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03 · Partners · Guide

LangGraph, Agent Framework or Agents SDK: Which Partner Fits Your AI Architecture?

The framework shapes development speed, operations and lock-in. An overview of the common options in October 2026 and how to find providers who master your stack.

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Why the Framework Matters

Until 2024 the choice was mostly between LangGraph and AutoGen. Since then the large model providers have released their own SDKs, and Microsoft has merged AutoGen and Semantic Kernel. The choice affects how fast you can build, how well you can debug and how tightly you are tied to one cloud or model provider.

The Common Frameworks at a Glance

FrameworkApproachGood fit for
LangGraphGraph of nodes and edges with explicit state, checkpoints and human in the loop. Version 1.0 since late 2025.Rule-based processes that must be traceable and auditable
Microsoft Agent FrameworkSuccessor to AutoGen and Semantic Kernel for Python and .NET, with workflows and multi-agent patterns, closely tied to Azure AI Foundry.Microsoft-centric IT landscapes and .NET teams
OpenAI Agents SDKLean SDK with handoffs between agents, guardrails and built-in tracing. Successor to the Swarm experiment.Teams that want to start quickly and mainly use OpenAI models
Google ADKGoogle's Agent Development Kit with hierarchical multi-agent structures and support for the A2A protocol.Projects on Google Cloud and Vertex AI
Claude Agent SDKThe agent runtime behind Claude Code as an SDK: tools, file access, subagents and MCP integration.Agents that work autonomously with code, files and tools
CrewAITeams ("crews") of agents with roles and tasks, plus flows for event-driven processes.Fast prototypes and role-based processes

Most of these frameworks connect tools via the open Model Context Protocol (MCP). This makes it easier to switch later, because tool integrations do not have to be rebuilt.

Control or Flexibility?

  • Strictly defined processes: explicit graphs and workflows (LangGraph, Agent Framework workflows, CrewAI Flows) make every step traceable.
  • Open tasks: agents that decide on their own which tool or agent comes next (handoffs in the OpenAI Agents SDK, subagents in the Claude Agent SDK) are more flexible but need tighter limits and good tracing.

How to Find the Right Provider

A good provider does not force a framework on you but chooses the one that fits your use case and your existing stack. Ask:

  • "Which frameworks have you used in production, and for what?"
  • "Which one would you choose for my case, and what would speak against it?"
  • "How would we switch models or frameworks later?"

Find Specialists

In our directory you can see each provider's stated focus and whether and when we checked the basic details. The detailed system profiles on our site help you compare the frameworks themselves.

Next step

From comparison to project.

Describe your project in three steps. We review it and name up to three suitable partners to you by email before anything is passed on. Free for you.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is AutoGen still a good choice?

For new projects Microsoft recommends the Microsoft Agent Framework, which continues the ideas of AutoGen and Semantic Kernel. AutoGen itself only receives maintenance; the community fork AG2 continues separately. Ask providers how they plan to migrate existing AutoGen code.

Can one provider master several frameworks?

Yes, and that is a good sign. Providers who know several frameworks can justify their recommendation instead of pushing the one tool they know.

What about LlamaIndex?

LlamaIndex is strong at connecting data and retrieval (RAG) and also offers agent workflows. In practice it is often combined with one of the orchestration frameworks above.