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README.md

PicoAgents Code Along

Minimal, progressive implementations of the picoagents library - same API, fewer lines.

These files let you build understanding incrementally. Each version is self-contained and runnable. Code you write works unchanged with the full picoagents library.

Files

File Lines What It Adds Chapter Section
ch04_v1_agent.py ~100 Core agent loop, run() 4.1-4.3
ch04_v2_tools.py ~180 Tool calling, function-to-schema 4.4
ch04_v3_memory.py ~230 ListMemory, conversation history 4.5
ch04_v4_streaming.py ~260 run_stream(), event types 4.1

Quick Start

# Set your API keys
export AZURE_OPENAI_API_KEY="..."
export AZURE_OPENAI_ENDPOINT="..."

# Or for OpenAI (modify the client in the file)
export OPENAI_API_KEY="..."

# Run any version
python ch04_v1_agent.py
python ch04_v2_tools.py
python ch04_v3_memory.py
python ch04_v4_streaming.py

Same API as Full Library

# Code-along version
from ch04_v2_tools import Agent

# Full library - just change the import
from picoagents import Agent

# Same code works with both
agent = Agent(
    name="assistant",
    instructions="You are helpful.",
    tools=[get_weather]
)
response = await agent.run("What's the weather?")
print(response.final_content)

What's Included vs Omitted

Feature Code Along Full Library
Agent class ✓ ✓
run() method ✓ ✓
run_stream() ✓ (v4) ✓
Tool calling ✓ (v2+) ✓
ListMemory ✓ (v3+) ✓
Middleware - ✓
OpenTelemetry - ✓
CancellationTokens - ✓
Component serialization - ✓
BaseTool abstract class - ✓
BaseMemory abstract class - ✓
ChromaDB/vector memory - ✓
Agents-as-tools - ✓

Model Client

These examples use Azure OpenAI. To use other providers, modify the client initialization:

# Azure OpenAI (default)
from openai import AsyncAzureOpenAI
client = AsyncAzureOpenAI(api_version="2024-12-01-preview")

# OpenAI
from openai import AsyncOpenAI
client = AsyncOpenAI()  # Uses OPENAI_API_KEY

# Any OpenAI-compatible endpoint
from openai import AsyncOpenAI
client = AsyncOpenAI(base_url="http://localhost:11434/v1", api_key="unused")

Why This Exists

Chapter 4 teaches agent concepts progressively, but the full library is 1000+ lines with production concerns. These files bridge the gap:

  1. Runnable at each stage - Not just snippets, complete programs
  2. Same API - Code transfers to full library
  3. Minimal - Only what's needed to understand the concept
  4. Progressive - Each version builds on the last