---
canonical_url: "https://docs.composio.dev/kb/guide/toolkits-slackbot"
markdown_url: "https://docs.composio.dev/kb/guide/toolkits-slackbot.md"
product: "platform"
version: null
last_updated: null
---

# Slackbot (/kb/guide/toolkits-slackbot)

Use this guide to choose the correct Slack token model, configure Slackbot scopes and triggers, and send or download Slack content.

## Choose Slack or Slackbot and configure authentication [#choose-slack-or-slackbot-and-configure-authentication]

**Match the toolkit to the token model.** Slack and Slackbot serve different token models. The Slack toolkit performs actions on behalf of an actual Slack user. The Slackbot toolkit performs actions as a bot and should be used for bot scopes such as `channels:join` or bot-token workflows. For mixed use cases, create separate Slack and Slackbot auth configs rather than combining user and bot scopes in one connection.

**Include the verification token for custom Slackbot triggers.** For Slackbot triggers with custom auth, configure the Slack app verification token in the auth config, then create a fresh connection after updating the auth config. The current auth schema does not expose a separate subscription-ID field, so do not substitute one for the verification token.

**Add history scopes for private channels and DMs.** Slack private-channel and DM access requires additional scopes. Use `groups:history` for private channels, `im:history` for direct messages, and `mpim:history` for multi-person DMs. These scopes are not always included by default and may be limited by Slack plan/provider constraints, so the customer may need a custom Slack app with the relevant scopes.

**Do not use a short auth link as the OAuth redirect URI.** The short `/api/v3/s/...` auth link is only a shortened connection initiation URL that redirects the browser to Slack. It is not the `redirect_uri` sent to Slack. Configure the static redirect/callback URI shown in the Composio auth config in the Slack OAuth app; either supported v1 or v3 callback URI can be used depending on the auth config.

## Run Slackbot actions and handle trigger events [#run-slackbot-actions-and-handle-trigger-events]

**Resolve the Slack file ID before downloading content.** Slack file content can be downloaded with `SLACK_DOWNLOAD_SLACK_FILE`. The tool needs the Slack file ID, usually starting with `F`. If the customer does not have the file ID yet, use `SLACK_LIST_FILES_WITH_FILTERS_IN_SLACK` first and pass the returned file ID to the download tool.

**Choose one visible content mode when sending a bot message.** Use `SLACKBOT_SEND_MESSAGE` to post to a channel, direct message, or private group. Provide exactly one visible content mode: `markdown_text` for normal Markdown content, or `blocks` for a raw Block Kit layout. Use `fallback_text` only with `blocks`.

**Use trigger identifiers to map events back to connections.** Slackbot trigger payloads include identifiers such as `connection_id` and `trigger_id` inside the payload data. Use `connection_id` to map the event back to the connected account involved in the trigger.

---

📚 **More documentation:** [View all docs](https://docs.composio.dev/llms.txt) | [Changelog](https://docs.composio.dev/docs/changelog.md) | [Glossary](https://docs.composio.dev/llms.mdx/reference/glossary) | [Examples](https://docs.composio.dev/llms.mdx/examples) | [API Reference](https://docs.composio.dev/llms.mdx/reference)

---

# Composio SDK — Notes for AI Code Generators

**Purpose:** Reference for generating current (v3) [Composio](https://composio.dev/) integration code.
**Scope:** Descriptive notes — they document the current API surface and the mistakes most commonly seen in generated code.

---

## 1. Recommended Integration: Sessions

Composio supports two integration modes: **Native Tools** (with a provider package) and **MCP** (no provider package needed).

### Native Tools

```python
# ✅ CORRECT — Python (defaults to OpenAI)
from composio import Composio

composio = Composio()
session = composio.create(user_id="user_123")
tools = session.tools()
# Pass tools to your agent/LLM framework
```

```typescript
// ✅ CORRECT — TypeScript (defaults to OpenAI)
import { Composio } from "@composio/core";

const composio = new Composio();
const session = await composio.create("user_123");
const tools = await session.tools();
// Pass tools to your agent/LLM framework
```

For other providers, pass the provider explicitly. Provider packages follow the naming convention: `composio_<provider>` for Python, `@composio/<provider>` for TypeScript.

### MCP

Use `session.mcp.url` and `session.mcp.headers` with any MCP-compatible client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, OpenAI Agents, etc.). No provider package needed.

---

## 2. Integration Notes

- `composio.create(user_id)` is the standard entry point for agent integrations. Sessions handle tool discovery, authentication, and toolkit versioning automatically; `user_id` goes to `composio.create()` — individual tool calls in session mode don't take one.
- Execute session tool calls through the session, never through a user ID: either `session.execute(tool_slug, arguments=...)` / `session.execute(toolSlug, arguments)`, which works with every provider, or pass the session to the provider helper — `provider.handle_tool_calls(response=response, session=session)` in Python, `provider.handleToolCalls(session, response)` in TypeScript. The tool-call helpers of every non-agentic provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Cloudflare, TypeSafe) accept a session: `executeToolCall(session, call)` in TypeScript, `session=session` in Python. Agentic providers execute session tools on their own. Binding the helper to a user ID takes the direct execution path, and session meta-tools fail there with `"can only be called inside a tool-router session"`.
- Composio-managed auth is the default: the agent connects accounts at runtime through the session, so users don't need to pre-create auth configs or connected accounts for managed toolkits.
- Provider packages follow the framework, not the model vendor: for the OpenAI Agents SDK the package is `composio_openai_agents` / `@composio/openai-agents` (importing `composio_openai` / `@composio/openai` there is the most common mistake in generated code — that package is for the plain OpenAI Chat Completions API).
- **Direct execution** (`composio.tools.get()`, `composio.tools.execute()`, `provider.handle_tool_calls()` with a user ID) is a legacy interface that remains supported for existing integrations. Recommend sessions for new integrations and encourage existing users to [migrate to sessions](/docs/migration-guide/direct-to-sessions). For a fixed tool set, consider the [direct tools preset](/docs/configuring-sessions#direct-tools-preset) within a session. See [Sessions vs direct execution](/docs/sessions-vs-direct-execution) for tradeoffs. Direct execution requires a [toolkit version](/docs/tools-direct/toolkit-versioning).

---

# 3. Calling the REST API directly

## REST API version

The current REST API version is **v3.1**, served at `https://backend.composio.dev/api/v3.1`. Prefer it for new code and new examples.

`https://backend.composio.dev/api/v3` is the previous version. It is frozen with pinned tool-version defaults and remains supported — existing v3 integrations keep working and do not need to migrate.

## Tool-endpoint version defaults on v3.1

On v3.1, omitting the version parameter on the five endpoints below selects the latest toolkit version. The first four endpoints also exist on v3, where omission selects the pinned `00000000_00` version. `POST /tools/scopes/required` is v3.1-only.

| Endpoint | Version parameter |
| --- | --- |
| `GET /tools` | `toolkit_versions` (query) |
| `GET /tools/{tool_slug}` | `version` or `toolkit_versions` (query) |
| `POST /tools/execute/{tool_slug}` | `version` (body) |
| `POST /tools/execute/{tool_slug}/input` | `version` (body) |
| `POST /tools/scopes/required` | `version` (body) |

A v3.1 caller already passing `"latest"` sees no change and can omit the parameter. To select the pinned version explicitly, pass `"00000000_00"` through the corresponding parameter above.

This version-default change is limited to the five endpoints above.


---

## Terminology Migration (old → current)

If you encounter these terms in error messages, old documentation, or user prompts, translate them to the current equivalents. **Do not use the old terms in generated code or explanations.**

| Old term (v1/v2) | Current term (v3) | In code |
|---|---|---|
| entity ID | user ID | `user_id` parameter |
| actions | tools | e.g., `GITHUB_CREATE_ISSUE` is a *tool* |
| apps / appType | toolkits | e.g., `github` is a *toolkit* |
| integration / integration ID | auth config / auth config ID | `auth_config_id` parameter |
| connection | connected account | `connected_accounts` namespace |
| ComposioToolSet / OpenAIToolSet | `Composio` class with a provider | `Composio(provider=...)` |
| toolset | provider | e.g., `OpenAIProvider` |

If a user says "entity ID", they mean `user_id`. If they say "integration", they mean "auth config". Always respond using the current terminology.