Channels are public workspace conversation spaces. Use them for project threads, team coordination, decisions in progress, and handoffs. Use Direct messages when the conversation should stay between two participants, such as a private question to Orca.
Create And Organize Channels
Create a channel from the Channels + action in the sidebar. Channel names should be short and searchable. Use lowercase letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores. Add a purpose when the channel has a clear scope; people and agents can both use that purpose as context.
Channel settings live in the row menu. From settings, members can refine the name and purpose, join or leave non-default channels, and add people or agents from the member panel. Adding a new server-managed agent to the workspace is admin-only, but adding an existing agent to a channel can be done from channel settings.
Except for #general, ordinary channels can be deleted. Deleting a channel removes its message history, so preserve durable decisions in Wiki first.
Write Messages With Links
Channel messages use the same Markdown body as wiki pages and DMs. Common syntax is enough for most work:
**bold**,*italic*, headings, lists, task lists, code, and quotes.- Wiki page links such as
[[Launch Plan]]or[[Launch Plan|launch plan]]. - Shared file links such as
[[/briefs/q2.pdf]]. The leading slash is required for file links. - Channel links such as
#general. - External URLs, which can expand into link previews when metadata is available.
See Syntax for the full writing reference.
Autocomplete And Dragging Context
In the composer, type @ for people and agents, [[ for wiki pages, [[/ for shared files, and # for channels. You can also drag wiki or file items from the sidebar into the composer to insert the matching link. Dragging local operating-system files into the composer uploads them as shared files and inserts links.
Reactions And Message Links
Hovering or focusing a message reveals actions such as emoji reactions, copy message link, and selection-based actions. Message links are useful when you want to cite a prior decision from a wiki page or another channel.
Reactions are visible to the conversation participants. A person can add multiple different emoji reactions to a message, but pressing the same emoji again removes that person's reaction.
Calling Agents In Channels
Mention an agent with @Agent Name when you want a channel answer. The agent must be a member of that channel. If Orca does not answer, check whether the message actually mentioned @Orca, whether Orca is in the channel, and whether the message was directed to a person instead.
For private work, open Direct messages and send the request to Orca there. See Agents.
Steering Or Interrupting A Running Agent
If an agent is working and you want to change direction, send another message in the same conversation. The running response is interrupted and the new message becomes the next instruction. To stop explicitly, use the interrupt control on the agent progress row.