Slack MCP Server

Slack

Slack is a team messaging and collaboration platform. This bundle provides access to your Slack workspace's messages, channels, files, threads, canvases, and user profiles.

Entity Hierarchy

• Workspace is the top-level boundary. All resources belong to a single authenticated workspace.
• Channels are conversation containers (public, private, or DM). Messages live in channels.
• Messages are individual posts in a channel, identified by channel + timestamp.
• Threads are reply chains under a parent message.
• Files are uploaded documents, images, or snippets shared in channels.
• Canvases are collaborative rich-text documents attached to channels or standalone.
• Users are workspace members with profiles, status, and presence.

Capabilities

Search:

• Search messages across the workspace by keyword, sender, channel, or date range
• Search channels by name or topic
• Search files by name, type, or channel

Messaging:

• Send messages to channels or DMs
• Draft messages for review before sending
• Reply to threads
• React to messages with emoji

Channels:

• List channels the user has access to
• Get channel details, members, and history
• Read thread replies

Canvases:

• Create new canvases with rich-text content
• Update existing canvas content
• Read canvas content

Users:

• Look up user profiles by ID or email
• Get user presence and status

Workflows

Find information: Search messages across the workspace with keywords. Filter by channel or sender to narrow results. Follow up by reading the thread for full context.

Send a message: Identify the target channel (list channels if needed), then send a message. For sensitive content, draft the message first, then send after review.

Follow a conversation: Read recent channel history, then drill into specific threads for detailed discussions.

Collaborate on documents: Create a canvas for shared notes or meeting agendas. Update the canvas as discussion progresses.

Gotchas

• Channel ID vs name: Most operations require the channel ID, not the display name. List channels or search to get the ID first.
• Thread replies: Replying to a thread requires the parent message timestamp (ts). Get it from channel history or search results.
• Permissions: The OAuth scopes determine which channels and actions are available. Private channels require explicit invitation.
• Message formatting: Slack uses mrkdwn (its own markdown variant). Links are <url|text>, mentions are <@USER_ID>.
• Rate limits: Slack enforces per-method rate limits (typically 1-20 requests per minute for posting). Batch operations need throttling.