slack-gif-creator helps make short, readable animated GIFs. It supplies frame assembly, easing, and validation utilities; artwork can be drawn in code or derived from an image you provide. Decide whether the result is a custom emoji or a larger message GIF. Small emoji need simpler shapes and motion than a detailed image merely scaled down.
Install and invoke
Send these two commands in the Claude Code chat input, one at a time. They are plugin commands, not shell commands for your operating system. The second installs the official collection containing slack-gif-creator.
/plugin marketplace add anthropics/skills
/plugin install example-skills@anthropic-agent-skills
In your project conversation, ask Claude to “use slack-gif-creator” and supply the task or files. The prompt below is an editable starting example. Installing the collection supplies instructions and resources; it does not supply your source material or guarantee that every runtime dependency is installed locally. If the skill is missing, check that its plugin is installed, enabled, and loaded in the current session. Do that before troubleshooting the requested output.
Begin with one action
Use slack-gif-creator to make a task-complete rocket emoji.
Use a 128×128 canvas and an approximately two-second loop.
The rocket should rise gently and return to its starting position.
Start with 12fps and a limited palette. Save done-rocket.gif.
Check the loop, dimensions, and file size. Show a preview without uploading to Slack.
This is an editable starter prompt, not a bundled rocket asset. The guide recommends 128×128 for emoji and 480×480 for message GIFs, alongside frame-rate, palette, and duration guidance. Start with a simple scene and add detail after viewing it instead of requesting several narrative sequences at once.
Animation consists of image frames whose position, size, or opacity changes over time. Easing can make starts and stops feel smoother, while GIFBuilder assembles and saves the result. When providing an image, say whether it should be animated directly or used only as visual inspiration.
Inspect the small view and the loop boundary
Preview near the actual display size to check readability. Then compare the first and last frames for an abrupt jump. Thin outlines, crowded edges, and long text often fail when reduced. Avoid relying on system emoji fonts for artwork, since platforms can substitute glyphs; drawn shapes or supplied images offer more control.
If size reduction is necessary, specify the target and consider lower frame rates, shorter duration, fewer palette colors, or duplicate-frame removal. Each changes the appearance, so inspect the compressed GIF again. Limited palettes can create bands in gradients, while low frame rates can make fast motion look jerky.
The bundled validate_gif and is_slack_ready helpers provide checks, but the destination workspace and client still determine what can be uploaded. Keep the GIF, generating script, and important parameters together for future changes. Once the final preview suits the intended use, continue with your own upload workflow. Producing the file does not automatically create a custom emoji in Slack.
Make the meaning readable immediately
If the animation means “task done,” viewers should recognize the subject at the start; motion can then add emotion. Try a preview at the size of a real Slack message alongside text and other emoji. A three-part story may work as a large message GIF but not as a tiny custom emoji. For transparent exports, inspect the edge against both light and dark backgrounds; halos or jagged semitransparent pixels may appear in only one theme.
File size needs its own check
A user created a 128×128 GIF with 400 frames. The validator reported “Slack Ready” even though the file was nearly 7 MB, and a smaller 1.3 MB version also failed to upload. Do not treat validate_gif as proof of uploadability. Inspect the byte size, reduce frames, palette, or duration for the target workspace, and finally try the actual upload in a test channel.