External channels

Connect agents to Slack channels with the Keystroke Slack App or a custom Slack app.

External channels let people talk to agents in apps like Slack. Slack is the only external channel supported today.

Slack connection kinds

In the web app, Apps → Connect Slack offers three options. The CLI mirrors them with keystroke connect slack --kind <kind> (no --kind opens the same chooser):

UI label	CLI command	Catalog slug	Identity	Use when
Keystroke Slack App	connect slack --kind keystroke	slackbot	Acts as @Keystroke	Bot tools and External Channels — bind an agent to a specific Slack channel
Custom Slack App	channels setup <agent> --custom	slack-app:<handle> (credential instance is still slackbot)	Acts as your bot (@handle)	Give one agent its own name, avatar, and handle; gateway mentions/DMs and the same @keystrokehq/slackbot/actions tools
Personal Slack Account	connect slack --kind personal	slack	Acts as the installing user	Posts as that person — not for External Channels

The Keystroke Slack App and the slackbot catalog slug are the same thing. The Apps page and chooser say “Keystroke Slack App”; keystroke credentials list and imports like @keystrokehq/slackbot/actions show the underlying catalog slug slackbot. keystroke connect slackbot still works and opens the same dialog as connect slack --kind keystroke.

Custom Slack App tools use the same package and credential key. Keystroke and custom installs both materialize slackbot credentials; the OAuth connection behind the instance (gateway slack vs slack-app:<handle>) is what changes the bot identity. Import @keystrokehq/slackbot/actions for either. Existing custom apps may need a reinstall to pick up scopes such as chat:write.public or users:read.email.

For channel-specific bindings as @Keystroke, connect the Keystroke Slack App (--kind keystroke). For a dedicated agent identity, use the Custom Slack App flow. A Personal Slack Account connection does not register a gateway workspace (keystroke channels accounts --platform slack stays empty).

Example requests

Ask your coding agent which agent to put in Slack and how it should respond.

“Put our support agent in the #support channel and have it reply only when mentioned.”

“Connect the data analyst agent to #data so the team can ask questions there.”

“Give Delbert its own Slack handle so it can be mentioned in any channel.”

Connect agents to Slack (web)

Each agent’s detail page has an External Channels panel (right side).

1. Open the agent

   Go to Agents and select your agent. Open the External Channels panel (configure rail).

2. Choose Keystroke app or custom app

   Click Connect. Pick Use the Keystroke Slack App (channel bindings as @Keystroke) or Create your own Slack App (one agent ↔ one custom bot identity).

3. Keystroke path — add a channel

   If the Keystroke Slack App isn’t connected yet, complete OAuth first. Then Add to a Slack Channel to create a channel (default #agent-slug) or pick an existing one.

4. Custom path — wizard

   Follow the custom app wizard (name + handle → Slack manifest → paste Client ID / Secret / Signing Secret → install). The agent binds to the whole app automatically.

5. Message the agent

   Message the bound channel (Keystroke) or mention the custom bot. Review runs in History by filtering Type to Agent.

Coding agents can deep-link into these flows with ?rail=configure&slack=keystroke or slack=custom on the agent URL (or keystroke channels setup <slug> --custom).

Channel access and credentials

Once an agent is bound to a Slack channel (or custom app), anyone who can message it uses the agent’s tools and credentials — not their own. Only bind agents to channels whose members you trust with everything the agent can do.

Manage Slack from the CLI

Prefer the happy path for the Keystroke Slack App:

keystroke connect slack --kind keystroke              # opens the OAuth flow in a browser
keystroke connect slack --kind keystroke --print-url  # headless: print the URL to share with the user
keystroke connect slack --kind keystroke --wait       # wait for the user to finish OAuth

(On a local machine that has never authenticated, run keystroke auth login first. Hosted sessions are already authenticated and must use --print-url, since they cannot open a browser.)

Verify the gateway workspace registered before binding:

keystroke channels accounts --platform slack
# If empty, connect the Keystroke Slack App (above), then:

keystroke channels setup support --channel support
keystroke channels list support

channels setup creates the Slack channel when needed (or binds an existing one with the same name), then binds the agent with Mentions + follow-ups (same default as the web UI).

For a custom @handle, open the agent wizard (user finishes in the browser):

keystroke channels setup support --custom

Advanced primitives

Reply behavior matches the External Channels UI:

--replies	UI label	Behavior
mentions-followups (default on bind)	Mentions + follow-ups	@mention to start; keep listening in that thread
mentions	Mentions only	Only responds when @mentioned

keystroke channels platforms list
keystroke channels directory --platform slack --account <team-id>
keystroke channels bind support --platform slack --account <team-id> --channel <channel-id>
keystroke channels bind support --platform slack --account <team-id> --channel <channel-id> --replies mentions
keystroke channels unbind support <binding-id>
keystroke channels update-binding support <binding-id> --replies mentions

The agent positional takes the slug from defineAgent({ slug }) after deploy (or the platform agent id). See the CLI reference.

Connecting the Keystroke Slack App registers the gateway for your organization; you don’t need to add Slack to keystroke.config.ts.

Other external channels

Additional external channels listed below will be added over the coming weeks. You can request specific channels by contacting us at [e-mail] and we will add them promptly.

• Microsoft Teams
• Telegram
• WhatsApp
• Linear
• Discord
• Google Chat

Next steps

Run agents

Prompt the same agent directly while testing channel behavior.

Agent runs

Inspect Slack-started agent sessions in History.

Credentials

Connect OAuth credentials used by tools and integrations.

Build agents

Tune the agent prompt and tools for channel use.