Ways to discover spaces
- Public directory
- Nearby spaces
- Recent spaces
- Space code
Spaces that have been listed publicly appear in a browsable grid. Each space card shows the space name, participant count, avatars, and whether a password is required. Spaces with the most participants appear first, and stale or empty spaces are automatically hidden.
What you see before joining
Every space card gives you enough context to decide whether to join:- The space name and code
- How many people are inside
- Avatars of who’s there (hover to see names)
- Whether a password is required
- The space type — public, private, nearby, or recent
How spaces become discoverable
When someone creates a space, they choose how it can be found:| Visibility | Description |
|---|---|
| Public | Listed in the public directory for anyone to browse |
| Local network | Discoverable on the local network via mDNS |
| Private | Only accessible by sharing the space code directly |
How the public directory works
The public directory is peer-to-peer — there is no central server listing rooms. Here’s how it works:- When a host enables “List publicly,” their space is announced to a well-known directory peer.
- The directory peer collects announcements and serves the list to anyone browsing.
- Listings include the room name, user count, and password requirement.
- Spaces send a heartbeat every few seconds. If no heartbeat is received for 20 seconds, the listing is removed automatically.
- When a host leaves and a relay takes over, the room is re-announced with the new host’s identity — so the listing stays active.
Private spaces never appear in the directory. They can only be joined by someone who has the room code (and password, if set).