Teams App Developer
MicrosoftOfficialPublished by Microsoft
- Skill
- Tool integration
- Software development
- MIT
- Medium risk
AutoGineer summary
Written by AutoGineer from the skill’s own files, not by the author
The teams-app-developer skill provides a structured framework for managing the lifecycle of Microsoft 365 agents and Teams applications. It leverages the ATK CLI to handle project scaffolding, local testing via the Agents Playground, cloud provisioning on Azure, and troubleshooting. The skill includes specialized guidance for migrating Slack bots to Teams, including converting Block Kit UI to Adaptive Cards, and provides access to an extensive library of micro-expert documentation for cross-platform development.
What it does
- Scaffolds new Microsoft 365 agents and Teams applications from templates.
- Facilitates local testing using the Agents Playground or Teams-specific environments.
- Automates Azure resource provisioning and cloud deployment workflows.
- Provides diagnostic procedures for common authentication and configuration errors.
- Supports migration of Slack bots to the Teams platform.
- Manages project configuration and environment variables for ATK-based projects.
When to use it
- When starting a new Teams app, bot, or Declarative Agent project.
- When you need to test an agent locally before deploying to the cloud.
- When migrating existing Slack bots to the Microsoft Teams ecosystem.
- When troubleshooting deployment or authentication issues in a Teams project.
- When you need to provision Azure infrastructure for a Teams application.
Advantages
- Streamlines the development lifecycle with standardized CLI commands.
- Reduces development time by offering a local testing playground.
- Provides expert-level guidance for complex cross-platform migrations.
- Ensures consistent configuration management across development environments.
- Includes robust error-handling protocols for common platform-specific pitfalls.
Usage examples
- “Create a new Teams bot project using the default template.”
- The agent will initialize a new project folder, configure the necessary YAML files, and guide you through the initial setup using the ATK CLI.
- “How do I migrate my Slack bot to Microsoft Teams?”
- The agent will initiate the slack-to-teams workflow, providing access to cross-platform bridging experts and guidance on converting UI components.
- “My Teams bot is returning a 401 error, how do I fix it?”
- The agent will trigger the troubleshooting workflow, checking your environment variables, tunnel status, and authentication configuration.
Install
Download the skill as a ZIP:
https://mp-staging.autogineer.com/agent-skills/microsoft/teams-app-developer/downloadUnzip it into the cross-client skills folder of your project:
mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip teams-app-developer.zip -d .agents/skills
Documentation by Microsoft
Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit Skill
Build Microsoft 365 agents and Teams apps using the ATK CLI.
AI Behavior Guidelines
Testing Strategy: Recommend Agents Playground first (faster, no M365 needed). Use Teams workflow only if user explicitly requests it.
Environment Variables: NEVER hardcode secrets or make up placeholder values. Always ask users for real values.
Error Handling: Read error messages carefully. Check
env/.env.local,.localConfigs, andatk auth list. Common pitfalls:AADSTS7000229→aadApp/createmissinggenerateServicePrincipal: truein YAML — add it and re-provisionMissing
TENANT_IDin.localConfigs→ SDK uses wrong token authority → 401 from Bot Connector401 persists after auth fix → devtunnel URL may be blacklisted — create a fresh tunnel
See troubleshoot/troubleshoot.md for full diagnostic steps
Long-Running Commands — WAIT for completion:
atk new,atk provision,atk deploycan take several minutesAlways wait for completion before running the next step (timeout 120000ms+)
Local Service Startup — Hangs terminal (expected):
npm run dev,npm start,python app.py,devtunnel host, etc. will hang — the process keeps running indefinitelyALWAYS run as a background process (
isBackground=true) — NEVER useisBackground=falsefor these commandsDo NOT wait for it to "finish" — verify startup by checking output for "listening on port" or tunnel URL
If errors appear, read logs, diagnose, fix, restart
Use a NEW terminal to launch Agents Playground or open Teams sideloading URL
Monitor App Logs: Periodically check background terminal output for runtime errors. If the app crashes, read the error, fix the root cause, and restart.
Telemetry Tagging: Before running any
atkCLI commands, set the session environment variable so all CLI invocations are tagged as skill-initiated:export ATK_CLI_SKILL=trueRun this once at the start of the session. All subsequent
atkcommands in the same terminal will inherit it.
ATK CLI Setup
atk --version # Must be > 1.1.5-betaIf ATK is not found or version is too old:
npm i -g @microsoft/m365agentstoolkit-cli@betaCLI Global Options
| Option | Meaning | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
-i | Interactive mode | Always use -i false in automation to avoid hanging |
-f | Project folder | Default to be current directory, used when specifying a custom folder. When scaffolding a new project, this is the parent folder where the project folder will be created under. |
-h | Command help | Use atk <command> -h for quick syntax checks |
Sub-Skills
| Sub-Skill | When to Use | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| create-project | Scaffold new project from template, choose template, atk new | create-project/create-project.md |
| test-playground | Test locally with Agents Playground, agentsplayground, quick testing | test-playground/test-playground.md |
| test-teams | Run on Teams, devtunnel, sideload, Teams testing, test in Copilot | test-teams/test-teams.md |
| provision-deploy | Provision Azure resources, deploy to cloud, atk provision, atk deploy | provision-deploy/provision-deploy.md |
| troubleshoot | Fix errors, 401, port conflicts, YAML errors, stale bots | troubleshoot/troubleshoot.md |
| slack-to-teams | Migrate Slack bot to Teams, cross-platform bridging, Block Kit to Adaptive Cards | slack-to-teams/SKILL.md |
MANDATORY: Before executing any workflow, read the corresponding sub-skill document.
Shared References
manifest-and-yaml.md — Project files, YAML config, env vars, .localConfigs flow
commands.md — ATK CLI commands: package, validate, share, collaborate
templates.md — Complete template catalog with language support
experts/ — 100+ micro-expert files: Teams SDK, Slack SDK, cross-platform bridging, deploy, AI models, security, language conversion
docs/ — Platform comparison guides: UI, messaging, identity, infrastructure, feature gaps
Workflow Chains
Match user intent to the smallest valid workflow.
| User Intent | Workflow (read in order) |
|---|---|
| Build new app from scratch | create-project → test-playground |
| Test existing project locally | test-playground (recommended) or test-teams |
| Deploy to Azure | provision-deploy |
| Fix broken bot | troubleshoot → re-test |
| Migrate Slack bot to Teams | slack-to-teams |
MANDATORY: Before executing any slack-to-teams workflow, read slack-to-teams/SKILL.md first. The sub-skill contains a routed expert system with 100+ micro-expert files for cross-platform bot development.
ATK Project Context Resolution
Resolve config values only when missing. If a value is already known in the session, reuse it.
Step 1: Detect ATK Project
If m365agentstoolkit*.yml exists in the current folder, treat it as an ATK project and parse configuration.
Step 2: Resolve Common Configuration
Resolve variables referenced in m365agentstoolkit*.yml. Common variables:
AZURE_OPENAI_API_KEY
AZURE_OPENAI_ENDPOINT
AZURE_OPENAI_DEPLOYMENT_NAME
Step 3: Collect Missing Values
If required values are missing, ask the user for only the missing ones.
Refer to manifest-and-yaml.md for full config-file details.
Files
- ATTRIBUTION.mdAdded by AutoGineer906 B
- LICENSELicence file added by AutoGineer1.1 KiB
- SKILL.md7.6 KiB
- create-project/create-project.md8.1 KiB
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docs/advanced-features.md
Advanced Features
Scheduled Messages
| Aspect | Slack | Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Native API | chat.scheduleMessage() | No equivalent |
| Cancel scheduled | chat.deleteScheduledMessage() | N/A |
| Reminders | reminders.add() | No equivalent |
Rating: RED (Slack → Teams), GREEN (Teams → Slack).
Mitigation Strategies (Slack → Teams)
| Strategy | How | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Azure Functions timer + Cosmos DB (Recommended) | Store scheduled message in Cosmos DB. Azure Functions timer trigger polls and sends via proactive messaging. | 16–24 hrs |
| Azure Queue visibility timeout | Set visibility timeout to delay message processing. 7-day maximum. | 8–12 hrs |
| Azure Service Bus scheduled messages | Best for high-volume exact-time delivery. | 12–16 hrs |
| Power Automate | Offload to Power Automate flows with "Delay until" action. Requires license. | 8–12 hrs |
| In-process timer (dev only) | setTimeout / node-cron. Not durable — lost on restart. | 2–4 hrs |
Reverse Direction (Teams → Slack)
Use chat.scheduleMessage() and reminders.add() directly — native APIs.
Emoji Reactions
| Aspect | Slack | Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Event | reaction_added / reaction_removed | messageReaction |
| Reaction types | Unlimited custom emoji | 6 fixed reactions only: like, heart, laugh, surprised, sad, angry |
| Workflow use | Common to use reactions as workflow signals (e.g., :white_check_mark: = approved) | Not viable — too few options |
Rating: RED (Slack → Teams) if reactions are used as workflow signals.
Mitigation (Slack → Teams)
| Strategy | How | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Adaptive Card buttons (Recommended) | Replace reaction-based workflows with Action.Submit buttons on cards (e.g., "Approve" / "Reject"). Better for audit trails. | 4–8 hrs |
| Map to 6 fixed reactions | Map your most important reactions to like/heart/laugh/surprised/sad/angry. Lossy — only works if you use ≤6 reactions. | 2–4 hrs |
Reverse Direction (Teams → Slack)
Slack supports unlimited custom emoji reactions — direct mapping.
Shortcuts / Message Extensions
| Aspect | Slack | Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Global shortcut | app.shortcut("callback_id") | Compose extension with context: ["compose", "commandBox"] |
| Message shortcut | app.shortcut("callback_id") (type: message_shortcut) | Action extension with context: ["message"] |
| Fire-and-forget | Supported (ack + background work) | Not supported — must open task module |
| Manifest config | Shortcut in app settings | composeExtensions[].commands[] |
| Message context | shortcut.message | activity.value.messagePayload |
Rating: YELLOW — functional equivalents exist but UX differs.
Key Difference
Slack shortcuts can run background actions without showing UI (ack + do work). Teams compose/action extensions always open a task module — there's no fire-and-forget pattern. Use a "minimal dismiss" pattern: return a tiny "Done" card that auto-closes.
Mitigation (Slack → Teams)
| Strategy | How | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Compose extension (Recommended) | composeExtensions with commandBox context. Opens task module. | 8–12 hrs |
| Minimal-dismiss pattern | Task module returns tiny "Done" card for fire-and-forget actions. | 4–8 hrs |
| Bot command replacement | Replace shortcut with typed command. Simpler but less discoverable. | 2–4 hrs |
Channel Operations
| Aspect | Slack | Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Create channel | conversations.create() | Graph POST /teams/{team-id}/channels |
| Archive channel | conversations.archive() | No equivalent — Teams can only archive entire Teams |
| Set topic | conversations.setTopic() | Graph PATCH /channels/{id} with description |
| Invite member | conversations.invite() | Graph POST /channels/{id}/members (one call per member) |
| Remove member | conversations.kick() | Graph DELETE /channels/{id}/members/{membership-id} (must resolve membership ID first) |
| Channel namespace | Flat (channel ID is globally unique) | Team-scoped (need team-id + channel-id) |
| Channel name limits | 80 chars, most characters allowed | 50 chars, no special characters |
Rating: GREEN for create/topic/invite, YELLOW for remove (membership ID resolution), RED for archive.
Archive Mitigation (Slack → Teams)
| Strategy | How | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Rename with [ARCHIVED] prefix (Recommended) | Rename channel, update description. Cosmetic but non-destructive. | 4–8 hrs |
| Rename + remove all members | Stronger enforcement but destructive — members must be re-invited to undo. | 8–12 hrs |
| Team-level archive | Archive entire Team. Only works if channel is in a dedicated Team. | 2–4 hrs |
Workflows / Automation
| Aspect | Slack | Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Workflow Builder (free) | Power Automate (licensed for premium connectors) |
| Bot integration | workflow_step_execute event | Custom connectors or bot-driven orchestration |
| Triggers | Channel message, emoji reaction, scheduled, webhook | Same + Approvals connector, Planner, SharePoint |
| Migration tool | N/A | None — manual rebuild required |
Rating: YELLOW — functional equivalent exists but different platform, possible licensing.
Mitigation Strategies
| Strategy | How | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Bot-driven orchestration (Recommended) | Keep workflow logic in the bot. State machine + Adaptive Card buttons + persistent storage. No license dependency. | 16–40 hrs |
| Power Automate rebuild | Rebuild in Power Automate. Custom steps need Premium license. | 24–80 hrs |
| Hybrid | Simple flows → Power Automate, complex → bot-driven. | Varies |
| Teams Workflows app | Simplified UI for basic automations (free). Limited to simple scenarios. | 4–8 hrs |
App Distribution
| Aspect | Slack | Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Directory listing | Slack App Directory (api.slack.com) | Teams App Store via Partner Center |
| Review time | Hours to days | 1–2 weeks |
| Org-level install | Workspace admin approval | Teams Admin Center tenant-wide deployment |
| Dev install | Direct install via OAuth URL | Sideloading (ZIP with manifest + icons) |
| Required assets | App icon | 192x192 full-color icon + 32x32 monochrome outline |
| Multi-tenant | Per-workspace tokens via InstallationStore | signInAudience: "AzureADMultipleOrgs" in Azure AD |
Rating: YELLOW — both have distribution mechanisms but packaging and review differ.
Sideloading (Dev/Test)
Teams sideloading requires:
manifest.json(schema v1.19+)color.png(192x192)outline.png(32x32 monochrome)ZIP all three files
Upload via Teams client → Apps → Manage your apps → Upload
Note: Sideloading may be disabled by admin — check tenant settings
Reverse Direction (Teams → Slack)
Submit to Slack App Directory via api.slack.com. Implement InstallProvider for OAuth install flow. Shorter review cycle.
Requirements and compatibility
Works with: Claude Code, Claude apps, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Kiro, OpenCode, Goose, Amp, Roo Code, JetBrains Junie, Factory Droid, Devin (ex-Windsurf), Mistral Vibe, OpenHands, Letta
“Works with” means the tool reads the open Agent Skills format; a skill written for one tool may use features others lack.
Needs: Needs an API key, Needs Python, Needs Node.js
Security
What our scanner noticed· Medium risk
- Possible data-exfiltration endpoints
- Instructions that use the network
- Downloads piped into a shell
A static scan is not a guarantee. Skills are third-party content: review a skill before you let an agent use it.
Attribution and licence
- Published by
- Microsoft
- Publisher
- Microsoft (Official)
- Source
- microsoft/skills · .github/plugins/microsoft-365-agents-toolkit/skills/teams-app-developer · commit 0696600
- Licence
- MIT License (redistribution allowed)
- LICENSE (added by AutoGineer from LICENSE)
- ATTRIBUTION.md (written by AutoGineer)
- Synced
AutoGineer is not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft.
Download ZIP
The ZIP holds the skill’s files, its licence files and an ATTRIBUTION.md. Download teams-app-developer.zip