agent-framework and agentsilex
These are competitors targeting the same lightweight agent-building use case, with Microsoft's framework offering production-grade features and scalability while agentsilex prioritizes minimal code and transparency for developers who prefer explicit control over abstraction.
About agent-framework
microsoft/agent-framework
A framework for building, orchestrating and deploying AI agents and multi-agent workflows with support for Python and .NET.
Supports graph-based workflows with streaming, checkpointing, and human-in-the-loop capabilities for deterministic function composition. Built-in OpenTelemetry observability, middleware system for request/response processing, and a DevUI for interactive agent development and debugging. Works with multiple LLM providers and includes experimental labs for benchmarking and reinforcement learning research.
About agentsilex
howl-anderson/agentsilex
A transparent, minimal, and hackable agent framework. ~300 lines of readable code. Full control, no magic.
Supports intelligent agent handoffs and multi-agent workflows through a callback-based architecture, with specialized agents routable via a main orchestrator. Built on LiteLLM for universal LLM compatibility (100+ models), and includes OpenTelemetry tracing integration with Phoenix for observability, plus MCP client support for extending capabilities with external tool protocols.
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