feat: add Claude Code Channels support for real-time Slack messaging

.claude-plugin/plugin.json

@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 {
   "name": "slack",
-  "description": "Slack integration for searching messages, sending communications, managing canvases, and more",
+  "description": "Slack integration for searching messages, sending communications, managing canvases, and real-time bidirectional messaging via Channels",
   "version": "1.0.0",
   "author": {
   "name": "Slack",
   "url": "https://slack.com"
   },
-  "homepage": "https://github.com/slackapi/slack-mcp-cursor-plugin",
+  "homepage": "https://github.com/slackapi/slack-mcp-plugin",
   "license": "MIT"
 }

.gitignore

@@ -1 +1,3 @@
 .claude/
+.env
+node_modules/

.mcp.json

@@ -7,6 +7,14 @@
         "clientId": "1601185624273.8899143856786",
         "callbackPort": 3118
       }
+    },
+    "slack-channel": {
+      "command": "bun",
+      "args": ["./src/index.ts"],
+      "env": {
+        "SLACK_BOT_TOKEN": "",
+        "SLACK_APP_TOKEN": ""
+      }
     }
   }
 }

CLAUDE.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Slack Plugin
 
-This plugin integrates Slack with Claude Code, providing tools to search, read, and send messages in Slack.
+This plugin integrates Slack with Claude Code, providing tools to search, read, and send messages in Slack. It also includes a **channel server** for real-time bidirectional Slack messaging via Socket Mode.
 
 ## Commands
 
@@ -14,3 +14,28 @@ This plugin integrates Slack with Claude Code, providing tools to search, read,
 
 - **slack-messaging** — Guidance for composing well-formatted Slack messages using standard markdown
 - **slack-search** — Guidance for effectively searching Slack to find messages, files, channels, and people
+
+## Channel Server (Research Preview)
+
+The `slack-channel` MCP server enables real-time Slack messaging as a Claude Code Channel. It runs as a local Bun subprocess using Socket Mode — no public URL needed.
+
+### Tools
+
+- **reply** — Send a message to a Slack channel or thread (`channel_id`, `text`, optional `thread_ts`)
+- **react** — Add an emoji reaction to a message (`channel_id`, `timestamp`, `emoji`)
+- **manage_access** — Add, remove, or pair users in the access allowlist (`action`: `add_user` / `remove_user` / `pair_user`, `value`: Slack user ID)
+- **manage_channels** — Watch or unwatch channels (`action`: `watch` / `unwatch`, `channel_id`)
+
+### Setup
+
+Requires a Slack app with Socket Mode and two tokens:
+- `SLACK_BOT_TOKEN` (`xoxb-...`) — Bot User OAuth Token
+- `SLACK_APP_TOKEN` (`xapp-...`) — App-Level Token for Socket Mode
+
+See `docs/slack-app-setup.md` for detailed Slack app creation instructions.
+
+### Running
+
+```
+claude --dangerously-load-development-channels server:slack-channel
+```

README.md

@@ -84,6 +84,74 @@ Add the following configuration to connect to the remote Slack MCP server:
 
 Save the configuration. You will also see a connect button once added. Click that to authenticate into your Slack Workspace.
 
+## Channels (Research Preview)
+
+The Channels feature lets Claude Code receive and respond to messages directly in Slack—via DMs or channel mentions—using a locally-run bot server.
+
+### Slack App Setup
+
+1. Create a new Slack app at [api.slack.com/apps](https://api.slack.com/apps) and select **Socket Mode**.
+2. Under **OAuth & Permissions**, add the following bot token scopes:
+   - `chat:write`, `reactions:write`
+   - `channels:join`, `channels:read`, `channels:history`
+   - `groups:read`, `im:read`, `im:history`
+   - `users:read`, `app_mentions:read`
+3. Under **Socket Mode**, enable it and generate an **App-Level Token** with the `connections:write` scope. This token begins with `xapp-`.
+4. Under **Event Subscriptions → Subscribe to bot events**, add:
+   - `message.im`, `message.channels`, `app_mention`, `reaction_added`
+5. Install the app to your workspace and copy the **Bot User OAuth Token** (`xoxb-...`).
+
+### Configuration
+
+Add the `slack-channel` server entry to your `.mcp.json`:
+
+```json
+{
+  "mcpServers": {
+    "slack-channel": {
+      "command": "bun",
+      "args": ["./src/index.ts"],
+      "env": {
+        "SLACK_BOT_TOKEN": "xoxb-your-bot-token",
+        "SLACK_APP_TOKEN": "xapp-your-app-token"
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+```
+
+Alternatively, set `SLACK_BOT_TOKEN` and `SLACK_APP_TOKEN` as environment variables.
+
+To pre-configure which Slack users are allowed to interact with the bot, create `~/.slack-channel/settings.json`:
+
+```json
+{
+  "gating": {
+    "mode": "per-user",
+    "allowedUsers": ["U012AB3CD", "U098ZY7WX"]
+  },
+  "watchedChannels": []
+}
+```
+
+### Running
+
+Start Claude Code with the channel server enabled:
+
+```
+claude --dangerously-load-development-channels server:slack-channel
+```
+
+### Pairing
+
+On the first run with an empty allowlist, DM the bot in Slack. It will reply with a pairing code. Send:
+
+```
+pair <CODE>
+```
+
+This completes pairing and adds you to the allowlist. Once paired, you can ask Claude to pair additional users on your behalf.
+
 ## Usage Examples
 
 Once configured, you can interact with Slack through your AI assistant using natural language: