channelsread

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.