slack-cli

name	slack-cli
description	Reference for using slck (aliased as `slack`) to manage Slack channels, messages, users, and search from the terminal. Use when the user mentions Slack messaging, channel management, or workspace communication.

Slack CLI (slack)

slck uses a stored bot token (xoxb-). Verify with slack config show. Search requires a user token (xoxp-). Set via slack config set-token or SLACK_USER_TOKEN env var.

Channels

slack ch list                                      # All channels
slack ch list --exclude-archived                   # Active only
slack ch list --type public                        # Public only
slack ch get C0123456789                           # Details (channel metadata + member count)
slack ch create "name" --public                    # Create
slack ch archive C0123456789                       # Archive
slack ch unarchive C0123456789                     # Unarchive (user token only)
slack ch rename C0123456789 "new-name"             # Rename
slack ch invite C0123456789 -u U0123456789         # Invite user
slack ch kick C0123456789 -u U0123456789           # Remove user
slack ch set-topic C0123456789 "topic"             # Set topic
slack ch set-purpose C0123456789 "purpose"         # Set purpose

Messages

slack msg send C0123456789 "text"                  # Send
slack msg send C0123456789 "reply" --thread-ts TS  # Thread reply
slack msg send C0123456789 --file ./doc.pdf        # Upload file
slack msg send --channel "#general" "text"         # By channel name
slack msg update C0123 TS "new text"               # Edit
slack msg delete C0123 TS                          # Delete
slack msg react C0123 TS thumbsup                  # React
slack msg unreact C0123 TS thumbsup                # Remove reaction
slack msg history C0123456789                      # Channel history
slack msg history C0123456789 --limit 50           # With limit
slack msg thread C0123 THREAD_TS                   # Thread replies (parent + all replies)
slack msg thread C0123 THREAD_TS --limit 200       # Higher page size

Users

slack u list                                       # All users
slack u list --include-bots                        # Include bots
slack u list --include-deactivated                 # Include deactivated
slack u get U0123456789                            # User details
slack u presence U0123456789                       # Presence status

Search (requires user token)

slack s messages "query"                           # Messages
slack s messages "query" --in "#general"           # In channel
slack s messages "query" --from "@alice"           # From user
slack s messages "query" --after 2025-01-01        # Date filter
slack s messages "query" --has-link                # With links
slack s files "query"                              # Files
slack s files "query" --type pdf                   # By type
slack s all "query"                                # Both

Search Flags

Flag	Description
--count N	Results per page (max 100)
--page N	Page number
--sort score|timestamp	Sort order
--sort-dir asc|desc	Direction
--scope all|public|private|dm|mpim	Scope
--highlight	Highlight matches

Emoji, Files, Identity

slack emoji list                                   # Custom emoji
slack emoji list --include-aliases                 # With aliases
slack files download FILE_ID                       # Download file
slack files download FILE_ID --output ./file.pdf   # To path
slack whoami                                       # Current identity
slack ws info                                      # Workspace info

Output Formats

slack ch list                                      # Text (default)
slack ch list -o json                              # JSON
slack ch list -o table                             # Table

Environment Variables

Variable	Description
SLACK_API_TOKEN	Bot token override
SLACK_USER_TOKEN	User token for search
SLCK_AS_USER	true to default to user token
NO_COLOR	Disable colored output

Aliases

Command	Aliases
channels	ch
messages	msg, m
users	u
search	s
emoji	e
workspace	ws, team

Config Management

slack config set-token                             # Interactive
slack config set-token xoxb-...                    # Direct
slack config show                                  # Status
slack config test                                  # Test auth
slack config delete-token                          # Delete all
slack config delete-token --type bot               # Delete bot only

Shell Completions

slack completion zsh > "${fpath[1]}/_slck"
slack completion bash > /etc/bash_completion.d/slck
slack completion fish > ~/.config/fish/completions/slck.fish

Patterns

Read a thread from its URL

URL shape: https://<ws>.slack.com/archives/<CHANNEL_ID>/p<REPLY_TS>?thread_ts=<PARENT_TS>. Use thread_ts (the parent). The p<ts> in the path is a reply id — using it misses the parent and any replies above it.

URL='https://example.slack.com/archives/CXXXXXXXXXX/p1700000000000000?thread_ts=1700000000.000000'
CH=${URL#*archives/}; CH=${CH%%/*}
TS=${URL#*thread_ts=}; TS=${TS%%&*}
slack msg thread "$CH" "$TS" -o json

Resolve not_in_channel

Reading messages requires channel membership; channels:history alone is not enough.

• Public — bot self-joins via conversations.join (requires channels:join scope).
• Private — a human must /invite @slackcli; bots cannot self-join.
• DM / MPIM — use a user token (SLACK_USER_TOKEN / --as-user).

Self-join guard for public channels (conversations.join is idempotent):

TOKEN=${SLACK_API_TOKEN:-$(cut -d= -f2 ~/.config/slack-chat-api/credentials)}
curl -sS -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN" -d "channel=$CH" \
  https://slack.com/api/conversations.join >/dev/null
slack msg thread "$CH" "$TS"

If conversations.join returns missing_scope, add channels:join at https://api.slack.com/apps/A0AN5RUFSNB/oauth and Reinstall to Workspace.

Known Limitations

• Bot tokens (xoxb-) cannot unarchive channels — bot is removed on archive. Use a user token or the Slack UI.
• channels invite idempotency is limited to single-user invites.
• Reading messages/threads requires channel membership — see Patterns → "Resolve not_in_channel".