> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.capsule.new/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Channels

> Connect external message transports to a Capsule app.

Web chat is built into every Capsule app. Channels let the same app receive messages from external transports such as Telegram, Slack, or WhatsApp.

## Create a channel

```bash theme={null}
capsule channel create support-telegram --type telegram -c bot_token=123:ABC
```

## Declare it in the app

```python theme={null}
app = cpsl.App(
    name="support-ops",
    image=cpsl.Image(),
    channels=[cpsl.Channel("support-telegram")],
)
```

## Handle messages once

The same `@app.message()` handler can serve web chat and named channels.

```python theme={null}
@app.message()
async def handle(session: cpsl.Session, msg: cpsl.Message):
    await session.reply(
        f"Received on {session.channel.type}: {msg.text}"
    )
```

## Serve with a channel

```bash theme={null}
capsule serve app.py:app --channel support-telegram
```

Use `--force-channel` when you need to rebind a local channel binding.

## Manage channels

```bash theme={null}
capsule channel list
capsule channel info support-telegram
capsule channel bind support-telegram --app support-ops
capsule channel unbind support-telegram
```

## Related

* [Chat And Sessions](/features/chat-and-sessions)
* [Deploy An App](/build/deploy-an-app)
* [CLI Reference](/reference/cli)