AI features

Fern Slack app

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The Fern Slack App enables you to propose changes to your documentation directly from Slack. Simply describe the change you want to make, and the agent will create a pull request with the proposed updates.

The agent is trained on Fern components, your Vale style guide (if configured), and will respond to comments left on the open pull request, including feedback from automated review tools.

How it works

When you request a documentation change in Slack, the Fern Slack App:

  1. Analyzes your request - Understands the change you want to make and identifies which documentation pages need to be updated
  2. Generates the changes - Creates or modifies documentation content using Fern components and following your style guide
  3. Creates a pull request - Opens a PR in your documentation repository with the proposed changes
  4. Responds to feedback - Monitors the PR for comments and can iterate on the changes based on your feedback or automated review tool suggestions

Setup

The Fern Slack App is not yet generally available. Interested in early access? Reach out via Slack or support@buildwithfern.com.

Once you have access, you can install the Fern Slack App in your workspace and start requesting documentation changes directly from Slack channels.

Making documentation changes

To request a documentation change, mention the Fern Slack App in your Slack channel and describe the change you want to make.

Example requests:

  • “Add a new section explaining how to configure webhooks”
  • “Update the authentication guide to include OAuth 2.0 examples”
  • “Create a troubleshooting page for common API errors”
  • “Fix the code examples in the quickstart guide to use the latest SDK version”

The agent will process your request and create a pull request with the proposed changes. You’ll receive a link to the PR where you can review the changes, leave comments, and request iterations.

Agent capabilities

The Fern Slack App understands:

  • Fern components - Uses components like <CodeBlock>, <Callout>, <Accordion>, <Steps>, and other Fern documentation components appropriately
  • Your style guide - Follows your Vale configuration and style rules to maintain consistency
  • Documentation structure - Navigates your existing documentation to find the right place for new content or updates
  • PR feedback - Reads and responds to comments on pull requests, including suggestions from automated review tools

Iterating on changes

After the agent creates a pull request, you can:

  1. Review the changes - Check the PR to see the proposed documentation updates
  2. Leave comments - Add feedback directly on the PR, either as general comments or inline suggestions
  3. Request iterations - Ask the agent to make adjustments by commenting on the PR or in the Slack thread
  4. Merge when ready - Once you’re satisfied with the changes, merge the PR to publish the updates

The agent will monitor the pull request and respond to any comments, making it easy to collaborate on documentation changes without leaving Slack.