Platforms and fetch tiers
# Platforms and fetch tiers
Homestead knows nine platforms: Instagram, Facebook, LINE, WeChat, Bluesky, X (Twitter),
Douyin, Xiaohongshu (RED) and Truth Social. Everything it knows about them lives in one data
file, [`platforms/platforms.yaml`](https://github.com/aprajnaparamita/homestead/blob/main/platforms/platforms.yaml):
URL patterns, short-link hosts, handle rules, deep links into the apps, and how to fetch.
## Fetch tiers
Every account has a **fetch tier** that says who gets its posts.
| Tier | Who fetches | Used for | What you see |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `server` | Homestead's own connector | Open APIs (Bluesky, Truth Social), and X with the household's own API key | Posts in the feed |
| `agent` | Your AI agent, in its own logged-in browser | Platforms that need a login: Instagram, Facebook, Douyin, Xiaohongshu, X without a key, LINE VOOM | Posts in the feed when an agent is connected; otherwise visit suggestions and a "Connect an agent" hint |
| `closed` | Nobody | Content that only exists inside the app: WeChat Moments, personal LINE | Visit suggestions, "visit" bubbles in the story rail, and a link into the app |
An account's tier starts from the platform default. It changes only when a server connector
gets blocked (server becomes agent), when the X API key is added or removed, or when the
platform is closed.
## Platform matrix
| Platform | id | Default tier | Moments | How Homestead gets them | Default interval |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Instagram | `instagram` | agent | story, post, video | Agent playbook `instagram.fetch.v1` | 3 h |
| Facebook | `facebook` | agent | story, post, video | Agent playbook `facebook.fetch.v1` | 3 h |
| LINE | `line` | closed (agent for VOOM and official accounts) | post, video, story | Agent playbook `line.voom.v1` | 6 h |
| WeChat | `wechat` | closed | none | Visit only | none |
| Bluesky | `bluesky` | server | post, video, link | Public API at `public.api.bsky.app`, no login | 1 h |
| X (Twitter) | `x` | agent, or server with a key | post, video, link | X API v2 with your key, or agent playbook `x.fetch.v1` | 3 h |
| Douyin | `douyin` | agent | video, post, story | Agent playbook `douyin.fetch.v1` | 3 h |
| Xiaohongshu | `xiaohongshu` | agent | post, video | Agent playbook `xiaohongshu.fetch.v1` | 6 h |
| Truth Social | `truthsocial` | server (best effort) | post, video, link | Mastodon-compatible API | 1 h |
Some notes from the registry and connectors:
- **Instagram.** The official API only covers your own business account, so other people's
stories need a browser session.
- **Facebook.** Vanity URLs and numeric IDs both work. `facebook.com/share/…` links are
expanded.
- **LINE.** Personal timelines are private, so most family members are closed tier.
- **WeChat.** Moments, Channels and chats are in the app only. Homestead stores the WeChat ID
and offers **Copy WeChat ID** and **Open WeChat** on visit suggestions.
- **Bluesky.** No stories. Video posts show the poster image and link out for playback.
- **X.** `twitter.com` and `x.com` are one platform. With a key, a monthly budget protects
you from surprise bills. See [Use your X API key](/docs/guides/x-api-key/).
- **Douyin and Xiaohongshu.** Share text carries `v.douyin.com` and `xhslink.com` short
links. A bare 抖音号 or 小红书号 needs an agent to look up the profile first.
- **Truth Social.** After three failures in a row with a 401, 403 or a challenge page, the
account switches to `needs_agent`.
Values marked `verify: true` in the registry are still being confirmed against the real
platforms.
## Platform names you can type
When you type `platform:handle` or `platform handle`, any of these words picks the platform.
They're case-insensitive, and full-width colons count.
| Platform | Aliases |
| --- | --- |
| Instagram | `ig`, `insta`, `instagram`, `照片墙`, `อินสตาแกรม`, `ไอจี` |
| Facebook | `fb`, `facebook`, `脸书`, `เฟซบุ๊ก`, `เฟสบุ๊ค` |
| LINE | `line`, `ไลน์`, `连我`, `line voom`, `ไลน์วูม` |
| WeChat | `wechat`, `weixin`, `wx`, `微信`, `朋友圈`, `视频号`, `วีแชท` |
| Bluesky | `bluesky`, `bsky`, `蓝天`, `บลูสกาย` |
| X | `x`, `twitter`, `tw`, `推特`, `ทวิตเตอร์` |
| Douyin | `douyin`, `dy`, `抖音`, `โต่วอิน` |
| Xiaohongshu | `xiaohongshu`, `xhs`, `red`, `redbook`, `rednote`, `小红书`, `เสี่ยวหงซู` |
| Truth Social | `truthsocial`, `truth`, `ts`, `真相社交`, `ทรูธโซเชียล` |
## Deep links
Every account has links into the native app, used by **Visit** and **Open in** buttons. On a
phone Homestead tries the app link first and falls back to the web page. Tapping one records a
visit, which feeds the visit suggestions.
<Aside type="caution" title="Platform terms">
Many platforms forbid automated access in their terms. The server tier only uses public,
documented APIs. Agent fetching is off until you connect an agent, and you choose which
platforms it may fetch. Using an agent may put your account at risk. You decide. Read
[Privacy and responsible use](/docs/help/privacy-and-responsible-use/).
</Aside>
## More platforms later
YouTube, Threads, Mastodon, TikTok, Weibo, Bilibili, Kuaishou and RSS are candidates after
1.0, not scheduled. Adding a platform starts with the registry file, so most of the work is
data.
Homestead knows nine platforms: Instagram, Facebook, LINE, WeChat, Bluesky, X (Twitter),
Douyin, Xiaohongshu (RED) and Truth Social. Everything it knows about them lives in one data
file, platforms/platforms.yaml:
URL patterns, short-link hosts, handle rules, deep links into the apps, and how to fetch.
Fetch tiers
Section titled “Fetch tiers”Every account has a fetch tier that says who gets its posts.
| Tier | Who fetches | Used for | What you see |
|---|---|---|---|
server | Homestead’s own connector | Open APIs (Bluesky, Truth Social), and X with the household’s own API key | Posts in the feed |
agent | Your AI agent, in its own logged-in browser | Platforms that need a login: Instagram, Facebook, Douyin, Xiaohongshu, X without a key, LINE VOOM | Posts in the feed when an agent is connected; otherwise visit suggestions and a “Connect an agent” hint |
closed | Nobody | Content that only exists inside the app: WeChat Moments, personal LINE | Visit suggestions, “visit” bubbles in the story rail, and a link into the app |
An account’s tier starts from the platform default. It changes only when a server connector gets blocked (server becomes agent), when the X API key is added or removed, or when the platform is closed.
Platform matrix
Section titled “Platform matrix”| Platform | id | Default tier | Moments | How Homestead gets them | Default interval |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
instagram | agent | story, post, video | Agent playbook instagram.fetch.v1 | 3 h | |
facebook | agent | story, post, video | Agent playbook facebook.fetch.v1 | 3 h | |
| LINE | line | closed (agent for VOOM and official accounts) | post, video, story | Agent playbook line.voom.v1 | 6 h |
wechat | closed | none | Visit only | none | |
| Bluesky | bluesky | server | post, video, link | Public API at public.api.bsky.app, no login | 1 h |
| X (Twitter) | x | agent, or server with a key | post, video, link | X API v2 with your key, or agent playbook x.fetch.v1 | 3 h |
| Douyin | douyin | agent | video, post, story | Agent playbook douyin.fetch.v1 | 3 h |
| Xiaohongshu | xiaohongshu | agent | post, video | Agent playbook xiaohongshu.fetch.v1 | 6 h |
| Truth Social | truthsocial | server (best effort) | post, video, link | Mastodon-compatible API | 1 h |
Some notes from the registry and connectors:
- Instagram. The official API only covers your own business account, so other people’s stories need a browser session.
- Facebook. Vanity URLs and numeric IDs both work.
facebook.com/share/…links are expanded. - LINE. Personal timelines are private, so most family members are closed tier.
- WeChat. Moments, Channels and chats are in the app only. Homestead stores the WeChat ID and offers Copy WeChat ID and Open WeChat on visit suggestions.
- Bluesky. No stories. Video posts show the poster image and link out for playback.
- X.
twitter.comandx.comare one platform. With a key, a monthly budget protects you from surprise bills. See Use your X API key. - Douyin and Xiaohongshu. Share text carries
v.douyin.comandxhslink.comshort links. A bare 抖音号 or 小红书号 needs an agent to look up the profile first. - Truth Social. After three failures in a row with a 401, 403 or a challenge page, the
account switches to
needs_agent.
Values marked verify: true in the registry are still being confirmed against the real
platforms.
Platform names you can type
Section titled “Platform names you can type”When you type platform:handle or platform handle, any of these words picks the platform.
They’re case-insensitive, and full-width colons count.
| Platform | Aliases |
|---|---|
ig, insta, instagram, 照片墙, อินสตาแกรม, ไอจี | |
fb, facebook, 脸书, เฟซบุ๊ก, เฟสบุ๊ค | |
| LINE | line, ไลน์, 连我, line voom, ไลน์วูม |
wechat, weixin, wx, 微信, 朋友圈, 视频号, วีแชท | |
| Bluesky | bluesky, bsky, 蓝天, บลูสกาย |
| X | x, twitter, tw, 推特, ทวิตเตอร์ |
| Douyin | douyin, dy, 抖音, โต่วอิน |
| Xiaohongshu | xiaohongshu, xhs, red, redbook, rednote, 小红书, เสี่ยวหงซู |
| Truth Social | truthsocial, truth, ts, 真相社交, ทรูธโซเชียล |
Deep links
Section titled “Deep links”Every account has links into the native app, used by Visit and Open in buttons. On a phone Homestead tries the app link first and falls back to the web page. Tapping one records a visit, which feeds the visit suggestions.
More platforms later
Section titled “More platforms later”YouTube, Threads, Mastodon, TikTok, Weibo, Bilibili, Kuaishou and RSS are candidates after 1.0, not scheduled. Adding a platform starts with the registry file, so most of the work is data.