agent-framework/docs/docs-templates/getting-started

Microsoft Agent Framework Getting Started

This guide will help you get up and running quickly with a basic agent using the Agent Framework and Azure OpenAI.

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Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following:

• .NET 8.0 SDK or later
• An Azure OpenAI resource with a deployed model (e.g., gpt-4o-mini)
• Azure CLI installed and authenticated (az login)

Note: This demo uses Azure CLI credentials for authentication. Make sure you're logged in with az login and have access to the Azure OpenAI resource. For more information, see the Azure CLI documentation.

Running a Basic Agent Sample

This sample demonstrates how to create and use a simple AI agent with Azure OpenAI as the backend. It will create a basic agent using AzureOpenAIClient with gpt-4o-mini and custom instructions.

Make sure to replace https://your-resource.openai.azure.com/ with the endpoint of your Azure OpenAI resource.

Sample Code

using System;
using Azure.AI.OpenAI;
using Azure.Identity;
using Microsoft.Agents.AI;
using OpenAI;

AIAgent agent = new AzureOpenAIClient(
  new Uri("https://your-resource.openai.azure.com/"),
  new AzureCliCredential())
    .GetChatClient("gpt-4o-mini")
    .CreateAIAgent(instructions: "You are good at telling jokes.");

Console.WriteLine(await agent.RunAsync("Tell me a joke about a pirate."));

For more details and more advanced scenarios, see Getting Started Steps.

(Optional) Installing Packages

Packages will be published to NuGet when the Agent Framework public preview is released. In the meantime nightly builds of the Agent Framework are available here.

To download nightly builds follow the following steps:

1. You will need a GitHub account to complete these steps.

2. Create a GitHub Personal Access Token with the read:packages scope using these instructions.

3. If your account is part of the Microsoft organization then you must authorize the Microsoft organization as a single sign-on organization.

   1. Click the "Configure SSO" next to the Personal Access Token you just created and then authorize Microsoft.

4. Use the following command to add the Microsoft GitHub Packages source to your NuGet configuration:

   dotnet nuget add source --username GITHUBUSERNAME --password GITHUBPERSONALACCESSTOKEN --store-password-in-clear-text --name GitHubMicrosoft "https://nuget.pkg.github.com/microsoft/index.json"
   

5. Or you can manually create a NuGet.Config file.

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
   <configuration>
     <packageSources>
       <add key="nuget.org" value="https://api.nuget.org/v3/index.json" protocolVersion="3" />
       <add key="github" value="https://nuget.pkg.github.com/microsoft/index.json" />
     </packageSources>
   
     <packageSourceMapping>
       <packageSource key="nuget.org">
         <package pattern="*" />
       </packageSource>
       <packageSource key="github">
         <package pattern="*nightly"/>
       </packageSource>
     </packageSourceMapping>
   
     <packageSourceCredentials>
       <github>
           <add key="Username" value="<Your GitHub Id>" />
           <add key="ClearTextPassword" value="<Your Personal Access Token>" />
         </github>
     </packageSourceCredentials>
   </configuration>
   

   • If you place this file in your project folder make sure to have Git (or whatever source control you use) ignore it.
   • For more information on where to store this file go here.

6. You can now add packages from the nightly build to your project.

   • E.g. use this command dotnet add package Microsoft.Agents.AI --version 0.0.1-nightly-250731.6-alpha

7. And the latest package release can be referenced in the project like this:

   • <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Agents.AI" Version="*-*" />

For more information see: https://docs.github.com/en/packages/working-with-a-github-packages-registry/working-with-the-nuget-registry

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Coming Soon

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