NAME

App::Robobot - Extensible multi-protocol S-Expression chatbot

SYNOPSIS

    use AnyEvent;
    use App::RoboBot;
    App::RoboBot->new()->run;

DESCRIPTION

App::RoboBot provides an event-driven, multi-protocol, multi-network, user-programmable, plugin-based, S-Expression chatbot. Any text-based chat service could be supported, with plugins currently for IRC, Slack, and Mattermost included.

Major features include:

• S-Expression Syntax

  Chatbot commands are issued via an S-Expression syntax (spiritual guidance from Clojure on some of the sugar for non-list structures). This language, while no match for a full-blown, general purpose programming environment, is flexible enough when combined with the macro and plugin support to allow users on your chat service of choice to dynamically extend the functionality of the bot on the fly.

• Multi-protocol

  App::RoboBot currently includes support for IRC, Slack, and Mattermost out of the box. Additional service plugins would be easy to add, as long as there is an AnyEvent compatible library for them on CPAN or you are willing to write one. Network protocol plugins need only implement a small number of methods for core actions like connection/disconnecting from a network service, parsing incoming messages, and sending messages.

• Multi-network

  Bot instances created with App::RoboBot may connect to multiple networks simultaneously (critical for some plugins like ChannelLink which let you create your own bridges between disparate networks), even across different protocols. The only practical limits are memory and bandwidth for the host running your bot.

• Macros

  User-defined macros are core to App::RoboBot's operation and allow authorized users on your chat services to define new functionality for the bot on the fly using a Lisp-like (emphasis on the "like") language. Macros can invoke functions, other macros, and even create more macros. Macros use the exact same S-Expression language as everything else in the bot, and have access to the full functionality.

• Plugins

  Nearly all App::RoboBot functionality is provided through the plugin system. The distribution ships with many plugins already included, from interfaces to external programs like fortune and filters, all the way through to HTTP clients and XML parsing and XPath queries. New plugins may be submitted to the core App::RoboBot project, or distributed separately.

SEE ALSO

The full documentation for App::RoboBot is available at the following site:

    https://robobot.automatomatromaton.com/

Instructions for installing, configuring, and operating bots with this module are provided.

AUTHOR

Jon Sime <jonsime@gmail.com>

CONTRIBUTORS

• Lukas Eklund

• Mohammad S. Anwar

• Shawn Delysse

LICENSE AND COPYRIGHT

This software is copyright (c) 2016 by Jon Sime.

This is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as the Perl 5 programming language system itself.