Identifying the SDK Version in an Azure Bot Project: V3 or V4?

How to identify if your bot project uses Azure Bot SDKV3 or SDKV4

As you may already know, SDK V3 is deprecated. With new features introduced in SDK V4 for building Azure bots, it is important to migrate to the latest version. However, some projects are still running on SDK V3. We often get requests to determine if your bot is using SDK V3 or V4. That’s why we’re writing this blog post to walk you through how to identify the current version your bot is running and to highlight the importance of migrating to SDK V4 to take advantage of improved performance, security, and new features.

Deprecation Details

There are a few key indicators to look at to determine whether your Azure bot project is using SDK V3 or SDK V4.

1. Project structure and files:

• SDK V3: Typically, an SDK V3 project contains the following files: Microsoft.Bot.Builder.dll and Microsoft.Bot.Connector.dll.
• SDK V4: SDK V4 projects often contain the following files: Microsoft.Bot.Builder.Dialogs.dll and Microsoft.Bot.Builder.Integration.AspNet.Core.dll.

• SDK V3: The main logic of a bot is often found in classes that inherit from: IDialog or LuisDialog. Message processing is done using: Message Controller.
• SDK V4: The main logic of a bot is usually in a class that inherits from: ActivityHandler or DialogBot. Message processing is done using: OnMessageActivityAsynchronous.

• SDK V3: You can view configuration settings in web.config or app.config.
• SDK V4: Configuration settings are typically located in appsettings.json.

• SDK V3: Finding Dependencies Microsoft.Bot.Builder version 3.xx.
• SDK V4: Finding Dependencies Microsoft.Bot.Builder version 4.xx.

Checking these aspects will help you figure out which SDK version your bot project is using.

How to migrate Azure bots from SDKV3 to SDKV4

1. Setting up a new SDK V4 project

   Create a new bot project using the Bot Framework SDK V4. You can start with the Bot Framework template for Visual Studio or with the Bot Framework CLI.

2. Bot Logic Migration

• Dialogs: In SDK V3, dialogs are often implemented using I.Dialog or LuisDialogSDK V4 uses: Component Dialog and Waterfall DialogThe conversation logic needs to be rewritten to fit the new structure.
• Message Processing: In SDK V3, message processing is done as follows: Message controller. SDK V4 handles the following messages: OnMessageActivityAsynchronous Methods of inherited classes Activity Handler.

3. Dependency Update

   Make sure your new project references the appropriate SDK V4 packages. You can find the following packages on NuGet: Microsoft.Bot.Builder, Microsoft.Bot.Builder.Dialogs, and Microsoft.Bot.Builder.Integration.AspNet.Core.

4. Configuration Update

   Move the configuration settings web.config or app.config (SDK V3) app settings.json (SDK V4). Update required settings to meet new SDK requirements.

5. Bot Testing

   Test your bot thoroughly to ensure that all features work as expected. You should test it locally using the Bot Framework Emulator and cover all scenarios.

6. Deploying a bot

7. Channel Update

• Reconfigure your bot channels in the Azure Portal to ensure they are set up correctly for your new SDK V4 bot.

Additional Materials

Migration can be a bit complicated, but following these steps will help you get started.
Hope this helps!