The KineticaRT .NET Channels component provides four groupings of channels: links, expressions, variables and constants. Links provide Source and Destination properties, which can be used to link the channel to another channel such as a server input/output. Expressions types provide an expression Text property and make use of the KineticaRT Expressions component (available separately) to calculate its value based on the value of other channels. Variables allow for their values to be initialized from a configuration file and for persistence between sessions. Constants have values that cannot be set except during creation, which prevents accidental changes. There is also a channel type, which provides the current date and time, which can be displayed in various formats. It is a member of the KineticaRT family of components, which can be used separately or in unison to build applications for instrumentation, hmi, control, monitoring and test automation.