Notifications
How chat notifications work — when a push is sent, who gets it, what an @mention adds, and how it behaves when the app is already open.
Basic Messaging only works if people see their messages. Here’s exactly when Protocol notifies someone.
When a push is sent
Every new message sends a push notification to the conversation’s other participants — the sender never gets notified of their own message. The push shows the conversation name and a preview of the message, and tapping it opens straight to that conversation.
What an @mention adds
A normal message notifies everyone in the conversation. An @mention sends the person you named a distinct “… mentioned you” notification instead of the generic new-message one — so in a busy group, the people who actually need to act stand out. See Formatting & mentions.
When the app is already open
If someone is already using the app with that conversation open, Protocol doesn’t pile a push notification on top — the message simply appears in the thread in real time. Pushes are for getting someone’s attention when they’re away, not for interrupting a live conversation.
Read receipts recap
Notifications get a message delivered; read receipts tell you it was actually seen. The status icon on your own messages moves from sent → delivered → read (green double check). Full table in Messaging basics.
Forwarded and media messages notify too. Any new message in the conversation — text, a photo, a voice note, a forwarded message — triggers the same notification to the other participants.
Next: how all of this looks for your clients — Messaging on mobile →