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Microsoft Bot Framework

dev.botframework.com

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Spec score 8.9 #21 of 257 in Chatbot Builders

What it is

Microsoft Bot Framework and Azure AI Bot Service provide tools to build, test, deploy and manage intelligent bots. The modular SDK includes tools and templates for bots that can use speech, understand natural language and handle questions and answers. Development tools work with a Connector service for messages and events, alongside Azure deployment and channel configuration. Client libraries are available for C#, JavaScript, Python and Java. Bots can connect to channels such as Microsoft Teams, Facebook and Slack, using Azure AI Bot Service channels or channel adapters; a visual flow builder, knowledge-base answers and human handoff are listed capabilities. The Free plan costs nothing and includes unlimited standard-channel messages and 10,000 premium-channel messages per month. S1 includes unlimited standard-channel messages, with no price listed. Microsoft says the SDK is no longer maintained and recommends the Microsoft 365 Agents SDK for new agent development. It also says Bot Framework SDK support tickets will no longer be serviced as of December 31, 2025.

Spec sheet

What it does
Microsoft Bot Framework provides tools and SDKs for building conversational bots that can use free-form dialogue, guided interactions, text, images and rich cards.Read 21 Oct 2026 · github.com
Purpose
Microsoft Bot Framework and Azure AI Bot Service provide tools to build, test, deploy, and manage intelligent bots.Read 12 Oct 2026 · learn.microsoft.com
Free plan
YesRead 21 Sep 2026 · azure.microsoft.com
Security
Bot Service channels require HTTPS and TLS 1.2, and the SDK automates basic bot-to-channel authentication.Read 12 Oct 2026 · learn.microsoft.com
Support
Microsoft says support tickets for the Bot Framework SDK will no longer be serviced as of December 31, 2025.Read 12 Oct 2026 · learn.microsoft.com
License
The Bot Framework SDK repository is distributed under the MIT License.Read 21 Oct 2026 · github.com
Archive news
GitHub marks the main Bot Framework SDK repository as archived by its owner on January 5, 2026.Read 21 Oct 2026 · github.com
Authentication
Azure AI Bot Service supports user authentication with identity providers including Microsoft Entra ID, GitHub, and custom OAuth2 providers.Read 12 Oct 2026 · learn.microsoft.com
Azure integrations
Bots may use Azure AI services and Azure Storage, and can be configured for Microsoft Teams.Read 12 Oct 2026 · learn.microsoft.com
Botkit
Botkit supplies JavaScript bot tooling with hear, ask and say dialog methods plus adapters for Slack, Webex Teams, Google Hangouts, Facebook Messenger, Twilio and Web Chat.Read 21 Oct 2026 · github.com
Browser support
Web Chat supports the latest two versions of Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Firefox; Internet Explorer 11 requires an ES5 bundle and has limited customization support.Read 21 Oct 2026 · github.com
Cards
Channel support for Adaptive, hero, receipt, sign-in, thumbnail, video, audio and animation cards varies substantially; Direct Line technically supports all cards but clients must implement them.Read 21 Oct 2026 · learn.microsoft.com
Channel connectivity
Azure Bot Service connects bots to channels including Teams, Facebook Messenger, Slack, Telegram, LINE, Alexa, Twilio SMS, email, Web Chat and Direct Line.Read 21 Oct 2026 · learn.microsoft.com
Channel limits
Kik and Skype no longer accept new bot development, while telephony is preview-only and not accepting additional customers.Read 21 Oct 2026 · learn.microsoft.com
Channel translation
The Bot Connector translates the Bot Framework Activity schema into channel-specific formats when a channel lacks support for some activity features.Read 21 Oct 2026 · learn.microsoft.com
Channels
Bots can connect to channels such as Microsoft Teams, Facebook, and Slack, using Azure AI Bot Service channels or channel adapters.Read 12 Oct 2026 · learn.microsoft.com
CLI
Bot Framework CLI Tools are open-source, cross-platform command-line tools intended to support end-to-end bot development workflows.Read 21 Oct 2026 · github.com
Company founded
Microsoft states that it was founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen.Read 21 Oct 2026 · news.microsoft.com
Company legal name
Microsoft Corporation is identified as the company behind the product and is a public company headquartered in Redmond, Washington.Read 21 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Company size
Microsoft reports approximately 228,000 full-time employees as of June 30, 2025.Read 21 Oct 2026 · microsoft.com
Composer
Bot Framework Composer is an integrated visual development tool for creating bots and conversational experiences.Read 21 Oct 2026 · github.com
Conversation modeling
The SDK lets developers model sophisticated conversations in C#, JavaScript and Python, with Java support also documented in the ecosystem.Read 21 Oct 2026 · github.com
Deployment channels
multichannelRead 21 Sep 2026 · azure.microsoft.com
Documentation
Microsoft Learn organizes Bot Service documentation around building, testing, deploying and managing chatbots, with language-specific developer options.Read 21 Oct 2026 · learn.microsoft.com
Features
The modular SDK includes tools and templates for creating bots that can use speech, understand natural language, and handle questions and answers.Read 12 Oct 2026 · learn.microsoft.com
Hosting
Azure Marketplace says bots can be hosted in any environment while using Bot Framework Composer or an SDK.Read 21 Oct 2026 · marketplace.microsoft.com
Human handoff
YesRead 21 Sep 2026 · azure.microsoft.com
Identity support
User-assigned managed identity and single-tenant apps are supported with the C#, JavaScript and Python SDKs; Composer, Emulator and other SDK languages do not support those app types.Read 21 Oct 2026 · learn.microsoft.com
Knowledge-base answers
YesRead 21 Sep 2026 · azure.microsoft.com
Languages
The Bot Framework provides client libraries for C#, JavaScript, Python, and Java.Read 12 Oct 2026 · learn.microsoft.com
Limit: G2 reviewers
G2 reviewers mention a learning curve after initial setup.Read 21 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Limit: TrustRadius reviewers
TrustRadius reviewers repeatedly report difficult debugging, steep learning requirements, hard customization and limited framework integration.Read 21 Oct 2026 · trustradius.com
Limits
Channel adapters may be needed when Azure AI Bot Service lacks a desired channel or the required channel features.Read 12 Oct 2026 · learn.microsoft.com
Maintenance
Microsoft says the Bot Framework SDK is no longer updated or maintained and recommends the Microsoft 365 Agents SDK for new agent development.Read 12 Oct 2026 · learn.microsoft.com
Praise: G2 reviewers
G2 reviewers repeatedly praise quick setup, ease of use, flexible programming languages, integrated LUIS and QnA Maker tooling, and support for multiple messaging channels.Read 21 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Praise: TrustRadius reviewers
TrustRadius reviewers praise natural-language capabilities, multi-channel reuse of one codebase, Azure hosting, cognitive services and quick deployment.Read 21 Oct 2026 · trustradius.com
Pricing model
Standard channels are free, while Premium channel pricing is based on messages delivered; Azure App Service, Application Insights and other resources can add separate charges.Read 21 Oct 2026 · azure.microsoft.com
Rating on G2
4.0 out of 5 from 16 reviewsRead 21 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Rating on Gartner Peer Insights
0.0 out of 5 from 0 reviewsRead 21 Oct 2026 · gartner.com
Rating on Microsoft Marketplace
1.7 out of 5 from 38 ratingsRead 21 Oct 2026 · marketplace.microsoft.com
Rating on TrustRadius
8.7 out of 10 from 92 reviewsRead 21 Oct 2026 · trustradius.com
Replacement
Microsoft directs new agent projects toward the Microsoft 365 Agents SDK and says existing Bot Framework bots can be updated to it.Read 21 Oct 2026 · github.com
REST API
Bots can communicate through Bot Framework REST APIs instead of the SDK, sending and receiving messages on any channel configured in Azure Bot Service.Read 21 Oct 2026 · learn.microsoft.com
Retirement status
Microsoft says the Bot Framework SDK reached final long-term support in December 2025 and is no longer receiving feature updates or regular non-critical dependency updates.Read 21 Oct 2026 · github.com
SDK client libraries
Microsoft documents client libraries for C# and Node.js and maintains SDK implementations for C#, JavaScript, Python and Java.Read 21 Oct 2026 · learn.microsoft.com
Security transport
Bot Connector uses HTTPS for bot-to-channel message exchange, and the SDK automates basic bot-to-channel authentication.Read 21 Oct 2026 · learn.microsoft.com
User authentication
Azure AI Bot Service can authenticate users through Microsoft Entra ID, GitHub, Uber and custom OAuth2 identity providers.Read 21 Oct 2026 · learn.microsoft.com
Visual flow builder
YesRead 21 Sep 2026 · azure.microsoft.com
Web Chat
Bot Framework Web Chat is a highly customizable web client that embeds bot conversations in web pages.Read 21 Oct 2026 · github.com
Workflow
The Bot Framework includes development tools, a Connector service for exchanging messages and events, and Azure deployment and channel configuration.Read 12 Oct 2026 · learn.microsoft.com

Plans and prices

Free Free Unlimited standard-channel messages · 10,000 premium-channel messages per month Read 21 Sep 2026 · azure.microsoft.com
Free Free Standard channels unlimited messages · Premium channels 10,000 messages/month · Azure resources billed separately Read 21 Oct 2026 · azure.microsoft.com
S1 Price not published $- per 1,000 messages Unlimited standard-channel messages · Premium-channel messages charged per 1,000 · Azure resources billed separately Read 21 Oct 2026 · azure.microsoft.com

Every Microsoft Bot Framework plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Client libraries for four programming languages
  • Visual flow builder and knowledge-base answers
  • Human handoff is listed
  • Free plan includes unlimited standard-channel messages
  • Can be hosted on developer servers or Azure

Limits

  • SDK is no longer maintained
  • Microsoft recommends another SDK for new agent development
  • Free plan limits premium-channel messages to 10,000 monthly
  • Channel adapters may be needed for some channels

Who it suits

The framework suits developers building bots for multiple channels, particularly those using C#, JavaScript, Python or Java. Its maintenance status makes the recommendation for new development important to consider.

Verdict

The framework offers bot-building tools, channel connections and hosting flexibility, with a stated free message allowance. Its unmaintained SDK status and Microsoft’s recommendation for new development are central considerations.

Where Specifiction places it

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