Bot Framework
Bot Framework is a comprehensive framework developed by Microsoft for building, testing, and deploying conversational AI bots. It provides tools and SDKs to create bots that can interact with users across multiple channels like Microsoft Teams, Slack, and web chat. The framework supports natural language processing through integration with Azure Cognitive Services, enabling developers to build intelligent, context-aware conversational experiences.
Developers should learn Bot Framework when building enterprise-grade conversational AI applications that require multi-channel deployment, integration with Microsoft ecosystems, and advanced NLP capabilities. It is particularly useful for creating customer service bots, virtual assistants, and workflow automation tools that need to scale across platforms like Teams, Skype, and custom web interfaces. The framework simplifies bot development by offering pre-built templates, state management, and seamless Azure integration for cloud hosting and AI services.