import { Tabs, Callout, Steps } from "nextra/components";
# Slack
The Slack auth provider enables tools and agents to call [Slack APIs](https://api.slack.com/docs) on behalf of a user.
Want to quickly get started with Slack in your agent or AI app? The pre-built
[Arcade Slack MCP Server](/resources/integrations/social-communication/slack) is what you
want!
### What's documented here
This page describes how to use and configure Slack auth with Arcade.
This auth provider is used by:
- The [Arcade Slack MCP Server](/resources/integrations/social-communication/slack), which provides pre-built tools for interacting with Slack
- Your [app code](#using-slack-auth-in-app-code) that needs to call the Slack API
- Or, your [custom tools](#using-slack-auth-in-custom-tools) that need to call the Slack API
## Configuring Slack auth
When using your own app credentials, make sure you configure your project to
use a [custom user
verifier](/guides/user-facing-agents/secure-auth-production#build-a-custom-user-verifier).
Without this, your end-users will not be able to use your app or agent in
production.
In a production environment, you will most likely want to use your own Slack app credentials. This way, your users will see your application's name requesting permission.
Before showing how to configure your Slack app credentials, let's go through the steps to create a Slack app.
### Create a Slack app
In May 29, 2025, [Slack announced](https://api.slack.com/changelog/2025-05-terms-rate-limit-update-and-faq) changes to their API rate-limits and terms of service for apps that are not approved for the Slack Marketplace.
The `conversations.history` and `conversations.replies` endpoints are now limited to 1 request/minute and up to 15 objects returned per request. This affects various tools in the [Arcade Slack MCP Server](/resources/integrations/social-communication/slack). Additionally, the [API Terms of Service](https://slack.com/terms-of-service/api) now requires [Slack Marketplace](https://api.slack.com/slack-marketplace/using) approval for commercial distribution.
- Follow Slack's guide to [registering a Slack app](https://api.slack.com/quickstart)
- If you plan to use the [Arcade Slack MCP Server](/resources/integrations/social-communication/slack), select the scopes below (include additional scopes for your application's authorization needs or custom tools, in any):
- `channels:history`
- `channels:read`
- `chat:write`
- `groups:read`
- `groups:history`
- `groups:write`
- `im:history`
- `im:read`
- `im:write`
- `mpim:history`
- `mpim:read`
- `mpim:write`
- `users:read`
- `users:read.email`
- Set the redirect URL to the redirect URL generated by Arcade (see below)
- Copy the client ID and client secret
Next, add the Slack app to Arcade.
## Configuring your own Slack Auth Provider in Arcade
### Configure Slack Auth Using the Arcade Dashboard GUI
#### Access the Arcade Dashboard
To access the Arcade Cloud dashboard, go to [api.arcade.dev/dashboard](https://api.arcade.dev/dashboard). If you are self-hosting, by default the dashboard will be available at http://localhost:9099/dashboard. Adjust the host and port number to match your environment.
#### Navigate to the OAuth Providers page
- Under the **Connections** section of the Arcade Dashboard left-side menu, click **Connected Apps**.
- Click **Add OAuth Provider** in the top right corner.
- Select the **Included Providers** tab at the top.
- In the **Provider** dropdown, select **Slack**.
#### Enter the provider details
- Choose a unique **ID** for your provider (e.g. "my-slack-provider").
- Optionally enter a **Description**.
- Enter the **Client ID** and **Client Secret** from your Slack app.
- Note the **Redirect URL** generated by Arcade. This must be set as your Slack app's redirect URL.
#### Create the provider
Hit the **Create** button and the provider will be ready to be used.
When you use tools that require Slack auth using your Arcade account credentials, Arcade will automatically use this Slack OAuth provider. If you have multiple Slack providers, see [using multiple auth providers of the same type](/references/auth-providers#using-multiple-providers-of-the-same-type) for more information.
## Using Slack auth in app code
Use the Slack auth provider in your own agents and AI apps to get a user token for the Slack API. See [authorizing agents with Arcade](/get-started/about-arcade) to understand how this works.
Use `client.auth.start()` to get a user token for the Slack API:
```python {8-17}
from arcadepy import Arcade
client = Arcade() # Automatically finds the `ARCADE_API_KEY` env variable
user_id = "{arcade_user_id}"
# Start the authorization process
auth_response = client.auth.start(
user_id=user_id,
provider="slack",
scopes=[
"chat:write",
"im:write",
"users.profile:read",
"users:read",
],
)
if auth_response.status != "completed":
print("Please complete the authorization challenge in your browser:")
print(auth_response.url)
# Wait for the authorization to complete
auth_response = client.auth.wait_for_completion(auth_response)
token = auth_response.context.token
# Do something interesting with the token...
```
```javascript {8-10}
import { Arcade } from "@arcadeai/arcadejs";
const client = new Arcade(); // Automatically finds the `ARCADE_API_KEY` env variable
const userId = "{arcade_user_id}";
// Start the authorization process
let authResponse = await client.auth.start(userId, "slack", {
scopes: ["chat:write", "im:write", "users.profile:read", "users:read"],
});
if (authResponse.status !== "completed") {
console.log("Please complete the authorization challenge in your browser:");
console.log(authResponse.url);
}
// Wait for the authorization to complete
authResponse = await client.auth.waitForCompletion(authResponse);
const token = authResponse.context.token;
// Do something interesting with the token...
```
## Using Slack auth in custom tools
You can use the pre-built [Arcade Slack MCP Server](/resources/integrations/social-communication/slack) to quickly build agents and AI apps that interact with Slack.
If the pre-built tools in the Slack MCP Server don't meet your needs, you can author your own [custom tools](/guides/create-tools/tool-basics/build-mcp-server) that interact with the Slack API.
Use the `Slack()` auth class to specify that a tool requires authorization with Slack. The `context.authorization.token` field will be automatically populated with the user's Slack token:
```python {5-6,10-19,30}
from typing import Annotated
from slack_sdk import WebClient
from arcade_tdk import ToolContext, tool
from arcade_tdk.auth import Slack
from arcade_tdk.errors import RetryableToolError
@tool(
requires_auth=Slack(
scopes=[
"chat:write",
"im:write",
"users.profile:read",
"users:read",
],
)
)
def send_dm_to_user(
context: ToolContext,
user_name: Annotated[
str,
"The Slack username of the person you want to message. Slack usernames are ALWAYS lowercase.",
],
message: Annotated[str, "The message you want to send"],
):
"""Send a direct message to a user in Slack."""
slackClient = WebClient(token=context.authorization.token)
# Retrieve the user's Slack ID based on their username
userListResponse = slackClient.users_list()
user_id = None
for user in userListResponse["members"]:
if user["name"].lower() == user_name.lower():
user_id = user["id"]
break
if not user_id:
raise RetryableToolError(
"User not found",
developer_message=f"User with username '{user_name}' not found.",
)
# Step 2: Retrieve the DM channel ID with the user
im_response = slackClient.conversations_open(users=[user_id])
dm_channel_id = im_response["channel"]["id"]
# Step 3: Send the message as if it's from you (because we're using a user token)
slackClient.chat_postMessage(channel=dm_channel_id, text=message)
```