Soma
Abantu

Sync and Relay

How abantu stays in sync across devices, and the separate isoko relay bridge that carries protocols and adoptions to the marketplace.
This is the summer 2026 guide.
Some of it has changed since. A new guide (v1) is being written.
See the new guide

Sync and Relay

By default, abantu works offline. Your event log is stored locally. When two members are on the same device session or share an invite, events merge.

For real-time sync across devices, a relay server is needed.

What the relay does

The relay is a WebSocket server that holds events for each community cell and delivers them to members when they connect. It does not store identities, display names, or any data beyond the signed events it receives.

Using a relay

The relay URL is configured when the app is deployed. If your community administrator has set one up, it is already active — you will see events from other members appear in real time without any extra steps.

Running your own relay

See Relays for instructions on running the relay server.

The relay can only read signed events. It cannot forge events, modify history, or impersonate members. All trust is in the cryptographic log, not the relay.

The isoko marketplace relay

Abantu talks to a second, separate relay: the isoko relay. This is where published protocols and your protocol adoptions are shared so that isoko can pick them up.

Configure it in Settings → isoko marketplace relay. The default points at the public relay; if your community runs its own isoko relay, paste its URL here. Both bridges are best-effort — if the isoko relay is unreachable, abantu continues to work normally and only the cross-app sync is delayed.

Identity and devices

Proposals and Roles

The formal decision mechanism, and how a community records who holds which responsibility.

Identity and Devices

Two more ways to use your identity somewhere new — linking a browser or desktop as a full device, and signing in to another app without handing over your key.