---
audience: beginner
summary: From signed-in to first message in a group room.
title: Send your first message
path: tutorials/first-steps/send-your-first-message
status: published
---

# Send your first message

You're signed in. The sidebar shows your workspaces and (if your
tenant has any) some default rooms. Time to create your own.

## 1. Make a room

Press **N** (or click the **+** next to your workspace name). The
**New room** dialog opens:

- **Mode**: pick **Group** for a room you'll add others to. (Direct
  message and Incognito have their own tutorials.)
- **Name**: anything — try `playground`.
- **Topic** (optional): a one-liner shown in the chat header.

Click **Create**. The room opens in the middle column.

## 2. Type and send

The composer is at the bottom. Type *"hello, ScaiWave"* and press
**Enter**. Your message appears in the timeline, attributed to you,
with a timestamp.

A few things you can do right away:

- **Newline**: `Shift+Enter`.
- **Mention a member**: `@` opens an autocomplete; pick a name.
- **Emoji**: type `:smile:` and it'll resolve to 😄 on send. Or pick
  from the picker (😀 button next to the composer).
- **Slash commands**: type `/` to see what's available. (More in
  [Master slash commands](/docs/scaiwave/tutorials/power-user/master-slash-commands).)
- **Markdown**: `**bold**`, `*italic*`, `` `code` ``, code fences,
  tables, footnotes. All render in the bubble.

## 3. Bring someone in

Click the **members** icon in the chat header (or the room name
itself, then **Members** tab) → **+ Invite**. Search by name; the
person appears as `invited`. When they accept, they show up as
`joined`.

If you want a **public room** that anyone in your tenant can
discover, edit the room's settings → **Discoverability: Public**.
It'll appear in the directory at **Browse → All rooms**.

## 4. React, edit, redact

Hover any message:

- **Smiley** button → react with an emoji. Reactions are visible to
  everyone.
- **Pencil** button (on your own message) → edit. The original is
  preserved in history; edits are marked.
- **Trash** button (your own messages, or others if you have
  `power_level >= 50`) → redact. The body is replaced with `[redacted]`;
  the event itself remains in the timeline for moderation history.

## 5. Find what you said

Top of the sidebar has a search box (or hit `Cmd/Ctrl+K`). Type a
phrase from your message — within ~2 seconds of sending, hits
include the new message. See [Concepts: Search](/docs/scaiwave/concepts/search)
for what's indexed.

## Where to go next

- [Start a direct message](/docs/scaiwave/tutorials/first-steps/start-a-direct-message).
- [Chat with AI](/docs/scaiwave/tutorials/first-steps/chat-with-ai).
- [Manage your availability](/docs/scaiwave/tutorials/first-steps/manage-your-availability).