Channels
A Channel records where a message came from and how to reply. It carries the message, sender, attachments, reply target, delivery facts, and host commands around an Agent Invocation.
A Channel handles message transport. An Agent Invocation runs the Agent for one input. One Agent Definition can run behind several Channel adapters because these records stay separate.
Channel and Invocation have different jobs
| Channel | Agent Invocation | |
|---|---|---|
| Describes | Message origin and delivery | Identity, Capabilities, execution, and result |
| Lifetime | Can contain many messages and Invocations | One request |
| Can exist alone | Yes, a Channel can receive a message without starting an Agent | Yes, a route or schedule can start an Invocation without a Channel |
Message and command facts stay separate
| Term | Carries |
|---|---|
| Message | Content, sender, attachments, reply target, and Channel metadata. |
| Command | A host action such as stop, retry, or inspect. |
| Agent Invocation | The resolved identity, Capabilities, context, execution, and result. |
| Chat Session | The message history selected for an invocation. |
A message can start an Invocation. A host command can affect a session or a running Invocation without becoming model input.
Treat Channel metadata as input from the adapter
Use verified Channel metadata to identify the Agent Invoker, choose a Capability, or select a Workspace Scope. Inspect the Channel and Invocation together when a message reaches the wrong Agent, carries the wrong identity, or loses delivery data.
Read Channels, Chat history and sessions, and Agent Invocations for the operational APIs.