Instant Messaging is Now Live
You can now send real-time messages to other DevTools users directly from the platform. Go to the Chat page to get started.
Setting Up
Before you can chat, you need a username. Visit Settings → Username to choose one. Usernames are 3-30 characters, letters, numbers and underscores. Availability is checked in real time.
Username change cooldown:
| Plan | Cooldown |
|---|---|
| Free | 30 days |
| Starter | 7 days |
| Pro | 1 day |
| Business | Instant |
Starting a Conversation
On the Chat page, click New Chat and search for a user by username or display name. All your conversations are listed with the last message preview and unread count badge.
Message Retention
By default, messages auto-delete after 24 hours. You can change this in Settings → Retention:
- 24 hours — default, all plans
- 1 week — all plans
- 1 month — Starter and above
- 1 year — Pro and above
- Forever — Business plan
The retention setting applies to future messages. Existing messages keep their original expiry.
Real-Time Delivery
Messages are delivered instantly using Supabase Realtime. You will see a typing indicator when the other person is composing a reply, and double-check read receipts when your message has been seen.