Matrix-Mast-Bot (BoostBot)
A Matrix bot that boosts Mastodon posts with an emoji-based approval workflow, built for the GNOME community
Overview
A Matrix bot that boosts Mastodon posts based on the Mastodon credentials it’s given — built to help the GNOME community amplify noteworthy posts directly from their Matrix rooms.
How It Works
- Request — users trigger a boost with
!boost <mastodon-url>in a Matrix room - Preview — the bot locates the post and shows a preview in the room
- Approval — authorized users approve or reject via thumbs up/down emoji reactions
- Boost — after a 5-minute window, the post is boosted by the target account
- Log — a summary post records who asked, who approved, and when it was boosted
Features
- Emoji-based approval workflow (thumbs up/down)
- 5-minute abort window with a 1-minute reminder
- Authorized-user-only approvals
- Cleanup of reminder posts after completion
- Full audit log of boost decisions
Tech
Matrix bot joining the homeserver (gnome.org), no exposed ports — purely room-based interaction. Designed to run on GNOME infrastructure.
Impact
Deployed in production — in daily use by the GNOME Engagement Team with multiple boosts per day. The bot is a working part of how the GNOME community amplifies its members’ posts across the fediverse.