---
title: What a Space is
type: explanation
section: spaces
summary: A Space is a named group of channels and people inside one Account; channels hold the messages, and threads hold side-discussions.
applies_to:
  clients: [web]
sources:
  - evolve-front-end/app/[lng]/spaces/page.tsx
  - evolve-front-end/app/[lng]/spaces/[roomId]/page.tsx
  - evolve-front-end/components/team-chat/page-nav/team-chat-space-rail.tsx
  - evolve-front-end/lib/team-chat/types.ts
  - evolve-front-end/app/i18n/locales/en/team-chat.json
verified:
  at: 2026-09-04
  env: code
  by: content-lane-spaces
ttl_days: 45
related: [spaces/explore-and-join-a-space, spaces/channels-and-sub-channels, spaces/space-members-and-roles]
aliases: [team-chat/what-is-a-space]
---

A Space is a named group of channels and people, built around a team, project, or topic. Every Space belongs to one Account. Inside a Space, conversation happens in channels; a channel can carry threads, and each thread is one side-discussion hanging off a single message.

Spaces opens at `/spaces`. The narrow column on the far left is the destination rail: it holds your direct messages, one round icon for each Space you belong to, **Explore Spaces**, and, if your account may create Spaces, a button to start a new one. Selecting a Space shows that Space's channels in the wider navigation column beside it.

## The four levels

| Level | What it holds | Where you see it |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Account | Every Space that belongs to your institution or team | The Account you are working in |
| Space | Channels, members, and Space roles | One round icon in the destination rail |
| Channel | Messages, pins, threads, and files | The navigation column, under **Channels** |
| Thread | Replies to one message | Under a channel row in the navigation column, and in the **Threads** tab |

A channel can also have sub-channels. A sub-channel is a channel whose members come from its parent channel, and it appears indented under the parent.

## What is not part of a Space

Direct messages are not inside a Space. They live on their own destination, labelled **DMs**, and are listed under **Direct messages**. A one-to-one direct message resumes rather than creating a duplicate; a group message is always new. **Notes to self** is a private conversation with nobody else in it.

## What each channel gives you

Every channel header carries four tabs: **Messages**, **Pins**, **Threads**, and **Files**. Each tab has its own address, so you can link to one directly: a channel opens on **Messages**, and the other three add `?view=pins`, `?view=threads`, or `?view=files` to the channel URL.

## Related

- [Explore and join a Space](/help/spaces/explore-and-join-a-space)
- [Channels and sub-channels](/help/spaces/channels-and-sub-channels)
- [Space members and roles](/help/spaces/space-members-and-roles)
- [Reply in a thread](/help/spaces/reply-in-a-thread)