> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.hexabot.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.hexabot.ai/integrations/channels-and-sources.md). # Channels and Sources Channels and sources control how external conversations enter Hexabot and how those conversations are routed to workflows. Open them from **Integrations > Channels** or go to `/settings/sources`. ### Core Concepts

Concept	What it means
Channel	An installed communication handler, such as `web`, `console`, or a custom channel. A channel defines the transport, message behavior, and settings schema.
Source	A configured entrypoint for one channel. A source has its own internal ID, name, enabled state, default workflow, and channel-specific settings.
Source Ref	The public reference used by widgets and webhooks to connect to a specific source. For the Hexabot Chat Widget, pass this value as `sourceId`.

You do not create channel types from this page. The channel list comes from the channels installed in the API. You create and maintain sources for those channels. Hexabot creates a default source for each registered channel when the API starts and no source exists for that channel. You can add more sources when you need separate entrypoints for different websites, brands, environments, workflows, or settings. ### Source List The Channels page shows source rows.

Use the search box to find sources by name or channel. The source name is also shown in the Inbox conversation list, so clear names make support work easier. Sources are not deleted from the admin panel. Disable a source when you want to stop traffic without losing the source ID, settings, or historical conversation links. ### Create a Source 1. Open **Integrations > Channels**. 2. Click **Add**. 3. Choose a channel from the menu. 4. Enter a unique source name. 5. Select a default workflow, if this entrypoint should start a specific conversational workflow. 6. Keep **Enabled** on if the source should accept traffic immediately. 7. Fill the channel-specific settings. 8. Click **Save**. The Add button is disabled when the API reports no registered channels. It is hidden when your role does not have source create permission. ### Edit a Source Click the pencil action on a source row. Editable fields:

Field	Notes
Name	Required and stored without leading or trailing spaces.
Default workflow	Optional. Leave empty when the client or channel should decide which workflow to run.
Enabled	Turn off to reject new inbound events for this source.
Settings	Rendered from the selected channel's settings schema.

The channel field is read-only in the form. If you need the same settings on another channel, create a new source for that channel. ### Default Workflow Routing When an inbound event reaches a source, Hexabot resolves the workflow in this order:

Priority	Source
1	Explicit workflow passed by the client or webhook request.
2	Source default workflow.
3	Channel or workflow trigger behavior, if no workflow is set.

Use a default workflow when the source should consistently start the same automation. Leave it empty when the source is only used for manual tests, custom dispatch logic, or multiple workflow entrypoints. For the web widget, each source can have its own default workflow. The widget can also pass `workflowId`. Hexabot forwards that value as `workflow_id` on `/webhook/:sourceId/`. When `workflowId` is present, it overrides the source default workflow. The admin chat console uses enabled `console` sources. When a workflow is opened in the visual editor, the embedded console prefers a console source whose default workflow matches that workflow, then a console source with no default workflow, then the first enabled console source. ### Channel Settings The Settings section is generated from the channel schema returned by the API. Different channels can expose different fields. The backend validates these settings again when you save, so invalid values can still be rejected by the API. Built-in web-style sources commonly include:

Setting	Effect
Allowed domains	Comma-separated CORS origins allowed to connect to the source. The API checks this before accepting web-style requests. Use exact origins such as `https://www.example.com`, or `*` only when any origin should be allowed.
Greeting message	Message shown on the widget pre-chat screen.
Window title	Header title for the web widget. Available on the `web` channel.
Avatar URL	Chatbot avatar image URL. Available on the `web` channel.
Show emoji / file / location	Enables or hides those widget actions.
Allowed upload types	Comma-separated MIME types accepted by the widget upload input.
Thread inactivity hours	Starts a new thread when the last message is older than this threshold.
Show start button / Disable input / Persistent menu	Exposed by the built-in schema for compatible web-style clients. Current widget behavior also depends on the widget implementation and available menu items.

If the form says no settings schema is available, the channel did not expose configurable source settings. You can still save the source with empty settings. Maximum upload size is not part of the `web` source settings schema. Set it in the widget client with the `maxUploadSize` prop and enforce it on the server with API upload configuration. ### Web Widget Sources For a web widget deployment, create or choose an enabled `web` source, copy its **Source Ref**, and pass it as `sourceId` in the widget configuration: ```tsx ``` The current `web` channel requires Socket.IO transport. The widget `transport` option accepts `ws` or `polling`, and defaults to `ws`. At runtime, the widget connects with that Source Ref. Hexabot then sends the source settings, persistent menu tree, current profile, thread information, and message history back to the widget. Plain HTTP calls to the `web` channel are rejected by the backend. The widget will not connect without a `sourceId`. A disabled source, wrong Source Ref, wrong channel, missing allowed domain, or unsupported transport can prevent the widget from loading or sending messages. ### Inbox Behavior Sources are attached to subscribers and threads. In the Inbox:

UI behavior	Detail
Source filter	Filters conversations by enabled sources.
Conversation badge	Shows the source name beside each conversation.
Thread history	Keeps the source association even if the source is later disabled.

Use separate sources when support agents need to distinguish traffic from different websites, products, regions, or test environments. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.hexabot.ai/integrations/channels-and-sources.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.