Installation & prerequisites
Setting up SlackVault means connecting three things: a Slack app (so SlackVault can read your workspace), a Firebase project (where your data is stored), and the browser extension (which does the syncing). This page is the orientation; each step has its own detailed guide.
Prerequisites
| Requirement | Why |
|---|---|
| A Slack workspace with admin or owner access | You need permission to install an app into the workspace. |
| A Firebase account (free tier is enough) | Your backup is stored in your own Firestore database. |
| A Chromium browser (Chrome or Edge) | The SlackVault extension runs here. Edge installs Chrome extensions directly from the Chrome Web Store. |
| ~5 minutes | Estimated first-time setup. |
The setup path
There are four steps, in order. Each links to its full guide:
- Create your Slack app — create an app from the provided manifest so SlackVault can read your workspace. The manifest pre-configures all the read-only OAuth scopes, so there's no manual permission wiring.
- Configure Firebase — create a Firebase project, enable Firestore, and copy your config. All your data stays in your own Firebase.
- Install the browser extension — add SlackVault to your browser. It works locally; no external servers handle your data.
- Connect everything — paste your Firebase config into the extension, click Connect to Slack to run OAuth, authorize, and start your first sync.
tip
Your credentials (Firebase config + Slack OAuth token) are stored locally in your browser's extension storage. They never leave your machine for a SlackVault server.
Where things are stored
- Messages, channels, users, file metadata → your Firebase Firestore database.
- File attachments → FilesHub (a free file-storage service). You can also configure the extension to skip file downloads.
- Your Slack OAuth token → your browser's encrypted extension storage.
Common first-setup issues
| Symptom | Fix |
|---|---|
invalid_client_id during OAuth | Re-copy the Client ID from the Slack app's Basic Information page (not the App ID). |
| Firebase "permission denied" on first sync | Firestore security rules are blocking writes. See Firebase setup → security rules. |
| Extension icon is grayed out | The extension isn't configured yet — open it and enter your Firebase config + connect to Slack. |
| Sync stuck at 0% | Usually a network or permission issue — check the browser console and confirm your Slack token hasn't expired. |
Ready? Continue to the Quick Start for the condensed 5-minute path.