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Slack has launched a new free developer web portal to provide access to tools for building Slack apps, the ability to create sandboxes for testing beta apps and features, and a showcase of best practices and features.
Rukmini Reddy, Slack’s SVP of Engineering, who leads the company’s first-party developer experience, said Slack’s goal with the new portal is to meet developers where they are.
That means Slack is enabling developers to build Slack apps in a way that integrates into their existing software development lifecycle. As such, Slack has added support for scripting with the Slack CLI, including integrating the Slack CLI to your CI/CD pipeline. This will help automate testing and deploying apps according to an organization’s best practices. In addition, Slack has created a guide for building the CLI into your DevOps pipeline.
Moreover, Reddy said she has received several requests for enhancements to Slack’s Bolt development framework. And with the new Slack developer portal. developers can now build new Bolt for Python and Bolt for JavaScript apps that allow for the creation of custom functions that can be deployed anywhere a Bolt app can.
This allows developers to write functions in JavaScript or Python that are hosted in their own data center and available in Workflow Builder, which is Slack’s visual tool for automating routine processes. These are available for new Bolt for Python and Bolt for JS applications today in beta, with a full release this spring with the ability to add functions to existing Bolt apps, including Bolt for Java.
Slack functions are Slack-native actions, like creating a channel or sending a message. Custom functions are how developers define custom workflow steps. Slack launched functions last year as part of a set of new features. The first version of functions made apps more composable, easier to deploy and integrated right into Workflow Builder. Now developers can write functions in more languages and host them wherever they choose, Reddy said.
In addition to the Bolt enhancements, developers also requested more lifecycle integration, Reddy said. “We also are integrating our Slack CLI. We are providing the ability for you to integrate the Slack CLI into your CI/CD pipeline,” Reddy told The New Stack. “So this is a new home for Slack developers, with a custom functions beta and better integration into your software lifecycle.”
Indeed, the new features provided in the portal not only include custom functions that are composable and modular and next-gen workflows to distribute custom code but also sandboxes to test the full enterprise experience.
Developers face challenges with integrating AI into workflows, managing vast amounts of siloed data, and keeping up with trends, Reddy said. They need early access to testing environments with privacy and security.
The developer portal introduces “sandboxes” for developers to create full Enterprise Grid instances for testing apps without interfering with production workspaces. Developers can provision up to 10 sandboxes with full admin control and access to all of Slack’s paid features.
Sandboxes are useful for both developers and admins looking to test new features or apps in development, providing a safe environment.
Meanwhile, Slack’s new developer portal offers a new newsletter that points out new features developers should take advantage of, as well as apps and best practices to follow. Another new element of the portal is Events, which shows developers where they can meet the Slack team and other developers around the world, in virtual meetups or in person.
“The new developer portal provides a one-stop-shop to access tools, spin up sandboxes, and open up new possibilities for developers on Slack’s open and secure platform,” Reddy explained.
