---
title: "Google ADK: features, version and quickstart · DotsAgent"
description: "Google ADK by Google: licence, latest version, MCP support, durable runs, human approval, tracing and evals, plus a quickstart to copy."
url: https://dotsagent.io/frameworks/google-adk
---

Framework · Google

# Google ADK at a glance

Google's Agent Development Kit, with SDKs for Python, TypeScript, Go, Java and Kotlin and evaluation built into the core. It is Gemini-first but reaches other models through adapters, and deploys to Agent Runtime on Google Cloud.

**Best for:**  Teams working across several languages that want Gemini-first agents, built-in evals and a direct route to Google Cloud.

## Key facts

- **Maintainer**: Google
- **Languages**: Python, TypeScript, Go, Java, Kotlin
- **Licence**: Apache-2.0
- **Latest version**: `Python 2.10.0` · September 25, 2026
- **Repository**: [google/adk-python](https://github.com/google/adk-python) · 21,687 stars
- **Hosted option**: [Agent Runtime on Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform (formerly Vertex AI Agent Engine); also Cloud Run, GKE](https://docs.cloud.google.com/gemini-enterprise-agent-platform/build/runtime/quickstart-adk)Agent Runtime was formerly Vertex AI Agent Engine; the deploy call is still client.agent_engines.create(...).

## Quickstart

Install the package, set the credentials, then run the smallest agent from the official docs. Model IDs are the ones the docs use and may not be enabled on your account.

### Python

`Install`

```
pip install google-adk && adk create my_agent  (run with: adk run my_agent  or  adk web --port 8000)
```

Needs GOOGLE_API_KEY in my_agent/.env

`Python`

```
from google.adk.agents.llm_agent import Agent

# Mock tool implementation
def get_current_time(city: str) -> dict:
    """Returns the current time in a specified city."""
    return {"status": "success", "city": city, "time": "10:30 AM"}

root_agent = Agent(
    model='gemini-flash-latest',
    name='root_agent',
    description="Tells the current time in a specified city.",
    instruction="You are a helpful assistant that tells the current time in cities. Use the 'get_current_time' tool for this purpose.",
    tools=[get_current_time],
)
```

[Quickstart source](https://google.github.io/adk-docs/get-started/python/)

### TypeScript

`Install`

```
npm install @google/adk (inferred from package name; not copied from docs)
```

Needs GOOGLE_API_KEY

`TypeScript`

```
import { LlmAgent, GOOGLE_SEARCH } from '@google/adk';

const agent = new LlmAgent({
  name: 'researcher',
  model: 'gemini-flash-latest',
  instruction: 'You help users research topics thoroughly.',
  tools: [GOOGLE_SEARCH],
});
```

[Quickstart source](https://google.github.io/adk-docs/)

## Features

| Any model | — | Gemini first; other models through LiteLLM and local adapters |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MCP client | — | McpToolset, with optional confirmation per tool |
| MCP server | — | Expose an agent with to_mcp_server() |
| Multi-agent | — | Sub-agent trees, plus graph workflows since ADK 2.0 |
| Durable runs | — | Resume stopped agents; Agent Runtime keeps long-running state |
| Human approval | — | Tool Confirmation via require_confirmation=True |
| Tracing | — | OpenTelemetry-based, with Cloud Trace on Google Cloud |
| Evals | — | Evaluation is a core ADK feature |

## Recent changes

- ADK 2.0 added graph-based workflows.
- A Kotlin SDK joined Python, TypeScript, Go and Java.
- The docs moved to adk.dev.
- Vertex AI Agent Engine was renamed Agent Runtime on Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform.

## Alternatives in the same language

- [OpenAI Agents SDK](https://dotsagent.io/frameworks/openai-agents-python)

- [OpenAI Agents SDK (JS)](https://dotsagent.io/frameworks/openai-agents-js)

- [Claude Agent SDK](https://dotsagent.io/frameworks/claude-agent-sdk)

- [Microsoft Agent Framework](https://dotsagent.io/frameworks/microsoft-agent-framework)

- [LangGraph](https://dotsagent.io/frameworks/langgraph)

- [CrewAI](https://dotsagent.io/frameworks/crewai)

## Sources

1. [google.github.io](https://google.github.io/adk-docs/)/adk-docs/
2. [google.github.io](https://google.github.io/adk-docs/get-started/python/)/adk-docs/get-started/python/
3. [adk.dev](https://adk.dev/tools-custom/confirmation/)/tools-custom/confirmation/
4. [adk.dev](https://adk.dev/tools-custom/mcp-tools/advanced/)/tools-custom/mcp-tools/advanced/
5. [adk.dev](https://adk.dev/tools-custom/mcp-tools/agent-as-server/)/tools-custom/mcp-tools/agent-as-server/
6. [docs.cloud.google.com](https://docs.cloud.google.com/gemini-enterprise-agent-platform/vertex-ai-name-changes)/gemini-enterprise-agent-platform/vertex-ai-name-changes
7. [cloud.google.com](https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/ai-machine-learning/introducing-gemini-enterprise-agent-platform)/blog/products/ai-machine-learning/introducing-gemini-enterprise-agent
8. [docs.cloud.google.com](https://docs.cloud.google.com/gemini-enterprise-agent-platform/build/runtime/quickstart-adk)/gemini-enterprise-agent-platform/build/runtime/quickstart-adk
9. [pypi.org](https://pypi.org/pypi/google-adk/json)/pypi/google-adk/json
10. [registry.npmjs.org](https://registry.npmjs.org/@google%2fadk)/@google%2fadk
11. [api.github.com](https://api.github.com/repos/google/adk-python)/repos/google/adk-python

Independent reference for people who build AI agents. Not affiliated with any vendor named here.

© 2026 DotsAgent · Facts checked October 1, 2026