# Text object Defines text for blocks and elements, either as plain text or formatted with `mrkdwn`. | | | |---|---| | **Used in** | [Alert block](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/blocks/alert-block), [Card block](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/blocks/card-block), [Container block](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/blocks/container-block), [Context block](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/blocks/context-block), [Header block](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/blocks/header-block), [Image block](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/blocks/image-block), [Input block](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/blocks/input-block), [Section block](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/blocks/section-block), [Video block](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/blocks/video-block), [Button element](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/elements/button-element), [Checkboxes element](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/elements/checkboxes-element), [Date picker element](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/elements/date-picker-element), [Datetime picker element](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/elements/datetime-picker-element), [Email input element](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/elements/email-input-element), [Feedback buttons element](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/elements/feedback-buttons-element), [Icon button element](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/elements/icon-button-element), [Multi-select menu element](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/elements/multi-select-menu-element), [Number input element](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/elements/number-input-element), [Overflow menu element](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/elements/overflow-menu-element), [Plain-text input element](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/elements/plain-text-input-element), [Radio button group element](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/elements/radio-button-group-element), [Rich text input element](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/elements/rich-text-input-element), [Select menu element](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/elements/select-menu-element), [Time picker element](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/elements/time-picker-element), [URL input element](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/elements/url-input-element), [Workflow button element](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/elements/workflow-button-element) | ## Usage Each block or element sets its own length limit and says whether it accepts `mrkdwn` (a header, for example, only takes `plain_text`). `mrkdwn` supports: - `*bold*`, `_italic_`, `~strike~`, `` `inline code` `` and ```` ```code blocks``` ```` - `>` at the start of a line for a block quote, and `\n` for a line break - links: `` and `` - mentions: `<@USER_ID>`, `<#CHANNEL_ID>`, ``, and ``, ``, `` - dates: ``, shown in the reader's language and timezone - emoji shortcodes such as `:white_check_mark:` Write a literal `&`, `<` or `>` as `&`, `<` and `>`. Date tokens: `{date_num}` (2026-10-12), `{date}` (October 12, 2026), `{date_short}` (Oct 12, 2026), `{date_long}` (Monday, October 12, 2026), `{date_pretty}`, `{date_short_pretty}` and `{date_long_pretty}` (the same, or today / yesterday / tomorrow), `{day_divider_pretty}`, `{time}`, `{time_secs}` and `{ago}` (3 minutes ago). ## Fields | Field | Type | Description | Required? | |---|---|---|---| | `type` | String | The formatting to use for this text object. Can be one of `plain_text` or `mrkdwn`. | Required | | `text` | String | The text. Accepts `mrkdwn` formatting when `type` is `mrkdwn`. The minimum length is 1 and the maximum length is 3000 characters; the block or element holding it may set a lower limit. | Required | | `emoji` | Boolean | Whether emoji shortcodes such as `:tada:` are shown as emoji. Defaults to `true`. Only usable when `type` is `plain_text`. | Optional | | `verbatim` | Boolean | When `false` (the default on Slack), URLs, conversation names and certain mentions are parsed automatically. When `true`, only explicit `mrkdwn` syntax is processed. Only usable when `type` is `mrkdwn`. | Optional | > **How Repzo Chat differs from Slack** > > - Repzo never parses plain text automatically — bare URLs, `#channel` names and `@names` stay as typed, as if `verbatim` were always `true`. Write ``, `<#CHANNEL_ID>` and `<@USER_ID>` to link them. `verbatim` is accepted and changes nothing. > - User, channel and department ids are Repzo ids. Names are looked up when the message is posted. A private channel shows as `#channel`, so its name never reaches readers outside it; an id Repzo doesn't know shows the label after `|`, or `user` / `channel` / `team`. > - `` (Slack's user groups) mentions a Repzo **department** and shows its name. > - Dates always include the year, day numbers have no ordinal suffix (`October 12, 2026`), and the optional link part of `` is ignored. `{date_slash}` and `{date_long_full}` aren't supported and stay as written, like any unknown token. > - Newer blocks (`card`, `alert`, `container`, `video`, …) also accept a plain string where a text object goes. ## Examples ### Plain text and mrkdwn ```json { "blocks": [ { "type": "header", "text": { "type": "plain_text", "text": "Deal won :tada:", "emoji": true } }, { "type": "section", "text": { "type": "mrkdwn", "text": "*Cedar Retail Group* signed the 3-year CRM contract.\nOwner: <@3f6c2a1e-8b4d-4c7a-9e21-5d0b7f9a1c34|Account owner> · \nSigned " } } ] } ``` ### Quotes, code and mentions ```json { "blocks": [ { "type": "section", "text": { "type": "mrkdwn", "text": " please review the escalation in <#a7d41c90-2e5b-4f83-b6c1-0e9f2d84a517|support-escalations>.\n>The customer reports error `E-401` when syncing invoices.\n~Waiting on engineering~ Fix deployed _this morning_." } } ] } ``` ## Related - [Composition objects](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit/objects) - [Block Kit overview](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/developers/block-kit)