Create a Slack bot

This page walks you through building a Slack app that Aside can drive. Slack needs two tokens: a bot token (xoxb-) and an app-level token (xapp-) for Socket Mode. Socket Mode means Aside connects out to Slack; you host no server and open no ports.

Before you start

You need permission to install apps in your Slack workspace.
Aside must be running on your device for the bot to respond.

Create the app from a manifest

Open api.slack.com/apps and choose Create New App > From a manifest.
Pick your workspace.

Clear the manifest input and paste this:

{
    "display_information": {
        "name": "Aside",
        "description": "I'm your browser.",
        "background_color": "#38BDF8"
    },
    "features": {
        "app_home": {
            "home_tab_enabled": false,
            "messages_tab_enabled": true,
            "messages_tab_read_only_enabled": false
        },
        "bot_user": {
            "display_name": "Aside",
            "always_online": true
        },
        "agent_view": {
            "agent_description": "Ask Aside to browse the web and complete tasks for you.",
            "suggested_prompts": []
        }
    },
    "oauth_config": {
        "scopes": {
            "bot": [
                "assistant:write",
                "chat:write",
                "im:write",
                "files:write",
                "reactions:write",
                "users:read",
                "files:read",
                "channels:read",
                "channels:history",
                "groups:read",
                "groups:history",
                "im:history",
                "mpim:read",
                "mpim:history"
            ]
        },
        "pkce_enabled": false
    },
    "settings": {
        "event_subscriptions": {
            "bot_events": [
                "message.channels",
                "message.groups",
                "message.im",
                "message.mpim",
                "app_home_opened",
                "app_context_changed"
            ]
        },
        "interactivity": {
            "is_enabled": true
        },
        "org_deploy_enabled": false,
        "socket_mode_enabled": true,
        "token_rotation_enabled": false,
        "is_mcp_enabled": false
    }
}

Create the app, then choose Install to Workspace and authorize it.

The manifest enables Socket Mode, the agent view, pairing approval direct messages, reactions, and the message events Aside listens for. If you build the app by hand instead, match the scopes and events above.

Finish the Slack configuration

Slack may finish creating the app before every manifest permission reaches the first installation. Complete these checks before copying credentials or connecting the bot to Aside:

Open Go to App Settings after the installation finishes.
Complete Go to Agents if Slack shows that prompt.
If Slack says the permission scopes changed, choose reinstall your app and authorize it again.
Open OAuth & Permissions. Confirm that Bot Token Scopes lists assistant:write, chat:write, im:write, reactions:write, users:read, files:read, channels:history, groups:history, im:history, and mpim:history.
Open Event Subscriptions. Confirm that events are enabled and the bot subscribes to message.channels, message.groups, message.im, message.mpim, app_home_opened, and app_context_changed.

If a scope or event is missing, fix this Slack app and repeat the checks. Do not create another app.

Collect the tokens

After the final scope check, copy the Bot User OAuth Token from OAuth & Permissions. It starts with xoxb-.
Open Basic Information > App-Level Tokens, create a token with the connections:write scope, and copy it. It starts with xapp-.

Connect it to Aside

In Settings > Channels, choose Slack, pick Manual, and paste both tokens. The connection shows as connected on the Channels page once the Socket Mode handshake succeeds.

Test it

Send the bot a direct message in Slack. If it asks for pairing, approve the request in the connection’s Pairing tab, then message the bot again.In channels, invite the bot with /invite @Aside. Mention it in a root message to start a conversation; later replies in that thread continue without another mention. If the root did not mention the bot, mention it once inside the thread to start a new conversation there. Turning off Require mentions in threads lets the first unmentioned thread reply start that conversation instead, but channel root messages still require a mention. Earlier messages from paired people in that thread are supplied as context. Direct messages always reach the bot.To run /model, /effort, /sessions, /usage, or /new in a thread, type a leading space ( /model) so Slack sends the text as a message. Slack intercepts a bare / and does not deliver third-party slash commands inside threads.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Likely cause
Connection stuck on connecting	App-level token missing the `connections:write` scope, or Socket Mode disabled
Connection says connected but the bot never replies	Bot scopes or event subscriptions are incomplete; finish the Slack configuration and restart the same connection
`MISSING_SCOPE` status	Required bot scopes were not authorized; reinstall the same Slack app, then update the token if it changed or restart the existing connection
Bot never replies in a channel	Bot not invited to the channel, or message sent without a mention
`/model` is not a valid command	Slack intercepts a bare `/`; type a leading space ( `/model`) so it is sent as a message
`invalid_auth` errors	Bot token revoked after an app reinstall; paste the new `xoxb-` token into the connection settings

Get started

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Developers

Changelog

Create a Slack bot

Create a Slack bot

Before you start

Create the app from a manifest

Finish the Slack configuration

Collect the tokens

Connect it to Aside

Test it

Troubleshooting

​Create a Slack bot

​Before you start

​Create the app from a manifest

​Finish the Slack configuration

​Collect the tokens

​Connect it to Aside

​Test it

​Troubleshooting

​Related

Create a Slack bot

Before you start

Create the app from a manifest

Finish the Slack configuration

Collect the tokens

Connect it to Aside

Test it

Troubleshooting

Related