Avo Office Hours [3] - Explicit authorization, Audit logging, pricing and secret features

We had a cool session talking about the new features and changes coming to Avo and a few future projects we're starting to build.

AI summary 👇
---

The Avo Office Hours primarily discussed several key updates, new features, and ongoing developments related to the Avo platform, with a focus on authorization, pricing, audit logging, and future features. Here’s a summary of the main topics covered:

1. Authorization Enhancements:
• Avo has implemented a switch from implicit to explicit authorization, aiming for “safe by default” practices. The new model will ensure that unless explicitly allowed, all actions will be restricted, helping developers avoid accidentally exposing functionality.
2. Audit Logging:
• A demo of the new audit logging feature was shown. It has two layers: the first logs Avo-specific activities, while the second integrates with popular gems like PaperTrail or Audited for tracking record changes. This feature is geared towards enterprise customers and provides detailed tracking of user activities.
3. Pricing:
• The team discussed potential changes in their pricing model, particularly for advanced features like the collaboration tool and Kanban view. A user-based pricing model is being considered for features that provide extensive value, such as collaboration tools. The audit logging feature is expected to be part of the enterprise pricing tier.
4. New Features:
• Several new features were introduced, including:
• Kanban Board: Currently in beta with one customer and likely to be released soon.
• Rhino Field: A new editor component built on TipTap, offering advanced editing and compatibility with ActionText.
• Collaboration Field: A feature enabling teams to comment and track changes within records, geared toward CRM users and collaboration-heavy environments. This will likely be offered as a separately priced feature.
5. Hiring Announcement:
• Avo is looking to hire a developer who can contribute both to development and content creation, such as writing documentation and producing videos.
6. Custom Features and Flexibility:
• Avo’s philosophy of gradually releasing features and iterating based on user feedback was emphasized. The team aims to give users flexibility to customize views and workflows, ensuring that the platform remains adaptable to different use cases, including customer-facing applications.
7. Future Plans:
• The team hinted at exploring an embedded mode for Avo, which would allow developers to integrate Avo views directly into their own applications, providing more flexibility for user-facing interfaces.

Overall, the session highlighted the ongoing improvements in security, customization, and enterprise capabilities, alongside discussions on how to balance feature pricing and value.