congiuluc/agent-framework-dotnet

Microsoft Agent Framework — .NET (C#)

When to Use

• Creating or modifying AI agents using Microsoft Agent Framework in C#
• Adding function tools, MCP tools, or code-interpreter capabilities to agents
• Building multi-turn conversational agents with session state
• Implementing graph-based workflows with executors and edges
• Orchestrating multi-agent patterns (sequential, concurrent, hand-off)
• Adding middleware for logging, security, error handling on agent runs
• Integrating with Azure OpenAI, OpenAI, Anthropic, Ollama, or other providers
• Streaming agent responses
• Migrating from Semantic Kernel or AutoGen to Agent Framework

Official Documentation

• Agent Framework Overview
• Your First Agent
• Add Tools
• Multi-Turn Conversations
• Agents Overview
• Function Tools
• Tool Approval (Human-in-the-loop)
• Agent Middleware
• Sessions & State
• Context Providers
• Workflows Overview
• Providers
• Integrations (A2A, AG-UI, Azure Functions, M365)
• Migration from Semantic Kernel
• Migration from AutoGen
• GitHub Repository — .NET
• NuGet Packages

NuGet Packages

| Package | Purpose | |---------|---------| | Microsoft.Agents.AI.OpenAI | OpenAI / Azure OpenAI agent provider (Chat Completions & Responses) | | Microsoft.Agents.AI.Anthropic | Anthropic agent provider | | Microsoft.Agents.AI.Ollama | Ollama agent provider | | Azure.AI.OpenAI | Azure OpenAI client SDK | | Azure.Identity | Azure credential helpers (AzureCliCredential, DefaultAzureCredential) |

Install the core packages:

dotnet add package Microsoft.Agents.AI.OpenAI --prerelease
dotnet add package Azure.AI.OpenAI --prerelease
dotnet add package Azure.Identity

Procedure

1. Identify the capability needed (single agent, tools, multi-turn, workflow, middleware)
2. Follow the patterns in .NET agent guidelines
3. Apply the code style rules
4. Review the matching sample in ./samples/
5. Use AIFunctionFactory.Create() to expose C# methods as function tools
6. Use AgentSession for multi-turn conversations — never manage raw chat history
7. Use middleware (AsBuilder().Use(...)) for cross-cutting concerns
8. For multi-agent patterns, use graph-based Workflows with typed executors and edges
9. Ensure all agent runs use CancellationToken and async/await
10. Use AzureCliCredential during development; prefer ManagedIdentityCredential in production
11. Add OpenTelemetry instrumentation for observability
12. Add XML doc comments to all public members
13. Create corresponding tests (see testing-backend skill)