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Searches for messages matching a query.

An MCP tool from the Slack API server, hosted on mcp.hjlabs.in.

Searches for messages matching a query. [GET /search.messages]

Name on the gateway: slack_api__search_messages · read-only.

Parameters

Name	Type	Description
`token` required	`string`	Authentication token. Requires scope: search:read
`count`	`integer`	Pass the number of results you want per "page". Maximum of 100.
`highlight`	`boolean`	Pass a value of true to enable query highlight markers (see below).
`page`	`integer`	page parameter
`query` required	`string`	Search query.
`sort`	`string`	Return matches sorted by either score or timestamp.
`sort_dir`	`string`	Change sort direction to ascending (asc) or descending (desc).

Through the Smart Gateway, any client can run it by name with call_tool, or let the gateway find it with search_tools:

call_tool arguments

{
  "name": "slack_api__search_messages",
  "arguments": {
    "token": "…",
    "query": "…"
  }
}

Or connect the Slack API server directly, which lists 174 tools including this one:

Run in your terminal

claude mcp add --transport http hj-slack-api https://mcp.hjlabs.in/mcp/slack-api \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

Use the searches for messages matching a query. tool with token set to ….