Shipable now supports Slack integration, allowing users to interact with AI agents directly within Slack workspaces. This includes agent invocation via slash commands, real-time interaction in channels or DMs, session persistence per channel, and a simplified onboarding process.

Features

1. Slash Command Interface

/shippable-dev is the default command prefix.
Autocomplete shows all available agents in the workspace.
Format: /shippable-dev [agent-name] [query]
Returns context-aware replies in public or private channels.

2. Channel & Scope Configuration

During setup, users can choose the visibility scope:
- Private message only
- Specific channels
- All channels
Once connected, the bot auto-joins selected channels (no need to add it manually).

3. Session Handling

Session is scoped per-channel and per-agent.
Each Slack channel maintains a separate context window.
Users can mention the bot for conversational history (unlike slash commands which do not persist input in chat).

4. Direct Chat Support

Users can directly DM the bot.
The most recently created agent is used by default in 1:1 conversations.

5. Agent Response Visibility Enhancements

Bot replies now include contextual info.
Work is in progress to show typing indicators or processing hints.

Known Limitations

Slash Commands Visibility
- Slash commands are ephemeral; the original question is not saved in channel history.
Agent Selection
- In public channels, agent selection is implicit (most recent agent used). Need UX to allow explicit agent selection.
Slack Identity Sync
- Bot name may appear outdated if not reinstalled post-name change.
Manual Session Reset
- No current UI/command to reset sessions manually. Needed especially for testing/sandbox use cases.
No Typing Indicator Yet
- Slack’s API doesn’t support agent typing indicators out-of-the-box. Workaround under investigation.

Installation Steps

Add the Shipable Slack Bot to your workspace.
Choose scope: private, specific channels, or all.
Use /shippable-dev to invoke agents.
Mention the bot directly for conversational UX.

Future Improvements

Manual session reset support via slash command.
Clear indicator when Slack is the integration source.
Design improvement for suggestion prompts reuse.
Support for explicit agent switching in DMs and channels.