Getting Started With Chatbot Using Azure Bot Service

Introduction

The Azure Bot Service is powered by the Microsoft Bot Framework and bot service allows developers to build conversational applications that plug into many popular chat applications including Facebook Messenger, Skype and Office 365, etc. In this article, we can create and test a bot by using the Azure Bot Service.

Create a New Bot Service

Logon to the Azure portal with your registered Azure Microsoft account. If you don’t have an Azure subscription, you can create a free trial Azure subscription from Azure portal.

In Azure Portal > click on + Add > Select on Data Analytics



Step 1

Select on new Bot service from data analytics menu

Step 2

You can provide the following information for creating a new bot service

1. unique App name to your bot’s name. The name is used as the subdomain in the Azure website (eg DevEnvExeBot.azurewebsites.net).
2. Select the Azure subscription.
3. Select the resource group or create new user group.
4. Select the location. And click on Create button
   
   
   

Step 3

After clicking on the Create button, wait a few minutes for the Bot Service to be deployed successfully before proceeding. You will get confirmation notification for after success.

Register Bot Application

You can click on confirmation notification. Then, you will get the following screen where you need to create App ID. This is a prerequisite to authenticating your bot with the bot framework.

Step 1

Click on Create Microsoft App ID and Password

Step 2

App ID and password will generate following screen and click on button for go back to Bot framework

Step 3

Select the Programming language and template for developing bot application


Step 4

Now the bot application is successfully created and running in the cloud, and you can edit code from Azure Develop code editor and also you can manage channels, analytics and settings.



Test Bot Application

You can click on Test button and provide sample input text.



Summary

In this article, you learned about creating and testing a bot by using the Azure Bot Service. If you have any questions/ feedback/ issues, please write in the comment box.