Immediately resets (terminates) the stream. |
+| FIN | `0x01` | Data | Signals end-of-stream marker (see Section 5.4). |
 | SYN | `0x04` | Ping | Ping request. |
 | ACK | `0x08` | Ping | Ping response. |
 
 ### 4.1 Flag Constraints
 
-- FIN and RST MUST NOT be set together. If both are set, RST takes precedence.
 - SYN and ACK are only valid on Ping frames.
+- FIN is only valid on Data frames.
 
 ## 5. Stream Management
 
@@ -141,46 +140,45 @@ Streams are created implicitly when the first frame for a Stream ID is sent or r
 
 ### 5.3 Stream Lifecycle
 
-```
-                     +-------+
-                     | Open  |
-                     +-------+
-                    /    |    \
-              FIN← /     |     \ →FIN
-                  /      |      \
-           +----------+  |  +----------+
-           |RecvClosed|  |  |SendClosed|
-           +----------+  |  +----------+
-                  \      |      /
-              FIN→ \     |     / ←FIN
-                    \    |    /
-                     +-------+
-                     |Closed |
-                     +-------+
-                          ↑
-                      RST (any state)
-```
+Streams have a simplified lifecycle optimized for fast open/close with ID reuse:
+
+**Local stream states:**
+- **Active**: Application holds a handle to the stream. Can read/write.
+- **Buffering**: No handle, but buffered data exists. Data continues to be received.
+- **Removed**: No handle and no buffered data. Stream ID available for reuse.
+
+**Opening a stream:**
+1. Compute Stream ID from user identifier.
+2. If stream exists in Buffering state, transition to Active (access buffered data).
+3. If stream does not exist, create new stream in Active state.
 
-| State | Description |
-|-------|-------------|
-| Open | Bidirectional data flow. |
-| SendClosed | Local side sent FIN. Can still receive data. |
-| RecvClosed | Remote side sent FIN. Can still send data. |
-| Closed | Both directions closed. Stream resources may be released. |
+**Closing a stream:**
+1. Application drops the stream handle.
+2. If buffer is empty, remove stream (ID available for reuse).
+3. If buffer is non-empty, transition to Buffering state.
 
-### 5.4 Half-Close (FIN)
+**Key properties:**
+- Stream IDs can be reused after the stream is removed.
+- Dropping a handle does NOT send any protocol message.
+- Remote peer is not notified when local handle is dropped.
+- Flow control remains active for Buffering streams.
 
-Sending FIN indicates the sender will transmit no more data on this stream. The stream transitions:
-- `Open` → `SendClosed`
-- `RecvClosed` → `Closed`
+### 5.4 End-of-Stream Marker (FIN)
 
-Receiving FIN transitions:
-- `Open` → `RecvClosed`
-- `SendClosed` → `Closed`
+FIN is an in-band marker signaling the end of a logical message or stream segment. Unlike traditional half-close:
 
-### 5.5 Reset (RST)
+- FIN is buffered in-order with data frames.
+- Reading FIN returns EOF (0 bytes).
+- **Data MAY be sent after FIN.** FIN does not prevent further transmission.
+- Applications use FIN for framing; the protocol does not enforce termination.
+
+**Example usage:**
+```
+Sender: Data("hello") → FIN → Data("world") → FIN
+Reader: reads "hello" → reads EOF → reads "world" → reads EOF
+```
 
-RST immediately terminates a stream from any state. Both sides SHOULD release stream resources upon sending or receiving RST. No further frames SHOULD be sent on a reset stream.
+This allows FIN to delimit messages within a long-lived stream.
 
 ## 6. Flow Control
 
@@ -195,6 +193,7 @@ Each stream maintains an independent receive window representing the number of b
 **Behavior:**
 - Senders MUST NOT send more data than the receiver's advertised window.
 - Each byte of Data payload consumes one byte of window.
+- Each FIN marker consumes 32 bytes of window (to prevent FIN spam attacks).
 - Window Update frames replenish the window.
 
 ### 6.2 Window Updates
@@ -267,7 +266,7 @@ Upon detecting a protocol violation, implementations MUST:
 
 ### 8.2 Stream Errors vs Connection Errors
 
-- **Stream errors** (e.g., application-level errors) SHOULD be handled with RST on that stream.
+- **Stream errors** (e.g., application-level errors) are handled by the application dropping the stream handle. The remote peer is not explicitly notified.
 - **Connection errors** (e.g., protocol violations) MUST be handled with GoAway and connection closure.
 
 ## 9. Constants Summary

diff --git a/mux/mux/src/chunks.rs b/mux/mux/src/chunks.rs
@@ -12,14 +12,21 @@
 
 use std::{collections::VecDeque, io};
 
-/// A sequence of [`Chunk`] values.
+/// An element in the buffer - either data or a FIN marker.
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub(crate) enum ChunkOrFin {
+    Chunk(Chunk),
+    Fin,
+}
+
+/// A sequence of [`ChunkOrFin`] values.
 ///
 /// [`Chunks::len`] considers all [`Chunk`] elements and computes the total
 /// result, i.e. the length of all bytes, by summing up the lengths of all
-/// [`Chunk`] elements.
+/// [`Chunk`] elements. FIN markers don't contribute to length.
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub(crate) struct Chunks {
-    seq: VecDeque<Chunk>,
+    seq: VecDeque<ChunkOrFin>,
     len: usize,
 }
 
@@ -34,29 +41,61 @@ impl Chunks {
 
     /// The total length of bytes yet-to-be-read in all `Chunk`s.
     pub(crate) fn len(&self) -> usize {
-        self.len - self.seq.front().map(|c| c.offset()).unwrap_or(0)
+        let front_offset = self
+            .seq
+            .front()
+            .and_then(|e| match e {
+                ChunkOrFin::Chunk(c) => Some(c.offset()),
+                ChunkOrFin::Fin => None,
+            })
+            .unwrap_or(0);
+        self.len - front_offset
+    }
+
+    /// Returns true if there is no data in the buffer.
+    ///
+    /// Note: A buffer with only FIN markers is considered empty.
+    pub(crate) fn is_empty(&self) -> bool {
+        self.len() == 0
     }
 
     /// Add another chunk of bytes to the end.
     pub(crate) fn push(&mut self, x: Vec<u8>) {
         self.len += x.len();
         if !x.is_empty() {
-            self.seq.push_back(Chunk {
+            self.seq.push_back(ChunkOrFin::Chunk(Chunk {
                 cursor: io::Cursor::new(x),
-            })
+            }))
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Add a FIN marker to the end.
+    pub(crate) fn push_fin(&mut self) {
+        self.seq.push_back(ChunkOrFin::Fin);
+    }
+
+    /// Remove and return the first element.
+    pub(crate) fn pop(&mut self) -> Option<ChunkOrFin> {
+        let elem = self.seq.pop_front();
+        if let Some(ChunkOrFin::Chunk(ref c)) = elem {
+            self.len -= c.len() + c.offset();
         }
+        elem
     }
 
-    /// Remove and return the first chunk.
-    pub(crate) fn pop(&mut self) -> Option<Chunk> {
-        let chunk = self.seq.pop_front();
-        self.len -= chunk.as_ref().map(|c| c.len() + c.offset()).unwrap_or(0);
-        chunk
+    /// Get a reference to the first element.
+    pub(crate) fn front(&self) -> Option<&ChunkOrFin> {
+        self.seq.front()
     }
 
-    /// Get a mutable reference to the first chunk.
-    pub(crate) fn front_mut(&mut self) -> Option<&mut Chunk> {
-        self.seq.front_mut()
+    /// Get a mutable reference to the first chunk, if it is a chunk.
+    ///
+    /// Returns None if buffer is empty or front is a FIN marker.
+    pub(crate) fn front_chunk_mut(&mut self) -> Option<&mut Chunk> {
+        match self.seq.front_mut() {
+            Some(ChunkOrFin::Chunk(c)) => Some(c),
+            _ => None,
+        }
     }
 }
 

diff --git a/mux/mux/src/connection.rs b/mux/mux/src/connection.rs
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ impl<T: AsyncRead + AsyncWrite + Unpin> Connection<T> {
         matches!(self.inner, ConnectionState::Closed(_))
     }
 
-    /// Get a handle for creating streams concurrently.
+    /// Get a handle for obtaining streams concurrently.
     ///
     /// The handle can be cloned and used from multiple tasks while the
     /// Connection is being polled.
@@ -95,17 +95,21 @@ impl<T: AsyncRead + AsyncWrite + Unpin> Connection<T> {
         }
     }
 
-    /// Create a new stream with the given user ID.
+    /// Get a stream handle for the given user ID.
+    ///
+    /// Streams are implicit - if data has already been received for this ID,
+    /// returns a handle to the existing stream with buffered data. Otherwise,
+    /// creates a new stream.
     ///
     /// The stream ID is computed from the user ID using BLAKE3.
-    /// Either side can create streams with the same user ID - they will
-    /// automatically merge into the same stream.
+    /// Either side can get streams with the same user ID - they will
+    /// automatically refer to the same stream.
     ///
-    /// The `user_id` parameter is a required user-defined stream identifier
-    /// (1-256 bytes). User IDs must be unique within the session.
-    pub fn new_stream(&mut self, user_id: &[u8]) -> Result<Stream> {
+    /// The `user_id` parameter is a user-defined stream identifier (1-256
+    /// bytes).
+    pub fn get_stream(&mut self, user_id: &[u8]) -> Result<Stream> {
         match &mut self.inner {
-            ConnectionState::Active(active) => active.new_stream(user_id),
+            ConnectionState::Active(active) => active.get_stream(user_id),
             _ => Err(ConnectionError::Closed),
         }
     }