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Basic Usage Guide

Welcome to Chirp! This guide will explain the basic features and functionality of Chirp.

Servers and Channels​

Channel Types​

Chirp supports multiple channel types for different purposes:

Text Channels​

  • Purpose: General conversation, announcements, discussions
  • Features: Real-time messaging, reactions, threads, pins, polls
  • Best for: Community chat, team communication

Voice Channels​

  • Purpose: Real-time voice communication
  • Features: WebRTC audio, voice activity detection, noise suppression, push-to-talk, per-user volume controls
  • Best for: Voice chat, meetings, hangouts

Media Channels​

  • Purpose: Sharing and browsing images, videos, and files
  • Features: Automatic thumbnails, gallery view, folders, comments, reactions
  • Best for: Photo sharing, video collections, file archives

Forum Channels​

  • Purpose: Organized discussions with tags and following
  • Features: Threaded posts, tags, following, search
  • Best for: Support, feedback, organized discussions

Collaborative Channels​

  • Purpose: Real-time document editing and collaboration
  • Features: Shared documents, wikis, real-time editing
  • Best for: Team projects, documentation, planning

Messaging and Communication​

Sending Messages​

Basic Text Messages​

Just type your message and press Enter!

Rich Text Formatting​

Chirp supports Markdown for text formatting:

**Bold text** or *italic text*
~~Strikethrough text~~
`Inline code`
```code block```
> Blockquote
||Spoiler text||

@Mentions​

  • @username: Mention a specific user
  • @here: Mention all online users
  • @everyone: Mention all server members
  • #channel: Link to a channel

Reactions​

React to messages with emoji. Click the reaction button on any message to add a reaction, or click an existing reaction to add your own.

Threads​

Start a thread from any message to create a sub-conversation. Threads keep discussions organized without cluttering the main channel.

Pins​

Pin important messages to the channel for easy reference. Access pinned messages from the pin icon in the channel header.

Polls​

Create polls to gather opinions. Polls support:

  • Multiple choice options
  • Optional expiration time
  • Single or multiple-vote modes

File Sharing​

Supported File Types​

  • Images: JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP
  • Videos: MP4, WebM, MOV
  • Documents: PDF, DOC, DOCX, TXT
  • Archives: ZIP, RAR, 7Z
  • Audio: MP3, WAV, OGG

Upload Limits​

  • Default: 250MB per file
  • Thumbnail Generation: Automatic for images and videos

File Organization​

  • Upload to Channel: Files appear in chat with preview
  • Media Channels: Organized gallery view with folders
  • Search: Search file names and content

Direct Messages & Group DMs​

Direct Messages​

Send private messages to any user. DMs support all the same features as channel messages: attachments, reactions, polls, and more.

Group DMs​

Create group conversations with multiple users for private multi-person discussions.

Voice Channels​

Joining Voice​

Click on any voice channel to join. Your microphone will be used automatically (you can mute yourself).

Voice Features​

  • Mute/Deafen: Toggle your microphone or audio output
  • Push-to-Talk: Hold a key to transmit (configurable in settings)
  • Noise Suppression: Optional advanced noise filtering
  • Volume Controls: Adjust individual user volumes
  • Audio Devices: Select input/output devices

Friends System​

  • Send and receive friend requests
  • See when friends are online
  • Quickly start a DM from your friends list

Server Events​

Create and manage events for your server. Events include a title, description, date/time, and location.

Custom Emoji & Stickers​

Custom Emoji​

Servers can upload custom emoji that members can use in messages.

Stickers​

Browse and send stickers from sticker packs. Custom sticker packs can be created per server.

User Profiles​

Profile Customization​

  • Avatar: Upload a custom avatar image (with cropping)
  • Banner: Upload a profile banner
  • Bio: Write a short bio (190 chars max)
  • Birthday: Set your birthday
  • Status: Set a custom status message

Server Profiles​

Set a different nickname, avatar, and banner per server.

Badges​

Users can earn and display badges on their profiles.

Notes​

Take private notes about other users. Notes are only visible to you.

Search and Discovery​

Click the search icon or press Ctrl+F:

Search Operators​

  • "exact phrase": Search for exact matches
  • from:@username: Search messages from specific user
  • in:#channel: Search in specific channel
  • has:link: Find messages with links
  • has:file: Find messages with attachments
  • has:image: Find messages with images
  • has:embed: Find messages with embeds

Notifications​

Push Notifications​

Chirp supports web push notifications (browser) and mobile push notifications (Android via FCM). Enable them in your browser or app settings.

Notification Settings​

  • Per-server: Set notification level (all, pings only, none)
  • Per-channel: Mute specific channels
  • DND mode: Do Not Disturb silences all notifications

Desktop Notifications​

The Electron desktop app supports native OS notifications and XSOverlay integration for VR.

Keyboard Shortcuts​

  • Ctrl+K: Quick switcher

Messaging​

  • Enter: Send message
  • Shift+Enter: New line
  • Up Arrow: Edit last message
  • Ctrl+F: Search in channel

Settings​

Access settings from the gear icon. Key settings include:

  • Account: Email, password, 2FA
  • Appearance: Theme (light/dark/custom), date format
  • Notifications: Per-server and global notification preferences
  • Voice: Audio devices, noise suppression, push-to-talk
  • Developer: Bot tokens, advanced settings

Happy Chirping!