.Net: Removing KernelAgent.cs and moving its functionality into Agent.cs

dotnet/samples/Concepts/Agents/ChatCompletion_ServiceSelection.cs

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ namespace Agents;
 
 /// <summary>
 /// Demonstrate service selection for <see cref="ChatCompletionAgent"/> through setting service-id
-/// on <see cref="KernelAgent.Arguments"/> and also providing override <see cref="KernelArguments"/>
+/// on <see cref="Agent.Arguments"/> and also providing override <see cref="KernelArguments"/>
 /// when calling <see cref="ChatCompletionAgent.InvokeAsync(ChatHistory, KernelArguments?, Kernel?, CancellationToken)"/>
 /// </summary>
 public class ChatCompletion_ServiceSelection(ITestOutputHelper output) : BaseAgentsTest(output)

dotnet/samples/GettingStartedWithProcesses/Step04/KernelExtensions.cs

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ public static IChatHistoryProvider GetHistory(this Kernel kernel) =>
     /// <summary>
     /// Access an agent as a keyed service.
     /// </summary>
-    public static TAgent GetAgent<TAgent>(this Kernel kernel, string key) where TAgent : KernelAgent =>
+    public static TAgent GetAgent<TAgent>(this Kernel kernel, string key) where TAgent : Agent =>
         kernel.Services.GetRequiredKeyedService<TAgent>(key);
 
     /// <summary>

dotnet/src/Agents/Abstractions/Agent.cs

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Diagnostics.CodeAnalysis;
+using System.Linq;
 using System.Threading;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;
@@ -44,6 +45,32 @@ public abstract class Agent
     /// </summary>
     public ILoggerFactory? LoggerFactory { get; init; }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Gets the arguments for the agent instruction parameters (optional).
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <remarks>
+    /// Also includes <see cref="PromptExecutionSettings"/>.
+    /// </remarks>
+    public KernelArguments Arguments { get; init; } = [];
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Gets the instructions for the agent (optional).
+    /// </summary>
+    public string? Instructions { get; init; }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Gets the <see cref="Kernel"/> containing services, plugins, and filters for use throughout the agent lifetime.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <value>
+    /// The <see cref="Kernel"/> containing services, plugins, and filters for use throughout the agent lifetime. The default value is an empty Kernel, but that can be overridden.
+    /// </value>
+    public Kernel Kernel { get; init; } = new();
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Gets or sets a prompt template based on the agent instructions.
+    /// </summary>
+    protected IPromptTemplate? Template { get; set; }
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Invoke the agent with no message assuming that all required instructions are already provided to the agent or on the thread.
     /// </summary>
@@ -222,6 +249,25 @@ public abstract IAsyncEnumerable<AgentResponseItem<StreamingChatMessageContent>>
     /// </summary>
     protected virtual ILoggerFactory ActiveLoggerFactory => this.LoggerFactory ?? NullLoggerFactory.Instance;
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Formats the system instructions for the agent.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="kernel">The <see cref="Kernel"/> containing services, plugins, and other state for use by the agent.</param>
+    /// <param name="arguments">Optional arguments to pass to the agents's invocation, including any <see cref="PromptExecutionSettings"/>.</param>
+    /// <param name="cancellationToken">The <see cref="CancellationToken"/> to monitor for cancellation requests. The default is <see cref="CancellationToken.None"/>.</param>
+    /// <returns>The formatted system instructions for the agent.</returns>
+    protected async Task<string?> FormatInstructionsAsync(Kernel kernel, KernelArguments? arguments, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
+    {
+        if (this.Template is null)
+        {
+            // Use the instructions as-is
+            return this.Instructions;
+        }
+
+        // Use the provided template as the instructions
+        return await this.Template.RenderAsync(kernel, arguments, cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
+    }
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Set of keys to establish channel affinity.  Minimum expected key-set:
     /// <example>
@@ -336,4 +382,42 @@ protected Task NotifyThreadOfNewMessage(AgentThread thread, ChatMessageContent m
     {
         return thread.OnNewMessageAsync(message, cancellationToken);
     }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Provides a merged instance of <see cref="KernelArguments"/> with precedence for override arguments.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="arguments">The override arguments.</param>
+    /// <remarks>
+    /// This merge preserves original <see cref="PromptExecutionSettings"/> and <see cref="KernelArguments"/> parameters.
+    /// It allows for incremental addition or replacement of specific parameters while also preserving the ability
+    /// to override the execution settings.
+    /// </remarks>
+    protected KernelArguments MergeArguments(KernelArguments? arguments)
+    {
+        // Avoid merge when override arguments are not set.
+        if (arguments == null)
+        {
+            return this.Arguments;
+        }
+
+        // Both instances are not null, merge with precedence for override arguments.
+
+        // Merge execution settings with precedence for override arguments.
+        Dictionary<string, PromptExecutionSettings>? settings =
+            (arguments.ExecutionSettings ?? s_emptySettings)
+                .Concat(this.Arguments.ExecutionSettings ?? s_emptySettings)
+                .GroupBy(entry => entry.Key)
+                .ToDictionary(entry => entry.Key, entry => entry.First().Value);
+
+        // Merge parameters with precedence for override arguments.
+        Dictionary<string, object?>? parameters =
+            arguments
+                .Concat(this.Arguments)
+                .GroupBy(entry => entry.Key)
+                .ToDictionary(entry => entry.Key, entry => entry.First().Value);
+
+        return new KernelArguments(parameters, settings);
+    }
+
+    private static readonly Dictionary<string, PromptExecutionSettings> s_emptySettings = [];
 }

dotnet/src/Agents/AzureAI/AzureAIAgent.ClientFactory.cs

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.SemanticKernel.Agents.AzureAI;
 /// <summary>
 /// Provides an <see cref="AIProjectClient"/> for use by <see cref="AzureAIAgent"/>.
 /// </summary>
-public sealed partial class AzureAIAgent : KernelAgent
+public sealed partial class AzureAIAgent : Agent
 {
     /// <summary>
     /// Produces a <see cref="AIProjectClient"/>.

dotnet/src/Agents/AzureAI/AzureAIAgent.cs

@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@
 namespace Microsoft.SemanticKernel.Agents.AzureAI;
 
 /// <summary>
-/// Provides a specialized <see cref="KernelAgent"/> based on an Azure AI agent.
+/// Provides a specialized <see cref="Agent"/> based on an Azure AI agent.
 /// </summary>
-public sealed partial class AzureAIAgent : KernelAgent
+public sealed partial class AzureAIAgent : Agent
 {
     /// <summary>
     /// Provides tool definitions used when associating a file attachment to an input message:

dotnet/src/Agents/Bedrock/BedrockAgent.cs

@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@
 namespace Microsoft.SemanticKernel.Agents.Bedrock;
 
 /// <summary>
-/// Provides a specialized <see cref="KernelAgent"/> for the Bedrock Agent service.
+/// Provides a specialized <see cref="Agent"/> for the Bedrock Agent service.
 /// </summary>
-public sealed class BedrockAgent : KernelAgent
+public sealed class BedrockAgent : Agent
 {
     /// <summary>
     /// The client used to interact with the Bedrock Agent service.

dotnet/src/Agents/Core/AgentGroupChat.cs

@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ public sealed class AgentGroupChat : AgentChat
     /// <summary>
     /// Add an <see cref="Agent"/> to the chat.
     /// </summary>
-    /// <param name="agent">The <see cref="KernelAgent"/> to add.</param>
+    /// <param name="agent">The <see cref="Agent"/> to add.</param>
     public void AddAgent(Agent agent)
     {
         if (this._agentIds.Add(agent.Id))

dotnet/src/Agents/Core/ChatCompletionAgent.cs

@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@
 namespace Microsoft.SemanticKernel.Agents;
 
 /// <summary>
-/// Represents a <see cref="KernelAgent"/> specialization based on <see cref="IChatCompletionService"/>.
+/// Represents a <see cref="Agent"/> specialization based on <see cref="IChatCompletionService"/>.
 /// </summary>
 /// <remarks>
 /// NOTE: Enable <see cref="PromptExecutionSettings.FunctionChoiceBehavior"/> for agent plugins
-/// (<see cref="KernelAgent.Arguments"/>).
+/// (<see cref="Agent.Arguments"/>).
 /// </remarks>
-public sealed class ChatCompletionAgent : ChatHistoryKernelAgent
+public sealed class ChatCompletionAgent : ChatHistoryAgent
 {
     /// <summary>
     /// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="ChatCompletionAgent"/> class.

dotnet/src/Agents/Core/ChatHistoryKernelAgent.cs → dotnet/src/Agents/Core/ChatHistoryAgent.cs

@@ -12,13 +12,13 @@
 namespace Microsoft.SemanticKernel.Agents;
 
 /// <summary>
-/// Represents a <see cref="KernelAgent"/> specialization bound to a <see cref="ChatHistoryChannel"/>.
+/// Represents a <see cref="Agent"/> specialization bound to a <see cref="ChatHistoryChannel"/>.
 /// </summary>
 /// <remarks>
 /// NOTE: Enable <see cref="PromptExecutionSettings.FunctionChoiceBehavior"/> for agent plugins
-/// (<see cref="KernelAgent.Arguments"/>).
+/// (<see cref="Agent.Arguments"/>).
 /// </remarks>
-public abstract class ChatHistoryKernelAgent : KernelAgent
+public abstract class ChatHistoryAgent : Agent
 {
     /// <summary>
     /// Gets an optional <see cref="IChatHistoryReducer"/> to reduce the history.

dotnet/src/Agents/Core/ChatHistoryChannel.cs

@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 namespace Microsoft.SemanticKernel.Agents;
 
 /// <summary>
-/// Represents an <see cref="AgentChannel"/> specialization that acts upon a <see cref="ChatHistoryKernelAgent"/>.
+/// Represents an <see cref="AgentChannel"/> specialization that acts upon a <see cref="ChatHistoryAgent"/>.
 /// </summary>
 [Experimental("SKEXP0110")]
 internal sealed class ChatHistoryChannel : AgentChannel
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ internal sealed class ChatHistoryChannel : AgentChannel
         Agent agent,
         [EnumeratorCancellation] CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
     {
-        if (agent is not ChatHistoryKernelAgent historyAgent)
+        if (agent is not ChatHistoryAgent historyAgent)
         {
             throw new KernelException($"Invalid channel binding for agent: {agent.Id} ({agent.GetType().FullName})");
         }
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ bool IsMessageVisible(ChatMessageContent message) =>
     /// <inheritdoc/>
     protected override async IAsyncEnumerable<StreamingChatMessageContent> InvokeStreamingAsync(Agent agent, IList<ChatMessageContent> messages, [EnumeratorCancellation] CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
     {
-        if (agent is not ChatHistoryKernelAgent historyAgent)
+        if (agent is not ChatHistoryAgent historyAgent)
         {
             throw new KernelException($"Invalid channel binding for agent: {agent.Id} ({agent.GetType().FullName})");
         }

dotnet/src/Agents/OpenAI/OpenAIAssistantAgent.ClientFactory.cs

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 namespace Microsoft.SemanticKernel.Agents.OpenAI;
 
-public sealed partial class OpenAIAssistantAgent : KernelAgent
+public sealed partial class OpenAIAssistantAgent : Agent
 {
     /// <summary>
     /// Specifies a key that avoids an exception from OpenAI Client when a custom endpoint is provided without an API key.

dotnet/src/Agents/OpenAI/OpenAIAssistantAgent.cs

@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@
 namespace Microsoft.SemanticKernel.Agents.OpenAI;
 
 /// <summary>
-/// Represents a <see cref="KernelAgent"/> specialization based on Open AI Assistant / GPT.
+/// Represents a <see cref="Agent"/> specialization based on Open AI Assistant / GPT.
 /// </summary>
-public sealed partial class OpenAIAssistantAgent : KernelAgent
+public sealed partial class OpenAIAssistantAgent : Agent
 {
     /// <summary>
     /// The metadata key that identifies code-interpreter content.