Adding SlackTurnContext, SlackActivity, and other ease-of-use improvements to the Slack extension

[Rodrigo Brandão (rodrigobr-msft)]

This pull request introduces significant improvements to the Slack integration in the Microsoft Agents Hosting library. The changes modernize and clarify the route handler API, introduce Slack-specific context and activity types, and improve resource management patterns. Deprecated APIs are now clearly marked, and new tests ensure the updated behavior.

API Modernization and Slack Context Enhancements:

• Introduced SlackTurnContext and SlackActivity classes to provide Slack-specific accessors and context for route handlers, ensuring handlers receive typed objects with Slack extensions. (microsoft_agents/hosting/slack/slack_turn_context.py [1] microsoft_agents/hosting/slack/slack_activity.py [2]
• Updated the public API to use message() and event() methods for registering Slack route handlers, replacing the older on_message() and on_event() methods, which are now deprecated but still available for backward compatibility. (microsoft_agents/hosting/slack/slack_agent_extension.py [1] [2] [3] [4]
• Added a new protocol, SlackRouteHandler, and a helper function, wrap_slack_route_handler, to ensure Slack-specific context is passed to route handlers, while maintaining compatibility with the core routing engine. (microsoft_agents/hosting/slack/route_handlers.py libraries/microsoft-agents-hosting-slack/microsoft_agents/hosting/slack/route_handlers.pyR1-R49)

Resource Management and Initialization:

• Registered a before_turn hook in SlackAgentExtension to bind a per-turn SlackApi instance, improving resource management and aligning with future managed-resource patterns. (microsoft_agents/hosting/slack/slack_agent_extension.py libraries/microsoft-agents-hosting-slack/microsoft_agents/hosting/slack/slack_agent_extension.pyR81-R95)
• Added a TODO in SlackApi about improving the lifecycle management of aiohttp.ClientSession for future refactoring. (microsoft_agents/hosting/slack/api/slack_api.py libraries/microsoft-agents-hosting-slack/microsoft_agents/hosting/slack/api/slack_api.pyR98-R103)

Type and Import Cleanups:

• Updated type signatures and imports for clarity and future compatibility, including use of typing_extensions.deprecated and improved type annotations in slack_model.py. (microsoft_agents/hosting/slack/slack_agent_extension.py [1] microsoft_agents/hosting/slack/api/slack_model.py [2] [3]
• Exposed new public symbols in the Slack module's __init__.py. (microsoft_agents/hosting/slack/__init__.py [1] [2]

Testing Improvements:

• Updated and expanded tests to cover the new message() and event() APIs, renamed test classes for clarity, and added tests to verify deprecation warnings and delegation of deprecated methods. (tests/hosting_slack/test_slack_agent_extension.py [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

These changes collectively make the Slack integration more robust, extensible, and easier to use for developers building Slack-enabled agents.

[Copilot]

🟡 Changes recommended

The context wrapper can lose buffered expect-replies responses, and the new wrapper behavior needs direct testing.

4 open findings

• Share buffered reply activities with copied turn context · New
• Return an optional value when the requested path is absent · New
• Add tests invoking the wrapped Slack route handler · New
• Update usage guide for SlackTurnContext and message() · New

What changed in this PR

Modernizes Slack route handling with typed Slack contexts, activities, and API registration.

Changes:

• Adds SlackTurnContext, SlackActivity, and typed route wrappers.
• Introduces message()/event() while deprecating legacy aliases.
• Expands API typing and route-registration tests.

File	Description
slack_turn_context.py	Adds Slack-specific context and client access.
slack_activity.py	Adds typed Slack channel-data access.
route_handlers.py	Wraps Slack route handlers with typed contexts.
slack_agent_extension.py	Modernizes routes and binds SlackApi.
api/​slack_model.py	Refines get() typing.
api/​slack_api.py	Documents session lifecycle limitations.
__init__.py	Exports new public types.
test_slack_agent_extension.py	Tests modern and deprecated route APIs.

🧠 Review effort: Balanced

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[Copilot]

🟢 Approval recommended

The implementation is consistent with existing extension patterns and is adequately tested and documented.

2 open findings

• Add tests invoking the wrapped Slack route handler
• Update usage guide for SlackTurnContext and message()

2 resolved since last review

• Share buffered reply activities with copied turn context
• Return an optional value when the requested path is absent

🧠 Review effort: Balanced

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[Copilot]

🟢 Approval recommended

The implementation is internally consistent, backward compatible, and covered by focused tests.

0 open findings

2 resolved since last review

• Add tests invoking the wrapped Slack route handler
• Update usage guide for SlackTurnContext and message()

🧠 Review effort: Balanced

[Copilot]

🟡 Changes recommended

Eager aiohttp session construction breaks synchronous initialization, and two unused imports fail Flake8.

3 open findings

• Create ClientSession lazily within an async context · New
• Remove unused TYPE_CHECKING import · New
• Remove unused ClientSession import · New

🧠 Review effort: Balanced

[Copilot]

🟡 Changes recommended

The internally created reusable aiohttp session lacks lifecycle cleanup and can remain open at application shutdown.

1 open finding

• Close cached Slack API client session during application shutdown · New

3 resolved since last review

• Create ClientSession lazily within an async context
• Remove unused ClientSession import
• Remove unused TYPE_CHECKING import

🧠 Review effort: Balanced