AG2 vs AutoGen
AG2 and AutoGen share history but are now different codebases. AG2 diverged from AutoGen in November 2024; its v1.0 package exposes a new async Agent API and moved the classic autogen import to a separate ag2-classic package. Microsoft's AutoGen (autogen-agentchat 0.7.x) is in maintenance mode. Neither is a drop-in replacement for the other.
Facts side by side
| Fact | AG2 | AutoGen |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Framework | Framework |
| Languages / SDKs | Python | Python, .NET |
| License | Apache-2.0 | CC-BY-4.0 |
| Pricing model | Unknown | Open source, free |
| Orchestration pattern | Other | Blackboard |
| GitHub stars | 4,969 (as of 2026-09-30) | 61,238 (as of 2026-09-30) |
| GitHub forks | 730 | 9,271 |
| Last push | 2026-09-29 | 2026-04-15 |
| Latest release | v1.1.1 | python-v0.7.5 |
| Repository | ag2ai/ag2 | microsoft/autogen |
| Website | ag2.ai | microsoft.github.io |
| Documentation | docs.ag2.ai | microsoft.github.io |
| Last verified | 2026-09-30 | 2026-09-30 |
| MCP support | Yes (checked 2026-09-30) | Yes (checked 2026-09-30) |
| A2A support | Yes (checked 2026-09-30) | Unknown (checked 2026-09-30) |
| AG-UI support | Yes (checked 2026-09-30) | Unknown (checked 2026-09-30) |
| Install verified | 2026-09-30 | 2026-09-30 |
Choose AG2 if
- You want an actively released project: AG2's latest release is v1.1.1 and the repository was pushed on 2026-09-29.
- You need MCP, A2A and AG-UI in the package itself, all documented with evidence on the AG2 tool page.
- You have AutoGen 0.2-style code (
ConversableAgent,GroupChat) and want to keep running it: installag2-classic, notag2.
Choose AutoGen if
- You already run Microsoft's AutoGen 0.4+ packages (
autogen-agentchat,autogen-core) and only need maintenance fixes. - You plan to move to Microsoft Agent Framework, which has an official migration guide from AutoGen.
- You use AutoGen Studio or the actor-style
autogen-coreruntime, which AG2 does not ship.
Migration notes
Package names are the main trap. pip install ag2 installs AG2 1.x, whose module is ag2 (from ag2 import Agent); it no longer ships the autogen import name. Code written for AutoGen 0.2 (from autogen import ConversableAgent, GroupChat) runs on ag2-classic. Microsoft's current AutoGen is a different set of packages (autogen-agentchat, autogen-ext) with different APIs (AssistantAgent, teams). Moving from AG2 Classic group chats to AG2 1.x networks is covered by AG2's group chat migration guide. Moving from Microsoft AutoGen to AG2 1.x is a rewrite: there is no official guide for that direction; Microsoft's documented path leads to Agent Framework instead.
FAQ
Is AG2 the same as AutoGen?
No. AG2's docs say the project diverged from the AutoGen codebase in November 2024. It is maintained by a volunteer community, separate from Microsoft's AutoGen repository.
Why does `import autogen` fail after `pip install ag2`?
AG2 v1.0 removed the autogen import name from the ag2 package. The classic API lives in the separate ag2-classic package, per the AG2 README.
Which one is still getting features?
AG2 publishes frequent releases. Microsoft's AutoGen is in maintenance mode with no new features, per its README.
Do both support MCP?
Yes. AG2 documents MCP client and server support; AutoGen documents an MCP client (McpWorkbench). Only AG2 has documented A2A and AG-UI support.