In this guide, you'll learn how to send messages to a Slack channel directly from your JavaScript web application.
Prerequisites
Before we dive in, here’s what you’ll need:
- A Slack workspace.
- A Slack App with a bot token.
- A public or private Slack channel.
- Basic knowledge of JavaScript (Node.js or browser-based app).
Step 1: Create a Slack App
- Go to the Slack API portal.
- Click "Create New App" → From scratch.
- Give it a name (e.g., NotifyBot) and choose your workspace.
- After creation, navigate to "OAuth & Permissions".
- Under Scopes, add the following Bot Token Scope:
- chat:write – allows sending messages to channels.
- Install the app to your workspace. You’ll get a Bot User OAuth Token (starts with xoxb-...). Save this token securely.
Step 2: Write JavaScript Code to Send a Message
Using Node.js with @slack/web-api
npm install @slack/web-api
const { WebClient } = require('@slack/web-api');
const token = 'xoxb-your-bot-token';
const channelId = 'C12345678'; // Replace with your channel ID
const slackClient = new WebClient(token);
async function sendMessage(text) {
try {
const result = await slackClient.chat.postMessage({
channel: channelId,
text,
});
console.log('Message sent: ', result.ts);
} catch (error) {
console.error('Slack API error:', error);
}
}
sendMessage('✅ Task completed successfully!');
When to use
- You can trigger these functions during various app events:
- After a successful form submission.
- On user registration.
- When an error occurs.
- On completion of background jobs.
Example (in an Express.js route):
app.post('/register', async (req, res) => {
// ...register user logic
await sendMessage(`🎉 New user registered: ${req.body.email}`);
res.sendStatus(200);
});
Conclusion
Integrating Slack messaging into your web app allows you to stay updated and react quickly. Whether for internal monitoring or user-facing actions. With just a few lines of JavaScript, you can keep your team in the loop — automatically.
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