README.md

@@ -1507,7 +1507,7 @@ events should be forwarded.
 | `type`           | TargetType | One of: `http`, `slack`, `database`, `log` |
 | `active`         | boolean    | Whether deliveries are enabled (default: true) |
 | `config`         | JSON text  | Type-specific configuration |
-| `max_retries`    | integer    | Maximum retry attempts for `http` and `slack` targets (0 = fire-and-forget, >0 = retries with backoff and a circuit breaker). Ignored by `database` and `log` targets |
+| `max_retries`    | integer    | Total delivery attempts for `http` and `slack` targets, not retries on top of the first: 0 is a single fire-and-forget attempt with no retries and no circuit breaker, and a value of N makes N attempts in all, with exponential backoff and a per-target circuit breaker. Ignored by `database` and `log` targets |
 | `max_queue_size` | integer    | Stored and shown on the target's detail view, but not enforced anywhere yet: nothing in the delivery engine consults it. Queue depth is set by the two fixed 10,000-entry channels |
 
 **Relations:** Belongs to Webhook. Has many Deliveries.
@@ -1515,12 +1515,12 @@ events should be forwarded.
 **Target types:**
 
 - **`http`** — Forward the event as an HTTP POST to a configured URL.
-  Behavior depends on `max_retries`: when `max_retries` is 0 (the
+  `max_retries` is the total number of delivery attempts, not retries on
-  default), the target operates in fire-and-forget mode — a single
+  top of the first: when `max_retries` is 0 (the default), the target
-  attempt with no retries and no circuit breaker. When `max_retries` is
+  operates in fire-and-forget mode, a single attempt with no retries and
-  greater than 0, failed deliveries are retried with exponential backoff
+  no circuit breaker; a value of N makes up to N attempts in all,
-  up to `max_retries` attempts, protected by a per-target circuit
+  retrying failed deliveries with exponential backoff and protecting them
-  breaker.
+  with a per-target circuit breaker.
 - **`slack`** — Post the event as a formatted message to a
   Slack-compatible incoming webhook URL (`webhookUrl` in `config`). It
   is built on the same HTTP core as `http` and honours `max_retries`

internal/handlers/ui_copy_test.go

@@ -300,3 +300,80 @@ func TestEntrypointCopyButtonIsProgressiveEnhancement(t *testing.T) {
 		"the page must render to completion, not abort partway",
 	)
 }
+
+// maxRetriesHelp is the wording both target forms must carry. The
+// delivery core makes max_retries attempts in total, not that many
+// retries on top of a first try (a fresh delivery starts at attempt 1
+// and target_http gives up once the attempt number reaches
+// max_retries), and 0 is special-cased to a single fire-and-forget
+// attempt with no circuit breaker.
+const maxRetriesHelp = "This is the total number of delivery attempts, " +
+	"not retries on top of the first: a value of 3 makes three attempts " +
+	"in all. 0 means a single attempt with no retries and no circuit " +
+	"breaker."
+
+// TestTargetFormMaxRetriesCopyMatchesBehaviour pins the max_retries
+// help text on both the create form (the add-target form on the webhook
+// detail page) and the edit form, so the copy cannot drift back to
+// calling the number a retry count.
+func TestTargetFormMaxRetriesCopyMatchesBehaviour(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	var h *handlers.Handlers
+
+	var sess *session.Session
+
+	app := newTestApp(t, &h, &sess)
+	app.RequireStart()
+
+	t.Cleanup(app.RequireStop)
+
+	webhook := &database.Webhook{Name: "wh", RetentionDays: 14}
+	webhook.ID = testWebhookID
+
+	entrypoint := database.Entrypoint{Path: "abc123"}
+	entrypoint.ID = "ep-1"
+
+	createBody := renderPage(
+		t, h, sess, "source_detail.html", map[string]any{
+			dataKeyWebhook: webhook,
+			"Entrypoints": handlers.NewEntrypointViews(
+				[]database.Entrypoint{entrypoint},
+			),
+			"Targets": delivery.NewTargetViews(nil),
+			"Events":  []database.Event{},
+			"BaseURL": "https://hooks.example.com",
+		},
+	)
+
+	assert.Contains(
+		t, createBody, maxRetriesHelp,
+		"the add-target form must explain max_retries as total attempts",
+	)
+
+	// A slack target exercises the same max_retries field while needing
+	// only Config.URL from the edit template, so the test data stays
+	// minimal. The Target key mirrors the field names the template reads
+	// off the handler's view value.
+	editBody := renderPage(
+		t, h, sess, "target_edit.html", map[string]any{
+			dataKeyWebhook: webhook,
+			"Target": map[string]any{
+				"ID":         "tg-1",
+				"Name":       "t",
+				"Type":       "slack",
+				"Active":     true,
+				"MaxRetries": 3,
+				"Config": map[string]any{
+					"URL": "https://hooks.slack.com/services/x",
+				},
+			},
+			dataKeyError: "",
+		},
+	)
+
+	assert.Contains(
+		t, editBody, maxRetriesHelp,
+		"the target edit form must explain max_retries as total attempts",
+	)
+}

templates/source_detail.html

@@ -120,9 +120,12 @@
                         <label class="text-sm text-gray-700">Timeout (seconds, blank = default):</label>
                         <input type="number" name="timeout" min="0" max="300" :disabled="targetType !== 'http'" class="input text-sm w-24">
                     </div>
-                    <div x-show="targetType === 'http'" class="flex gap-2 items-center">
+                    <div x-show="targetType === 'http'">
-                        <label class="text-sm text-gray-700">Max retries (0 = fire-and-forget):</label>
+                        <div class="flex gap-2 items-center">
-                        <input type="number" name="max_retries" value="0" min="0" max="20" class="input text-sm w-24">
+                            <label class="text-sm text-gray-700">Max retries:</label>
+                            <input type="number" name="max_retries" value="0" min="0" max="20" class="input text-sm w-24">
+                        </div>
+                        <p class="text-xs text-gray-500 mt-1">This is the total number of delivery attempts, not retries on top of the first: a value of 3 makes three attempts in all. 0 means a single attempt with no retries and no circuit breaker.</p>
                     </div>
                     <div x-show="targetType === 'slack'">
                         <input type="url" name="url" placeholder="https://hooks.slack.com/services/..." :disabled="targetType !== 'slack'" class="input text-sm">

templates/target_edit.html

@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
             <div class="form-group">
                 <label for="max_retries" class="label">Max retries</label>
                 <input type="number" id="max_retries" name="max_retries" value="{{.Target.MaxRetries}}" min="0" max="20" class="input">
-                <p class="text-xs text-gray-500 mt-1">0 is fire-and-forget: one attempt, no circuit breaker.</p>
+                <p class="text-xs text-gray-500 mt-1">This is the total number of delivery attempts, not retries on top of the first: a value of 3 makes three attempts in all. 0 means a single attempt with no retries and no circuit breaker.</p>
             </div>
             {{end}}