Development tool for the Microsoft Bot Framework. Allows developers to test and debug bots on localhost.
Publisher’s description
What is Bot Framework Emulator?
Bot Framework Emulator by Microsoft Corporation is open-source Windows software in the runtimes & libraries category. It ranks 17th by popularity among runtimes & libraries in this catalogue. It is written in TypeScript.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE (NSIS) installers for 32-bit Windows. It can be installed for the current user only, without administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches.
Updates and version history
The current version is 4.15.1, released on October 1, 2024. The version history goes back to March 30, 2021: 9 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 2.6 releases a year. The last update is more than a year old. The source repository has been archived, so further updates are unlikely.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (microsoft/BotFramework-Emulator) has 1,895 stars. Similar programs include LOVE, Taiga and Steam-Library-Manager.
Project description on GitHub: “A desktop application that allows users to locally test and debug chat bots built with the Bot Framework SDK.”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Documented silent install
- Installs without administrator rights
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
- 32-bit only
- No update for more than a year
- Source repository archived
In short: Bot Framework Emulator is an open-source runtimes & librarie tool for 32-bit PCs. Updates have slowed down. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is Bot Framework Emulator safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
C02B32FA861C448B3645D34F6E3719EE24C95BC0E4F9561DFF560407069006F2· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 9 versions ›9 versions over 4 years · about 2.6 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.15.1Latest | October 1, 2024 | — | 32-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 4.14.1 | November 11, 2021 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 4.14.0 | August 4, 2021 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 4.13.0 | June 9, 2021 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 4.12.0 | March 30, 2021 | — | 64-bit EXE |
| 4.11.0 | March 30, 2021 | — | 64-bit EXE |
| 4.10.0 | March 30, 2021 | — | 64-bit EXE |
| 4.9.0 | March 30, 2021 | — | 64-bit EXE |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Microsoft.BotFrameworkEmulator -eBotFramework-Emulator-4.15.1-windows-setup.exe /SRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- Microsoft Corporation
- Category
- Runtimes & libraries
- Licence
- MIT
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/microsoft/BotFramework-Emulator
- Written in
- TypeScript
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 32-bit
- Installer
- EXE (NSIS)
- Version
- 4.15.1
- Released
- October 1, 2024
- Added to the catalogue
- March 30, 2021
- Versions listed
- 9
- Updates / year
- 2.6
- GitHub stars
- 1,895
- GitHub forks
- 763
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- Microsoft.BotFrameworkEmulator
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Bot Framework Emulator free?
Yes. Bot Framework Emulator is open-source software under the MIT licence.
Is Bot Framework Emulator safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Bot Framework Emulator with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can Bot Framework Emulator be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does Bot Framework Emulator run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 32-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of Bot Framework Emulator?
The versions page lists all 9 versions with links to their official installer files, back to March 30, 2021.
Can I use Bot Framework Emulator without administrator rights?
Yes, there is a per-user installer that does not need administrator rights.
What are alternatives to Bot Framework Emulator?
LOVE, Taiga, Steam-Library-Manager, opencv and MarcEdit. The alternatives page compares them.
