Landbot
No-code chatbot builder for conversational experiences
Bot Framework
Build sophisticated conversational bots in C#, JavaScript, or Python
Microsoft Bot Framework SDK enables developers to model and build conversational applications with free-form or guided interactions across multiple channels and platforms.
Overview
Build Conversational Experiences at Scale
Bot Framework SDK v4 is an open-source toolkit from Microsoft that empowers developers and multi-disciplinary teams to create sophisticated conversational applications. Whether you're building simple text-based interactions or rich experiences with cards, images, and action buttons, the SDK provides comprehensive tools in C#, JavaScript, and Python.
Multi-Channel Deployment
Connect your bot to users wherever they are. Deploy through Azure Bot Service channels to reach Microsoft Teams, Slack, Facebook, Telegram, Twilio SMS, and more—or use SDK-specific adapters for platforms like Alexa Skills, Google Actions, and WebEx. The framework abstracts channel complexity, letting you focus on conversation design rather than integration mechanics.
Extensible Ecosystem
Leverage community-built adapters, recognizers, dialogs, and middleware through Bot Framework Community projects and Botkit. The SDK integrates naturally with Azure services including LUIS for natural language understanding and QnA Maker for knowledge bases, enabling intelligent, context-aware conversations that scale with your business needs.
Highlights
Multi-language SDK support for C#, JavaScript, and Python with consistent APIs
Native integrations with 15+ channels via Azure Bot Service and custom adapters
Rich conversation modeling with text, cards, images, and interactive action buttons
Extensible architecture with community adapters, middleware, and dialog components
Pros
- Comprehensive Microsoft ecosystem integration with Azure services and Teams
- Strong multi-language support with feature parity across C#, JS, and Python
- Extensive channel coverage through both Azure-managed and community adapters
- Active community contributions extending core SDK capabilities
Considerations
- Azure Bot Service dependency for many production channel deployments
- Learning curve for conversation modeling patterns and dialog management
- Channel-specific feature limitations require adapter-level customization
- Documentation spans multiple repositories and Azure service boundaries
Managed products teams compare with
When teams consider Bot Framework, these hosted platforms usually appear on the same shortlist.
Looking for a hosted option? These are the services engineering teams benchmark against before choosing open source.
Fit guide
Great for
- Enterprise teams building customer service or internal support bots
- Developers needing multi-channel deployment with centralized bot logic
- Organizations already invested in Microsoft Azure infrastructure
- Teams requiring production-grade conversational AI with NLU integration
Not ideal when
- Simple single-channel bots where lightweight libraries suffice
- Projects requiring complete independence from cloud service providers
- Teams seeking no-code or low-code bot building experiences
- Developers preferring framework-agnostic conversational design tools
How teams use it
Multi-Channel Customer Support
Deploy a single bot codebase to Teams, Slack, Facebook Messenger, and web chat, reducing maintenance overhead while providing consistent support experiences across platforms.
Enterprise IT Helpdesk Automation
Build an intelligent assistant integrated with LUIS and Azure services to handle password resets, ticket creation, and FAQ responses within Microsoft Teams.
E-Commerce Shopping Assistant
Create guided product discovery flows with rich cards and action buttons, connecting customers to inventory systems via Direct Line and web chat.
Voice-Enabled Skills for Alexa and Google
Extend bot logic to voice platforms using community adapters, enabling hands-free interactions for smart home control or information retrieval.
Tech snapshot
JavaScript88%
TypeScript7%
C#2%
HTML1%
Python1%
ANTLR1%
Frequently asked questions
Which programming languages does Bot Framework SDK support?
The SDK provides stable releases for C# (.NET Core and WebAPI), JavaScript (Node.js, TypeScript, ES6), and Python, with consistent APIs and feature parity across languages.
Can I deploy bots without using Azure Bot Service?
Yes, you can use SDK adapters to connect directly to platforms like Slack, Facebook, and Alexa. However, Azure Bot Service simplifies multi-channel management and provides language-independent channel support.
How does Bot Framework integrate with natural language understanding?
The SDK integrates with Azure LUIS for intent recognition and entity extraction, plus QnA Maker for knowledge base queries, enabling context-aware conversational experiences.
Are there community extensions available for the SDK?
Yes, the Bot Framework Community maintains open-source adapters, recognizers, dialogs, and middleware for C#, JavaScript, and Python. Botkit also provides additional JavaScript tooling.
What channels can I connect my bot to?
Azure Bot Service supports Microsoft Teams, Slack, Facebook, Telegram, Twilio SMS, Skype, and 10+ other channels. Community adapters add support for Alexa, Google Actions, WebEx, WhatsApp, and more.
Project at a glance
Active- Stars
- 7,805
- Watchers
- 7,805
- Forks
- 2,447
LicenseMIT
Repo age9 years old
Last commit3 weeks ago
Primary languageJavaScript
Last synced 12 hours ago