Slack Gif Creator

What This Skill Does

This skill provides a toolkit for creating animated GIFs optimized for Slack. It includes validators to ensure GIFs meet Slack's requirements, composable animation primitives, and helper utilities. It's designed for users who want to create custom GIFs for Slack messages and emojis.

When to Use

• Create animated GIFs for Slack messages.
• Create animated GIFs for Slack emojis.
• Validate GIFs meet Slack's size requirements.
• Compose animations with shake, bounce, and move.
• Add text, colors, and effects to GIFs.
• Optimize GIFs for size and performance.

Key Features

• Provides validators for Slack's GIF requirements.
• Offers composable animation primitives.
• Includes helper utilities for common needs.
• Supports GIF creation for both messages and emojis.
• Warns if file exceeds size limits.

## Slack's Requirements

Slack has specific requirements for GIFs based on their use:

Message GIFs: Max size: ~2MB Optimal dimensions: 480x480 Typical FPS: 15-20 Color limit: 128-256 Duration: 2-5s

Emoji GIFs: Max size: 64KB (strict limit) Optimal dimensions: 128x128 Typical FPS: 10-12 Color limit: 32-48 Duration: 1-2s

Emoji GIFs are challenging - the 64KB limit is strict. Strategies that help: Limit to 10-15 frames total Use 32-48 colors maximum Keep designs simple Avoid gradients Validate file size frequently

Toolkit Structure

This skill provides three types of tools:

Validators - Check if a GIF meets Slack's requirements Animation Primitives - Composable building blocks for motion (shake, bounce, move, kaleidoscope) Helper Utilities - Optional functions for common needs (text, colors, effects)

Complete creative freedom is available in how these tools are applied.

Core Validators

To ensure a GIF meets Slack's constraints, use these validators:

from core.gif_builder import GIFBuilder

After creating your GIF, check if it meets requirements builder = GIFBuilder(width=128, height=128, fps=10) ... add your frames however you want ...

Save and check size info = builder.save('emoji.gif', num_colors=48, optimize_for_emoji=True)

The save method automatically warns if file exceeds limits info dict contains: size_kb, size_mb, frame_count, duration_seconds

File size validator: from core.validators import check_slack_size

Check if GIF meets size limits passes, info = check_slack_size('emoji.gif', is_emoji=True) Returns: (True/False, dict with size details)

Dimension validator: from core.validators import validate_dimensions

Check dimensions passes, info = validate_dimensions(128, 128, is_emoji=True) Returns: (True/False, dict with dimension details)

Complete validation: from core.validators import validate_gif, is_slack_ready

Run all validations all_pass, results = validate_gif('emoji.gif', is_emoji=True)

Or quick check if is_slack_ready('emoji.gif', is_emoji=True): print("Ready to upload!")

Animation Primitives

These are composable building blocks for motion. Apply these to any object in any combination:

Shake

from templates.shake import create_shake_animation

Shake an emoji frames = create_shake_animation( object_type='emoji', object_data={'emoji': '😱', 'size': 80}, num_frames=20, shake_intensity=15, direction='both' # or 'horizontal', 'vertical' )

Bounce

from templates.bounce import create_bounce_animation

Bounce a circle frames = create_bounce_animation( object_type='circle', object_data={'radius': 40, 'color': (255, 100, 100)}, num_frames=30, bounce_height=150 )

Spin / Rotate

from templates.spin import create_spin_animation, create_loading_spinner

Clockwise spin frames = create_spin_animation( object_type='emoji', object_data={'emoji': '🔄', 'size': 100}, rotation_type='clockwise', full_rotations=2 )

Wobble rotation frames = create_spin_animation(rotation_type='wobble', full_rotations=3)

Loading spinner frames = create_loading_spinner(spinner_type='dots')

Pulse / Heartbeat

from templates.pulse import create_pulse_animation, create_attention_pulse

Smooth pulse frames = create_pulse_animation( object_data={'emoji': '❤️', 'size': 100}, pulse_type='smooth', scale_range=(0.8, 1.2) )

Heartbeat (double-pump) frames = create_pulse_animation(pulse_type='heartbeat')

Attention pulse for emoji GIFs frames = create_attention_pulse(emoji='⚠️', num_frames=20)

Fade

from templates.fade import create_fade_animation, create_crossfade

Fade in frames = create_fade_animation(fade_type='in')

Fade out frames = create_fade_animation(fade_type='out')

Crossfade between two emojis frames = create_crossfade( object1_data={'emoji': '😊', 'size': 100}, object2_data={'emoji': '😂', 'size': 100} )

Zoom

from templates.zoom import create_zoom_animation, create_explosion_zoom

Zoom in dramatically frames = create_zoom_animation( zoom_type='in', scale_range=(0.1, 2.0), add_motion_blur=True )

Zoom out frames = create_zoom_animation(zoom_type='out')

Explosion zoom frames = create_explosion_zoom(emoji='💥')

Explode / Shatter

from templates.explode import create_explode_animation, create_particle_burst

Burst explosion frames = create_explode_animation( explode_type='burst', num_pieces=25 )

Shatter effect frames = create_explode_animation(explode_type='shatter')

Dissolve into particles frames = create_explode_animation(explode_type='dissolve')

Particle burst frames = create_particle_burst(particle_count=30)

Wiggle / Jiggle

from templates.wiggle import create_wiggle_animation, create_excited_wiggle

Jello wobble frames = create_wiggle_animation( wiggle_type='jello', intensity=1.0, cycles=2 )

Wave motion frames = create_wiggle_animation(wiggle_type='wave')

Excited wiggle for emoji GIFs frames = create_excited_wiggle(emoji='🎉')

Slide

from templates.slide import create_slide_animation, create_multi_slide

Slide in from left with overshoot frames = create_slide_animation( direction='left', slide_type='in', overshoot=True )

Slide across frames = create_slide_animation(direction='left', slide_type='across')

Multiple objects sliding in sequence objects = [ {'data': {'emoji': '🎯', 'size': 60}, 'direction': 'left', 'final_pos': (120, 240)}, {'data': {'emoji': '🎪', 'size': 60}, 'direction': 'right', 'final_pos': (240, 240)} ] frames = create_multi_slide(objects, stagger_delay=5)

Flip

from templates.flip import create_flip_animation, create_quick_flip

Horizontal flip between two emojis frames = create_flip_animation( object1_data={'emoji': '😊', 'size': 120}, object2_data={'emoji': '😂', 'size': 120}, flip_axis='horizontal' )

Vertical flip frames = create_flip_animation(flip_axis='vertical')

Quick flip for emoji GIFs frames = create_quick_flip('👍', '👎')

Morph / Transform

from templates.morph import create_morph_animation, create_reaction_morph

Crossfade morph frames = create_morph_animation( object1_data={'emoji': '😊', 'size': 100}, object2_data={'emoji': '😂', 'size': 100}, morph_type='crossfade' )

Scale morph (shrink while other grows) frames = create_morph_animation(morph_type='scale')

Spin morph (3D flip-like) frames = create_morph_animation(morph_type='spin_morph')

Move Effect

from templates.move import create_move_animation

Linear movement frames = create_move_animation( object_type='emoji', object_data={'emoji': '🚀', 'size': 60}, start_pos=(50, 240), end_pos=(430, 240), motion_type='linear', easing='ease_out' )

Arc movement (parabolic trajectory) frames = create_move_animation( object_type='emoji', object_data={'emoji':