help: Fix incorrect explanation of generic bots.

The previous explanation of generic bots was inaccurate.

This page needs a lot more cleanup, but this at least fixes the
clearest inaccuracies.

Fixes #19978.
This commit is contained in:
Tim Abbott 2022-02-10 17:22:37 -08:00
parent 8da6098631
commit 8e68e98e33
1 changed files with 14 additions and 11 deletions

View File

@ -39,10 +39,9 @@ The **bot type** determines what the bot can do.
Bot type | Permissions | Common uses Bot type | Permissions | Common uses
---|---|--- ---|---|---
Incoming webhook | Send messages into Zulip | Third party integrations Generic | Like a normal user account | Automating tasks, bots that listen to all messages on a stream
Outgoing webhook | Send messages into Zulip, read messages where the bot is addressed | Third party integrations, most custom bots Incoming webhook | Limited to only sending messages into Zulip | Automated notifications into Zulip
Generic | Anything the bot creator can do | Automating tasks, bots that listen to all messages on a stream Outgoing webhook | Generic bot that also receives new messages via HTTP post requests | Third party integrations, most custom bots
API super bot (self-hosted only) | Anything any user can do | Mirroring
It's generally best to pick the most restricted bot type that is sufficient It's generally best to pick the most restricted bot type that is sufficient
to do the task at hand. Anyone with the bot's API key can do anything the to do the task at hand. Anyone with the bot's API key can do anything the
@ -50,6 +49,17 @@ bot can.
A few more details: A few more details:
* Bots can send messages to any stream that their owner can,
inheriting their owner's [sending permissions](/help/stream-sending-policy).
* Bots can be subscribed to streams, and their role can be modified if
they need to have permission to do administrative actions.
* **Generic**: A generic bot is like a normal Zulip user account that
cannot log in via a browser. Note that if you truly want to
impersonate yourself (e.g. write messages that come from your Zulip
account), you'll need to use your **personal API key**.
* **Outgoing webhook**: The bot can read private messages where the bot is a * **Outgoing webhook**: The bot can read private messages where the bot is a
participant, and stream messages where the bot is [mentioned](/help/mention-a-user-or-group). When the participant, and stream messages where the bot is [mentioned](/help/mention-a-user-or-group). When the
bot is PM'd or mentioned, it POSTs the message content to a URL of your bot is PM'd or mentioned, it POSTs the message content to a URL of your
@ -59,13 +69,6 @@ A few more details:
This is the preferred bot type for interactive bots built on top of Zulip This is the preferred bot type for interactive bots built on top of Zulip
botserver. botserver.
* **Generic**: Note that if you truly want to impersonate yourself
(e.g. write messages that come from you, rather than from a look-a-like),
you'll need to use your **personal API key**.
* **API super bot**: You cannot create this from the web interface.
[Contact us](/help/contact-support) if you'd like information on how to set this up.
## Adding bots ## Adding bots
By default, anyone other than guests can [add a bot](/help/add-a-bot-or-integration) to a By default, anyone other than guests can [add a bot](/help/add-a-bot-or-integration) to a