Autogen

In this catalog it is the Frameworks option when you need to compose multi-step agent loops and tool handoffs. Keep Autogen on the observe/propose side of the loop: useful signals and drafts, with human or policy authority still required before anything irreversible runs.

Developers define agents, tools, and graphs/crews; the framework runs the loop (plan→act→observe), managing memory and handoffs.

1. Define agents, tools, and the collaboration pattern the product documents.
2. Bind model credentials and any memory/checkpointer backends.
3. Run a small multi-step task; confirm tool results re-enter the loop.
4. Only then attach side-effecting tools behind an explicit gate.

Related: ag2 · crew-ai · topics/05-collective-intelligence · topics/12-central-nervous-system

• Use when: AutoGen (Microsoft) popularized multi-agent conversation patterns: assistants, user proxies, group chats, and handoffs where agents critique and refine each other’s work matches the bottleneck and you specifically need to compose multi-step agent loops and tool handoffs.
• Skip when: another pack already covers the need with less ops surface, or Autogen would become a second place people retype truth.
• Prefer instead: compare AG2, Crew AI before locking the cell.

• Ops: confirm license, hosting, and release cadence for Autogen (microsoft/autogen) before relying on it in a live corridor.
• Integration: bad credentials, scopes, or schema drift produce empty retrievals or runaway tool/model spend without an obvious UI alarm.
• Scope: Frameworks components support agents; they are not the company ledger or the approval authority.