Microsoft open sources Agent Framework with built-in tool calling, memory, and planning
blaizedsouza · x · 2026-08-20
Microsoft has open-sourced its complete AI Agent runtime framework, Microsoft Agent Framework. The framework addresses the limitation that "a raw model only writes text" by providing all necessary infrastructure:
- Automatic Tool Calling: Built-in loop with iteration limits.
- Persistent Memory: Saves history after every call for crash recovery; supports file memory and persistent todo lists.
- Planning & Execution: Offers Plan-and-Execute modes and automatic context compaction.
- Safety & Observability: Includes tool approval rules, OpenTelemetry tracing, and web search.
- Skills: Loads domain expertise on demand.
Developers only need to bring the model and tools, and the framework handles the orchestration.
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