If This Then AT:// First Look

Graze is excited to preview If This Then AT:// (IFTTA), a groundbreaking automation platform that brings powerful workflow automation to the AT Protocol ecosystem. Currently in invitation-only alpha testing at https://app.ifthisthen.at , IFTTA enables developers and power users to create sophisticated automations that respond to real-time events across the Bluesky network and beyond.

The Origin Story

IFTTA was created by Nick and Devin during the NYC AT Protocol hack-day. Recognizing that developers across the ecosystem were struggling with similar automation challenges—processing Firehose events, managing webhooks, and orchestrating complex workflows—they built IFTTA as a data-driven framework that makes AT Protocol automation accessible without sacrificing power or flexibility.

Why IFTTA Matters for the AT Protocol Ecosystem

As the AT Protocol ecosystem rapidly expands—with almost 40 million users on Bluesky and growing—the need for robust automation tools has become increasingly apparent. IFTTA fills this critical gap by providing a data-driven, node-based automation framework that makes complex workflows accessible to both developers and technical users.

Unlike traditional social media automation tools that rely on proprietary APIs with limited capabilities, IFTTA leverages the open architecture of AT Protocol to enable workflows that were previously impossible. Want to automatically repost any content that mentions your website? Create custom feeds based on complex criteria? Trigger external webhooks when specific events occur? IFTTA makes it all possible through an intuitive blueprint system.

Core Architecture: Blueprints and Nodes

At the heart of IFTTA lies the concept of blueprints—automation definitions that connect AT Protocol events to actions through a series of nodes. Each blueprint consists of an entry node that triggers the automation, optional processing nodes that transform or filter data, and action nodes that execute the desired outcomes.

Entry Nodes: Multiple Trigger Options

IFTTA supports four types of entry nodes, providing flexibility in how automations are initiated:

Jetstream Entry: Monitors the AT Protocol Firehose in real-time, filtering events by DID, collection type, or custom JSONLogic expressions

Webhook Entry: Receives HTTP POST webhooks from external services, enabling integration with existing tools

Periodic Entry: Triggers on cron schedules (from every 30 minutes to every 90 days)

Zapier Integration: Coming soon—seamlessly connect with thousands of apps through Zapier

Processing Nodes: Intelligent Data Manipulation

The platform's processing capabilities set it apart from simple if-this-then-that tools:

Transform Nodes: Reshape data using JSONLogic expressions, extract specific fields, or build complex data structures

Condition Nodes: Implement boolean logic gates with circuit-breaker functionality for reliability

Facet Text Nodes: Automatically parse text to extract @mentions (resolving handles to DIDs), URLs, and hashtags with proper byte-range positioning

Action Nodes: Execute with Precision

When it's time to act, IFTTA provides powerful execution options:

Publish Record: Create any AT Protocol record type (posts, likes, reposts, follows) directly to your PDS

Publish Webhook: Send formatted data to external services like Discord, Slack, or custom endpoints

Real-World Example: Auto-Reposting Website Mentions

Here's a practical example of IFTTA in action. This blueprint automatically reposts any Bluesky post that mentions or links to your website:

{
"entry": {
"type": "jetstream_entry",
"configuration": {
"collection": ["app.bsky.feed.post"]
},
"payload": {
"or": [
{"starts_with": [{"val": ["commit", "record", "embed", "external", "uri"]}, "https://yoursite.com/"]},
{"some": [{"val": ["commit", "record", "facets"]},
{"starts_with": [{"val": ["uri"]}, "https://yoursite.com/"]}
]}
]
}
},
"transform": {
"type": "transform",
"payload": {
"record": {
"$type": "app.bsky.feed.repost",
"subject": {
"cid": {"val": ["commit", "cid"]},
"uri": {"cat": ["at://", {"val": ["did"]}, "/app.bsky.feed.post/", {"val": ["commit", "rkey"]}]}
},
"createdAt": {"now": []}
}
}
},
"action": {
"type": "publish_record",
"payload": {"val": ["record"]}
}
}

This blueprint showcases IFTTA's power: it monitors the entire Bluesky Firehose, intelligently filters for relevant content, transforms the data into a properly formatted repost record, and publishes it to your account—all in real-time.

Technical Foundation: Built for Developers

IFTTA is built with developers and power users in mind, leveraging sophisticated technologies for maximum flexibility and control. While more consumer-friendly tooling and interfaces are in the works, the current implementation showcases the platform's technical foundation:

JSONLogic via datalogic-rs

All data evaluation and transformation uses JSONLogic, implemented through the robust datalogic-rs Rust crate. This provides a declarative, JSON-based approach to complex logic that's both powerful and predictable. Common operators include:

Data access: {"val": ["path", "to", "field"]}

String manipulation: {"cat": [...]}, {"substr": [...]}, {"upper": [...]}

Comparisons: {"==": [...]}, {">": [...]}, {"in": [...]}

Array operations: {"some": [...]}, {"map": [...]}, {"filter": [...]}

XRPC API for Programmatic Access

For developers who prefer code over visual interfaces, IFTTA provides a comprehensive XRPC API:

// Create a blueprint programmatically
POST /xrpc/tools.graze.ifthisthenat.createBlueprint
{
"nodes": [...],
"enabled": true
}

// Manually trigger evaluation with custom data
POST /xrpc/tools.graze.ifthisthenat.evaluateBlueprint
{
"aturi": "at://did:plc:xyz/tools.graze.ifthisthenat.blueprint/abc123",
"payload": { "source": "manual", "data": {...} }
}

// Test individual nodes in isolation
POST /xrpc/tools.graze.ifthisthenat.evaluateNode
{
"node_type": "transform",
"configuration": {},
"payload": {...},
"input": {...}
}

OAuth Integration for Security

IFTTA uses AT Protocol OAuth for authentication, supporting granular permissions through scopes like repo:* for record creation and rpc:* for XRPC calls. While OAuth sessions have time limits, users can set app passwords through the dashboard for indefinite blueprint execution.

Community-Driven Innovation: Prototypes

One of IFTTA's most exciting features is the Prototype Directory—a community marketplace for blueprint templates. Developers can create reusable automation patterns with customizable placeholders, making it easy for others to adapt proven workflows to their specific needs.

Prototypes use a simple placeholder syntax:

{
"configuration": {
"cron": "$[SCHEDULE]"
},
"payload": {
"text": "$[MESSAGE]",
"did": "$[USER_DID]"
}
}

Users instantiating the prototype are prompted to fill in these values, dramatically lowering the barrier to entry for complex automations.

Current Limitations and Future Development

As alpha software currently in limited testing, IFTTA has some important limitations to consider:

Instance-bound data: Blueprints are stored in the IFTTA database, not your PDS, meaning they're tied to this specific instance

Minimum scheduling intervals: Periodic triggers must be at least 30 minutes apart

Circuit breakers: The platform uses safety mechanisms that may disable unstable blueprints

Invitation-only access: During alpha, functionality is limited to invited users

The team is actively working on several enhancements:

Hybrid public-private data models for blueprint portability

Import/export capabilities via XRPC

Expanded Zapier integration

Additional node types and data sources

Getting Started (For Early Access Users)

For those with early access to the platform, here's how to begin:

Visit the platform: Navigate to https://app.ifthisthen.at

Authenticate: Sign in using AT Protocol OAuth

Browse prototypes: Start with community templates or create from scratch

Build your first blueprint: Use the visual editor to connect nodes

Test thoroughly: Use the evaluation tools to debug before enabling

Monitor execution: Track your automations through the dashboard

For those awaiting access, we recommend reviewing the documentation to familiarize yourself with IFTTA's capabilities and planning your automation workflows.

The Future of Decentralized Automation

IFTTA represents more than just another automation tool—it's a glimpse into the future of decentralized social media infrastructure. By providing powerful, accessible automation capabilities that respect the principles of user control and data portability, IFTTA empowers developers and users to build the social web experience they want.

The platform's node-based architecture, JSONLogic evaluation engine, and comprehensive API create a foundation for innovation we're only beginning to explore. From content curation and community management to complex multi-service integrations, IFTTA opens doors that traditional centralized platforms keep firmly closed.

Technology Preview and Early Access

IFTTA is currently in invitation-only alpha testing, with the team carefully expanding access to ensure platform stability and gather valuable feedback. This technology preview demonstrates the platform's remarkable capabilities, with features like real-time Firehose processing, webhook integration, and scheduled automations already working reliably in testing.

For developers interested in pushing the boundaries of what's possible with AT Protocol, IFTTA represents an unprecedented opportunity to build sophisticated automations that were previously the domain of large-scale applications. Whether you're managing a community, building a content strategy, or integrating AT Protocol with your existing infrastructure, IFTTA will provide the tools you need.

As we prepare for broader availability, we encourage developers to explore the documentation and consider how IFTTA could transform their AT Protocol workflows. Visit https://app.ifthisthen.at/documentation for comprehensive technical documentation, and stay tuned for updates on expanded access to this powerful new platform.

Note: IFTTA is currently in invitation-only alpha testing. This technology preview demonstrates capabilities under active development. Features may change, and the service is not recommended for mission-critical applications at this time. Broader availability will be announced as the platform matures.