---
id: autogen
version: "0.14.1"
license: Apache-2.0
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# autogen — A programming framework for agentic AI

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 161.2K/mo

## What it is and what it does

Autogen is a programming framework for building AI agents that work together to solve tasks. It provides a set of agent types (ConversableAgent being the core) that can send and receive messages, generate replies using language models or tools, and be orchestrated into multi-agent systems using patterns like group chats, swarms, and nested chats. The framework handles agent-to-agent communication, tool registration and execution, human-in-the-loop workflows, and integration with various LLMs.

The package is built on pydantic for configuration, httpx for HTTP requests, and tiktoken for token counting. It depends on python-dotenv for API key management and termcolor for terminal output. This is the original AutoGen repository, now in maintenance mode receiving security and critical bug fixes only; the actively developed version is published separately as ag2.

Use it for:

- Build a multi-agent code review system where one agent writes code and another reviews it without rewriting.
- Create a lesson planning workflow with specialized agents for planning, curriculum review, and feedback.
- Implement autonomous workflows where agents collaborate to research, analyze, and summarize information.
- Develop human-in-the-loop systems where AI agents handle tasks but escalate decisions to human reviewers.
- Orchestrate complex problem-solving by having agents with different expertise work together on a shared goal.

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

A framework for building AI agents that communicate with each other and with language models to solve tasks through multi-agent collaboration and orchestration patterns.

Yes, if you need a multi-agent framework and accept maintenance-mode status. The package is production-stable, actively maintained for security, has low install friction, and supports Python 3.10+. However, be aware it receives only critical fixes and security patches—no new features. If you need active development and new capabilities, consider ag2 instead.

## Install

pip install autogen
uv add autogen
poetry add autogen

## Installing autogen

Before you install: Low friction installation with a pure Python wheel. Actively maintained with recent releases; marked as production-stable but now in maintenance mode (security and critical fixes only), with the actively developed version available separately as ag2.

License in practice: Licensed under Apache-2.0 (permissive), allowing commercial and private use with minimal restrictions; suitable for most commercial projects.

Quickstart:

pip install autogen[openai]

from autogen import ConversableAgent, LLMConfig

llm_config = LLMConfig.from_json(path="OAI_CONFIG_LIST")
agent = ConversableAgent("agent", llm_config=llm_config)
response = agent.run(recipient=other_agent, message="task")

Requires Python >= 3.10 and an LLM API configuration (e.g., OpenAI key in OAI_CONFIG_LIST file).

Verify before relying:

- Whether the maintenance-mode status affects long-term stability for new projects or only blocks new features.
- Performance characteristics when orchestrating many agents or handling large conversation histories.
- Whether tiktoken dependency is required for all use cases or only for token counting with certain LLMs.

## Package facts

- License: Apache-2.0 (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 161.2K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

multi-agent ai framework, conversable agents llm, agent orchestration patterns, ai agent collaboration, agentic workflow framework, agent-to-agent communication, llm-powered agent system, multi-agent-systems, llm-orchestration, agent-framework

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