anytype-docs-basics-space.md
For the complete documentation index, see llms.txt. This page is also available as Markdown.
A Channel , also referred to as a Space, is a workspace inside your Vault. If your Vault is the house, then each Channel is a separate room with its own locked door. Each Channel has its own set of Objects, its own Sidebar, and its own members. Everything you create belongs to a specific Channel.
Channels let you separate different parts of your life. You might keep a personal Channel for private notes and journals, a shared Channel for a project with collaborators, and another for a community or team. Each one is independent. Objects, Types, and Properties in one Channel don't affect another.
Because each Channel is encrypted separately, you have fine-grained control over who can see what.
Every Channel has its own:
Objects — the notes, tasks, and everything else you create
Sidebar — customized to show what matters in that workspace
Members — you decide who can view or edit
You can create as many Channels as you need. Use the Vault Sidebar (the leftmost panel) to switch between them.
Go to the Vault Sidebar and click the 'plus' button at the top.
Select from any of the options:
Personal — just for you
Group — shared with others
Join via invite link — using an invitation link
Name your Channel. Pick something descriptive — Personal, Family, Design Team.
Pick an icon. Choose an emoji, upload an image, or skip.
Invite members. This is optional and you can do it later. See Collaboration for details.
Choose your Home. Choose Page by Default. See below for more details.
Click Create.
It's easiest to start with 'Personal', you can always add others to your Channel later and share an invitation link.
Once your Channel exists, you'll land on the Home you chose. Some next steps:
Invite members — open Channel Settings > Members to generate invite links. See Collaboration.
Customize the Sidebar — pin or favorite important Objects and add widgets. See Sidebar.
Set up Types and Properties — create your organization system. See Types.
Choose a Home Page — pick what loads first when you enter the Channel. See Choosing Home.
To share access and collaborate with others, use the Members section in the Channel Settings. You can generate invitation links, approve access, revoke access, and decide on permission levels. See more here.
The Home sets the tone for what the Channel is for. Every Channel has the same capabilities, the Home simply decides what is the starting point.
Your Home can be any of three things:
Home Type
Best for
What members see when they enter
Chat
Conversational Channels — communities, social, casual collaboration
A live message stream
Page
Documentation, wikis, reference Channels, personal notebooks
A single Object with content and links
Collection
Project Channels with multiple related items
A curated list of Objects in your chosen layout
You can change the Home later in Channel Settings > General > Homepage — so don't worry about getting it perfect on day one. Here is some help in making a decision of what to choose:
Chat-Home feels like a group conversation. Members open it and see the latest messages immediately. Use this for when conversation is the main activity, with documents and notes as the supporting cast:
Team standups and async chat
Communities and interest groups
Family or friend discussions
Page-Home feels like a wiki or document. Members open it and land on a specific Object — usually a "welcome" or "dashboard" page that links out to everything else. Use this for when knowledge is the main activity:
Team documentation
Personal knowledge bases (your "second brain")
A community center dashboard
A Collection-Home Channel feels like a project board or library. Members open it and see a list of Objects — tasks, documents, references, whatever you've added. Use this for when there's a need to see a lot of data:
Project Channels with mixed content (tasks, notes, files)
Reading lists and curated archives
Travel planning, event prep, or anything with a defined scope
Each Channel has its own Types and Properties. If you've set up custom Types in one Channel, they won't automatically appear in another.
You can create a one-to-one Channel between you and another Anytype user with Direct Channels. These operate similarly to direct chats with individuals. See more here.
To change your preferences and customize your Channel, please see Channel Settings. From this section, you can:
Invite others to the space
Import and export data
Change your notifications
Change channel ownership
Delete a channel
Last updated 4 hours ago
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