> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://comunity.gitbook.io/learning.comunityplatform/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://comunity.gitbook.io/learning.comunityplatform/26.x/getting-started/manage-the-comunity-developer-toolkit/communication.md).

# Communication

{% hint style="info" %}
***Toolkit administrator role required.** These settings are part of the Toolkit administration menu and apply to the entire platform installation. They are visible only when signed in with the **Toolkit administrator** role, and are not accessible from Project Settings.*
{% endhint %}

Platform communication defaults define the baseline channel and provider configuration for a platform installation. Any communication channel that a project leaves set to **Default** falls back to the configuration set here. This lets projects send communications without each configuring its own provider, and lets a platform operator provide a shared, managed provider for every project on the installation.

### Where communication defaults live

1. Sign in to the ComUnity Developer Toolkit with the **Toolkit administrator** role.
2. Open the **Toolkit administration** menu.
3. Open **Component settings**, then select the **Communication** component.

Project users do not see this menu and cannot view or change these settings.

### When communication defaults are set

Communication defaults are configured once, when the platform is deployed to a new environment (for example a new virtual machine). They may differ per environment: a mock service might be used for Development and QA, and a live provider for Production.

### How projects inherit the defaults

In a project, each communication channel can either use its own provider or inherit the platform default. When a channel is left set to **Default**, it uses the configuration on this page instead of a project-specific provider. See Communication Settings for how a project selects Default or its own provider.

{% hint style="danger" %}
*Changing a communication default changes behaviour for every project on this installation that has a channel set to **Default**. On a shared environment this can affect other tenants, including production systems. Do not change these values unless you are certain of the impact.*
{% endhint %}
