Azure Bot Service Management SDK for Python
Manage Azure Bot Service resources including bots, channels, and connections.
Installation
pip install azure-mgmt-botservice
pip install azure-identity
Environment Variables
AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID=<your-subscription-id> # Required for all auth methods
AZURE_RESOURCE_GROUP=<your-resource-group> # Required for all auth methods
AZURE_TOKEN_CREDENTIALS=prod # Required only if DefaultAzureCredential is used in production
Authentication & Lifecycle
π Two rules apply to every code sample below:
- Prefer
DefaultAzureCredential. It works locally (Azure CLI / VS Code / Developer CLI) and in Azure (managed identity, workload identity) with no code change. Avoid connection strings, account/API keys β they bypass Entra audit and rotation.
- Local dev:
DefaultAzureCredentialworks as-is.- Production: set
AZURE_TOKEN_CREDENTIALS=prod(orAZURE_TOKEN_CREDENTIALS=<specific_credential>) to constrain the credential chain to production-safe credentials.- Wrap every client in a context manager so HTTP transports, sockets, and token caches are released deterministically:
- Sync:
with <Client>(...) as client:- Async:
async with <Client>(...) as client:andasync with DefaultAzureCredential() as credential:(fromazure.identity.aio)Snippets may abbreviate this setup, but production code should always follow both rules.
from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential, ManagedIdentityCredential
from azure.mgmt.botservice import AzureBotService
import os
# Local dev: DefaultAzureCredential. Production: set AZURE_TOKEN_CREDENTIALS=prod or AZURE_TOKEN_CREDENTIALS=<specific_credential>
credential = DefaultAzureCredential(require_envvar=True)
# Or use a specific credential directly in production:
# See https://learn.microsoft.com/python/api/overview/azure/identity-readme?view=azure-python#credential-classes
# credential = ManagedIdentityCredential()
with AzureBotService(
credential=credential,
subscription_id=os.environ["AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID"]
) as client:
# Use `client` for all subsequent operations (see examples below)
...
Create a Bot
from azure.mgmt.botservice import AzureBotService
from azure.mgmt.botservice.models import Bot, BotProperties, Sku
from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential
import os
resource_group = os.environ["AZURE_RESOURCE_GROUP"]
bot_name = "my-chat-bot"
credential = DefaultAzureCredential()
with AzureBotService(
credential=credential,
subscription_id=os.environ["AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID"]
) as client:
bot = client.bots.create(
resource_group_name=resource_group,
resource_name=bot_name,
parameters=Bot(
location="global",
sku=Sku(name="F0"), # Free tier
kind="azurebot",
properties=BotProperties(
display_name="My Chat Bot",
description="A conversational AI bot",
endpoint="https://my-bot-app.azurewebsites.net/api/messages",
msa_app_id="<your-app-id>",
msa_app_type="MultiTenant"
)
)
)
print(f"Bot created: {bot.name}")
Get Bot Details
bot = client.bots.get(
resource_group_name=resource_group,
resource_name=bot_name
)
print(f"Bot: {bot.properties.display_name}")
print(f"Endpoint: {bot.properties.endpoint}")
print(f"SKU: {bot.sku.name}")
List Bots in Resource Group
bots = client.bots.list_by_resource_group(resource_group_name=resource_group)
for bot in bots:
print(f"Bot: {bot.name} - {bot.properties.display_name}")
List All Bots in Subscription
all_bots = client.bots.list()
for bot in all_bots:
print(f"Bot: {bot.name} in {bot.id.split('/')[4]}")
Update Bot
bot = client.bots.update(
resource_group_name=resource_group,
resource_name=bot_name,
properties=BotProperties(
display_name="Updated Bot Name",
description="Updated description"
)
)
Delete Bot
client.bots.delete(
resource_group_name=resource_group,
resource_name=bot_name
)
Configure Channels
Add Teams Channel
from azure.mgmt.botservice.models import (
BotChannel,
MsTeamsChannel,
MsTeamsChannelProperties
)
channel = client.channels.create(
resource_group_name=resource_group,
resource_name=bot_name,
channel_name="MsTeamsChannel",
parameters=BotChannel(
location="global",
properties=MsTeamsChannel(
properties=MsTeamsChannelProperties(
is_enabled=True
)
)
)
)
Add Direct Line Channel
from azure.mgmt.botservice.models import (
BotChannel,
DirectLineChannel,
DirectLineChannelProperties,
DirectLineSite
)
channel = client.channels.create(
resource_group_name=resource_group,
resource_name=bot_name,
channel_name="DirectLineChannel",
parameters=BotChannel(
location="global",
properties=DirectLineChannel(
properties=DirectLineChannelProperties(
sites=[
DirectLineSite(
site_name="Default Site",
is_enabled=True,
is_v1_enabled=False,
is_v3_enabled=True
)
]
)
)
)
)
Add Web Chat Channel
from azure.mgmt.botservice.models import (
BotChannel,
WebChatChannel,
WebChatChannelProperties,
WebChatSite
)
channel = client.channels.create(
resource_group_name=resource_group,
resource_name=bot_name,
channel_name="WebChatChannel",
parameters=BotChannel(
location="global",
properties=WebChatChannel(
properties=WebChatChannelProperties(
sites=[
WebChatSite(
site_name="Default Site",
is_enabled=True
)
]
)
)
)
)
Get Channel Details
channel = client.channels.get(
resource_group_name=resource_group,
resource_name=bot_name,
channel_name="DirectLineChannel"
)
List Channel Keys
keys = client.channels.list_with_keys(
resource_group_name=resource_group,
resource_name=bot_name,
channel_name="DirectLineChannel"
)
# Access Direct Line keys
if hasattr(keys.properties, 'properties'):
for site in keys.properties.properties.sites:
print(f"Site: {site.site_name}")
print(f"Key: {site.key}")
Bot Connections (OAuth)
Create Connection Setting
from azure.mgmt.botservice.models import (
ConnectionSetting,
ConnectionSettingProperties
)
connection = client.bot_connection.create(
resource_group_name=resource_group,
resource_name=bot_name,
connection_name="graph-connection",
parameters=ConnectionSetting(
location="global",
properties=ConnectionSettingProperties(
client_id="<oauth-client-id>",
client_secret="<oauth-client-secret>",
scopes="User.Read",
service_provider_id="<service-provider-id>"
)
)
)
List Connections
connections = client.bot_connection.list_by_bot_service(
resource_group_name=resource_group,
resource_name=bot_name
)
for conn in connections:
print(f"Connection: {conn.name}")
Client Operations
| Operation | Method |
|-----------|--------|
| client.bots | Bot CRUD operations |
| client.channels | Channel configuration |
| client.bot_connection | OAuth connection settings |
| client.direct_line | Direct Line channel operations |
| client.email | Email channel operations |
| client.operations | Available operations |
| client.host_settings | Host settings operations |
SKU Options
| SKU | Description |
|-----|-------------|
| F0 | Free tier (limited messages) |
| S1 | Standard tier (unlimited messages) |
Channel Types
| Channel | Class | Purpose |
|---------|-------|---------|
| MsTeamsChannel | Microsoft Teams | Teams integration |
| DirectLineChannel | Direct Line | Custom client integration |
| WebChatChannel | Web Chat | Embeddable web widget |
| SlackChannel | Slack | Slack workspace integration |
| FacebookChannel | Facebook | Messenger integration |
| EmailChannel | Email | Email communication |
Best Practices
- Pick sync OR async and stay consistent. Do not mix
azure.xxxsync clients withazure.xxx.aioasync clients in the same call path. Choose one mode per module. - Always use context managers for clients and async credentials. Wrap every client in
with Client(...) as client:(sync) orasync with Client(...) as client:(async). For asyncDefaultAzureCredentialfromazure.identity.aio, also useasync with credential:so tokens and transports are cleaned up. - Use
DefaultAzureCredentialfor code that runs locally. Use a specific token credential for code that runs in Azure. - Start with F0 SKU for development, upgrade to S1 for production
- Store MSA App ID/Secret securely β use Key Vault
- Enable only needed channels β reduces attack surface
- Rotate Direct Line keys periodically
- Use managed identity when possible for bot connections
- Configure proper CORS for Web Chat channel