Slack alternatives that work with Claude Code and Codex
What to look for when you want AI coding agents to read and act in your team chat, and which kinds of tool support it.
The short answer
Agents need three things from team chat: a way to read channels and search history, a way to act such as posting or creating tasks, and controls over what each agent can see. The standard way to offer this is an MCP server. Support differs a lot between products, so check each vendor's current docs.
Dock includes an MCP server and works with Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Windsurf and Gemini CLI.
What to check
MCP or API access
Can an outside agent connect with a token?
Read and write tools
Messages, search, docs and tasks, not only posting.
Limits
Per-agent access, so an unattended agent sees only what you grant.
Where data goes
Anything an agent reads is sent to its model provider.
Routes at a glance
| Route | Good at | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Hosted chat plus bots | Large app marketplaces | Per-seat pricing; agent access depends on the vendor |
| Self-hosted open-source chat | Control of your data | Agent support varies by project |
| Dock | MCP server, Claude and Codex in chat, Notion and GitHub context | Younger product; smaller integration list |
Set it up in Dock
Create a token
Open Integrations › API & MCP and create a personal access token.
Add the server
Copy the setup line for your agent from the page.
Try a prompt
"Read #engineering since yesterday and list decisions."
What makes Dock different: it connects to your tools
Dock connects the places your team already works. Notion: connect your Notion pages, then type @notionpage_ in any chat to tag a page; everyone gets a preview card and your AI agents can read it. GitHub: link GitHub read-only, pin repositories to a chat, tag them with @github_ and ask the AI about them. Claude and Codex: use your own Claude or Codex plan inside Dock chats, or connect any MCP agent to your workspace with a token.
All of this sits next to chat, video meetings (with recording, transcripts and AI summaries), docs, tables, calendar, tasks and a drive, in a self-hosted app with no per-seat licence. You run the server yourself, and some integrations are young, so check the setup guides for what each one covers.
Questions
Which team chat works best with Claude Code?
Look for an MCP server and read and write tools. Dock provides both; see the setup guide.
Can an agent create tasks?
In Dock, yes, for task lists the token can reach.
Is it safe?
As safe as the access you give it. Use a bot account with narrow access for anything unattended.