fix(startup): only send one default_colors_set event during startup

If the color scheme is changed in a startup script, nvim used to send
multiple default_colors_set events, one for the default color scheme
and one for the user's chosen color scheme. This would cause flicker in
some UI:s. Throttle this event until we actually start drawing on the
screen.

fixes #26372

2 files changed, 52 insertions, 2 deletions

diff --git a/src/nvim/ui.c b/src/nvim/ui.c
index cb4ebb5c3b..a78a5b077f 100644
--- a/src/nvim/ui.c
+++ b/src/nvim/ui.c
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ bool ui_cb_ext[kUIExtCount];  ///< Internalized UI capabilities.
 
 static bool has_mouse = false;
 static int pending_has_mouse = -1;
+static bool pending_default_colors = false;
 
 static Array call_buf = ARRAY_DICT_INIT;
 
@@ -283,8 +284,21 @@ void ui_schedule_refresh(void)
 
 void ui_default_colors_set(void)
 {
-  ui_call_default_colors_set(normal_fg, normal_bg, normal_sp,
-                             cterm_normal_fg_color, cterm_normal_bg_color);
+  // Throttle setting of default colors at startup, so it only happens once
+  // if the user sets the colorscheme in startup.
+  pending_default_colors = true;
+  if (starting == 0) {
+    ui_may_set_default_colors();
+  }
+}
+
+static void ui_may_set_default_colors(void)
+{
+  if (pending_default_colors) {
+    pending_default_colors = false;
+    ui_call_default_colors_set(normal_fg, normal_bg, normal_sp,
+                               cterm_normal_fg_color, cterm_normal_bg_color);
+  }
 }
 
 void ui_busy_start(void)
@@ -442,6 +456,9 @@ void ui_line(ScreenGrid *grid, int row, int startcol, int endcol, int clearcol,
     flags |= kLineFlagInvalid;
   }
 
+  // set default colors now so that that text won't have to be repainted later
+  ui_may_set_default_colors();
+
   size_t off = grid->line_offset[row] + (size_t)startcol;
 
   ui_call_raw_line(grid->handle, row, startcol, endcol, clearcol, clearattr,
diff --git a/test/functional/ui/embed_spec.lua b/test/functional/ui/embed_spec.lua
index 3bc3af9853..5917c4fccc 100644
--- a/test/functional/ui/embed_spec.lua
+++ b/test/functional/ui/embed_spec.lua
@@ -143,6 +143,39 @@ describe('--embed UI', function()
       {2:-- INSERT --}                            |
     ]]}
   end)
+
+  it("only sets background colors once even if overridden", function()
+    local screen, current, seen
+    local function handle_default_colors_set(_, _, rgb_bg, _, _, _)
+      seen[rgb_bg] = true
+      current = rgb_bg
+    end
+    local function startup(...)
+      seen = {}
+      current = nil
+      clear {args_rm={'--headless'}, args={...}}
+
+      -- attach immediately after startup, for early UI
+      screen = Screen.new(40, 8)
+      screen._handle_default_colors_set = handle_default_colors_set
+      screen:attach()
+    end
+
+    startup()
+    screen:expect{condition=function()
+      eq(16777215, current)
+    end}
+    eq({[16777215]=true}, seen)
+
+    -- NB: by accident how functional/helpers.lua currently handles the default color scheme, the
+    -- above is sufficient to test the behavior. But in case that workaround is removed, we need
+    -- a test with an explicit override like below, so do it to remain safe.
+    startup('--cmd', 'hi NORMAL guibg=#FF00FF')
+    screen:expect{condition=function()
+      eq(16711935, current)
+    end}
+    eq({[16711935]=true}, seen) -- we only saw the last one, despite 16777215 was set internally earlier
+  end)
 end)
 
 describe('--embed --listen UI', function()