Overview

Channels & Providers Overview

Channels and providers form the delivery infrastructure of Notiflows, enabling you to reach users across multiple communication methods. Understanding how they work together is essential for building a reliable notification system.

What are Channels?

Channels represent the different communication methods available for delivering notifications. Each channel type serves a specific purpose and reaches users in different contexts:

• In-App: Notifications displayed directly within your application
• Email: Messages delivered to users' email inboxes
• SMS: Text messages sent to mobile phones
• Mobile Push: Notifications pushed to mobile devices
• Chat: Messages sent to team collaboration platforms
• Browser Push: Notifications delivered through web browsers

What are Providers?

Providers are the external services that actually deliver your notifications. Each channel type can have one or more providers configured. For example:

• Email channels might use SendGrid, Amazon SES, or Mailgun
• SMS channels might use Twilio
• Push channels might use Firebase Cloud Messaging or Apple Push Notification Service

The In-App channel is unique—it's handled internally by Notiflows and doesn't require external providers.

How Channels and Providers Work Together

When a notiflow triggers a notification:

1. Channel Selection: The notiflow determines which channels to use based on the configured steps and user preferences
2. Provider Routing: For each channel, Notiflows routes the notification to the configured provider
3. Delivery: The provider handles the actual delivery to the user
4. Tracking: Notiflows monitors delivery status and updates your notification records

Environment Configuration

Providers are configured per environment (development, staging, production). This separation ensures:

• Test notifications don't accidentally reach production users
• Different credentials can be used for each environment
• Provider settings can be optimized for each environment's needs

Available Integrations

Notiflows supports a comprehensive range of providers across all channel types:

Setting Up Providers

To configure a provider:

1. Navigate to the Notiflows Dashboard
2. Go to Integrations in the sidebar
3. Click Add Provider
4. Select the channel type and provider
5. Enter the required credentials
6. Save and activate the integration

Each provider has specific credential requirements, which are detailed in the individual provider documentation pages.

Best Practices

Start with Essential Channels

Begin with the channels most important to your users. Email and in-app notifications are often good starting points before expanding to push and SMS.

Test Thoroughly

Always test provider configurations in development before deploying to production. Verify credentials, sender information, and delivery.

Monitor Delivery

Keep track of delivery rates and failures across providers. This helps identify issues early and optimize your notification strategy.

Plan for Redundancy

Consider configuring backup providers for critical channels to ensure delivery even if a primary provider experiences issues.

Next Steps

Explore the documentation for each channel type to learn about specific configuration requirements, best practices, and provider-specific features.