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Token refresh documentation #622

2 changes: 1 addition & 1 deletion README.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ through building your first Slack app using Node.js.
that explains and compares the options. If you're still not sure,
[reach out for help](#getting-help) and our community can guide you.

**Building a workspace app?** Token rotation is required for distributed workspace apps and recommended for non-distrubted. The `WebClient` takes care of this automagically when you pass in a refresh token. Take a look at [the `WebClient` documentation](https://slackapi.github.io/node-slack-sdk/web_api#using-refresh-tokens) to see a working example.
**Building a workspace app?** The `WebClient` can automatically [handle token rotation](https://slackapi.github.io/node-slack-sdk/web_api#using-refresh-tokens) for your app. [Learn more](https://api.slack.com/docs/rotating-and-refreshing-credentials#why) about why you should enable token expiration (hint: its required for App Directory distribution).

## Examples

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114 changes: 22 additions & 92 deletions docs/_pages/getting_started.md
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Expand Up @@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ This guide introduces fundamentals of the Slack Developer Kit for Node.js and Sl
The first step is to [register a new app](https://api.slack.com/apps/new) with Slack at the API
website. You have the option to build a user-token app or a workspace app. Give your app a fun name and choose a Development Slack Workspace. We recommend using a workspace where you aren't going to disrupt real work getting done -- you can create a new workspace for free.

> ⚠️ For this guide, we'll assume you're building a [workspace app](https://api.slack.com/workspace-apps-preview). Workspace apps support Slack's latest-and-greatest platform features and will be required for distributed apps in the (near) future. However, most steps are the same for user-token apps.
> ⚠️ For this guide, we'll assume you're building a [workspace app](https://api.slack.com/workspace-apps-preview). Workspace apps support Slack's latest and greatest platform features. However, most steps are the same for user-token apps.

After you create an app, you'll be greeted with some basic information. In this guide we'll be making a request to the Web API to post a message to a channel. Aside from posting messages, the Web API allows your app to call [methods](https://api.slack.com/methods) that can be used for everything from creating a channel to searching messages. Let's configure our new app with proper permissions.

Expand All @@ -33,11 +33,11 @@ their IT admins) will have opinions about which data your app should access, so
the scope(s) with the least amount of privilege for your app's needs. In this guide we will use the
Web API to post a message. The scope required for this is called `chat:write` (or `chat:write:user` for user-token apps). Use the dropdown or start typing its name to select and add the scope, then click "Save Changes".

Our app has described which scope it desires in the workspace, but a user hasn't authorized those
scopes for the development workspace yet. Scroll up and click "Install (or Reinstall) App". You'll
be back at the page asking you for permission, but this time with an additional entry corresponding
to the `chat:write` scope we just added. Choose your channel again and click "Authorize". When you
return to the OAuth & Permissions page copy the OAuth Access Token (it should begin with `xoxa`). Treat this value like a password and keep it safe. The Web API uses tokens to to authenticate the requests your app makes. In a later step, you'll be asked to use this token in your code.
Our app has described which scope it desires in the workspace, but a user hasn't authorized those scopes for the development workspace yet. Scroll up and click "Install App". You'll be taken to your app installation page. This page is asking you for permission to install the app in your development workspace with specific capabilities. That's right, the development workspace is like every other workspace -- apps must be authorized by a user each time it asks for more permissions.

Go ahead and click "Continue". The next page asks you which conversations the app should be able to post messages in. In this case, choose "No channels", which still allows the app to directly message who install the App -- which means you.
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directly message users who install the App


When you return to the OAuth & Permissions page copy the OAuth Access Token (it should begin with `xoxa`). Treat this value like a password and keep it safe. The Web API uses tokens to to authenticate the requests your app makes. In a later step, you'll be asked to use this token in your code.

## Set up your local project

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -88,27 +88,33 @@ value with OAuth Access Token that you copied above.
$ export SLACK_ACCESS_TOKEN=xoxa-...
```

Open `tutorial.js` and add the following code:
Create a file called `tutorial.js` and add the following code:

```javascript
// This creates a new instance of WebClient with your app's access token
const web = new WebClient(process.env.SLACK_ACCESS_TOKEN);

// This argument can be a channel ID, a DM ID, a MPDM ID, or a group ID
const conversationId = 'C1234567890';

// The current date
const currentTime = new Date().toTimeString();

web.chat.postMessage({channel: conversationId, text: `The current time is ${currentTime}`})
.then(res => {
// Use the `apps.permissions.resources.list` method to find the conversation ID for an app home
web.apps.permissions.resources.list()
.then((res) => {
// Find the app home to use as the conversation to post a message
// At this point, there should only be one app home in the whole response since only one user has installed the app
const appHome = res.resources.find(r => r.type === 'app_home');

// Use the `chat.postMessage` method to send a message from this app
return web.chat.postMessage({
channel: appHome.id,
text: `The current time is ${currentTime}`,
});
})
.then((res) => {
console.log('Message posted!');
})
.catch(console.error);
```


This code creates an instance of the `WebClient`, which requires an access token to call Web API methods. The program reads the app's access token from the environment variable. Then the [chat.postMessage](https://api.slack.com/methods/chat.postMessage) method is called with the `WebClient` to send a simple string to the Slack channel.
This code creates an instance of the `WebClient`, which requires an access token to call Web API methods. The program reads the app's access token from the environment variable. Then the [apps.permissions.resources.list](https://api.slack.com/methods/apps.permissions.resources.list) method is called with the `WebClient` to find a conversation where the app can send a message. There will be one resource that represents your own DM with the app (since you were the installing user). We find that resource by finding the first in the list with a `type` that equals `"app_home"`. Lastly, the [chat.postMessage](https://api.slack.com/methods/chat.postMessage) method is called using the conversation ID we just found to send a simple message.

Run the program. The output should look like the following:

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -141,82 +147,6 @@ ideas about where to look next:

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line above still references a dev instance in the URL, change that.

* Dive deeper into the `IncomingWebhook`, `WebClient`, and `RTMClient` classes in this package by
exploring their documentation pages.
= new Date().toTimeString();

timeNotification.send(`The current time is ${currentTime}`, (error, resp) => {
if (error) {
return console.error(error);
}
console.log('Notification sent');
console.log('Waiting a few seconds for search indexes to update...');
setTimeout(() => {
console.log('Calling search.messages');
web.search.messages({ query: currentTime })
.then(resp => {
if (resp.messages.total > 0) {
console.log('First match:', resp.messages.matches[0]);
} else {
console.log('No matches found');
}
})
.catch(console.error)
}, 12000);
});
```

Run the program and you should see output similar to the following:

```shell
$ node tutorial.js
Getting started with Slack Developer Kit for Node.js
Notification sent
Waiting a few seconds for search indexes to update...
Calling search.messages
First match: { type: 'message',
ts: '1513884363.000142',
text: 'The current time is 11:26:03 GMT-0800 (PST)',
iid: '0a4d7acd-c0d9-49f4-813f-7a21f3cf78dc',
permalink: 'https://workspace-subdomain.slack.com/archives/C34SDV231/p231234192347',
team: 'T0AS345LD',
channel:
{ id: 'C34SDV231',
is_channel: true,
is_group: false,
is_im: false,
name: 'blah',
is_shared: false,
is_org_shared: false,
is_ext_shared: false,
is_private: false,
is_mpim: false,
pending_shared: [],
is_pending_ext_shared: false } }
```

_If you see no results, try increasing the timeout time and run the program again. Slack's
search indexes could take more than a few seconds._

## Next Steps

You just built your first Slack app with Node.js! 🎉💃🌮

There's plenty more to learn and explore about this package and the Slack platform. Here are some
ideas about where to look next:

* You now know how to build a Slack app for a single workspace,
[learn how to implement Slack OAuth](https://api.slack.com/docs/oauth) to make your app
installable in many workspaces. If you are using [Passport](http://www.passportjs.org/) to handle
authentication, you may find the
[`@aoberoi/passport-slack`](https://github.com/aoberoi/passport-slack) strategy package helpful.

* Token rotation is required if you plan on distributing your app. You can find examples of using
refresh tokens with the `WebClient` [in the documentation](/web_api#using-refresh-tokens), and learn more about refresh tokens and token rotation [on the API site](https://api.dev612.slack.com/docs/rotating-and-refreshing-credentials).

* Tokens are an important part of using the Slack platform. Learn about the
[different types of tokens](https://api.slack.com/docs/token-types).

* This tutorial only used one of **over 130 Web API methods** available.
[Look through them](https://api.slack.com/methods) to get ideas about what to build next!

* Dive deeper into the `IncomingWebhook`, `WebClient`, and `RTMClient` classes in this package by
exploring their documentation pages.
7 changes: 4 additions & 3 deletions docs/_pages/web_client.md
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Expand Up @@ -223,9 +223,9 @@ web.channels.list((err, res) => {

### Using refresh tokens

If you're using workspace apps, refresh tokens can be used to obtain short-lived access tokens that power your Web API calls from the `WebClient` (this is *required* for distributed apps). To enable the `WebClient` to automatically refresh and swap your access tokens, you need to pass your app's refresh token, client ID, and client secret in the `WebClientOptions`.
If you're using workspace apps, refresh tokens can be used to obtain short-lived access tokens that power your Web API calls from the `WebClient` (this is *required* for distributed apps). This can increase the security of your app since, in the event of a token being exposed accidentally, it won't be able to be used against your app or users after a short time. To enable the `WebClient` to automatically refresh and swap your access tokens, you need to pass your app's refresh token, client ID, and client secret in the `WebClientOptions`.

At the time of refresh, the `WebClient` will emit a `token_refreshed` event that will contain the new access token (`access_token`) and time to expiration (`expires_in`). It's recommended to listen to this event and store the access token in a database so you have access to your active token.
At the time of refresh, the `WebClient` will emit a `token_refreshed` event that will contain the new access token (`access_token`), time to expiration (`expires_in`), an associated team ID (`team_id`), and an associated enterprise ID (`enterprise_id`). It's recommended to listen to this event and store the access token in a database so you have access to your active token.

```javascript
const { WebClient } = require('@slack/client');
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ web.on('token_refreshed', (event) => {

Note: Before implementing it on your own, it's suggested you read through the [token rotation documentation](http://api.slack.com/docs/rotating-and-refreshing-credentials).

If you need more control over token refreshing, you don't need to pass in your refresh token, client ID, or client secret. However, you'll need to listen for `invalid_auth` errors and handle calls to `oauth.access` to fetch new access tokens:
If you need more control over token refreshing, you don't need to pass in your refresh token, client ID, or client secret. However, you'll need to listen for `invalid_auth` errors and make calls to `oauth.access` to fetch new access tokens:

```javascript
const { WebClient } = require('@slack/client');
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -329,6 +329,7 @@ function sendMessage(msg) {
.then(console.log)
.catch((error) => {
if (error.code === ErrorCode.PlatformError && error.data.error === 'invalid_auth') {
// This error could have occured because of an expired access token -- refresh, and try again.
return refreshToken()
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maybe a comment here to say "this error could have occurred because of an expired token, refresh and try again"

.then(() => sendMessage(msg));
}
Expand Down