Background:
So Why do we need a Communications API?
- To provide an opportunity for developers to customize or extend the core communication capabilities.
- Developers would also leverage communication API to introduce new user interaction features in enterprise-specific Line of Business and services.
Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams are the most popular communication enterprise software used by most of the organizations.
Microsoft Teams, as we all know is a unified communication & collaboration platform that combines persistent workplace chat, video meetings, file storage, and application integration. Prior to Microsoft Teams, Skype for Business was the most popular Instant Messaging(IM) enterprise software which was either deployed in on-prem using Skype for Business Server or with Office 365 subscription.
Skype for business developer platform provided multiple options for developers for customization, few of them are discussed below:
- Skype for Business App SDK –
- Integrate messaging, audio, and video experiences into mobile and tablet applications
- Helped iOS & Android apps to interact with Skype for Business features
- UCWA (Microsoft Unified Communications Web API)
- Show user presence in business apps and intranets
- Embed Instant messaging in Line of Business applications
- Proactive chat feature
- Lync Server SDK’s
Limitations with Skype for business Developer platform:
- It provides limited opportunities to customize and extend the capabilities
- These options are developed in legacy frameworks that are complex to integrate.
- Microsoft has announced the retirement of Skype for Business Online will retire on July 31, 2021.
Microsoft Communication API
Microsoft Graph Communications API provides a rich set of developer toolkit which will add a new dimension to enable core communication capabilities by introducing new user interaction features in enterprise-specific Line of Business.
There are multiple web service operations available in various scenarios of communication like calling, Meetings, Presence, call records, etc. All these features are available in the beta endpoint of Microsoft Graph API whereas call and meeting features are available in v.1.0 endpoint. You can check the details here.
Use Case Scenarios:
- Embedding IM experience in Line of Business apps
- Integrate Service application Bots
- Initiate and receive calls programmatically
- Create meetings and retrieve availability
- Display presence status in business apps
To summarize, Microsoft Graph Communications API can be used to enrich the instant messaging experience, build and integrate next-generation service applications (bots) to simplify the customer service experience, collaborate in group calls, set up online meetings, display presence status in LOB applications, etc. in short -possibilities are immense!