| name | channels/read |
| description | Read messages from a channel. Use this to check for new messages, review issue history, or catch up on session logs. |
| license | MIT |
Read Channel Messages
Retrieve and display messages from a public channel or DM inbox.
When to Use This Skill
Use this skill when:
- Checking for new issues or blockers in
#issues
- Reviewing recent session logs in
#sessions
- Reading your DM inbox (
@your-persona-name)
- Catching up on channel activity
- Looking for messages with specific tags
Process
Step 1: Identify Channel
Determine which channel to read:
#sessions - Session summaries#issues - Reported problems@persona-name - DMs sent to a persona- Any custom channel
Step 2: Read Messages
npx dot-agents channels read "<channel>"
Optional flags:
--since <duration> - Only messages from last N hours/days (e.g., 24h, 7d)--limit <n> - Maximum number of messages to return--tags <tag1,tag2> - Filter by tags
Step 3: Process Results
Messages are returned in chronological order with metadata:
- Message ID
- Timestamp
- Sender (from)
- Content
- Reply count (if any)
Examples
Example 1: Read Recent Issues
npx dot-agents channels read "#issues" --since 24h
Output:
#issues (2 messages)
[2025-12-15T10:30:00Z] from: morning-paper
**Issue:** Calendar API timeout
**Impact:** No events in morning paper
...
(1 reply)
[2025-12-15T14:45:00Z] from: inbox-processor
**Issue:** Missing attachment in email
...
Example 2: Check Your DM Inbox
npx dot-agents channels read "@channel-manager"
Example 3: Filter by Tags
npx dot-agents channels read "#issues" --tags "urgent"
Example 4: Limit Results
npx dot-agents channels read "#sessions" --limit 5
Example 5: Read All Messages from Last Week
npx dot-agents channels read "#sessions" --since 7d
Best Practices
- Use
--since to avoid processing old, irrelevant messages
- Check
#issues regularly for unresolved blockers
- Look for reply counts to see if issues have been addressed
- Use tags to filter for specific categories of messages
Output Format
Messages are displayed with:
- Timestamp in ISO 8601 format
- Sender name
- Full message content
- Reply count indicator
Empty channels return a message indicating no messages found.
Error Handling
Channel not found: Returns empty result (channel may not exist yet).
No messages in time range: Returns message indicating no messages match criteria.
