What Are EmojiEmoji
A Japanese word (็ตตๆๅญ) meaning 'picture character' โ small graphical symbols used in digital communication to express ideas, emotions, and objects. Shortcodes?
Emoji shortcodes are plain-text aliases that apps convert into emoji characters. Instead of copying from a picker, you type a short keyword wrapped in colons โ :thumbsup: becomes ๐, :fire: becomes ๐ฅ, :rocket: becomes ๐.
The colon-wrapped format was popularized by Slack, but today it is used across Discord, GitHub, Notion, Linear, and many static site generators. Shortcodes let you keep your hands on the keyboard and communicate visually without interrupting your flow.
Shortcodes are not part of the Unicode standardUnicode Standard
The complete character encoding system maintained by the Unicode Consortium, defining characters, properties, algorithms, and encoding forms.. UnicodeUnicode
Universal character encoding standard that assigns a unique number to every character across all writing systems and symbol sets, including emoji. defines codepoints and official names โ for example, U+1F44D "THUMBS UP SIGN". Shortcodes are a layer added independently by each platform, which is why the same emoji can have different shortcodes depending on where you are typing.
How the Shortcode Finder Works
The Shortcode Finder lets you look up any emoji and see its shortcode across major platforms at once. Search by emoji character, keyword, or Unicode name. For each result, the tool displays Slack, Discord, GitHub, and CLDR shortcodes side by side.
If a platform does not have a shortcode for a given emoji โ which happens more often than expected โ the field is marked unavailable rather than left blank. The tool covers the full Unicode 15 emoji set, including newer additions that some platforms have not yet assigned shortcodes for.
Supported Platforms
Slack Shortcodes
Slack shortcodes follow a descriptive, human-readable pattern. They tend toward common English words and use underscores for multi-word descriptions. Slack maintains its own list that does not always map directly to Unicode names.
Examples: :wave: โ ๐, :tada: โ ๐, :slightly_smiling_face: โ ๐
Slack's autocomplete works on partial matches, so you do not need the full shortcode to trigger the picker dropdown. But knowing the exact string matters when scripting bots or webhook payloads that send :shortcode: strings to the API.
Discord Shortcodes
Discord shortcodes are closely related to Slack's but differ in some cases. Discord generally uses underscores between words and sometimes mirrors the Unicode name more closely.
Examples: :wave: โ ๐ (same as Slack), :slightly_smiling: โ ๐ (Slack uses slightly_smiling_face)
Discord also supports custom server emoji using the same syntax. Custom emoji shortcodes are server-scoped and do not transfer between servers.
GitHub Shortcodes
GitHub uses a curated shortcode list for Markdown rendering in issues, pull requests, and README files. GitHub's list is smaller than Slack's or Discord's โ only emojis explicitly added to GitHub's internal registry are supported.
Examples: :+1: โ ๐, :tada: โ ๐, :white_check_mark: โ โ
, :octocat: โ the GitHub mascot (a custom asset, not a Unicode emoji)
GitHub publishes its full list via API at https://api.github.com/emojis, returning shortcode keys mapped to image URLs. The Shortcode Finder uses this as its source for GitHub data.
CLDRCLDR (CLDR)
The Common Locale Data Repository, a Unicode project providing locale-specific data including emoji names and search keywords in 100+ languages. Short Names
The CLDR (Common Locale Data Repository), maintained by the Unicode ConsortiumUnicode Consortium
The non-profit organization that develops and maintains the Unicode Standard, including the process for adding new emoji., defines an official emoji annotation for every emoji. These annotations include a short name and keywords in 60+ languages.
CLDR short names are the closest thing to a universal baseline. They are what screen readers announce and what many platforms use as a fallback. They do not use colons โ they are plain descriptions like "thumbs up" or "waving hand". The Shortcode Finder always displays the CLDR short name even when a platform-specific shortcode is unavailable.
When to Use Shortcodes vsVariation Selector (VS)
Unicode characters (VS-15 U+FE0E and VS-16 U+FE0F) that modify whether a character renders in text (monochrome) or emoji (colorful) presentation. Unicode Characters
Use shortcodes when:
- You are typing in Slack, Discord, or GitHub where they will be rendered
- You are scripting a bot or webhook that expects :shortcode: string input
- You are writing Markdown for a generator that supports emoji shortcodes (Jekyll, Hugo with plugins)
Use Unicode characters when: - You are writing HTML, JavaScript, or storing emoji in a database โ shortcodes are display-layer aliases - You need consistent rendering everywhere regardless of the app - The platform does not parse shortcodes, such as plain-text email or terminal output
If you need to insert emoji as actual Unicode characters rather than shortcodes, the Emoji Keyboard is faster โ click any emoji to copy it directly to your clipboard.
Shortcode Inconsistencies Across Platforms
Same Emoji, Different Code
Many emojis share a shortcode name across platforms but diverge on others. The ๐ค thinking face illustrates this variation:
- Slack:
:thinking_face: - Discord:
:thinking: - GitHub:
:thinking:
Neither is wrong โ they reflect independent decisions made by each platform's team. If you are writing a style guide for a team using multiple platforms, it is worth documenting which shortcode you treat as canonical.
Platform-Exclusive Shortcodes
Some shortcodes exist only on one platform. GitHub's :octocat: has no Slack or Discord equivalent because it is not a Unicode emoji. Slack workspace custom emoji are exclusive to the workspace where they were created.
Very new Unicode emojis often have CLDR annotations long before any platform assigns a shortcode. If you look up a recently released emoji and see "no shortcode" for Slack or Discord, the platform simply has not updated its registry yet.
Keyboard Shortcuts vs Shortcodes
Keyboard shortcuts open a system or app emoji picker with a key combination:
- macOS: Control + Command + Space
- Windows: Win + . or Win + ;
- Slack: Cmd + Shift + \ (Mac), Ctrl + Shift + \ (Windows/Linux)
Pickers are convenient for one-off insertions but interrupt typing flow. Shortcodes keep you in the keyboard entirely โ no picker, no mouse movement. The tradeoff is that shortcodes require memorization or quick lookup. The Emoji Keyboard bridges both: it works like a picker but displays shortcode information for every emoji, so you can learn the strings for the ones you use most.
Tips for Power Users
Custom Shortcodes in Slack
Slack workspace admins can upload custom emoji and assign any shortcode name that does not conflict with existing ones. This is commonly used for team-specific reactions (:ship-it:, :lgtm:, :blocked:), company logos, and product name shortcuts. Go to workspace settings > "Customize" > "Emoji" and upload a square image with your chosen shortcode. Custom emoji are searchable only within your workspace.
GitHub Emoji Cheat Sheet
Because GitHub's emoji list is fixed and updates less frequently than Slack or Discord, community-maintained cheat sheets exist listing every valid GitHub shortcode. The ikatyang/emoji-cheat-sheet repository is generated directly from the GitHub API and is organized by category. For quick lookups, the Shortcode Finder shows GitHub shortcodes alongside Slack and Discord โ useful for confirming a shortcode will render before committing it to a README.
Note that GitHub normalizes some shortcodes at render time. :+1: and :thumbsup: both render as ๐. If consistency across contributors matters, pick one and document it in your contributing guide.
Related Tools
- Shortcode Finder โ Look up any emoji's shortcode across Slack, Discord, GitHub, and CLDR
- Emoji Keyboard โ Browse and copy emoji characters with shortcode reference included