# How do topic-follower notifications work?

Relate followers to topics, store notification preferences, and target notifications when related content is created without losing audience context.

- Canonical URL: https://adalocado.com/answers/topic-follower-notifications
- Verification: Legacy video — current verification pending
- Topic: Users and Authentication
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Last reviewed: 2026-08-12
- Index status: improve-first

## Short answer

Store topic followers as relationships or join records, then trigger notifications to the relevant users when an event occurs. Confirm current notification capabilities before using the legacy setup.

## Intended outcome

A reference data model for user subscriptions and targeted notifications.

## Requirements

- Users and Topics collections
- Follower relationship
- Current push-notification setup

## Step by step

1. **Store the follow**

   Relate the user and topic directly or through a join record.

2. **Identify the event**

   Define exactly what new record or action should notify followers.

3. **Target recipients**

   Resolve followers of that topic and exclude the actor where appropriate.

## Why it works

- Following is persistent preference data; notification is a consequence of a later event.

## Common failures

### The author receives their own notification

Exclude the triggering user from recipients when the product calls for it.

## Testing checklist

- [ ] Follow/unfollow persists
- [ ] Recipient list is correct
- [ ] Permission and device tests pass

## Limitations

- This legacy resource has not completed the current editorial and builder verification workflow.
## Sources

- No external sources are listed yet.

Markdown version: https://adalocado.com/answers/topic-follower-notifications.md