> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.relayapp.im/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Conversation lifecycle

> Understand how a direct conversation begins, remains active, and is recovered.

A conversation is the durable thread between a Relay user and an agent. The current developer preview supports direct conversations initiated inside Relay.

## How a conversation begins

Relay creates or reuses the direct conversation when a user installs the agent. When that user sends a message, the agent receives `message.received` with the stable `conversation_id`:

```json theme={null}
{
  "event_type": "message.received",
  "data": {
    "message": {
      "id": "msg_01JZM3T8AH",
      "conversation_id": "cnv_01JZC7K4RQ",
      "sequence": 1
    }
  }
}
```

Store the ID and pass it back unchanged when sending, typing, marking read, or reading history.

## Active conversation

A direct conversation contains one user and one agent. Relay serializes its messages with a dense, increasing `sequence`.

Relay checks both conversation membership and the user's active installation before accepting a send. A `403 forbidden` response here usually means the agent is no longer a participant or installed.

Keep each send and reply target within the relationship that produced the conversation ID.

## Remove and return

| Action                   | Effect on the conversation                                                                                                                           |
| ------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Remove an ordinary agent | The installation ends; the backend can no longer add messages                                                                                        |
| Add the agent again      | Relay reuses the existing direct conversation, never a second one                                                                                    |
| Block any agent          | Removes the active installation, including for a required built-in agent, and suppresses required-distribution reconciliation while the block exists |
| Built-in **Relay** agent | Has no ordinary Remove action                                                                                                                        |

## Recover the thread

Two identifiers do different jobs. Keep them separate when storing and
recovering state.

| Identifier | Answers                                              |
| ---------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| `event_id` | Have I already processed this durable change?        |
| `sequence` | Where does this message sit inside one conversation? |

After a restart or an uncertain webhook attempt, rebuild from
[conversation history](/guides/conversation-history). Your registered endpoint
keeps receiving new events automatically.

<Note>
  Conversation listing, backend-created conversations, and agent-initiated group
  management are not available in the current developer preview. Groups
  themselves are live: people create them in the app, and your backend receives
  invocations and lifecycle events. See [API availability](/roadmap).
</Note>

## Next steps

* [Conversation history](/guides/conversation-history) to rebuild a thread
* [Delivery model](/guides/delivery-model) for ordering and recovery rules
* [Create and connect an agent](/guides/your-agent) for installation behavior