What are Apps and Bots?
Apps and Bots are add-ons that community owners install from the Root App Store.
You can install and manage Root's own Apps on desktop or mobile. Apps from other developers, and Bots, are installed from Root on desktop. Once installed into a community, Apps and Bots can be used on Root desktop and mobile.
Apps
A Root App is a complete app with its own visual interface. Each App gets its own channel in the community. Select an App channel in the sidebar to open it and interact with it using buttons, forms, panels, and live updates.
An App can also send you a notification when something needs your attention. Selecting the notification opens the App at the screen it's about. See Manage notifications.
Open an App in its own window
On desktop, you can move an App into its own window and keep it open while you use the rest of Root.
- Right-click the App's channel.
- Select Open in new window.
To put it back, right-click the channel and select Return to community, or close the App's window. While the App is in its own window, selecting its channel brings that window to the front.
Root remembers your App windows. If you close the community or restart Root, they open again where you left them.
Leave a review
You can rate any App you use on desktop or mobile. See Rate and review apps.
Bots
A Root Bot is a lightweight tool that works through text. Bots don't get their own channel. Instead, they listen for events in your community (like new messages or new members) and respond by posting messages, managing content, or automating tasks in existing channels. How you interact with a Bot varies. Some respond to commands, others work automatically in the background.
Force close an App on mobile
When you close an App on mobile, it can keep running in the background for a few minutes. To stop it straight away:
- With the App open, drag the handle at the bottom up until Force close is fully out, then let go.
- Tap Force close.
To put Force close away without using it, swipe down on it.