# Full Feature Spec
## [Create Groups & Community Structure](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-steward-guide#id-2.-creating-your-group)
Hylo's group system is the structural foundation of everything else. Groups can nest inside each other, peer with other groups, and share content across boundaries.
#### [Create and manage groups](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-steward-guide#basic-setup)
Set up a group with a name, purpose statement, description, location, and banner image. Control visibility (public, protected, or private) and access (open, by request, or invite-only).
#### [Nested groups (subgroups)](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-steward-guide#id-14.-nested-groups-and-peer-relationships)
Create groups within groups to any depth. A bioregional hub can contain neighborhood groups. A network can contain working committees. Each subgroup has its own space, agreements, and stewards while remaining connected to the parent.
#### [Peer-to-peer group relationships](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-steward-guide#peer-to-peer-group-relationships)
Connect groups as peers — two independent groups that choose to share a relationship. Peer groups can see each other's public content and members, enabling coalition-building without hierarchy.
#### [Cross-group posting](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-user-guide#cross-posting)
Post a single discussion, event, request, or offer to multiple groups at once. The post lives in all selected groups simultaneously — no duplication, no drift.
#### [Group Explorer](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-user-guide#cross-posting#group-explorer)
A public directory where anyone can browse and discover groups on Hylo. Groups can apply to be listed. Filter by location, topic, or purpose.
#### [Join questions](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-steward-guide#id-7.-join-questions)
When someone requests to join a group, stewards can ask custom questions to understand who's joining and why. Answers are visible to stewards during the approval process.
#### [Group types and presets](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-steward-guide#id-4.-configuring-your-navigation)
[Groups can be configured for different purposes](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-steward-guide#id-4.-configuring-your-navigation): mutual aid networks, learning communities, project teams, bioregional hubs, civic groups. Same underlying structure, different default views and suggested features.
## Communication
Hylo supports three modes of communication — persistent posts for depth, real-time chat for speed, and direct messages for privacy — all within a unified system.
#### [Posts (Discussions)](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-user-guide#id-6.-post-types-what-you-can-share)
Threaded, persistent posts with rich text, media, file attachments, geographic location, and topic tags. Posts support reactions and nested comment threads. Posts are the backbone of deeper coordination — they don't disappear after a day of scrolling. Learn more about the [Post Types](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-user-guide#quick-reference-post-types-at-a-glance) offered on Hylo.
#### [Chat rooms](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-user-guide#id-7.-chat-rooms)
Real-time, topic-based chat within any group. Chat rooms sit alongside the post stream — fast conversation and structured discussion coexist without competing. Groups can create multiple rooms for different topics or working teams.
#### [Direct messages](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-user-guide#id-9.-direct-messages)
Private 1:1 or small-group conversations. Invite-only, end-to-end within Hylo.
#### [Cross-group posting](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-user-guide#cross-posting)
A single post can belong to multiple groups or chat rooms simultaneously, creating living nodes of coordination across the network.
#### [Rich media](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/embedding-media-in-hylo)
Posts and comments support images, files, links with previews, embedded video, and location data. Drag and drop to attach.
#### [Topic tags](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-user-guide#id-8.-topics)
Tag posts with topics to organize content thematically. Topics work across groups — follow a topic to see related posts everywhere you're a member.
#### [Mentions](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-user-guide#tagging-others-in-posts)
@mention members or groups in posts and comments. Mentioned people receive notifications. The inbox collects all posts where you've been mentioned.
#### Reactions
React to posts and comments with emoji. Lightweight feedback without requiring a full reply.
#### Multiple view types
View shared content as a stream, list, grid, calendar, or map. Groups can customize which views appear in their navigation and which is the default.
#### Search
Full-text search across posts, comments, members, and topics within your groups.
## [Events](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-user-guide#id-14.-running-events)
In-person and virtual events with the tools groups actually need — RSVPs, calendar integration, and geographic location.
#### [Create events](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-user-guide#creating-an-event)
Events are a post type with start/end times, location (physical or virtual), timezone support, and description. They appear in the stream and on the calendar view.
#### [RSVPs](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-user-guide#rsvps)
Members can indicate whether they're attending. Stewards can see the guest list and count.
#### Calendar view
See all upcoming events for a group displayed on a calendar. Filter by group or view across all your groups.
#### Calendar integration
Export events to external calendars (Google Calendar, iCal, etc.) via calendar invite emails.
#### Location and map
Events can include a physical location that appears on the group's map. Helpful for in-person gatherings where people need to find the place.
#### Live indicator
Events currently in progress are marked as live in the stream and calendar.
## [Mutual Support](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-steward-guide#id-10.-activating-mutual-support-through-requests-and-offers)
Requests and offers are the trust-building engine of Hylo. Every fulfilled exchange is a deposit in the community's social fabric.
#### [Requests](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-user-guide#requests)
Post what you need — skills, tools, time, knowledge, labor, rides, advice. Set scope, timing, and location. Visible to your group and, if cross-posted, to connected groups.
#### [Offers](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-user-guide#requests)
Share what you can give. Same structure as requests — searchable, taggable, locatable.
#### Completion tracking
Mark requests and offers as fulfilled. Select the people who helped complete them. This creates a visible record of mutual support within the community.
#### Geographic relevance
Requests and offers include location data. Members can browse what's needed or available near them.
#### [Topic categorization](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-user-guide#id-9.-topics)
Tag requests and offers by topic — tools, food, transportation, skills, childcare — so members can browse by category.
#### Expiration and reminders
Requests and offers can have expiration dates. Notifications remind creators to update or close out posts that are no longer active.
#### AI-assisted matching (Coming soon)
The AI matchmaker will surface relevant requests and offers to members whose skills, interests, location, and history suggest they can help — reducing the gap between need and response.
## Projects & Coordination
For work that goes beyond a single post — ongoing efforts with tasks, contributors, and timelines.
#### [Projects](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-user-guide#projects)
Create a project post with a description, members, and linked content. Projects provide a persistent home for coordinated work within a group.
#### Tasks (Coming soon)
Assign tasks with statuses and due dates within projects. Contribution visibility over time — see who's doing what. Kanban and other visualizations planned.
#### Linked content
Connect posts, events, requests, and offers to a project. Everything related to an effort lives in one place.
#### Project membership
Members can join projects to indicate their involvement. Project contributors are visible to the group.
## [Governance & Decision-Making](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-steward-guide#id-11.-governance-setting-up-proposals-and-decision-making)
Hylo's governance tools support groups at every stage — from simple polls to structured decision-making processes with quorum, consent-based voting, and formal outcome tracking.
#### Proposals
Create a proposal with a question, description, and voting options. Proposals progress through discussion, voting, and completed phases with visible outcomes.
#### Flexible voting options
Configure voting with custom options or use presets: Agree/Disagree, Consent/Block/Abstain, Sense Check, or Gradients of Agreement (from whole-hearted endorsement to veto). Choose what fits your group's decision-making culture.
#### Quorum settings
Set a minimum participation threshold for a vote to be valid. Adjustable percentage. If quorum isn't reached, stewards are notified.
#### Voting timeline
Set start and end times for voting periods. Proposals move through phases automatically, or stewards can manage timing manually.
#### Outcome tracking
Completed proposals display vote tallies, quorum status, and an outcome summary field where the author can document what was decided and what happens next.
#### Governance view
A dedicated view showing active and past proposals. Active proposals at the top, completed proposals (now "decisions") below with their outcomes. Also displays the group's purpose, values, and agreements.
#### Agreements
Groups can establish written agreements — commitments, norms, decision-making protocols, codes of conduct. Agreements are displayed on the group's About page and presented to new members for consent before joining.
#### Agreement consent tracking
Track whether members have consented to current agreements. If agreements change, members are prompted to review and re-consent. Backend tracking of each person's consent to each agreement.
#### Roles and responsibilities
Assign roles to members with specific platform responsibilities. Three common roles come with every group: Coordinator (administration), Moderator (content management), and Host (welcoming and inviting). Each role carries defined powers.
#### Custom roles
Create roles specific to your group — equipment manager, garden coordinator, childcare lead, outreach coordinator. Custom roles can carry platform responsibilities or simply denote real-world functions. Roles display as badges on member profiles.
#### Custom responsibilities
Beyond platform responsibilities, create custom ones that represent work members do outside of Hylo. Assign responsibilities to roles so everyone can see who does what.
#### Collective moderation
Any member can flag a post as violating group agreements. Flagged content is blurred for other members. Others can agree or disagree with the flag. Moderators review and make final decisions.
## Map & Place
Hylo organizes people around the places they share. The map is not a feature bolted on — it's a fundamental part of how the platform thinks about community.
Geographic map
An interactive map showing members, groups, events, requests, offers, and other activity spatially. See what's happening near you, discover nearby groups, and understand the geographic fabric of your community.
#### Group locations
Groups have geographic locations that appear on the map. A neighborhood group, a regional network, and a global alliance all have different spatial footprints.
#### Member locations
Members can share their location (at whatever precision they choose) to be discoverable on the map. Location obfuscation protects privacy while still enabling proximity-based discovery.
#### Watershed and ecological layers
Map layers showing watersheds, catchment basins, and other ecological boundaries. These help communities understand and organize around their landscape rather than arbitrary political boundaries.
#### Location on posts
Any post — discussion, event, request, offer — can include a location. Content appears on the map where it's relevant.
#### Embed via iframe
Groups can embed a Hylo map view on their own website using a custom iframe code block — bringing the living map to wherever their community already gathers online.
## Funding Rounds
Participatory funding rounds let groups pool resources and collectively decide where to direct them. This is governance made real — communities allocating actual money through democratic process.
#### Create a funding round
Set up a round with a total amount, timeline, submission criteria, and voting method. Guide your community through each phase from submission to allocation.
#### Submission phase
Members submit proposals for funding. Stewards define criteria that submissions need to address. Submissions can be visible during the submission period or hidden until voting begins.
#### Discussion phase
Community reviews and discusses submitted proposals before voting. Comments, questions, and feedback help the group make informed decisions.
#### Voting phase
Members vote to allocate the pool across proposals. Results determine distribution. Notifications guide members through each stage of the process.
#### Outcome and allocation
Results are displayed transparently. The group can see exactly how funds were allocated and why. Completed rounds become part of the group's decision history.
#### Real-world impact
Float, the Funding Lab for Agroecological Technology, used Hylo's funding rounds to distribute over $700,000 USD to projects in 2025.
## [Learning Tracks](https://hylozoic.gitbook.io/hylo/guides/hylo-user-guide#id-15.-tracks-and-badges)
Tracks are structured sequences of content and actions that guide members through a learning journey, onboarding process, or program curriculum.
#### Create tracks
Build a track with ordered steps — each step can include content, media, discussion prompts, and actions for the member to complete.
#### Track actions
Individual tasks or checkpoints within a track that members complete as they progress. Completion is tracked per member.
#### Track membership and progress
See who has started a track, where they are in it, and who has completed it. Stewards get visibility into participation without micromanaging.
#### Badges on completion
Members who complete a track can receive a badge — visible on their profile. Badges can also unlock specific roles, permissions, or access to certain content or chat rooms within the group.
#### Track-gated access
Require completion of a track before accessing certain areas of a group. Useful for onboarding sequences where you want members to have context before participating fully.
#### Paid tracks
Tracks can be gated behind a payment. Stripe integration handles transactions. Stewards manage subscriptions and access.
## Profiles & Directory
Member profiles are how people find each other and understand what each person brings to the community.
#### Member profiles
Each member has a profile with name, photo, bio, location, skills, interests, and affiliated groups. Profiles are visible to co-members and (for public groups) to anyone browsing the platform.
#### Skills and interests
Members list their skills and areas of interest. These are used for discovery, matching, and helping stewards understand what capacity exists within the group.
#### Member directory
Browse all members of a group with search, filtering, and sorting. See roles, badges, and location at a glance.
#### Group affiliations
A member's profile shows which groups they belong to (respecting visibility settings — private group memberships aren't exposed to non-members).
#### Role and badge display
Roles and badges earned through tracks or assigned by stewards are displayed on profiles and next to member names throughout the platform. Hover/tap to see the role description and responsibilities.
## Customization
Groups and individuals can customize their Hylo experience — from navigation layout to visual themes.
Custom navigation
Group stewards can choose which views appear in the group's navigation menu and in what order. Show only what's relevant to your community — hide views you don't use.
#### Custom views
Create custom filtered views of content — by topic, post type, or other criteria. Pin them to the group's navigation for quick access.
#### Nine visual themes
Choose from nine visual themes (Default, Stone, Forest, Ocean, Desert, Snow, Jungle, Blossom, Fall), each with light and dark variants. Themes apply to the entire interface.
#### Group branding
Each group has its own avatar, banner image, purpose statement, and description. Groups look and feel distinct even within a shared platform.
#### Notification customization
Members control their own notification preferences: email, push, in-app, and digest frequency. Per-group settings let you stay on top of active groups without being overwhelmed by quieter ones.
#### Stream and feed controls
Members can customize how content is ranked and aggregated in their stream. No algorithmic manipulation — you choose what's surfaced.
## Moderation & Safety
Community safety without centralized surveillance. Hylo's moderation tools distribute responsibility to the people closest to the community while providing clear escalation paths.
#### Community flagging
Any member can flag a post that they believe violates group agreements. They select which specific agreement is being violated. Flagged content is blurred for other members while under review.
#### Collective review
Other members can agree or disagree with a flag, creating community input on moderation decisions before stewards act.
#### Steward moderation powers
Moderators can remove content, remove members, and manage topics. Actions are logged and can be communicated to the community.
#### Group agreements as moderation anchor
Moderation is tied to the group's stated agreements — not arbitrary judgment. When content is flagged, the specific agreement at issue is identified. This grounds moderation in shared commitments rather than individual discretion.
#### Platform-level enforcement
Hylo's platform stewards monitor the public commons and handle cross-group or platform-level violations. The code of conduct applies everywhere.
## Mobile
Hylo is available on iOS and Android with full-featured mobile apps.
#### Native iOS and Android apps
Download from the App Store or Google Play. The mobile experience covers the core platform — groups, posts, chat, events, map, profiles, notifications.
#### Push notifications
Real-time push notifications for mentions, replies, new posts, and events. Configurable per group and per notification type.
#### Mobile map
The full geographic map on mobile — browse nearby activity, find groups, and see your community spatially.
#### Responsive web
Hylo's web interface is fully responsive. Access from any browser on any device.
## Platform & Infrastructure
The structural commitments that make Hylo different from every other community platform.
#### Open source
Hylo's entire codebase is public under the Apache 2.0 license. Inspect it, contribute to it, fork it.
#### No ads, no data sales
Hylo does not display advertising and does not sell user data. Ever. Revenue comes from paid products and community contributions.
#### No algorithmic manipulation
There is no black-box algorithm deciding what you see. Members control their own feed ranking and notification preferences.
#### Data portability
Groups can export their data. If you leave Hylo, you leave with your information. No lock-in.
#### Community-governed
Hylo is a fiscally sponsored 501(c)(3) non-profit moving toward participatory governance. The platform's direction is shaped by the communities that use it through participatory design, community calls, and the Building Hylo group.
#### Privacy controls
Groups control their own visibility and access settings. Members control their own location precision and profile visibility. Hylo never shares personal data without informed consent.
#### Internationalization
Hylo supports multiple languages and is working toward broader accessibility across ability, culture, and bandwidth.
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