Channels overview
A channel is a place where people, or other systems, talk to your agent. One agent can be on several channels at once. It keeps the same system prompt, tools and knowledge bases on each one.
You turn most channels on in the agent’s Channels card. Some also need credentials in Settings or in the other platform.
Compare channels
Section titled “Compare channels”| Channel | Who can use it | Input | Output | Live progress | Setup effort |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web chat | Signed-in members of your workspace | Text, files, voice notes | Text, files | Streams as it writes | Low |
| Web voice widget | Anyone who opens the page it’s on | Speech | Speech | Real-time audio | Low |
| Anyone who messages your WhatsApp number | Text | Text | No, one reply | Medium | |
| Google Chat | People in your Google Workspace who can reach the Chat app | Text, audio attachments | Text, progress cards | A card updated in place | Medium |
| Telegram | Only people you invite | Text | Text, files | A message updated in place | Medium |
| Slack | People in the Slack workspace where the app is installed | Text | Text | A message updated in place | Medium |
| A2A | External agent platforms with a credential you issue | Text | Text | Streams | Medium |
| VirtuAI CLI | Workspace members, from a terminal | Text, local files | Text, local files | Streams | Low |
| OpenCode | Developers, from the OpenCode editor | Text, local files | Text, local files | Streams | Low |
Command approvals
Section titled “Command approvals”A deep agent that runs shell commands can ask a person before each command. The prompt can only be shown in web chat and the VirtuAI CLI.
On Slack, Google Chat, Telegram, A2A and OpenCode there is nowhere to show that prompt, so the agent runs commands without asking. Keep that in mind before you put an agent that can run commands on those channels.
Before you publish a channel
Section titled “Before you publish a channel”- Test the agent in web chat first. It’s the fastest way to check answers and tools.
- Add only the credentials the channel needs, in the same workspace as the agent. See Workspace settings.
- Check the first real conversations in Conversations.