From 6b8b9c055bd24c966bdf0ebfb61fd61490a06ce7 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Steven Lindsay Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2025 11:08:04 +0000 Subject: [PATCH 1/3] docs: clear up default message persistence behavior for chat rooms --- src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/history.mdx | 2 +- src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/index.mdx | 8 ++++++++ src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/messages.mdx | 2 ++ 3 files changed, 11 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/history.mdx b/src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/history.mdx index cef507e3d9..74d1507ece 100644 --- a/src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/history.mdx +++ b/src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/history.mdx @@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ title: Message storage and history meta_description: "Retrieve previously sent messages from history." --- -The history feature enables users to retrieve messages that have been previously sent in a room. Ably stores chat messages for 30 days by default. You can extend this up to 365 days by [contacting us](https://ably.com/support). +The history feature enables users to retrieve messages that have been previously sent in a room. [Message persistence](/docs/chat/rooms#persistence) is enabled by default for all chat rooms, with messages stored for 30 days. You can extend this retention period up to 365 days by [contacting us](https://ably.com/support). ## Retrieve previously sent messages diff --git a/src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/index.mdx b/src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/index.mdx index a287773942..62c145b9cd 100644 --- a/src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/index.mdx +++ b/src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/index.mdx @@ -11,6 +11,14 @@ It is important to note that each room is backed by a single Ably Pub/Sub channe The channel name is the same as the room name with an appended suffix of `::$chat` (e.g `some-room-id::$chat`). In most cases, you will not need to worry about this, as the Chat SDK handles the channel creation and management for you and capabilities can be configured at the room level. +### Message persistence + +The `::$chat` suffix applied to chat room channels enables intrinsic default behaviors that differ from standard Pub/Sub channels. One of the most important behaviors is message persistence. + +Unlike typical Pub/Sub channels where persistence must be configured at the [rule level](/docs/storage-history/storage#configure-storage-rules), chat room channels have persistence enabled by default with a retention period of 30 days. This ensures that messages are automatically stored and can be retrieved using the [history feature](/docs/chat/rooms/history). + +The default 30-day retention period can be extended up to 365 days by [contacting us](https://ably.com/support). This automatic persistence is essential for supporting features such as [message updates](/docs/chat/rooms/messages#update), [message deletions](/docs/chat/rooms/messages#delete), and [message reactions](/docs/chat/rooms/message-reactions), all of which require access to previously sent messages. + ## Use a room Users send messages to a room and subscribe to the room in order to receive messages. diff --git a/src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/messages.mdx b/src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/messages.mdx index 6018c86335..f08d62dbea 100644 --- a/src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/messages.mdx +++ b/src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/messages.mdx @@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ Send, update, delete, and receive messages in a chat room with any number of par A user can also update or delete a message, all users that are subscribed to the room will be notified of the changes. +**Note:** To support updates, deletions, and [reactions](/docs/chat/rooms/message-reactions), [message persistence](/docs/chat/rooms#persistence) is enabled by default for all chat rooms. + ## Subscribe to messages From aac84a2ab7ee8646fc4f7b4f56d1a87e3a3b0a26 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Steven Lindsay Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2025 19:02:45 +0000 Subject: [PATCH 2/3] docs: fixup PR comments --- src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/index.mdx | 2 +- src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/messages.mdx | 4 +++- 2 files changed, 4 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-) diff --git a/src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/index.mdx b/src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/index.mdx index 62c145b9cd..02a2761e83 100644 --- a/src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/index.mdx +++ b/src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/index.mdx @@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ The channel name is the same as the room name with an appended suffix of `::$cha The `::$chat` suffix applied to chat room channels enables intrinsic default behaviors that differ from standard Pub/Sub channels. One of the most important behaviors is message persistence. -Unlike typical Pub/Sub channels where persistence must be configured at the [rule level](/docs/storage-history/storage#configure-storage-rules), chat room channels have persistence enabled by default with a retention period of 30 days. This ensures that messages are automatically stored and can be retrieved using the [history feature](/docs/chat/rooms/history). +Chat room channels have persistence enabled by default with a retention period of 30 days. This ensures that messages are automatically stored and can be retrieved using the [history feature](/docs/chat/rooms/history). The default 30-day retention period can be extended up to 365 days by [contacting us](https://ably.com/support). This automatic persistence is essential for supporting features such as [message updates](/docs/chat/rooms/messages#update), [message deletions](/docs/chat/rooms/messages#delete), and [message reactions](/docs/chat/rooms/message-reactions), all of which require access to previously sent messages. diff --git a/src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/messages.mdx b/src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/messages.mdx index f08d62dbea..d9426b2cbe 100644 --- a/src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/messages.mdx +++ b/src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/messages.mdx @@ -7,7 +7,9 @@ Send, update, delete, and receive messages in a chat room with any number of par A user can also update or delete a message, all users that are subscribed to the room will be notified of the changes. -**Note:** To support updates, deletions, and [reactions](/docs/chat/rooms/message-reactions), [message persistence](/docs/chat/rooms#persistence) is enabled by default for all chat rooms. + ## Subscribe to messages From 082c5593eec1b294a1606d583c1e5492f9b82396 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Steven Lindsay Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2026 15:43:55 +0000 Subject: [PATCH 3/3] remove note about `::$chat` suffix on chat room channels --- src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/index.mdx | 2 -- 1 file changed, 2 deletions(-) diff --git a/src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/index.mdx b/src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/index.mdx index 02a2761e83..4e8a3bdfc0 100644 --- a/src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/index.mdx +++ b/src/pages/docs/chat/rooms/index.mdx @@ -13,8 +13,6 @@ The channel name is the same as the room name with an appended suffix of `::$cha ### Message persistence -The `::$chat` suffix applied to chat room channels enables intrinsic default behaviors that differ from standard Pub/Sub channels. One of the most important behaviors is message persistence. - Chat room channels have persistence enabled by default with a retention period of 30 days. This ensures that messages are automatically stored and can be retrieved using the [history feature](/docs/chat/rooms/history). The default 30-day retention period can be extended up to 365 days by [contacting us](https://ably.com/support). This automatic persistence is essential for supporting features such as [message updates](/docs/chat/rooms/messages#update), [message deletions](/docs/chat/rooms/messages#delete), and [message reactions](/docs/chat/rooms/message-reactions), all of which require access to previously sent messages.