# Slack Marketplace submission and review

*Slack Developer Study Guide · Distribute Your App · Last updated October 21, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/slack-developer/distribute-your-app/slack-marketplace-submission-and-review*

How an app gets into the Slack Marketplace (the exam's Slack Directory): the 10-active-workspace prerequisite, what to hand reviewers, the preliminary and functional review stages, listing assets and pages, scope rules, and how to change a published app without breaking installs.

- Certification: Salesforce Slack Developer
- Exam section: Distribute Your App
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/slack-developer

**Official exam objective:**

> Explain the best practices, expectations, and process to submit an app to the Slack Directory.

## What the exam expects

- State the prerequisites for submitting: a distributed, fully tested app on 10 or more active workspaces, using HTTP rather than Socket Mode.
- Prepare what reviewers need: test credentials with dummy data and a video demo, never access to your own Slack workspace.
- Describe the review stages (automated checks, preliminary, functional) and their published timelines.
- Meet the listing expectations: short description, images, landing page, support page and privacy policy.
- Change a published app safely: staging copy from the published manifest, resubmission before new scopes go into the install link, and the `unapproved_scope` error.

Key terms: **Slack Marketplace** (the current name of the Slack App Directory, called the Slack Directory in the exam guide); **active workspace** (one used in the past 28 days); **preliminary review** (checks listing, links, scope reasons and install access); **functional review** (a reviewer installs and tests the app); **staging app** (a distributable copy of the published app used to test changes).

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Install prerequisite | 10 or more active workspaces; active means used in the past 28 days | [Slack Marketplace review process](https://docs.slack.dev/slack-marketplace/slack-marketplace-review-guide) |
| Preliminary review | Feedback in up to 10 business days; queue place resets on resubmission | [Slack Marketplace review process](https://docs.slack.dev/slack-marketplace/slack-marketplace-review-guide) |
| Functional review | Up to 10 weeks for new submissions, 6 weeks for published-app changes | [Slack Marketplace review process](https://docs.slack.dev/slack-marketplace/slack-marketplace-review-guide) |
| Reviewer access | No Slack workspace access; test accounts with dummy data | [Slack Marketplace review process](https://docs.slack.dev/slack-marketplace/slack-marketplace-review-guide) |
| Socket Mode | Not currently allowed in the public Slack Marketplace | [Using Socket Mode](https://docs.slack.dev/apis/events-api/using-socket-mode) |
| Listing images | 1600 x 1000 px, 8:5, .jpg/.jpeg/.png, under 2 MB | [Submission guidelines](https://docs.slack.dev/slack-marketplace/slack-marketplace-app-guidelines-and-requirements/) |
| Short description | 10 words or fewer, no message formatting | [Submission guidelines](https://docs.slack.dev/slack-marketplace/slack-marketplace-app-guidelines-and-requirements/) |
| Support response | Within 2 business days | [Submission guidelines](https://docs.slack.dev/slack-marketplace/slack-marketplace-app-guidelines-and-requirements/) |
| Published app | Live version locked; staging app from the published manifest | [Slack Marketplace review process](https://docs.slack.dev/slack-marketplace/slack-marketplace-review-guide) |
| `unapproved_scope` | Install requests scopes not yet approved for a published app | [Installing with OAuth](https://docs.slack.dev/authentication/installing-with-oauth/) |

## Check yourself

- Why are reviewers given a way to install the app rather than your workspace login?
- When does your queue place reset during review?
- What size and format must listing images use?
- Why should OAuth URLs gain new scopes only after approval?

## Sources

- [Slack Marketplace review process](https://docs.slack.dev/slack-marketplace/slack-marketplace-review-guide)
- [Submission guidelines and requirements](https://docs.slack.dev/slack-marketplace/slack-marketplace-app-guidelines-and-requirements/)
- [Installing via OAuth authorization code flow](https://docs.slack.dev/authentication/installing-with-oauth/)
- [App lifecycle & distribution](https://docs.slack.dev/app-management/distribution/)
- [Using Socket Mode](https://docs.slack.dev/apis/events-api/using-socket-mode)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 5 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Slack Developer pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams