Build message extensions using Bot Framework

Message extensions built using Bot Framework (Bot-based) use a web service as a bot. You can use message extensions to enable users to interact with your web service from different locations in the Teams client, such as the compose message area, the command box, or directly from a message and send back structured data, such as cards.

Bot-based message extension takes advantage of the Bot Framework's messaging schema and secure communication protocol. The bot is defined in the app manifest for the Teams app and you can also define different types of commands for your message extension, such as action commands or search commands.

There are two types of message extension commands, action command and search command. The message extension command type defines the UI elements and interaction flows available to your web service. You can use a search command or an action command to interact with your web service through a bot in Teams.

Search commands

Message extension search commands allow users to search external systems and insert the results of that search into a message in the form of a card. This document guides you on how to select search command invoke locations, and add the search command to your app manifest.

Note

The result card size limit is 28 KB. The card isn't sent if its size exceeds 28 KB.

See the following video to learn how to define message extension search commands:

The search command in a message extension is configured using the composeExtensions.commands property and the query type in the app manifest (previously called as Teams app manifest). Command and parameter descriptions enhance the usability and effectiveness of a message extension. A good command description offers a clear and concise summary of the app’s features.

The following code is an example of the composeExtensions property defining a search command:

{
 "composeExtensions": [
    {
      "botId": "eccdf132-0900-4d36-936b-dec5e6357f11",
      "commands": [
        {
          "id": "Dev",
          "type": "query",
          "title": "Jedi",
          "description": "May the force be with you",
          "initialRun": true,
          "fetchTask": false,
          "context": [
            "commandBox",
            "compose",
            "message"
          ],
          "parameters": [
            {
              "name": "Luke",
              "title": "Skywalker",
              "description": "Jedi master",
              "inputType": "text"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "canUpdateConfiguration": true
    }
  ],

Parameters

You must add the following parameters to your composeExtensions.commands array of objects:

Property name	Purpose	Required?	Manifest version
id	Unique ID that you assign to search command. The user request includes this ID.	Yes	1.0
title	Command name. This value appears in the user interface (UI).	Yes	1.0
description	Help text indicating what this command does. This value appears in the UI.	Yes	1.0
semanticDescription	Semantic description of the command for consumption by the Large Language Models (LLMs).	No	1.17
type	Type of command. Default is query.	No	1.4
initialRun	If this property is set to true, it indicates this command should be executed as soon as the user selects this command in the UI.	No	1.0
context	Optional array of values that defines the context the search action is available in. The possible values are message, compose, or commandBox. The default is compose,commandBox.	No	1.5

You must add the following search parameter details that define the text visible to your user in the Teams client:

Property name	Purpose	Is required?	Minimum manifest version
parameters	Defines a static list of parameters for the command.	No	1.0
parameter.name	Describes the name of the parameter. The parameter.name is sent to your service in the user request.	Yes	1.0
parameter.description	Describes the parameter’s purposes or example of the value that must be provided. This value appears in the UI.	Yes	1.0
parameter.semanticDescription	Semantic description of the parameter for consumption by the Large Language Models (LLMs).	No	1.17
parameter.title	Short user-friendly parameter title or label.	Yes	1.0
parameter.inputType	Set to the type of the input required. Possible values include text, textarea, number, date, time, toggle. Default is set to text.	No	1.4
parameters.value	Initial value for the parameter. The value isn't supported	No	1.5

For more information, see app manifest schema.

Next step

Define message extension search command

Action commands

Note

When a message action is initiated, attachment details aren't sent as part of the turncontext invoke activity.

Action commands allow you to present your users with a modal pop-up called a task module in Teams. The task module collects or displays information, processes the interaction, and sends the information back to Teams. This document guides you on how to select action command invoke locations, create your task module, send final message, or card, create action command using app studio, or create it manually.

The action command in a message extension is configured using the composeExtensions.commands property and action type in the app manifest.

The following code is an example of the composeExtensions property defining an action command:

"composeExtensions": [
        {
            "botId": "xxxxxx-xxx-bot-ID-xxxxxxxx}",
            "commands": [
                {
                    "id": "createCard",
                    "context": [
                        "compose",
                        "message",
                        "commandBox"
                    ],
                    "description": "Command to run action to create a Card from Compose Box",
                    "title": "Create Card",
                    "type": "action",
                    "parameters": [
                        {
                            "name": "title",
                            "title": "Card title",
                            "description": "Title for the card",
                            "inputType": "text"
                        },
                        {
                            "name": "subTitle",
                            "title": "Subtitle",
                            "description": "Subtitle for the card",
                            "inputType": "text"
                        },
                        {
                            "name": "text",
                            "title": "Text",
                            "description": "Text for the card",
                            "inputType": "textarea"
                        }
                    ]
                }
            ]
        }
    ]

Parameters

You must add the following parameters to your composeExtensions.commands array of objects:

Property name	Purpose	Required?	Manifest version
id	Unique ID that you assign to this command. The user request includes this ID.	Yes	1.0
title	Command name. This value appears in the UI.	Yes	1.0
type	Message extension type. Default is action.	No	1.4
fetchTask	Set to true for an Adaptive Card or embedded web view for your task module, andfalse for a static list of parameters or when loading the web view by a taskInfo.	No	1.4
context	Optional array of values that defines where the message extension is invoked from. The possible values are message, compose, or commandBox. The default value is ["compose", "commandBox"].	No	1.5

If you're using a static list of parameters, you must also add the following parameters:

Property name	Purpose	Is required?	Minimum manifest version
parameters	Describes the static list of parameters for the command. Only use when fetchTask is false.	No	1.0
parameter.name	Describes the name of the parameter. This is sent to your service in the user request.	Yes	1.0
parameter.description	Describes the parameter’s purposes or example of the value that should be provided. This value appears in the UI.	Yes	1.0
parameter.title	Short user-friendly parameter title or label.	Yes	1.0
parameter.inputType	Set to the type of input required. The possible values include text, textarea, number, date, time, toggle. The default value is set to text.	No	1.4

If you're using an embedded web view, you can optionally add the taskInfo object to fetch your web view without calling your bot directly. If you select this option, the behavior is similar to that of using a static list of parameters. In that the first interaction with your bot is responding to the task module submit action. If you're using a taskInfo object, you must set the fetchTask parameter to false.

Property name	Purpose	Is required?	Minimum manifest version
taskInfo	Specify the task module to preload when using a message extension command.	No	1.4
taskInfo.title	Initial task module title.	No	1.4
taskInfo.width	Task module width, either a number in pixels or default layout such as large, medium, or small.	No	1.4
taskInfo.height	Task module height, either a number in pixels or default layout such as large, medium, or small.	No	1.4
taskInfo.url	Initial web view URL.	No	1.4

For more information, see app manifest schema.

Next step

Define message extension action commands

See also

• Universal Actions for search based message extensions
• API-based message extension