Comparing workflows and apps
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With so many feature sets and tools available — many of which overlap with one another — it can be a little daunting to decide which path is right for you.
You are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.
The following tables compare the features and some common development goals of these tools. May they offer additional guidance as you choose your own adventure.
Development
| Goal/feature | Workflow Builder | Non-workflow app | Workflow app | Minimum Plan | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I want to choose which programming language I use to build my app. | - | ✅ | - | Free | Slack API methods are accessible over HTTP, so the world is your oyster. Also worth noting is that Slack maintains official libraries for Python, JavaScript, and Java, as well as the Bolt suite of application frameworks. |
| I want to integrate with third-party services (e.g. Google, JIRA) using APIs or webhooks. | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Free | Code integrations with non-workflow apps any way you like. Connector functions for integrating with third-party services are available for workflow apps or via Workflow Builder. |
| I want to empower co-workers to automate Slack and integrations with other software without having to code. | ✅ | - | - | Paid | For no-code solutions, use Workflow Builder. |
| I want to interact with Slack APIs over HTTP (by using the Web API). | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Free | You can use the Web API with both the Bolt SDK and the Deno Slack SDK. You can also call API methods within Workflow Builder. |
| I want to respond to events happening within Slack (by using the Events API). | - | ✅ | ✅ | Free | This feature is compatible with non-workflow apps. A subset of the Events API is available for workflow apps via event triggers, but is not required. |
| I want to send messages with incoming webhooks. | - | ✅ | ✅ | Free | |
| I want my app to be able to respond to webhooks. | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Free | |
| I want my app to have an App Home. | - | ✅ | - | Free | |
| I want to use slash commands. | - | ✅ | ✅ | Free | Non-workflow apps can use slash commands in a variety of ways. Workflow apps can only be invoked with slash commands. |
| I want to send files and images to users. | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Free | |
| I want users to be able to send files. | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Free | |
| I want to respond to Slack messages with embedded metadata. | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Free | |
| I want users to be able to interact with my apps. | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Free | Any app will do, but the way you code interactivity will be different for each solution. |
| I want to retrieve data from or store data to a database. | - | ✅ | ✅ | Free | Code database operations in non-workflow apps any way you like. For workflow apps, you can store data in a Datastore hosted by Slack. |
| I want my app to be shareable and added to a message within Slack, bookmarked, or embedded in a Slack Canvas. | ✅ | - | ✅ | Paid | Share workflow apps or apps built via Workflow Builder with link triggers. |
| I want to develop an app as an additional service to our external website, which allows users to chat with a bot from inside of Slack. | - | ✅ | - | Free | The automation platform doesn't support installing an app by others on their workspace (unless they are able to do so themselves via the Slack CLI). For example, if your app was open sourced on GitHub this would be possible, as another developer could clone it and install it in their workspace. |
Environment
| Goal/feature | Workflow Builder | Non-workflow app | Workflow app | Minimum Plan | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Works across multiple workspaces | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Enterprise Grid | |
| Develop on Free plan | - | ✅ | - | Free | Both workflow apps and Workflow Builder require that you be on a paid plan. Don't have a paid plan? Join the Developer Program and provision a sandbox with access to all Slack features for free. |
| Tokens | - | ✅ | ✅ | Free | Both non-workflow apps and workflow apps make use of access tokens. Refer to Token types for more information about the types available. |
| Admin API | - | ✅ | - | Enterprise Grid | |
| SCIM API | - | ✅ | - | Business+ or Enterprise Grid | |
| Discovery API | - | ✅ | - | Enterprise Grid | |
| Legal Holds API | - | ✅ | - | Enterprise Grid | |
| Audit Logs API | - | ✅ | - | Enterprise Grid |
Host and deploy
| Goal/feature | Workflow Builder | Non-workflow app | Workflow app | Minimum Plan | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Host or distribute app myself | - | ✅ | - | Free | For self-hosted apps, you'll want to go with the Bolt SDK. |
| Slack-hosted app | ✅ | - | ✅ | Paid | For Slack-hosted apps, you'll want to go with the Deno Slack SDK, or build your app using Workflow Builder. |
| List app in Slack Marketplace | - | ✅ | - | Free |
Security
| Goal/feature | Workflow Builder | Non-workflow app | Workflow app | Minimum Plan | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OAuth authentication | - | ✅ | ✅ | Free |
Still not sure where to begin? That's okay! We recommend following our guide on starting a workflow to send a message. It'll give you an idea of what the Slack platform can do, and get those cogs in your head spinning.