Internal lab communication is done using Zulip, which is a bit like slack, but hopefully less distracting. Zulip has both channels and topics
#meetings, #code-help)If you haven't used zulip before, please read this for an overview.
A great deal of communication may also take place on github in the form of issues and pull-requests. Email should only be used when including collaborators or other folks outside of the lab.
You are expected to check your zulip and github notifications at least once or twice per workday. More frequent communication may be expected during some high-intensity periods, but except in exceptional circumstances, you will not be expected (and should not expect others) to respond in the evenings or on weekends.
You are also expected to manage your own notifications and reply schedules in ways that make sense for you. Because people may be working different hours, you may receive messages outside of normal working hours, but this does not constitute an expectation of response outside of working hours.