Maintain Your Slack Developer Certification for Winter ’26

Learning Objectives

After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:

Use new Workflow Builder, Block Kit, and Lists APIs to build richer experiences.
Follow updated API Terms of Service and rate limit rules.
Build AI-powered apps that feel native to Slack using Agents & AI features.

Stay Current with Your Certification

Salesforce certifications hold the most value when you keep them relevant. To keep your Slack Developer certification current, complete this module by the due date.

Interested in learning more about getting certified? Check out the Slack Developer certification.

While anyone can earn this badge, this module is designed for those who hold the Slack Developer certification.

As part of the Salesforce Certification Program, you agree to the terms of the Salesforce Certification Program Agreement. Review the exam policies in the agreement and the Salesforce Certification Program Agreement and Code of Conduct article before you continue.

Slack Developer Certification Overview

The Salesforce Certified Slack Developer certification validates your ability to design, build, and implement custom solutions on the Slack platform. As a certified developer, you’ve shown deep knowledge of Slack APIs and the skills to create secure, scalable, and effective ways for people to work better together.

Certified Slack developers know how to:

Build workflows and interfaces with Slack APIs and Block Kit.
Secure solutions with OAuth flows, scopes, and tokens.
Design for Enterprise Grid and Slack Connect environments.
Manage and distribute apps across workspaces and the Slack Marketplace.

This module highlights key updates you need to know for Winter ’26 to keep your certification current and your skills sharp.

Build Richer Experiences with New Platform Features

Slack has added new components that make it easier to present data, automate processes, and manage information directly in Slack. These updates reduce context switching and give you more options when designing apps.

Workflow Builder: Conditional Branching

Workflow Builder now supports conditional branching, so workflows no longer have to follow a single path. You can set conditions that change what happens next, based on inputs or context.

This makes it easier to:

Handle complex scenarios without custom code.
Automate role- or team-specific processes.
Adapt workflows to different situations in Slack.

With branching, workflows become more flexible and closer to the way work actually happens.

Block Kit: New Table Block

The new table block lets you turn data into clean, structured tables inside Slack messages.

Tables render consistently across all platforms.
You can show rows and columns directly in a message instead of attaching spreadsheets.
There are limits on rows, columns, and overall characters.

At this time, table creation works only on desktop.

Lists APIs

You can now manage Slack Lists programmatically via a new set of public APIs. These APIs let your apps create, update, and sync lists directly in Slack, making it easier to manage structured information without manual steps.

With the Lists APIs, you can:

Create and update lists from your apps.
Add, edit, or delete items automatically.
Sync Slack lists with external tools or databases.
Control access to lists with permission methods.
Download list data for reporting or analysis.

Here are some examples of available methods.

slackLists.create to create a new list
slackLists.items.update to update an item in an existing list
slackLists.items.deleteMultiple to remove several items at once
slackLists.access.set to manage permissions for a list

You can use these APIs together to build more advanced integrations. For example, you can sync task lists from a project management app, automatically generate checklists when a workflow runs, or export lists for reporting.

Follow Updated API Terms of Service and Rate Limits

Slack has updated its API Terms of Service to address new use cases like AI and to protect customer data. These updates affect how you distribute, manage, and design apps for larger environments.

Here are the most important updates you need to know.

Area	What’s New	Why It’s Important
Web API limits	Reduced rate limits on conversations.history and conversations.replies for apps not approved in the Slack Marketplace—for example, one request per minute, up to 15 objects per request	Limits access for nonapproved apps and helps keep Slack data secure
Marketplace distribution	Commercial distribution that goes through the Slack Marketplace	Requires security review before apps reach users
Data usage	Clearer restrictions on storing, reusing, or training AI with Slack data	Protects users from misuse of conversations and files
Discovery API	Limited to compliance use cases such as eDiscovery, archiving, or DLP	Keeps sensitive APIs focused on enterprise-grade needs

While some rules have changed, the following remain unchanged.

Internal apps built only for your own org are not subject to the new lower rate limits.
Marketplace apps that pass review continue to keep higher limits.
You can still use conversations.history and conversations.replies—but apps not listed in the Slack Marketplace need to adhere to the new rate limits.

Continue to check Slack changelog and API docs. These guardrails are evolving, and staying current will help you avoid surprises.

By understanding these rules, you avoid disruptions and keep your apps aligned with Slack expectations.

Build with AI in Slack

AI is becoming a bigger part of how developers build in Slack. You can now integrate AI directly into your apps using the tools and UI features Slack provides. Instead of relying on Slack to supply a large language model (LLM), you can choose one that fits your needs and connect it using built-in tools for adding AI to your apps.

When you enable Agents & AI Apps in your app settings, you unlock new entry points and interaction patterns such as:

App entry point: Users can open your app from the Slack top bar.
Split view: Users can chat with your app side-by-side in a channel, so they stay in context.
Loading states: You can show status indicators while your app processes a request.
Suggested prompts: You can define default prompts to help users start conversations.
App threads: Slack organizes conversations into threads automatically, giving users a clean chat experience.

These features make it easier to build AI-powered workflows that feel like a natural extension of Slack, rather than add-ons.

To get started:

Turn on the Agents & AI Apps feature in your app settings.
Subscribe to events like assistant_thread_started, assistant_thread_context_changed, and message.im.
Use methods like assistant.threads.setStatus and assistant.threads.setSuggestedPrompts to guide the interaction.
Post responses with chat.postMessage while staying inside the active thread.

These updates give you practical ways to design AI apps that feel native to Slack. You can create assistants and bots that work in context, guide users with prompts, and respond in real time—all within guardrails that protect trust and usability.

Work with Slack data in real time to keep your apps fast and secure. Use metadata to track context or progress instead of storing full conversations long-term.

Explore Other Emerging AI Features (Limited Availability)

You might have the chance to explore two early AI features in Slack: Model Context Protocol (MCP) and the Real-Time Search API. These are in limited release with select partners and serve as a preview of what’s ahead. They might expand in the future, but they aren’t generally available or part of the certification requirements yet. Here are some details, in case you’re curious.

Slack Model Context Protocol Server (MCP)

With the Slack MCP, you can connect AI agents to Slack data in a secure way. Instead of exporting large datasets, you let your apps work with the context they need in real time, such as:

Built-in OAuth support
Admin visibility and controls
Secure access to Slack data for AI

Real-Time Search API

With the Real-Time Search API, you can query Slack messages and files on demand without keeping external copies. For example, you can:

Retrieve only the data needed for a search.
Enable federated search and contextual insights.
Reduce risks of long-term storage.

Wrap Up

You now have new ways to build richer, smarter apps in Slack while keeping them secure and reliable. From workflow updates to AI features and updated API rules, these changes give you more flexibility without adding complexity. Keep them in mind as you design, so your apps stay useful and trusted.

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