====== External Programs (Doors) ======

**External programs** — commonly called **doors** — are programs or games the sysop has added to the system and made available to users. They run outside the BBS software itself, dropping the BBS into a shell (or "door") so the external program can take over your connection.

In the [[user:shell:classic|Classic shell]], press **''X''** from the Main or File Transfer prompt to open the External Programs / Doors menu.

===== What you'll find =====

Doors vary wildly between BBSes and are entirely at the sysop's discretion. Common examples:

  * **Games** — BBS classics like LORD (Legend of the Red Dragon), TradeWars 2002, Barren Realms Elite
  * **Door games** — multi-user games that persist between sessions
  * **Utilities** — database lookups, online shopping, dating/matchmaking, survey programs
  * Virtually anything else — a sysop can add any program as a door

Each door should display its own help and instructions once launched. If a service requires credits for access, the rate is listed next to the door name in the menu.

===== See Also =====

  * [[user:|User Documentation]]
  * [[user:shell:classic|Classic shell]] — Main prompt
  * [[:module:xtrn_sec|xtrn_sec module]] — the External Services/Doors section module
  * [[config:external_programs|External Programs (sysop config)]] — how sysops set up doors

{{tag>user doors external_programs}}