Introduction to Microsoft Bot Framework Composer
The Microsoft Bot Framework Composer is an open-source, visual authoring tool designed to help developers and multidisciplinary teams create conversational experiences. With the integration of Language Understanding (LUIS) and QnA Maker, along with advanced language generation capabilities, Composer provides all the necessary tools to build sophisticated conversational agents, also known as bots.
Key Features
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Visual Editing Canvas: A simple, intuitive interface allows users to design and visualize conversation flows, making it easier to craft interactive dialogue experiences.
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In-Context Language Understanding Editing: Offers tools for real-time editing and management of natural language understanding (NLU) components. This enables the bot to comprehend user inputs effectively.
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Training and Testing Tools: Composer comes with built-in functionalities to train, test, and manage the language understanding and QnA components to ensure optimal performance of the bot.
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Language Generation: A robust templating system that aids in generating dynamic and contextually relevant bot responses, enhancing the conversational quality of interactions.
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Ready-to-Use Bot Runtime: Composer provides a runtime executable for deploying bots, making it straightforward to get them up and running.
Accessibility
Bot Framework Composer is accessible both as a desktop application and as a web-based component, making it versatile and convenient for various development environments.
Getting Started
To begin using Bot Framework Composer:
- Download the Composer: It is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
- Explore Documentation: Familiarize yourself with Composer through the comprehensive documentation.
- Create Your First Bot: Jumpstart your journey by creating a simple bot following the guide here.
- Latest Updates: Stay updated with the newest features and enhancements in Composer by checking the latest release.
Local Setup and Customization
To operate Composer locally as a web application:
- Clone the source code from GitHub, ensuring prerequisites such as Git, Node.js LTS 14.x, Yarn, and .NET Core SDK 3.1 or later are installed.
- Follow the commands to build and start the project:
git clone https://github.com/microsoft/BotFramework-Composer.git cd BotFramework-Composer cd Composer # switch to Composer folder yarn install # install dependencies yarn build # build extensions and libs yarn startall # start client and server at the same time
Extend Composer
Composer supports extensibility through plugins that allow customized features such as authentication, storage, and publishing. Developers can also tailor the samples and templates available in the application.
Community and Support
For assistance, feedback, or feature requests, the Composer community provides platforms such as:
- Stack Overflow for questions.
- GitHub Issues for reporting bugs or suggesting new features.
Related Projects
As part of the Bot Framework platform, Composer complements other projects such as the Bot Framework SDK and the Bot Framework Emulator, providing a comprehensive suite for bot development.
Contribution and Security
The project welcomes contributions under the Microsoft Open Source Code of Conduct. Contributors may be required to sign a Contributor License Agreement (CLA). For reporting security issues, contact Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC).
In conclusion, the Bot Framework Composer is a powerful tool that simplifies the process of creating bots. By offering a visual interface and extensive resources, it enables developers to craft bots that deliver engaging and dynamic conversational experiences.