What Is Instant Messaging?

Date First Published: 26th February 2022

Topic: Computer Networking

Subtopic: Network Services

Computer Terms & Definitions

Difficulty Level: 3/10

Learn more about what instant messaging is in this article.

Instant messaging, often shortened to IM is a technology used in online chat for real-time communication of typed messages over the internet. Each user inputs their message and the recipient instantly receives it when connected to the internet. Instant messaging is designed to take place between two users in private rather than a chatroom where any user can join and communicate by typed messages. It is not the same as email as communication occurs in real-time and is live. Most modern instant messaging applications use push notifications and offer additional features, such as emojis, VoIP, file transfers, etc. File transfers often support images and videos, but there are size limits.

Instant messaging has become a more efficient and useful way to send messages over the internet than sending emails over and over again. In addition, istant messaging applications usually have a contacts list that might display the last time that contact was online. Instant messaging is not to be confused with text messaging.

How Does Instant Messaging Work?

Instant messaging works by the steps below.

1. The user logs into their instant messaging application.
2. The user finds the username of the recipient in their contact list.
3. The user selects the username of the recipient.
4. The user checks if the recipient is available.
5. The user sends a message to a recipient.
6. The recipient's application notifies them that they have received a message.
7. The recipient responds to the message.

Examples Of Instant Messaging Applications

Most smartphones and tablets have a built-in instant messages app. For example, all iOS devices have a 'Messages' app, which allows users to send and receive real-time messages. The 'Messages' app is real-time, since it does not require the application to be reloaded in order for the messages to update.

Popular instant messaging applications include:

• Facebook Messenger
• Snapchat
• WhatsApp
• Messages (built-in app on iOS)
• Viber
• Telegram

History

Instant messaging has been around before the internet. It first appeared in the mid-1960s, where multi-user operating systems, such as the Compatible Time-Sharing System (CTSS) and Multiplexed Information and Computing Service (Multics) sent each other notifications for services such as printing. Users quickly learnt how to communicate with others who were logged into the same printer or other devices.

Early online chat services, such as Talkomatic, which was released in 1973, allowed up to five people to send messages at the same time. It was released on an orange plasma display.

In the 1980s, bulletin board systems (a computer server running software that allows users to connect to the system by the use of a terminal program) became more popular because of the development of networks, programming languages, and protocols. The development of networks caused the protocols to extend with the networks, some of which used a peer-to-peer (P2P) protocol, such as 'ntalk' and 'ytalk', with others requiring users to connect to a server, such as IRC (Internet Relay Chat).

Early instant messaging protocols mostly consisted of real-time text. Characters appeared as they were typed and they looked similar to command-line programs that have a black screen and only display text.

A protocol called Jabber was released in 2000, which standardised as XMPP. At that time period, running multiple software applications was no longer required for the purpose of instant messaging.

During the early 2000s, video calling by the use of a webcam was released. The first video calling app that was launched was Microsoft NetMeeting, but that has been discontinued. Skype was released in 2003 that was brought to a wider audience.

A lot of internet messaging services are available today and the number of services available has greatly increased over a period of time. It is believed that over 2.5 billion people have signed up for at least one messaging app.