Which Facebook feature launched in 2008 to let users communicate in real time?

Facebook Chat launched in 2008 to let users communicate in real time.

Facebook introduced Chat as an instant-messaging feature inside the social network. It allowed people to see which friends were online and exchange messages without leaving Facebook. This made the service more immediate than wall posts and private messages that users might read later.

The feature eventually developed into Facebook Messenger, which became a separate mobile application and messaging platform. Messenger added voice calls, video calls, group conversations, media sharing, stickers, and business communication tools.

Facebook Chat is sometimes confused with Facebook Messages, an earlier private-messaging system, or with Facebook Live, which launched much later for live video broadcasting. Chat specifically refers to the real-time text-messaging feature introduced in 2008.