# Running Slack CLI commands

The Slack CLI technique installs and runs [Slack CLI](/tools/slack-cli/) commands directly from a GitHub Actions workflow.

This is useful for automating tasks such as deploying apps, validating an app manifest, or interacting with Slack platform features that are available with the CLI.

## Setup

### Authentication

Pass a [service token](/authentication/tokens/) via the `token` input. This is appended as `--token <value>` to the CLI command. The [`slack auth token`](/tools/slack-cli/reference/commands/slack_auth_token) command can be used to gather this.

### CLI version

By default, the latest version of the Slack CLI is installed. To pin a specific version, use the `version` input:

```yaml
- uses: slackapi/slack-github-action/cli@v4.0.0
  with:
    command: "version"
    version: "3.14.0"
```

If the `slack` command already exists on `PATH`, installation is skipped entirely.

## Usage

Provide a `command` input with the Slack CLI command to run, omitting the `slack` prefix.

```yaml
- uses: slackapi/slack-github-action/cli@v4.0.0
  with:
    command: "version"
```

## Debug logging

When a workflow is re-run with **Enable debug logging**, the action automatically appends `--verbose` to the CLI command. You can also include `--verbose` in your `command` input manually at any time.

```yaml
- uses: slackapi/slack-github-action/cli@v4.0.0
  with:
    command: "deploy --app ${{ vars.SLACK_APP_ID }} --verbose"
    token: ${{ secrets.SLACK_SERVICE_TOKEN }}
```

## Outputs

The following outputs are available after a CLI command runs:

| Output     | Type      | Description                                                                             |
| ---------- | --------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `ok`       | `boolean` | If the command completed with a `0` exit code.                                          |
| `response` | `string`  | The standard output from the CLI command.                                               |
| `time`     | `number`  | The Unix [epoch time](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix_time) that the step completed. |

## Examples

### Check the installed CLI version

```yaml
steps:
  - uses: slackapi/slack-github-action/cli@v4.0.0
    id: slack
    with:
      command: "version"
  - run: echo "${{ steps.slack.outputs.response }}"
```

### Validate the app manifest

```yaml
steps:
  - uses: actions/checkout@v7
  - uses: slackapi/slack-github-action/cli@v4.0.0
    with:
      command: "manifest validate --app ${{ vars.SLACK_APP_ID }}"
      token: ${{ secrets.SLACK_SERVICE_TOKEN }}
```

<details>
<summary><strong>Workflow: Validate a manifest</strong></summary>

This workflow validates the app manifest on pull requests to catch configuration issues early.

```js reference
https://github.com/slackapi/slack-github-action/blob/main/example-workflows/Technique_4_Slack_CLI_Command/manifest.yml
```

</details>

### Deploy an app with a service token

```yaml
steps:
  - uses: actions/checkout@v7
  - uses: slackapi/slack-github-action/cli@v4.0.0
    with:
      command: "deploy --app ${{ vars.SLACK_APP_ID }} --force"
      token: ${{ secrets.SLACK_SERVICE_TOKEN }}
```

<details>
<summary><strong>Workflow: Deploy an app</strong></summary>

This workflow deploys a Slack app when changes are pushed to the main branch. It uses a service token to authenticate the deploy command.

```js reference
https://github.com/slackapi/slack-github-action/blob/main/example-workflows/Technique_4_Slack_CLI_Command/deploy.yml
```

</details>

### Manage collaborators 

<details>

<summary><strong>Workflow: Manage collaborators</strong></summary>

This workflow adds or removes an app collaborator using a manually triggered workflow.

This example combines the Slack API technique ([`users.lookupByEmail`](https://docs.slack.dev/reference/methods/users.lookupByEmail), [`chat.postMessage`](https://docs.slack.dev/reference/methods/chat.postMessage)) with the CLI technique ([`collaborators add`](https://docs.slack.dev/tools/slack-cli/reference/commands/slack_collaborators_add)/[`remove`](https://docs.slack.dev/tools/slack-cli/reference/commands/slack_collaborators_remove)) to look up a user by email, update collaborators, and post a confirmation message.

```js reference
https://github.com/slackapi/slack-github-action/blob/main/example-workflows/Technique_4_Slack_CLI_Command/collaborators.yml
```

</details>