It only takes a few steps to get connected in Arbor!
Sprig is currently the best way to experience Arbor but there is also a CLI client called wisteria for which there is a separate getting started guide. To download the latest version, head to the release page. Choose the topmost list item (click the version number) then find your download link. The Windows release has windows in the filename, Linux has linux, and so on.
If you're on Android, there is also an APK available for download. However, you'll need to have your phone in developer mode, installation from unknown sources enabled, etc. If you don't, don't worry about it and simply wait until it's released in F-Droid or Google Play. A version for iOS is in the works.
Once you have the file, unpack the archive. Double-click it in your file manager or run tar xvf <file-name> from the Linux or macOS command line. You'll then have a single executable named sprig in that directory. Move that wherever you'd like but remember its location for later.
Arbor accounts are called Identities and creation is quite simple. Navigate to where you stored the sprig binary and execute it. Double-click the file in a graphical file manager or use ./sprig from a Linux or macOS terminal. Once the application opens, confirm that messages are immutable (once sent, you cannot delete or edit a message) then enter arbor.chat:7117 and click Connect. Make sure you don't press enter as that currently inserts a newline character and the connection fails. After typing the address, simply click the button.
On the next screen, select "Create new Identity", enter your desired username, then click Create. From there, simply click View These Communities!
By default, the most recent message is selected. When selecting another message, it slides to the right and its ancestors and children are teal and animate accordingly. Children indent relative to the selected message and ancestors are in line with it. Conversation roots are dark green. These are parents which other replies branch from. As a general rule of thumb, if your message not a direct reply to something, it should be a Conversation root.
To the right of the selected message, there is a Reply button. Clicking that reveals a dialogue at the bottom of the screen where you can type your reply. The clipboard to the left of the text entry field is for pasting text from your clipboard and the button to the right is for sending the message. Clicking the × in the top right of that dialogue dismisses it.
At the top of the message view, there are four buttons. From left to right:
On desktop, the following short cuts are available:
f and Space to toggle the filterc to create a new conversation rootEnter replies to the selected messagej/k are Vi key bindings for scrolling: j is down and k is up. Arrow keys work as well.g/G are Vi key bindings for jumping: g jumps to the top of the grove and G jumps to the bottom. Home and End work as well.Simply follow the directions for installing Sprig then just launch it. Feel free to delete the old binary if you wish.
Do you want to: