SlackBots.js

This is Node.js library for easy operation with Slack API.

It also exposes all opportunities of Slack's Real Time Messaging API.

Installation

npm install slackbots

Params

token (string) the slack token
name (string) the name of the bot
disconnect (boolean, defaults: false) whether to open websocket connection to listen to incoming messages, set to true for one time use

Events

start - event fired, when Real Time Messaging API is started (via websocket),
message - event fired, when something happens in Slack. Description of all events here,
open - websocket connection is open and ready to communicate,
close - websocket connection is closed.
error - an error occurred while connecting to Slack

Methods

getChannels() (return: promise) - returns a list of all channels in the team,
getGroups() (return: promise) - returns a list of all groups in the team,
getUsers() (return: promise) - returns a list of all users in the team,
getImChannels() (return: promise) - returns a list of bots direct message channels in the team,
getChannel(name) (return: promise) - gets channel by name,
getGroup(name) (return: promise) - gets group by name,
getUser(name) (return: promise) - gets user by name,
getUserByEmail(name) (return: promise) - gets user by name,
getChannelId(name) (return: promise) - gets channel ID by name,
getGroupId(name) (return: promise) - gets group ID by name,
getUserId(name) (return: promise) - gets user ID by name,
getChatId(name) (return: promise) - it returns or opens and returns a direct message channel ID,
postEphemeral(id, user, text, params) (return: promise) - posts an ephemeral message to channel and user by ID,
postMessage(id, text, params) (return: promise) - posts a message to channel | group | user by ID,
updateMessage(channelId, timestamp, text, params) (return: promise) - updates a message in a channel,
postTo(name, message [, params, callback]) (return: promise) - posts a message to channel | group | user by name,
postMessageToUser(name, message [, params, callback]) (return: promise) - posts a direct message by user name,
postMessageToGroup(name, message [, params, callback]) (return: promise) - posts a message to private group by name,
postMessageToChannel(name, message [, params, callback]) (return: promise) - posts a message to channel by name.
openIm(userId) (return: promise) - opens a direct message channel with another member in the team

Usage

var SlackBot = require('slackbots');

// create a bot
var bot = new SlackBot({
    token: 'xoxb-012345678-ABC1DFG2HIJ3', // Add a bot https://my.slack.com/services/new/bot and put the token 
    name: 'My Bot'
});

bot.on('start', function() {
    // more information about additional params https://api.slack.com/methods/chat.postMessage
    var params = {
        icon_emoji: ':cat:'
    };
    
    // define channel, where bot exist. You can adjust it there https://my.slack.com/services 
    bot.postMessageToChannel('general', 'meow!', params);
    
    // define existing username instead of 'user_name'
    bot.postMessageToUser('user_name', 'meow!', params); 
    
    // If you add a 'slackbot' property, 
    // you will post to another user's slackbot channel instead of a direct message
    bot.postMessageToUser('user_name', 'meow!', { 'slackbot': true, icon_emoji: ':cat:' }); 
    
    // define private group instead of 'private_group', where bot exist
    bot.postMessageToGroup('private_group', 'meow!', params); 
});

PROFIT!

/**
 * @param {object} data
 */
bot.on('message', function(data) {
    // all ingoing events https://api.slack.com/rtm
    console.log(data);
});

###Response Handler The simplest way for handling response is callback function, which is specified as a last argument:

bot.postMessageToUser('user1', 'hi', function(data) {/* ... */});
bot.postMessageToUser('user1', 'hi', params, function(data) {/* ... */});

But also you can use promises.

Error:

bot.postMessageToUser('user1', 'hi').fail(function(data) {
    //data = { ok: false, error: 'user_not_found' }
})

Success:

bot.postMessageToUser('user', 'hi').then(function(data) {
    // ...
})

Error and Success: