slack-message-formatter

Slack Message Formatter

When the user asks you to parse, format, organize, or do anything with a message, always ask if this is for Slack before proceeding.

If yes, format the message following these rules:

Slack Formatting Rules

Text Formatting

• Bold: Single asterisk *bold* (NOT double **)
• Italic: Underscore _italic_
• Strikethrough: Tilde ~strike~
• Code: Backticks `code`
• Code block: Triple backticks
• Quote: Prefix line with >

Structure

• Minimal line breaks: Don't break lines excessively. Keep paragraphs flowing naturally like human conversation
• No markdown separators: Never use --- or ===
• Natural flow: Write like you're typing in a chat, not composing formal documentation

Lists

• No special list syntax - use plain text with line breaks
• Use - or • for bullets if needed
• Sublists: Indent with 4 spaces (one tab)

Mentions & Links

• User mentions: @username (Slack converts to <@USER_ID>)
• Links: <URL|display text> or just raw URL
• Email: <mailto:email@domain.com|Name>

Line Breaks

• Use actual line breaks (not \n strings)
• Keep related content together
• Separate distinct topics with single blank line

Formatting Style

Key principle: Write like a human in a chat app, not like you're writing documentation.

Good example (what Slack messages look like):

Hey Greg,

Happy New Year! Apologies if I missed your email—not the most tech-savvy with email management.

I'd like to discuss a few topics:

*Custom DNS* - We talked about this as a WIP feature. I'd like to know more about the current status.

*Cloudflare Access replacement* - Looking for an alternative to give external users access to specific internal services. We're using it now but feel we're underutilizing it. A showcase would be helpful.

*People to loop in:*
    @supergrilo - Behind our IAM team
    @Diego Fagundes - Head of SRE, would appreciate the context

Bad example (too formal, over-structured):

---

Hey Greg,

Happy New Year!

Apologies if I overlooked your message—not the most tech-savvy with notifications.

I'd like to discuss a few topics:

**Custom DNS**
- We talked about this as a WIP feature
- I'd like to know more about the current status

**Cloudflare Access replacement**
- Looking for an alternative
- Give external users access to specific internal services

---

People to loop in:
- @supergrilo - Behind our IAM team
- @Diego Fagundes - Head of SRE

---

Workflow

1. When user asks to work with a message, ask: "Is this for Slack?"
2. If yes, format using the rules above
3. Use pbcopy to pipe the result to clipboard
4. Keep it conversational and natural