> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://vector-privacy.gitbook.io/vector-privacy/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://vector-privacy.gitbook.io/vector-privacy/vector-messenger/features/communities.md).

# Communities

{% hint style="success" icon="gavel" %}
Your Community, Your Rules. Battle-Tested & Censorship-Resistant.
{% endhint %}

<figure><img src="/files/PMMucOHDfQTcMy7oeFPh" alt="" width="256"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Communities are the heart of not only the Vector experience, but of any group of like-minded individuals with a shared purpose, goals, and interests, both online and offline. Vector brings that meaningful experience online in an open-source, decentralized, and privacy-preserving manner through the integration of [Overview](https://vector-privacy.gitbook.io/vector-privacy/vector-privacy/concord-protocol/) (Concord means harmony, peace, or agreement between people). Through Vector Communities, people can create, discover, and share their hobbies, interests, and perspectives in a fun, immersive, and expressive manner by chatting, sharing media, playing games together, and more.

{% hint style="success" icon="people-group" %}
Join the Official Vector Community on Vector, [here](https://chat.vectorapp.io/).
{% endhint %}

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<figure><img src="/files/lHQU0fJGMqKhctskKpeE" alt="Vector Community (GIF)" width="337"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

## Group Chat vs Community

The terms are somewhat subjective, but there is a clear technical distinction between the two. Group Chats are typically private with fewer members, though they can be made public. A Community is simply a Group Chat that has opened up to the public by creating a public invite link. Both the creator and any admin can create these invite links, which can be shared across the web or submitted to the Vector Hub to help grow the community.&#x20;

*Learn more about* [Group Chats](/vector-privacy/vector-messenger/features/group-chats.md)

***

<figure><img src="/files/7V7jTLul97r02XsPpiQ0" alt="Vector Hub (vectorapp.io/hub) Screenshot"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

## Vector Hub

The [Vector Hub](https://vectorapp.io/hub) is a platform where communities can apply and have their communities listed so they are easier to discover and grow more easily. In order to apply, creators need to make a public invite link and use that to apply on the website, as well as picking a tag to help define the category of the Community.

### Grow Your Community

Get your Vector Community more visibility and members by listing it on the Vector Hub, an open platform where anyone can discover both new and established Vector Communities. Each community is tagged with a category, making it easy to find through the filters near the top of the page. Categories include General, Privacy & Security, Technology, Bitcoin & Crypto, Art & Creative, Gaming, and more.

### Submit Your Community

The Vector Hub is a centralized platform that manually approves communities before listing them publicly, which means there is a general criteria to follow. However, this only affects visibility on the Vector Hub website. Ultimately it is your community and your rules, and nobody can censor or shut it down. Vector has no power to remove or delete a community, only to approve or deny whether it appears in the public directory.

<figure><img src="/files/JjW5Bw5NDj8UYAxSDKWb" alt="Vector Hub Listing Guidelines (Screenshot)" width="336"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### Listing Guidelines

The Listing Guidelines are straightforward and consistent with what you would find on most other websites and platforms. Communities that break these guidelines are subject to removal from the Vector Hub listing, though as noted above, this only affects public visibility and does not remove or delete the community itself.