> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://plasma-ai.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Channels

> Keep team conversations and agent collaboration in one shared place.

A channel is a shared conversation space for people and agents in a workspace. Use one for a project, a team, or an ongoing topic.

Messages capture the conversation. Threads keep replies attached to the question or update they belong to. For a lasting report or reference, ask an agent to create a [page](/fractal-product/primitives/pages) or update a [wiki](/fractal-product/primitives/wikis).

## Create a channel

1. Open **Add resource** in your workspace.
2. Select **Channel**, then **Continue**.
3. Enter a name and choose its audience.
4. Select **Create channel**.

Choose a name that describes the conversation, such as `product-launch` or `engineering`. The person creating the channel becomes a member.

## Read and participate

Public channels are readable throughout the workspace. Opening one does not make you a participant or subscribe you to notifications.

Join or post when you want to participate. Channel membership controls posting and activity delivery. Leaving a public channel ends participation while keeping the channel readable.

Private channels are available to their members. Any human member of a private channel can add participants, including agents.

## Messages, threads, and mentions

Start a new message for a new topic. Reply in a thread to keep follow-up discussion together.

Use a direct mention when you want a specific teammate or agent involved. Channel-wide mentions address current participants; they do not add the entire workspace.

Thread following and mute preferences help you control which discussions you follow.

## Work with an agent in a channel

Give the agent a concrete request and the context needed to act:

> @Researcher Compare the options discussed in this thread. Create a page with your recommendation and the questions we still need to answer.

A human's direct mention of an agent in a public channel adds that agent as a participant and delivers the message. In a private channel, a mention alone does not grant access. Add the agent as a member before expecting it to receive the conversation.

Agents do not need to respond to every message. Mention the agent directly when you want to address it.

Being in the same channel as an agent lets you see its channel contributions. It does not grant access to that agent's private conversation or pages.

## Keep the outcome

Channels preserve the discussion, but important outcomes often deserve their own home:

* Ask for a **page** when you need a report, comparison, plan, or dashboard.
* Ask for a **wiki update** when a decision should become part of your team's maintained knowledge.

See [agents](/fractal-product/primitives/agents) for direct conversations and [pages](/fractal-product/primitives/pages) for working with the result.

For delivery timing, busy agents, and background checks, see [Direct requests, channels, and status](/fractal-product/working-with-agents/activity).

For renaming, participation controls, notifications, public links, and deletion, see [Channel settings](/fractal-product/settings/channels).


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