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Web push notifications ​

Web push sends Brainitive notifications to your desktop or phone, even when the app isn't open. This covers mentions, assignments, ticket activity and upcoming calendar reminders. It works in modern browsers on Windows, macOS, Linux and Android, and on iPhone / iPad from the Home Screen app.

Turn it on ​

  1. Open your avatar → Profile settings → Notifications.
  2. Click Register this device and allow notifications when the browser asks.
  3. Under Your devices, click Send test to check that a notification arrives.

Register each browser and device you use. The list shows every registered device, which one is This device, and devices marked Expired. A device expires when its browser drops the subscription, for example after you clear site data. You can Remove a device, or register it again. In the same section, you choose which notifications reach you in the app, as a push, or by email.

iPhone and iPad

Push only works in the Home Screen app on iOS / iPadOS 16.4 or later. Tap Share → Add to Home Screen, open Brainitive from the Home Screen, and turn notifications on there.

The test was delivered, but nothing showed up ​

"Delivered" means the browser's push service accepted the notification. If you don't see it, the device is hiding it:

  • Windows: turn off Focus / Do not disturb, and keep the browser running in the background.
  • macOS: turn off Focus in Control Center. Check System Settings → Notifications for your browser.
  • iPhone / iPad: go to Settings → Notifications → Brainitive, allow notifications, and turn Focus off.
  • Android: turn off Do not disturb. Battery saver can delay notifications.

Self-hosting: VAPID keys ​

Web push needs a VAPID key pair. Without one, no browser can subscribe, and the profile page says "Push notifications aren't set up on the server yet." Your instance also has to be served over HTTPS.

  1. Generate a key pair:

    bash
    # Docker: prints the keys, then copy them into .env
docker compose exec app php artisan webpush:vapid --show

# Without Docker: writes the two keys into .env directly
php artisan webpush:vapid

  2. Set the keys and a contact (the command doesn't write VAPID_SUBJECT):

    ini
    VAPID_SUBJECT=mailto:admin@example.com
VAPID_PUBLIC_KEY=BExamplePublicKey...
VAPID_PRIVATE_KEY=examplePrivateKey...

  3. Restart Brainitive, including the queue worker (with Docker: docker compose up -d).

Keep the keys

Never change the keys on a running instance. Browsers that subscribed with the old keys stop receiving pushes and have to register again.

The server must be able to reach the browsers' push services (Google, Mozilla, Apple, Microsoft) over the internet. If Send test says "The server could not reach the push service", outgoing connections are being blocked.