Mandala
Coming really soon
PartialHow to

Users and permissions

Your account

A Mandala home belongs to one person today: you. Your account is your first name and a passkey (Face ID, Touch ID, Windows Hello), created at the first run (The first run). The passkey is also one of your root authorities: what decides which devices are yours.

Signing in

One button and Face ID; nothing typed. Settings → Security:

  • Your seal — every device of yours shows the same one.
  • Ask for Face ID to open Mandala / Require sign-in — on for homes created with an account.
  • Passkeys — what can sign you in and approve your devices. Add one (saved in iCloud Keychain or Google Password Manager) and approve it with what you already have: another passkey, your paper key words, or a security key. A root holds at most 3 keys.
  • Devices and browsers — everywhere you are signed in, with Sign out for each. Sign out anything you don't recognise.
  • Add a device — see Join a device with a code.

Sessions last 30 days, renewed as you use them, on your own devices; 12 hours, closed with the browser, on a shared computer.

Face ID again for sensitive acts

Some acts ask for a fresh Face ID, valid five minutes: changing which devices are yours (keys), who can act for you (people), what your accomplice may do on its own (autonomy), moving money, letting your accomplice use a computer, and showing a secret. A Confirm it's you sheet appears; nothing happens without it.

Homes set up before accounts

A node configured by environment (ALMA_OWNER_NAME, MANDALA_PRINCIPAL) keeps working without sign-in, behind your tailnet, until you add a passkey in Settings → Security and turn on Require sign-in. MANDALA_LOGIN=required or off overrides the account's choice.

The network is still a wall

Keep Mandala on your tailnet (Tailscale and HTTPS) even with sign-in on: it stays an extra wall until Mandala is hardened for the public internet. Tailscale ACLs can narrow who reaches the machine.

Permissions inside

  • Your accomplice acts under its delegation and your autonomy settings, with approvals for everything that matters (Approvals).
  • Organisations and spaces are acted for by delegation, checked by the rules (Delegation).
  • Devices are trusted by certificate from your root (Keys and recovery).
  • Apple Health pushes need a bearer token you can revoke.

Coming soon

Coming soon — several people per home: invited colleagues and household members, each with their own identity, passkeys and accomplice, and roles in words (Inviting people).