Determine the scenarios for which actions for declarative agents with API plugins are suitable. Describe the function of API plugins.
By the end of this module, you're able to:
- Evaluate whether extending your declarative agent with an API plugin action is suitable for your scenario.
- Describe how API plugins enable a declarative agent to retrieve and modify external data.
Build a declarative agent for Microsoft 365 Copilot optimized for a specific scenario. Bring actions to your agent with API plugins to access external data in real-time.
By the end of this module, you're able to:
- Design a declarative agent with actions using an API plugin
- Integrate a declarative agent with an API plugin connected to an anonymous API
- Run declarative agent with an API plugin in Microsoft 365 Copilot to validate the results
Learn how to enhance the user experience of declarative agents by using Adaptive Cards to render API data visually. Create and configure Adaptive Card templates, integrate them into API plugins, and test the setup in Microsoft 365 Copilot. Learn the practical steps for building and previewing Adaptive Cards in Visual Studio Code.
By the end of this module, you're able to:
- Create an Adaptive Card template that shows the data from the API.
- Verify that the Adaptive Card template correctly renders API data.
- Configure the API plugin to render the data using the Adaptive Card template.
- Upload your declarative agent to Microsoft 365 Copilot and validate the results.
When building apps for work, you typically integrate with secured APIs. Learn about the two common ways of how APIs are secured – API key and OAuth2, and how to integrate with them when building an API plugin for declarative agents that run in Microsoft 365 Copilot.
By the end of this module, you're able to:
- Identify how an API is secured
- Design a secure way to integrate an API plugin for Microsoft 365 Copilot with an API
- Integrate an API plugin with an API secured with an API key
- Integrate an API plugin with an API secured with OAuth2
- Run the API plugin in Microsoft 365 Copilot to validate the results

Syllabus

Introduction to actions with API plugins for declarative agents
- Introduction
- What are API plugins for declarative agents?
- How API plugins work
- When to use API plugins
- Module assessment
- Summary
Build your first action for declarative agents with API plugin by using Visual Studio Code
- Introduction
- Create a declarative agent with an API plugin
- Exercise - Create a declarative agent with an API plugin
- Module assessment
- Summary
Use Adaptive Cards to show data in API plugins for declarative agents
- Introduction
- Return rich responses with Adaptive Cards
- Exercise - Return rich responses with Adaptive Cards
- Module assessment
- Summary
Authenticate your API plugin for declarative agents with secured APIs
- Introduction
- Integrate an API plugin with an API secured with a key
- Exercise - Integrate an API plugin with an API secured with a key
- Integrate an API plugin with an API secured with OAuth
- Exercise - Integrate an API plugin with an API secured with OAuth
- Module assessment
- Summary