Channels

Learn how to create, manage, and use channels in TAD.

What are Channels?

Channels in TAD are like chat rooms - isolated spaces where groups of peers can communicate. All peers on the network can see and join public channels.

Types of Channels

Public Channels

• Visible to all peers
• Anyone can join
• Messages broadcast to all channel members
• Default: #general

Private Channels

• End-to-end encrypted
• Require password to join
• See Private Channels for details

Channel Names

Channel names must:

• Start with #
• Contain only alphanumeric characters, hyphens, and underscores
• Be 2-50 characters long

Valid Examples

#general
#dev-team
#project_alpha
#room123

Invalid Examples

general     # Missing #
#a          # Too short
#my channel # Contains space
#special!   # Invalid character

Creating Channels

Create Public Channel

> /create #myteam
[SYSTEM] Created channel #myteam
[SYSTEM] Switched to #myteam

You're automatically switched to new channels upon creation.

Create and Share

After creating, other peers will discover the channel automatically through gossip protocol. They can join with:

> /join #myteam

Joining Channels

Join Existing Channel

> /channels
Available channels:
  #general
  #dev
* #myteam (current)

> /join #dev
[SYSTEM] Joined #dev
[SYSTEM] Switched to #dev

Auto-Join on Discovery

TAD can auto-join channels when discovered (configurable).

Switching Between Channels

> /switch #general
[SYSTEM] Switched to #general

> /switch #dev
[SYSTEM] Switched to #dev

Shortcut: The active channel is marked with * in the channel list.

Listing Channels

View All Channels

> /channels
Available channels:
* #general (current, 5 peers)
  #dev (3 peers)
  #random (2 peers)
  #private-room (encrypted, 1 peer)

Channel Information

> /info #general
Channel: #general
Type: Public
Created: 2024-11-28 10:30:00
Messages: 1,234
Peers: 5
Last Activity: 2 minutes ago

Leaving Channels

Leave Current Channel

> /leave
[SYSTEM] Left #dev
[SYSTEM] Switched to #general

Leave Specific Channel

> /leave #random
[SYSTEM] Left #random

⚠️ Note: You cannot leave #general - it's the default channel.

Channel Persistence

• Channels are stored in your local database
• You automatically rejoin channels on restart
• Channel history is preserved locally
• Channels sync across peers through gossip

Channel Discovery

TAD uses gossip protocol for channel discovery:

1. You create #newchannel
2. Your node announces it to connected peers
3. Those peers announce to their peers
4. Within seconds, the entire network knows

Discovery Timeline

• Local peers: Instant
• 2 hops away: 1-2 seconds
• 3+ hops: 2-5 seconds

Default Channel

#general is created automatically and cannot be deleted. It serves as:

• Landing channel for new users
• Fallback when leaving all other channels
• Network-wide announcement channel

Channel Limits

• Max channels per node: 100
• Max peers per channel: Unlimited (network dependent)
• Channel name length: 2-50 characters
• Max channels network-wide: Unlimited

Best Practices

Naming Conventions

#general       - Main discussion
#dev           - Development talk
#announcements - Important updates only
#random        - Off-topic chat
#project-X     - Project-specific

Organization Tips

1. Use descriptive names

   Good: #frontend-team
   Bad: #ft

2. Create topic channels

   #bug-reports
   #feature-requests
   #support

3. Temporary channels

   #event-2024-11-28
   #sprint-planning

4. Privacy levels

   #public-general    - Open discussion
   #team-private      - Password protected
   #admin-secure      - Highly restricted

Channel Moderation

Currently TAD has limited moderation features:

Block Peers

> /kick peer_abc123
[SYSTEM] Blocked peer_abc123

This prevents receiving messages from specific peers locally.

Future Features

• Channel ownership
• Kick/ban capabilities
• Channel-level permissions
• Invite-only channels

Troubleshooting

Channel Not Appearing

Problem: Created channel but peers can't see it.

Solutions:

1. Wait 10-30 seconds for gossip propagation
2. Check network connectivity with /peers
3. Verify peer is running compatible TAD version
4. Try /resync to force sync

Can't Join Channel

Problem: /join #channel fails.

Solutions:

1. Verify channel name spelling (case-sensitive)
2. Check if it's a private channel (use /join-private)
3. Ensure you're connected to peers with /peers

Messages Not Syncing

Problem: Send message but it doesn't appear on other peers.

Solutions:

1. Check channel with /info #channelname
2. Verify peers in channel: /peers
3. Try switching away and back: /switch #other then /switch #original
4. Force resync: /resync #channelname

Advanced Usage

Channel Scripts

You can script channel operations:

# Create multiple channels
echo "/create #alpha" | python -m tad.main
echo "/create #beta" | python -m tad.main

Monitoring Channels

Use /status to see channel activity:

> /status
Channels: 5 active
- #general: 234 messages (2 unread)
- #dev: 89 messages (0 unread)
- #random: 456 messages (12 unread)

See Also

• Private Channels - Encrypted channels
• Commands - Full command reference
• Gossip Protocol - Technical details
• Basic Usage - General usage guide