Status

Gopherbot is in the middle of the v3 transition. The important point for users is that the current engine behavior is real and usable now, even though some long-tail features and connectors are still evolving.

The docs in this book were reorganized in March 2026 around the workflow the project actually supports today:

• develop and run the engine locally on a Linux workstation
• keep robot configuration in git
• prefer built-in interpreters and current v3 config structure
• deploy the same robot cleanly to long-running environments

What is current

• The startup and configuration model documented here matches the current v3 engine defaults and robot skeleton.
• The SSH connector is the default local-development connector.
• Slack remains the primary production team-chat connector.
• Multi-protocol runtime support, PrimaryProtocol, SecondaryProtocols, and username-authoritative identity are part of the current model.
• BasicMarkdown is the default outgoing message format unless you set another one explicitly.

What is still moving

• Some included plugins and older integrations are still catching up to v3 expectations.
• Connector coverage is still uneven across platforms; this manual focuses on what is supported and maintained today.
• The engine still evolves faster than the user manual at times, so the shipped defaults and example repositories remain useful companion references.

How to read this book

If you are new to Gopherbot, start with Part I and build a local robot first.

If you already run older robots, jump to Configuration Reference and Upgrading Existing Robots.

If you are writing automation, Part III is the modern starting point after you are comfortable with the local workflow.