---
title: "Create Work Channel"
method: POST
path: "/work/channels"
tags: ["Work"]
---

# Create Work Channel

`POST /work/channels`

## Request

- Base URL: `https://be.graph8.com/api/v1`
- URL: `https://be.graph8.com/api/v1/work/channels`
- Auth: HTTP bearer

Create one Work channel.

``409`` when the name is taken — a channel's slug IS its room address, so two
channels cannot share one. ``422`` for a name or description that cannot be
normalized, and for an unknown ``templateId``. ``templateId`` seats the
template's specialists and seeds its Canvas.

The creator comes from the authenticated principal. The body cannot express
it: ``author``, ``actor_id``, ``org_id`` and ``createdBy`` are refused
outright rather than ignored.

## Headers

- `Idempotency-Key` string, nullable: Retry-safety key. Replaying one returns the ORIGINAL result with `duplicate: true` instead of writing twice. Omit it and the server mints a single-use key, which means a retried request writes again — send your own for anything you may retry.
- `Authorization` string, nullable
- `X-Target-Org-Id` string, nullable

## Request body

- WorkChannelCreateRequest: One channel a person is creating. Carries what the channel IS and who is seated in it — never who is creating it. The creator, the organization and the signing identity all come from the authenticated session in `work/router.py`, and `Idempotency-Key` comes from the header. `SERVER_OWNED_MESSAGE_FIELDS` is reused verbatim for the refusal because the danger is identical: `create_work_event` turns whatever `actor_id`/`org_id` it is handed into the signing key AND the `g8_actor` / `g8_org` tags.
  - `name` string, required
  - `displayName` string, nullable
  - `description` string, nullable
  - `visibility` 'open' | 'private'
  - `kind` 'stream' | 'forum'
  - `memberUserIds` string[]
  - `participantAgentIds` string[]
  - `templateId` string, nullable: One of `work/channel_templates.py`'s ids. Seats its specialists and seeds its Canvas.
  - `ttlSeconds` integer, nullable: A Temporary channel's lifetime in seconds; absent means Permanent.

## Response `201`

Successful Response

- ApiResponseWorkChannelWriteResult
  - `data` WorkChannelWriteResult, required: The result of one channel write, with its idempotent-replay marker.
    - `channel` WorkChannel: One Work channel as the room stores it.
      - `id` string, nullable: Channel id (uuid5 of `{org}:{name}` — the room address)
      - `name` string, nullable: Slug, unique per organization. Renaming the display name never moves the room.
      - `displayName` string, nullable: Human-readable name shown in the sidebar
      - `description` string, nullable: Channel description
      - `visibility` string, nullable: `open` (self-serve joinable) or `private` (invite only)
      - `kind` string, nullable: `stream` or `forum`
      - `memberUserIds` string[], nullable: Seated member identities
      - `participantAgentIds` string[], nullable: Seated agent ids
      - `system` boolean, nullable: True for a built-in channel (`#work`, `#signals`)
      - `archivedAt` string, nullable: When the channel was archived, if it is
      - `createdBy` string, nullable: Identity that created the channel
      - `createdAt` string, nullable: Creation timestamp
    - `duplicate` boolean, nullable: True when an Idempotency-Key replay returned the original result
    - `canvasSeeded` boolean, nullable: Present when `templateId` seeded a Canvas
  - `pagination` PaginationMeta
    - `page` integer, required: Current page number (1-indexed)
    - `limit` integer, required: Items per page
    - `total` integer, required: Total number of items
    - `has_next` boolean, required: Whether there are more pages
    - `next_cursor` string, nullable: Opaque cursor for the next page; null when there are no more items. Pass it back as the `cursor` query param to fetch the following page without computing page numbers.
    - `total_available` integer, nullable: Search endpoints only: how many records really match, when known. Can be larger than `total`, which is capped at the 10,000 results that can be paged. For company search this is a distinct-company estimate. Null when unknown; absent outside search.
    - `total_is_lower_bound` boolean, nullable: Search endpoints only: true when more records match than `total` shows (the result set is larger than the 10,000 results that can be paged). Absent outside search.
    - `notes` string[], nullable: Search endpoints only: plain-language notes about the result, e.g. that more records match than can be paged, or that a reversed `between` range was put in order.

## Other responses

- `422`: Validation Error

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/graph8/apis/graph8-developer-api.md) · [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/graph8/apis/graph8-developer-api/llms.txt) · [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc.dev/graph8/apis/graph8-developer-api/revisions/2e7cfa0ca921?raw)