Slack, Linear, iMessage and SMS

Channels let you work with Estelle where a conversation is already happening. Use Slack or Linear for cited answers in a team thread, iMessage for questions and session status from your phone, and Slack direct messages or SMS to set up Automations.

Ordinary questions do not change your repositories. Explicit work requests are different: Slack can deliver a code change as a pull request after GitHub is connected, and iMessage can queue a job when you use its explicit work: or do: prefix. By default, you review the result before merging.

#Slack

Use Slack when a question belongs in a team discussion, when automation results should arrive in a channel, or when you want to turn an explicit engineering request into a reviewable change.

#Connect and ask in a channel

1. Connect the Slack app

   Open Settings → Apps, find Slack, and choose Connect. Approve the installation in Slack.

2. Invite Estelle

   In each channel where you want to use it, send:

   text

   /invite @Estelle

3. Set channel access

   Back in Settings → Apps, open Channel access and choose None, Read, or Read & post for each channel. Channels you have not configured are None. Only a workspace admin can change these choices, and the Slack app's own permissions and channel membership still apply.

4. Ask in a thread

   Mention @Estelle with your question. Estelle answers in that thread and includes source citations when the answer makes grounded code claims. If the channel is not connected to your Estelle account yet, follow the connection instructions in its reply.

A repository-bound channel answers code questions from that repository. In an externally shared channel, Estelle restricts access to the installer's other repositories and private sessions; do not treat it as a private workspace conversation.

#Choose what else Slack can do

• Automation summaries: under Automation summaries go to, select a channel set to Read & post, or choose Off. If the selected channel later loses that access, the page marks it as no longer eligible.
• Automation setup: under Automate from Slack, choose Link your Slack user. Send the displayed one-time link <code> message from that same Slack user. After linking, a direct message to Estelle can draft and manage an Automation; the direct message does not need a channel binding.
• Code changes: make an explicit request such as asking Estelle to fix a specific file. GitHub must be connected. Estelle replies with the outcome and, when a change is produced, a pull request to review. A normal question is not treated as a code-change request.

To disconnect Slack, remove the Estelle app from the Slack workspace.

#Linear

Use Linear when the issue provides the context for your question or when an issue event should start an Automation.

1. Connect Linear

   Open Settings → Apps, find Linear, choose Connect, and approve access on Linear's screen.

2. Mention Estelle on an issue

   Add a comment such as:

   text

   @estelle which files does this issue touch?

   Estelle replies on the issue. It reads the issue title and description as context for the question.

Only active, non-guest members of the Linear workspace receive a conversational reply. Guests and apps that mention Estelle do not. Linear events can also start Automations; configure those in Automations.

#iMessage

Use iMessage for a private, one-to-one conversation with Estelle. Fate Labs enables each sender individually; contact us to add yours. Estelle stays silent to unknown senders and in group chats.

Open Settings → Profile to see the iMessage connection state. It becomes Connected after your phone texts Estelle and shows the sender's last four digits and latest activity where available.

Most messages are questions, even when they look like instructions. These exact commands have special meanings:

Send a command on its own. If a work: line is mixed into a burst of other messages, it is treated as conversation rather than as authorization to start a job.

#SMS

SMS is a separate channel for linking a phone and setting up Automations. It is not the same connection as iMessage, and you can use either or both.

1. Issue a link code

   Open Settings → Profile and choose Link a number beside SMS.

2. Prove the sender

   From the phone you want to link, send the displayed message:

   text

   link <code>

   The code is shown once and expires. The linked phone then appears masked in your profile. To unlink it, provide the full phone number again so Estelle can identify the masked entry.

3. Describe the Automation

   Text Estelle the schedule or event and the work you want. Review the proposed Automation before it is created. Creating Automations requires permission to manage the team.

#Limits

• Channel answers and jobs can use Estelle Credits. A queued job is not a completed change.
• A chat mention does not merge or deploy code. Review pull requests in GitHub.
• Linear replies depend on the comment author's active workspace membership.
• iMessage works only in direct chats with enabled senders; SMS and iMessage have independent setup and state.

#Related