Presence (Online Status)

Presence, often shown as an "online" status or a colored dot, is a signal indicating whether a user is currently active and available to chat. It helps you know whether a message is likely to get a timely reply.

Presence systems vary: some show exact status (online, away, offline), others are deliberately vague to protect privacy. On anonymous platforms, presence is usually tied to your session rather than a persistent identity.

Presence is what makes real-time chat feel live — it is the difference between messaging into the void and knowing someone is there on the other side.