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Connect Tembo to Slack to trigger background tasks with any coding agent (Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, Amp, Cursor, etc.). Slack Integration

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Installation

1

Install

Navigate to the Integrations page in Tembo and click the Install button next to Slack.
2

Authorize Slack Permissions

Authorize Tembo to access your Slack workspace. The bot requires the following permissions:
PermissionPurpose
app_mentions:readDetect when users mention @tembo
channels:historyRead messages in public channels for context
channels:readAccess basic channel information
chat:writeSend messages and status updates
commandsHandle slash commands
files:writeShare diff images and code snippets
groups:historyRead messages in private channels for context
groups:readAccess private channel information
im:historyRead direct messages for context
im:readAccess direct message information
im:writeSend direct messages
mpim:historyRead group direct messages for context
mpim:readAccess group direct message information
mpim:writeSend group direct messages
reactions:writeAdd status indicators to messages
users:readAccess user information for personalization
You’ll be redirected back to the Integrations page when authorization is complete.
3

Configure Repositories

Ensure you have connected your GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket repositories to Tembo first, as these will be available for selection in Slack commands.
4

Set Preferences

After installation, you can select a default repository for Slack tasks.Select Model

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Usage

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Basic Commands

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Start a Background Coding Agent

@tembo [your task description]
Example: 
@tembo Fix the authentication bug in the login flow

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Advanced Command Options

Tembo supports flexible command syntax with multiple options. You can use either bracket format or inline format:

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Bracket Format

@tembo [option1=value1, option2=value2] [your task description]
Example: 
@tembo [branch=dev, repo=owner/webapp, agent=claudeCode:claude-4-5-sonnet] Add password strength validation

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Available Options

  • branch= - Specify the base branch for the PR
    • Example: branch=main, branch=develop, branch=feature/auth
  • repo= - Target a specific repository
    • Example: repo=owner/repository, repo=myorg/webapp
  • agent= - Specify which coding agent and model to use (format: agentType:model)
    • Example: agent=claudeCode:claude-4-5-sonnet, agent=codex:gpt-5-medium
    • Supported coding agents: claudeCode, codex, opencode, amp, cursor
    • If no coding agent is specified, defaults to claudeCode:claude-4-5-sonnet
    • See Coding Agents documentation for all available options

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Thread Context Utilization

When you mention @tembo in a thread, the coding agent automatically:
  • Reads the entire conversation history
  • Understands the context from previous messages
  • Incorporates team discussions into the solution

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Supported Triggers

Tembo reacts to Slack interactions and maps them to automation triggers (use a slack.* naming convention in your triggerName, e.g., slack.app_mention). The Integrations page in the app shows the live set enabled for your org. Supported events:
  • app_mention
  • slash_command
  • message_action
  • thread_reply
See Automations for how to create triggers from Slack events.

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Status Updates

Tembo keeps you informed throughout the task lifecycle: Reaction indicators on your message:
  • 👀 Eyes - Task received and processing
  • ✅ Check mark - Task completed successfully
  • ❌ X mark - Task failed or encountered an error
Direct messages for longer tasks:
  • Progress updates as the coding agent works
  • Pull request links when code changes are ready
  • Error details if the task cannot be completed
Channel updates when complete:
  • Links to generated pull requests with summary of changes

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Best Practices

Write clear, specific task descriptions: Good examples: 
@tembo Add error handling to the user registration endpoint
@tembo Optimize the product search query by adding an index on the name column
Less effective: 
@tembo Fix the bug
@tembo Make it faster
Use threads for collaboration:
  1. Team discusses the problem and potential approaches in a thread
  2. When ready, mention @tembo with the final task description
  3. Tembo reads the full thread context and incorporates the discussion