---
title: "Microsoft Agent Framework: features, version and quickstart · DotsAgent"
description: "Microsoft Agent Framework by Microsoft: licence, latest version, MCP support, durable runs, human approval, tracing and evals, plus a quickstart to copy."
url: https://dotsagent.io/frameworks/microsoft-agent-framework
---

Framework · Microsoft

# Microsoft Agent Framework at a glance

Microsoft's agent framework for Python and .NET, built by the Semantic Kernel and AutoGen teams and generally available since April 2026. It pairs typed agents with graph workflows that checkpoint, resume and wait for people, and a Go SDK is in public preview.

**Best for:**  Python and .NET teams on Azure, including anyone moving off AutoGen or Semantic Kernel.

## Key facts

- **Maintainer**: Microsoft
- **Languages**: Python, C#, .NET, Go
- **Licence**: MIT
- **Latest version**: `Python 1.19.0 / .NET 1.23.0` · October 1, 2026
- **Repository**: [microsoft/agent-framework](https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework) · 13,891 stars
- **Hosted option**: [Foundry Hosted Agents (Microsoft Foundry)](https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework)A new Microsoft Foundry service; Microsoft says deploying takes about two extra lines of code.

## 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 agent-framework
```

Needs Azure CLI login (AzureCliCredential) + Foundry project endpoint

`Python`

```
from agent_framework import Agent
from agent_framework.foundry import FoundryChatClient
from azure.identity import AzureCliCredential

agent = Agent(
    client=FoundryChatClient(
        project_endpoint="https://your-foundry-service.services.ai.azure.com/api/projects/your-foundry-project",
        model="gpt-5.4-mini",
        credential=AzureCliCredential(),
    ),
    name="HelloAgent",
    instructions="You are a friendly assistant. Keep your answers brief.",
)

# Non-streaming: get the complete response at once
result = await agent.run("What is the largest city in France?")
print(f"Agent: {result}")
```

[Quickstart source](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/agent-framework/overview/)

### C#

`Install`

```
dotnet add package Microsoft.Agents.AI.Foundry --prerelease
```

Needs Azure CLI login

`C#`

```
using System;
using Azure.AI.Projects;
using Azure.Identity;
using Microsoft.Agents.AI;

AIAgent agent = new AIProjectClient(
        new Uri("https://your-foundry-service.services.ai.azure.com/api/projects/your-foundry-project"),
        new AzureCliCredential())
    .AsAIAgent(
        model: "gpt-5.4-mini",
        instructions: "You are a friendly assistant. Keep your answers brief.");

Console.WriteLine(await agent.RunAsync("What is the largest city in France?"));
```

[Quickstart source](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/agent-framework/overview/)

## Features

| Any model | — | Foundry, Azure OpenAI, OpenAI, Anthropic, Ollama and more |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MCP client | — | — |
| MCP server | — | — |
| Multi-agent | — | Sequential, concurrent, handoff and group workflows |
| Durable runs | — | Checkpointing, plus Durable Extension on Azure Functions or self-hosted |
| Human approval | — | Durable agents wait for human input without using compute |
| Tracing | — | Built-in OpenTelemetry; DevUI for local debugging |
| Evals | — | Evaluation integrations reported as preview, outside the 1.0 core |

## Recent changes

- April 2026: version 1.0 became generally available, after a release candidate in February.
- AutoGen moved to maintenance mode; Semantic Kernel v1 gets critical fixes for at least a year after MAF GA.
- Added Harness Agent, declarative YAML agents, Agent Skills and a Go SDK preview.

## Alternatives in the same language

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

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

- [Google ADK](https://dotsagent.io/frameworks/google-adk)

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

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

- [LlamaIndex](https://dotsagent.io/frameworks/llamaindex)

## Sources

1. [learn.microsoft.com](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/agent-framework/overview/)/en-us/agent-framework/overview/
2. [github.com](https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework)/microsoft/agent-framework
3. [devblogs.microsoft.com](https://devblogs.microsoft.com/agent-framework/microsoft-agent-framework-version-1-0/)/agent-framework/microsoft-agent-framework-version-1-0/
4. [devblogs.microsoft.com](https://devblogs.microsoft.com/agent-framework/semantic-kernel-and-microsoft-agent-framework/)/agent-framework/semantic-kernel-and-microsoft-agent-framework/
5. [learn.microsoft.com](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/agent-framework/integrations/durable-extension)/en-us/agent-framework/integrations/durable-extension
6. [github.com](https://github.com/microsoft/autogen)/microsoft/autogen
7. [pypi.org](https://pypi.org/pypi/agent-framework/json)/pypi/agent-framework/json
8. [api.github.com](https://api.github.com/repos/microsoft/agent-framework)/repos/microsoft/agent-framework

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

© 2026 DotsAgent · Facts checked October 1, 2026