Bolt.new AI and Slack integration: Step-by-Step Guide 2025

To integrate Bolt.new with Slack, you don’t connect “Bolt to Slack” directly. Instead, you build a small backend API inside Bolt.new (Node.js/Express is easiest), expose an endpoint for Slack to call (via webhooks or Slash Commands), and call Slack’s Web API using an OAuth token that you store as an environment variable. Slack treats your Bolt.new app like any other web service.

 

How to integrate Bolt.new AI with Slack

 

You integrate Slack by creating a Slack app in Slack’s dashboard, enabling either Slash Commands, Event Subscriptions, or Incoming Webhooks, then pointing Slack to an HTTPS endpoint you build inside Bolt.new. Inside your Bolt.new project, you call Slack’s API using a bot token stored in an environment variable. The flow is standard: Slack → your Bolt endpoint → your logic → Slack API. Bolt.new is simply your development environment hosting the backend logic.

 

Step-by-step explanation

 

This breaks down exactly what you need to do, using only real Slack features and real Bolt.new patterns.

• Create a Slack App Go to api.slack.com/apps → Create New App → give it a name and workspace.
• Choose integration type The two most common ways to integrate from Bolt.new: – Slash Commands (user types /command → Slack calls your endpoint) – Event Subscriptions (Slack sends you events when something happens, e.g., new messages)
• Provide Slack an HTTPS endpoint Bolt.new can serve an Express.js server in preview mode. Slack must call a public URL, so you expose your Bolt backend using the preview’s public URL and paste it into Slack’s configuration. Example: Slash Command → Request URL → https://your-bolt-preview-url/api/slack/command
• Install the Slack App into the workspace After enabling features, Slack will issue a Bot User OAuth Token starting with xoxb-.
• Store credentials as environment variables in Bolt.new Example: SLACK_BOT_TOKEN= xoxb-xxx Then you read process.env.SLACK_BOT_TOKEN inside the server.
• Call Slack’s Web API Use fetch or any HTTP library to send messages or respond to Slack events.
• Verify Slack Requests Slack signs each request with a signature header. For early prototyping you can skip verification, but for production you validate using your Slack Signing Secret.

 

Minimal working example (Node/Express inside Bolt.new)

 

// server.js
import express from "express";
import fetch from "node-fetch";

const app = express();
app.use(express.urlencoded({ extended: true }));
app.use(express.json());

// POST endpoint for Slack Slash Command
app.post("/api/slack/command", async (req, res) => {
  const { text, user_name } = req.body;

  // Respond immediately to Slack
  res.json({
    response_type: "ephemeral",
    text: `Hello ${user_name}, you typed: ${text}`
  });

  // Optional: send a message back to a channel using Slack Web API
  await fetch("https://slack.com/api/chat.postMessage", {
    method: "POST",
    headers: {
      Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.SLACK_BOT_TOKEN}`,
      "Content-Type": "application/json"
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      channel: "#general",
      text: `Command received: ${text}`
    })
  });
});

app.listen(3000, () => {
  console.log("Server running on port 3000");
});

 

This file can live directly in a Bolt.new project. When you run it, Bolt gives you a public preview URL. That URL is what you paste into Slack’s Slash Command configuration.

 

Important concepts you must understand

 

• Bolt.new does not have built‑in Slack integration. You integrate via standard HTTP APIs.
• Slack must reach your backend. Slack always initiates the request for slash commands and events.
• All credentials stay inside Bolt.new environment variables. Never hardcode tokens.
• Your backend calls Slack’s Web API to post messages, respond to threads, etc.
• OAuth happens once. After installing the Slack app, you get your bot token.

 

If you follow this pattern, your Bolt.new project becomes a fully functional Slack integration using only official APIs and standard webhooks.