Channels: Control Claude Code from Telegram & Discord.
Control your Claude Code terminal session through messaging platforms. Send commands from your phone, receive results — no need to stay at the terminal.
Announced March 2026
See Channels in action — send commands from Telegram or Discord, get results in your terminal.
What is Channels?
Channels bridges messaging platforms like Telegram and Discord to your Claude Code CLI session using MCP plugins. It turns your chat app into a remote terminal controller.
MCP-Powered Bridge
Built on Model Context Protocol, channels connect messaging platforms to your CLI session through official plugins.
Two-Way Communication
Send commands and receive results, reactions, and progress updates in real-time.
Multiple Platforms
Start with Telegram and Discord, with more platforms possible via the MCP plugin system.
How It Works
Install a Channel Plugin
Use /plugin install telegram@claude-plugins-official or the discord variant to add the channel plugin.
Launch with --channels
Start Claude Code with claude --channels plugin:telegram@claude-plugins-official to enable the channel bridge.
Pair & Control
DM your bot for a pairing code, then send commands from anywhere. Results flow back to your chat.
Platform Setup
Step-by-step instructions for connecting Telegram or Discord to your Claude Code session.
Telegram Setup
- 1 Create a bot via @BotFather
- 2 Install plugin
/plugin install telegram@claude-plugins-official - 3 Configure with your token
/telegram:configure <token> - 4 Launch Claude Code
claude --channels plugin:telegram@claude-plugins-official - 5 Pair: DM bot → get code
/telegram:access pair <code> - 6 Secure access
/telegram:access policy allowlist
Discord Setup
- 1 Create app in Discord Developer Portal
- 2 Create bot, enable Message Content Intent
- 3 Set OAuth2 permissions
Send Messages, Read History, Add Reactions - 4 Install plugin
/plugin install discord@claude-plugins-official - 5 Configure with your token
/discord:configure <token> - 6 Launch Claude Code
claude --channels plugin:discord@claude-plugins-official - 7 Pair: DM bot → get code
/discord:access pair <code>
MCP Tools Available
Channels plugins expose these tools for interacting with your messaging platform.
reply
Send reply messages back to the user in the chat platform.
react
Add emoji reactions to messages for quick status feedback.
edit_message
Edit previously sent messages, useful for progress updates.
Channels vs Dispatch
Both let you control Claude remotely, but they target different workflows.
| Aspect | Channels | Dispatch |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Claude Code (terminal) | Claude Desktop (Cowork) |
| Messaging | Telegram, Discord | Claude mobile app |
| Architecture | MCP plugin → CLI session | Built-in app integration |
| Target Users | Developers, code-centric | General task automation |
Availability & Requirements
Channels is currently in research preview. The protocol and commands may change based on feedback.
Pro
$20/mo
AvailableMax 5x
$100/mo
AvailableMax 20x
$200/mo
AvailableTeam / Enterprise
Custom
Admin EnableCurrent Limitations
Channels is a research preview. Here's what to expect.
Whitelisted Plugins Only
Only Anthropic-maintained official plugins are supported during the preview period.
Session Must Be Open
Events only arrive while your Claude Code session is running. No background daemon yet.
No API Key Auth
Must use claude.ai login. Console/API key authentication is not supported.
Protocol May Change
Command syntax and protocol contract may adjust based on user feedback during preview.
Explore More Features
Dispatch
Text Claude from your phone, get finished work on your desktop.
Scheduled Tasks
Set it once — daily briefings, weekly reports. Claude handles the rest.
Code Review
Multi-agent PR analysis with cross-verification. False positive rate below 1%.
Remote Control
Continue your CLI sessions from any device. Code stays local.
Ready to Channel Your First Command?
Install Claude Code, set up a channel plugin, and start controlling your terminal from Telegram or Discord.