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Connect Slack to VS Code

Give VS Code governed access to Slack’s 37 tools through Runlayer, with identity, policy, scanning, and audit on every call.

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Set up

Add Slack to VS Code in four steps

Admins approve the server once. Everyone in VS Code then gets it through the same governed connection.

  1. 1

    Approve Slack in Runlayer

    Add Slack from the catalog and choose who can use it and which of its tools are allowed.

  2. 2

    Connect VS Code to Runlayer

    Runlayer’s CLI installs the Runlayer Plugin natively in VS Code; users can also add it over MCP. With direct tool listing turned on for your deployment, Slack’s 37 tools show up in VS Code’s own tool list (VS Code 1.103 or newer).

    VS Code setup guide
  3. 3

    Sign in to Slack

    Each user signs in to Slack with OAuth. Runlayer keeps the tokens out of the client’s configuration.

  4. 4

    Use Slack from VS Code

    Slack’s approved tools appear in VS Code. Every call is checked against policy and recorded.

Tools

37 Slack tools in VS Code

Runlayer policy decides which of these VS Code users can call. 5 read data only.

  • Add list record

    Adds a new record (row) to a Slack list.

  • Add reaction

    Adds a reaction (emoji) to a Slack message.

  • Complete file upload

    Finalizes a file upload started with slack_get_file_upload_url, using the file_id from that call.

  • Create canvas

    Creates a Slack Canvas document from Canvas-flavored Markdown content.

  • Create conversation

    Create a channel, DM, or group DM.

  • Create list

    Creates a new Slack List with optional columns and a description.

  • Get file upload URL

    Generates a signed upload URL for a file, plus a file ID.

  • Get reactions

    Retrieves all reactions (emoji) on a specific Slack message.

See all 37 Slack tools

Control

What Runlayer can see and stop in VS Code

Some controls apply to every client at the gateway. Others depend on what VS Code exposes to Runlayer.

  • Gateway policy (available)

    Every Slack call from VS Code passes through Runlayer, where your policies can allow, alert, mask, or block it.

  • Audit trail (available)

    Each call is recorded with the user, VS Code as the client, the tool, and the policy and scanner decisions.

  • Client hooks (available)

    Capture supported prompts, reasoning, local and MCP tool calls, responses, and scanner decisions in real time.

  • Stop a call before it runs (available)

    Runlayer can deny a tool call before VS Code runs it.

  • Block output after it runs (available)

    Runlayer can block a tool’s output before VS Code’s model sees it.

  • Redact output in place (available)

    Runlayer can mask sensitive parts of a tool’s output in VS Code and pass the rest through.

Frequently asked questions

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