[Story] EX: Join a room by its alias

[manuroe]

Description

• As a user
• I want to join a room by typing its alias
• So that I can join any room advertised by its alias

The current workaround is to post the room alias in a room in the app and tap on the link. EXI supports the /join command in the text composer of the room timeline but it is hacky.

Acceptance criteria

• An error is reported to the user is the room alias is not valid. See the Matrix spec: https://spec.matrix.org/latest/#room-aliases
• An error is reported if the room cannot be found. (EW says "#alias:example.org does not exist. Are you sure you're at the right place?")
• If the room is found, the app display the "Join room" screen.

Note: there are two reasons for a room not being found:
- the room does not exist at all. The user may have made a typo
- the homeserver in the alias is no more accessible. The room can still be alive on other servers. This is why we are using the via parameter in permalink but using via here does not sound possible. The user will not be able to join the room. The only solution is to find another alias for it.

Leads

• Tech: @ganfra
• Design: @americanrefugee

Documentation

Jira: ER-124 EX: Join Room by Its Alias
Doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Y4iSYvzeO5hTfdSNd4_92S4vMURNFk34R8FizllCTaY/edit?tab=t.0
Timesheet: ER-124 EX: Join Room by Its Alias
Figma: iOS | Android

Size estimate

None

Dependencies

• None

Out of scope

• Nothing

Open questions

Questions

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Subtasks

Android

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iOS

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Sign-off

Android

• Design sign-off on completion
• QA sign-off on completion
• Product sign-off on completion

iOS

• Design sign-off on completion
• QA sign-off on completion
• Product sign-off on completion

[manuroe]

For reference, EW and legacy mobile apps offer this via the room directory. EX has not the room directory enabled to keep the age rating of the apps low.

Element Web

You can join a room by alias using the Explore Public Rooms screen:

Error:

Element Android

In 'Explore Rooms` you can tap on the alias if is valid:

Error:

[americanrefugee]

Final designs done:

• iOS
• Android