---
name: manage-channels
description: Wire channels to agent groups, manage isolation levels, add new channel groups. Use after adding a channel, during setup, or standalone to reconfigure.
---

# Manage Channels

Wire messaging channels to agent groups. See `docs/isolation-model.md` for the full isolation model.

Privilege is a **user-level** concept, not a channel-level one (see `src/db/user-roles.ts`, `src/access.ts`). There is no "main channel" / "main group" — any user can be granted `owner` or `admin` (global or scoped to an agent group) via `grantRole()`, and messages from unknown senders are gated per-messaging-group by `unknown_sender_policy` (`strict` | `request_approval` | `public`).

## Assess Current State

Read the central DB (`data/v2.db`) — query `agent_groups`, `messaging_groups`, `messaging_group_agents`, `users`, and `user_roles` tables. Also check `.env` for channel tokens and `src/channels/index.ts` for uncommented imports.

Categorize channels as: **wired** (has DB entities + messaging_group_agents row), **configured but unwired** (has credentials + barrel import, no DB entities), or **not configured**.

If the instance has no owner yet (`SELECT COUNT(*) FROM user_roles WHERE role='owner' AND agent_group_id IS NULL` returns 0), tell the user they should run `/init-first-agent` first — it stands up the first agent group, promotes the operator to owner, and verifies delivery end-to-end by having the agent DM them. Then return here for any additional channels/groups.

## First Channel (No Agent Groups Exist)

**Delegate to `/init-first-agent`.** It handles: channel choice, operator identity lookup, DM platform id resolution (with cold-DM or pair-code fallback), agent group creation, wiring, and the welcome DM. Return here afterward for any additional channels.

## Wire New Channel

For each unwired channel:

1. Read its SKILL.md `## Channel Info` for terminology, how-to-find-id, typical-use, and default-isolation
2. Ask for the platform ID using the platform's terminology
3. Ask the isolation question (see below)
4. Register with the appropriate flags

### Isolation Question

Present a multiple-choice with a contextual recommendation. The three options:

- **Same conversation** (`--session-mode "agent-shared"` + existing folder) — all messages land in one session. Recommend for webhook + chat combos (GitHub + Slack).
- **Same agent, separate conversations** (`--session-mode "shared"` + existing folder) — shared workspace/memory, independent threads. Recommend for same user across platforms.
- **Separate agent** (new `--folder`) — full isolation. Recommend when different people are involved.

Use the channel's `typical-use` and `default-isolation` fields to pick the recommendation. Offer to explain more if the user is unsure — reference `docs/isolation-model.md` for the detailed explanation.

### Register Command

```bash
pnpm exec tsx setup/index.ts --step register -- \
  --platform-id "<id>" --name "<name>" \
  --folder "<folder>" --channel "<type>" \
  --session-mode "<shared|agent-shared|per-thread>" \
  --assistant-name "<name>"
```

The `register` step creates the agent group (reusing it if the folder already exists), the messaging group, and the wiring row. `createMessagingGroupAgent` auto-creates the companion `agent_destinations` row so the agent can address the channel by name — no separate destination step needed.

For separate agents, also ask for a folder name and optionally a different assistant name.

## Add Channel Group

When adding another group/chat on an already-configured platform (e.g. a second Telegram group):

1. **Telegram:** ask the isolation question first to determine intent (`wire-to:<folder>` for an existing agent, `new-agent:<folder>` for a fresh one). Run `pnpm exec tsx setup/index.ts --step pair-telegram -- --intent <intent>`, show the CODE (follow the `REMINDER_TO_ASSISTANT` line in the `PAIR_TELEGRAM_ISSUED` block) and tell the user to post `@<botname> CODE` in the target group (or DM the bot for a private chat). Wait for the `PAIR_TELEGRAM` block. The inbound interceptor has already created the `messaging_groups` row with `unknown_sender_policy = 'strict'` and upserted the paired user — `register` only needs to add the wiring:

   ```bash
   pnpm exec tsx setup/index.ts --step register -- \
     --platform-id "<PLATFORM_ID>" --name "<group-name>" \
     --folder "<folder>" --channel "telegram" \
     --session-mode "<shared|agent-shared|per-thread>" \
     --assistant-name "<name>"
   ```

2. **Other channels:** read the channel's SKILL.md `## Channel Info` for terminology and how-to-find-id. Ask for the new group/chat ID, ask the isolation question, then register. No package or credential changes needed.

## Change Wiring

1. Show current wiring (agent_groups × messaging_group_agents)
2. Ask which channel to move and to which agent group
3. Delete the old `messaging_group_agents` entry, create a new one
4. Note: existing sessions stay with the old agent group; new messages route to the new one. The `agent_destinations` row created for the old wiring is NOT automatically removed — if you want the old agent to stop seeing the channel as a named target, delete it from `agent_destinations` manually.

## Show Configuration

Display a readable summary showing:

- **Agent groups** with their wired channels (from `messaging_group_agents`)
- **Configured-but-unwired** channels (credentials present, no DB entities)
- **Unconfigured** channels
- **Privileged users**: `SELECT user_id, role, agent_group_id FROM user_roles ORDER BY role='owner' DESC`