Slack MCP Server¶

Enhanced Slack MCP server for comprehensive workspace integration with channels, DMs, and message management.

This template extends the powerful korotovsky/slack-mcp-server and provides seamless integration with the MCP Platform ecosystem.

Overview¶

The Slack MCP Server provides a comprehensive interface to Slack workspaces, enabling AI assistants and automation tools to interact with Slack channels, direct messages, and threads. It supports both official OAuth authentication and stealth mode using browser cookies.

Key Features¶

Dual Authentication: OAuth tokens or browser cookies (stealth mode)
Message Management: Fetch, search, and post messages with safety controls
Thread Support: Complete thread conversation handling
Channel Operations: List, lookup, and manage channels
User Management: User information and DM handling
Smart Pagination: Efficient message history with date/count limits
Enterprise Ready: Proxy support and security features

Architecture¶

The Slack MCP server follows a modular architecture:

Authentication Layer: Handles OAuth and stealth mode authentication
API Interface: Manages Slack Web API communication
Caching System: Improves performance with configurable TTL
Safety Controls: Message posting restrictions and read-only mode
Transport Layer: Supports stdio and SSE protocols

Quick Start¶

OAuth Mode (Recommended)¶

# Create Slack app and get bot token
python -m mcp_platform deploy slack \
  --config slack_token=xoxb-your-bot-token

Stealth Mode¶

# Extract browser cookies and deploy
python -m mcp_platform deploy slack \
  --config stealth_mode=true \
  --config slack_cookie="d=xoxd-your-cookie" \
  --config slack_workspace=yourteam

Usage & API Reference¶

For comprehensive usage examples, tool documentation, and integration guides:

View Complete Usage Guide

The usage guide includes: - Available Tools - Complete list of tools with parameters and examples - Integration Examples - Python, JavaScript, and CLI usage - HTTP API - REST endpoint documentation - Configuration - Setup and deployment options - Best Practices - Tips for optimal usage

Usage & API Reference¶

For comprehensive usage examples, tool documentation, and integration guides:

View Complete Usage Guide

The usage guide includes: - Available Tools - Complete list of tools with parameters and examples - Integration Examples - Python, JavaScript, and CLI usage - HTTP API - REST endpoint documentation - Configuration - Setup and deployment options - Best Practices - Tips for optimal usage

Configuration¶

Authentication Options¶

Method	Tokens Required	Permissions	Setup Complexity
OAuth Bot	`slack_token` (xoxb-)	Bot scopes	Medium
OAuth User	`slack_user_token` (xoxp-)	User scopes	Medium
OAuth App	`slack_app_token` (xapp-)	App-level	High
Stealth	`slack_cookie` (browser)	User session	Low

Environment Variables¶

Variable	Description	Default
`SLACK_TOKEN`	Bot OAuth token	-
`SLACK_USER_TOKEN`	User OAuth token	-
`SLACK_COOKIE`	Browser cookie for stealth	-
`SLACK_WORKSPACE`	Workspace domain	-
`STEALTH_MODE`	Enable stealth authentication	false
`ENABLE_MESSAGE_POSTING`	Allow posting messages	false
`ALLOWED_CHANNELS`	Posting channel restrictions	-
`CACHE_ENABLED`	Enable user/channel caching	true
`READ_ONLY_MODE`	Restrict to read operations	false

Safety Features¶

Message posting disabled by default - Requires explicit enabling
Channel restrictions - Limit posting to specific channels
Read-only mode - Complete write protection
Token validation - Automatic credential verification

conversations_history¶

Get messages from channels, DMs, or group DMs with smart pagination.

Parameters: - channel_id: Channel ID (C123...) or name (#general, @user) - limit: Time period (1d, 7d, 30d) or message count - include_activity_messages: Include join/leave events - cursor: Pagination cursor for next page

Example:

client.call("conversations_history", {
    "channel_id": "#general",
    "limit": "1d"
})

conversations_replies¶

Get all messages in a thread conversation.

Parameters: - channel_id: Channel containing the thread - thread_ts: Thread timestamp (1234567890.123456) - limit: Message limit or time period - cursor: Pagination cursor

Example:

client.call("conversations_replies", {
    "channel_id": "#general", 
    "thread_ts": "1234567890.123456"
})

conversations_add_message¶

Post messages to channels or DMs (requires explicit enabling).

Parameters: - channel_id: Target channel or DM - text: Message content - thread_ts: Reply to thread (optional)

Example:

client.call("conversations_add_message", {
    "channel_id": "#test",
    "text": "Hello from MCP!"
})

search_messages¶

Search messages across the workspace with filters.

Parameters: - query: Search terms and filters - sort: Sort by timestamp or relevance - count: Number of results

Example:

client.call("search_messages", {
    "query": "MCP platform in:#general",
    "sort": "timestamp",
    "count": 20
})

Channel and User Management¶

Additional tools for workspace management:

list_channels: Get all accessible channels
get_channel_info: Channel details and metadata
get_user_info: User profile information
list_dms: Direct message conversations

Transport Modes¶

Stdio Transport¶

Perfect for Claude Desktop and MCP clients:

# Direct stdio usage
python server.py --slack-token xoxb-your-token

# Docker stdio
docker run -i --rm \
  -e SLACK_TOKEN=xoxb-your-token \
  dataeverything/mcp-slack

Server-Sent Events (SSE)¶

For web applications and real-time integration:

# Start SSE server
python -m mcp_platform deploy slack \
  --config mcp_transport=sse \
  --config mcp_port=3003

# Connect via HTTP
curl -N http://localhost:3003/sse

Claude Desktop¶

Add to your Claude Desktop configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "slack": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run", "-i", "--rm",
        "-e", "SLACK_TOKEN=xoxb-your-token",
        "dataeverything/mcp-slack:latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Custom Application¶

import asyncio
from fastmcp.client import FastMCPClient

async def slack_integration():
    client = FastMCPClient(endpoint="http://localhost:3003")

    # Get recent messages
    messages = await client.call("conversations_history", {
        "channel_id": "#general",
        "limit": "1d"
    })

    # Search for issues
    issues = await client.call("search_messages", {
        "query": "error OR failed OR bug",
        "sort": "timestamp"
    })

    await client.close()

asyncio.run(slack_integration())

Enterprise Deployment¶

Docker Compose¶

version: '3.8'
services:
  slack-mcp:
    image: dataeverything/mcp-slack:latest
    ports:
      - "3003:3003"
    environment:
      SLACK_TOKEN: xoxb-your-token
      CACHE_ENABLED: true
      READ_ONLY_MODE: true
      LOG_LEVEL: INFO
    networks:
      - mcp-platform

networks:
  mcp-platform:
    external: true

Kubernetes¶

apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
  name: slack-mcp
spec:
  replicas: 2
  selector:
    matchLabels:
      app: slack-mcp
  template:
    metadata:
      labels:
        app: slack-mcp
    spec:
      containers:
      - name: slack-mcp
        image: dataeverything/mcp-slack:latest
        ports:
        - containerPort: 3003
        env:
        - name: SLACK_TOKEN
          valueFrom:
            secretKeyRef:
              name: slack-secrets
              key: token
        - name: CACHE_ENABLED
          value: "true"
        - name: READ_ONLY_MODE
          value: "true"

Troubleshooting¶

Authentication Issues¶

Invalid Token: Verify token format and permissions
Expired Cookies: Update browser cookies for stealth mode
Permission Denied: Check bot/app scopes in Slack

Performance Issues¶

Slow Responses: Enable caching and reduce history limits
Rate Limiting: Implement exponential backoff
Memory Usage: Adjust cache TTL and concurrent requests

Network Issues¶

Proxy Configuration: Set HTTP_PROXY and HTTPS_PROXY
Firewall: Ensure port 3003 is accessible
SSL/TLS: Verify certificate trust for enterprise networks

Best Practices¶

Security¶

Use read-only mode for monitoring applications
Restrict message posting to specific channels
Rotate tokens regularly and monitor usage
Use environment variables for sensitive data

Performance¶

Enable caching for better response times
Set appropriate history limits
Use pagination for large datasets
Monitor resource usage and adjust accordingly

Reliability¶

Implement error handling and retries
Use health checks for production deployments
Monitor token expiration and refresh
Set up logging and alerting

Contributing¶

Contributions to improve the Slack MCP server template are welcome! Please:

Fork the repository
Create a feature branch
Add tests for new functionality
Update documentation
Submit a pull request

License¶

This template extends the korotovsky/slack-mcp-server project. Please refer to the original project's license terms.

Support¶

Template Issues: MCP Platform Repository
Slack Server Issues: korotovsky/slack-mcp-server
Documentation: MCP Platform Docs

Usage & API Reference¶

For comprehensive usage examples, tool documentation, and integration guides:

View Complete Usage Guide

The usage guide includes: - Available Tools - Complete list of tools with parameters and examples - Integration Examples - Python, JavaScript, and CLI usage - HTTP API - REST endpoint documentation - Configuration - Setup and deployment options - Best Practices - Tips for optimal usage

Configuration Options¶

Property	Type	Environment Variable	Default	Description
`slack_mcp_log_level`	string	`SLACK_MCP_LOG_LEVEL`	`info`	Logging level (debug, info, warn, error, panic, fatal)
`slack_mcp_port`	integer	`SLACK_MCP_PORT`	`13080`	Port for the MCP server to listen on
`slack_mcp_host`	string	`SLACK_MCP_HOST`	`127.0.0.1`	Host for the MCP server to listen on
`slack_mcp_xoxc_token`	string	`SLACK_MCP_XOXC_TOKEN`	``	Slack browser token (xoxc-...) for cookie authentication
`slack_mcp_xoxd_token`	string	`SLACK_MCP_XOXD_TOKEN`	``	Slack browser cookie d (xoxd-...) for cookie authentication
`slack_mcp_xoxp_token`	string	`SLACK_MCP_XOXP_TOKEN`	``	User OAuth token (xoxp-...) - alternative to xoxc/xoxd
`slack_mcp_sse_api_key`	string	`SLACK_MCP_SSE_API_KEY`	``	Bearer token for SSE transport authentication
`slack_mcp_proxy`	string	`SLACK_MCP_PROXY`	``	Proxy URL for outgoing requests
`slack_mcp_user_agent`	string	`SLACK_MCP_USER_AGENT`	``	Custom User-Agent for Enterprise Slack environments
`slack_mcp_custom_tls`	boolean	`SLACK_MCP_CUSTOM_TLS`	`False`	Send custom TLS-handshake to Slack servers (for Enterprise Slack)
`slack_mcp_server_ca`	string	`SLACK_MCP_SERVER_CA`	``	Path to CA certificate for custom TLS
`slack_mcp_server_ca_toolkit`	boolean	`SLACK_MCP_SERVER_CA_TOOLKIT`	`False`	Inject HTTPToolkit CA certificate for MitM debugging
`slack_mcp_server_ca_insecure`	boolean	`SLACK_MCP_SERVER_CA_INSECURE`	`False`	Trust all insecure requests (NOT RECOMMENDED)
`slack_mcp_add_message_tool`	string	`SLACK_MCP_ADD_MESSAGE_TOOL`	``	Enable message posting: 'true' for all channels, comma-separated channel IDs for whitelist, or '!channel_id' to exclude channels
`slack_mcp_add_message_mark`	boolean	`SLACK_MCP_ADD_MESSAGE_MARK`	`False`	Automatically mark posted messages as read
`slack_mcp_add_message_unfurling`	string	`SLACK_MCP_ADD_MESSAGE_UNFURLING`	``	Enable link unfurling: 'true' for all domains or comma-separated list like 'github.com,slack.com'
`slack_mcp_users_cache`	string	`SLACK_MCP_USERS_CACHE`	`.users_cache.json`	Path to users cache file for improved performance
`slack_mcp_channels_cache`	string	`SLACK_MCP_CHANNELS_CACHE`	`.channels_cache_v2.json`	Path to channels cache file for improved performance