PipedreamHQ/pipedream

[ACTION] Slack "list_replies" tool MCP needs to be improved

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#17939 opened on Aug 4, 2025

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 (2 comments) (0 reactions) (0 assignees)JavaScript (7,438 stars) (5,305 forks)batch import
actionenhancementgood first issuehelp wantedquestiontriaged

Description

Using my AI app to get Slack user's response always fails.

The tool list_replies requires a timestamp to fetch message responses, but this isn't possible (to determine the timestamp) when an external app connects via MCP. Therefore, we need a tool to retrieve replies from a specific Slack channel without relying on the timestamp or use additional code to parse the list within a loop.

Contributor guide

Tech stack
javascripttypescriptnodejsrest api
Domain
backendapideveloper experience
Issue type
feature
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-3 hours
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
fresh
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
mostly clear
Prerequisites
Slack API knowledgeMCP protocolPipedream component basics
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
50
Research direction
Investigate the Slack API documentation for the `replies` method to see if there is an alternative to fetching replies without a timestamp. Look into the existing `list replies` tool code in the Pipedream Slack component (likely in `components/slack/`). Check if there is a way to iterate over messages and fetch replies in batch. Propose a modification to the tool to allow fetching all replies or provide a separate tool. Also review any existing comments for additional context.