mirror of https://github.com/zulip/zulip.git
361 lines
14 KiB
Markdown
361 lines
14 KiB
Markdown
# Setting up Zulip for a class
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Welcome to Zulip! This page will guide you through setting everything
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up for [teaching with Zulip](/for/education/). If you are using Zulip
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for a different purpose, we recommend checking out the [Setting up
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your organization][setting-up] guide instead.
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If you are a student, or if your Zulip organization is already set up,
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you can proceed to the [Using Zulip for a
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class](/help/using-zulip-for-a-class) guide.
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[getting-started]: /help/getting-started-with-zulip
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[setting-up]: /help/getting-your-organization-started-with-zulip
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If you encounter any problems as you're getting started, please drop
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by our [friendly development community](/development-community/) and let
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us know!
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## Trying out Zulip
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You can start by reading about [Zulip for Education](/for/education/),
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and how Zulip can become the communication hub for your class. Zulip
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is the only [modern team chat app](/features/) that is
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[ideal](/why-zulip/) for both live and asynchronous
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conversations. Post lecture notes and announcements, answer students’
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questions, and coordinate with teaching staff all in one place.
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We also highly recommend trying Zulip for yourself! You can:
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* [Create a Zulip Cloud organization](/new/) for free with just a few
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clicks.
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* [Join the Zulip development community](/development-community/) to see
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Zulip in action. Feel free to introduce yourself and ask questions!
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## Choosing between Zulip Cloud and self-hosting
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Whether [signing up for Zulip Cloud](/new/) or [self-hosting
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Zulip][install-self-hosted] is the right choice for you depends on your needs.
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If you aren’t sure what you need, our high quality export and import
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tools ([cloud][export-cloud], [self-hosted][export-self-hosted])
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ensure you can always move from our hosting to yours (and back).
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[install-self-hosted]: https://zulip.readthedocs.io/en/stable/production/install.html
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[export-cloud]: /help/export-your-organization
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[export-self-hosted]: https://zulip.readthedocs.io/en/latest/production/export-and-import.html
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### Advantages of Zulip Cloud
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* Simple managed solution, with no setup or maintenance
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overhead. [Sign up](/new/) with just a few clicks.
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* Always updated to the latest version of Zulip.
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* Anyone can [start with Zulip Cloud Free](/new/), which works well for a typical class.
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* For large classes and departments, we offer [special Zulip for
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Education pricing](/for/education/#feature-pricing), with the same
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features as Zulip Cloud Standard. You can always get started with
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Zulip Cloud Free, and upgrade down the line if needed.
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### Advantages of self-hosting Zulip
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* Zulip is [100% open-source software](https://github.com/zulip), with
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no "open core" catch.
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* We work hard to make it easy to [set up][install-zulip],
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[back up][back-up-zulip], and [maintain][maintain-zulip] a self-hosted
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Zulip installation.
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* Retain full control over your data. If cloud hosting is not an
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option due to stringent data and privacy requirements (e.g. in the
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European Union), self-hosting is the option for you.
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* Customize Zulip for all your needs.
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[install-zulip]: https://zulip.readthedocs.io/en/latest/production/install.html
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[back-up-zulip]: https://zulip.readthedocs.io/en/stable/production/export-and-import.html#backups
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[maintain-zulip]: https://zulip.readthedocs.io/en/stable/production/upgrade-or-modify.html
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## Do I need a separate Zulip organization for each class?
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There are a few ways to set up Zulip, and different ones may be convenient for your needs:
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* If your **school or department already has a Zulip organization**,
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you will probably find it easiest to just add your class to
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it. Advantages:
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- Students and staff can use a single Zulip account for all classes.
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- You can create department-wide channels, e.g. for announcing talks or other events.
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- You don’t need to set up a separate server if you’re self-hosting Zulip.
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* You can **set up a separate Zulip organization for each class**
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you’re teaching. Advantages:
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- This makes it simple to manage permissions. e.g. if you want to
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make sure TAs from one class cannot moderate discussion from a
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different class.
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- Students can’t see who is in streams for other classes.
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- You can easily switch between multiple Zulip organizations in
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the [Zulip desktop apps](/apps/).
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* You can **use a single Zulip organization for several classes**
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you’re teaching, perhaps re-purposing a Zulip organization from a
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prior term. Advantages:
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- Information from your classes is all in one place, e.g. if you
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want to re-post a response to a question that was also asked
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last time you taught the class.
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If you change your mind down the line, you can rename your Zulip
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organization by sending a request to
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[support@zulip.com](mailto:support@zulip.com).
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## Create your organization profile
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The information in your organization profile is displayed on the
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registration and login page for your organization, and in the Zulip app.
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### Edit organization profile
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{!edit-organization-profile.md!}
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### Add a wide logo
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{!add-a-wide-logo.md!}
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## Customize organization settings
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{!review-organization-settings-instructions.md!}
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A few settings to highlight:
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* If your class uses a programming language, set the [default
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language for code blocks][default-code-block-language]. Also
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consider setting up [code playgrounds][code-playgrounds].
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* If your class uses code repositories, [set up
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linkifiers](/help/add-a-custom-linkifier) to make it easy to link to
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issues (e.g. just by typing #1234 for issue 1234).
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* [Add custom emoji](/help/custom-emoji) that your class will enjoy.
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[default-code-block-language]: /help/code-blocks#default-code-block-language
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[code-playgrounds]: /help/code-blocks#code-playgrounds
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### Roles and permissions
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Zulip offers [several levels of permissions based on user
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roles](/help/roles-and-permissions). Here are some recommendations for
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how to assign roles and permissions for a class.
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#### Recommended roles and permissions for a single-class Zulip organization
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| Who | Role |
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| ----------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
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| Lead instructor, IT | Owner (also has all Administrator permissions) |
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| Other instructors, head TA | Administrator |
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| Teaching assistants, lab assistants | Moderator |
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| Students | Member |
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##### Settings
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!!! warn ""
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These are the default permissions for new **Education
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(non-profit)** and **Education (for-profit)** organizations.
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- Set [who can invite new users](/help/restrict-account-creation#change-who-can-send-invitations).
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(Recommended: Admins)
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- Set [who can access user email addresses](/help/restrict-visibility-of-email-addresses).
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(Recommended: Admins only)
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- Set [who can create streams](/help/configure-who-can-create-streams).
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(Recommended: Admins for public streams; Admins, moderators and members for private streams)
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- Set [who can add users to streams](/help/configure-who-can-invite-to-streams).
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(Recommended: Admins and moderators)
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- Set [who can edit the topic of any message](/help/configure-who-can-invite-to-streams).
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(Recommended: (default) Members for small classes;
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Admins and moderators for large classes)
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- Set [who can move messages between streams][move-between-streams].
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(Recommended: Admins and moderators)
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- Set [who can create and manage user groups][user-group-permissions].
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(Recommended: Admins and moderators)
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[user-group-permissions]: /help/user-groups#configure-who-can-create-and-manage-user-groups
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[move-between-streams]: /help/configure-message-editing-and-deletion#configure-who-can-move-topics-between-streams
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#### Recommended roles and permissions for a department
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| Who | Role |
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| --------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
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| IT | Owner (also has all Administrator permissions) |
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| IT, department leadership | Administrator |
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| Professors, Lecturers, head TAs | Moderator |
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| Teaching assistants, lab assistants, students | Member |
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##### Settings
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- Set [who can invite new users](/help/restrict-account-creation#change-who-can-send-invitations).
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(Recommended: Admins and moderators)
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- Set [who can access user email addresses](/help/restrict-visibility-of-email-addresses).
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(Recommended: Admins only)
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- Set [who can create streams](/help/configure-who-can-create-streams).
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(Recommended: Admins and moderators for public streams;
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Admins, moderators and members for private streams)
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- Set [who can add users to streams](/help/configure-who-can-invite-to-streams).
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(Recommended: Admins and moderators)
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- Set [who can edit the topic of any message](/help/configure-who-can-invite-to-streams).
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(Recommended: Admins and moderators)
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- Set [who can move messages between streams][move-between-streams].
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(Recommended: Admins and moderators)
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- Set [who can create and manage user groups][user-group-permissions].
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(Recommended: Admins and moderators)
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## Create streams
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{!create-streams-intro.md!}
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### How to create a stream
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{start_tabs}
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{relative|stream|all}
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1. Click **Create stream** on the right.
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1. Fill out the requested info, and click **Create**.
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{end_tabs}
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For more details about stream settings, see [Create a
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stream](/help/create-a-stream#stream-options).
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### Tips for creating streams
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For most classes, the following streams are recommended:
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- **\#announcements**: For general announcements about the class. When
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creating this stream, [restrict posting
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permissions](/help/stream-sending-policy) so that only course staff
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([Administrators and moderators](/help/roles-and-permissions) are
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allowed to post.
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- **\#staff (private)**: For discussions among course staff.
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- **\#general**: For random topics, e.g. students forming study groups.
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- A stream for each **lecture** or **unit**, e.g. “Lecture 1: Course
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intro” or “Unit 3: Sorting algorithms”.
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- A stream for each **section**/**tutorial group** (e.g. “Section 1”)
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!!! tip ""
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You can start by creating streams for just the first few
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lectures/units at this point. When you create a new stream,
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you will be able to copy stream membership from existing streams.
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A few notes:
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- Small classes may need just one discussion stream for all lectures.
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- If you are [using a single Zulip organization][separate-orgs] for
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more than one class, all stream names should be prefixed with the
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name of the class, e.g. “CS101 > Lecture 1: Course intro”.
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[separate-orgs]: /help/setting-up-zulip-for-a-class#do-i-need-a-separate-zulip-organization-for-each-class
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## Customize settings for new users
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{!customize-settings-for-new-users.md!}
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!!! tip ""
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If using your Zulip organization for a single class, set default
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streams for new users to include \#announcements, \#general, and
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all lecture/unit streams.
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## Invite users to join
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!!! tip ""
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Before inviting users, you may want to [delete any test
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messages][delete-message] or [topics](/help/delete-a-topic).
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[delete-message]: /help/edit-or-delete-a-message#delete-a-message-completely
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### How to invite users to join
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To simplify subscription management, be sure to set the streams
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students and staff should be added to when you create the
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invitations. You may choose to send invitations to course staff
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separately, so that they can immediately be added to private streams
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for your class.
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{!how-to-invite-users-to-join.md!}
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To get everyone off to a good start, you may wish to share the guide
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to [Getting started with Zulip][getting-started] and the guide to
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[Using Zulip for a class](/help/using-zulip-for-a-class).
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!!! tip ""
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If you create new streams later on, you can add users
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[by group][create-user-groups] or copy membership from another
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stream (e.g. from Lecture 5 to Lecture 6).
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[create-user-groups]: /help/setting-up-zulip-for-a-class#create-user-groups
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## Create user groups
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User groups allow you to [mention](/help/mention-a-user-or-group)
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multiple users at once,
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[notifying](/help/pm-mention-alert-notifications) them about a
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message. For example, you may find it useful to set up the following
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user groups:
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- @staff
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- @TAs
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- @graders
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- @students
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- @section1, @section2, etc.
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### How to create a user group
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{!how-to-create-a-user-group.md!}
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## Set up integrations
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Zulip integrates directly with dozens of products, and with hundreds
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more through [Zapier](/integrations/doc/zapier) and
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[IFTTT](/integrations/doc/ifttt). Popular Zulip integrations include
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[GitHub](/integrations/doc/github) and
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[Twitter](/integrations/doc/twitter). The [integrations
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page](/integrations) has instructions for integrating with each
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product.
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## Cleaning up at the end of a class
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If you plan to use the same Zulip organization in future terms (either
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for your own classes or for your department), you will likely want to:
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- Rename all streams to indicate the class and term in which they were used, e.g.:
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- \#announcements → \#FA21 - CS101 - announcements
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- \#CS101 > Lecture 1: Course intro → #FA21 - CS101 > Lecture 1: Course intro
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- If you do *not* want students from future classes to see messages
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from the prior term (e.g. because you posted homework solutions),
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[make all the streams from the class private][make-private]. You’ll
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be able to find and reuse content yourself, and [invite course
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staff][add-to-stream] to these private streams as needed.
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- You may choose to [deactivate students’ Zulip
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accounts][deactivate-user] when the class is over.
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- [Unpin streams](/help/pin-a-stream) from the class from your
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personal view.
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If you do not plan to reuse the Zulip organization, you can instead:
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* [Export the organization](/help/export-your-organization) or [generate a static
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HTML archive](https://github.com/zulip/zulip-archive) to archive the information.
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* [Deactivate the organization](/help/deactivate-your-organization).
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## Further reading
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* [Using Zulip for a class](/help/using-zulip-for-a-class)
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* [Getting started with Zulip](/help/getting-started-with-zulip)
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* [Streams and topics](/help/streams-and-topics)
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* [Moderating open organizations](/help/moderating-open-organizations)
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[make-private]: /help/change-the-privacy-of-a-stream
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[add-to-stream]: /help/add-or-remove-users-from-a-stream
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[deactivate-user]: /help/deactivate-or-reactivate-a-user#deactivate-ban-a-user
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