@slack/webhook vs slack-node vs node-slackr | Slack Integration Libraries Comparison

Package	Downloads	Stars	Size	Issues	Publish	License

@slack/webhook	621,481	3,299	23.2 kB	39	3 months ago	MIT
slack-node	79,386	167	-	8	8 years ago	MIT
node-slackr	7,671	72	-	0	7 years ago	MIT

Package

Downloads

Stars

Size

Issues

Publish

License

@slack/webhook

621,481

3,299

23.2 kB

3 months ago

MIT

slack-node

79,386

167

8 years ago

MIT

node-slackr

7,671

7 years ago

MIT

Ease of Use

@slack/webhook:
@slack/webhook is designed for simplicity, allowing developers to send messages to Slack with minimal setup and configuration. It requires only a webhook URL and a message payload, making it very user-friendly for quick integrations.
slack-node:
slack-node has a steeper learning curve due to its extensive API coverage. It requires understanding more complex configurations and methods, making it less straightforward for simple use cases.
node-slackr:
node-slackr offers a balance between ease of use and functionality. While it provides more features than @slack/webhook, it still maintains a relatively simple API for sending messages, making it accessible for developers with varying levels of experience.

Feature Set

@slack/webhook:
This package focuses solely on sending messages via webhooks, which is sufficient for many use cases but lacks broader API interactions. It is ideal for straightforward notification systems without the need for additional Slack features.
slack-node:
slack-node offers comprehensive access to the entire Slack API, including user management, channel interactions, and more. This makes it suitable for applications that require extensive Slack functionalities beyond just messaging.
node-slackr:
node-slackr provides additional features such as support for attachments, message formatting, and sending messages to multiple channels, making it more versatile for applications that need richer interactions with Slack.

Performance

@slack/webhook:
@slack/webhook is lightweight and optimized for sending messages quickly, making it a good choice for applications that need to send notifications frequently without overhead.
slack-node:
slack-node may have higher latency due to its comprehensive API interactions. It is best suited for applications where the breadth of functionality justifies the performance trade-off.
node-slackr:
node-slackr is efficient for sending messages but may introduce slight overhead due to its additional features. It is still performant for most applications but could be less optimal for high-frequency messaging scenarios.

Community and Support

@slack/webhook:
Being an official Slack library, @slack/webhook has strong community support and documentation, making it easy to find help and resources.
slack-node:
slack-node has a dedicated user base and offers extensive documentation, but it may not have as much community support as the official libraries. It's suitable for developers comfortable navigating less mainstream resources.
node-slackr:
node-slackr has a smaller community compared to @slack/webhook but still offers decent support and documentation. It is a good choice for developers who prefer community-driven libraries.

Extensibility

@slack/webhook:
This package is not designed for extensibility, focusing solely on sending messages. It is best for projects that do not require additional functionality beyond basic messaging.
slack-node:
slack-node is highly extensible, allowing developers to build complex integrations with Slack's API. It is ideal for projects that anticipate needing to expand their Slack functionalities over time.
node-slackr:
node-slackr allows for some level of customization and extensibility, making it suitable for projects that may evolve and require more features in the future.

Usage

Initialize the webhook

The package exports an IncomingWebhook class. You'll need to initialize it with the URL you received from Slack. To create a webhook URL, follow the instructions in the Getting started with Incoming Webhooks guide.

const { IncomingWebhook } = require('@slack/webhook'); // Read a url from the environment variables const url = process.env.SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL; // Initialize const webhook = new IncomingWebhook(url);

Setting default arguments

The webhook can be initialized with default arguments that are reused each time a notification is sent. Use the second parameter to the constructor to set the default arguments.

const { IncomingWebhook } = require('@slack/webhook');
const url = process.env.SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL;

// Initialize with defaults
const webhook = new IncomingWebhook(url, {
  icon_emoji: ':bowtie:',
});

Send a notification

Something interesting just happened in your app, so it's time to send the notification! Just call the .send(options) method on the webhook. The options parameter is an object that should describe the contents of the message. The method returns a Promise that resolves once the notification is sent.

const { IncomingWebhook } = require('@slack/webhook'); const url = process.env.SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL; const webhook = new IncomingWebhook(url); // Send the notification (async () => { await webhook.send({ text: 'I\'ve got news for you...', }); })();

Proxy requests with a custom agent

The webhook allows you to customize the HTTP Agent used to create the connection to Slack. Using this option is the best way to make all requests from your app go through a proxy, which is a common requirement in many corporate settings.

In order to create an Agent from some proxy information (such as a host, port, username, and password), you can use one of many npm packages. We recommend https-proxy-agent. Start by installing this package and saving it to your package.json.

$ npm install https-proxy-agent

Import the HttpsProxyAgent class, and create an instance that can be used as the agent option of the IncomingWebhook.

const { IncomingWebhook } = require('@slack/webhook'); const { HttpsProxyAgent } = require('https-proxy-agent'); const url = process.env.SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL; // One of the ways you can configure HttpsProxyAgent is using a simple string. // See: https://github.com/TooTallNate/node-https-proxy-agent for more options const proxy = new HttpsProxyAgent(process.env.http_proxy || 'http://168.63.76.32:3128'); // Initialize with the proxy agent option const webhook = new IncomingWebhook(token, { agent: proxy }); // Sending this webhook will now go through the proxy (async () => { await webhook.send({ text: 'I\'ve got news for you...', }); })();