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Teams App Developer

MicrosoftOfficialPublished by Microsoft

  • Skill
  • Tool integration
  • Software development
  • MIT
  • Medium risk

From the author

Builds, tests, and deploys Microsoft 365 apps and agents for Teams and Copilot. Includes sub-skills for project creation, local testing, cloud deployment, troubleshooting, and Slack-to-Teams migration. USE FOR: Teams agent, bot, tab, message extension, Declarative Agents, Custom Engine Agents, local testing, Agents Playground, Azure resource provision, remote deployment, Slack to Teams migration, cross-platform bot development, Block Kit to Adaptive Cards conversion. DO NOT USE FOR: general web development, non-bot/non-Teams projects.
— the description by Microsoft

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

  1. Download the skill as a ZIP:

    https://mp-staging.autogineer.com/agent-skills/microsoft/teams-app-developer/download
  2. Unzip 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

  1. Testing Strategy: Recommend Agents Playground first (faster, no M365 needed). Use Teams workflow only if user explicitly requests it.

  2. Environment Variables: NEVER hardcode secrets or make up placeholder values. Always ask users for real values.

  3. Error Handling: Read error messages carefully. Check env/.env.local, .localConfigs, and atk auth list. Common pitfalls:

    • AADSTS7000229 → aadApp/create missing generateServicePrincipal: true in YAML — add it and re-provision

    • Missing TENANT_ID in .localConfigs → SDK uses wrong token authority → 401 from Bot Connector

    • 401 persists after auth fix → devtunnel URL may be blacklisted — create a fresh tunnel

    • See troubleshoot/troubleshoot.md for full diagnostic steps

  4. Long-Running Commands — WAIT for completion:

    • atk new, atk provision, atk deploy can take several minutes

    • Always wait for completion before running the next step (timeout 120000ms+)

  5. Local Service Startup — Hangs terminal (expected):

    • npm run dev, npm start, python app.py, devtunnel host, etc. will hang — the process keeps running indefinitely

    • ALWAYS run as a background process (isBackground=true) — NEVER use isBackground=false for these commands

    • Do 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

  6. Monitor App Logs: Periodically check background terminal output for runtime errors. If the app crashes, read the error, fix the root cause, and restart.

  7. Telemetry Tagging: Before running any atk CLI commands, set the session environment variable so all CLI invocations are tagged as skill-initiated:

    export ATK_CLI_SKILL=true

    Run this once at the start of the session. All subsequent atk commands in the same terminal will inherit it.

ATK CLI Setup

atk --version  # Must be > 1.1.5-beta

If ATK is not found or version is too old:

npm i -g @microsoft/m365agentstoolkit-cli@beta

CLI Global Options

OptionMeaningRecommendation
-iInteractive modeAlways use -i false in automation to avoid hanging
-fProject folderDefault 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.
-hCommand helpUse atk <command> -h for quick syntax checks

Sub-Skills

Sub-SkillWhen to UseReference
create-projectScaffold new project from template, choose template, atk newcreate-project/create-project.md
test-playgroundTest locally with Agents Playground, agentsplayground, quick testingtest-playground/test-playground.md
test-teamsRun on Teams, devtunnel, sideload, Teams testing, test in Copilottest-teams/test-teams.md
provision-deployProvision Azure resources, deploy to cloud, atk provision, atk deployprovision-deploy/provision-deploy.md
troubleshootFix errors, 401, port conflicts, YAML errors, stale botstroubleshoot/troubleshoot.md
slack-to-teamsMigrate Slack bot to Teams, cross-platform bridging, Block Kit to Adaptive Cardsslack-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 IntentWorkflow (read in order)
Build new app from scratchcreate-project → test-playground
Test existing project locallytest-playground (recommended) or test-teams
Deploy to Azureprovision-deploy
Fix broken bottroubleshoot → re-test
Migrate Slack bot to Teamsslack-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

experts/teams/a2a.orchestrator-patterns-ts.md

a2a.orchestrator-patterns-ts

purpose

Multi-agent orchestration patterns: routing, delegation, custom behavior, and coordination between A2A agents.

rules

  1. The orchestrator pattern uses one primary bot with A2AClientPlugin that delegates to multiple specialized A2A agents. The orchestrator's instructions guide the LLM on when and how to delegate. github.com/microsoft/teams.ts

  2. Customize delegation behavior by passing options to the A2AClientPlugin constructor: buildFunctionMetadata, buildMessageForAgent, and buildMessageFromAgentResponse. These hooks control how agents appear as functions and how messages are formatted. github.com/microsoft/teams.ts

  3. Use buildFunctionMetadata(card) to customize how each agent appears to the LLM. Return { name, description } to control the function name and description the LLM sees. This allows consistent naming conventions across agents. github.com/microsoft/teams.ts

  4. Use buildMessageForAgent(card, input) to transform the outgoing message before it reaches the remote agent. This lets you add context, reformat the request, or inject routing metadata. github.com/microsoft/teams.ts

  5. Use buildMessageFromAgentResponse(card, response) to transform the remote agent's response before returning it to the LLM. This lets you format, summarize, or annotate responses. github.com/microsoft/teams.ts

  6. Write explicit orchestrator instructions that list available agents by name and describe their capabilities. The LLM uses these instructions plus the agent function descriptions to decide delegation. github.com/microsoft/teams.ts

  7. Combine A2A agents with MCP tools in the same ChatPrompt. Use A2AClientPlugin for agent delegation and McpClientPlugin for tool invocation. The LLM sees both as callable functions. github.com/microsoft/teams.ts

  8. Prevent infinite delegation loops by designing clear skill boundaries between agents. An orchestrator should not delegate to an agent that delegates back to the orchestrator. Keep delegation unidirectional. google.github.io/A2A -- Best practices

  9. Add fallback handling in orchestrator instructions: if no agent matches the user's request, the orchestrator should answer directly or inform the user that the request cannot be handled. github.com/microsoft/teams.ts

  10. Test multi-agent flows end-to-end. Start all agent processes, verify agent card URLs are reachable, and test delegation with representative user queries for each agent's skill set. github.com/microsoft/teams.ts

patterns

Orchestrator with custom delegation behavior
import { App } from '@microsoft/teams.apps';
import { ChatPrompt } from '@microsoft/teams.ai';
import { OpenAIChatModel } from '@microsoft/teams.openai';
import { A2AClientPlugin } from '@microsoft/teams.a2a';
import { ConsoleLogger } from '@microsoft/teams.common';
import { DevtoolsPlugin } from '@microsoft/teams.dev';

const model = new OpenAIChatModel({
  apiKey: process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY,
  model: 'gpt-4o',
});

const prompt = new ChatPrompt(
  {
    model,
    instructions: `You are the main office assistant. You coordinate with specialized agents:
- askWeatherAgent: handles weather and forecast questions
- askCalendarAgent: handles scheduling and calendar queries
- askITAgent: handles IT support, password resets, and tickets

Delegate to the appropriate agent based on the user's request.
If no agent matches, answer the question yourself.
Always present the agent's response clearly to the user.`,
  },
  [new A2AClientPlugin({
    // Customize how agent functions are named
    buildFunctionMetadata: (card) => ({
      name: `ask${card.name.replace(/\s+/g, '')}`,
      description: `Ask ${card.name}: ${card.description}`,
    }),
    // Customize outgoing messages to agents
    buildMessageForAgent: (card, input) => {
      return `[Request from orchestrator to ${card.name}]: ${input}`;
    },
    // Customize how agent responses are returned to the LLM
    buildMessageFromAgentResponse: (card, response) => {
      if (response.kind === 'message') {
        const text = response.parts
          .filter((p: any) => p.kind === 'text')
          .map((p: any) => p.text)
          .join(' ');
        return `${card.name} responded: ${text}`;
      }
      return `${card.name} sent a non-text response.`;
    },
  })],
)
  .usePlugin('a2a', {
    key: 'weather',
    cardUrl: 'http://weather-agent:4000/a2a/.well-known/agent-card.json',
  })
  .usePlugin('a2a', {
    key: 'calendar',
    cardUrl: 'http://calendar-agent:4001/a2a/.well-known/agent-card.json',
  })
  .usePlugin('a2a', {
    key: 'it-support',
    cardUrl: 'http://it-agent:4002/a2a/.well-known/agent-card.json',
  });

const app = new App({
  logger: new ConsoleLogger('orchestrator', { level: 'debug' }),
  plugins: [new DevtoolsPlugin()],
});

app.on('message', async ({ send, stream, activity }) => {
  await send({ type: 'typing' });
  try {
    const result = await prompt.send(activity.text);
    if (result.content) {
      await send(result.content);
    }
  } catch (err: any) {
    await send('Sorry, one of my specialized agents is unavailable. Please try again later.');
  }
});

app.start(3978);
Combining A2A agents with MCP tools
import { App } from '@microsoft/teams.apps';
import { ChatPrompt } from '@microsoft/teams.ai';
import { OpenAIChatModel } from '@microsoft/teams.openai';
import { A2AClientPlugin } from '@microsoft/teams.a2a';
import { McpClientPlugin } from '@microsoft/teams.mcpclient';
import { ConsoleLogger } from '@microsoft/teams.common';
import { DevtoolsPlugin } from '@microsoft/teams.dev';

const logger = new ConsoleLogger('hybrid-orchestrator');

const model = new OpenAIChatModel({
  apiKey: process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY,
  model: 'gpt-4o',
});

const prompt = new ChatPrompt(
  {
    model,
    instructions: `You are a powerful assistant with access to:
- Remote agents for complex tasks (weather, IT support)
- MCP tools for data lookup (search, documents)
- Local functions for simple operations (time, math)

Choose the best tool or agent for each request.`,
  },
  [
    new A2AClientPlugin(),
    new McpClientPlugin({ logger }),
  ],
)
  // A2A agents for complex, conversational tasks
  .usePlugin('a2a', {
    key: 'weather',
    cardUrl: 'http://weather-agent:4000/a2a/.well-known/agent-card.json',
  })
  .usePlugin('a2a', {
    key: 'it-support',
    cardUrl: 'http://it-agent:4002/a2a/.well-known/agent-card.json',
  })
  // MCP tools for data access
  .usePlugin('mcpClient', {
    url: 'http://localhost:5000/mcp',
  })
  // Local function
  .function('getTime', 'Get the current date and time', () => {
    return new Date().toISOString();
  });

const app = new App({
  logger,
  plugins: [new DevtoolsPlugin()],
});

app.on('message', async ({ send, activity }) => {
  await send({ type: 'typing' });
  const result = await prompt.send(activity.text);
  if (result.content) {
    await send(result.content);
  }
});

app.start(3978);
Orchestrator that is also an A2A server
import { App } from '@microsoft/teams.apps';
import { ChatPrompt } from '@microsoft/teams.ai';
import { OpenAIChatModel } from '@microsoft/teams.openai';
import { A2APlugin, A2AClientPlugin } from '@microsoft/teams.a2a';
import { ConsoleLogger } from '@microsoft/teams.common';
import { DevtoolsPlugin } from '@microsoft/teams.dev';

const model = new OpenAIChatModel({
  apiKey: process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY,
  model: 'gpt-4o',
});

// This bot is both an A2A server AND an A2A client
// It can be called by other agents AND delegate to downstream agents

const prompt = new ChatPrompt(
  {
    model,
    instructions: `You are a coordinator agent. You handle general queries and delegate specialized tasks to sub-agents.`,
  },
  [new A2AClientPlugin()],
)
  .usePlugin('a2a', {
    key: 'weather',
    cardUrl: 'http://weather-agent:4000/a2a/.well-known/agent-card.json',
  });

// Agent card so other agents can call this orchestrator
const agentCard = {
  name: 'Coordinator Agent',
  description: 'A coordinator that routes requests to specialized agents',
  url: 'http://localhost:3978/a2a',
  version: '1.0.0',
  protocolVersion: '0.3.0',
  capabilities: {},
  skills: [
    {
      id: 'coordinate',
      name: 'Coordinate Request',
      description: 'Route a request to the best available specialist agent',
      tags: ['coordination', 'routing'],
      examples: ['What is the weather in Paris?', 'Help me with a general question'],
    },
  ],
};

const app = new App({
  logger: new ConsoleLogger('coordinator'),
  plugins: [
    new DevtoolsPlugin(),
    new A2APlugin({ agentCard }), // Server: accept A2A messages
  ],
});

// Handle A2A messages from other agents
app.event('a2a:message', async ({ respond, requestContext }) => {
  const textInput = requestContext.userMessage.parts
    .filter((p: any) => p.kind === 'text')
    .at(0)?.text;

  if (!textInput) {
    await respond('Please send a text message.');
    return;
  }

  const result = await prompt.send(textInput);
  await respond(result.content || 'Unable to process request.');
});

// Handle direct Teams messages
app.on('message', async ({ send, activity }) => {
  const result = await prompt.send(activity.text);
  if (result.content) await send(result.content);
});

app.start(3978);

pitfalls

  • Infinite delegation loops: Agent A delegates to Agent B which delegates back to Agent A. Design clear, unidirectional delegation hierarchies. Do not connect an orchestrator to an agent that connects back to the orchestrator.

  • Inconsistent function naming: Without buildFunctionMetadata, agent function names are auto-generated from the agent card. This can produce confusing names for the LLM. Use the hook to standardize naming.

  • Overloading the orchestrator prompt: Too many agents with overlapping skill descriptions confuse the LLM about where to delegate. Keep agent responsibilities distinct and non-overlapping.

  • Not handling partial failures: In a multi-agent system, one agent may be down while others are available. The orchestrator should gracefully handle individual agent failures without crashing the entire flow.

  • Missing fallback behavior: If no agent matches the user's request, the orchestrator needs instructions to answer directly. Without fallback instructions, the LLM may force a bad delegation.

  • Forgetting A2AClientPlugin is a ChatPrompt plugin: It must be passed to new ChatPrompt(), not to new App(). This is a common mistake when combining A2A with App-level plugins like A2APlugin.

  • Stale agent cards: If a downstream agent changes its skills, the orchestrator will not see the updates until it is restarted. Plan for periodic restarts or manual refresh in dynamic environments.

references

instructions

This expert covers multi-agent orchestration patterns for Teams bots using A2A and MCP in the Teams AI Library v2 (@microsoft/teams.ts). Use it when you need to:

  • Build an orchestrator bot that delegates to multiple specialized A2A agents

  • Customize delegation behavior with buildFunctionMetadata, buildMessageForAgent, and buildMessageFromAgentResponse

  • Combine A2A agents with MCP tools and local functions in a single ChatPrompt

  • Build a bot that is both an A2A server and client (bidirectional agent)

  • Design delegation hierarchies that avoid infinite loops

  • Handle partial failures in multi-agent systems

Pair with a2a.client-basics-ts.md for basic client setup, a2a.server-basics-ts.md for building the agents being called, and mcp.client-basics-ts.md for combining MCP tools. Pair with a2a.server-basics-ts.md and a2a.client-basics-ts.md for foundational A2A setup, and mcp.client-basics-ts.md when combining A2A with MCP tool consumption.

research

Deep Research prompt:

"Write a micro expert on multi-agent orchestration patterns for Teams bots (TypeScript). Cover orchestrator design with A2AClientPlugin custom behavior (buildFunctionMetadata, buildMessageForAgent, buildMessageFromAgentResponse), combining A2A with MCP, building a bot that is both A2A server and client, delegation hierarchy design, preventing infinite loops, partial failure handling, and naming conventions. Include 2-3 TypeScript code examples."

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)
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Download ZIP

The ZIP holds the skill’s files, its licence files and an ATTRIBUTION.md. Download teams-app-developer.zip