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Connect Slack

30 Aug 2026 · Chatku Team · 2 min read

Connect Slack

Chatku connects to Slack as an app using the Events API (over HTTP). Messages people send to your bot — in a direct message or in a channel the bot is in — become conversations in your inbox, and replies post back to the same DM/channel.

Create a Slack app

At api.slack.com/apps → Create New App → From scratch (a blank app), pick your workspace, then note:

  • Bot User OAuth Token (xoxb-…, under OAuth & Permissions)
  • Signing Secret (Basic Information)

Under OAuth & Permissions → Bot Token Scopes, add:

  • chat:write — send replies
  • im:history — read direct messages
  • channels:history, groups:history — read public / private channels
  • users:read — contact names
  • files:read — download attachments

1. Create the channel in Chatku

  1. Settings → Channels → Add Channel → Slack.
  2. Paste the Bot User OAuth Token and Signing Secret, then Save.
  3. Chatku shows a Request URL — copy it.

2. Enable events (HTTP, not Socket Mode)

In your Slack app:

  1. Settings → Socket Mode → turn it OFF. With Socket Mode on, Slack delivers events over a WebSocket instead of your Request URL, so nothing reaches Chatku.
  2. Event Subscriptions → Enable Events → paste the Request URL (Slack verifies it automatically → Verified ✓).
  3. Under Subscribe to bot events, add:
    • message.im (direct messages)
    • message.channels, message.groups, message.mpim (channels)
  4. Save Changes, then Reinstall the app to your workspace when prompted.

3. Let people reach the bot

  • Direct messages: App Home → Show Tabs → enable the Messages Tab and check "Allow users to send messages from the messages tab". Then anyone can DM the bot.
  • Channels: invite the bot into the channel with /invite @YourApp. The bot only receives events for channels it's a member of.

4. Test

Send the bot a DM, or post in a channel it was invited to. The message appears in Conversations; replies from Chatku post back into the same DM/channel.

Troubleshooting: if messages don't arrive, the usual cause is Socket Mode still enabled. Also check the Request URL is Verified, the bot events include message.im / message.channels, and the app was reinstalled after changing scopes/events.

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