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Botkit

A TypeScript library for building chat bots that connect to messaging platforms like Slack and Twilio SMS.

GitHub Download v4.15.0
Stars
11.6k
Forks
2.2k
Licence
MIT
Language
TypeScript
Last update
2.4 years ago
Type
Library

This repository is archived and no longer maintained.

What it is

Botkit is a developer toolkit for writing chat bots and integrations that run on messaging platforms. It is part of the Microsoft Bot Framework and provides a core library plus separate adapter packages for platforms such as Slack, Webex, Facebook Messenger, Google Hangouts, Twilio SMS, and a web adapter. The project is archived, so it no longer receives active development.

  • Build a Slack bot that responds to messages or commands using the botbuilder-adapter-slack package
  • Send and receive SMS messages through Twilio using the Twilio SMS adapter
  • Create a web chat bot using the web adapter package
  • Scaffold a new Botkit project with the Yeoman generator package

Great for

  • Developers maintaining an existing Botkit bot on Slack, Messenger, Twilio SMS, or Webex
  • Teams that want one bot codebase connected to several chat platforms through adapters
  • Developers learning how chat bot frameworks structure message handling
  • People who need an MIT-licensed, TypeScript-based bot library

Not ideal for

  • People starting a new bot project today, because the repository is archived and last pushed in July 2024
  • Non-developers looking for a no-code bot builder, since the README describes a developer tool
  • Teams needing guaranteed support or security updates for newer platform APIs, since the project is archived

How to get it

  1. 1

    Clone and build from source

    You'll need: Node.js · npm · TypeScript (installed globally) · lerna (installed globally)

    Install TypeScript globally

    npm install -g typescript

    Install lerna globally

    npm install -g lerna

    Clone the repository

    git clone git@github.com:howdyai/botkit.git

    Install dependencies and bootstrap packages

    cd botkit && npm install && lerna bootstrap --hoist
  2. 2

    Run it

    • Clone the repository and enter the botkit folder.
    • Run npm install to install dependencies.
    • Run lerna bootstrap --hoist to set up the local packages.
    • Run lerna run build to build all libraries.
    • Follow the README link to packages/botkit for getting-started instructions.
  3. 3

    Get the most out of it

    • Read the Botkit Core Docs in packages/docs for the core concepts
    • Use the Platform Support docs to check which adapters fit your chat platform
    • Use the Class Reference docs to look up available methods
    • Start from the Yeoman generator package to scaffold a project quickly

Downloads

Source code (.zip)main branch · straight from GitHubRelease v4.15.0Release notes and source

Strengths

  • Supports several major messaging platforms through separate adapter packages
  • Released under the permissive MIT license
  • Written in TypeScript and part of the Microsoft Bot Framework ecosystem

Trade-offs

  • The repository is archived, so it is unlikely to receive new fixes or platform updates
  • Setup uses lerna and a local build process that adds complexity for a first-time user
  • README is truncated and gives little detail on current platform compatibility

How it compares

ProjectStarsTypeLevelUpdatedBest for
botkit (this)11.6kLibraryintermediate2.4 years agoDevelopers maintaining an existing Botkit bot on Slack, Messenger, Twilio SMS, or Webex
telegraf17.9kAppintermediate4 days agoEngineers setting up server or system monitoring
jest45.5kLibrarybeginner4 days agoJavaScript or TypeScript developers who want a testing setup that works with little configuration
react-player10.3kLibraryintermediate1 months agoReact developers who need to embed videos from several services behind one component

Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.