> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://comis-feature-skill-archive-import.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Channels
> Connect Comis to Discord, Telegram, Slack, WhatsApp, Signal, iMessage, LINE, IRC, Email, and Microsoft Teams
Channels are how your AI agent communicates with users on different chat platforms.
Each channel connects Comis to a messaging service -- Discord, Telegram, Slack, and
more -- so your agent can send and receive messages where your community already hangs out.
One agent can connect to multiple channels at the same time.
## Capability comparison
Not sure which channel to connect first? Here's a quick comparison to help you choose:
| Channel | Text | Voice messages | Media (image/video/file) | Reactions | Threads | Edit | Delete | Rich formatting |
| --------------- | ---- | ---------------- | ------------------------ | ------------ | -------------------- | ---- | -------------- | -------------------------------------- |
| Discord | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Native (max depth 1) | Yes | Yes | Markdown, embeds, buttons, polls |
| Telegram | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Forum topics | Yes | Yes | HTML, inline buttons, polls, locations |
| Slack | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Reply chain | Yes | Yes | mrkdwn, Block Kit, buttons |
| WhatsApp | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | None | Yes | Yes (own only) | Buttons, locations, contacts, polls |
| Signal | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | None | No | Yes | Signal text styles |
| iMessage | Yes | No | Yes | No | None | No | No | Plain text |
| LINE | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | None | No | No | Flex Messages |
| IRC | Yes | No | No | No | None | No | No | IRC control codes (bold, color) |
| Email | Yes | Yes (attachment) | Yes | No | Reply chain | No | No | HTML |
| Microsoft Teams | Yes | Via attachment | Yes | Inbound only | Channel threads | Yes | Yes | Adaptive Cards |
Discord and Telegram have the broadest feature support -- they're great choices if you're just getting started.
## How channels work
When you enable a channel, Comis starts a **channel adapter** that handles all the
platform-specific details: logging in with your credentials, receiving incoming messages,
and sending replies in the format each platform expects. You provide the credentials
(a bot token, API key, or phone number depending on the platform), and Comis does the rest.
Your agent does not need to know which platform a message came from -- it just sees
text, images, and files. The adapter translates everything into a common format,
so the same agent can hold a conversation on Discord and Telegram without any
extra configuration.
Each adapter also handles platform-specific features automatically:
* **Message splitting** -- If a response is too long for the platform, Comis splits it
into multiple messages at natural break points (paragraphs, sentences, or code blocks).
* **Format conversion** -- Your agent writes Markdown. Comis converts it to HTML for
Telegram, mrkdwn for Slack, or plain text for platforms that do not support formatting.
* **Media processing** -- When a user sends an image, voice message, or document, Comis
can transcribe, analyze, or extract text from it before passing it to your agent.
* **Typing indicators** -- While your agent is thinking, Comis shows a typing indicator
on platforms that support it, so users know a response is coming.
## Platform comparison
The table below shows what each platform supports. Use it to pick the right channel
for your use case, or to understand the differences when connecting multiple platforms.
### Features
| Platform | Chat Types | Streaming | Threads | Reactions | Edit / Delete | Buttons | Formatting |
| ------------------------------------ | --------------------------------- | --------- | ---------------------- | --------- | --------------- | ------- | ------------------ |
| [Discord](/channels/discord) | DM, group, thread, channel, forum | Edit | Native (max depth 1) | Yes | Yes / Yes | Yes | Markdown |
| [Telegram](/channels/telegram) | DM, group, channel, forum | Edit | Forum topics (native) | Yes | Yes / Yes | Yes | HTML |
| [Slack](/channels/slack) | DM, group, thread, channel | Edit | Reply chain | Yes | Yes / Yes | Yes | mrkdwn |
| [WhatsApp](/channels/whatsapp) | DM, group | Block | No | Yes | Yes / Yes (own) | Yes | None |
| [Signal](/channels/signal) | DM, group | Block | No | Yes | No / Yes | No | Signal text styles |
| [iMessage](/channels/imessage) | DM, group | None | No | No | No / No | No | None |
| [LINE](/channels/line) | DM, group | None | No | No | No / No | No | Flex Messages |
| [IRC](/channels/irc) | DM, channel | None | No | No | No / No | No | IRC control codes |
| [Email](/channels/email) | DM | None | Reply chain (RFC 5322) | No | No / No | No | HTML |
| [Microsoft Teams](/channels/msteams) | DM, group, channel, thread | Edit | Channel threads | Inbound | Yes / Yes | Yes | Adaptive Cards |
### Limits
| Platform | Max Message Length | Max Attachment Size |
| ------------------------------------ | ------------------ | ------------------- |
| [Discord](/channels/discord) | 2,000 characters | 25 MB |
| [Telegram](/channels/telegram) | 4,096 characters | 50 MB |
| [Slack](/channels/slack) | 4,000 characters | 1,000 MB |
| [WhatsApp](/channels/whatsapp) | 65,536 characters | 100 MB |
| [Signal](/channels/signal) | 65,536 characters | 100 MB |
| [iMessage](/channels/imessage) | 20,000 characters | 16 MB |
| [LINE](/channels/line) | 5,000 characters | 200 MB |
| [IRC](/channels/irc) | 512 characters | N/A |
| [Email](/channels/email) | 100,000 characters | N/A |
| [Microsoft Teams](/channels/msteams) | 28,000 characters | Inline images |
**Reading the table:** "Edit / Delete" shows whether Comis can edit its own messages
and delete them on that platform. "Streaming" describes how live responses appear --
see the next section for details. When a response exceeds the max message length,
Comis automatically splits it into multiple messages.
## Sender allowlists
Every channel supports a per-channel `allowFrom` list. When non-empty, only the
listed sender IDs can talk to the bot; everyone else is silently dropped before
the agent runs. An empty list (the default) accepts everyone.
Email goes one step further with an `allowMode` setting (`allowlist` by default,
or `open` to accept all senders) plus automatic filtering of automated mailers
(addresses like `noreply@`, messages with `Auto-Submitted` or `List-Unsubscribe`
headers). See the [Email page](/channels/email) for details.
`allowFrom` controls *access*; to run one install for several people - keeping
each person private and deciding who shares an assistant versus who gets their
own isolated agent - see [Multiple users and teams](/channels/multi-user).
## Streaming methods
Comis supports three ways to deliver responses as they are generated:
* **Edit streaming** (Discord, Telegram, Slack) -- Comis sends an initial message and
continuously edits it with new text as the AI generates more. This creates a
"live typing" effect similar to ChatGPT. Each platform has its own edit throttle
(500 ms for Discord, 300 ms for Telegram, 400 ms for Slack) to stay within
rate limits.
* **Block streaming** (WhatsApp, Signal) -- Comis sends each block as a separate
message as the agent generates it. You see multiple messages arriving in
sequence. This works well on platforms that do not support message editing.
WhatsApp throttles at 600 ms; Signal at 500 ms.
* **No streaming** (iMessage, LINE, IRC, Email) -- Comis waits for the full response and sends
it as a single message (or splits it if the response exceeds the platform limit).
This is the simplest mode and works everywhere.
For full details on how delivery works -- including typing indicators, retry logic, and
pacing -- see [Delivery Infrastructure](/channels/delivery).
## Choosing the right platform
Not sure which channel to start with? Here are some common scenarios:
* **Community server or workspace** -- Use [Discord](/channels/discord) or
[Slack](/channels/slack). Both support threads, reactions, buttons, and live-streaming
responses, making them ideal for interactive group conversations.
* **Mobile-first messaging** -- Use [Telegram](/channels/telegram) or
[WhatsApp](/channels/whatsapp). Both are widely used on phones and support buttons
for interactive workflows.
* **Privacy-focused** -- Use [Signal](/channels/signal). Messages are end-to-end
encrypted, and the Signal adapter communicates through a local signal-cli daemon
that you control.
* **macOS personal assistant** -- Use [iMessage](/channels/imessage). Your agent
appears as a regular iMessage contact on your Mac.
* **Legacy or lightweight** -- Use [IRC](/channels/irc). Minimal resource usage,
works with any IRC network, and supports TLS for secure connections.
* **Asynchronous communication** -- Use [Email](/channels/email). Your agent
monitors an inbox via IMAP and replies via SMTP. Good for workflows where
responses do not need to be instant, or for integrating with systems that
communicate via email.
* **Microsoft 365 workplace** -- Use [Microsoft Teams](/channels/msteams). Your
agent works in 1:1 chats, group chats, and team channels with Adaptive Cards
and approval workflows. Teams requires a public messaging endpoint -- the
setup guide covers exposing it safely.
You can always add more channels later. Your agent's memory and personality carry
across all connected platforms.
## Getting started
Pick the platform you want to connect and follow the step-by-step setup guide. Each
guide walks you through creating the required credentials and configuring Comis, from
account creation to your first message.
If you have not installed Comis yet, start with the [Quickstart](/get-started/quickstart).
Servers, DMs, threads, buttons, embeds, and live-streaming responses.
Bots, groups, channels, forum topics, inline buttons, and HTML formatting.
Workspaces, channels, threads, Socket Mode or HTTP, and mrkdwn.
Personal and group chats with QR code pairing and large file support.
Private messaging with end-to-end encryption via signal-cli.
macOS-only Apple iMessage integration for DMs and group chats.
LINE Messaging API with webhook-based message delivery and Flex formatting.
Classic IRC with TLS, NickServ auth, and multi-channel support.
IMAP/SMTP email integration with OAuth2, threading, and sender filtering.
1:1, group, and channel chats with Adaptive Cards, threads, and edit/delete.
How streaming, typing indicators, retry logic, and message pacing work.
Run one install for a whole team - private per person, isolated per agent.