How it fits together

Rust Pulse looks like one product but is really a handful of cooperating pieces. You don't need to know any of this to use it — but if you're curious why something behaves the way it does, this page is for you.

The picture

            ┌─────────────────────────────┐
            │  rustpulse.app  (dashboard) │
            └────────────────┬────────────┘
                             │
   ┌────────────┐    ┌───────┴────────┐    ┌──────────────────┐
   │  Overlay   │────│   Rust Pulse   │────│   Discord bot    │
   │  (desktop) │    │   backend      │    │   (alerts, /faq) │
   └────────────┘    └───────┬────────┘    └──────────────────┘
                             │
                             │  always-on Rust+ connection
                             ▼
                  ┌────────────────────┐
                  │  Your Rust server  │
                  └────────────────────┘
                             ▲
                             │  pairing push (one-time)
                             │
                  ┌────────────────────┐
                  │ Credentials Helper │  (runs once on your PC)
                  └────────────────────┘

What each piece is

The Rust Pulse backend is the always-on service that keeps a live Rust+ connection open for every paired server. It's the brain — every command reply, every raid alert, every map update on the dashboard or overlay comes from it. You never see it directly; it's just always running for you.

The dashboard at rustpulse.app is the web UI. Live map, devices, alarms, team roster, player intel, tools — everything you can poke at in a browser. See Dashboard overview.

The in-game overlay is a small desktop app that paints a transparent minimap on top of Rust. Premium plans only. See Overlay.

The Discord bot runs in our support server. It handles /faq, /ticket, and a live status board, and it can post alerts (raids, deaths, events) into channels on your own server when you connect Discord. See Discord.

The Credentials Helper is a tiny desktop app you run once to authorise Rust Pulse to receive your pairing notifications. After that one-time pair it can stay closed forever. See Credentials Helper.

The translation service is a self-hosted LibreTranslate instance that powers the !translate team-chat command. See LibreTranslate.

What you should know as a player

A few practical consequences of the architecture worth knowing:

• One paired server, one always-on connection. Rust Pulse uses your Rust+ pairing the same way the mobile app does — a single live WebSocket per server. We don't keep extras open; if your server reboots, the connection reconnects automatically when it comes back.
• Smart Devices update on Rust+'s schedule. Map markers, team positions, and device state refresh roughly every 30 seconds — the rate Rust+ exposes them at. That's why a teammate's blip on the map sometimes lags a second or two behind reality.
• Commands are answered as fast as Rust+ accepts a chat message. Most replies land in team chat within a second or two of you sending them.
• Premium features need the backend to know your plan. Plan changes (Stripe upgrade, beta-tester adds) propagate quickly — usually instantly — but if you ever see "premium required" right after upgrading, refresh the dashboard.

See Security & encryption for how credentials are stored. That's the part most people actually care about.