Current
Docs/The River
Core Concept

The River

Your main feed where all content flows together in a single, unified stream. Unlike an inbox, the river flows whether you're watching or not.

How the River Works

Unlike traditional feed readers that show separate folders or feeds, the River combines everything into one flowing stream. New content arrives at the top and naturally flows down as more content comes in.

Single Unified Feed

All sources flow together (unless filtered by a Current)

Chronological Order

Newest content appears at the top, naturally

Content Velocity

Different content types have different lifespans

Content Velocity

Not all content has the same lifespan. Current automatically categorizes content by its velocity: how long it remains relevant.

Content Velocity

Watch how different content types age at different rates

Breaking3 hours
News8 hours
Articles18 hours
Essays3 days
Evergreen7 days
publishedaged out

Smart expiration

Breaking news won't clog your river if you take a few days off, but that essay you've been meaning to read will stick around.

The Waterline

A subtle line in your river marks the waterline. The point where new content begins. Everything above the line arrived since you last opened the app.

The Waterline

A visual marker showing where new content begins

New article from today2m ago
Another fresh story15m ago
Morning news update1h ago
Waterline
Yesterday's essay18h ago
Earlier article1d ago

See Waterline for more about this feature.

Interacting with the River

Tap any article to open it in the reader. Your scroll position is automatically saved.

See Gestures for complete interaction details.

River Settings

Visit Settings to configure your river preferences, including content velocity overrides per source and theme customization.

Understanding River Behavior

Why items disappear

Items naturally leave your river as they age past their velocity window or as new content pushes them down. This is intentional. It keeps your river fresh and manageable.

Pull to refresh

Pull down to check for new content from your sources. New articles appear above your current position without disrupting your scroll.

Session restoration

When you reopen Current, your scroll position is restored to exactly where you left off. The app maintains your context even after being closed.