This document discusses building Slack apps for Salesforce developers using their existing skills. It covers similarities between the Slack and Salesforce platforms like their APIs and events systems. It then details the Slack APIs and features for surfaces like app tabs and interactivity like commands. Security considerations are also discussed. Finally, it promotes transferring Salesforce development skills to building integrations between Slack and Salesforce using events and APIs.

1. #Cactusforce2022
Jan 20 - 21, 2022
Slack Development for Salesforce Developers
Developer
Daniel Peter
Salesforce Practice Lead, Robots & Pencils
@danieljpeter

2. OCOTILLO
AGAVE
SAGUARO
BLUE TORCH

3. Salesforce is a
good platform for
building many
Slack apps on.
3

4. Make Slack
development
familiar using
concepts you
already know.
4

5. Transferable skills
Slack
api.slack.com
Salesforce
developer.saleforce.com
5

6. 6
Differences
● Salesforce has a database and Apex, as well as APIs.
● Slack just has APIs.

7. 7
Similarities
● Slack Web API / Salesforce REST API
● Slack bots / Service Account in Salesforce (integration user)
● Slack Events API / Salesforce Platform events
● Workspace / Dev org
● Global, message shortcuts / Global quick actions, object quick actions
● Block Kit / Lightning Base Components

8. 8
Slack APIs for Salesforce
● 🛑 RTM API (WebSocket, older, doesn’t support some of the new rich
features)
● 🛑 Socket Mode (WebSocket for Web API / Interactivity)
● 🟡 Slack Incoming Webhooks (old school, simple)
● ✅ Events API over HTTP (Slack calls your endpoint)
● ✅ Slack Web API

9. 9
Surfaces (ways your app can present to the user)
● App Home Tab
● Modals (Block Kit)
● Messages (text or Block Kit)

10. 10
Interactivity (ways systems and users interact with the app)
● Machine
○ Scheduled job
○ API push
● Human
○ Shortcuts (Global or message)
○ Slash commands
○ Block Kit button click

11. 11
Slack Events
● Passive way to do things similar to Interactivity.
● New user joins a channel
● User deletes a message
● User adds emoji reaction
● User sends a message

12. 12
Surface
Interaction
Interaction

13. 13
Security
● Think of endpoint URLs like password. Long and strong. We get 2 or 3
chances with a URL!
● Token verification or signature verification
● Grant proper guest access to platform events and Apex Classes

14. F
i
r
e
P
l
a
t
f
o
r
m
E
v
e
n
t
14
Events API (passive: listening, users maybe not aware)
Interactions (Active, clicking, slash commands)
Apex
REST
web
service
on a
Site
Slack
App
Apex
Trigger on
Platform
Event
Apex classes to
process the
Platform Event
Payload
@future,
queueable
(trigger context
doesn’t support
callout)
Slack W
eb
API

15. Demo
15

16. thanks!
Any questions?
@danieljpeter
https://github.com/danieljpeter/SlackSalesforceDemo
16