Skip to content

Welcome to The Nest: Getting Started Guide

Welcome to The Nest! This guide serves as your starting point for creating your account, navigating available services, and getting support whenever you need it.

1. Requesting Access

Ready to join the flock? Submit a Fledgling Application.

To complete your request, you will need:

  • A Username: Choose carefully! Usernames cannot be easily changed once created.
  • A Working Email Address: This address will be used for your initial setup, account recovery, and optional service notifications.
    • Note: Your email address is never shared with external services.
  • A quick message about who you know: The Nest is for friends and family.
  • The Secret: An inside joke. Ask someone who knows. No bots allowed!

Once submitted, an administrator will review your request and approve your access.

2. Signing In with a Passkey

The Nest uses passwordless authentication (powered by Keycloak and WebAuthn). Instead of remembering complex passwords, you'll log in securely using a passkey.

What is a Passkey?

A passkey lets you sign in using your physical device or password manager instead of typing a password. You will use the exact same passkey for all services across The Nest.

What You Need

To sign in, you will need a passkey-compatible device or tool, such as:

  • A passkey-capable password manager like Vaultwarden
    • We highly recommend using Vaultwarden or a password manager like it.
  • A smartphone or tablet
  • A computer equipped with a fingerprint reader or face scanner
  • A hardware security key (such as a YubiKey)

First-Time Account Setup

Once your account is approved by an administrator, you will receive two emails:

  1. An invitation to Vaultwarden (an optional password manager service).
  2. Setup instructions directing you to this guide.

If you would like to use Vaultwarden, accept the invite; if not, feel free to ignore it.

To complete your initial sign-in:

  1. Navigate to sso.mynest.love and click Sign In.
  2. Enter the account username and temporary password provided in your setup details.
    • This is the only time you will use a traditional password.
  3. Follow the on-screen prompts to register a passkey on your device.

3. Your Default Account Services

Upon joining The Nest, you automatically gain access to several core platforms:

Service Description
Matrix Group chat, direct messaging, and voice/video calling
Vaultwarden Bitwarden-compatible password manager for securing credentials
Forgejo Code hosting and collaborative project workspace

Requesting Additional Access

Additional services require separate administrator authorization. Please review the Requesting Service Access guide for more information.

4. Exploring & Signing Into Services

As you explore the user guides for each platform, signing in is straightforward. Most services use a single button labeled "Sign in with The Nest".

Terminology Tip

Depending on the app, you might see phrases like "Sign in with OIDC", "Sign in with Keycloak", or "Sign in with SSO". These all mean the exact same thing: sign in using your standard Nest passkey!

5. Troubleshooting & Support

If you run into any issues along the way, here is how to resolve them:

  • Unable to Sign In? Try using a different passkey-supported device, or reach out to an administrator on Matrix.
  • Service Unavailable or Unresponsive? Systems undergo automated daily updates around 03:00am EST. Please wait a few minutes and refresh your browser.
  • Need General Assistance? Head over to the Admin space in Matrix and drop your question in the "Ask an Admin" room.

6. Go Fish

We can't possibly document all the features of every service in The Nest. So that leaves you to figure some things out yourself!

  • Start with the guides here. They'll get you in and focused on the main features we think you'll like.
  • Mess around! Go dig into the settings, click on things, break something.
  • Every service in The Nest is Free and Open Source Software (FOSS). This means you can find guides, resources, and wikis for just about everything.
  • Ask questions. Go ask your fellow Nestlings for help!
  • Have ideas? Post them in the "Feature Requests" room in the Admin space on Matrix.
  • Improve the docs! The docs are maintained on forgejo. Go submit a PR and make The Nest a better place.