The new Slack platform and the features described below are in beta and under active development.

Built-in types

Type	Kind	Description
`Schema.types.string`	String	UTF-8 encoded string, up to 4000 bytes
`Schema.types.boolean`	Boolean	A logical value, must be either `true` or `false`
`Schema.types.array`	Array	An array of items (based on a type that you specify)
`Schema.types.object`	Object	A custom Javascript object, like `{"site": "slack.com"}`
`Schema.types.integer`	Integer	A whole number, such as `-1`, `0`, or `31415926535`
`Schema.types.number`	Number	A number that allows decimal points such as `13557523.0005`
`Schema.slack.types.user_id`	Slack User ID	A Slack user ID such as `U123ABC456` or `W123ABC456`
`Schema.slack.types.channel_id`	Slack Channel ID	A Slack channel ID such as `C123ABC456` or `D123ABC456`
`Schema.slack.types.usergroup_id`	Slack User Group ID	A Slack channel ID, such as `S123ABC456`
`Schema.slack.types.timestamp`	Integer	A Unix timestamp in seconds. Not compatible with Slack message timestamps - use string instead.
`Schema.slack.types.blocks`	Slack Blocks	An object that contains layout and style information about your message
`Schema.slack.types.interactivity`	Object	An object that contains context about the interactive event that led to opening of the form
`Schema.slack.types.user_context`	Object	Represents a user who interacted with a workflow at runtime
`Schema.slack.types.date`	String	A string containing a date, format is displayed as `YYYY-MM-DD`
`Schema.slack.types.rich_text`	Object	A way to nicely format messages in your app. This type cannot convert other message types e.g. blocks, strings
`Schema.slack.types.oauth2`	Object	The OAuth2 context created after authenticating with external auth
`Schema.slack.types.message_context`	Object	An individual instance of a message.

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Strings

Declare a string type:

// ...
{
  name: "notes",
  title: "Notes",
  type: Schema.types.string,
},
// ...

String example

In this example workflow, we use a string type to allow a user to add notes about their time off request.

import { Schema } from "deno-slack-sdk/mod.ts";
import { CreateFTOWorkflow } from "../workflows/create_fto_workflow.ts";

const ftoRequestData = CreateFTOWorkflow.addStep(
  Schema.slack.functions.OpenForm,
  {
    title: "Request dates off",
    description: "Hooray for vacay!",
    interactivity: CreateFTOWorkflow.inputs.interactivity,
    submit_label: "Submit request",
    fields: {
      elements: [
        {
          name: "start_date",
          title: "Start date",
          type: Schema.slack.types.date,
        },
        {
          name: "end_date",
          title: "End date",
          type: Schema.slack.types.date,
        },
        {
          name: "notes",
          title: "Notes",
          description: "Anything to note?",
          type: Schema.types.string,
          long: true, // renders the input box as a multi-line text box on the form
        },
      ],
      required: ["start_date", "end_date"],
    },
  },
);

Boolean

Declare a boolean type:

// ...
isMember: {
  type: Schema.types.boolean,
}
// ...

Boolean example

In this example datastore definition, we use a boolean type to capture whether the message author holds membership in our club.

import { DefineDatastore, Schema } from "deno-slack-sdk/mod.ts";

export const MyDatastore = DefineDatastore({
  name: "my_datastore",
  primary_key: "id",
  attributes: {
    id: { type: Schema.types.string },
    channel: { type: Schema.slack.types.channel_id },
    message: { type: Schema.types.string },
    author: { type: Schema.slack.types.user_id },
    isMember: { type: Schema.types.boolean },
  },
});

Array

Declare an array of types:

// ...
{
  name: "departments",
  title: "Your department",
  type: Schema.types.array,
  items: {
    type: Schema.types.string,
    enum: ["marketing", "design", "sales", "engineering"],
  },
  default: ["sales", "engineering"],
}
// ...

Fully defined arrays
Be sure to define the array's properties in the items object. Untyped objects are not currently supported.

Array example

In this example function, we have an array of the custom type ChannelType as both an input_parameter and output_parameter. See this custom type and array in action in the Deno Archive Channel sample app.

const ChannelType = DefineType(...)

export const FilterStaleChannelsDefinition = DefineFunction({
  callback_id: "filter_stale_channels",
  title: "Filter Stale Channels",
  description:
    "Filter out any channels that have received messages within the last 6 months",
  source_file: "functions/filter_stale_channels.ts",
  input_parameters: {
    properties: {
      channels: {
        type: Schema.types.array,
        description: "The list of Channel IDs to filter",
        items: {
          type: ChannelType,
        },
      },
    },
    required: ["channels"],
  },
  output_parameters: {
    properties: {
      filtered_channels: {
        type: Schema.types.array,
        description: "The list of stale Channel IDs",
        items: {
          type: ChannelType,
        },
      },
    },
    required: [],
  },
});

Object

Declare a custom object type. Refer to custom types for more information.

// ...
properties: {
  reviewer: {
    type: Schema.types.object,
    properties: {
      login: { type: "string" },
    },
  },
},
// ...

Object example

In this example workflow, we notify authors about updates to their file review status.

import { DefineWorkflow, Schema } from "deno-slack-sdk/mod.ts";

export const ReviewStatusWorkflow = DefineWorkflow({
  callback_id: "review_status_workflow",
  title: "Review status",
  description: "Review status",
  input_parameters: {
    properties: {
      action: {
        type: Schema.types.string,
      },
      review_request: {
        type: Schema.types.object,
        properties: {
          number: { type: "integer" },
          title: { type: "string" },
          body: { type: "string" },
          changed_files: { type: "integer" },
        },
      },
      author: {
        type: Schema.types.object,
        properties: {
          login: { type: "string" },
        },
      },
      reviewer: {
        type: Schema.types.object,
        properties: {
          login: { type: "string" },
        },
      },
    },
    required: ["action", "review_request", "author", "reviewer"],
  },
});

Integer

Declare an integer type:

// ...
  name: "meetings",
  title: "Number of meetings",
  type: Schema.types.integer,
// ...

Integer example

In this example workflow, we check the number of meetings we have scheduled for the day.

import { Schema } from "deno-slack-sdk/mod.ts";
import { MeetingsWorkflow } from "../workflows/meetings.ts";

const inputForm = MeetingsWorkflow.addStep(
  Schema.slack.functions.OpenForm,
  {
    title: "Number of meetings",
    interactivity: MeetingsWorkflow.inputs.interactivity,
    submit_label: "Check meetings",
    fields: {
      elements: [
        {
          name: "channel",
          title: "Channel to send results to",
          type: Schema.slack.types.channel_id,
          default: MeetingsWorkflow.inputs.channel,
        },
        {
          name: "meetings",
          title: "Number of meetings",
          description: "meetings",
          type: Schema.types.integer,
          minimum: -1,
          maximum: 5,
        },
        {
          name: "meetingdate",
          title: "Meeting date",
          type: Schema.slack.types.date,
        },
      ],
      required: ["channel", "meetings", "meetingdate"],
    },
  },
);

Number

Declare a number type:

// ...
{
  name: "distance",
  title: "race distance",
  type: Schema.types.number,
}
// ...

Number example

In this example workflow, we collect a runner's distance and date of their last run.

import { Schema } from "deno-slack-sdk/mod.ts";
import { LogRunWorkflow } from "../workflows/log_run.ts";

const inputForm = LogRunWorkflow.addStep(
  Schema.slack.functions.OpenForm,
  {
    title: "Log a run",
    interactivity: LogRunWorkflow.inputs.interactivity,
    submit_label: "Log run",
    fields: {
      elements: [
        {
          name: "channel",
          title: "Channel to send logged run to",
          type: Schema.slack.types.channel_id,
          default: LogRunWorkflow.inputs.channel,
        },
        {
          name: "distance",
          title: "Distance (in miles)",
          type: Schema.types.number,
          description: "race distance (in miles)",
          minimum: 0,
          maximum: 26.2,
        },
        {
          name: "rundate",
          title: "Run date",
          type: Schema.slack.types.date,
        },
      ],
      required: ["channel", "distance", "rundate"],
    },
  },
);

User ID

Declare a user_id type:

// ...
{
  name: "runner",
  title: "Runner",
  type: Schema.slack.types.user_id,
}
// ...

User ID example

In this example workflow, we get a runner's ID and the distance of their logged run.

import { Schema } from "deno-slack-sdk/mod.ts";
import { RunWorkflow } from "../workflows/run.ts";

const inputForm = RunWorkflow.addStep(
  Schema.slack.functions.OpenForm,
  {
    title: "Log your run",
    interactivity: RunWorkflow.inputs.interactivity,
    submit_label: "Submit",
    fields: {
      elements: [
        {
          name: "channel",
          title: "Channel to send entry to",
          type: Schema.slack.types.channel_id,
          default: RunWorkflow.inputs.channel,
        },
        {
          name: "runner",
          title: "Runner",
          type: Schema.slack.types.user_id,
        },
        {
          name: "distance",
          title: "Distance (in miles)",
          type: Schema.types.number,
        },
      ],
      required: ["channel", "runner", "distance"],
    },
  },
);

Channel ID

Declare a channel_id type:

// ...
  input_parameters: {
    properties: {
      interactivity: {
        type: Schema.slack.types.interactivity,
      },
      channel: {
        type: Schema.slack.types.channel_id,
      },
    },
  },
// ...

Channel ID example

In this example workflow definition, we enable users to send a greeting to a specific channel.

import { DefineWorkflow, Schema } from "deno-slack-sdk/mod.ts";

export const GreetingWorkflow = DefineWorkflow({
  callback_id: "greeting_workflow",
  title: "Send a greeting",
  description: "Send a greeting to channel",
  input_parameters: {
    properties: {
      interactivity: { type: Schema.slack.types.interactivity },
      channel: { type: Schema.slack.types.channel_id },
    },
    required: ["interactivity"],
  },
});

Usergroup ID

Declare a usergroup_id type:

// ...
attributes: {
  usergroup_id: {
    type: Schema.slack.types.usergroup_id,
  },
},
// ...

Usergroup ID example

In this example datastore definition, we store work shift details for a team.

import { DefineDatastore, Schema } from "deno-slack-sdk/mod.ts";

export const MyShifts = DefineDatastore({
  name: "shifts",
  primary_key: "id",
  attributes: {
    id: { type: Schema.types.string },
    team_id: { type: Schema.types.string },
    channel: { type: Schema.slack.types.channel_id },
    usergroup_id: { type: Schema.slack.types.usergroup_id },
    shiftRotation: { type: Schema.types.string },
  },
});

Timestamp

Declare a timestamp type:

// ...
inputs: {
  currentTime: {
    value: "{{data.trigger_ts}}",
    type: Schema.slack.types.timestamp,
  },
},
// ...

Timestamp example

In this example trigger, we call a workflow that logs an incident and the time it occurred.

import { DefineWorkflow, Schema } from "deno-slack-sdk/mod.ts";
import { Trigger } from "deno-slack-api/types.ts";

export const MyWorkflow = DefineWorkflow({
  callback_id: "my_workflow",
  title: "My workflow",
  input_parameters: {
    properties: {
      currentTime: { type: Schema.slack.types.timestamp },
      interactivity: { type: Schema.slack.types.interactivity },
    },
    required: [],
  },
});

export const incidentTrigger: Trigger<typeof MyWorkflow.definition> = {
  type: "shortcut",
  name: "Log an incident",
  workflow: `#/workflows/${MyWorkflow.definition.callback_id}`,
  inputs: {
    currentTime: { value: "{{data.trigger_ts}}" },
    interactivity: { value: "{{data.interactivity}}" },
  },
};

Blocks

Declare a Block Kit JSON object type. You can use handmade Block Kit JSON objects, or those built with the Block Kit builder.

// ...
properties: {
  forecast: {
    type: Schema.slack.types.blocks,
  },
},
// ...

Blocks example

In this example function, we get the current weather forecast.

import { DefineFunction, Schema } from "deno-slack-sdk/mod.ts";

export const ForecastFunctionDefinition = DefineFunction({
  callback_id: "get_forecast",
  title: "Weather forecast",
  description: "A function to get the weather forecast",
  source_file: "functions/weather_forecast.ts",
  input_parameters: {
    properties: {
      city: {
        type: Schema.types.string,
        description: "City",
      },
      country: {
        type: Schema.types.string,
        description: "Country",
      },
      state: {
        type: Schema.types.string,
        description: "State",
      },
    },
    required: ["city"],
  },
  output_parameters: {
    properties: {
      forecast: {
        type: Schema.slack.types.blocks,
        description: "Weather forecast",
      },
    },
    required: ["forecast"],
  },
});

Interactivity

Declare the interactivity type:

// ...
properties: {
  interactivity: {
    type: Schema.slack.types.interactivity,
  },
},
// ...

Interactivity example

In this example workflow, we specify that it is an interactive workflow.

import { DefineWorkflow, Schema } from "deno-slack-sdk/mod.ts";

const GreetingWorkflow = DefineWorkflow({
  callback_id: "greeting_workflow",
  title: "Send a greeting",
  description: "Send a greeting to channel",
  input_parameters: {
    properties: {
      interactivity: { type: Schema.slack.types.interactivity },
      channel: { type: Schema.slack.types.channel_id },
    },
    required: ["interactivity"],
  },
});

User context

Declare the user_context type:

// ...
input_parameters: {
  properties: {
    person_reporting_bug: {
      type: Schema.slack.types.user_context,
      description: "Which user?",
    },
  },
},
// ...

User context example

In this example workflow, we use the Schema.slack.types.user_context type to report a bug in a system and to collect the reporter's information.

import { DefineWorkflow, Schema } from "deno-slack-sdk/mod.ts";

const ReportBugWorkflow = DefineWorkflow({
  callback_id: "report_bug",
  title: "Report a Bug",
  description: "Report a bug",
  input_parameters: {
    properties: {
      channel_id: {
        type: Schema.slack.types.channel_id,
        description: "Which channel?",
      },
      person_reporting_bug: {
        type: Schema.slack.types.user_context,
        description: "Which user?",
      },
    },
    required: ["person_reporting_bug"],
  },
});

import { CreateBugFunction } from "../functions/create_bug.ts";

ReportBugWorkflow.addStep(
  CreateBugFunction,
  {
    title: "title",
    summary: "summary",
    urgency: "S0",
    channel_id: ReportBugWorkflow.inputs.channel_id,
    creator: ReportBugWorkflow.inputs.person_reporting_bug,
  },
);

Date

Declare a date type:

// ...
fields: {
  elements: [
    {
      name: "date",
      title: "Date Posted",
      type: Schema.slack.types.date,
    },
  ],
},
// ...

Date example

In this example workflow, a form requires a date as input, which is printed along with the message after the form is submitted.

import { DefineWorkflow, Schema } from "deno-slack-sdk/mod.ts";

const TestReverseWorkflow = DefineWorkflow({
  callback_id: "test_reverse",
  title: "Test reverse",
  input_parameters: {
    properties: {
      channel: { type: Schema.slack.types.channel_id },
      interactivity: { type: Schema.slack.types.interactivity },
    },
    required: ["interactivity"],
  },
});

const formData = TestReverseWorkflow.addStep(Schema.slack.functions.OpenForm, {
  title: "Reverse string form",
  submit_label: "Submit form",
  description: "Submit a string to reverse",
  interactivity: TestReverseWorkflow.inputs.interactivity,
  fields: {
    required: ["channel", "stringInput", "date"],
    elements: [
      {
        name: "stringInput",
        title: "String input",
        type: Schema.types.string,
      },
      {
        name: "date",
        title: "Date Posted",
        type: Schema.slack.types.date,
      },
      {
        name: "channel",
        title: "Post in",
        type: Schema.slack.types.channel_id,
        default: TestReverseWorkflow.inputs.channel,
      },
    ],
  },
});

import { ReverseFunction } from "../functions/reverse.ts";
const reverseStep = TestReverseWorkflow.addStep(ReverseFunction, {
  input: formData.outputs.fields.stringInput,
});

// Add the date parameter as a step in your workflow. The message and date will be printed side by side.
TestReverseWorkflow.addStep(Schema.slack.functions.SendMessage, {
  channel_id: formData.outputs.fields.channel,
  message: reverseStep.outputs.reverseString + " " +
    formData.outputs.fields.date,
});

Rich text

Declare a rich_text type:

// ...
elements: [
  {
    name: "formattedStringInput",
    title: "String input",
    type: Schema.slack.types.rich_text,
  },
],
// ...

Rich text example

In this example workflow, we collect a formatted message from the user using the rich_text type.

import { DefineWorkflow, Schema } from "deno-slack-sdk/mod.ts";

const TestWorkflow = DefineWorkflow({
  callback_id: "test",
  title: "Test",
  input_parameters: {
    properties: {
      channel: { type: Schema.slack.types.channel_id },
      interactivity: { type: Schema.slack.types.interactivity },
    },
    required: ["interactivity"],
  },
});

const formData = TestWorkflow.addStep(Schema.slack.functions.OpenForm, {
  title: "Send Message Form",
  submit_label: "Send Message form",
  interactivity: TestWorkflow.inputs.interactivity,
  fields: {
    required: ["channel", "formattedStringInput"],
    elements: [
      {
        name: "formattedStringInput",
        title: "String input",
        type: Schema.slack.types.rich_text,
      },
      {
        name: "channel",
        title: "Post in",
        type: Schema.slack.types.channel_id,
        default: TestWorkflow.inputs.channel,
      },
    ],
  },
});

// To share this message object with other users, embed it into a built-in function such as SendMessage.
TestWorkflow.addStep(Schema.slack.functions.SendMessage, {
  channel_id: formData.outputs.fields.channel,
  message: formData.outputs.fields.formattedStringInput,
});

Message Context

The message_context type is used in the ReplyInThread built-in function as the target message you want to reply to.

For example, let's say you have a workflow step that uses the SendMessage function. If you want to send a reply to that message in a follow-on step that calls the ReplyInThread function, pass the return value from the first step into the message_context parameter of ReplyInThread.

Here's a brief example:

// Send a message to channel with ID C123456
const msgStep = GreetingWorkflow.addStep(Schema.slack.functions.SendMessage, {
  channel_id: "C123456",
  message: "This is a message to the channel.",
});

// Send a message as an in-thread reply to the above message by passing 
// the outputs' message_context property
GreetingWorkflow.addStep(Schema.slack.functions.ReplyInThread, {
  message_context: msgStep.outputs.message_context,
  message: "This is a threaded reply to the above message.",
});