Built-in WorkflowStep Type

This documentation will walk through all the built-in workflow step types sorted alphabetically.

It was generated automatically by scripts, please don’t update manually, last updated at 2023-07-28T09:33:26+08:00.

Enable a KubeVela addon.

This step type is only valid in WorkflowRun.

apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1alpha1
kind: WorkflowRun
metadata:
  name: observability
  namespace: vela-system
spec:
  context:
    readConfig: true
  mode: 
  workflowSpec:
    steps:
      - name: Enable Prism
        type: addon-operation
        properties:
          addonName: vela-prism
      - name: Enable o11y
        type: addon-operation
        properties:
          addonName: o11y-definitions
          operation: enable
          args:
          - --override-definitions
      - name: Prepare Prometheus
        type: step-group
        subSteps: 
        - name: get-exist-prometheus
          type: list-config
          properties:
            template: prometheus-server
          outputs:
          - name: prometheus
            valueFrom: "output.configs"
        - name: prometheus-server
          inputs:
          - from: prometheus
            # TODO: Make it is not required
            parameterKey: configs
          if: "!context.readConfig || len(inputs.prometheus) == 0"
          type: addon-operation
          properties:
            addonName: prometheus-server
            operation: enable
            args:
            - memory=4096Mi
            - serviceType=LoadBalancer
      - name: Prepare Loki
        type: addon-operation
        properties:
          addonName: loki
          operation: enable
          args:
            - --version=v0.1.4
            - agent=vector
            - serviceType=LoadBalancer
      - name: Prepare Grafana
        type: step-group
        subSteps: 
        - name: get-exist-grafana
          type: list-config
          properties:
            template: grafana
          outputs:
          - name: grafana
            valueFrom: "output.configs"
        - name: Install Grafana & Init Dashboards
          inputs:
          - from: grafana
            parameterKey: configs
          if: "!context.readConfig || len(inputs.grafana) == 0"
          type: addon-operation
          properties:
            addonName: grafana
            operation: enable
            args:
              - serviceType=LoadBalancer
        - name: Init Dashboards
          inputs:
          - from: grafana
            parameterKey: configs
          if: "len(inputs.grafana) != 0"
          type: addon-operation
          properties:
            addonName: grafana
            operation: enable
            args:
              - install=false
      - name: Clean
        type: clean-jobs
      - name: print-message
        type: print-message-in-status
        properties:
          message: "All addons have been enabled successfully, you can use 'vela addon list' to check them."

Apply application from data or ref to the cluster.

This step type is only valid in WorkflowRun.

apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1alpha1
kind: WorkflowRun
metadata:
  name: apply-applications
  namespace: default
  annotations:
    workflowrun.oam.dev/debug: "true"
spec:
  workflowSpec:
    steps:
      - name: check-app-exist
        type: read-app
        properties:
          name: webservice-app
      - name: apply-app1
        type: apply-app
        if: status["check-app-exist"].message == "Application not found"
        properties:
          data:
            apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1beta1
            kind: Application
            metadata:
              name: webservice-app
            spec:
              components:
                - name: express-server
                  type: webservice
                  properties:
                    image: crccheck/hello-world
                    ports:
                      - port: 8000
      - name: suspend
        type: suspend
        timeout: 24h
      - name: apply-app2
        type: apply-app
        properties:
          ref:
            name: my-app
            key: application
            type: configMap
---
apiVersion: v1
kind: ConfigMap
metadata:
  name: my-app
  namespace: default
data:
  application: |
    apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1beta1
    kind: Application
    metadata:
      name: webservice-app2
    spec:
      components:
        - name: express-server2
          type: webservice
          properties:
            image: crccheck/hello-world
            ports:
              - port: 8000

Apply a specific component and its corresponding traits in application.

This step type is only valid in Application.

apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1beta1
kind: Application
metadata:
  name: first-vela-workflow
  namespace: default
spec:
  components:
  - name: express-server
    type: webservice
    properties:
      image: oamdev/hello-world
      port: 8000
    traits:
    - type: ingress
      properties:
        domain: testsvc.example.com
        http:
          /: 8000
  workflow:
    steps:
      - name: express-server
        type: apply-component
        properties:
          component: express-server
          # cluster: <your cluster name>
          # namespace: <your namespace name>

Apply deployment with specified image and cmd.

This step type is valid in both Application and WorkflowRun.

apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1beta1
kind: Application
metadata:
  name: apply-deploy
  namespace: default
spec:
  components:
  - name: express-server
    type: webservice
    properties:
      image: oamdev/hello-world
      port: 8000
  workflow:
    steps:
      - name: apply-comp
        type: apply-component
        properties:
          component: express-server
      - name: apply-deploy
        type: apply-deployment
        properties:
          image: nginx

Apply raw kubernetes objects for your workflow steps.

This step type is valid in both Application and WorkflowRun.

apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1beta1
kind: Application
metadata:
  name: server-with-pvc
  namespace: default
spec:
  components:
  - name: express-server
    type: webservice
    properties:
      image: oamdev/hello-world
      port: 8000
      volumes:
        - name: "my-pvc"
          type: "pvc"
          mountPath: "/test"
          claimName: "myclaim"
  workflow:
    steps:
      - name: apply-pvc
        type: apply-object
        properties:
          # Kubernetes native resources fields
          value:
            apiVersion: v1
            kind: PersistentVolumeClaim
            metadata:
              name: myclaim
              namespace: default
            spec:
              accessModes:
              - ReadWriteOnce
              resources:
                requests:
                  storage: 8Gi
              storageClassName: standard
          # the cluster you want to apply the resource to, default is the current cluster
          cluster: <your cluster name>  
      - name: apply-server
        type: apply-component
        properties:
          component: express-serve

Apply terraform configuration in the step.

This step type is valid in both Application and WorkflowRun.

apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1beta1
kind: Application
metadata:
  name: apply-terraform-resource
  namespace: default
spec:
  components: []
  workflow:
    steps:
    - name: provider
      type: apply-terraform-provider
      properties:
        type: alibaba
        name: my-alibaba-provider
        accessKey: <accessKey>
        secretKey: <secretKey>
        region: cn-hangzhou
    - name: configuration
      type: apply-terraform-config
      properties:
        source:
          path: alibaba/cs/dedicated-kubernetes
          remote: https://github.com/FogDong/terraform-modules
        providerRef:
          name: my-alibaba-provider
        writeConnectionSecretToRef:
            name: my-terraform-secret
            namespace: vela-system
        variable:
          name: regular-check-ack
          new_nat_gateway: true
          vpc_name: "tf-k8s-vpc-regular-check"
          vpc_cidr: "10.0.0.0/8"
          vswitch_name_prefix: "tf-k8s-vsw-regualr-check"
          vswitch_cidrs: [ "10.1.0.0/16", "10.2.0.0/16", "10.3.0.0/16" ]
          k8s_name_prefix: "tf-k8s-regular-check"
          k8s_version: 1.24.6-aliyun.1
          k8s_pod_cidr: "192.168.5.0/24"
          k8s_service_cidr: "192.168.2.0/24"
          k8s_worker_number: 2
          cpu_core_count: 4
          memory_size: 8
          tags:
            created_by: "Terraform-of-KubeVela"
            created_from: "module-tf-alicloud-ecs-instance"

Apply terraform provider config.

This step type is valid in both Application and WorkflowRun.

apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1beta1
kind: Application
metadata:
  name: apply-terraform-provider
  namespace: default
spec:
  components: []
  workflow:
    steps:
    - name: provider
      type: apply-terraform-provider
      properties:
        type: alibaba
        name: my-alibaba-provider
        accessKey: <accessKey>
        secretKey: <secretKey>
        region: cn-hangzhou

Build and push image from git url.

This step type is valid in both Application and WorkflowRun.

apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1beta1
kind: Application
metadata:
  name: build-push-image
  namespace: default
spec:
  components:
  - name: my-web
    type: webservice
    properties:
      image: fogdong/simple-web-demo:v1
      ports:
        - port: 80
          expose: true
  workflow:
    steps:
    - name: create-git-secret
      type: export2secret
      properties:
        secretName: git-secret
        data:
          token: <git token>
    - name: create-image-secret
      type: export2secret
      properties:
        secretName: image-secret
        kind: docker-registry
        dockerRegistry:
          username: <docker username>
          password: <docker password>
    - name: build-push
      type: build-push-image
      properties:
        # use your kaniko executor image like below, if not set, it will use default image oamdev/kaniko-executor:v1.9.1
        # kanikoExecutor: gcr.io/kaniko-project/executor:latest
        # you can use context with git and branch or directly specify the context, please refer to https://github.com/GoogleContainerTools/kaniko#kaniko-build-contexts
        context:
          git: github.com/FogDong/simple-web-demo
          branch: main
        image: fogdong/simple-web-demo:v1
        # specify your dockerfile, if not set, it will use default dockerfile ./Dockerfile
        # dockerfile: ./Dockerfile
        credentials:
          image:
            name: image-secret
        # buildArgs:
        #   - key="value"
        # platform: linux/arm
    - name: apply-comp
      type: apply-component
      properties:
        component: my-web

Send request to chat-gpt.

This step type is valid in both Application and WorkflowRun.

apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1alpha1
kind: WorkflowRun
metadata:
  name: chat-gpt
  namespace: default
spec:
  workflowSpec:
    steps:
    # apply a deployment with invalid image, this step will fail because of timeout
    # the resource will be passed to chat-gpt step to anaylze
    - name: apply
      type: apply-deployment
      timeout: 3s
      outputs:
        - name: resource
          valueFrom: output.value
      properties:
        image: invalid
    # if apply step failed, send the resource to chat-gpt to diagnose
    - name: chat-diagnose
      if: status.apply.failed
      type: chat-gpt
      inputs:
        - from: resource
          parameterKey: prompt.content
      properties:
        token: 
          # specify your token
          value: <your token>
        prompt:
          type: diagnose
    # if apply step succeeded, send the resource to chat-gpt to audit
    - name: chat-audit
      if: status.apply.succeeded
      type: chat-gpt
      inputs:
        - from: resource
          parameterKey: prompt.content
      properties:
        token: 
          # or read your token from secret
          secretRef:
            name: chat-gpt-token-secret
            key: token
        prompt:
          type: audit
          lang: Chinese

Verify application’s metrics.

This step type is valid in both Application and WorkflowRun.

apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1beta1
kind: Application
metadata:
  name: canary-demo
  annotations:
    app.oam.dev/publishVersion: v2
spec:
  components:
    - name: canary-demo
      type: webservice
      properties:
        image: wangyikewyk/canarydemo:v2
        ports:
          - port: 8090
      traits:
        - type: scaler
          properties:
            replicas: 5
        - type: gateway
          properties:
            domain: canary-demo.com
            http:
              "/version": 8090
  workflow:
    steps:
      - name: 200-status-percent-2-phase
        type: check-metrics
        timeout: 3m
        properties:
          query: sum(irate(nginx_ingress_controller_requests{host="canary-demo.com",status="200"}[5m]))/sum(irate(nginx_ingress_controller_requests{host="canary-demo.com"}[2m]))
          promAddress: "http://prometheus-server.o11y-system.svc:9090"
          condition: ">=0.95"
          duration: 2m

clean applied jobs in the cluster.

This step type is valid in both Application and WorkflowRun.

apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1beta1
kind: Application
metadata:
  name: clean-jobs
  namespace: default
spec:
  components: []
  workflow:
    steps:
    - name: clean-cli-jobs
      type: clean-jobs
      properties:
        labelselector:
          "my-label": my-value

Collect service endpoints for the application.

This step type is valid in both Application and WorkflowRun.

apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1beta1
kind: Application
metadata:
  name: app-collect-service-endpoint-and-export
spec:
  components:
    - type: webservice
      name: busybox
      properties:
        image: busybox
        imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
        cmd:
          - sleep
          - '1000000'
      traits:
        - type: expose
          properties:
            port: [8080]
            type: ClusterIP
  policies:
    - type: topology
      name: local
      properties:
        clusters: ["local"]
    - type: topology
      name: all
      properties:
        clusters: ["local", "cluster-worker"]
  workflow:
    steps:
      - type: deploy
        name: deploy
        properties:
          policies: ["local"]
      - type: collect-service-endpoints
        name: collect-service-endpoints
        outputs:
          - name: host
            valueFrom: value.endpoint.host
      - type: export-data
        name: export-data
        properties:
          topology: all
        inputs:
          - from: host
            parameterKey: data.host

This capability has no arguments.

Create or update a config.

This step type is valid in both Application and WorkflowRun.

kind: Application
apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1beta1
metadata:
  name: test-config
  namespace: "config-e2e-test"
spec:
  components: []
  workflow:
    steps:
    - name: write-config
      type: create-config
      properties:
        name: test
        config: 
          key1: value1
          key2: 2
          key3: true
          key4: 
            key5: value5
    - name: read-config
      type: read-config
      properties:
        name: test
      outputs:
      - fromKey: config
        name: read-config
    - name: delete-config
      type: delete-config
      properties:
        name: test

Delete a config.

This step type is valid in both Application and WorkflowRun.

kind: Application
apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1beta1
metadata:
  name: test-config
  namespace: "config-e2e-test"
spec:
  components: []
  workflow:
    steps:
    - name: write-config
      type: create-config
      properties:
        name: test
        config: 
          key1: value1
          key2: 2
          key3: true
          key4: 
            key5: value5
    - name: delete-config
      type: delete-config
      properties:
        name: test

Wait for the specified Application to complete.

This step type is valid in both Application and WorkflowRun.

apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1beta1
kind: Application
metadata:
  name: first-vela-workflow
  namespace: default
spec:
  components:
  - name: express-server
    type: webservice
    properties:
      image: oamdev/hello-world
      port: 8000
    traits:
    - type: ingress
      properties:
        domain: testsvc.example.com
        http:
          /: 8000
  workflow:
    steps:
      - name: express-server
        type: depends-on-app
        properties:
          name: another-app
          namespace: default

depends-on-app will check if the cluster has the application with name and namespace given in properties. If the application exists, it will hang the next step until the application is running. If the application does not exist, KubeVela will check the ConfigMap with the same name, and read the config of the Application and apply to cluster. The ConfigMap is like below: the name and namespace of the ConfigMap is the same in properties. In data, the key must be specified by application, and the value is the yaml of the deployed application yaml.

apiVersion: v1
kind: ConfigMap
metadata:
  name: myapp
  namespace: vela-system
data:
  application: 
    <app yaml file>

A powerful and unified deploy step for components multi-cluster delivery with policies.

This step type is only valid in Application.

apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1beta1
kind: Application
metadata:
  name: deploy-workflowstep
  namespace: examples
spec:
  components:
    - name: nginx-deploy-workflowstep
      type: webservice
      properties:
        image: nginx
  policies:
    - name: topology-hangzhou-clusters
      type: topology
      properties:
        clusterLabelSelector:
          region: hangzhou
    - name: topology-local
      type: topology
      properties:
        clusters: ["local"]
        namespace: examples-alternative
  workflow:
    steps:
      - type: deploy
        name: deploy-local
        properties:
          policies: ["topology-local"]
      - type: deploy
        name: deploy-hangzhou
        properties:
          # require manual approval before running this step
          auto: false
          policies: ["topology-hangzhou-clusters"]

Deploy cloud resource and deliver secret to multi clusters.

This step type is only valid in Application.

apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1beta1
kind: Application
metadata:
  name: rds-app
  namespace: project-1
spec:
  components:
    - name: db
      type: alibaba-rds
      properties:
        instance_name: db
        account_name: kubevela
        password: my-password
        writeConnectionSecretToRef:
          name: project-1-rds-conn-credential
  policies:
    - name: env-policy
      type: env-binding
      properties:
        envs:
          # 部署 RDS 给杭州集群
          - name: hangzhou
            placement:
              clusterSelector:
                name: cluster-hangzhou
            patch:
              components:
                - name: db
                  type: alibaba-rds
                  properties:
                    # region: hangzhou
                    instance_name: hangzhou_db
          # 部署 RDS 给香港集群
          - name: hongkong
            placement:
              clusterSelector:
                name: cluster-hongkong
              namespaceSelector:
                name: hk-project-1
            patch:
              components:
                - name: db
                  type: alibaba-rds
                  properties:
                    # region: hongkong
                    instance_name: hongkong_db
                    writeConnectionSecretToRef:
                      name: hk-project-rds-credential
  workflow:
    steps:
      # 部署 RDS 给杭州区用
      - name: deploy-hangzhou-rds
        type: deploy-cloud-resource
        properties:
          env: hangzhou
      # 将给杭州区用的 RDS 共享给北京区
      - name: share-hangzhou-rds-to-beijing
        type: share-cloud-resource
        properties:
          env: hangzhou
          placements:
            - cluster: cluster-beijing
      # 部署 RDS 给香港区用
      - name: deploy-hongkong-rds
        type: deploy-cloud-resource
        properties:
          env: hongkong
      # 将给香港区用的 RDS 共享给香港区其他项目用
      - name: share-hongkong-rds-to-other-namespace
        type: share-cloud-resource
        properties:
          env: hongkong
          placements:
            - cluster: cluster-hongkong
              namespace: hk-project-2
            - cluster: cluster-hongkong
              namespace: hk-project-3

Export data to clusters specified by topology.

This step type is only valid in Application.

apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1beta1
kind: Application
metadata:
  name: app-collect-service-endpoint-and-export
spec:
  components:
    - type: webservice
      name: busybox
      properties:
        image: busybox
        imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
        cmd:
          - sleep
          - '1000000'
      traits:
        - type: expose
          properties:
            port: [8080]
            type: ClusterIP
  policies:
    - type: topology
      name: local
      properties:
        clusters: ["local"]
    - type: topology
      name: all
      properties:
        clusters: ["local", "cluster-worker"]
  workflow:
    steps:
      - type: deploy
        name: deploy
        properties:
          policies: ["local"]
      - type: collect-service-endpoints
        name: collect-service-endpoints
        outputs:
          - name: host
            valueFrom: value.endpoint.host
      - type: export-data
        name: export-data
        properties:
          topology: all
        inputs:
          - from: host
            parameterKey: data.host

Export service to clusters specified by topology.

This step type is only valid in Application.

apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1beta1
kind: Application
metadata:
  name: app-collect-service-endpoint-and-export
spec:
  components:
    - type: webservice
      name: busybox
      properties:
        image: busybox
        imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
        cmd:
          - sleep
          - '1000000'
      traits:
        - type: expose
          properties:
            port: [8080]
            type: LoadBalancer
  policies:
    - type: topology
      name: local
      properties:
        clusters: ["local"]
    - type: topology
      name: worker
      properties:
        clusters: ["cluster-worker"]
  workflow:
    steps:
      - type: deploy
        name: deploy
        properties:
          policies: ["local"]
      - type: collect-service-endpoints
        name: collect-service-endpoints
        outputs:
          - name: host
            valueFrom: value.endpoint.host
          - name: port
            valueFrom: value.endpoint.port
      - type: export-service
        name: export-service
        properties:
          name: busybox
          topology: worker
        inputs:
          - from: host
            parameterKey: ip
          - from: port
            parameterKey: port

Export data to specified Kubernetes ConfigMap in your workflow.

This step type is valid in both Application and WorkflowRun.

apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1beta1
kind: Application
metadata:
  name: export2config
  namespace: default
spec:
  components:
    - name: export2config-demo-server
      type: webservice
      properties:
        image: oamdev/hello-world
        port: 8000
  workflow:
    steps:
      - name: apply-server
        type: apply-component
        outputs:
          - name: status
            valueFrom: output.status.conditions[0].message
        properties:
          component: export2config-demo-server
      - name: export-config
        type: export2config
        inputs:
          - from: status
            parameterKey: data.serverstatus
        properties:
          configName: my-configmap
          data:
            testkey: |
              testvalue
              value-line-2

Export data to Kubernetes Secret in your workflow.

This step type is valid in both Application and WorkflowRun.

apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1beta1
kind: Application
metadata:
  name: export-secret
  namespace: default
spec:
  components:
  - name: express-server-sec
    type: webservice
    properties:
      image: oamdev/hello-world
      port: 8000
  workflow:
    steps:
      - name: apply-server
        type: apply-component
        outputs: 
          - name: status
            valueFrom: output.status.conditions[0].message
        properties:
          component: express-server-sec
      - name: export-secret
        type: export2secret
        inputs:
          - from: status
            parameterKey: data.serverstatus
        properties:
          secretName: my-secret
          data:
            testkey: |
              testvalue
              value-line-2

Generate a JDBC connection based on Component of alibaba-rds.

This step type is valid in both Application and WorkflowRun.

apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1beta1
kind: Application
metadata:
  name: jdbc
spec:
  components:
    - name: db
      type: alibaba-rds
      properties:
        instance_name: favorite-links
        database_name: db1
        account_name: oamtest
        password: U34rfwefwefffaked
        security_ips: [ "0.0.0.0/0" ]
        privilege: ReadWrite
        writeConnectionSecretToRef:
          name: db-conn
    - name: express-server
      type: webservice
      properties:
        image: crccheck/hello-world
        port: 8000
  workflow:
    steps:
      - name: jdbc
        type: generate-jdbc-connection
        outputs:
          - name: jdbc
            valueFrom: jdbc
        properties:
          name: db-conn
          namespace: default
      - name: apply
        type: apply-component
        inputs:
          - from: jdbc
            parameterKey: env
        properties:
          component: express-server

List the configs.

This step type is valid in both Application and WorkflowRun.

apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1alpha1
kind: WorkflowRun
metadata:
  name: observability
  namespace: vela-system
spec:
  context:
    readConfig: true
  mode: 
  workflowSpec:
    steps:
      - name: Enable Prism
        type: addon-operation
        properties:
          addonName: vela-prism
      - name: Enable o11y
        type: addon-operation
        properties:
          addonName: o11y-definitions
          operation: enable
          args:
          - --override-definitions
      - name: Prepare Prometheus
        type: step-group
        subSteps: 
        - name: get-exist-prometheus
          type: list-config
          properties:
            template: prometheus-server
          outputs:
          - name: prometheus
            valueFrom: "output.configs"
        - name: prometheus-server
          inputs:
          - from: prometheus
            # TODO: Make it is not required
            parameterKey: configs
          if: "!context.readConfig || len(inputs.prometheus) == 0"
          type: addon-operation
          properties:
            addonName: prometheus-server
            operation: enable
            args:
            - memory=4096Mi
            - serviceType=LoadBalancer

Send notifications to Email, DingTalk, Slack, Lark or webhook in your workflow.

This step type is valid in both Application and WorkflowRun.

apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1beta1
kind: Application
metadata:
  name: first-vela-workflow
  namespace: default
spec:
  components:
  - name: express-server
    type: webservice
    properties:
      image: oamdev/hello-world
      port: 8000
    traits:
    - type: ingress
      properties:
        domain: testsvc.example.com
        http:
          /: 8000
  workflow:
    steps:
      - name: dingtalk-message
        type: notification
        properties:
          dingding:
            # the DingTalk webhook address, please refer to: https://developers.dingtalk.com/document/robots/custom-robot-access
            url: 
              value: <url>
            message:
              msgtype: text
              text:
                content: Workflow starting...
      - name: application
        type: apply-application
      - name: slack-message
        type: notification
        properties:
          slack:
            # the Slack webhook address, please refer to: https://api.slack.com/messaging/webhooks
            url:
              secretRef:
                name: <secret-key>
                key: <secret-value>
            message:
              text: Workflow ended.
          lark:
            url:
              value: <lark-url>
            message:
              msg_type: "text"
              content: "{\"text\":\" Hello KubeVela\"}"
          email:
            from:
              address: <sender-email-address>
              alias: <sender-alias>
              password:
                # secretRef:
                #   name: <secret-name>
                #   key: <secret-key>
                value: <sender-password>
              host: <email host like smtp.gmail.com>
              port: <email port, optional, default to 587>
            to:
              - kubevela1@gmail.com
              - kubevela2@gmail.com
            content:
              subject: test-subject
              body: test-body

Expected outcome

We can see that before and after the deployment of the application, the messages can be seen in the corresponding group chat.