Lobstack/Docs
Deploy Agent
Docs/Messenger Channels/Channels Overview
Guide

Messenger Channels

Choose how users interact with your agent. Deploy to the web dashboard, Telegram, Discord, Slack, or WhatsApp.

Overview#

The messenger channel determines how your agent receives and responds to messages. You select a channel during onboarding or change it later from Settings. Each channel defines the primary interface for your agent.

💡

Channel vs Skill

The messenger channel is your agent's primary communication interface (how it listens for messages). Skills are tools the agent can use (sending a Discord message, reading Slack channels, etc.). You can set Web as your channel but still use the Discord skill to send messages.

Available Channels#

🌐

Web (Dashboard)

The default channel. Chat with your agent directly in the Lobstack dashboard. Supports markdown, code blocks, image uploads, and streaming responses.

📱

Telegram

Deploy as a Telegram bot. Users can DM or add the bot to group chats. Requires a BotFather token.

🎮

Discord

Deploy as a Discord bot. Responds in channels, handles mentions, and supports thread replies. Requires a bot token and application ID.

💼

Slack

Deploy as a Slack bot. Responds in channels, handles mentions, and joins threads. Requires a bot token and signing secret.

📲

WhatsApp

Deploy on WhatsApp Business. Respond to customer messages and automate support. Requires WhatsApp Business API access.

🍎

iMessage

Coming soon. Deploy as an iMessage contact for Apple device users.

Changing Your Channel#

To change your messenger channel:

  1. Go to Dashboard → Settings
  2. Click Reconfigure under Messenger
  3. Select your new channel
  4. Click Save & Rebuild
⚠️

Rebuild required

Changing the messenger channel requires a full server rebuild (2-4 minutes). The new channel will be configured in the VM's cloud-init script.

Channel Comparison#

FeatureWebTelegramDiscordSlackWhatsApp
No setup required✅❌❌❌❌
Group chat support—✅✅✅✅
Image uploads✅✅✅✅✅
Streaming responses✅❌❌❌❌
Multiple sessions✅❌❌❌❌
Custom commands—✅✅✅❌
Free to use✅✅✅✅Varies
MCP ServersConfig Files