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In this guide, you’ll learn how to send rich, interactive Slack notifications from Jenkins using attachments, custom emojis, and buttons. We’ll walk through:
  • Creating a custom Slack App & bot user
  • Assigning OAuth scopes for attachments and emojis
  • Generating and storing an OAuth token in Jenkins
  • Configuring the Slack plugin in Jenkins
  • Testing notifications and troubleshooting common issues
By the end, your Jenkins pipelines can post build status, Git details, Kubernetes metadata, and clickable actions—all with custom formatting.

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Prerequisites: Slack Notification Plugin

Make sure the Slack Notification Plugin is installed in your Jenkins instance. It provides the slackSend step with support for attachments and Block Kit layouts.
The image shows a Jenkins Plugin Manager interface with a list of installed plugins, including details like version numbers and options to uninstall. The browser tabs and taskbar are visible, indicating a desktop environment.
To start, send a simple text notification: 
slackSend color: 'good', message: 'Hello from Jenkins Pipeline!'

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Adding Attachments

Define an attachments array to include richer content:
The image shows a webpage with instructions for creating a Slack app, specifically for integrating with Jenkins. The page includes a step-by-step guide and troubleshooting information.
def attachments = [
  [
    text:     'I find your lack of faith disturbing!',
    fallback: 'Vader is upset.',
    color:    '#ff0000'
  ]
]
slackSend(channel: '#general', attachments: attachments)
Attachments require a bot user in Slack. Let’s create one next.

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1. Create a Slack App

  1. Open the Slack API dashboard:
    https://api.slack.com/apps
  2. Click Create an App and choose From scratch.
  3. Enter a name (e.g., Jenkins Slack App) and select your workspace.
The image shows a Slack API dashboard with options to create a new app and manage existing ones. It includes a section listing an app named "Falco Slack Application" with its workspace and distribution status.
The image shows a Slack API webpage with a pop-up window titled "Create an app," offering options to configure an app from scratch or using an app manifest. The background displays various menu options related to Slack API features.
The image shows a Slack API webpage where a user is creating a new app named "Jenkins Slack App" and selecting a workspace called "devsecops-k8s." A pop-up window is open for naming the app and choosing the workspace.
Optionally, customize the app’s icon and description:
The image shows a Slack API settings page for a "Jenkins Slack App," where display information such as app name, icon, and background color can be configured. There are options to generate tokens and delete the app.

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2. Assign Bot OAuth Scopes

In your app settings, go to OAuth & Permissions → Bot Token Scopes. Add the following:
ScopePurpose
files:writeUpload and manage files
chat:writePost messages in channels & direct messages
chat:write.customizeUse attachments and interactive elements
emoji:readList custom emojis
reactions:writeAdd or remove reactions
The image shows a Slack API settings page with OAuth and permissions details, including bot token scopes for a Slack app. Various scopes like files:write and chat:write are listed with their descriptions.
Scroll up and click Install to Workspace, then authorize. Copy the Bot User OAuth Token from the dashboard:
The image shows the Slack API dashboard, specifically the "OAuth & Permissions" section, displaying a Bot User OAuth Token and options for redirect URLs.

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3. Configure Jenkins

  1. In Jenkins, navigate to Manage Jenkins → Configure System.
  2. Find the Slack section.
The image shows a webpage with instructions for integrating Slack with Jenkins, detailing steps for setting up a new Slack app and configuring permissions. The browser has multiple tabs open, and there's a small profile picture in the top right corner.
  1. Under Credentials, click Add → Jenkins → Secret text.
  2. Paste your Bot User OAuth Token and give it an ID (e.g., slack-bot-token).
The image shows a Jenkins interface where credentials are being added, specifically a secret text for a Slack bot token. The interface includes fields for domain, kind, scope, secret, ID, and description.
  1. Back in the Slack section, set:
    • Team Domain: your-workspace
    • Integration Token Credential: select your secret text
    • Default Channel: #jenkins

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Test the Connection

Click Test Connection.
If you receive {"ok":false,"error":"not_in_channel"}, the bot hasn’t been invited to your channel yet.
The image shows a Jenkins configuration page for setting up email and Slack notifications, with a Slack integration error message displayed.
Invite the bot in Slack:
The image shows a Slack interface with a popup message asking if the user wants to add the "Jenkins Slack App" to the "#jenkins" channel. The background displays a series of Jenkins build notifications.
Once invited, re-run Test Connection—you should see a success message.

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Next Steps

  • Explore Slack Block Kit for advanced layouts: Block Kit Builder
  • Use interactive buttons and menus in your pipeline notifications
  • Integrate job logs, Git diff summaries, or Kubernetes pod links

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