refactor: [BREAKING] Remove generic Workflow<T> (#1551)

Remove input type checking in favour of explicit `.DescribeProtocolAsync()` flow. Also removes `.AsAgentAsync()` as the validation happens at workflow run time. This makes it easier to use Workflows with DI without resorting to async-over-sync.

dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/Workflows/Agents/CustomAgentExecutors/Program.cs

@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ public static class Program
             .Build();
 
         // Execute the workflow
-        await using StreamingRun run = await InProcessExecution.StreamAsync(workflow, "Create a slogan for a new electric SUV that is affordable and fun to drive.");
+        await using StreamingRun run = await InProcessExecution.StreamAsync(workflow, input: "Create a slogan for a new electric SUV that is affordable and fun to drive.");
         await foreach (WorkflowEvent evt in run.WatchStreamAsync())
         {
             if (evt is SloganGeneratedEvent or FeedbackEvent)

dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/Workflows/Agents/WorkflowAsAnAgent/Program.cs

@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public static class Program
         var chatClient = new AzureOpenAIClient(new Uri(endpoint), new AzureCliCredential()).GetChatClient(deploymentName).AsIChatClient();
 
         // Create the workflow and turn it into an agent
-        var workflow = await WorkflowHelper.GetWorkflowAsync(chatClient);
+        var workflow = WorkflowHelper.GetWorkflow(chatClient);
         var agent = workflow.AsAgent("workflow-agent", "Workflow Agent");
         var thread = agent.GetNewThread();
 

dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/Workflows/Agents/WorkflowAsAnAgent/WorkflowHelper.cs

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ internal static class WorkflowHelper
     /// </summary>
     /// <param name="chatClient">The chat client to use for the agents</param>
     /// <returns>A workflow that processes input using two language agents</returns>
-    internal static ValueTask<Workflow<List<ChatMessage>>> GetWorkflowAsync(IChatClient chatClient)
+    internal static Workflow GetWorkflow(IChatClient chatClient)
     {
         // Create executors
         var startExecutor = new ConcurrentStartExecutor();
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ internal static class WorkflowHelper
             .AddFanOutEdge(startExecutor, targets: [frenchAgent, englishAgent])
             .AddFanInEdge(aggregationExecutor, sources: [frenchAgent, englishAgent])
             .WithOutputFrom(aggregationExecutor)
-            .BuildAsync<List<ChatMessage>>();
+            .Build();
     }
 
     /// <summary>

dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/Workflows/Checkpoint/CheckpointAndRehydrate/Program.cs

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ public static class Program
     private static async Task Main()
     {
         // Create the workflow
-        var workflow = await WorkflowHelper.GetWorkflowAsync();
+        var workflow = WorkflowHelper.GetWorkflow();
 
         // Create checkpoint manager
         var checkpointManager = CheckpointManager.Default;
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ public static class Program
         Console.WriteLine($"Number of checkpoints created: {checkpoints.Count}");
 
         // Rehydrate a new workflow instance from a saved checkpoint and continue execution
-        var newWorkflow = await WorkflowHelper.GetWorkflowAsync();
+        var newWorkflow = WorkflowHelper.GetWorkflow();
         const int CheckpointIndex = 5;
         Console.WriteLine($"\n\nHydrating a new workflow instance from the {CheckpointIndex + 1}th checkpoint.");
         CheckpointInfo savedCheckpoint = checkpoints[CheckpointIndex];

dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/Workflows/Checkpoint/CheckpointAndRehydrate/WorkflowHelper.cs

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ internal static class WorkflowHelper
     /// 2. JudgeExecutor: Evaluates the guess and provides feedback.
     /// The workflow continues until the correct number is guessed.
     /// </summary>
-    internal static ValueTask<Workflow<NumberSignal>> GetWorkflowAsync()
+    internal static Workflow GetWorkflow()
     {
         // Create the executors
         GuessNumberExecutor guessNumberExecutor = new(1, 100);
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ internal static class WorkflowHelper
             .AddEdge(guessNumberExecutor, judgeExecutor)
             .AddEdge(judgeExecutor, guessNumberExecutor)
             .WithOutputFrom(judgeExecutor)
-            .BuildAsync<NumberSignal>();
+            .Build();
     }
 }
 

dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/Workflows/Checkpoint/CheckpointAndResume/Program.cs

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ public static class Program
     private static async Task Main()
     {
         // Create the workflow
-        var workflow = await WorkflowHelper.GetWorkflowAsync();
+        var workflow = WorkflowHelper.GetWorkflow();
 
         // Create checkpoint manager
         var checkpointManager = CheckpointManager.Default;

dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/Workflows/Checkpoint/CheckpointAndResume/WorkflowHelper.cs

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ internal static class WorkflowHelper
     /// 2. JudgeExecutor: Evaluates the guess and provides feedback.
     /// The workflow continues until the correct number is guessed.
     /// </summary>
-    internal static ValueTask<Workflow<NumberSignal>> GetWorkflowAsync()
+    internal static Workflow GetWorkflow()
     {
         // Create the executors
         GuessNumberExecutor guessNumberExecutor = new(1, 100);
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ internal static class WorkflowHelper
             .AddEdge(guessNumberExecutor, judgeExecutor)
             .AddEdge(judgeExecutor, guessNumberExecutor)
             .WithOutputFrom(judgeExecutor)
-            .BuildAsync<NumberSignal>();
+            .Build();
     }
 }
 

dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/Workflows/Checkpoint/CheckpointWithHumanInTheLoop/Program.cs

@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ public static class Program
     private static async Task Main()
     {
         // Create the workflow
-        var workflow = await WorkflowHelper.GetWorkflowAsync();
+        var workflow = WorkflowHelper.GetWorkflow();
 
         // Create checkpoint manager
         var checkpointManager = CheckpointManager.Default;

dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/Workflows/Checkpoint/CheckpointWithHumanInTheLoop/WorkflowHelper.cs

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ internal static class WorkflowHelper
     /// Get a workflow that plays a number guessing game with human-in-the-loop interaction.
     /// An input port allows the external world to provide inputs to the workflow upon requests.
     /// </summary>
-    internal static ValueTask<Workflow<SignalWithNumber>> GetWorkflowAsync()
+    internal static Workflow GetWorkflow()
     {
         // Create the executors
         RequestPort numberRequest = RequestPort.Create<SignalWithNumber, int>("GuessNumber");
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ internal static class WorkflowHelper
             .AddEdge(numberRequest, judgeExecutor)
             .AddEdge(judgeExecutor, numberRequest)
             .WithOutputFrom(judgeExecutor)
-            .BuildAsync<SignalWithNumber>();
+            .Build();
     }
 }
 

dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/Workflows/Concurrent/Concurrent/Program.cs

@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ public static class Program
             .Build();
 
         // Execute the workflow in streaming mode
-        await using StreamingRun run = await InProcessExecution.StreamAsync(workflow, "What is temperature?");
+        await using StreamingRun run = await InProcessExecution.StreamAsync(workflow, input: "What is temperature?");
         await foreach (WorkflowEvent evt in run.WatchStreamAsync())
         {
             if (evt is WorkflowOutputEvent output)

dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/Workflows/Concurrent/MapReduce/Program.cs

@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ public static class Program
 
         // Step 2: Run the workflow
         Console.WriteLine("\n=== RUNNING WORKFLOW ===\n");
-        await using StreamingRun run = await InProcessExecution.StreamAsync(workflow, rawText);
+        await using StreamingRun run = await InProcessExecution.StreamAsync(workflow, input: rawText);
         await foreach (WorkflowEvent evt in run.WatchStreamAsync())
         {
             Console.WriteLine($"Event: {evt}");

dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/Workflows/Declarative/ExecuteCode/Program.cs

@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ internal sealed class Program
 
         // Run the workflow, just like any other workflow
         string input = this.GetWorkflowInput();
-        StreamingRun run = await InProcessExecution.StreamAsync(workflow, input);
+        StreamingRun run = await InProcessExecution.StreamAsync(workflow, input: input);
         await this.MonitorAndDisposeWorkflowRunAsync(run);
 
         Notify("\nWORKFLOW: Done!");

dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/Workflows/HumanInTheLoop/HumanInTheLoopBasic/Program.cs

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ public static class Program
     private static async Task Main()
     {
         // Create the workflow
-        var workflow = await WorkflowHelper.GetWorkflowAsync();
+        var workflow = WorkflowHelper.GetWorkflow();
 
         // Execute the workflow
         await using StreamingRun handle = await InProcessExecution.StreamAsync(workflow, NumberSignal.Init);

dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/Workflows/HumanInTheLoop/HumanInTheLoopBasic/WorkflowHelper.cs

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ internal static class WorkflowHelper
     /// Get a workflow that plays a number guessing game with human-in-the-loop interaction.
     /// An input port allows the external world to provide inputs to the workflow upon requests.
     /// </summary>
-    internal static ValueTask<Workflow<NumberSignal>> GetWorkflowAsync()
+    internal static Workflow GetWorkflow()
     {
         // Create the executors
         RequestPort numberRequestPort = RequestPort.Create<NumberSignal, int>("GuessNumber");
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ internal static class WorkflowHelper
             .AddEdge(numberRequestPort, judgeExecutor)
             .AddEdge(judgeExecutor, numberRequestPort)
             .WithOutputFrom(judgeExecutor)
-            .BuildAsync<NumberSignal>();
+            .Build();
     }
 }
 

dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/Workflows/Loop/Program.cs

@@ -25,11 +25,11 @@ public static class Program
         JudgeExecutor judgeExecutor = new("Judge", 42);
 
         // Build the workflow by connecting executors in a loop
-        var workflow = await new WorkflowBuilder(guessNumberExecutor)
+        var workflow = new WorkflowBuilder(guessNumberExecutor)
             .AddEdge(guessNumberExecutor, judgeExecutor)
             .AddEdge(judgeExecutor, guessNumberExecutor)
             .WithOutputFrom(judgeExecutor)
-            .BuildAsync<NumberSignal>();
+            .Build();
 
         // Execute the workflow
         await using StreamingRun run = await InProcessExecution.StreamAsync(workflow, NumberSignal.Init);

dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/Workflows/_Foundational/02_Streaming/Program.cs

@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ public static class Program
         var workflow = builder.Build();
 
         // Execute the workflow in streaming mode
-        await using StreamingRun run = await InProcessExecution.StreamAsync(workflow, "Hello, World!");
+        await using StreamingRun run = await InProcessExecution.StreamAsync(workflow, input: "Hello, World!");
         await foreach (WorkflowEvent evt in run.WatchStreamAsync())
         {
             if (evt is ExecutorCompletedEvent executorCompleted)

dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/Workflows/_Foundational/05_MultiModelService/Program.cs

@@ -57,8 +57,7 @@ AIAgent reporter = new ChatClientAgent(anthropic,
     description: "Summarize the researcher's essay into a single paragraph, focusing only on the fact checker's confirmed facts.");
 
 // Build a sequential workflow: Researcher -> Fact-Checker -> Reporter
-AIAgent workflowAgent = await AgentWorkflowBuilder.BuildSequential(researcher, factChecker, reporter)
-                                                  .AsAgentAsync();
+AIAgent workflowAgent = AgentWorkflowBuilder.BuildSequential(researcher, factChecker, reporter).AsAgent();
 
 // Run the workflow, streaming the output as it arrives.
 string? lastAuthor = null;