Python: Add load_dotenv() to samples for .env file support (#4043)

* Initial plan

* Add load_dotenv() to 303 Python samples for environment variable loading

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Update SAMPLE_GUIDELINES.md to document load_dotenv() requirement

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Update samples README.md to document .env file usage

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Run ruff format on all changed sample files

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Clarify load_dotenv() usage in README - local dev vs production

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Remove deprecated getting_started folder as requested

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Document env_file_path parameter for per-client configuration

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Merge main branch to resolve conflicts

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Fix run_evaluation.py file that was empty in merge commit

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Remove dotnet changes from merge - out of scope for this PR

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Remove package and test changes from merge - only sample changes needed

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Remove test_func_utils.py - only sample changes needed

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Revert sample files not in original changeset - keep only load_dotenv additions

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Move load_dotenv() outside snippet tag in 06_host_your_agent.py

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Fix comment placement - move load_dotenv before code comments

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Fix load_dotenv() placement across all samples - after docstring, before code comments

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Merge latest main branch with load_dotenv changes

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Remove non-sample changes from merge - keep only load_dotenv additions

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Revert non-load_dotenv sample changes from merge

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Fix run_evaluation.py - use main's improved version (file already had load_dotenv)

Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>

* Manual update

* Manual update 2

* Fix Role usage and load_dotenv placement per PR review feedback

Co-authored-by: eavanvalkenburg <13749212+eavanvalkenburg@users.noreply.github.com>

* Fix Role usage - use string literals not enum attributes

Co-authored-by: eavanvalkenburg <13749212+eavanvalkenburg@users.noreply.github.com>

* Fix SAMPLE_GUIDELINES.md example - load_dotenv before docstring per guidance

Co-authored-by: eavanvalkenburg <13749212+eavanvalkenburg@users.noreply.github.com>

* Move load_dotenv() before docstrings in all samples per SAMPLE_GUIDELINES ordering

Co-authored-by: eavanvalkenburg <13749212+eavanvalkenburg@users.noreply.github.com>

* Address PR review: rename files, fix placement, add session usage, remove note

Co-authored-by: eavanvalkenburg <13749212+eavanvalkenburg@users.noreply.github.com>

* Update Redis README to reference renamed file redis_history_provider.py

Co-authored-by: eavanvalkenburg <13749212+eavanvalkenburg@users.noreply.github.com>

---------

Co-authored-by: copilot-swe-agent[bot] <198982749+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: TaoChenOSU <12570346+TaoChenOSU@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Tao Chen <taochen@microsoft.com>
Co-authored-by: eavanvalkenburg <13749212+eavanvalkenburg@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Eduard van Valkenburg <eavanvalkenburg@users.noreply.github.com>

python/samples/02-agents/tools/function_invocation_configuration.py

@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ from typing import Annotated
 
 from agent_framework import tool
 from agent_framework.openai import OpenAIResponsesClient
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
+
+# Load environment variables from .env file
+load_dotenv()
 
 """
 This sample demonstrates how to configure function invocation settings

python/samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_declaration_only.py

@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ import asyncio
 
 from agent_framework import FunctionTool
 from agent_framework.openai import OpenAIResponsesClient
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
+
+# Load environment variables from .env file
+load_dotenv()
 
 """
 Example of how to create a function that only consists of a declaration without an implementation.
@@ -72,5 +76,4 @@ Result: {
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-
     asyncio.run(main())

python/samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_from_dict_with_dependency_injection.py

@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ import asyncio
 
 from agent_framework import FunctionTool
 from agent_framework.openai import OpenAIResponsesClient
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
+
+# Load environment variables from .env file
+load_dotenv()
 
 definition = {
     "type": "function_tool",

python/samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_recover_from_failures.py

@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ from typing import Annotated
 
 from agent_framework import tool
 from agent_framework.openai import OpenAIResponsesClient
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
+
+# Load environment variables from .env file
+load_dotenv()
 
 """
 Tool exceptions handled by returning the error for the agent to recover from.
@@ -14,7 +18,9 @@ The LLM decides whether to retry the call or to respond with something else, bas
 """
 
 
-# NOTE: approval_mode="never_require" is for sample brevity. Use "always_require" in production; see samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_with_approval.py and samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_with_approval_and_sessions.py.
+# NOTE: approval_mode="never_require" is for sample brevity. Use "always_require" in production;
+# see samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_with_approval.py
+# and samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_with_approval_and_sessions.py.
 @tool(approval_mode="never_require")
 def greet(name: Annotated[str, "Name to greet"]) -> str:
     """Greet someone."""

python/samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_with_approval.py

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Annotated, Any
 
 from agent_framework import Agent, AgentResponse, Message, tool
 from agent_framework.openai import OpenAIResponsesClient
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from agent_framework import SupportsAgentRun
@@ -17,10 +18,15 @@ This sample demonstrates using AI functions with user approval workflows.
 It shows how to handle function call approvals without using threads.
 """
 
+# Load environment variables from .env file
+load_dotenv()
+
 conditions = ["sunny", "cloudy", "raining", "snowing", "clear"]
 
 
-# NOTE: approval_mode="never_require" is for sample brevity. Use "always_require" in production; see samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_with_approval.py and samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_with_approval_and_sessions.py.
+# NOTE: approval_mode="never_require" is for sample brevity. Use "always_require" in production;
+# see samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_with_approval.py
+# and samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_with_approval_and_sessions.py.
 @tool(approval_mode="never_require")
 def get_weather(location: Annotated[str, "The city and state, e.g. San Francisco, CA"]) -> str:
     """Get the current weather for a given location."""

python/samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_with_approval_and_sessions.py

@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ from typing import Annotated
 from agent_framework import Agent, Message, tool
 from agent_framework.azure import AzureOpenAIChatClient
 from azure.identity import AzureCliCredential
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
+
+# Load environment variables from .env file
+load_dotenv()
 
 """
 Tool Approvals with Sessions
@@ -17,9 +21,7 @@ the session stores and retrieves them automatically.
 
 
 @tool(approval_mode="always_require")
-def add_to_calendar(
-    event_name: Annotated[str, "Name of the event"], date: Annotated[str, "Date of the event"]
-) -> str:
+def add_to_calendar(event_name: Annotated[str, "Name of the event"], date: Annotated[str, "Date of the event"]) -> str:
     """Add an event to the calendar (requires approval)."""
     print(f">>> EXECUTING: add_to_calendar(event_name='{event_name}', date='{date}')")
     return f"Added '{event_name}' to calendar on {date}"

python/samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_with_explicit_schema.py

@@ -19,8 +19,12 @@ from typing import Annotated
 
 from agent_framework import tool
 from agent_framework.openai import OpenAIResponsesClient
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
 from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
 
+# Load environment variables from .env file
+load_dotenv()
+
 
 # Approach 1: Pydantic model as explicit schema
 class WeatherInput(BaseModel):

python/samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_with_kwargs.py

@@ -5,8 +5,12 @@ from typing import Annotated, Any
 
 from agent_framework import tool
 from agent_framework.openai import OpenAIResponsesClient
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
 from pydantic import Field
 
+# Load environment variables from .env file
+load_dotenv()
+
 """
 AI Function with kwargs Example
 
@@ -20,7 +24,9 @@ or provide.
 
 
 # Define the function tool with **kwargs to accept injected arguments
-# NOTE: approval_mode="never_require" is for sample brevity. Use "always_require" in production; see samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_with_approval.py and samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_with_approval_and_sessions.py.
+# NOTE: approval_mode="never_require" is for sample brevity. Use "always_require" in production;
+# see samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_with_approval.py
+# and samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_with_approval_and_sessions.py.
 @tool(approval_mode="never_require")
 def get_weather(
     location: Annotated[str, Field(description="The location to get the weather for.")],

python/samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_with_max_exceptions.py

@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ from typing import Annotated
 
 from agent_framework import tool
 from agent_framework.openai import OpenAIResponsesClient
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
+
+# Load environment variables from .env file
+load_dotenv()
 
 """
 Some tools are very expensive to run, so you may want to limit the number of times

python/samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_with_max_invocations.py

@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ from typing import Annotated
 
 from agent_framework import tool
 from agent_framework.openai import OpenAIResponsesClient
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
+
+# Load environment variables from .env file
+load_dotenv()
 
 """
 For tools you can specify if there is a maximum number of invocations allowed.

python/samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_with_session_injection.py

@@ -5,8 +5,12 @@ from typing import Annotated, Any
 
 from agent_framework import AgentSession, tool
 from agent_framework.openai import OpenAIResponsesClient
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
 from pydantic import Field
 
+# Load environment variables from .env file
+load_dotenv()
+
 """
 AI Function with Session Injection Example
 
@@ -16,7 +20,9 @@ and accessing that session in AI function.
 
 
 # Define the function tool with **kwargs
-# NOTE: approval_mode="never_require" is for sample brevity. Use "always_require" in production; see samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_with_approval.py and samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_with_approval_and_sessions.py.
+# NOTE: approval_mode="never_require" is for sample brevity. Use "always_require" in production;
+# see samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_with_approval.py
+# and samples/02-agents/tools/function_tool_with_approval_and_sessions.py.
 @tool(approval_mode="never_require")
 async def get_weather(
     location: Annotated[str, Field(description="The location to get the weather for.")],

python/samples/02-agents/tools/tool_in_class.py

@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ from typing import Annotated
 
 from agent_framework import tool
 from agent_framework.openai import OpenAIResponsesClient
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
+
+# Load environment variables from .env file
+load_dotenv()
 
 """
 This sample demonstrates using tool within a class,