name	slack
description	Send messages, read channel history, and reply to threads in Slack. Use when the user asks about Slack messaging, channel management, posting updates, summarizing conversations, or monitoring Slack activity.
allowed-tools	slack_list_channels slack_send_message slack_read_history slack_reply_thread
compatibility	Requires Slack App OAuth setup
license	MIT
metadata	{"author":"Chitty","version":"1.0"}

Slack Integration

Approach

Always start by listing channels to confirm bot access and get channel IDs. Show the user message content before sending. Never post without explicit user confirmation.

Listing Channels

Use slack_list_channels to see available channels
The bot must be invited to a channel before it can read or post
Channel IDs (C01234...) are more reliable than channel names

Reading Messages

Use slack_read_history with a channel name or ID
Default to 20 messages to keep context manageable
Summarize long histories rather than dumping all messages
Note thread replies separately — check reply_count and thread_ts
Use oldest and latest params for time-filtered queries

Sending Messages

Use slack_send_message to post to a channel
Always show the user the exact message text before sending
Support Slack mrkdwn: bold, italic, code, code blocks
Links: <https://example.com|display text>
Mentions: <@USER_ID>, <!channel>, <!here>

Replying to Threads

Use slack_reply_thread with the parent message's ts value
Get the ts from slack_read_history results first
Thread replies keep conversations organized

Common Errors

channel_not_found — Bot not invited. Tell user: /invite @ChittyWorkspace
not_in_channel — Same as above
invalid_auth — Token expired or revoked. Re-run OAuth setup.
Empty channel list — Bot has no channel memberships yet

Socket Mode (Real-Time Events)

When Socket Mode is enabled, the bot receives:

@mentions — When someone @mentions the bot in a channel
DMs — Direct messages to the bot

Events are routed to the assigned agent for automatic responses.

Slack Integration

Approach

Always start by listing channels to confirm bot access and get channel IDs. Show the user message content before sending. Never post without explicit user confirmation.

Listing Channels

Use slack_list_channels to see available channels

The bot must be invited to a channel before it can read or post

Channel IDs (C01234...) are more reliable than channel names

Reading Messages

Use slack_read_history with a channel name or ID

Default to 20 messages to keep context manageable

Summarize long histories rather than dumping all messages

Note thread replies separately — check reply_count and thread_ts

Use oldest and latest params for time-filtered queries

Sending Messages

Use slack_send_message to post to a channel

Always show the user the exact message text before sending

Support Slack mrkdwn: bold, italic, code, code blocks

Links: <https://example.com|display text>

Mentions: <@USER_ID>, <!channel>, <!here>

Replying to Threads

Use slack_reply_thread with the parent message's ts value

Get the ts from slack_read_history results first

Thread replies keep conversations organized

Common Errors

channel_not_found — Bot not invited. Tell user: /invite @ChittyWorkspace

not_in_channel — Same as above

invalid_auth — Token expired or revoked. Re-run OAuth setup.

Empty channel list — Bot has no channel memberships yet

Socket Mode (Real-Time Events)

When Socket Mode is enabled, the bot receives:

@mentions — When someone @mentions the bot in a channel

DMs — Direct messages to the bot

Events are routed to the assigned agent for automatic responses.