# Channels

**Kind**: module | **Library**: @interopio/desktop | **Access**: `io.channels`

**Source**: https://docs.interop.io/desktop/reference/javascript/channels/index.html

Channels are globally accessed named contexts that allow users to dynamically group apps,
instructing them to work over the same shared data object.
When apps are on the same Channel, they share a context data object which they can monitor and/or update.

The Channels API is accessible via the [`io.channels`](https://docs.interop.io/desktop/reference/javascript/channels/api/index.md) object.

## Interfaces

- [API](https://docs.interop.io/desktop/reference/javascript/channels/api/index.md): Channels API.
- [ChannelContext](https://docs.interop.io/desktop/reference/javascript/channels/channelcontext/index.md): Describes a Channel context.
- [ChannelRestrictions](https://docs.interop.io/desktop/reference/javascript/channels/channelrestrictions/index.md): Restrictions applied to a window for publishing or subscribing to a specific Channel.
- [Configuration](https://docs.interop.io/desktop/reference/javascript/channels/configuration/index.md): Settings for the Channels API.
- [FDC3Context](https://docs.interop.io/desktop/reference/javascript/channels/fdc3context/index.md): Describes an FDC3 context published to an io.Connect Channel.
- [FDC3Options](https://docs.interop.io/desktop/reference/javascript/channels/fdc3options/index.md): Settings for retrieving and subscribing for FDC3 contexts published in an io.Connect Channel.
- [PublishOptions](https://docs.interop.io/desktop/reference/javascript/channels/publishoptions/index.md): Options for updating a Channel context with the `publish()` method.
- [Restrictions](https://docs.interop.io/desktop/reference/javascript/channels/restrictions/index.md): All restrictions applied to a window for publishing or subscribing to Channels.
- [RestrictionsConfig](https://docs.interop.io/desktop/reference/javascript/channels/restrictionsconfig/index.md): Restrictions applied to a window for publishing or subscribing to all Channels.
- [WindowOnChannelInfo](https://docs.interop.io/desktop/reference/javascript/channels/windowonchannelinfo/index.md): Describes an io.Connect Window that can use Channels.
- [WindowWithChannelFilter](https://docs.interop.io/desktop/reference/javascript/channels/windowwithchannelfilter/index.md): Filter that will be applied when looking for io.Connect Windows that can use Channels.