Slack MCP Server

Overview

Slack MCP Server is a powerful implementation of the Model Context Protocol (MCP) that creates a bridge between AI assistants like Claude and Slack workspaces. This server enables AI models to perform a wide range of actions within Slack, including sending messages, reading channel histories, replying to threads, and adding reactions—all through natural language commands.

Developed as part of the broader MCP ecosystem, this server leverages the Slack API to enable seamless integration between AI assistants and team communication platforms. The server functions as a middleware, translating natural language requests into API calls that perform specific actions within Slack workspaces.

By connecting AI assistants to Slack, this MCP server significantly enhances team collaboration, automates routine communications, and brings intelligent assistance directly to where teams already work. It demonstrates how Model Context Protocol can extend AI capabilities into everyday productivity tools.

Features

• Channel management with ability to list all public channels in a workspace
• Message posting to any accessible channel
• Thread reply functionality for continuing conversations
• Emoji reaction capabilities to respond to messages
• Channel history retrieval for context awareness
• Thread reply collection for conversation analysis
• User listing with basic profile information
• Detailed user profile retrieval
• Pagination support for large workspaces
• Message limit customization for retrieving chat histories

Use cases

• Automating routine team communications like daily standups
• Sending scheduled notifications and updates to specific channels
• Monitoring channels for important discussions and providing summaries
• Assisting with meeting coordination by posting agendas and reminders
• Creating automated responses to common questions in channels
• Generating team reports and posting them to appropriate channels
• Facilitating asynchronous collaboration across time zones
• Streamlining information sharing between teams and departments
• Managing incident response communications during system outages
• Collecting feedback through Slack and processing responses

Integration complexity

3/5 - Requires creating a Slack app with appropriate permissions and configuring environment variables, but well-documented steps make it manageable for those familiar with basic development concepts.

Setup Guide

Prerequisites

1. Slack workspace with admin privileges or permission to create apps
2. Node.js installed on your system
3. Claude Desktop, Cursor, or other MCP-compatible host application

Step 1: Create a Slack App

1. Navigate to the Slack API website
2. Click "Create New App" and select "From scratch"
3. Name your app and select your workspace
4. Navigate to "OAuth & Permissions" in the sidebar

Step 2: Configure Required Scopes

Add these OAuth scopes to your Slack app:

• channels:history - View messages in public channels
• channels:read - View basic channel information
• chat:write - Send messages as the app
• reactions:write - Add emoji reactions to messages
• users:read - View users and their basic information

Step 3: Install App to Workspace

1. Scroll to the top of the "OAuth & Permissions" page
2. Click "Install to Workspace"
3. Review permissions and click "Allow"
4. Copy the "Bot User OAuth Token" (starts with xoxb-)
5. Note your Slack Team ID (starts with "T" and found in your Slack URL)

Step 4: Configure MCP Server

For Claude Desktop:

1. Open the Claude Desktop app
2. Navigate to Settings → Developer → Edit Config
3. Add the following to your claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "slack": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-slack"],
      "env": {
        "SLACK_BOT_TOKEN": "xoxb-your-token-here",
        "SLACK_TEAM_ID": "T-your-team-id"
      }
    }
  }
}

For Cursor:

1. Open Cursor Settings → Features → MCP
2. Click "+ Add New MCP Server"
3. Configure using the same environment variables

Step 5: Restart Your Application

Restart Claude Desktop or Cursor to load the new MCP server configuration.

Step 6: Test Your Integration

Try asking the AI to perform a simple Slack action, such as: "Can you list the channels in my Slack workspace?"

License

Open-source (available on GitHub)

Website link

https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers/tree/main/src/slack