Microsoft has announced the initial release of  a serverless blockchain-powered  Azure Blockchain Development Kit which seamlessly integrates blockchain with the best of Microsoft and third-party SaaS.

This new product enhances  the capabilities of Microsoft’s blockchain developer templates and Azure Blockchain Workbench, which incorporates Azure services for key management, off-chain identity and data, monitoring, and messaging APIs into a reference architecture that can be used to rapidly build blockchain-based applications

The initial release prioritizes capabilities related to three key themes entailing connecting interfaces, integrating data and systems, and deploying smart contracts and blockchain networks.

To deliver end to end blockchain solutions for consortiums, developers need to enable organizations, people, and devices to connect to the blockchain and do it from a heterogenous set of user interfaces. The development kit includes SMS and voice interfaces, Internet of Things (IoT) device integration, support for mobile clients, bots, virtual assistants, and other related solutions.

When it comes to smart contract interaction, the Blockchain Application Development Kit includes Workbench integration samples in areas such as the legacy apps and protocols, data, Software as a Service (SaaS), and registries, that generate a custom registry and registry item smart contracts.

Microsoft has also released a whitepaper, entitled “DevOps for Blockchain Smart Contracts” that provides details and exampleson how to develop blockchain in specific business environments.