This page explains the words you'll meet in these docs. Select a term to read the page that covers it.
| Term |
What it means |
| Conversation |
Your one ongoing chat with Otto. The app, Telegram and WhatsApp all show the same conversation, which engineering pages call the thread. |
| Task |
A piece of work Otto is doing for you. The Tasks page shows each one with its status, such as working or needs you. |
| Turn |
One run of Otto's work, started by your message, a schedule, a background check or your answer to a question. Your messages run one at a time, while scheduled and background turns run alongside them. |
| Schedule |
Work that runs at a set time or on repeat, such as every Friday at 5 pm. You set one up by asking Otto in plain words. |
| Background check |
Work Otto starts on its own when something happens in a connected app, such as a new email. It only reads and drafts. Anything else waits for you. |
| Memory |
What Otto remembers about you from what you tell it. You can see and edit it in Settings → Memory. |
| Skill |
A built-in guide for one kind of work, such as travel, research or spreadsheets. Otto reads the one that fits the task. |
| Term |
What it means |
| Workspace |
Otto's private Linux computer, where it runs commands and keeps files. It never receives your model provider keys. |
| Browser |
Otto's own web browser, separate from yours and from the workspace. |
| Browser handoff |
When a website needs you, Otto sends an Open browser link to a live view of its browser. You take over, then select Done to hand it back. |
| Term |
What it means |
| Model connection |
How Otto reaches a model: an OpenAI, Anthropic or OpenRouter API key, or a ChatGPT or OpenRouter account. The provider bills you for use. |
| Connected app |
An account Otto can use for you, such as Gmail, Calendar or Slack. |
| Composio |
The service Otto uses to connect many apps for you. On your own computer, you need a Composio key to use it. |
| MCP |
Model Context Protocol, a standard way for an app to offer tools to an assistant. Notion and Linear connect through their own MCP servers. |
| Channel |
Another place to chat with Otto besides the app: Telegram or WhatsApp. |
| Term |
What it means |
| Trust check |
The server check that runs before every connected app action. It decides whether the action runs now or waits for you. |
| Approval |
Otto's yes or no question about one exact action. If you reply yes, the action runs once. |
| Vault |
Otto's encrypted store for your saved logins, cards and browser sessions. The model never sees the saved values. |
| Saved login |
A website username and password in Vault. Otto enters it privately, and only on that exact website. |
| Saved browser session |
A signed-in browser profile that Otto can reuse on the websites you allow. |
| Private form |
A secure form where you enter a password, code or card for a task. What you type goes to the website, not to the model. |
| Uncertain outcome |
An approved action that was interrupted, so Otto can't tell if it happened. Otto checks the result instead of running it again. |
| Term |
What it means |
| Owner access key |
The secret that opens a source install of Otto. The access link Otto prints when it starts saves it in your browser. |
| Hosted mode |
Otto run on Cloudflare by an operator for several people. Each person signs in with Google and gets their own separate copy of Otto. |
