Access tokens are the keys to the Slack platform. Tokens tie together all the scopes and permissions your app has obtained, allowing it to read, write, and interact.
There are multiple types of access token available. The token types are suited for different functionality, and certain scopes are unique to a particular token type.
Read on to learn about the different access token types.
The ideal token type for most apps, with a granular permission model to request only the scopes you need.
Special tokens used with specific APIs that related to the app across all organizations it's installed in.
Special per-workspace tokens used with App Manifest APIs to create and configure Slack apps.
Bot tokens represent a bot associated with the app installed in a workspace. Unlike user tokens, they're not tied to a user's identity; they're just tied to your app.
Since acting independently allows your app to stay installed even when an installing user is deactivated, using bot tokens is usually for the best.
Check out the guide to creating Slack apps with bot tokens for more info.
xoxb-User tokens represent workspace members. They are issued for the user who installed the app and for users who authenticate the app. When your app asks for OAuth scopes, they are applied to user tokens. You can use these tokens to take actions on behalf of users.
xoxp-channels:history grants a user token access to conversations.history for any public channel)App-level tokens represent your app across organizations, including installations by all individual users on all workspaces in a given organization.
xapp-. We sometimes refer to them as "zap!" tokens.These tokens give you the ability to handle things that relate to your app as a whole, like listing all the authorizations an event is visible to.
These umbrella bot tokens, obtained through an older OAuth flow, should only be used in a few special cases like connecting to the Real Time Messaging API.
Legacy workspace apps will be fully deprecated in August 2021. Don't use this token type for new apps.
Legacy bot tokens requested an umbrella bot scope with many different permissions included within it.
We have now moved away from this umbrella permission model, and instead recommend you use newer, granular bot tokens. Newer platform features will no longer be supported with the legacy bot token.
Here is some information for those still using legacy bot tokens:
bot requested during the OAuth installation flow have no effect on the legacy bot token.auth.revoke does not uninstall the bot user. A new token may be obtained via OAuth or, for internal integrations, your app management console.The developer preview for workspace apps has ended. We're taking the components of workspace apps and breaking them apart: applying them in phases to existing as well as new apps. Read more about the motivation behind ending the preview.
For those who already have an existing app using a workspace token, here's a quick overview on how they work:
xoxa-2.xoxr.See working with workspace tokens and the Permissions API to learn more.
These tokens were associated with legacy custom integrations and early Slack integrations requiring an ambiguous "API token." They were generated using the legacy token generator and are no longer recommended for use. They take on the full operational scope of the user that created them.
If you're building a tool for your own team, we encourage creating an internal integration with only the scopes it needs to work.