Move Agent Orchestration/Workflows out of Code with Agent Framework Declarative Workflows 1.0

Most multi-agent apps wire every flow in application code: the sequence of steps, branching, and handoffs between agents all live inside the program, making the orchestration harder to review, version, and change.

Declarative workflows make that orchestration explicit. In YAML, you define how agents coordinate, how state changes, where execution branches, and when people step in. Agent Framework loads the definition into a standard workflow you can run, stream, and compose with code.

Today, declarative workflows reach 1.0 across both Agent Framework SDKs. Python’s agent-framework-declarative package is now 1.0.0, joining the already-stable .NET Microsoft.Agents.AI.Workflows.Declarative package.

Why teams choose declarative workflows

Author in YAML, run as an ordinary workflow

kind: Workflow
trigger:
  kind: OnConversationStart
  id: support_router
  actions:

    # A triage agent classifies the incoming request.
    - kind: InvokeAzureAgent
      id: triage
      conversationId: =System.ConversationId
      agent:
        name: TriageAgent
      output:
        responseObject: Local.Triage

    # Route to the specialist that matches the category.
    - kind: If
      id: route
      condition: =Local.Triage.Category = "Billing"
      then:
        - kind: InvokeAzureAgent
          id: billing
          agent:
            name: BillingAgent
      else:
        - kind: If
          condition: =Local.Triage.Category = "Sales"
          then:
            - kind: InvokeAzureAgent
              id: sales
              agent:
                name: SalesAgent
          else:
            - kind: InvokeAzureAgent
              id: support
              agent:
                name: SupportAgent

In Python, use WorkflowFactory to load the YAML definition and create a Workflow instance:

from agent_framework.declarative import WorkflowFactory

factory = WorkflowFactory()
workflow = factory.create_workflow_from_yaml_path("support_router.yaml")

# workflow is a standard Workflow - run, stream or compose it like any other.
# The agents it names (TriageAgent, BillingAgent, ...) live in your Foundry project.

In .NET, use DeclarativeWorkflowBuilder to load the workflow definition and create a Workflow instance:

using Microsoft.Agents.AI.Workflows;
using Microsoft.Agents.AI.Workflows.Declarative;

// options carries your agent provider and configuration; see the sample for setup.
Workflow workflow = DeclarativeWorkflowBuilder.Build<string>("CustomerSupport.yaml", options);

// From here, run or stream `workflow` like any other workflow.

These snippets focus on loading the workflow definition. For the full, runnable version of this pattern (with ticketing, escalation, and a human handoff); see the customer support sample (Python, .Net).

What you can build

The router workflow above is intentionally small, but the same building blocks carry real multi-agent work. Each capability has a runnable sample in the repository:

• State and expressions: Store values in workflow state and compute new values with Power Fx expressions, such as =If(IsBlank(inputs.name), "World", inputs.name) (sample).
• Control flow: Branch on workflow state or agent results using conditions, loops, and jumps (sample).
• Agent invocation: Invoke agents and route their responses, from sequential pipelines (marketing) to conditional routing (customer support).
• Function, MCP, and HTTP tools: Call application code (function tools, MCP, HTTP) from a step.
• Human-in-the-loop: Pause for input or approval and continue when the person responds (sample).
• Checkpoint and resume: Persist workflow state and resume execution later (sample).

Declarative definitions load as standard Workflow instances, so you can run and compose them with code-first workflows. Use YAML where it fits and the lower-level APIs when you need custom behavior.

Get started

Install the package for your SDK:

pip install agent-framework-declarative

dotnet add package Microsoft.Agents.AI.Workflows.Declarative

Key takeaways

Explore the documentation and runnable samples:

• Docs: Declarative workflows overview
• Python samples: python/samples/03-workflows/declarative
• .NET samples: dotnet/samples/03-workflows/Declarative

Try a declarative workflow for an orchestration you would otherwise implement in code, then show us what you build. If you have ideas for what should come next, open an issue on GitHub. Thanks for building with us.