As AI agents become a central part of intelligent systems, GitHub has emerged as the go-to hub for open-source agent APIs. Developers looking to explore, evaluate, or contribute to cutting-edge agent frameworks can gain critical insights by comparing their GitHub repositories—from architecture and activity to community support and implementation style.
This guide provides a structured comparison of the most popular Agent API projects on GitHub, based on code quality, project goals, community involvement, and real-world usability.
When reviewing GitHub-based Agent API projects, consider the following criteria:
Criterion | Why It Matters |
---|---|
Project Maturity | Number of commits, release cadence, and presence of tags or versioning |
Documentation Quality | Clear setup instructions, usage examples, API references, and architecture guides |
Community Engagement | Open/closed issues, pull requests, number of contributors, active discussions |
License Type | Determines how you can use or modify the code (MIT, Apache 2.0, etc.) |
Code Readability | Clean structure, modularity, type annotations, and comments |
Integration Examples | Realistic use cases, tool/plugin integration, step-by-step tutorials |
Test Coverage | Presence of unit/integration tests indicates robustness |
Project | Stars | Core Focus | Language | Notable Features |
---|---|---|---|---|
LangGraph | 3.2k | Graph-based agent workflows | Python | State machine, retry logic, async agents, LangChain integration |
OpenAI Agents SDK (agents) | 9.7k+ (within openai repo) | High-level agent abstraction | Python | Official tools support (web, file, code), function-based agents |
SmolAgents | 1.1k | Lightweight agent loop | Python | Simple syntax, direct tool calling, fast bootstrapping |
CrewAI | 5.3k | Multi-agent orchestration | Python | Role-based logic, task management, modular agents |
AutoGen | 13k+ | Asynchronous multi-agent chat | Python | Event-driven coordination, live conversations, multi-agent chat |
LlamaIndex Agents | 12k+ | RAG-based agents | Python | Integration with vector stores, tools, memory, data connectors |
Semantic Kernel | 13.4k | Skill-based orchestration, enterprise | C#/Python | Plugin model, memory, planning, .NET-first but Python support too |
Strands | <1k | AWS-integrated agents | Python | Serverless-first, Bedrock integration, scalable micro-agents |
Phidata | 300+ | Multimodal, domain-specific agents | Python | GUI builder, multimodal support (vision, text), domain tailoring |
Feature | LangGraph | CrewAI |
---|---|---|
Core Model | Graph-based state machine | Role-based agent collaboration |
Tool Integration | LangChain tools, Python functions | Custom tools and prompts |
Multi-Agent Support | Yes (via custom branching) | Yes (built-in agent delegation) |
Repo Activity | Active: weekly commits, active issues | Very active: frequent updates, wide adoption |
Best Use Case | Workflow engines, structured flows | AI teams, dynamic collaboration tasks |
Community | Supported by LangChain team | Independent, fast-growing open-source base |
Transparency: You can see how agents are built under the hood.
Fast Prototyping: Fork code and deploy agents in minutes.
Customization: Modify tool integrations, logic, or memory modules to fit your project.
Community Collaboration: Learn from others' issues, discussions, and contributions.
Upstream Contributions: Contribute features or improvements and become part of the open-source ecosystem.
Below is a side-by-side comparison of leading Python agent frameworks, focusing on their GitHub repositories and minimal working code examples. This table highlights how each framework is structured, their usage style, and what makes them unique for developers.
Framework / Repo | Example Code |
---|---|
OpenAI Agents SDKopenai/openai-agents-python |
python from agents import Agent, Runner agent = Agent(name="Assistant", instructions="You are a helpful assistant") result = Runner.run_sync(agent, "Write a haiku about recursion in programming.") print(result.final_output) |
Strands Agents SDKstrands-agents/sdk-python |
python from strands import Agent from strands_tools import calculator agent = Agent(tools=[calculator]) agent("What is the square root of 1764") |
Microsoft AutoGenmicrosoft/autogen |
python # Example: Multi-agent chat import autogen config_list = [{'model': 'gpt-3.5-turbo', 'api_key': '...'}] # See docs for setup # Agents coordinate to solve tasks, e.g., code review, data analysis |
OpenAI Agents SDK: Prioritizes flexibility and modular agent workflows. Features built-in tracing, handoffs (agent delegation), and guardrails for validation. Minimal code required to launch an agent, with extensive example gallery and real-world demos.
Strands Agents SDK: Focuses on model-agnostic, production-ready agents. Includes a CLI agent builder, dynamic tool integration, and strong AWS/Amazon Bedrock support. Ideal for building, testing, and extending agents interactively.
Microsoft AutoGen: Excels at orchestrating multiple agents (LLMs, humans, or both) in real-time, asynchronous conversations. Suited for complex workflows like code review, research, or data analysis, with strong support for event-driven tasks.
OpenAI Agents SDK: Customer service bots, research assistants, multi-step workflows, agent handoffs.
Strands Agents SDK: Scientific calculators, knowledge base agents, AWS-integrated assistants, tool-rich workflows.
Microsoft AutoGen: Automated code review, collaborative data analysis, multi-agent research synthesis.
OpenAI Agents SDK:
pip install openai-agents
Set OPENAI_API_KEY
Run the example code above
Strands Agents SDK:
pip install strands-agents strands-agents-tools
Configure AWS credentials if using Bedrock
Run the example code above
Microsoft AutoGen:
pip install pyautogen
Configure LLM API keys
Follow example gallery for multi-agent scripts
Each framework provides a distinct approach to agentic AI development in Python. Choose based on your desired workflow complexity, integration needs, and developer experience. The provided GitHub examples offer a quick path to experimentation and prototyping
Below is an overview of prominent AI agent frameworks available on GitHub, highlighting their focus, features, and typical use cases.
Framework / Repo | Language | Description | Key Features |
---|---|---|---|
intentkitcrestalnetwork/intentkit |
Python | Open and fair framework for building AI agents with powerful skills. | Multi-agent, blockchain/web3 support, agentic workflow, extensible. |
PraisonAIMervinPraison/PraisonAI |
Python | Production-ready multi-agent framework for automating simple to complex tasks. | Low-code, multi-agent, human-agent collaboration, customization. |
CrewAIcrewAIInc/crewAI |
Python | Orchestrates role-playing, autonomous agents for collaborative intelligence. | Multi-agent orchestration, role-based workflows, memory support. |
MetaGPTFoundationAgents/MetaGPT |
Python | Multi-agent framework simulating a software company’s workflow. | Specialized agents (PM, engineer, etc.), project management. |
AgentLabsagentlabs-dev/agentlabs |
TypeScript | Universal AI Agent frontend for custom backends. | Analytics, authentication, agent management. |
Awesome AI Agents Listse2b-dev/awesome-ai-agents kyrolabs/awesome-agents |
Mixed | Curated lists of top frameworks, tools, and resources. | Discovery, categorized by use case, links to major projects. |
Agent Squadawslabs/agent-squad |
Python/TypeScript | Flexible, powerful multi-agent management and conversation handling. | AWS integration, serverless, complex conversation orchestration. |
Simple AI Agent Frameworkdarkcleopas/simple-ai-agent-framework |
Python | Lightweight, framework-independent ReAct-based agent implementation. | Reasoning & acting, tool integration, LLM provider abstraction. |
VoltAgentVoltAgent/voltagent |
TypeScript | Open source framework for building and orchestrating AI agents. | TypeScript-first, orchestration, extensibility. |
Multi-Agent Collaboration: Frameworks like PraisonAI, CrewAI, and MetaGPT focus on enabling multiple agents to work together, often simulating real-world roles or workflows.
Low-Code/No-Code: Solutions such as PraisonAI and AgentLabs emphasize rapid development and customization with minimal code.
Extensibility: Most frameworks allow integration with external tools, APIs, and LLM providers (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic).
Curated Ecosystem: Awesome AI Agents lists are valuable for discovering the latest tools and frameworks tailored to specific needs.
Explore curated lists for a broad overview and links to active projects.
Choose a framework based on your preferred language, integration needs, and workflow complexity.
Clone and install: Most repositories provide quickstart guides in their README files. For Python, use pip install -r requirements.txt
or similar instructions.
Review examples: Many frameworks include example scripts or notebooks to help you get up and running quickly.
git clone https://github.com/crewAIInc/crewAI.git cd crewAI pip install -r requirements.txt
intentkit and PraisonAI are among the most starred and actively maintained Python agent frameworks as of July 2025.
CrewAI and MetaGPT are widely used for orchestrating complex, collaborative agent workflows.
Simple AI Agent Framework offers an easy entry point for those seeking minimalism and clarity.
These repositories represent the current state-of-the-art in open-source AI agent frameworks, providing a solid foundation for building, customizing, and deploying autonomous or collaborative agents in Python and TypeScript.
OpenAI Agents SDK is provider-specific, tightly integrated with OpenAI’s ecosystem (e.g., GPT-4, tool calling, code execution, file browsing). It’s flexible within OpenAI's platform but limited in multi-provider use.
Strands Agents is provider-agnostic and designed with modularity in mind. It supports pluggable tools and inference engines (e.g., AWS Bedrock models), making it more adaptable across cloud platforms.
Choose OpenAI SDK for deep GPT-based workflows.
Choose Strands for a flexible, serverless-first environment with multi-cloud support.
Agent-as-Tool Reusability: One agent can orchestrate or call another as a tool.
Streaming + Multi-turn: Supports ongoing chat with dynamic state updates.
Function Calling Integration: Native support for OpenAI's function-calling and tool use.
Modular Tool Definition: Tools are Python functions wrapped with metadata.
Memory & State: Supports maintaining conversational context or shared state.
These capabilities make it ideal for building systems with collaborating LLMs and agent chaining logic.
Declarative Configuration: Developers define agent logic, tools, and flow in config files or simple class structures.
Minimal Boilerplate: Tool integration and runtime behavior require less custom code.
Built-in Handlers: Standard behavior for agent prompting, error handling, and task completion.
This low-code, serverless-friendly model makes Strands ideal for teams who want fast prototyping without deep SDK coupling.
Simulation-Heavy Use Cases: AgentPy is ideal for discrete agent-based simulations in research, economics, epidemiology, etc.
Deterministic Agent Logic: Supports spatial environments, schedules, and reproducible outcomes.
Non-LLM Agents: Not focused on LLMs or AI assistants but on behavioral modeling.
Choose AgentPy when building scientific simulations instead of LLM-driven agents.
Limited built-in tracing, mostly console-level debugging.
Requires external logging or wrappers for deep tracing.
Strands Agents:
Designed with observability in mind.
Exposes intermediate states and errors using structured logs and events.
Strands offers better real-time traceability, especially in production-grade serverless setups.
OpenAI SDK Examples:
Focus on function-calling and multi-turn chat.
Demonstrate code execution, file browsing, and embedding tools.
Strands Examples:
Focus on AWS integration, calculator agents, and serverless deployment.
Highlight minimal code + config-based behavior.
Strands is more task-focused, while OpenAI's SDK leans into multi-modal reasoning and chaining.
Feature | OpenAI SDK | LangGraph |
---|---|---|
Primitives | Agents, Tools, Runners | StateGraph, Nodes, State |
Flow Control | Implicit, reactive | Explicit DAG-based routing |
Customization Level | Medium (via functions) | High (define each transition logic) |
Debugging | Basic | Built-in visual debugging |
OpenAI SDK is simpler, while LangGraph provides more granular flow and control.
Voice Agents Sample adds:
Streaming output: Real-time token generation for audio or UI playback.
Speech-to-text & text-to-speech integration: For real-time voice interactions.
Persistent Memory: Tracks dialogue state across turns.
It transforms the SDK into a foundation for interactive, voice-based AI applications.
Simple setup for single-agent workflows.
Official OpenAI support, maintained with latest model capabilities.
Ideal for chatbots, assistants, and simple task tools.
Less cognitive overhead for solo developers or small teams.
Choose it for MVPs, small tools, or function-calling assistants.
State: OpenAI SDK manages memory with per-session state; developers can persist and mutate conversation history.
Handoffs: Agents can trigger other agents or tools; modular chaining supports delegation.
Safety Guardrails: Developers can implement filters or validators before/after tool execution (e.g., whitelist tools, sanitize inputs).
These examples offer practical templates for safe, maintainable, and extensible agents.
Supports role-based agent design, task decomposition, and memory sharing.
Includes tool calling, planner modules, and multi-agent orchestration.
Built with modular pipelines and state tracing.
It’s well-suited for workflow-heavy, decision-tree-based AI systems.
Offers language-agnostic interfaces for tool execution (e.g., via HTTP, gRPC).
Designed with interoperability in mind, supporting JS, Python, and Go-based tools.
Provides adapters for plugging in different LLM providers or vector stores.
Ideal for multi-language stacks or enterprise-grade integrations.
Collaborative Problem-Solving: Agents communicate, reason, and challenge each other.
Specialist Roles: Each agent has a defined persona (e.g., editor, developer, tester).
Emulates real team behavior with memory, role boundaries, and delegation.
PraisonAI mimics human-like team dynamics, which is rare in most LLM-based agents.
Agents act semi-autonomously: Plan, verify, retry, and escalate tasks.
Agents have access to feedback loops, scoring mechanisms, and environmental context.
Often include tools like vector search, web scraping, and code execution.
AgentPilot enables adaptive behavior, making it ideal for exploratory workflows and long-running tasks.
Built-in Task, Agent, Tool abstractions.
Supports task handoff, memory sharing, and real-time interaction between agents.
Easy-to-use decorators and configurations for defining complex workflows.
CrewAI is great for narrative generation, multi-role simulations, and collaborative planning tasks.
When comparing Agent APIs on GitHub, don’t just look at star counts—evaluate the codebase maturity, developer experience, and real-world applicability. A lightweight repo like SmolAgents might be ideal for quick automation, while LangGraph or AutoGen are better suited for complex, stateful workflows.
Tip: Clone a few repos, run the examples, and test tool integration to truly understand how each framework works in your context.