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/ui-components.md
UI Components
Block Kit vs Adaptive Cards
| Slack Block Kit | Adaptive Card Element | Notes |
|---|---|---|
section (text) | TextBlock | Set wrap: true; convert *bold* mrkdwn → **bold** Markdown |
section (fields) | FactSet | Each field becomes { title, value } |
section (text + accessory) | ColumnSet with 2 Columns | Col 1 = text, Col 2 = accessory |
header | TextBlock size Large, weight Bolder | |
actions | ActionSet | Max 6 actions in Teams (vs 25 in Slack) |
divider | TextBlock with separator: true | |
image | Image | alt_text (underscore) → altText (camelCase) |
context | TextBlock size Small, isSubtle: true | |
input (plain_text) | Input.Text | |
input (static_select) | Input.ChoiceSet style: "compact" | |
input (multi_select) | Input.ChoiceSet isMultiSelect: true | |
input (datepicker) | Input.Date | |
input (timepicker) | Input.Time | |
input (checkboxes) | Input.ChoiceSet style: "expanded", isMultiSelect: true | |
input (radio_buttons) | Input.ChoiceSet style: "expanded" | |
rich_text | RichTextBlock | Schema 1.5+ |
overflow menu | No equivalent | Redesign as ActionSet or Input.ChoiceSet dropdown |
Rating: GREEN for most elements, RED for overflow menus.
Markdown Differences
| Formatting | Slack mrkdwn | Adaptive Card Markdown |
|---|---|---|
| Bold | *bold* | **bold** |
| Italic | _italic_ | _italic_ |
| Strikethrough | ~strike~ | ~~strike~~ |
| Code | `code` | `code` |
| Emoji | :emoji_shortcode: | Unicode characters only |
| User mention | <@U12345> | Display name (no mention syntax) |
Impact: Failing to convert *bold* to **bold** produces literal asterisks in Teams. Slack emoji shortcodes render as plain text in Adaptive Cards.
Mitigation: Apply a text transform function when converting between formats:
// Slack mrkdwn → Adaptive Card Markdown
text.replace(/(?<!\*)\*([^*]+)\*(?!\*)/g, "**$1**")
.replace(/~([^~]+)~/g, "~~$1~~");
// Adaptive Card Markdown → Slack mrkdwn
text.replace(/\*\*([^*]+)\*\*/g, "*$1*")
.replace(/~~([^~]+)~~/g, "~$1~");Button / Action Styles
| Slack | Adaptive Card | Visual |
|---|---|---|
"primary" | "positive" | Green |
"danger" | "destructive" | Red |
| (default) | "default" | Neutral |
Interaction Model Difference
This is the biggest behavioral shift between platforms:
| Aspect | Slack | Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Event-per-interaction — every select/button fires immediately | Form-then-submit — inputs collect, submit sends all at once |
| Select behavior | static_select fires block_actions on selection | Input.ChoiceSet does nothing until Action.Submit clicked |
| Live updates | dispatch_action: true for real-time block_actions | No equivalent — use Action.Execute with refresh for critical cases |
| Form data | Per-element: action.selected_option.value | Batched: activity.value contains all input IDs |
Impact: Bots that rely on instant-fire selects to update UI dynamically will feel different in Teams. The Teams UX has fewer round trips but less reactivity.
Mitigation: Accept the batch-submit model for Teams. Group related inputs and submit together. For cases requiring per-interaction updates, use Action.Execute with the refresh property (schema 1.4+).
Block / Action Limits
| Limit | Slack | Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Blocks per message | 50 | No formal block limit, but 28 KB payload max |
| Blocks per modal/view | 100 | 28 KB payload max |
| Actions per block | 25 per actions block | 6 per ActionSet |
| Card payload size | No formal limit | 28 KB after JSON serialization |
Mitigation: Paginate dense action rows into multiple cards. Consolidate overflow menus into Input.ChoiceSet dropdowns.
Modals vs Dialogs (Task Modules)
| Aspect | Slack Modal | Teams Dialog (Task Module) |
|---|---|---|
| Open | views.open(trigger_id, view) | Return card from dialog.open handler |
| Submit handler | app.view("callback_id") | app.on("dialog.submit") |
| Form data location | view.state.values[block_id][action_id] | activity.value.data (flat object keyed by input id) |
| Stacking | views.push() — up to 3 levels | Not supported |
| Cancel notification | notify_on_close: true → view_closed | Not supported |
| Mid-form updates | dispatch_action + block_actions + views.update | Not supported |
| Field validation | ack({ response_action: "errors", errors }) | Client-side only (isRequired, regex) |
| Private metadata | private_metadata (3000 char limit) | Hidden fields in Action.Submit.data |
| View hash (race protection) | view_hash parameter in views.update | Not supported — manual _version field needed |
Rating: YELLOW for basic modal-to-dialog, RED for stacking, cancel notifications, and mid-form updates.
Mitigation Strategies
| Gap | Strategy | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| No stacking | Flatten into single dialog with step routing in submit handler. Include a "Back" button that re-renders the previous step. | 8–16 hrs |
| No cancel notification | Add explicit "Cancel" button inside the dialog. Implement 5-min timeout-based cleanup for stale locks. | 4–8 hrs |
| No mid-form updates | Multi-step dialogs for dependent fields. Action.ToggleVisibility for simple show/hide. | 8–16 hrs |
| No server-side validation | Re-open dialog with pre-populated data + error messages in field labels. Use client-side isRequired/regex where possible. | 4–8 hrs |
| No view hash | Inject _version counter into Action.Submit.data. Reject stale updates server-side. | 2–4 hrs |
Reverse Direction (Teams → Slack)
Dialogs map to modals via views.open(). Teams' batch-submit model decomposes into Slack's per-element handlers. Client-side validation (isRequired, regex) becomes server-side validation in view_submission.
App Home vs Personal Tab
| Aspect | Slack App Home | Teams Personal Tab |
|---|---|---|
| Render | views.publish() with Block Kit | tab.fetch handler returns Adaptive Card, or staticTabs in manifest for web |
| Trigger | app_home_opened event | tab.fetch fires on every tab open |
| Dynamic updates | views.publish() any time | tab.submit for interactions within tab |
| Race protection | view_hash parameter | Not supported |
Rating: YELLOW — functional equivalent exists, different event model.
Mitigation Strategies
| Strategy | How | Effort |
|---|---|---|
tab.fetch handler (Recommended) | Return Adaptive Card on every tab open. Closest to app_home_opened. | 4–8 hrs |
| Welcome message only | Send card to 1:1 chat on install.add. Simple but fires once. | 1–2 hrs |
| Static web tab | Full web page in iframe. Richer UI but needs hosting. | 8–16 hrs |
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