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

dotnet/samples/Concepts/Agents/OpenAIAssistant_Templating.cs

@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ Always state the requested style of the poem.
         // Create the agent
         OpenAIAssistantAgent agent = new(assistant, this.AssistantClient)
         {
-            Arguments =
+            Arguments = new()
             {
                 {"style", "haiku"}
             },
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ await this.AssistantClient.CreateAssistantFromTemplateAsync(
         // Create the agent
         OpenAIAssistantAgent agent = new(assistant, this.AssistantClient, plugins: null, templateFactory, templateFormat)
         {
-            Arguments =
+            Arguments = new()
             {
                 {"style", "haiku"}
             },

dotnet/samples/GettingStartedWithAgents/AzureAIAgent/Step01_AzureAIAgent.cs

@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ public async Task UseTemplateForAzureAgentAsync()
             templateFactory: new KernelPromptTemplateFactory(),
             templateFormat: PromptTemplateConfig.SemanticKernelTemplateFormat)
         {
-            Arguments =
+            Arguments = new()
             {
                 { "topic", "Dog" },
                 { "length", "3" }

dotnet/samples/GettingStartedWithAgents/OpenAIAssistant/Step01_Assistant.cs

@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ public async Task UseTemplateForAssistantAgentAsync()
             templateFactory: new KernelPromptTemplateFactory(),
             templateFormat: PromptTemplateConfig.SemanticKernelTemplateFormat)
         {
-            Arguments =
+            Arguments = new()
             {
                 { "topic", "Dog" },
                 { "length", "3" }

dotnet/samples/GettingStartedWithAgents/Step01_Agent.cs

@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ public async Task UseTemplateForChatCompletionAgentAsync()
             new(templateConfig, templateFactory)
             {
                 Kernel = this.CreateKernelWithChatCompletion(),
-                Arguments =
+                Arguments = new()
                     {
                         { "topic", "Dog" },
                         { "length", "3" },

dotnet/src/Agents/Abstractions/Agent.cs

@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Diagnostics.CodeAnalysis;
-using System.Linq;
 using System.Threading;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Abstractions;
+using Microsoft.SemanticKernel.Arguments.Extensions;
 using Microsoft.SemanticKernel.ChatCompletion;
 
 namespace Microsoft.SemanticKernel.Agents;
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ public abstract class Agent
     /// <remarks>
     /// Also includes <see cref="PromptExecutionSettings"/>.
     /// </remarks>
-    public KernelArguments Arguments { get; init; } = [];
+    public KernelArguments? Arguments { get; init; }
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Gets the instructions for the agent (optional).
@@ -256,16 +256,18 @@ public abstract IAsyncEnumerable<AgentResponseItem<StreamingChatMessageContent>>
     /// <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)
+    protected async Task<string?> RenderInstructionsAsync(Kernel kernel, KernelArguments? arguments, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
     {
         if (this.Template is null)
         {
             // Use the instructions as-is
             return this.Instructions;
         }
 
+        var mergedArguments = this.Arguments.Merge(arguments);
+
         // Use the provided template as the instructions
-        return await this.Template.RenderAsync(kernel, arguments, cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
+        return await this.Template.RenderAsync(kernel, mergedArguments, cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
     }
 
     /// <summary>
@@ -382,42 +384,4 @@ 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/Abstractions/Agents.Abstractions.csproj

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
+<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
 
   <PropertyGroup>
     <!-- THIS PROPERTY GROUP MUST COME FIRST -->
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
     <Compile Include="$(RepoRoot)/dotnet/src/InternalUtilities/src/Diagnostics/*" Link="%(RecursiveDir)Utilities/%(Filename)%(Extension)" />
     <Compile Include="$(RepoRoot)/dotnet/src/InternalUtilities/src/System/AppContextSwitchHelper.cs" Link="%(RecursiveDir)Utilities/%(Filename)%(Extension)" />
     <Compile Include="$(RepoRoot)/dotnet/src/InternalUtilities/agents/Extensions/AgentExtensions.cs" Link="%(RecursiveDir)Utilities/%(Filename)%(Extension)" />
+    <Compile Include="$(RepoRoot)/dotnet/src/InternalUtilities/arguments/Extensions/KernelArgumentsExtensions.cs" Link="%(RecursiveDir)Utilities/%(Filename)%(Extension)" />
   </ItemGroup>
 
   <ItemGroup>

dotnet/src/Agents/AzureAI/AzureAIAgent.cs

@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ async IAsyncEnumerable<ChatMessageContent> InternalInvokeAsync()
                 options?.ToAzureAIInvocationOptions(),
                 this.Logger,
                 options?.Kernel ?? this.Kernel,
-                this.MergeArguments(options?.KernelArguments),
+                options?.KernelArguments,
                 cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false))
             {
                 // The thread and the caller should be notified of all messages regardless of visibility.
@@ -252,8 +252,6 @@ public IAsyncEnumerable<ChatMessageContent> InvokeAsync(
         async IAsyncEnumerable<ChatMessageContent> InternalInvokeAsync()
         {
             kernel ??= this.Kernel;
-            arguments = this.MergeArguments(arguments);
-
             await foreach ((bool isVisible, ChatMessageContent message) in AgentThreadActions.InvokeAsync(this, this.Client, threadId, options, this.Logger, kernel, arguments, cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false))
             {
                 if (isVisible)
@@ -311,7 +309,7 @@ public async IAsyncEnumerable<AgentResponseItem<StreamingChatMessageContent>> In
         var invokeResults = this.InvokeStreamingAsync(
             azureAIAgentThread.Id!,
             options?.ToAzureAIInvocationOptions(),
-            this.MergeArguments(options?.KernelArguments),
+            options?.KernelArguments,
             options?.Kernel ?? this.Kernel,
             newMessagesReceiver,
             cancellationToken);
@@ -388,8 +386,6 @@ public IAsyncEnumerable<StreamingChatMessageContent> InvokeStreamingAsync(
         IAsyncEnumerable<StreamingChatMessageContent> InternalInvokeStreamingAsync()
         {
             kernel ??= this.Kernel;
-            arguments = this.MergeArguments(arguments);
-
             return AgentThreadActions.InvokeStreamingAsync(this, this.Client, threadId, messages, options, this.Logger, kernel, arguments, cancellationToken);
         }
     }
@@ -425,7 +421,7 @@ protected override async Task<AgentChannel> CreateChannelAsync(CancellationToken
 
     internal Task<string?> GetInstructionsAsync(Kernel kernel, KernelArguments? arguments, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
     {
-        return this.FormatInstructionsAsync(kernel, arguments, cancellationToken);
+        return this.RenderInstructionsAsync(kernel, arguments, cancellationToken);
     }
 
     /// <inheritdoc/>

dotnet/src/Agents/Bedrock/BedrockAgent.cs

@@ -136,8 +136,7 @@ public override async IAsyncEnumerable<AgentResponseItem<ChatMessageContent>> In
         });
 
         // Invoke the agent
-        var arguments = this.MergeArguments(options?.KernelArguments);
-        var invokeResults = this.InvokeInternalAsync(invokeAgentRequest, arguments, cancellationToken);
+        var invokeResults = this.InvokeInternalAsync(invokeAgentRequest, options?.KernelArguments, cancellationToken);
 
         // Return the results to the caller in AgentResponseItems.
         await foreach (var result in invokeResults.ConfigureAwait(false))
@@ -180,8 +179,6 @@ public async IAsyncEnumerable<AgentResponseItem<ChatMessageContent>> InvokeAsync
         AgentInvokeOptions? options = null,
         [EnumeratorCancellation] CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
     {
-        var arguments = this.MergeArguments(options?.KernelArguments);
-
         // The provided thread is used to continue the conversation. If the thread is not provided and the session id is provided,
         // a new thread is created with the provided session id. If neither is provided, a new thread is created.
         if (thread is null && invokeAgentRequest.SessionId is not null)
@@ -200,7 +197,7 @@ public async IAsyncEnumerable<AgentResponseItem<ChatMessageContent>> InvokeAsync
         invokeAgentRequest = this.ConfigureAgentRequest(options, () => invokeAgentRequest);
 
         // Invoke the agent
-        var invokeResults = this.InvokeInternalAsync(invokeAgentRequest, arguments, cancellationToken);
+        var invokeResults = this.InvokeInternalAsync(invokeAgentRequest, options?.KernelArguments, cancellationToken);
 
         // Return the results to the caller in AgentResponseItems.
         await foreach (var result in invokeResults.ConfigureAwait(false))
@@ -368,8 +365,7 @@ public override async IAsyncEnumerable<AgentResponseItem<StreamingChatMessageCon
         });
 
         // Invoke the agent
-        var arguments = this.MergeArguments(options?.KernelArguments);
-        var invokeResults = this.InvokeStreamingInternalAsync(invokeAgentRequest, bedrockThread, arguments, cancellationToken);
+        var invokeResults = this.InvokeStreamingInternalAsync(invokeAgentRequest, bedrockThread, options?.KernelArguments, cancellationToken);
 
         // Return the results to the caller in AgentResponseItems.
         await foreach (var result in invokeResults.ConfigureAwait(false))
@@ -413,8 +409,6 @@ public async IAsyncEnumerable<AgentResponseItem<StreamingChatMessageContent>> In
         AgentInvokeOptions? options = null,
         [EnumeratorCancellation] CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
     {
-        var arguments = this.MergeArguments(options?.KernelArguments);
-
         // The provided thread is used to continue the conversation. If the thread is not provided and the session id is provided,
         // a new thread is created with the provided session id. If neither is provided, a new thread is created.
         if (thread is null && invokeAgentRequest.SessionId is not null)
@@ -432,7 +426,7 @@ public async IAsyncEnumerable<AgentResponseItem<StreamingChatMessageContent>> In
         invokeAgentRequest.SessionId = bedrockThread.Id;
         invokeAgentRequest = this.ConfigureAgentRequest(options, () => invokeAgentRequest);
 
-        var invokeResults = this.InvokeStreamingInternalAsync(invokeAgentRequest, bedrockThread, arguments, cancellationToken);
+        var invokeResults = this.InvokeStreamingInternalAsync(invokeAgentRequest, bedrockThread, options?.KernelArguments, cancellationToken);
 
         // The Bedrock agent service has the same API for both streaming and non-streaming responses.
         // We are invoking the same method as the non-streaming response with the streaming configuration set,

dotnet/src/Agents/Core/ChatCompletionAgent.cs

@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ private async Task<ChatHistory> SetupAgentChatHistoryAsync(
     {
         ChatHistory chat = [];
 
-        string? instructions = await this.FormatInstructionsAsync(kernel, arguments, cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
+        string? instructions = await this.RenderInstructionsAsync(kernel, arguments, cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
 
         if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(instructions))
         {
@@ -267,7 +267,6 @@ private async IAsyncEnumerable<ChatMessageContent> InternalInvokeAsync(
         [EnumeratorCancellation] CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
     {
         kernel ??= this.Kernel;
-        arguments = this.MergeArguments(arguments);
 
         (IChatCompletionService chatCompletionService, PromptExecutionSettings? executionSettings) = GetChatCompletionService(kernel, arguments);
 
@@ -317,7 +316,6 @@ private async IAsyncEnumerable<StreamingChatMessageContent> InternalInvokeStream
         [EnumeratorCancellation] CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
     {
         kernel ??= this.Kernel;
-        arguments = this.MergeArguments(arguments);
 
         (IChatCompletionService chatCompletionService, PromptExecutionSettings? executionSettings) = GetChatCompletionService(kernel, arguments);
 

dotnet/src/Agents/OpenAI/OpenAIAssistantAgent.cs

@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ async IAsyncEnumerable<ChatMessageContent> InternalInvokeAsync()
                 internalOptions,
                 this.Logger,
                 options?.Kernel ?? this.Kernel,
-                this.MergeArguments(options?.KernelArguments),
+                options?.KernelArguments,
                 cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false))
             {
                 // The thread and the caller should be notified of all messages regardless of visibility.
@@ -496,8 +496,6 @@ public IAsyncEnumerable<ChatMessageContent> InvokeAsync(
         async IAsyncEnumerable<ChatMessageContent> InternalInvokeAsync()
         {
             kernel ??= this.Kernel;
-            arguments = this.MergeArguments(arguments);
-
             await foreach ((bool isVisible, ChatMessageContent message) in AssistantThreadActions.InvokeAsync(this, this.Client, threadId, options, this.Logger, kernel, arguments, cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false))
             {
                 if (isVisible)
@@ -563,7 +561,7 @@ public async IAsyncEnumerable<AgentResponseItem<StreamingChatMessageContent>> In
         var invokeResults = this.InvokeStreamingAsync(
             openAIAssistantAgentThread.Id!,
             internalOptions,
-            this.MergeArguments(options?.KernelArguments),
+            options?.KernelArguments,
             options?.Kernel ?? this.Kernel,
             newMessagesReceiver,
             cancellationToken);
@@ -640,8 +638,6 @@ public IAsyncEnumerable<StreamingChatMessageContent> InvokeStreamingAsync(
         IAsyncEnumerable<StreamingChatMessageContent> InternalInvokeStreamingAsync()
         {
             kernel ??= this.Kernel;
-            arguments = this.MergeArguments(arguments);
-
             return AssistantThreadActions.InvokeStreamingAsync(this, this.Client, threadId, messages, options, this.Logger, kernel, arguments, cancellationToken);
         }
     }
@@ -678,7 +674,7 @@ protected override async Task<AgentChannel> CreateChannelAsync(CancellationToken
     }
 
     internal Task<string?> GetInstructionsAsync(Kernel kernel, KernelArguments? arguments, CancellationToken cancellationToken) =>
-        this.FormatInstructionsAsync(kernel, arguments, cancellationToken);
+        this.RenderInstructionsAsync(kernel, arguments, cancellationToken);
 
     /// <inheritdoc/>
     [Experimental("SKEXP0110")]