zulip/templates/zerver/help/zulip-glossary.md

# Glossary
Exclusive Zulip terminology may be used in Zulip conversations. Here are some
common terms that you should know.

### administrator

**Administrators** have special privileges that allow them to control the
settings and customizations of the realms that they own, including the ability
to deactivate and reactivate other human and bot users, delete streams,
add/remove administrator privileges, as well as change configuration for the
overall realm (e.g. whether an invitation is required to join the realm).

### bot

Zulip **bots** are often used for integrations to send automated messages to
users and can do everything a normal user in the realm can do with a few
exceptions (e.g. a bot cannot login to the web application or create other
bots).

### compose box

The **compose box** is the area where you input the content of your message when
you send stream or private messages. The compose box features several features
that can help you compose your message, such as the **Emojis**, **Attach
files**, **Formatting**, and **Preview** features.

### customization

**Customization** is the process of modifying Zulip's settings to fit a user's
set of personal preferences. Users can customize their Zulip settings by
clicking the cog (<i class="icon-vector-cog"></i>) in the upper right corner of
the right sidebar and choose **Settings** from the dropdown menu.

### down chevron

A **down chevron** is a small downward-facing arrow (<i
class="icon-vector-chevron-down"></i>) icon next to a message’s timestamp that
appears upon hover, offering contextual options when clicked on, such as **View
Source**, **Reply**, **Collapse**, **Mute [this topic]**, and **Link to this
conversation**.

### emoji

An **emoji** is a small image used to express an idea or emotion in a
conversation. Emojis can be included in Zulip messages by enclosing an emoji
phrase (a complete list of emojis can be found
[here](http://www.webpagefx.com/tools/emoji-cheat-sheet/)) in colons or clicking
the **smiley face** (<i class="icon-vector-smile"></i>) icon below the compose
box.

### filter

Also known as a **view**, a filter is one of the options for viewing different
kinds of messages, listed in the upper left corner of the Zulip browser window,
such as **Home**, **Private messages**, **Starred messages**, and
**@-mentions**.

### group PM

Shorthand for **group private message**, a **group PM** is a private message
sent directly to two or more other users rather than through a stream.

### home

**Home** is a specific view (or filter) that shows all messages to the user's
subscribed streams and all of the user's private messages in chronological
order. This view is accessible by clicking the **Home** link or Zulip icon in
the upper left sidebar or pressing the escape key.

### integration

An **integration** is a tool that combines Zulip with another service or
application. Zulip offers a variety of integrations for version control, issue
tracker, CI system, monitoring tools, and other tools used for development. The
three types of integrations that Zulip supports are webhook integrations, Python
script integrations, and plugin integrations.

### mention

To **mention** users in Zulip, you have to type `@` and their email addresses or
usernames for auto-completions in your compose box. The users will be mentioned
in your message as `@**username**`, and they will be notified of your message.
Users can see all messages they've been mentioned in through the **@-mentions**
link in the left sidebar or by using **is:mentioned** as a narrow or a search
constraint.

### /me

`/me` is a reference to one's one name, often used to send status messages to
Zulip by prepending status messages with `/me`. Status messages are usually
written in third person and notify other users about the status of a user, such
as if a user is away from the keyboard or busy.

### message editing

If enabled by an administrator, users can utilize **message editing** for a few
minutes after posting a message to edit the content of their recently-posted
message by hovering to the right of their message's timestamp and clicking the
pencil (<i class="icon-vector-pencil"></i>) icon that appears. Zulip labels
edited messages with **(EDITED)** next to the username of the message writer.

### message table
The **message table** is the current view of messages in the middle pane of an
open browser window. Depending on a user's search settings, the message table
can show all messages in a particular topic or stream.

### muting

**Muting** a topic or stream allows a user to stop being notified of messages
sent to the specified topic or stream. This can be activated by clicking the
corresponding chevron of the stream or topic and selecting **Mute the
[stream/topic] [stream/topic name]** from the dropdown that appears.

### narrowing

**Narrowing** a topic or stream will cause you to only see the
messages of that particular stream or topic. This can be activated by
clicking the corresponding chevron of the stream or topic and
selecting **Narrow to [stream/topic] [stream/topic name]** from the
dropdown that appears or clicking the stream or topic of a set of
messages.

### notification

**Notifications** are messages that appear notifying Zulip users about
important events in the realm, such as being mentioned in another
user's message or the creation of a stream. Notifications can be sent
as emails or browser/desktop notifications, often accompanied by an
alert sound.

### pinning

**Pinning** a stream will move that particular stream above other
streams in the Streams section in the left sidebar. You can pin a
stream by clicking the chevron of the corresponding stream and
clicking **Pin stream [stream] to top** from the dropdown the appears.

### private message

**Private messages** are either **one-on-one** or **group**
conversations. They can only be seen by users participating in the
message. To send a private messages to a user, users can search for
the username or email address.

### private stream

**Private streams** are for confidential discussions and are only
visible to users who've been invited to subscribe to them.

### public stream

**Public streams** are for open discussions. All users can subscribe
to public streams and discuss there.

### realm

A **realm** is a Zulip organization hosted on a domain. Each realm is a private
chamber with its own users, streams, customizations, etc. Administrators manage
the realm, controlling the specific settings of the realms that they own.

### recipient bar

The **recipient bar** is a visual indication of the context of a message or
group of messages, displaying the stream and topic or private message recipient
list, at the top of a group of messages.

### starring

Zulip allows users to mark any important messages they receive as **starred** by
hovering over the area next to the message's timestamp and clicking the star (<i
class="icon-vector-star-empty"></i>) icon that appears. A user can easily access
messages they’ve starred through the **Starred messages** link in the left
sidebar or use **is:starred** as a narrow or a search constraint.

### stream

A **stream** is a channel of topics expected to fall within a certain scope of
content. Streams are located on the left sidebar. Streams are either **public**
(used for open discussions) or **private** (invite-only).

### subscribing

When a user **subscribes** to a stream, the user is choosing to receive all
messages from the stream that they subscribed to.

### timestamp

A **timestamp** shows you the exact time when a message was posted. It is
located to the right of a message.

### topic

**Topics** are similar to conversation threads. Topics are used to describe the
general subject of the messages a user sends. Topics effectively ensure
sequential messages about the same thing are threaded together, allowing for
better consumption by users. The topics of messages can be edited as well as the
content of the message.

### unsubscribing

When a user **unsubscribes** to a stream, the user is choosing to stop receiving
all messages from the stream that they unsubscribed from.

### view

Also known as **filter**, a **view** is an option for viewing different kinds of
messages, listed in the upper left sidebar, including sections **Home**,
**Private messages**, **Starred messages**, and **@-mentions**.