AutoGen Cheatsheet

Q: How do I install AutoGen?

Install with `pip install pyautogen`. Requires Python 3.9+. Set `OPENAI_API_KEY` or configure other LLM backends. The core concepts are AssistantAgent (AI) and UserProxyAgent (proxy for human or tools).

Q: What can AutoGen agents do?

Agents can write and execute code, browse the web, call APIs, use registered tools, and converse with each other. Common patterns: code generation + execution, multi-agent debate, task decomposition, and retrieval-augmented generation with tool use.

AutoGen is Microsoft's open-source conversational AI agent framework enabling multiple agents to autonomously converse and complete complex tasks. Supports code execution, tool calling, human-in-the-loop, and group chat.

Updated: 2026-07-20·7 commands

Quick Start

``bash pip install pyautogen export OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-xxx``

Startup & Modes(7)

Command	Level	Example
`pip install pyautogen` Install AutoGen	Basic	`pip install pyautogen`
`autogen two-agent chat` Start a conversation between two agents	Intermediate	`python -c 'from autogen import AssistantAgent, UserProxyAgent; assistant = AssistantAgent(name="assistant", llm_config={"config_list":[{"model":"gpt-4o"}]}); user = UserProxyAgent(name="user", code_execution_config=False); user.initiate_chat(assistant, message="Write Python code to sort a list")'`
`autogen group chat` Start multi-agent group chat	Expert	`python -c 'from autogen import AssistantAgent, GroupChat, GroupChatManager; a1 = AssistantAgent(name="Agent1"); a2 = AssistantAgent(name="Agent2"); group = GroupChat(agents=[a1,a2], messages=[], max_round=5); manager = GroupChatManager(groupchat=group)'`
`autogen code execution` Agent with code execution capability	Intermediate	`python -c 'from autogen import AssistantAgent, UserProxyAgent; assistant = AssistantAgent(name="assistant"); user = UserProxyAgent(name="user", code_execution_config={"work_dir":"coding"}); user.initiate_chat(assistant, message="Create a plot")'`
`export OPENAI_API_KEY` Set LLM API key	Basic	`export OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-xxx`
`autogen tools` Register tool functions for agents	Expert	`python -c 'from autogen import register_function; def my_tool(x): return x*2; register_function(my_tool, caller=assistant, executor=user)'`
`autogen web surfing` Agent with web browsing capability	Intermediate	`python -c 'from autogen import AssistantAgent; AssistantAgent(name="browser", llm_config={"config_list":[{"model":"gpt-4o"}]})'`

FAQ

How do I install AutoGen?

What can AutoGen agents do?

This cheatsheet is compiled from official tool documentation. Last updated: 2026-07-20.