Hexabot Slack Channel Extension

Welcome to the Hexabot Slack Channel Extension! This extension will enable you to interact with your Slack Bot either via direct message or invite him to a channel and mention him (Example @YOUR_APP_NAME).

Not yet familiar with Hexabot? it's a open-source chatbot / agent solution that allows users to create and manage AI-powered, multi-channel, and multilingual chatbots with ease. If you would like to learn more, please visit the official github repo.

This guide walks you through integrating Slack with your Hexabot project. With this integration, you can connect your chatbot to a Slack workspace and enable seamless interactions.

Prerequisites

1. A Slack workspace.

2. Admin access to create and configure Slack apps.

3. A running instance of Hexabot.

If your app is not hosted publicly, you can use a tool like ngrok or similar to expose your local development server to the internet. This is required for Slack to communicate with your app

Steps to Integrate

1. Create a Slack App

You have two options to create a Slack app: From Scratch or From Manifest .

Option 1: Create App From Scratch

1. Go to Slack API Apps and click Create New App .

2. Choose From Scratch .

3. Enter a name for your app and select the Slack workspace where it will be installed.

4. Configure the app as follows:

• OAuth & Permissions :

  1. Navigate to OAuth & Permissions in the sidebar.

  2. Add the following Bot Token Scopes under Scopes :

     | Scope | Purpose | | ----------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | app_mentions:read | Allows the bot to read messages where it is mentioned. | | channels:join | Enables the bot to join public channels automatically. | | channels:read | Provides access to metadata about public channels in the workspace. | | chat:write | Lets the bot send messages in conversations. | | im:history | Grants access to the direct message history where the bot is a participant. | | users:read | Allows the bot to read user information in the workspace. | | files:read | Lets the bot view files shared in the workspace. | | files:write | Allows the bot to upload and manage files in the workspace. |

  3. Save the changes.

• Event Subscriptions :

  1. Enable Event Subscriptions in the app settings.
  2. Set the Request URL to {your api domain}/webhook/slack. This URL must be publicly accessible and capable of verifying Slack's requests.
  3. Add the following Bot Events under Subscribe to Bot Events :
  • app_home_opened
  • app_mention
  • message.im
  4. Save your changes.

• App Home :

  1. Navigate to App Home in the sidebar.

  2. Enable the Home Tab and ensure the Messages Tab is disabled.

  3. Save your changes.

5. Once the configuration is complete, go to Install App in the sidebar. Install the app to your workspace and copy the Bot User OAuth Token for use in your application.

Option 2: Create App From Manifest

1. Go to Slack API Apps and click Create New App .

2. Choose From an App Manifest .

3. Paste the following example manifest into the provided field:

display_information:
  name: { Your Bot Name }
features:
  app_home:
    home_tab_enabled: true
    messages_tab_enabled: true
    messages_tab_read_only_enabled: false
  bot_user:
    display_name: { Your Bot Name }
    always_online: false
oauth_config:
  scopes:
    bot:
      - app_mentions:read
      - channels:join
      - channels:read
      - chat:write
      - im:history
      - users:read
      - files:read
      - files:write
settings:
  event_subscriptions:
    request_url: { your api domain }/webhook/slack
    bot_events:
      - app_home_opened
      - app_mention
      - message.im
  org_deploy_enabled: false
  socket_mode_enabled: false
  token_rotation_enabled: false

1. Click Create to set up your app automatically with the specified configuration.

Both approaches lead to the same result, so choose based on your familiarity and preference. From Scratch gives you full control, while From Manifest is faster and pre-configured.

2. Install the App and Finalize the Integration

• Install the App :

  • Go to your Slack app's Install App section in the sidebar.
  • Click Install App to Workspace and authorize the requested permissions.

• Retrieve Required Credentials :

  • After installation, navigate to the Basic Information section of your app.
  • Copy the App ID and Signing Secret.
  • Go to the OAuth & Permissions section and copy the Bot User OAuth Token.

• Configure Hexabot :

  • Go to your Hexabot Settings page and open the Slack Tab .
  • Paste the App ID, Slack App Access Token and Signing Secret into their respective fields.

• Complete the Setup :

  • Save the configuration, and you're all set!

  • Your Slack app is now ready to work with Hexabot.

  • Send a direct message to your chatbot, or invite to any channel and mention him for interactions.