TrailblazerDX has good news in store for Slack Developers, with significant movement on some persistent requests from the community, including a safe space to test.
True to its mission to streamline productivity and collaboration, Slack is building an environment where developers can learn and grow. So, is this a case of home, sweet home? Let’s take a look at what’s new.
Happy New Home
That’s right, Slack Developers, it sounds like your requests for a proper testing space have been heard. A free developer portal – complete with a suite of handy tools for building Slack apps – is now available and promises “a better way to build”.
Keen to look around? Simply sign up with your work email address and away you go.
Get Stuck into a Sandbox
Slack is getting the sandbox treatment to help you safely create, test, deploy, and manage your Slack apps. With up to 10 sandboxes at your fingertips, you can build full Enterprise Grid instances and deploy apps to your heart’s content across every product tier and paid feature. Go forth and build without accidentally damaging your production workspace!
You Beta Believe It
As you’d expect, the new Developer Program will give you access to beta features – allowing you plenty of practice time before the next release goes public. Headstart activated!
Connect and Collaborate
If you want to hear all about the latest new features, expert-led recommendations, and best practices, you may be interested in what’s being described as the “backstage pass”. This dedicated newsletter will keep you updated on what’s happening in the world of Slack, and you’ll even be able to sign up to attend community events – both virtual and in person.
Custom Functions
We have more new functionality here (although still in beta) with the introduction of Bolt for Python and Bolt for JavaScript. Developers can now create new Bolt apps “that allow for the creation of custom functions that can be deployed anywhere a Bolt app can”. Full release is expected later this spring, so keep your eyes peeled.
Improving Integrations
Whether you’re automating testing or deploying apps, you can also look forward to more comprehensive guidance and support when it comes to integrating Slack CLI into your CI/CD pipeline or building CLI into your DevOps pipeline.
Final Thoughts
It seems like Slack Developers have a lot to look forward to in the coming months, with dedicated space and resources in place to make building and testing easier than ever. Did we mention that it’s free?
Following years of uncertainty and upheaval at Slack HQ and the introduction of a new Chief Engineering Officer in Salesforce veteran Parker Harris, is the future finally looking rosy?