Python: [BREAKING] changed AIFunction to FunctionTool and @ai_function to @tool (#3413)

* changed AIFunction to FunctionTool and @ai_function to @tool

* test and mypy fixes

* mypy fix

* switch function tool to always_require

* fix noop

* fix github copilot imports

* test fixes

* fix ollama test

* fixes for tests

* fix tests

* reverted change to always_require and extended timeout

* fix test

python/samples/getting_started/middleware/agent_and_run_level_middleware.py

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ from agent_framework import (
     AgentResponse,
     AgentRunContext,
     FunctionInvocationContext,
+    tool,
 )
 from agent_framework.azure import AzureAIAgentClient
 from azure.identity.aio import AzureCliCredential
@@ -33,6 +34,8 @@ The example shows:
 Execution order: Agent middleware (outermost) -> Run middleware (innermost) -> Agent execution
 """
 
+# NOTE: approval_mode="never_require" is for sample brevity. Use "always_require" in production; see samples/getting_started/tools/function_tool_with_approval.py and samples/getting_started/tools/function_tool_with_approval_and_threads.py.
+@tool(approval_mode="never_require")
 
 def get_weather(
     location: Annotated[str, Field(description="The location to get the weather for.")],

python/samples/getting_started/middleware/chat_middleware.py

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ from agent_framework import (
     ChatResponse,
     Role,
     chat_middleware,
+    tool,
 )
 from agent_framework.azure import AzureAIAgentClient
 from azure.identity.aio import AzureCliCredential
@@ -35,6 +36,8 @@ The example covers:
 - Middleware registration at run level (applies to specific run only)
 """
 
+# NOTE: approval_mode="never_require" is for sample brevity. Use "always_require" in production; see samples/getting_started/tools/function_tool_with_approval.py and samples/getting_started/tools/function_tool_with_approval_and_threads.py.
+@tool(approval_mode="never_require")
 
 def get_weather(
     location: Annotated[str, Field(description="The location to get the weather for.")],

python/samples/getting_started/middleware/class_based_middleware.py

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ from agent_framework import (
     FunctionInvocationContext,
     FunctionMiddleware,
     Role,
+    tool,
 )
 from agent_framework.azure import AzureAIAgentClient
 from azure.identity.aio import AzureCliCredential
@@ -33,6 +34,8 @@ This approach is useful when you need stateful middleware or complex logic that
 from object-oriented design patterns.
 """
 
+# NOTE: approval_mode="never_require" is for sample brevity. Use "always_require" in production; see samples/getting_started/tools/function_tool_with_approval.py and samples/getting_started/tools/function_tool_with_approval_and_threads.py.
+@tool(approval_mode="never_require")
 
 def get_weather(
     location: Annotated[str, Field(description="The location to get the weather for.")],

python/samples/getting_started/middleware/decorator_middleware.py

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import datetime
 from agent_framework import (
     agent_middleware,
     function_middleware,
+    tool,
 )
 from agent_framework.azure import AzureAIAgentClient
 from azure.identity.aio import AzureCliCredential
@@ -40,6 +41,8 @@ Key benefits of decorator approach:
 - Prevents type mismatches
 """
 
+# NOTE: approval_mode="never_require" is for sample brevity. Use "always_require" in production; see samples/getting_started/tools/function_tool_with_approval.py and samples/getting_started/tools/function_tool_with_approval_and_threads.py.
+@tool(approval_mode="never_require")
 
 def get_current_time() -> str:
     """Get the current time."""

python/samples/getting_started/middleware/exception_handling_with_middleware.py

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ from collections.abc import Awaitable, Callable
 from typing import Annotated
 
 from agent_framework import FunctionInvocationContext
+from agent_framework import tool
 from agent_framework.azure import AzureAIAgentClient
 from azure.identity.aio import AzureCliCredential
 from pydantic import Field
@@ -23,7 +24,8 @@ The middleware catches TimeoutError from an unstable data service and replaces i
 a helpful message for the user, preventing raw exceptions from reaching the end user.
 """
 
-
+# NOTE: approval_mode="never_require" is for sample brevity. Use "always_require" in production; see samples/getting_started/tools/function_tool_with_approval.py and samples/getting_started/tools/function_tool_with_approval_and_threads.py.
+@tool(approval_mode="never_require")
 def unstable_data_service(
     query: Annotated[str, Field(description="The data query to execute.")],
 ) -> str:

python/samples/getting_started/middleware/function_based_middleware.py

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ from typing import Annotated
 from agent_framework import (
     AgentRunContext,
     FunctionInvocationContext,
+    tool,
 )
 from agent_framework.azure import AzureAIAgentClient
 from azure.identity.aio import AzureCliCredential
@@ -29,6 +30,8 @@ lightweight approach compared to class-based middleware. Both agent and function
 can be implemented as async functions that accept context and next parameters.
 """
 
+# NOTE: approval_mode="never_require" is for sample brevity. Use "always_require" in production; see samples/getting_started/tools/function_tool_with_approval.py and samples/getting_started/tools/function_tool_with_approval_and_threads.py.
+@tool(approval_mode="never_require")
 
 def get_weather(
     location: Annotated[str, Field(description="The location to get the weather for.")],

python/samples/getting_started/middleware/middleware_termination.py

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ from agent_framework import (
     AgentRunContext,
     ChatMessage,
     Role,
+    tool,
 )
 from agent_framework.azure import AzureAIAgentClient
 from azure.identity.aio import AzureCliCredential
@@ -28,6 +29,8 @@ The example includes:
 This is useful for implementing security checks, rate limiting, or early exit conditions.
 """
 
+# NOTE: approval_mode="never_require" is for sample brevity. Use "always_require" in production; see samples/getting_started/tools/function_tool_with_approval.py and samples/getting_started/tools/function_tool_with_approval_and_threads.py.
+@tool(approval_mode="never_require")
 
 def get_weather(
     location: Annotated[str, Field(description="The location to get the weather for.")],

python/samples/getting_started/middleware/override_result_with_middleware.py

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ from agent_framework import (
     ChatMessage,
     Role,
     TextContent,
+    tool,
 )
 from agent_framework.azure import AzureAIAgentClient
 from azure.identity.aio import AzureCliCredential
@@ -34,6 +35,8 @@ then replaces its result with a custom "perfect weather" message. For streaming
 it creates a custom async generator that yields the override message in chunks.
 """
 
+# NOTE: approval_mode="never_require" is for sample brevity. Use "always_require" in production; see samples/getting_started/tools/function_tool_with_approval.py and samples/getting_started/tools/function_tool_with_approval_and_threads.py.
+@tool(approval_mode="never_require")
 
 def get_weather(
     location: Annotated[str, Field(description="The location to get the weather for.")],

python/samples/getting_started/middleware/runtime_context_delegation.py

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import asyncio
 from collections.abc import Awaitable, Callable
 from typing import Annotated
 
-from agent_framework import FunctionInvocationContext, ai_function, function_middleware
+from agent_framework import FunctionInvocationContext, tool, function_middleware
 from agent_framework.openai import OpenAIChatClient
 from pydantic import Field
 
@@ -81,7 +81,8 @@ class SessionContextContainer:
 runtime_context = SessionContextContainer()
 
 
-@ai_function
+# NOTE: approval_mode="never_require" is for sample brevity. Use "always_require" in production; see samples/getting_started/tools/function_tool_with_approval.py and samples/getting_started/tools/function_tool_with_approval_and_threads.py.
+@tool(approval_mode="never_require")
 async def send_email(
     to: Annotated[str, Field(description="Recipient email address")],
     subject: Annotated[str, Field(description="Email subject line")],
@@ -112,7 +113,7 @@ async def send_email(
     return f"Email sent to {to} from user {user_id} (tenant: {tenant}). Subject: '{subject}'"
 
 
-@ai_function
+@tool(approval_mode="never_require")
 async def send_notification(
     message: Annotated[str, Field(description="Notification message to send")],
     priority: Annotated[str, Field(description="Priority level: low, medium, high")] = "medium",
@@ -241,7 +242,7 @@ async def pattern_1_single_agent_with_closure() -> None:
 
 
 # Create tools for sub-agents (these will use kwargs propagation)
-@ai_function
+@tool(approval_mode="never_require")
 async def send_email_v2(
     to: Annotated[str, Field(description="Recipient email")],
     subject: Annotated[str, Field(description="Subject")],
@@ -253,7 +254,7 @@ async def send_email_v2(
     return f"Email sent to {to} with subject '{subject}'"
 
 
-@ai_function
+@tool(approval_mode="never_require")
 async def send_sms(
     phone: Annotated[str, Field(description="Phone number")],
     message: Annotated[str, Field(description="SMS message")],
@@ -377,7 +378,7 @@ class AuthContextMiddleware:
         await next(context)
 
 
-@ai_function
+@tool(approval_mode="never_require")
 async def protected_operation(operation: Annotated[str, Field(description="Operation to perform")]) -> str:
     """Protected operation that requires authentication."""
     return f"Executed protected operation: {operation}"

python/samples/getting_started/middleware/shared_state_middleware.py

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from typing import Annotated
 
 from agent_framework import (
     FunctionInvocationContext,
+    tool,
 )
 from agent_framework.azure import AzureAIAgentClient
 from azure.identity.aio import AzureCliCredential
@@ -25,6 +26,8 @@ The example includes:
 This approach shows how middleware can work together by sharing state within the same class instance.
 """
 
+# NOTE: approval_mode="never_require" is for sample brevity. Use "always_require" in production; see samples/getting_started/tools/function_tool_with_approval.py and samples/getting_started/tools/function_tool_with_approval_and_threads.py.
+@tool(approval_mode="never_require")
 
 def get_weather(
     location: Annotated[str, Field(description="The location to get the weather for.")],
@@ -33,6 +36,7 @@ def get_weather(
     conditions = ["sunny", "cloudy", "rainy", "stormy"]
     return f"The weather in {location} is {conditions[randint(0, 3)]} with a high of {randint(10, 30)}°C."
 
+@tool(approval_mode="never_require")
 
 def get_time(
     timezone: Annotated[str, Field(description="The timezone to get the time for.")] = "UTC",

python/samples/getting_started/middleware/thread_behavior_middleware.py

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from typing import Annotated
 from agent_framework import (
     AgentRunContext,
     ChatMessageStore,
+    tool,
 )
 from agent_framework.azure import AzureOpenAIChatClient
 from azure.identity import AzureCliCredential
@@ -30,6 +31,8 @@ Key behaviors demonstrated:
 4. After next(): thread contains full conversation history (all previous + current messages)
 """
 
+# NOTE: approval_mode="never_require" is for sample brevity. Use "always_require" in production; see samples/getting_started/tools/function_tool_with_approval.py and samples/getting_started/tools/function_tool_with_approval_and_threads.py.
+@tool(approval_mode="never_require")
 
 def get_weather(
     location: Annotated[str, Field(description="The location to get the weather for.")],