Collaborate on Slack Apps
Learning Objectives
After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:
- List the steps to add collaborators to a Slack app.
- Explain the purpose of using app manifests.
Manage Collaborators in Your App Dashboard
Name, configure, and install your Slack apps in the app dashboard. The dashboard displays a list of apps you created or have collaborator access to. Select an app name to open its settings.
Can’t find the app you're looking for? Make sure you’re signed in to the workspace where the app was created and reload as necessary. The Slack API site can detect when you’re signed in to multiple workspaces concurrently.
Collaborate on Apps
Developing apps doesn’t have to be a solo endeavor. Slack recommends adding one or more of your Slack team members as a backup collaborator for any business-critical applications, especially when the app needs an update and you're out of the office. Some organizations also choose to add a service account as a collaborator to each production application.
Keep these tips in mind when adding app collaborators.
- Make deliberate choices about who you add as a collaborator. Collaborators can perform important actions like installing single-workspace apps—also known as internal apps—on their associated workspace. Even as the original app developer, collaborators can remove you as a collaborator. They can also delete the app without your approval.
- On the app’s associated workspace, Slackbot notifies collaborators whenever you add or remove collaborators, or if the app is deleted.
- You can assign workspace guests, either single or multichannel guests, as app collaborators. Guests can’t delete a Slack app, and they can’t modify collaborator permissions.
- Org owners, workspace owners, and other members with permission to manage apps on Business+ and Enterprise+ plans can add themselves as collaborators to internal apps.
Use the Collaborators page in your App Dashboard to add and remove collaborators, and also to leave any apps that you collaborate on.
Apps Without Active Collaborators
If all collaborators on an internal app become deactivated in Slack (including you or the original app developer), app access is removed. However, owners and anyone with permission to manage apps on Business+ and Enterprise+ plans can add app collaborators to regain access to the app.
This capability is useful for you in many situations. For example, when taking over app management from another developer or viewing existing collaborators on an app you’re going to start managing. Review the Resources section to learn more about app management. Share what you learn with your Slack admins!
App Manifests
You can save and share app manifests, which are the app configuration files. They allow you to create a preconfigured app, generate a copy of an existing app configuration for development purposes, or share an app configuration template with another team. You can think of an app manifest as a coded representation of your app’s configuration—written in JSON or YAML format—that contains your app’s name, description, enabled features, function definitions, properties, and more. Currently, you can’t configure the app icon, app directory details, or collaborators within manifest files.
The app manifest editor includes autocomplete and typeahead features. These tools help you quickly find and select the correct scopes, events, and Booleans.
You can also use app manifest API endpoints. This approach gives you the ability to create, modify, validate, and export your Slack app configurations programmatically. To use these endpoints, you need an app configuration access token.
Try out some sample manifests in these guided tutorials.
Summary
Slack apps enable customized automation in workspaces, utilizing three surfaces: App Home, Modals, and Messages, all supporting the Block Kit framework. These apps can perform various actions, such as sending messages and managing conversations, and respond to event callbacks via the Events API. When you add collaborators to your Slack apps, you can enhance configuration and management.