Microsoft’s current Teams development stack combines the Teams SDK and Teams Developer CLI for building, Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit for scaffolding and deployment workflows, and Teams Developer Portal for configuring and distributing apps. For collaborative features, Live Share lets developers create shared multi-user experiences, while newer agent capabilities include streaming, Agent-to-Agent communication, and Model Context Protocol support.
Which Microsoft Teams developer tools should you use?
Choose tools by the work you need to do: build an agent or app, add a Teams or Microsoft 365 integration, test locally, or prepare a release. The toolkit name and some related product names changed in May 2025, so older references to Teams Toolkit and Teams App Test Tool may not match current labels.
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| Tool | Best fit | Lifecycle role | Integration or collaboration focus | Status or naming note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teams SDK | Conversational agents and other Teams-integrated app experiences | Build and integrate | Teams-specific platform capabilities | Microsoft describes it as developed alongside the Teams platform. [Microsoft Learn] |
| Teams Developer CLI | Teams agents and apps | Scaffold, configure, and manage projects | Teams SDK project workflow | Microsoft’s SDK documentation identifies it as the project scaffolding and management CLI. [Microsoft Learn] |
| Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit | Agents and apps built with Microsoft 365 Agents SDK or Teams SDK | Scaffold, validate, and deploy through Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, or CLI | Microsoft 365 and Teams development workflows | Renamed from Teams Toolkit on 19 May 2025; the CLI branding moved to Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit CLI and the command is atk. [Microsoft announcement] |
| Teams Developer Portal | Teams agents and apps that need configuration or distribution | Configure manifests and distribute or publish | Teams Store and organizational catalog | Microsoft calls it the primary tool for configuring and distributing Teams apps. [Microsoft Learn] |
| Microsoft Graph SDKs | Apps that need Microsoft 365 data | Access service data from application code | Microsoft 365 services, including Teams and Outlook | Use when the app needs Microsoft 365 data through Graph. [Microsoft Learn] |
| TeamsJS | JavaScript hosted experiences | Integrate the client experience | Teams, Microsoft 365 apps, and Outlook | Microsoft’s JavaScript client library for these hosted environments. [Microsoft Learn] |
| SharePoint Framework (SPFx) | SharePoint pages and web parts | Build client-side components | SharePoint data with Teams and Viva | Useful when a Teams experience is part of a broader SharePoint solution. [Microsoft Learn] |
| Live Share SDK | Apps where participants need to interact with shared content together | Add multi-user collaboration | Teams meetings, chats, and channels | Microsoft announced support for Live Share sessions across these contexts on 21 May 2024. [Microsoft Learn] |
| Microsoft 365 Agents Playground | Local agent testing | Test before sideloading into Teams | Agent development workflow | Formerly called Teams App Test Tool; renamed on 19 May 2025. [Microsoft Learn] |
These tools complement one another rather than replace one another. For example, an agent project can use the Teams SDK and CLI for development, the Agents Toolkit for a broader scaffold-and-deploy workflow, and Developer Portal when its manifest and distribution need attention. Add Graph, TeamsJS, SPFx, or Live Share only when the app’s data access or user experience calls for them.
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Microsoft has been consolidating its developer experience around agents as well as traditional app experiences. On 19 May 2025, Teams Toolkit became Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit, Teams App Test Tool became Microsoft 365 Agents Playground, and the CLI branding shifted to Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit CLI with the atk command. The Teams Developer CLI remains the CLI identified in Teams SDK documentation for scaffolding and managing Teams SDK projects; the names refer to distinct documented workflows, so follow the instructions for the SDK or toolkit you are using.
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On 18 September 2025, Microsoft announced general availability of Teams AI Library for JavaScript and C#. Microsoft described support for Model Context Protocol (MCP), Agent-to-Agent (A2A) communication, and streamlined tools for intelligent Teams agents. Python support was listed as developer preview on that date, so do not assume it had the same maturity as the JavaScript and C# releases. [Microsoft announcement]
Other platform changes include streaming messages for bot apps, introduced 30 April 2025; support for meeting AI Insights API summaries, action items, and mentions, announced 16 May 2025; and Dev Tools for Teams tabs becoming available in the new Teams client on 22 August 2024. These are separate capabilities, not a single replacement toolkit. Check each feature’s documentation for supported app types and current availability before designing around it.
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How do the tools enable collaboration?
Live Share makes an app experience shared
Live Share is for app behavior in which multiple participants need a common, interactive experience—for example, coordinating around content during a meeting or collaborating in a chat or channel. Microsoft describes the SDK as enabling multi-user collaboration without requiring dedicated back-end code. It is distinct from simply displaying the same app to several people: the app must use Live Share to synchronize the relevant collaborative experience.
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Agents can stream and communicate with other agents
Streaming messages let a bot app deliver a response incrementally rather than waiting to show the entire result at once. A2A supports agent-to-agent communication, while MCP provides a way for agents to work with tools and contextual capabilities. These features expand what an agent can do, but they do not by themselves make a user interface collaborative; use Live Share when participants need shared, synchronized interaction.
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Teams platform integrations connect the experience to work
The SDK provides access to Teams-specific capabilities; TeamsJS supports hosted experiences across Teams, Microsoft 365 apps, and Outlook; Graph SDKs support access to Microsoft 365 data; and SPFx connects SharePoint client-side components with Teams and Viva. Choosing the right integration surface helps an app participate in the places and workflows where users already collaborate.
How do you build and test a Teams app or agent?
- Choose the app shape. Decide whether you are building a conversational agent, a tab or hosted experience, a meeting app, or another Teams-integrated app. Select the Teams SDK for Teams-focused development, and use the broader Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit workflow when its Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, or CLI scaffolding, validation, and deployment support fits your project.
- Scaffold and manage the project. Use the Teams Developer CLI for a Teams SDK project’s scaffold and management workflow. Use Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit where you need its broader agent-and-app lifecycle tooling. Confirm the command and extension names in the documentation for the workflow you selected, especially in older material that may still say Teams Toolkit.
- Add only the integrations you need. Use TeamsJS for supported hosted client experiences, Graph SDKs for Microsoft 365 data, SPFx for SharePoint-based components, or Live Share for multi-user shared interaction.
- Test the agent locally. Use Microsoft 365 Agents Playground to test an agent locally without sideloading it into Teams. This is the current name for the tool previously called Teams App Test Tool. [Microsoft Learn]
- Configure the app manifest. Use Teams Developer Portal to configure the manifest and related app details. A manifest is central to how the app is described and made available in Teams.
- Validate, deploy, and prepare distribution. Use the toolkit workflow for validation and deployment where appropriate, then use Developer Portal and Microsoft’s publishing process for the intended distribution route.
How do you publish and distribute a Teams app?
Publishing is a distinct step from local development and testing. Microsoft documents routes that include publishing to Microsoft 365 app stores or an organization’s catalog, with app certification relevant to store distribution. For commercial developers, Microsoft also describes including a SaaS offer with an app through the Microsoft Commercial Marketplace. Eligibility and commercial terms can change, so confirm the current requirements in Microsoft’s publishing and marketplace documentation before committing to a distribution or monetization plan. [Microsoft Learn] [Microsoft Learn]
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Which development path fits your project?
- For a new Teams conversational agent: Start with Teams SDK documentation and its CLI workflow; use Microsoft 365 Agents Playground for local testing.
- For a broader Microsoft 365 agent or app workflow: Consider Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit for scaffolding, validation, and deployment in Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, or CLI.
- For a collaborative in-meeting or chat experience: Evaluate Live Share if participants need synchronized interaction with shared content.
- For a Teams-hosted JavaScript app: Use TeamsJS when its supported client features and host environments match your requirements.
- For Microsoft 365 data or SharePoint content: Add Graph SDKs or SPFx respectively, rather than treating them as substitutes for the Teams SDK.
- For publication: Configure the app through Developer Portal and follow the requirements for the store or organizational catalog where it will be distributed.
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