Invite Family Members

Inviting someone means assigning them a specific slot in the tree. You are not just saying "come join my app." You are saying "you are this person, this is your place in this family."

Only the tree maintainer can generate invitations. Do not share your invitation links carelessly.

What happens when someone accepts an invitation

When your cousin Amahoro accepts an invitation:

1. Her device joins the family cell — the encrypted group that holds the tree data.
2. She is assigned the person record you designated for her.
3. She can see the tree, add information about herself, and participate in group chats.
4. She cannot modify anyone else's record without your approval.

Two ways to invite

In person — QR code (most secure)

This is the preferred method. You are physically present with the person you are inviting. You show them a QR code on your screen. They scan it. Done.

Open iwacu. Go to the family panel for the family they belong to — either open it from the tree by hovering a family card and clicking 💬, or use the terminal:

family show myfamily

In the family panel, go to Members. Find the person's row. Tap the 🔗 icon. A QR code appears on your screen.

The person you are inviting opens iwacu on their phone. If they do not have it yet, the QR landing page has a download link. They scan the code. The app processes the invitation automatically.

Remotely — invite link

If you cannot meet in person, you can send an invite link. The link is safe to send over WhatsApp, SMS, or email — it contains an encrypted payload that only the iwacu app can process.

In the Members panel, tap 🔗 next to the person's name, then tap Copy link. Send that link through whatever channel you use.

The link will open a web page. If the recipient has iwacu installed, the page will open the app automatically. If not, it will offer a download.

The link expires in 72 hours. If your family member does not use it in time, generate a new one. Tell them to expect it, and tell them when you sent it.

What to do if someone joins as the wrong person

If an invitation was used by the wrong person — it happens, especially with family group chats — revoke their access:

1. Open the family panel → Members.
2. Remove the incorrect person from the cell.
3. Generate a new invitation for the correct person.

You are the maintainer. You have this power. Use it when needed.

Check who has joined

In the terminal:

family show myfamily

The panel shows all members and which ones are active (have accepted an invitation and connected at least once).