Slack

Slack

Interact with Slack workspaces via the Slack Web API.

When to Use

✅ USE this skill when:

• "Send a message to #general"
• "React to that Slack message with a thumbs up"
• "Read recent messages from #engineering"
• "Pin this message in the channel"
• "Who is user U12345?"
• "List pinned items in #announcements"

When NOT to Use

❌ DON'T use this skill when:

• Discord messaging → use the Discord channel directly
• Email → use email skill
• Real-time Slack event listening → requires a Slack app with event subscriptions
• File uploads → use Slack's files.upload API directly

Setup

1. Create a Slack app at https://api.slack.com/apps
2. Add Bot Token Scopes: chat:write, channels:read, channels:history, reactions:write, reactions:read, pins:write, pins:read, users:read
3. Install the app to your workspace
4. Copy the Bot User OAuth Token (starts with xoxb-)
5. Configure in pythonclaw.json:

"skills": {
  "slack": {
    "token": "xoxb-your-bot-token"
  }
}

Commands

Send a message

python {skill_path}/slack_api.py send --channel "#general" --text "Hello from PythonClaw"

Read recent messages

python {skill_path}/slack_api.py read --channel "#general" --limit 10

React to a message

python {skill_path}/slack_api.py react --channel "C123" --timestamp "1712023032.1234" --emoji "white_check_mark"

Pin a message

python {skill_path}/slack_api.py pin --channel "C123" --timestamp "1712023032.1234"

Get member info

python {skill_path}/slack_api.py user --user-id "U123"

List channels

python {skill_path}/slack_api.py channels

Notes

• Channel names can be used with # prefix or as channel IDs (C...)
• Message timestamps serve as unique message IDs in Slack
• Rate limits: ~1 request/second for most methods
• Bot must be invited to channels to read/post messages

Resources