He said goodnight but is still texting. What's actually happening

He's not actually leaving. If he was, he wouldn't mention it. People just go dark when they're done texting. The fact that he announced goodnight means he's still engaged but testing whether you'll fight to keep him in the conversation.

This is different from someone who actually needs to sleep. A tired person usually stops texting. They don't announce they're stopping. So when he says goodnight while staying online, he's showing you the door while keeping his foot in it. He wants to know if you'll follow up, which tells him something about how interested you are.

A strong reply accepts the goodnight without letting it feel final. This does two things at once. It shows you're not desperate to keep him engaged past his announced bedtime, which is actually attractive. And it leaves room for him to come back without awkwardness.

The move is to keep it short, warm, and open-ended. Don't try to restart the conversation. Don't ask follow-up questions. Just signal that you heard him, you're fine with it, and you're open to picking up tomorrow. This calls his bluff gently. If he actually needs sleep, he'll go. If he was testing whether you care, he'll stick around or come back to you later that night.

After you match his goodnight with a brief, friendly reply, stop texting. If he stays online and comes back to you, that's him choosing you over sleep. That's information. If he actually goes offline, he got what he needed (acknowledgment) and will text you tomorrow.

The mistake most people make is following up again hours later, checking if he's awake or trying to re-engage. That looks like you were thinking about him when he's moved on. If he says goodnight and you reply warmly, you're done. His next move tells you whether he meant the goodnight or was just keeping his options open.