Quick Start Guide

Welcome to RustChat! This guide will get you up and running quickly.

Signing In

1. Navigate to your team's RustChat URL (e.g., https://chat.yourcompany.com)
2. Enter your email and password
3. Or use SSO if your organization has configured it

Understanding the Interface

Left Sidebar

• Teams: Switch between different teams
• Channels: Public and private channels you're a member of
• Direct Messages: 1:1 and group conversations

Center Pane

• Message History: Scroll through past messages
• Composer: Type and send messages at the bottom

Right Sidebar (RHS)

• Opens for threads, search results, and user profiles

Your First Actions

Set Your Status

Click your avatar to set your status:

• 🟢 Online
• 🟡 Away
• 🔴 Do Not Disturb
• ⚪ Offline

Join a Channel

1. Click the + next to "Channels"
2. Browse public channels
3. Click "Join" on any channel

Send Your First Message

1. Select a channel from the sidebar
2. Type in the message box at the bottom
3. Press Enter to send

Ask an AI Agent

If your administrator has added an AI agent to a channel, mention it like a teammate:

@support-agent what changed in the latest release?

Agents can use channel context and administrator-assigned knowledge bases. If no agent responds, it may not be assigned to the channel or the AI runtime may not be enabled for your workspace.

Format Your Messages

Use Markdown for formatting:

**bold text**
*italic text*
`code`
> quote

Next Steps

• Learn about Channels and DMs
• Learn about AI Agents
• Set up Notifications
• Customize your Settings

Need Help?

See the Troubleshooting section or contact your system administrator.

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For administrators: See the Admin Guide for deployment and configuration.