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Connect your bot to Slack workspaces with full thread support, workspace events, and native typing indicators.
Slack setup

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Prerequisites

  • Slack workspace with admin access (or permission to install apps)
  • Ability to create Slack apps at api.slack.com/apps

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Creating a Slack App

1

Create App

Go to api.slack.com/apps and click Create New App.Choose From scratch and provide:
  • App name (e.g., “Support Bot”)
  • Workspace to develop in
2

Configure OAuth Scopes

Go to OAuth & Permissions and add these Bot Token Scopes:
  • chat:write - Send messages
  • channels:history - Read public channel messages
  • groups:history - Read private channel messages
  • im:history - Read DM messages
  • mpim:history - Read group DM messages
  • users:read - Get user information
3

Install to Workspace

Click Install to Workspace and authorize the app.Copy the Bot User OAuth Token (starts with xoxb-).
4

Get Signing Secret

Go to Basic Information and find Signing Secret.Click Show and copy the secret.
5

Note App ID

Copy your App ID from the Basic Information page.

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Connecting to Chatbot Platform

1

Create Slack Channel

In Chatbot Platform, navigate to your bot’s channels and click Create Channel.Select Slack.
Slack form
2

Enter Credentials

Fill in the form:
Slack credentials
  • Bot Token: Paste the xoxb-... token
  • Signing Secret: Paste the signing secret
  • App ID: Paste the app ID (optional but recommended)
3

Copy Webhook URL

After creating the channel, copy the generated webhook URL.
4

Configure Event Subscriptions

Back in your Slack app settings:
  1. Go to Event Subscriptions
  2. Enable events
  3. Paste the webhook URL into Request URL
  4. Wait for verification (green checkmark)
5

Subscribe to Bot Events

Add these bot events:
  • message.channels - Messages in public channels
  • message.groups - Messages in private channels
  • message.im - Direct messages
  • message.mpim - Group direct messages
6

Save and Reinstall

Click Save Changes and reinstall the app to your workspace.
The webhook URL verification happens automatically when you paste it into Slack’s settings.

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Features

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Thread Support

Slack channels maintain thread-aware conversations: 
Main channel message → New conversation
  ↳ Thread reply 1 → Same conversation
  ↳ Thread reply 2 → Same conversation
New main message → Different conversation
Each thread is treated as a separate conversation with its own context.

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Direct Messages

1:1 conversations in DMs work seamlessly with full context history.

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Channel Messages

Bot can participate in:
  • Public channels (if invited)
  • Private channels (if invited)
  • Group DMs

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Native Typing Indicators

Slack shows typing indicators natively when enabled in bot behavior settings.

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Testing

1

Invite Bot to Channel

In a Slack channel, type:
/invite @YourBotName
2

Send Message

@mention your bot or send a DM:
@YourBotName Hello!
3

Verify Response

Bot should respond using your configured integration.

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Configuration

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Bot Mention Requirement

Configure whether bot requires @mention in channels: Option 1: Require @mention
  • Bot only responds when @mentioned
  • Quieter in busy channels
  • User intent is clear
Option 2: All Messages
  • Bot sees all channel messages
  • Can respond to any message
  • May be noisy in active channels
Configure via message detection settings.

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Home Tab (Coming Soon)

Future support for Slack’s Home Tab feature for bot configuration UI.

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Slash Commands (Coming Soon)

Register custom slash commands like /support or /ask.

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Troubleshooting

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Events Not Received

Check:
  • Event subscriptions are enabled
  • Webhook URL is verified (green checkmark)
  • Bot events are subscribed
  • App is reinstalled after changes

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Bot Not Responding

Check:
  • Bot token starts with xoxb-
  • Required OAuth scopes are granted
  • Bot is invited to the channel
  • Integration is configured and working

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Verification Failed

If webhook URL won’t verify:
  • Ensure channel is created and active
  • Check webhook URL is copied correctly
  • No extra spaces or characters in URL
  • Try creating new channel if needed

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Duplicate Messages

If bot responds multiple times:
  • Check for duplicate event subscriptions
  • Verify only one channel per Slack app
  • Review event logs for duplicates

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Slack App Distribution

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Private Distribution

For single workspace:
  • Install to your workspace only
  • No approval process needed
  • Immediate access

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Public Distribution (Future)

To distribute to other workspaces:
  • Submit for Slack App Directory review
  • Follow Slack’s app guidelines
  • Handle multi-workspace authentication
Currently, Chatbot Platform supports single-workspace installations per channel.

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Security

Request Signing

All requests verified using Slack signing secret

OAuth Tokens

Bot tokens securely stored and encrypted

Minimal Scopes

Only request necessary permissions

Workspace Isolation

Each workspace has separate configuration

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Rate Limits

Slack enforces rate limits:
TierLimit
Tier 1 (chat.postMessage)1 per second
Tier 2 (user info)20 per minute
Tier 3 (channel list)50 per minute
Tier 4 (files)20 per minute
The platform handles rate limiting automatically.

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Best Practices

Do:
  • Test in a private channel first
  • Set clear app description and icon
  • Use threads for context
  • Enable typing indicators for better UX
Don’t:
  • Expose bot token or signing secret
  • Respond to all messages in busy channels
  • Forget to handle thread context
  • Skip OAuth scope review

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Next Steps

Telegram Channel

Also deploy to Telegram

Should Respond Detection

Configure thread awareness