Skip to content
Get packs

Guide · Agent skill

How to use the Slack Notifications Setup agent skill

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

The Slack Notifications Setup skill is an agent skill for the Hive agent framework. It lets an AI agent set up a Slack channel called Sentinel, which pings you when a colony (a running agent task) stalls and lets you reply from Slack to keep it going. This guide explains what the skill does, how to install it, how to trigger it, and what to check for safety before you let an agent work in your browser.

Slack Notifications Setupaden-hive/hive · Apache-2.0

Quick start

  1. 1Install the skill. Download the ZIP from the skill page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/ folder, or upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills in the Claude apps.
  2. 2Confirm requirements. Make sure the hive.browser-automation skill is available, Chrome or the hive-browser bridge is ready, and you are signed into the target Slack workspace.
  3. 3Ask for the setup. Say something like "set up Slack notifications" or click the Set this up with the agent button on the Slack channel step.
  4. 4Let the agent check status. The agent runs sentinel_setup with the status action and skips app creation if both Slack tokens already exist.
  5. 5Create or reuse the Hive Sentinel app. The agent reuses an existing Hive Sentinel app or creates one from the JSON manifest, then generates the app-level token and installs the app.
  6. 6Store tokens and set up the channel. The agent stores the xoxb- and xapp- tokens with sentinel_setup, then creates or selects a channel through the Slack API and turns Sentinel on.

What is an agent skill, and what does this one do?

An agent skill is a folder with a SKILL.md file that gives an AI agent step-by-step instructions for a specific task. This skill, hive.slack-notifications-setup, teaches the agent to connect Slack to Hive so a stalled task can message you and you can answer from Slack.

The agent works through your own browser. It reuses or creates a Slack app named Hive Sentinel from a JSON manifest, installs it to your workspace, reads two access tokens, stores them with the sentinel_setup tool, creates or selects a channel through the Slack API, and turns Sentinel on.

Install the skill in Claude

Download the ZIP from the skill page on this site and unzip it. For a personal install, place the folder in ~/.claude/skills/. For a single project, place it in the project's .claude/skills/ folder.

You can also upload the skill in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.

  • Personal: ~/.claude/skills/
  • Project: .claude/skills/ inside your project folder
  • Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Before you start: requirements

The skill depends on hive.browser-automation, so that skill must be available too. You also need the Hive agent framework, Google Chrome or the browser bridge used by hive-browser, and you must be signed into the target Slack workspace.

You need a Slack workspace where you can create and install apps. If you do not have that permission, the setup will fail or stall.

  • Hive agent framework with the hive.browser-automation skill
  • Google Chrome or the browser bridge used by hive-browser
  • Signed into the target Slack workspace
  • Permission to create and install Slack apps there
  • A Slack Bot User OAuth token (xoxb-) and App-Level token (xapp-) with connections:write, stored via sentinel_setup

How to trigger the skill with natural requests

Ask the agent in plain language. The skill is designed to activate on requests such as the ones below. You can also click the in-app "Set this up with the agent" button on the Slack channel step.

The agent first checks whether Slack is already configured. If both the bot and app tokens exist, it skips the app creation and goes straight to the channel step.

  • "Set up Slack notifications"
  • "Get pinged on Slack"
  • "Connect Slack for alerts"
  • "Set up Sentinel on Slack"

What happens during setup

The agent first runs a status check with sentinel_setup. It then confirms you are signed into the right workspace, and looks for an existing app named Hive Sentinel so it does not create a duplicate.

The manifest sets the app name, bot scopes including channels:manage, Socket Mode, and event subscriptions. The agent then generates an app-level token with the connections:write scope, installs the app, and stores both tokens. Finally it creates or selects a channel through the Slack API using curl from the terminal.

  • Check status with sentinel_setup
  • Confirm the Slack workspace is the right one
  • Reuse the Hive Sentinel app if it exists, otherwise create it from the manifest
  • Generate the xapp- token with connections:write
  • Install to the workspace and read the xoxb- token
  • Store both tokens with sentinel_setup
  • Create or select a channel via the Slack API, then turn Sentinel on
sentinel_setup({"action": "status"})

Safety notes: scripts, network and tokens

This skill runs scripts and uses the network. It operates your logged-in browser and handles Slack bot and app tokens, which grant real access to the workspace. Only use it if you are comfortable with an agent doing that.

The bot token is validated with auth.test before it is stored. If a token is rejected, the agent is instructed to re-read it from the input field rather than invent or pad a token. If you prefer, you can avoid handing tokens to the agent by using the credentials collect flow to enter them in a secure form instead.

  • Runs scripts: yes
  • Uses network: yes
  • Bot tokens and app tokens grant real access to the workspace
  • You can use the secure credentials form instead of letting the agent read tokens

Tips for a smooth setup

Tell the agent which Slack workspace to use if you belong to several. Name an existing channel if you want to reuse one; otherwise the skill recommends a dedicated channel such as hive-sentinel.

If you already set up Sentinel, run the status check first so the agent does not recreate the app or tokens.

  • Name the workspace and channel you want up front
  • Use a dedicated channel for alerts
  • Run the status check before re-running setup

What people use it for

  • Get a Slack ping when a long-running colony gets stuck and needs your input.
  • Reply from a Slack channel to keep a running agent task moving.
  • Set up a dedicated hive-sentinel channel for team alerts from Hive colonies.

Frequently asked questions

How do I install the Slack Notifications Setup agent skill?

Download the ZIP from the skill page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for a personal install, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder. You can also upload it in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.

What do I need before using this skill?

You need the Hive agent framework with the hive.browser-automation skill, Google Chrome or the hive-browser bridge, and to be signed into the target Slack workspace. You also need permission to create and install Slack apps there.

Is the Slack Notifications Setup skill free?

The source material for this skill does not state pricing or licence terms beyond the listed licence, Apache-2.0. Check the Hive repository for the licence text and any costs related to your own Slack workspace.

Why do I need two Slack tokens?

The bot token, which starts with xoxb-, is used to send alerts and call the Slack API. The app-level token, which starts with xapp- and needs the connections:write scope, is used by Socket Mode to receive your replies from Slack.

What if the skill fails or stalls during setup?

A common cause is a Slack user without permission to create or install apps, which makes setup fail or stall. If the bot token is rejected, the agent should re-read it from the input field instead of guessing. You can also run sentinel_setup with the status action to see what is already configured.

Can I avoid letting the agent handle my tokens?

Yes. The skill describes a fallback using credentials collect with the credential ids slack and slack_app and the access_token field, which opens a secure form so you enter the tokens yourself.

New agent skills, repos and AI tools — every week

The best new skills and open-source projects, the fastest-growing repos, and one free prompt. Five minutes to read. Unsubscribe anytime.

Our verdict

This skill suits developers running Hive colonies who want Slack alerts when a job gets stuck, and teams who want to reply to an agent from Slack. It is a poor fit if you lack permission to install Slack apps, if you are uneasy with an agent operating your logged-in browser and handling workspace tokens, or if you only need a single one-off Slack message.

Download the skill