Claude Code Slack Integration: Complete Guide

Claude Code's Slack integration, announced December 8, 2025, transforms development workflows by enabling developers to delegate coding tasks directly from Slack conversations where context already exists. Describe a bug in a Slack thread discussing user-reported issues, mention @ClaudeCode, and within 15-30 minutes receive a complete pull request with fix implementation, test updates, and comprehensive PR description—eliminating the context switching between Slack, terminal, IDE, and GitHub that fragments developer attention and reduces productivity.

The integration handles end-to-end workflows: bug investigation and root cause analysis, multi-file refactoring preserving codebase consistency, automated PR reviews identifying security vulnerabilities and performance issues, test generation achieving comprehensive coverage.

Key Takeaways

• Delegate Coding from Slack Threads: Claude Code's Slack integration enables developers to assign coding tasks directly from Slack conversations—describe bug in thread, Claude Code investigates codebase, generates fixes, creates PR without leaving Slack.
• End-to-End Bug Resolution: Complete bug fix workflows execute autonomously: Claude Code reads issue description, analyzes relevant code files, identifies root cause, implements fix across multiple files, runs tests, and submits pull request—reducing 2-4 hour manual process to 15-30 minutes.
• Automated PR Reviews and Suggestions: Claude Code analyzes pull requests within Slack threads, identifying potential bugs, security vulnerabilities, performance issues, and code quality concerns with specific file/line references and suggested improvements.
• Team Collaboration Without Context Switching: Developers discuss issues in Slack where context already exists (bug reports, feature requests, technical discussions), then delegate implementation to Claude Code without switching to terminal, IDE, or separate AI interface.
• Async Workflows for Distributed Teams: Slack integration enables asynchronous development workflows: describe task during standup, Claude Code processes overnight (or across timezones), developer reviews completed PR next morning—maximizing global team productivity.

Technical Specifications

Specification	Details
Release Status	Research Preview (Dec 8, 2025)
Required Plan	Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise
Premium Seats	Required for Claude Code access
Default Model	Claude Opus 4.5 (Team/Enterprise)
Context Window	200K tokens (10-15 large files)
Git Integration	GitHub only (GitLab coming soon)
Routing Modes	Code Only or Code + Chat
Session Type	Routes to claude.ai/code web sessions
Channel Support	Public and private channels (no DMs)

The strategic value extends beyond time savings from automated coding. Slack integration enables asynchronous development workflows critical for distributed teams: developer in San Francisco describes feature during morning standup, Claude Code processes implementation overnight, developer in London reviews completed PR first thing next morning—maximizing global team productivity by parallelizing human judgment (defining requirements, reviewing outputs) with AI execution (implementing solutions). Teams report 60-80% reduction in context switching overhead, 30-40% faster feature delivery cycles, and 14-28x ROI within first quarter of adoption through combination of direct time savings and velocity improvements.

Setup Process and Integration Workflow

Setting up Claude Code Slack integration requires three components: Claude Code CLI installation, Slack bot configuration, and repository access permissions. Initial setup takes 10-15 minutes, with subsequent repository additions requiring 2-3 minutes each. Prerequisites include Claude Team or Enterprise plan (required for Slack connector), Slack workspace admin permissions, and GitHub/GitLab repository access.

Installation Steps:

1. Install Claude Code CLI on development machine or CI/CD server via npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
2. Authenticate with Anthropic API key obtained from Claude Pro dashboard via claude-code auth --api-key YOUR_KEY
3. Add Claude Code bot to Slack workspace through Slack App Directory search for "Claude Code"
4. Connect CLI to Slack bot via claude-code slack connect --workspace YOUR_WORKSPACE_NAME
5. Grant repository access permissions through GitHub/GitLab OAuth flow, selecting specific repositories for Claude Code access (minimum privilege principle—grant only necessary repos)

Basic Usage Workflow:

Developer mentions @ClaudeCode in Slack thread with task description ("Fix 500 error on /api/checkout endpoint—users report failure during payment processing"), Claude Code acknowledges task receipt, analyzes repository structure to identify relevant files (payment processing controllers, database models, error handling middleware), posts implementation plan to Slack thread for developer review, executes approved plan with progress updates, runs test suite and autonomously fixes simple failures, creates pull request with detailed description, posts PR link to Slack thread for human review. Total time: 15-30 minutes for typical bug fix versus 2-4 hours manual investigation and implementation.

Task Delegation Patterns and Best Practices

Claude Code Slack integration excels at well-defined tasks with clear requirements and acceptance criteria. High-success task patterns include:

• Bug fixes with specific error messages or reproducible steps
• Standard refactoring following established patterns (class to functional components, callback to async/await, monolith to microservices for well-understood boundaries)
• Feature implementation with detailed specifications and existing similar features as templates
• Documentation generation based on code analysis
• Test generation achieving coverage targets
• Code review identifying standard issues (security vulnerabilities, performance anti-patterns, code quality concerns)

Best Practice Task Descriptions:

Effective: "Fix TypeError on user profile page: Cannot read property 'email' of undefined. Error occurs when accessing /profile after logout. Expected: Redirect to login page. Files to check: ProfileController.js, authMiddleware.js."

Ineffective: "Profile page broken, fix it."

Effective: "Refactor authentication from JWT to sessions. Requirements: Use express-session with Redis store, preserve existing auth middleware interface, update login/logout endpoints, maintain current session duration (7 days), add session cleanup cron job."

Ineffective: "Switch to sessions."

The difference: Specific error messages, expected behavior, relevant files, and acceptance criteria enable Claude Code to execute autonomously; vague descriptions require multiple clarification rounds reducing efficiency gains.

Slack vs Terminal vs IDE: Choosing the Right Workflow

Agentic coding with Claude Code offers three distinct workflow surfaces, each optimized for different development scenarios.

Workflow	Best For	Latency	Collaboration	Context Source
Slack Integration	Well-defined tasks, async delegation	15-30 minutes	Team visible	Conversation threads
Terminal (CLI)	Complex, exploratory, iterative	Real-time	Individual	Manual provision
IDE (VS Code)	In-editor assistance, small edits	Real-time	Individual	Open file context

Choose Slack When:

• Bug reports exist in Slack threads
• Team needs visibility into AI work
• Async execution is acceptable
• Well-defined requirements available

Choose Terminal When:

• Exploratory or ambiguous tasks
• Real-time pair programming needed
• Security-sensitive code
• Production emergencies

Choose IDE When:

• Small, focused code edits
• Inline completions during coding
• Working within specific files
• Quick explanations or docs

Many successful teams use all three workflows. Slack for 60-70% of routine tasks (bug fixes, refactoring, documentation), terminal for complex/novel work, and IDE for small edits during active coding sessions.

Automated PR Review and Code Quality Analysis

Claude Code's PR review capability provides first-pass analysis identifying standard bugs, security vulnerabilities, performance issues, and code quality concerns before human review. Tag @ClaudeCode on PR link in Slack channel, Claude fetches PR diff (supports up to 10,000 lines changed across 50 files), analyzes changes across multiple dimensions, posts detailed review to Slack thread with specific file/line references and severity ratings. Analysis typically identifies 60-80% of issues that senior developers catch, with false positive rate under 15%.

Review Analysis Categories:

• Potential Bugs: Logic errors (off-by-one errors, incorrect conditionals), edge cases (null/undefined handling, empty array access, boundary conditions), error handling (missing try-catch blocks, unhandled promise rejections, inadequate input validation)
• Security Vulnerabilities: OWASP Top 10 issues (SQL injection via string concatenation, XSS from unsanitized user input, authentication bypass, insecure direct object references), sensitive data exposure (hardcoded credentials, logging sensitive information, insecure data transmission)
• Performance Concerns: N+1 database queries, memory leaks from uncleared event listeners, inefficient algorithms (O(n squared) where O(n log n) possible), unnecessary re-renders in React components
• Code Quality: Readability issues (complex nested logic, unclear variable names, missing comments for non-obvious code), maintainability concerns (duplicate code, violations of DRY principle, tight coupling), best practice violations

Team Collaboration and Async Workflow Benefits

Slack integration's primary advantage over terminal workflow lies in preserving context and enabling collaborative decision-making. Bug reports, feature requests, and technical discussions already exist in Slack threads containing customer feedback, error logs, business requirements, and team deliberation—eliminating need to synthesize this context into terminal prompts.

Asynchronous Development Workflows:

Distributed teams spanning timezones leverage Claude Code's async execution to maintain continuous development velocity. Pattern: San Francisco developer delegates feature implementation at 5pm PST before leaving office, Claude Code executes overnight, London developer reviews completed PR at 9am GMT, provides feedback in Slack thread, Claude Code iterates based on feedback while London developer handles other tasks, San Francisco developer wakes to refined PR ready for final review and merge.

Reduced Context Switching:

Traditional development requires constant tool switching—Slack for communication, terminal for coding, GitHub for PR review, IDE for debugging, documentation sites for reference. Slack integration consolidates communication and task delegation in single interface developers already monitor continuously. For routine development tasks (bug fixes, standard refactoring, documentation), this eliminates 60-80% of context switching overhead.

Claude Code vs Cursor vs GitHub Copilot: Slack Integration Comparison

Feature	Claude Code	Cursor	GitHub Copilot
Slack Integration	Native (Dec 2025)	Third-party app	PR generation from chat
Autonomous PRs	Yes - Full workflow	Yes	Limited
Context from Threads	Yes - Auto-gathers	Yes	No
Repository Selection	Auto-detect from context	Manual selection	Linked repos only
Progress Updates	In-thread real-time	In-thread	PR comments
MCP Support	Yes - Full ecosystem	No	No
Pricing	$25-150/seat/month	$20/month	$10-39/month

Choose Claude Code When:

• Using Anthropic ecosystem (Claude Team/Enterprise)
• Need MCP server integrations
• Want native Slack-first workflow
• Prioritize agentic autonomy

Choose Cursor When:

• IDE-centric workflow preferred
• Want multi-model flexibility
• Real-time collaboration in IDE
• Lower budget priority

Choose Copilot When:

• Deep GitHub ecosystem integration
• Inline completions are primary use
• Already paying for GitHub Enterprise
• Cost-sensitive team

Pricing Tiers and ROI Analysis

Claude Code Slack integration requires premium seats on Team or Enterprise plans.

Plan	Seat Cost	Claude Code	Slack Integration	Best For
Pro	$20/month	Limited access	Basic chat only	Individual developers
Max	$100/month	Full access	Full access	Power users
Team (Standard)	$25/seat/month	Requires premium upgrade	Connector available	Small teams (5+ min)
Team (Premium)	$150/seat/month	Full access	Full access	Recommended for teams
Enterprise	Custom pricing	Full access	Full + SSO/SCIM	Large organizations

ROI Calculation Example: 5-Developer Team

Monthly Investment:

• 5 Premium Seats x $150 = $750
• Est. API Overage = $50-150
• Total Monthly Cost = $800-900

Monthly Value Created:

• Hours saved (5 devs x 10 hrs) = 50 hours
• Value @ $75/hour avg = $3,750
• Net Monthly ROI = 4-5x return

Enterprise Case Study: Rakuten reported reducing software development timelines from 24 to 5 days using Claude Code—a 79% reduction. Enterprise customers including Netflix, Spotify, and Salesforce use Claude Code, contributing to $1B revenue within 6 months of launch.

Enterprise Security and Compliance

Claude Code's security architecture prioritizes permission-based access, data isolation, and enterprise compliance.

Certification	Status	Coverage
SOC 2 Type II	Certified	Security, availability, processing integrity
ISO 27001	Certified	Information security management
GDPR	Compliant	Data processing agreements available
HIPAA BAA	Available	Healthcare organizations (Enterprise)

Permission System:

• Read-only by default, explicit approval for writes
• Per-repository OAuth access (revocable)
• Sandboxing available for bash commands
• Command blocklist prevents risky operations

Data Handling:

• 30-day retention for debugging (configurable)
• No training on Team/Enterprise data
• Zero-retention available (Enterprise)
• Comprehensive audit logs (Enterprise)

Security Consideration: When using Slack integration, conversation context (including code snippets in threads) flows through Slack's infrastructure. For maximum-sensitivity codebases (encryption, authentication, payment processing), consider using terminal workflow instead to minimize data exposure surface.

When NOT to Use Claude Code Slack Integration

Building trust requires honesty about limitations. Claude Code Slack integration excels at many tasks but has clear scenarios where alternative approaches work better.

Don't Use Slack Integration For:

• Security-critical code (authentication, encryption, payment processing require human expert review)
• Production emergencies (async latency of 15-30 min unacceptable during outages)
• Ambiguous requirements ("Make it faster" or "improve UX" without specifics)
• Novel algorithms (custom encryption, proprietary protocols, complex math)
• Massive monoliths (50+ files exceeding 200K token context)

Use These Alternatives Instead:

• Terminal workflow for exploratory development, tight feedback loops, sensitive code
• Human expert review for security-critical code paths, novel architecture decisions
• IDE workflow for small edits, inline completions, quick documentation
• Break into smaller tasks (large changes as 3-5 focused requests instead of 1 massive one)
• Clarify requirements first (spend 5 minutes on specifics before delegating)

Common Mistakes When Using Claude Code in Slack

Teams new to Claude Code Slack integration often make predictable errors that reduce effectiveness.

Mistake #1: Vague Task Descriptions

The Error: Sending requests like "Fix the checkout bug" or "Make the app faster" without specifics.

The Impact: Claude investigates wrong code areas, wastes 15-30 minutes, may require multiple round-trips.

The Fix: Include error messages, file names, expected behavior: "Fix TypeError in ProfileController.js line 47: Cannot read property 'email' of undefined when user accesses /profile after logout. Expected: Redirect to login."

Mistake #2: Skipping Human Review Before Merge

The Error: Auto-merging Claude-generated PRs without careful review, trusting AI output completely.

The Impact: Subtle bugs reach production, accumulating technical debt. Claude catches 60-80% of issues—20-40% slip through.

The Fix: Always require human approval before merge. Treat Claude as first-pass implementation, not final answer. Senior review remains essential for critical paths.

Mistake #3: Using Slack for Exploratory Work

The Error: Sending ambiguous requirements via Slack for tasks that need iterative refinement.

The Impact: Multiple async round-trips add hours of latency. Terminal workflow would complete in 30 minutes.

The Fix: Reserve Slack for well-defined tasks. Use terminal for exploratory development where tight feedback loops accelerate iteration.

Mistake #4: Not Configuring CLAUDE.md

The Error: Skipping project configuration, leaving Claude without coding standards or project context.

The Impact: Generated code doesn't match team conventions, uses wrong patterns, fails linting.

The Fix: Create CLAUDE.md in repo root with coding standards, test commands, architectural patterns. Claude reads this file automatically for every session.

Mistake #5: Ignoring Context Window Limits

The Error: Requesting massive changes ("Refactor entire codebase to TypeScript") that exceed 200K token context.

The Impact: Incomplete changes, inconsistent patterns, missed files. Context overflow causes silent failures.

The Fix: Break large tasks into focused requests targeting 5-20 files each. "Migrate auth module to TypeScript" instead of "migrate everything."

Conclusion

Claude Code's Slack integration represents fundamental shift in development workflows from individual developer assistance to team-oriented collaborative automation. By enabling task delegation directly from Slack threads where context exists, the integration eliminates context switching overhead, enables asynchronous development workflows critical for distributed teams, and provides first-pass PR reviews identifying standard issues before human review. Teams report 60-80% time savings on routine development tasks (bug fixes, refactoring, documentation), 30-40% faster feature delivery cycles, and 14-28x ROI within first quarter through combination of direct productivity gains and velocity improvements.

Success requires understanding tool limitations and applying appropriate task selection. Claude Code excels at well-defined tasks with clear requirements following established patterns—delegate bug fixes with specific error messages, standard refactoring with detailed specifications, documentation and test generation. Reserve terminal workflow for exploratory development, novel algorithms, security-critical code, and production emergencies requiring tight feedback loops. Organizations achieving best results use Slack integration for 60-70% of routine development while maintaining terminal workflow for complex/novel work, creating sustainable AI-assisted development practices that amplify rather than replace human expertise.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Claude Code Slack integration work and how do I set it up?

Claude Code Slack integration (launched December 8, 2025) connects Anthropic's Claude Code CLI tool to Slack workspaces, enabling developers to trigger coding tasks via Slack messages. Setup process: (1) Install Claude Code CLI on development machine or CI/CD server (npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code). (2) Authenticate with Anthropic API key (claude-code auth --api-key YOUR_KEY). (3) Add Claude Code bot to Slack workspace through Slack App Directory. (4) Connect Claude Code CLI to Slack bot (claude-code slack connect --workspace YOUR_WORKSPACE). (5) Grant repository access permissions (GitHub/GitLab OAuth). Configuration time: 10-15 minutes for initial setup, 2-3 minutes per additional repository. Prerequisites: Claude Team or Enterprise plan (required for Slack connector), GitHub/GitLab repository access, Slack workspace admin permissions.

What kinds of coding tasks can I delegate through Slack?

Claude Code Slack integration handles diverse development tasks: (1) Bug Fixes: Describe error, Claude investigates logs, analyzes relevant code, identifies root cause, implements fix, creates PR. Time savings: 60-80% vs manual debugging. (2) Feature Implementation: Request new capability, Claude generates backend logic, frontend components, database migrations, tests, documentation. (3) Code Refactoring: Request improvements, Claude analyzes existing patterns, plans migration, executes changes across 10-50 files, updates tests. Accuracy: 85-92% on standard refactoring tasks. (4) Pull Request Reviews: Tag @ClaudeCode on PR, receive analysis of potential bugs, security issues, performance concerns, code quality suggestions. (5) Documentation: Request API docs, code comments, README updates. (6) Test Generation: Request test coverage, Claude analyzes code, generates comprehensive test suites.

How does Claude Code handle multi-file changes and complex refactoring through Slack?

Claude Code's Slack integration employs sophisticated multi-file analysis and coordination: (1) Codebase Understanding: When assigned task via Slack, Claude Code analyzes repository structure, identifies relevant files (typically 5-20 files for complex tasks), understands dependencies and relationships. Context window: 200K tokens enables loading 10-15 large files simultaneously. (2) Planning Phase: Generates implementation plan breaking task into logical sub-steps, posts plan to Slack thread for developer review/approval before executing. (3) Coordinated Execution: Implements changes across files maintaining consistency. Accuracy: 92% of multi-file refactorings require zero manual corrections. (4) Validation: Runs test suites after changes, analyzes results, autonomously fixes failures where possible. (5) PR Creation: Generates detailed PR description explaining changes, reasoning, testing performed, potential risks.

What's the difference between using Claude Code in Slack vs terminal/IDE?

Slack Advantages: (1) Context Preservation: Bug reports, feature discussions, technical context already exist in Slack threads. (2) Team Collaboration: Multiple team members can review Claude's plan in Slack thread. (3) Async Workflows: Delegate task in Slack, Claude executes overnight or across timezones. (4) Lower Friction: Non-technical stakeholders can describe issues in Slack. Terminal/IDE Advantages: (1) Immediate Feedback: See code changes in real-time. (2) Iterative Refinement: Faster iteration cycles for ambiguous tasks. (3) Full Control: Direct access to all Claude Code features. (4) Privacy: Work on sensitive code without Slack message history. Best Practice: Use Slack for well-defined tasks, terminal/IDE for complex development requiring tight feedback loops.

How does PR review via Slack work and what quality can I expect?

Claude Code PR review workflow: (1) Tag @ClaudeCode on PR link in Slack channel or thread. (2) Claude fetches PR diff, analyzes changed files (supports PRs up to 10,000 lines changed, 50 files modified). (3) Performs multi-dimensional analysis: potential bugs, security vulnerabilities, performance concerns, code quality. (4) Posts analysis to Slack thread with specific file/line references, severity ratings, suggested fixes. Analysis depth: Claude typically identifies 60-80% of issues that senior developers catch, with false positive rate under 15%. (5) Interactive Q&A: Developers can ask follow-up questions in thread.

What are the security and privacy considerations for Slack integration?

Security architecture and privacy controls: (1) Code Access: Claude Code requires explicit repository permissions via GitHub/GitLab OAuth—only accesses repositories you authorize. (2) Data Retention: Code snippets processed for task execution, not permanently stored. Retention policy: 30 days for debugging/quality improvement, then deleted. (3) Slack Message Privacy: Messages in private channels/DMs not accessible unless Claude Code explicitly mentioned. (4) API Key Security: Claude Code CLI runs on your infrastructure, API keys never transmitted to Slack. (5) Compliance: SOC 2 Type II certified, ISO 27001 certified, GDPR compliant, HIPAA BAA available. (6) Code Review Before PR: All Claude-generated code posted to Slack thread for human review before PR submission.

How does pricing work and what's the ROI for teams?

Base Costs: (1) Claude Team plan: $25/month per user or Enterprise plan for Slack connector access. (2) API usage: $5.00/M input tokens, $25.00/M output tokens (with 90% savings via prompt caching). ROI calculation for 5-developer team: Monthly cost $200-275, time savings 40-60 hours monthly, value of time saved $3,000-4,500/month, net ROI 10-20x return. Breakeven: Teams break even after saving 3-4 developer hours monthly—typically achieved in first week.

What are the limitations and when should I not use Slack integration?

Key limitations: (1) Ambiguous Requirements: Claude Code struggles when task description lacks specificity. (2) Novel Algorithms: Tasks requiring original algorithmic thinking beyond Claude's training. (3) External System Knowledge: Integration tasks requiring understanding of undocumented third-party APIs. (4) Highly Coupled Systems: Massive monoliths where single feature touches 100+ files. (5) Security-Critical Code: Authentication systems, encryption implementations where single error has catastrophic consequences. (6) Real-Time Debugging: Production outages requiring immediate fixes. When to use: Well-defined bug fixes, standard refactoring, documentation generation, test creation, code review, routine feature implementation following established patterns.

What's the difference between Code only and Code + Chat routing modes?

Claude Code Slack integration offers two routing modes: (1) Code Only Mode: All @claude mentions route directly to Claude Code sessions. Every message triggers a coding workflow. Best for dev-focused teams. (2) Code + Chat Mode: Claude intelligently routes between Claude Code (for coding tasks) and Claude Chat (for general questions). Includes 'Retry as Code' button to manually override routing decisions. Best for mixed teams with technical and non-technical members. Recommendation: Start with Code + Chat for flexibility, switch to Code Only once team workflow stabilizes.

How do I configure CLAUDE.md for better Slack session results?

CLAUDE.md is a project configuration file that Claude Code reads automatically for every session. Location: Repository root (checked into git) or CLAUDE.local.md for personal notes. Content to include: (1) Project overview: Brief description, tech stack, architecture. (2) Coding standards: Formatting rules, naming conventions. (3) Test commands: How to run tests. (4) Build commands: CI/CD requirements. (5) Repository etiquette: Branch naming, commit message format. Keep CLAUDE.md concise (under 500 lines).

Can Claude Code connect to MCP servers when triggered from Slack?

MCP (Model Context Protocol) integration with Slack-triggered sessions: (1) MCP servers configured in .mcp.json or project settings ARE available during Slack-triggered sessions. (2) Personal MCP servers work if the user triggering the Slack request has them configured. (3) Shared team MCP servers: Configure in checked-in .mcp.json file. Use cases: Connect to internal documentation, Sentry for error context, Puppeteer for visual testing, custom databases. Best practice: For team MCP servers, use API key authentication rather than OAuth for more reliable Slack integration.

How does Claude Code Slack compare to GitHub Copilot's Slack features?

Key differences: (1) Integration Depth: Claude Code offers native, first-party Slack integration with automatic context gathering. GitHub Copilot focuses on PR generation from chat. (2) Autonomous Execution: Claude Code executes end-to-end—reads codebase, implements changes, runs tests, creates PR. Copilot's Slack features are more limited. (3) Context Sources: Claude Code auto-gathers context from Slack conversation threads. Copilot requires manual context provision. (4) MCP Support: Claude Code supports Model Context Protocol. Copilot lacks equivalent extensibility. (5) Pricing: Claude Code requires Team/Enterprise plan ($25-150/seat). Copilot starts at $10/month individual.

What security certifications does Claude Code have for enterprise use?

Claude Code holds enterprise-grade security certifications: (1) SOC 2 Type II: Certified for security, availability, and processing integrity. (2) ISO 27001: Certified information security management system. (3) GDPR Compliance: Data processing agreements available, EU data residency options for Enterprise. (4) HIPAA BAA: Business Associate Agreements available for healthcare organizations on Enterprise plans. Additional features: Read-only default permissions, per-repository OAuth access, sandboxing for bash commands, command blocklist, 30-day data retention (configurable), no training on Team/Enterprise data, comprehensive audit logs (Enterprise).

Can I use extended thinking modes from Slack?

Extended thinking modes work with Slack-triggered sessions. Include thinking triggers in your Slack message: 'think' (baseline), 'think hard' (more computation), 'think harder' (even more), 'ultrathink' (maximum thinking budget). Example: '@claude think hard about fixing the race condition in OrderProcessor.js—multiple orders getting assigned same ID under high load.' When to use: Complex debugging, architectural decisions, refactoring with subtle interdependencies. Cost impact: Extended thinking consumes more tokens. Recommendation: Start with baseline thinking, escalate to 'think hard' if results unsatisfactory.

How do I troubleshoot when Claude Code sessions don't start from Slack?

Common troubleshooting: (1) 'Session not starting': Verify Claude account connected in Slack App Home. Ensure Claude Code web access enabled at claude.ai/code. Confirm GitHub repository connected with proper permissions. (2) 'No Claude Code access' error: Check you're on premium seat (Team Premium $150/seat or Enterprise). (3) 'Repository not found': Reconnect GitHub account at claude.ai/code. (4) 'Wrong repository selected': Click 'Change Repo' button. Include repo name in future requests. (5) 'Authentication errors': Disconnect and reconnect Claude account. (6) 'Progress updates not appearing': Check bot permissions in Slack channel settings. (7) 'Session timeout': Sessions remain in Claude Code history at claude.ai/code. Escalation: Contact support.anthropic.com with session ID and error details.