Slack → Rocket.Chat

Before You Start

What you'll need:

• A Rocket.Chat instance (self-hosted or cloud)
• Slack workspace admin access
• 2-4 hours depending on workspace size

What transfers well:

• Public and private channels
• Direct messages
• Users and roles
• File attachments

What doesn't transfer:

• Slack apps and integrations (need reconfiguration)
• Slack workflows
• Custom emoji (need manual re-upload)
• Thread history in some edge cases

Step 1: Set Up Rocket.Chat

Self-hosted (recommended for full control):

# Docker (easiest)
docker compose up -d

# Or install directly
curl -L https://install.rocket.chat -o setup.sh
bash setup.sh

Cloud-hosted: Sign up at rocket.chat/cloud for managed hosting starting at $2/user/month.

Complete the initial setup wizard: create admin account, set organization name, configure basic settings.

Step 2: Export Data from Slack

1. Go to Slack Workspace Settings → Import/Export Data
2. Click Export and select the date range
3. Slack will email you a download link when the export is ready
4. Download the .zip file containing:
   • channels.json — channel list and metadata
   • users.json — user profiles
   • *.json files per channel — message history
   • File attachments

Note: Slack's standard export only includes public channels. For private channels and DMs, you need Slack's Corporate export (requires Business+ or Enterprise Grid plan).

Step 3: Import into Rocket.Chat

1. In Rocket.Chat, go to Administration → Import
2. Select Slack as the import source
3. Upload your Slack export .zip file
4. Rocket.Chat will parse the data and show a preview:
   • Channels to import
   • Users to create
   • Messages count
5. Map Slack users to Rocket.Chat users (or create new ones)
6. Click Start Import

The import runs in the background. Large workspaces (10,000+ messages) may take 30-60 minutes.

Step 4: Verify Channel Structure

After import, check that:

• All channels appear with correct names
• Channel topics and descriptions are preserved
• Pinned messages are intact
• File attachments are accessible

If channels are missing, check the import logs under Administration → Import → History.

Step 5: Reconfigure Integrations

Slack integrations don't transfer. Set up equivalents in Rocket.Chat:

To set up webhooks: Administration → Integrations → New Integration

Step 6: Configure Notifications

Rocket.Chat supports multiple notification channels:

• Desktop browser notifications
• Mobile push (iOS/Android apps)
• Email notifications
• SMS (via Twilio integration)

Configure under Administration → Push and Email settings.

Step 7: Invite Your Team

1. Go to Administration → Users → Invite
2. Enter email addresses or share the invite link
3. Users can download Rocket.Chat desktop/mobile apps:
   • Desktop: rocket.chat/download
   • iOS/Android: Search "Rocket.Chat" in app stores

Step 8: Decommission Slack

After confirming everything works:

1. Post a final message in Slack directing team to Rocket.Chat
2. Set Slack channel topics to reference Rocket.Chat
3. After 30 days, cancel your Slack subscription

Common Issues

Q: The import is taking forever. A: Large Slack workspaces can take hours. Check the import progress under Administration → Import. If it stalls, try breaking the export into smaller date ranges.

Q: Private channel messages aren't imported. A: Slack's standard export only includes public channels. You need a Business+ or Enterprise Grid plan for full export. Alternatively, use Slack's API to export private channel data programmatically.

Q: File attachments aren't loading. A: Check that your Rocket.Chat instance has sufficient storage. File paths in the import may need adjustment if your Slack workspace used custom file storage.

Summary

Migrating from Slack to Rocket.Chat takes 2-4 hours. The built-in Slack importer handles channels, messages, and users. The main limitation is private channel export (requires Slack Business+ plan). Once migrated, you get full data ownership, unlimited message history, and no per-user pricing.

Total estimated time: 2-4 hours Difficulty: Hard Cost: Free (self-hosted) or $2/user/month (cloud)