Stoat

User-first chat platform.

  • #design
  • #Stoat
  • #development
  • #front-end development

Stoat is an open-source, user-first chat application, similar in functionality to Discord or Slack. During my time with the project, I have helped scale it from less than 100K users to over a million.

Stoat may have grown substantially, and commitments mean that the exact number of core team members fluctuates, but the count has remained under 10 members. As a result, I’ve worn many hats and taken the title of ‘Doer of Assorted Things’.

I’ve maintained the repository for client themes, written extensive documentation, built the Mutant Remix website, developed and maintained the resources required for self-hosting, handled countless support tickets, addressed innumerable user moderation reports, handled security events, created brand resources, overseen internationalisation efforts, and of course implemented new front-end features.

During user influxes, people join en masse – sometimes to the order of hundreds of thousands over just a few days. During these periods I’ve gone to great and significant lengths to keep the platform in a usable state by manually handling systems struggling under the scale. During a significant influx in February 2026, I handled thousands of user queries via email, Bluesky, Reddit, and Stoat itself over a hectic period of a few days.

Separate from my duties as a Stoat team member, I have also created one of the most popular bots on the platform, AutoMod, which helps community owners to ensure a safe space for all.

Icon

In October 2025, Stoat rebranded from its previous name of Revolt, which came with the need for new branding. I began experimenting and ideating with a stylised vector stoat.

Given the platform’s name, modelling the icon on the visage of the mustelid was the obvious choice. Initially starting with a sharp, polygonal look, feedback from one of Stoat’s founders pushed the design into a smoother, curvier appearance on which I iterated. The challenge lay in achieving a simple, scalable graphic that was distinctly a stoat and didn’t stray into the territory of otter, ferret, or other mustelid.

Placing users first has always been a core tenet of Stoat, so it was only right that I developed the icon publicly by sharing my progress on-platform with various users providing their feedback and opinions along the way. Not all feedback was good feedback, and with a general audience not all folks are designers or able to articulate their thoughts, but I believe consulting the community to be paramount in designing an icon to represent the platform that houses said community.

These icons are the property of Revolt Platforms Ltd and presented here with permission.

A minimalist three-quarter view portrait of a stoat’s head and neck. The design uses smooth, flowing curves and negative space to define the jawline and neck. Key features include two pointed ears, dots for the eyes, and a prominent nose, giving it a defined appearance. It is clean and professional but has an almost derpy expression.
The final icon.
A simpler, stylised icon of a stoat in profile, featuring a smoother, flowing aesthetic. The design includes ruffled fur along the back of the neck. The eye is small, while the nose is defined by negative space on the end of the snout, which itself is integrated into a single sweeping curve that forms the chest, emphasising movement and a wilder character.
An alternative icon.

I’m incredibly pleased with how the icon turned out and how it has been integrated into the platform’s brand. The Stoat community proved to love the new icon and even gave them a name, ‘Toast’!