--- source_url: https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/learn/chat-entities/channel title: Channel object updated_at: 2026-06-18T11:25:56.186Z --- > Documentation Index > For a curated overview of PubNub documentation, see: https://www.pubnub.com/docs/llms.txt > For the full list of all documentation pages, see: https://www.pubnub.com/docs/llms-full.txt # Channel object The `Channel` object represents a single chat room where users can send and receive messages. ## Properties The `Channel` object has the following properties: | Parameter | Type | Required | Default | Description | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Id | FString | Optional | | Unique identifier for the channel. Verify the channel ID with our [validator](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/general/channels/overview#channel-name-validator). Access using `GetChannelID()`. | | ChannelData | FPubnubChatChannelData | Optional | | Additional data. Access using `GetChannelData()`. | | > ChannelName | FString | Optional | | Display name for the channel (must not be empty or consist only of whitespace characters). | | > Description | FString | Optional | | Brief description or summary of the channel's purpose or content. | | > Custom | FString | Optional | | JSON providing custom data about the channel. Values must be scalar only; arrays or objects are not supported. [Filtering App Context data](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/general/metadata/filtering) through the `custom` property is not recommended in SDKs. | | > Status | FString | Optional | | Tag that lets you categorize your app channels by their current state. The tag choice is entirely up to you and depends on your use case. Maximum length is 50 characters. | | > Type | FString | Optional | | Tag that lets you categorize your app channels by their functional roles. The tag choice is entirely up to you and depends on your use case. Maximum length is 50 characters. | :::tip API limits To learn about the maximum length of parameters used to set channel metadata, refer to [REST API docs](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/sdks/rest-api/set-channel-metadata). ::: ## Methods You can call the following methods on the `Channel` object. Click on each method for more details. * [Connect()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/channels/watch) * [CreateMessageDraft()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/messages/drafts#create-a-draft-message) * [Delete()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/channels/delete) * [Disconnect()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/channels/watch) * [EmitCustomEvent()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/custom-events) * [EmitUserMention()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/users/mentions#emit-user-mention) * [FetchReadReceipts()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/messages/read-receipts#fetch-read-receipts) * [ForwardMessage()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/messages/forward) * [GetChannelData()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/channels/details#get-channel-data) * [GetChannelID()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/channels/details#get-channel-id) * [GetHistory()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/messages/history) * [GetInvitees()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/channels/invite#get-invitees) * [GetMember()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/channels/membership#get-member) * [GetMembers()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/channels/membership#get-members) * [GetMessage()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/messages/details#get-message-details) * [GetMessageReportsHistory()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/messages/moderation) * [GetPinnedMessage()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/messages/pinned#get) * [GetUserRestrictions()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/users/moderation#one-user-on-one-channel) * [GetUsersRestrictions()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/users/moderation#all-users-on-one-channel) * [HasMember()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/channels/membership#check-member) * [Invite()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/channels/invite#invite-one-user) * [InviteMultiple()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/channels/invite#invite-multiple-users) * [IsPresent()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/users/presence#check-users-channel-presence) * [Join()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/channels/join) * [Leave()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/channels/leave) * [PinMessage()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/messages/pinned#pin) * [SendText()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/messages/send-receive) * [SetRestrictions()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/users/moderation#mute-or-ban-users) * [StartTyping()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/channels/typing-indicator#start-typing) * [StopTyping()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/channels/typing-indicator#stop-typing) * [UnpinMessage()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/messages/pinned#unpin) * [Update()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/channels/updates#update-channel-details) * [WhoIsPresent()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/users/presence#return-all-users-present-on-channel) ## Streaming Call these methods to subscribe to or unsubscribe from real-time events on this `Channel` object. * [StreamCustomEvents()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/custom-events) * [StopStreamingCustomEvents()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/custom-events) * [StreamMessageReports()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/messages/moderation) * [StopStreamingMessageReports()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/messages/moderation) * [StreamPresence()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/users/presence#get-presence-updates) * [StopStreamingPresence()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/users/presence#get-presence-updates) * [StreamReadReceipts()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/messages/read-receipts#get-read-receipts) * [StopStreamingReadReceipts()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/messages/read-receipts#get-read-receipts) * [StreamTyping()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/channels/typing-indicator#stream-typing-events) * [StopStreamingTyping()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/channels/typing-indicator#stream-typing-events) * [StreamUpdates()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/channels/updates#get-channel-updates) * [StopStreamingUpdates()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/channels/updates#get-channel-updates) * [StreamUpdatesOn()](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/channels/updates#get-channel-updates) ## Use case Use the `Channel` object methods to: * Let users [send](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/messages/send-receive) messages. * [Create and manage](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/channels/create) a 1:1, group, or public channel (chat). * [Invite](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/channels/invite) others to join the channel. * Configure a [typing indicator](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk/build/features/channels/typing-indicator) to track when someone in the room is writing a message.