Notifications
This section explains the notification system, how to view and manage notifications, and what types of notifications you can receive.
What it is
Core elements
- Notification center: accessible through the social panel, shows system messages and updates.
- Account-based: notifications are tied to your signed-in account, not your device.
- Real-time updates: notifications appear immediately when events occur.
- Notification types: promo code activations, Premium grants, achievement unlocks, and system announcements.
Notification system
The platform uses an in-app notification system:
- No email notifications: all notifications are displayed only within the application.
- No push notifications: you must open the app to see notifications.
- Signed-in only: anonymous users cannot receive or view notifications.
- Cross-device sync: notifications sync across all devices where you're signed in.
- Persistent history: notifications remain in your inbox until you delete them.
Notification types
Promo code activated: - Appears when you successfully activate a promotional code. - Shows what was unlocked (Premium days, achievements). - Example: "Promo code activated! You received 30 days of Premium!"
Premium activated: - Sent when Premium subscription is granted to your account. - Shows duration (e.g., "Premium subscription activated for 30 days!"). - Can come from promo code activation or direct grant by administrators.
Achievement unlocked: - Notifies you when a new achievement badge is added to your account. - Shows which achievement was unlocked (Team, Pro, Contributor). - Example: "Achievement unlocked: Pro"
System announcements: - Platform updates, new features, or important information. - Sent by administrators to all users or specific user groups. - Example: "New deck editor feature now available!"
Notification states
Each notification can be in one of these states:
- Unread: new notification with visual indicator (dot or highlighting).
- Read: notification you've marked as read, remains in inbox.
- Deleted: permanently removed from your inbox.
How to use
Key steps
- Sign in with OAuth (notifications require authentication).
- Open the social panel (chat icon button).
- Switch to Notifications tab to view your inbox.
- Mark as read or delete notifications as needed.
Accessing notifications
To view your notifications:
- Ensure you're signed in: notifications are only available for authenticated users.
- Open the social panel: click the chat icon button in the interface.
- Switch to "Notifications" tab: located next to "Session Chat" and "Participants" tabs.
- View notification list: scrollable list of all your notifications, newest first.
- Unread count: if you have unread notifications, a count badge appears on the Notifications tab.
Sign-in required
If you try to access notifications while anonymous, you'll see a message: "Sign in to view notifications"
Reading notifications
Each notification displays:
- Icon or type indicator: visual cue for notification type.
- Main message: the notification text (e.g., "Promo code activated!").
- Details: additional information (e.g., "You received 30 days of Premium!").
- Timestamp: how long ago the notification was received:
- "Just now" - within the last minute
- "5 min ago" - minutes ago
- "2h ago" - hours ago
- "3d ago" - days ago
- Read status: unread notifications have visual highlighting.
Managing notifications
Mark as read: 1. Click the "Mark as read" button on an unread notification. 2. The notification's visual highlighting is removed. 3. It remains in your inbox but is no longer counted as unread.
Delete notification: 1. Click the "Delete" button on any notification. 2. Confirmation (if enabled) asks you to confirm deletion. 3. The notification is permanently removed from your inbox. 4. Deleted notifications cannot be recovered.
Deletion is permanent
Once you delete a notification, it cannot be restored. Make sure you've read important information before deleting.
Notification badge
The Notifications tab shows an unread count:
- No badge: all notifications are read.
- Number badge: shows count of unread notifications (e.g., "3").
- Auto-update: count decreases when you mark notifications as read.
Scenarios
- Check after signing in: review notifications for any updates while you were offline.
- Promo code confirmation: verify that your promo code was successfully activated and see what you received.
- Premium tracking: see when Premium was granted and for how long.
- Achievement celebration: be notified when you earn a new badge.
- Stay informed: receive announcements about new features or platform updates.
- Inbox cleanup: regularly delete old notifications to keep your inbox organized.
Tips and errors
- Anonymous mode: you cannot receive notifications without signing in - use OAuth authentication first.
- No email fallback: notifications don't trigger emails - check the app regularly.
- No mobile push: unlike mobile apps, the web app doesn't send push notifications to your device.
- Sync across devices: notifications you read or delete on one device sync to all devices.
- Persistent inbox: notifications don't expire automatically - they remain until you delete them.
- Empty state: if you have no notifications, you'll see "All caught up!" message.
- Limited history: very old notifications (6+ months) may be automatically archived by the system.
- Timestamp precision: timestamps are approximate and update in real-time as time passes.
Screenshots
Elements on the screenshot: 1. Social panel with tabs 2. Notifications tab with unread badge (e.g., "3") 3. Session Chat tab 4. Participants tab 5. Support tab 6. Feedback tab
Elements on the screenshot: 1. Unread notification with highlighting 2. Notification message text 3. Notification details/description 4. Timestamp ("5 min ago") 5. "Mark as read" button 6. "Delete" button 7. Read notification (no highlighting)
Elements on the screenshot: 1. Promo code activated notification 2. Premium subscription notification 3. Achievement unlocked notification 4. System announcement notification 5. Different timestamp formats
Elements on the screenshot: 1. "All caught up!" message 2. Empty notification list 3. No unread count badge