kbarbel640-del Slack Power Tools
Advanced Slack automation via Slack Web API. Requires a Slack Bot Token with appropriate scopes.
Prerequisites
export SLACK_BOT_TOKEN="xoxb-your-token"
Required OAuth scopes depend on features used (see each section).
Channel Management
Scopes: channels:manage, channels:read, groups:write, groups:read
List all channels
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
"https://slack.com/api/conversations.list?types=public_channel,private_channel&limit=200" | jq '.channels[] | {id, name, num_members, is_archived}'
Create a channel
curl -s -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"name": "new-channel", "is_private": false}' \
"https://slack.com/api/conversations.create" | jq '.'
Archive a channel
curl -s -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"channel": "C123456"}' \
"https://slack.com/api/conversations.archive"
Set channel topic/purpose
curl -s -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"channel": "C123456", "topic": "Project X Discussion"}' \
"https://slack.com/api/conversations.setTopic"
curl -s -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"channel": "C123456", "purpose": "All things Project X"}' \
"https://slack.com/api/conversations.setPurpose"
Invite users to channel
curl -s -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"channel": "C123456", "users": "U111,U222,U333"}' \
"https://slack.com/api/conversations.invite"
Kick user from channel
curl -s -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"channel": "C123456", "user": "U111"}' \
"https://slack.com/api/conversations.kick"
Scheduled Messages
Scopes: chat:write
Schedule a message
# post_at is Unix timestamp
curl -s -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"channel": "C123456",
"text": "Reminder: Team standup in 15 minutes!",
"post_at": 1735689600
}' \
"https://slack.com/api/chat.scheduleMessage" | jq '.'
List scheduled messages
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
"https://slack.com/api/chat.scheduledMessages.list" | jq '.scheduled_messages[]'
Delete scheduled message
curl -s -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"channel": "C123456", "scheduled_message_id": "Q123456"}' \
"https://slack.com/api/chat.deleteScheduledMessage"
File Management
Scopes: files:write, files:read
Upload a file
# Get upload URL
UPLOAD=$(curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
"https://slack.com/api/files.getUploadURLExternal?filename=report.pdf&length=$(stat -f%z report.pdf)")
UPLOAD_URL=$(echo $UPLOAD | jq -r '.upload_url')
FILE_ID=$(echo $UPLOAD | jq -r '.file_id')
# Upload file content
curl -s -X POST "$UPLOAD_URL" -F "file=@report.pdf"
# Complete upload and share to channel
curl -s -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d "{\"files\": [{\"id\": \"$FILE_ID\"}], \"channel_id\": \"C123456\"}" \
"https://slack.com/api/files.completeUploadExternal"
List files
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
"https://slack.com/api/files.list?channel=C123456&count=20" | jq '.files[] | {id, name, filetype, size, created}'
Delete a file
curl -s -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"file": "F123456"}' \
"https://slack.com/api/files.delete"
User Management
Scopes: users:read, users.profile:write
List all users
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
"https://slack.com/api/users.list?limit=200" | jq '.members[] | select(.deleted==false) | {id, name, real_name, is_admin}'
Get user info
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
"https://slack.com/api/users.info?user=U123456" | jq '.user'
Set user status (for bot/self)
curl -s -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"profile": {
"status_text": "In a meeting",
"status_emoji": ":calendar:",
"status_expiration": 1735693200
}
}' \
"https://slack.com/api/users.profile.set"
User Groups
Scopes: usergroups:write, usergroups:read
List user groups
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
"https://slack.com/api/usergroups.list?include_users=true" | jq '.usergroups[] | {id, handle, name, user_count}'
Create user group
curl -s -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"name": "Backend Team", "handle": "backend-team"}' \
"https://slack.com/api/usergroups.create"
Update user group members
curl -s -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"usergroup": "S123456", "users": "U111,U222,U333"}' \
"https://slack.com/api/usergroups.users.update"
Search
Scopes: search:read
Search messages
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
"https://slack.com/api/search.messages?query=project%20deadline&sort=timestamp&count=20" | jq '.messages.matches[] | {channel: .channel.name, user, text, ts}'
Search files
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
"https://slack.com/api/search.files?query=report%20Q4&count=20" | jq '.files.matches[] | {name, filetype, user}'
Do Not Disturb
Scopes: dnd:write, dnd:read
Set DND
# Snooze for 60 minutes
curl -s -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
"https://slack.com/api/dnd.setSnooze?num_minutes=60"
End DND
curl -s -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
"https://slack.com/api/dnd.endSnooze"
Check DND status
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
"https://slack.com/api/dnd.info?user=U123456" | jq '.'
Reminders
Scopes: reminders:write, reminders:read
Create reminder
curl -s -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"text": "Review PR #42",
"time": "in 2 hours",
"user": "U123456"
}' \
"https://slack.com/api/reminders.add"
List reminders
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
"https://slack.com/api/reminders.list" | jq '.reminders[]'
Analytics & Stats
Channel message count (last 7 days)
# Get channel history and count
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
"https://slack.com/api/conversations.history?channel=C123456&oldest=$(($(date +%s) - 604800))&limit=1000" | jq '.messages | length'
Most active users in channel
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
"https://slack.com/api/conversations.history?channel=C123456&limit=1000" | jq '[.messages[].user] | group_by(.) | map({user: .[0], count: length}) | sort_by(-.count) | .[0:10]'
Workspace stats
# Count total users
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
"https://slack.com/api/users.list" | jq '[.members[] | select(.deleted==false and .is_bot==false)] | length'
# Count channels
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
"https://slack.com/api/conversations.list?types=public_channel&exclude_archived=true" | jq '.channels | length'
Bookmarks
Scopes: bookmarks:write, bookmarks:read
Add bookmark to channel
curl -s -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"channel_id": "C123456",
"title": "Project Wiki",
"type": "link",
"link": "https://wiki.company.com/project"
}' \
"https://slack.com/api/bookmarks.add"
List bookmarks
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
"https://slack.com/api/bookmarks.list?channel_id=C123456" | jq '.bookmarks[]'
Common Workflows
Daily standup reminder (schedule for 9 AM)
# Calculate next 9 AM timestamp
NINE_AM=$(date -v+1d -v9H -v0M -v0S +%s)
curl -s -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d "{\"channel\": \"C123456\", \"text\": \"🌅 Good morning team! Time for standup.\nWhat did you do yesterday?\nWhat will you do today?\nAny blockers?\", \"post_at\": $NINE_AM}" \
"https://slack.com/api/chat.scheduleMessage"
Bulk invite users to a new project channel
# Create channel, set topic, invite team
CHANNEL=$(curl -s -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"name": "project-phoenix"}' \
"https://slack.com/api/conversations.create" | jq -r '.channel.id')
curl -s -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d "{\"channel\": \"$CHANNEL\", \"topic\": \"🔥 Project Phoenix - Q1 2026\"}" \
"https://slack.com/api/conversations.setTopic"
curl -s -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d "{\"channel\": \"$CHANNEL\", \"users\": \"U111,U222,U333,U444\"}" \
"https://slack.com/api/conversations.invite"
Weekly channel cleanup report
echo "# Slack Cleanup Report"
echo "Generated: $(date)"
echo ""
echo "## Inactive Channels (no messages in 30 days)"
# List channels, check last message date
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
"https://slack.com/api/conversations.list?types=public_channel&exclude_archived=true&limit=500" | \
jq -r '.channels[] | "\(.id) \(.name)"' | while read id name; do
last_msg=$(curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $SLACK_BOT_TOKEN" \
"https://slack.com/api/conversations.history?channel=$id&limit=1" | jq -r '.messages[0].ts // "0"')
if [ $(echo "$last_msg < $(date -v-30d +%s)" | bc) -eq 1 ]; then
echo "- #$name (last activity: $(date -r ${last_msg%.*} +%Y-%m-%d 2>/dev/null || echo 'never'))"
fi
done
Error Handling
All Slack API responses include ok: true/false. Check errors:
response=$(curl -s ...)
if [ "$(echo $response | jq -r '.ok')" != "true" ]; then
echo "Error: $(echo $response | jq -r '.error')"
fi
Common errors:
channel_not_found- Invalid channel IDnot_in_channel- Bot not in channelmissing_scope- Need additional OAuth scoperatelimited- Too many requests, checkRetry-Afterheader