Slack by vercel-labs — AI Skill for Any LLM

Overview

Publisher	vercel-labs
Repository	`agent-browser`
Skill name	`slack`
Stars	42.8K
Forks	2.9K
Bundled files	2
License	Apache-2.0
Links	Skill source Repository Homepage

Markdown instructions

A SKILL.md file the model loads on demand, so it only costs tokens when a request actually matches.

Works with any LLM

AI skills are plain Markdown, not provider-specific code, so this works with GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model.

2 bundled files

Scripts, templates, and references the model can read while it works. Files are read-only and never executed.

Open source

Published by vercel-labs on GitHub. Read the source before you install it.

Installation

Install the Slack AI skill in TypingMind to use it with any LLM, or drop it into another agent that reads SKILL.md.

Install in TypingMind

TypingMind installs a skill straight from its GitHub folder — it reads SKILL.md, bundles the resource files, and stores the result locally.

Open the app and go to Plugins → Skills.
Choose "Install from GitHub".
Paste the skill folder URL below and confirm.
Enable the skill in any chat where you want it available.

Plugins → Skills → Add skill → From GitHub URL, then paste the folder URL and press Continue.

Install in another agent

Any agent that reads the Agent Skills format can use this skill — copy the folder into that agent's skills directory.

Claude Code — .claude/skills

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-browser.git /tmp/agent-browser
mkdir -p .claude/skills
cp -r /tmp/agent-browser/skill-data/slack .claude/skills/slack

Restart Claude Code after copying so it picks up the new skill.

Use it in TypingMind

Enable Slack in any TypingMind chat and the model takes it from there. Its name and description sit in the system prompt, and the moment a request matches, the model loads the full instructions itself — you never invoke it by hand, and it costs no tokens until it is actually used.

The model loads Slack on its own as soon as a request matches it.

Works with any AI model

AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so Slack is not tied to the model it was written for. Install it once in TypingMind and use it with GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama, or a local model you run yourself — all on your own API keys.

Loaded only when it is needed

The system prompt carries just the name and description. The instructions are fetched on the first matching request, so an idle skill costs nothing.

Switch models mid-chat

Because the skill is instructions rather than code, changing model does not break it — the next model reads the same SKILL.md.

Skill instructions

This is the SKILL.md content the model loads. Read it before installing — a skill is instructions your model will follow.

Slack Automation

Interact with Slack workspaces to check messages, extract data, and automate common tasks.

Quick Start

Connect to an existing Slack browser session or open Slack:

bash
# Connect to existing session on port 9222 (typical for already-open Slack)
agent-browser connect 9222

# Or open Slack if not already running
agent-browser open https://app.slack.com

Then take a snapshot to see what's available:

bash
agent-browser snapshot -i

Core Workflow

Connect/Navigate: Open or connect to Slack
Snapshot: Get interactive elements with refs (@e1, @e2, etc.)
Navigate: Click tabs, expand sections, or navigate to specific channels
Extract/Interact: Read data or perform actions
Screenshot: Capture evidence of findings

bash
# Example: Check unread channels
agent-browser connect 9222
agent-browser snapshot -i
# Look for "More unreads" button
agent-browser click @e21  # Ref for "More unreads" button
agent-browser screenshot slack-unreads.png

Common Tasks

Checking Unread Messages

bash
# Connect to Slack
agent-browser connect 9222

# Take snapshot to locate unreads button
agent-browser snapshot -i

# Look for:
# - "More unreads" button (usually near top of sidebar)
# - "Unreads" toggle in Activity tab (shows unread count)
# - Channel names with badges/bold text indicating unreads

# Navigate to Activity tab to see all unreads in one view
agent-browser click @e14  # Activity tab (ref may vary)
agent-browser wait 1000
agent-browser screenshot activity-unreads.png

# Or check DMs tab
agent-browser click @e13  # DMs tab
agent-browser screenshot dms.png

# Or expand "More unreads" in sidebar
agent-browser click @e21  # More unreads button
agent-browser wait 500
agent-browser screenshot expanded-unreads.png

Navigating to a Channel

bash
# Search for channel in sidebar or by name
agent-browser snapshot -i

# Look for channel name in the list (e.g., "engineering", "product-design")
# Click on the channel treeitem ref
agent-browser click @e94  # Example: engineering channel ref
# Replace `engineering` with the clicked channel's name so the old channel
# header cannot satisfy the wait while the new channel is still rendering.
agent-browser wait --fn "document.querySelector('[data-qa=\"channel_header\"]')?.innerText.includes('engineering')"
agent-browser screenshot channel.png

Finding Messages/Threads

bash
# Use Slack search
agent-browser snapshot -i
agent-browser click @e5  # Search button (typical ref)
agent-browser fill @e_search "keyword"
agent-browser press Enter
# Match the submitted query so a repeated search cannot reuse the old route.
agent-browser wait --fn "location.pathname.includes('/search') && new URL(location.href).searchParams.get('q') === 'keyword'"
agent-browser screenshot search-results.png

Extracting Channel Information

bash
# Get list of all visible channels
agent-browser snapshot --json > slack-snapshot.json

# Parse for channel names and metadata
# Look for treeitem elements with level=2 (sub-channels under sections)

Checking Channel Details

bash
# Open a channel
agent-browser click @e_channel_ref
agent-browser wait 1000

# Get channel info (members, description, etc.)
agent-browser snapshot -i
agent-browser screenshot channel-details.png

# Scroll through messages
agent-browser scroll down 500
agent-browser screenshot channel-messages.png

Taking Notes/Capturing State

When you need to document findings from Slack:

bash
# Take annotated screenshot (shows element numbers)
agent-browser screenshot --annotate slack-state.png

# Take full-page screenshot
agent-browser screenshot --full slack-full.png

# Get current URL for reference
agent-browser get url

# Get page title
agent-browser get title

Sidebar Structure

Understanding Slack's sidebar helps you navigate efficiently:


- Threads
- Huddles
- Drafts & sent
- Directories
- [Section Headers - External connections, Starred, Channels, etc.]
  - [Channels listed as treeitems]
- Direct Messages
  - [DMs listed]
- Apps
  - [App shortcuts]
- [More unreads] button (toggles unread channels list)

Key refs to look for:

@e12 - Home tab (usually)
@e13 - DMs tab
@e14 - Activity tab
@e5 - Search button
@e21 - More unreads button (varies by session)

Tabs in Slack

After clicking on a channel, you'll see tabs:

Messages - Channel conversation
Files - Shared files
Pins - Pinned messages
Add canvas - Collaborative canvas
Other tabs depending on workspace setup

Click tab refs to switch views and get different information.

Extracting Data from Slack

Get Text Content

bash
# Get a message or element's text
agent-browser get text @e_message_ref

Parse Accessibility Tree

bash
# Full snapshot as JSON for programmatic parsing
agent-browser snapshot --json > output.json

# Look for:
# - Channel names (name field in treeitem)
# - Message content (in listitem/document elements)
# - User names (button elements with user info)
# - Timestamps (link elements with time info)

Count Unreads

bash
# After expanding unreads section:
agent-browser snapshot -i | grep -c "treeitem"
# Each treeitem with a channel name in the unreads section is one unread

Best Practices

Connect to existing sessions: Use agent-browser connect 9222 if Slack is already open. This is faster than opening a new browser.
Take snapshots before clicking: Always snapshot -i to identify refs before clicking buttons.
Re-snapshot after navigation: After navigating to a new channel or section, take a fresh snapshot to find new refs.
Use JSON snapshots for parsing: When you need to extract structured data, use snapshot --json for machine-readable output.
Pace interactions: Add sleep 1 between rapid interactions to let the UI update.
Check accessibility tree: The accessibility tree shows what screen readers (and your automation) can see. If an element isn't in the snapshot, it may be hidden or require scrolling.
Scroll in sidebar: Use agent-browser scroll down 300 --selector ".p-sidebar" to scroll within the Slack sidebar if channel list is long.

Limitations

Cannot access Slack API: This uses browser automation, not the Slack API. No OAuth, webhooks, or bot tokens needed.
Session-specific: Screenshots and snapshots are tied to the current browser session.
Rate limiting: Slack may rate-limit rapid interactions. Add delays between commands if needed.
Workspace-specific: You interact with your own workspace -- no cross-workspace automation.

Debugging

Check console for errors

bash
agent-browser console
agent-browser errors

Get current page state

bash
agent-browser get url
agent-browser get title
agent-browser screenshot page-state.png

Example: Full Unread Check

bash
#!/bin/bash

# Connect to Slack
agent-browser connect 9222

# Take initial snapshot
echo "=== Checking Slack unreads ==="
agent-browser snapshot -i > snapshot.txt

# Check Activity tab for unreads
agent-browser click @e14  # Activity tab
agent-browser wait 1000
agent-browser screenshot activity.png
ACTIVITY_RESULT=$(agent-browser get text @e_main_area)
echo "Activity: $ACTIVITY_RESULT"

# Check DMs
agent-browser click @e13  # DMs tab
agent-browser wait 1000
agent-browser screenshot dms.png

# Check unread channels in sidebar
agent-browser click @e21  # More unreads button
agent-browser wait 500
agent-browser snapshot -i > unreads-expanded.txt
agent-browser screenshot unreads.png

# Summary
echo "=== Summary ==="
echo "See activity.png, dms.png, and unreads.png for full details"

References

Slack docs: https://slack.com/help
Web experience: https://app.slack.com
Keyboard shortcuts: Type ? in Slack for shortcut list

Frequently asked questions

What does the Slack AI skill do?

Interact with Slack workspaces using browser automation. Use when the user needs to check unread channels, navigate Slack, send messages, extract data, find information, search conversations, or automate any Slack task. Triggers include "check my Slack", "what channels have unreads", "send a message to", "search Slack for", "extract from Slack", "find who said", or any task requiring programmatic Slack interaction.

Why use Slack on TypingMind?

Because you install it once and use it with any model. Slack is plain Markdown rather than provider-specific code, so the same skill runs on GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model — and you can switch model mid-chat without it breaking. TypingMind runs on your own API keys, so you pay providers directly instead of a per-seat subscription, and your skills and chats stay in your own storage.

How do I install Slack in TypingMind?

Open Plugins → Skills → Install from GitHub in TypingMind and paste https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-browser/tree/main/skill-data/slack. TypingMind reads its SKILL.md and bundles its files and installs it as a skill you can enable per chat.

Which AI models can use Slack?

Any model you connect in TypingMind. AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and local models can all load this skill when a request matches it.

How many AI models can I use with Slack?

As many as you like. As long as a model supports skills, you can use Slack with it — GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama and more — all on TypingMind with your own API keys.

Is the Slack AI skill free?

Yes. It is published on GitHub by vercel-labs under the Apache-2.0 license. You only pay your own AI provider for the tokens you use.

What are AI skills?

An AI skill is a reusable instruction bundle that teaches an AI model how to do one specific task. It follows the open Agent Skills format: a SKILL.md file with a name and description, plus any scripts, templates or reference files the model may need. The model reads the instructions only when your request matches the skill, so an installed skill costs nothing until it is used.

How are AI skills different from plugins or MCP servers?

A plugin or MCP server gives a model new tools to call — code that runs somewhere and returns a result. An AI skill gives the model knowledge and process instead: how to approach a task, which steps to follow, what good output looks like. Skills are plain Markdown, so they need no server, no API key and no runtime, and they work with any model.

Overview

Installation

Install in TypingMind

Install in another agent

Use it in TypingMind

Works with any AI model

Skill instructions

Slack Automation

Quick Start

Core Workflow

Common Tasks

Checking Unread Messages

Navigating to a Channel

Finding Messages/Threads

Extracting Channel Information

Checking Channel Details

Taking Notes/Capturing State

Sidebar Structure

Tabs in Slack

Extracting Data from Slack

Get Text Content

Parse Accessibility Tree

Count Unreads

Best Practices

Limitations

Debugging

Check console for errors

Get current page state

Example: Full Unread Check

References

Bundled files

Frequently asked questions

Related AI Skills

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