App manifests

App manifests are YAML or JSON files that contain the configuration for Slack apps and workflow automations.

➡️ For non-workflow apps, the app manifest can help you quickly create, configure, and copy Slack apps. You can share and reuse these manifests. Use this capability to create development clones of production apps.

➡️ For workflow automation apps, the manifest holds the details of your app’s configuration, declaring the custom types, steps, workflows, and more that the automation contains.

Manifest concepts

All apps have a manifest. Manifests are reusable configurations; they are designed to make an app's configuration "portable". You can store a manifest in version control such as GitHub where collaborators can easily grasp the setup of your app. Manifests can also make testing easier for apps that have the same setup.

Manifests are expressed in JSON or YAML and can be authored in your app's configuration page. The Deno SDK provides additional tooling for authoring manifests in the language of the framework.

➡️ If you are developing with the Deno SDK, use the required reference fields on the workflow apps manifest page for your source of truth.

Currently, there are two versions of app manifests. Workflow automations exclusively use version 2, while Slack apps may use either version. If the version _metadata property is not specified, Slack will treat your manifest configuration as v1. The properties outlined below indicate which manifest version they are included in.

Manifests for non-workflow apps

App manifests be created and managed by visiting Your Apps, selecting the app, then navigating to Features > App Manifest or directly by using the App Manifest API.

When you create an app through Your Apps using the Create New App button, you have an option to create from scratch or from an existing app manifest. This is how you could replicate a manifest from another app, pasting the recycled manifest there.

✨ Read more on the Create and configure apps with manifests page for Slack apps page.

Manifests and the Deno SDK

For workflow automation apps created with the Deno SDK, keep your local manifest.ts or manifest.js file up-to-date with any custom types, steps, datastores, and workflows required for your app.

✨ Read more on the App manifest page for workflow apps page.

Manifest schema

Manifests are written in YAML or JSON using a specific structure. Deno Slack SDK enables writing manifests in TypeScript. Here is an example of what one might look like in each language.

_metadata:
  major_version: 2
  minor_version: 1
display_information:
  name: Zork
  long_description: A very long description.
  description: A shorter description.
  background_color: "#0000AA"
settings:
  socket_mode_enabled: false
  interactivity:
    is_enabled: true
    request_url: https://example.com/slack/message_action
  event_subscriptions:
    bot_events:
      - app_home_opened
features:
  app_home:
    home_tab_enabled: true
    messages_tab_enabled: true
    messages_tab_read_only_enabled: false
  bot_user:
    display_name: zork
  slash_commands:
    - command: /zork
      description: You see a mailbox in the field.
      usage_hint: /zork open mailbox
      url: https://example.com/slack/slash/please
oauth_config:
  scopes:
    bot:
      - commands
      - chat:write
      - chat:write.public
  redirect_urls:
    - https://example.com/slack/auth

{
  "_metadata": {
    "major_version": 2,
    "minor_version": 1
  },
  "display_information": {
    "name": "Zork",
    "long_description": "A very long description.",
    "description": "A shorter description.",
    "background_color": "#0000AA"
  },
  "settings": {
    "socket_mode_enabled": false,
    "interactivity": {
      "is_enabled": true,
      "request_url": "https://example.com/slack/message_action"
    },
    "event_subscriptions": {
      "bot_events": [
        "app_home_opened"
      ]
    }
  },
  "features": {
    "app_home": {
      "home_tab_enabled": true,
      "messages_tab_enabled": true,
      "messages_tab_read_only_enabled": false
    },
    "bot_user": {
      "display_name": "zork"
    },
    "slash_commands": [
      {
        "command": "/zork",
        "description": "You see a mailbox in the field.",
        "usage_hint": "/zork open mailbox",
        "url": "https://example.com/slack/slash/please"
      }
    ]
  },
  "oauth_config": {
    "scopes": {
      "bot": [
        "commands",
        "chat:write",
        "chat:write.public"
      ]
    },
    "redirect_urls": [
      "https://example.com/slack/auth"
    ]
  }
}

import { Manifest } from "deno-slack-sdk/mod.ts";
import SampleWorkflow from "./workflows/sample_workflow.ts";
import SampleObjectDatastore from "./datastores/sample_datastore.ts";

/**
 * The app manifest contains the app's configuration. This
 * file defines attributes like app name and description.
 * https://api.slack.com/future/manifest
 */
export default Manifest({
  name: "welcomebot",
  description: "Quick and easy way to setup automated welcome messages for channels in your workspace.",
  icon: "assets/icon.png",
  workflows: [SampleWorkflow],
  outgoingDomains: [],
  datastores: [SampleObjectDatastore],
  botScopes: [
    "commands",
    "chat:write",
    "chat:write.public",
    "datastore:read",
    "datastore:write",
  ],
});

The following tables describe the settings you can define within an app manifest.

Metadata

Slack Marketplace

The fields in this section are only relevant for apps that intend to be distributed via the Slack Marketplace.

Display

Features

OAuth

Settings

Functions

The function settings should be used to create custom workflow steps available for use in workflows either defined in the manifest or built directly in Workflow Builder.

The function property is a map, where the keys are the callback_id of the step. This callback_id can be any string, and is used to identify the individual steps in order to refer to them like functions.<callback_id>. Each step in the map contains all properties listed below.

The schema structure of input_parameters and output_parameters differs between version 1 and 2 of the app manifest. In version 1, input_parameters and output_parameters contain a list of parameters, with each parameter containing an is_required field, such that the structure looks like this:

functions:
  prep_ingredients:
    title: Prepare ingredients
    description: Runs sample function
    input_parameters:
      user_id:
        type: slack#/types/user_id
        title: User
        description: Message recipient
        is_required: true
        hint: Select a user in the workspace
        name: user_id
    output_parameters:
      user_id:
        type: slack#/types/user_id
        title: User
        description: User that completed the function
        is_required: true
        name: user_id

Whereas in the version 2 manifest, input_parameters and output_parameters contain a properties argument in which the parameters are nested alongside a required field denoting which properties are required. The structure looks like this:

functions:
  prep_ingredients:
    title: Prepare ingredients
    description: Runs sample function
    input_parameters:
      properties:
        user_id:
          type: slack#/types/user_id
          title: User
          description: Message recipient
          hint: Select a user in the workspace
          name: user_id
      required: { user_id }
    output_parameters:
      properties:
        user_id:
          type: slack#/types/user_id
          title: User
          description: User that completed the function
          name: user_id
      required: { user_id }

Workflows

Datastores

Outgoing domains

Types

Events

External auth providers

The identity_config object

Compliance