Profiles

Everyone with an account has a public display name, an optional bio, and a public profile page listing the lessons they've published. Your email address is never shown to anyone: wherever the app names an author or a commenter, it uses the display name.

Your display name

The first time you sign in, a Choose a display name box appears and stays until you pick one. A name can be 2 to 40 characters. It's what other people see on your lessons and comments.

To change it later, open the account menu and choose Edit display name, or go to Settings and press Change next to Display name. Changing it also updates the name on the lessons and comments you've already posted.

Some names can't be used: names containing language that isn't allowed, and names a moderator has banned.

Your bio

A bio is a short "about me" on your profile page. Add one with Add a bio on your own profile, or with Edit next to Bio in Settings. Either opens the Edit bio box.

A bio can have simple formatting and links, but no pictures or other media. It can be up to 500 characters, counting only the words you write, not the formatting; the counter under the box measures it the same way. Leave the box empty and press Save to remove your bio. Bios containing language that isn't allowed are refused.

Profile pages

Click any author's or commenter's name to open their profile. To find your own, choose My profile from the account menu.

A profile shows the person's name, bio, follower and following counts, and their Published lessons. Drafts and lessons a moderator has hidden aren't listed. Activity shows their recent lessons and comments, and RSS gives you a feed of the same to follow in a feed reader.

Following people

Press Follow on someone's profile to follow them. The button changes to Following; press it again to unfollow. The first time you follow someone they get a notification. You can't follow yourself.

The follower and following counts on a profile open a Connections box with Followers and Following tabs. These lists are public, and each name links to that person's profile.

Once you follow people, the From people you follow panel on your home page shows their latest lessons and comments, newest first.

For the endpoints and storage behind profiles and following, see Profiles for developers.