Microsoft’s current Teams developer stack centers on the Teams SDK for building Teams-integrated apps and conversational agents, the Teams Developer CLI for scaffolding and managing projects, and Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit for a broader build, validation, and deployment workflow. Use Teams Developer Portal to configure app manifests and handle distribution. For collaboration features, Live Share supports shared multi-user app experiences, while newer agent capabilities include streaming, Agent-to-Agent communication, and Model Context Protocol support.
What changed in Microsoft’s Teams developer tools?
Microsoft’s tools now cover more than building a traditional Teams bot or tab. The Teams SDK targets conversational agents and other Teams-integrated app experiences, while Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit brings together development workflows for apps and agents built with the Teams SDK and Microsoft 365 Agents SDK. Teams Toolkit was renamed Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit on May 19, 2025; the associated CLI branding changed to Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit CLI, using the atk command. The former Teams App Test Tool was renamed Microsoft 365 Agents Playground.
That branding shift does not mean every tool has the same job. The SDK is the application-building layer, the CLI and Toolkit help manage the development lifecycle, Developer Portal handles configuration and distribution, and Live Share adds collaborative behavior to an app. Microsoft’s Teams SDK overview describes the SDK as designed alongside Teams so apps can use platform-specific capabilities.
Which tool should you use?
| Tool | Best fit | Role in the lifecycle | Relevant integration or collaboration surface | Status or qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teams SDK | Conversational agents and other apps integrated with Teams | Build the app experience and use Teams-specific capabilities | Teams | Microsoft documents it as an SDK developed alongside the Teams platform. Microsoft Learn |
| Teams Developer CLI | Teams agents and apps | Scaffold, configure, and manage projects | Teams SDK projects | Microsoft documents it for project scaffolding and management. Microsoft Learn |
| Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit | Apps and agents built with the Microsoft 365 Agents SDK or Teams SDK | Scaffold, validate, and deploy through Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, or CLI workflows | Microsoft 365 and Teams | Renamed from Teams Toolkit on May 19, 2025. Microsoft Learn |
| Teams Developer Portal | Configuring and distributing Teams agents and apps | Manage app manifests and prepare publishing to the Teams store or an organizational catalog | Teams distribution | Microsoft calls it the primary tool for configuring and distributing Teams agents and apps. Microsoft Learn |
| Microsoft 365 Agents Playground | Local agent testing | Test an agent locally without sideloading it into Teams | Agent development | Renamed from Teams App Test Tool on May 19, 2025. Microsoft Learn |
| Live Share SDK | Apps that need participants to interact with shared content | Add multi-user collaboration to an app experience | Teams meetings, chats, and channels | Microsoft announced Live Share sessions for these contexts on May 21, 2024. Microsoft Learn |
| Microsoft Graph SDKs | Apps that need Microsoft 365 data | Access Microsoft 365 services through SDKs | Teams, Outlook, and other Microsoft 365 data | Microsoft describes the SDKs as simplifying resilient access. Microsoft Learn |
| TeamsJS | JavaScript-hosted app experiences | Integrate a hosted experience with supported Microsoft clients | Teams, Microsoft 365 apps, and Outlook | See the TeamsJS client library documentation. |
| SharePoint Framework | Client-side pages and web parts | Build experiences connected to SharePoint data | SharePoint, Teams, and Viva | See the SharePoint Framework overview. |
How do the tools enable collaboration?
Shared app experiences with Live Share
Live Share is the most direct choice when the app itself needs to become a shared workspace. Microsoft announced Live Share sessions for meetings, chats, and channels on May 21, 2024. It is intended to support multi-user collaboration in an app without requiring developers to build dedicated back-end code for that collaboration layer. It complements, rather than replaces, the SDK or Toolkit: those help create and manage the app, while Live Share supplies collaborative behavior.
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Agents that can stream and work with other agents or tools
On September 18, 2025, Microsoft announced general availability of Teams AI Library for JavaScript and C#, describing 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. Treat language availability according to that dated announcement; it does not establish a later status for Python.
Streaming messages for bot apps were introduced on April 30, 2025. Streaming lets an agent return a response progressively rather than waiting to present the complete message at once. These capabilities broaden what a Teams agent can do, but they are distinct from Live Share: streaming concerns how an agent responds, and A2A/MCP concern agent or tool connectivity; Live Share concerns shared, multi-user interaction.
Rank #2
- With a 78° fixed field of view, the C920e webcam displays individual users in a well-balanced frame, while also providing sufficient room to visually share projects and other items of interest.
- The C920e webcam features two integrated omnidirectional microphones that capture your audio clearly from up to one meter away, so your voice always sounds natural and clear.
- Built-in HD autofocus ensures you’re seen clearly throughout your video calls. With automatic light correction, C920e delivers optics that help you look good in all your video meetings.
- The C920e webcam features an attachable privacy screen that flips up and down to cover or expose the lens. A simple glance at the cover confirms if the lens is able to see into your space or not.
- The C920e webcam is certified for Zoom, TAA compliant and works with all popular video calling applications such as Microsoft Teams to ensure compatibility and seamless integration in the workplace.
Meeting-specific app capabilities
Microsoft announced Meeting AI Insights API support on May 16, 2025, for summaries, action items, and mentions. This is relevant when an app needs to work with meeting insights, rather than a general substitute for Teams SDK, Graph, or Live Share. The announcement date establishes the feature’s introduction, not its current availability or eligibility in every tenant.
How to build and test a Teams app or agent
- Choose the app surface. Decide whether you are building a conversational agent, another Teams-integrated experience, or a JavaScript-hosted app shared across Microsoft clients. Start with the Teams SDK for Teams-integrated app and agent development; consider TeamsJS, Graph SDKs, or SharePoint Framework where their specific client or data integrations fit.
- Scaffold the project. Use the Teams Developer CLI to scaffold and manage a Teams SDK project. If you want the broader Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, or CLI workflow for scaffolding, validation, and deployment, use Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit. Current documentation identifies the renamed toolkit CLI with the
atkcommand. - Implement the collaboration model. Add Live Share if participants need to interact with synchronized app content. For agents, select capabilities such as streaming, MCP, or A2A where they match the design and the relevant language support and availability.
- Test locally. Use Microsoft 365 Agents Playground to test an agent locally without sideloading it into Teams. The CLI and Playground are described in the Teams Developer CLI documentation.
- Configure the app. Use Teams Developer Portal to manage the app manifest and configuration needed for distribution.
- Validate, deploy, and publish. Use the Toolkit workflow to validate and deploy, then follow Microsoft’s applicable publishing and certification steps for the Teams store or an organizational catalog.
Microsoft also announced that Dev Tools for Teams tabs became available in the new Teams client on August 22, 2024. That is a separate developer-tooling change; it does not replace the project scaffolding, local agent testing, or manifest management steps above.
Rank #3
- Good stability/attachment to monitor, laptop, and desktop scenarios
- Auto white balance and exposure compensation with HDR
- Integrated privacy shutter with usage indicator light
- Updatable firmware
- Fixed focus to cover 0.4m to 1.5m
How do you publish and distribute the app?
After testing and configuration, distribution depends on the intended audience. Developer Portal is Microsoft’s primary tool for configuring and distributing Teams apps; Microsoft documents publishing routes that include the Teams store and an organization’s app catalog. Store publication is not the same as organizational deployment: each route has its own review, policy, and administrative requirements.
Microsoft’s tools catalog also describes app certification and the option to include a SaaS offer through the Microsoft Commercial Marketplace. That provides a documented route to commercial distribution, but eligibility and commercial terms can change, so check the current marketplace requirements before planning a launch around them.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Compatible with Nintendo Switch 2’s new GameChat mode
- Be Your Best Self on Every Video Call: Full HD 1080p webcam resolution provides natural image quality, so you look like the real you on all meeting apps
- Auto Light Correction: RightLight 2 technology automatically compensates for poor video lighting conditions so you can be seen clearly
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- Spin for Instant Privacy: Spin the webcam privacy shutter to block the camera lens when you don’t need to be on screen
Rank #4
- Compatible with Nintendo Switch 2’s new GameChat mode
- HD lighting adjustment and autofocus: The Logitech webcam automatically fine-tunes the lighting, producing bright, razor-sharp images even in low-light settings. This makes it a great webcam for streaming and an ideal web camera for laptop use
- Advanced capture software: Easily create and share video content with this Logitech camera that is suitable for use as a desktop computer camera or a monitor webcam
- Stereo audio with dual mics: Capture natural sound during calls and recorded videos with this 1080p webcam, great as a video conference camera or a computer webcam
- Full HD 1080p video calling and recording at 30 fps. You'll make a strong impression with this PC webcam that features crisp, clearly detailed, and vibrantly colored video
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