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  3. Google Agent Development Kit (ADK)
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Google Agent Development Kit (ADK)

Google's open-source framework for building, evaluating, and deploying multi-agent AI systems with Gemini and other LLMs.

Starting atFree
Visit Google Agent Development Kit (ADK) →
💡

In Plain English

Google's toolkit for building AI agents that can use Google's AI models, tools, and services.

OverviewFeaturesPricingGetting StartedUse CasesLimitationsFAQAlternatives

Overview

Google Agent Development Kit (ADK) is a free, open-source multi-agent AI framework in the AI Agent Builders category, licensed under Apache 2.0, that provides Python, TypeScript, Go, and Java SDKs for building, evaluating, and deploying production-grade agent systems powered by Gemini and other LLMs at no cost for the framework itself.

ADK offers structured agent development with built-in evaluation, debugging tools, and deployment options that set it apart from more general-purpose orchestration frameworks. The framework ships with a comprehensive evaluation system featuring trajectory accuracy scoring, user simulation, environment simulation, and custom metrics — capabilities that are rare among the 30+ agent builders in the market today.

At its core, ADK provides multiple agent types including LLM agents, sequential workflow agents, parallel execution agents, loop agents, and custom agents. These can be composed into hierarchical multi-agent teams where agents delegate tasks to sub-agents and coordinate complex workflows. The Python 2.0 Beta introduces new workflow primitives and agent teams functionality, while TypeScript 1.0 brings first-party JavaScript and Node.js support.

Developers get three runtime modes out of the box: a web-based debugging UI for visual inspection of agent interactions and tool calls, a CLI for terminal-driven workflows, and an API server for production integrations. The local web UI is particularly valuable for understanding agent decision-making and debugging multi-agent coordination in real time.

ADK natively supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP), enabling agents to consume any MCP-compatible tool server without custom integration code. Combined with OpenAPI tool generation and traditional function tools with action confirmations, ADK provides flexible tooling options. Model support extends beyond Gemini through LiteLLM integration to include Claude, GPT-4, Ollama, vLLM, and other providers.

For production deployment, teams can choose between Google Cloud's Vertex AI Agent Engine for managed scaling with enterprise security, IAM, and monitoring, or self-host on Cloud Run, GKE, Docker, or any container platform. Observability is built in with logging, metrics, and OpenTelemetry trace support across all deployment modes.

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Editorial Review

**Best multi-agent framework for Google Cloud ecosystems.** Google ADK's built-in evaluation tools, local debugging UI, and native MCP support provide a more structured development experience than LangChain or CrewAI. With four official SDKs (Python, TypeScript, Go, Java), it is one of the most polyglot agent frameworks available. The primary trade-off is a smaller third-party ecosystem due to the framework's youth (launched April 2025) and the strongest feature integration being tied to Gemini and Google Cloud services. Teams already invested in Google Cloud will find ADK's Vertex AI Agent Engine deployment path and native Workspace integrations compelling, while teams on other clouds should weigh the Gemini-optimized features they may not fully leverage.

Key Features

Multi-Agent Orchestration with Workflow Primitives+

Build hierarchical agent teams using sequential, parallel, and loop workflow agents alongside LLM agents and custom agents. Agents can delegate to sub-agents through agent routing, and the new Python 2.0 Beta introduces agent teams for coordinated multi-agent execution with shared state and task delegation patterns.

Built-in Evaluation Framework+

Test agent performance with criteria-based scoring, user simulation, environment simulation, custom metrics, and an optimization module for iterative improvement. Score trajectory accuracy (correct steps taken), tool usage quality, and final response relevance — capabilities that most competing frameworks require third-party integrations to achieve.

Native MCP Server Integration+

ADK natively supports the Model Context Protocol, allowing agents to consume any MCP-compatible tool server without custom integration code. Combined with OpenAPI tool generation and traditional function tools with action confirmations, ADK provides one of the most flexible tooling ecosystems among agent frameworks.

Local Web Debugging UI Plus CLI and API Server+

Ships with three runtime modes: a web-based UI for visual debugging of agent interactions and tool calls, a CLI for terminal-driven workflows, and an API server for production integrations. The web UI provides real-time inspection of agent decision-making, making it significantly easier to debug multi-agent coordination than log-based approaches.

Multi-Language SDKs and Multi-Model Support+

Available in four official SDKs — Python 2.0 Beta, TypeScript 1.0 (new in 2026), Go, and Java — all maintained under github.com/google. Supports Gemini, Gemma, Claude, Ollama, vLLM, LiteLLM, LiteRT-LM, and Apigee AI Gateway for flexible model selection across providers.

Pricing Plans

Open Source (Apache 2.0)

$0

  • ✓Full ADK Python 2.0 Beta, TypeScript 1.0, Go, and Java SDKs
  • ✓All agent types: LLM, sequential, parallel, loop, custom
  • ✓Built-in evaluation framework and local debugging UI
  • ✓MCP, OpenAPI, and function tool integrations
  • ✓Self-hosted on any platform (Cloud Run, GKE, Docker, on-prem)

Vertex AI Agent Engine (Managed)

Pay-as-you-go (Google Cloud usage)

  • ✓Managed agent runtime with auto-scaling
  • ✓Enterprise security, IAM, and VPC controls
  • ✓Built-in monitoring, logging, and tracing
  • ✓Native integration with BigQuery, Cloud Storage, and Workspace
  • ✓LLM token costs billed separately via Vertex AI
See Full Pricing →Free vs Paid →Is it worth it? →

Ready to get started with Google Agent Development Kit (ADK)?

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Getting Started with Google Agent Development Kit (ADK)

  1. 1**Install ADK**: `pip install google-agent-dev-kit` and set up Python development environment with required dependencies
  2. 2**Configure models**: Set up Gemini API access or configure LiteLLM for your preferred models (Claude, GPT-4, etc.)
  3. 3**Explore local UI**: Run the built-in web interface to understand agent debugging and interaction patterns before building custom agents
  4. 4**Build simple agent**: Start with a single-agent example using built-in tools (Google Search, code execution) to learn the framework patterns
  5. 5**Plan production deployment**: Evaluate Vertex AI Agent Engine for managed deployment or containerization for other cloud platforms
Ready to start? Try Google Agent Development Kit (ADK) →

Best Use Cases

🎯

Enterprise teams building production multi-agent systems with Gemini: Development teams creating complex agent orchestration (research assistants, code review systems, customer support automation) who need structured workflow primitives, built-in evaluation, and a clear path to production deployment on Google Cloud.

⚡

AI product teams requiring rigorous agent testing before production: Product organizations that need systematic agent quality measurement with trajectory accuracy, user simulation, environment simulation, and custom metrics to ensure reliable agent behavior before shipping to users.

🔧

Google Workspace and Google Cloud-native development environments: Organizations already using Google Cloud, Workspace, BigQuery, and Vertex AI who want seamless integration with existing IAM, data sources, and Google services for their agent systems.

🚀

Polyglot engineering organizations needing the same agent framework across stacks: Teams with both Python data/ML codebases and TypeScript/Go/Java application backends who want a single, consistent agent SDK across all their technology stacks.

💡

Rapid agent prototyping with visual debugging requirements: Individual developers and small teams who need fast iteration cycles with the local web UI to inspect agent decision-making, view tool calls in real time, and debug multi-agent coordination visually.

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Teams building MCP-native agent integrations: Developers building agents that need to consume Model Context Protocol servers (file systems, databases, GitHub, Slack, etc.) without writing custom tool adapters — ADK's native MCP support makes this seamless.

Limitations & What It Can't Do

We believe in transparent reviews. Here's what Google Agent Development Kit (ADK) doesn't handle well:

  • ⚠Python SDK is still in 2.0 Beta as of 2026 — APIs may shift before stable release
  • ⚠Smaller third-party plugin ecosystem than LangChain due to ~1-year framework age
  • ⚠Some advanced features (built-in Google Search, grounding) only work with Gemini models
  • ⚠Vertex AI Agent Engine deployment incurs Google Cloud costs in addition to LLM API fees
  • ⚠Opinionated workflow patterns may not fit highly dynamic or unstructured agent designs

Pros & Cons

✓ Pros

  • ✓Free and open source under Apache 2.0 with first-party Google support across 4 official SDKs (Python, TypeScript, Go, Java)
  • ✓Built-in evaluation framework with trajectory accuracy, user simulation, and environment simulation — rare among the 30+ agent builders in our directory
  • ✓Native MCP protocol support means instant integration with any MCP-compatible tool server without custom code
  • ✓Local web UI for visual debugging of agent decision-making, tool calls, and multi-agent coordination
  • ✓Production-ready Vertex AI Agent Engine deployment with managed scaling, plus Cloud Run and GKE options
  • ✓Strong workflow primitives (sequential, parallel, loop) for structured multi-agent orchestration

✗ Cons

  • ✗Smaller third-party ecosystem than LangChain/LangGraph since the framework is only ~1 year old (launched April 2025)
  • ✗Best experience and most advanced features are tied to Google Cloud and Gemini
  • ✗Opinionated structure can feel restrictive for teams that prefer free-form orchestration
  • ✗Some Gemini-optimized features (like grounding and built-in Google Search tool) don't work with non-Google models
  • ✗Vertex AI Agent Engine deployment adds Google Cloud usage costs on top of LLM API fees

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Google ADK compare to LangChain and LangGraph?+

ADK is more opinionated and ships with a built-in evaluation framework, local debugging UI, and structured workflow agent types (sequential, parallel, loop) out of the box, whereas LangChain/LangGraph are more flexible and modular with a larger third-party ecosystem. ADK also provides four official language SDKs (Python, TypeScript, Go, Java) versus LangChain's Python and JavaScript. Choose ADK for structured multi-agent development with Google Cloud integration; choose LangChain/LangGraph for maximum flexibility and community ecosystem breadth.

Can I use ADK with non-Google models like Claude or GPT-4?+

Yes. ADK supports any LLM through LiteLLM integration, and the documentation explicitly lists Anthropic Claude, Ollama, vLLM, LiteRT-LM, and Apigee AI Gateway as supported model providers alongside Gemini and Gemma. However, some Gemini-optimized features like built-in Google Search grounding are only available when using Google models.

Does ADK require Google Cloud to run?+

No. ADK runs entirely locally for development and includes a local web UI, CLI, and API server runtime. You can also deploy to any container platform including Cloud Run, GKE, or non-Google clouds via standard Docker containers. Google Cloud and Vertex AI Agent Engine are optional managed deployment targets, not requirements.

What languages does ADK support and what's new in 2026?+

ADK ships in four official SDKs: Python (currently 2.0 Beta with workflow agents and agent teams), TypeScript 1.0 (newly released in 2026 — making ADK one of the few enterprise agent frameworks with first-party TypeScript support), Go, and Java. The Python 2.0 Beta introduces new workflow primitives, ambient agents, resumable runs, and cancelable execution.

What evaluation capabilities does ADK provide?+

ADK ships with a comprehensive evaluation framework that includes criteria-based scoring, user simulation (synthetic user interactions), environment simulation (mocked tools and external systems), and custom metrics. It also offers an optimization module for iterative improvement, allowing teams to systematically test and refine agent quality before production deployment.
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What's New in 2026

ADK TypeScript 1.0 is now available as of 2026, opening the framework to JavaScript/Node.js teams alongside the existing Python, Go, and Java SDKs. ADK Python 2.0 Beta also launched with new workflow primitives, agent teams, ambient agents, resumable runs, and cancelable execution — significantly expanding the framework's orchestration capabilities.

Alternatives to Google Agent Development Kit (ADK)

CrewAI

AI Agent Builders

Open-source Python framework that orchestrates autonomous AI agents collaborating as teams to accomplish complex workflows. Define agents with specific roles and goals, then organize them into crews that execute sequential or parallel tasks. Agents delegate work, share context, and complete multi-step processes like market research, content creation, and data analysis. Supports 100+ LLM providers through LiteLLM integration and includes memory systems for agent learning. Features 48K+ GitHub stars with active community.

LangGraph

AI Agent Builders

Graph-based workflow orchestration framework for building reliable, production-ready AI agents with deterministic state machines, human-in-the-loop capabilities, and comprehensive observability through LangSmith integration.

Microsoft AutoGen

Multi-Agent Builders

Microsoft's open-source framework for building multi-agent AI systems with asynchronous, event-driven architecture.

Strands Agents

AI Agent Builders

AWS open-source SDK for building AI agents in Python and TypeScript with model-driven tool orchestration, multi-provider LLM support, and native AWS deployment options.

OpenAI Agents SDK

AI Agent Builders

OpenAI's official open-source framework for building agentic AI applications with minimal abstractions. Production-ready successor to Swarm, providing agents, handoffs, guardrails, and tracing primitives that work with Python and TypeScript.

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Quick Info

Category

AI Agent Builders

Website

google.github.io/adk-docs/
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