.NET: Delete AgentResponse.{Try}Deserialize<T> methods by SergeyMenshykh · Pull Request #3518 · microsoft/agent-framework

SergeyMenshykh · 2026-01-30T11:58:39Z

Motivation and Context

As part of the revision and improvement of structured output (SO) in AF, we plan to have two ways SO can be configured and consumed:

SO is configured via the Agent{Run}Options.ResponseFormat property and consumed from the non-generic AgentResponse returned by one of the non-generic AIAgent.RunAsync overloads.
SO is provided as a type at invocation of one of the generic AIAgent.RunAsync<T>(will be added in following PRs) methods or one of the non-generic AIAgent.RunAsync(Type type) methods and consumed from the returned generic AgentResponse<T>.

The first method of using SO is primarily intended for cases where having SO output as a text JSON in the agent response message is sufficient, and having SO output as an instance of an object is not necessary. It can be used in scenarios where a few agents are collaborating, and the SO output represented as text is obtained by one agent and passed as input to the next one.

The second method is intended for scenarios where having SO output as an instance of an object is needed. These scenarios may involve multi-agent collaboration where SO output is retrieved by one agent, transformed, and then used as input for the second agent. Additionally, it can be used in single-agent scenarios where the agent's SO output represented by an object is processed by the following code.

Description

This PR removes AgentResponse.{Try}Deserialize<T> methods that are used to obtain an instance of SO output in the scenarios described in the first option, where the instance is not necessary as explained above.

Copilot

Pull request overview

This PR removes the Deserialize<T> and TryDeserialize<T> methods from the AgentResponse class as part of the structured output (SO) improvement strategy. The change aligns with a new design where structured output is either:

Configured via ResponseFormat and consumed as text JSON from non-generic AgentResponse
Provided as a type parameter in generic RunAsync<T> methods and consumed from AgentResponse<T>

The removed deserialization methods were intended for scenarios where text JSON output is sufficient, making instance deserialization unnecessary in those cases.

Changes:

Removed Deserialize<T> and TryDeserialize<T> methods and related helper code from AgentResponse.cs
Updated all test cases to use JsonSerializer.Deserialize directly instead of removed methods
Updated sample code across 6 files to replace method calls with direct JsonSerializer.Deserialize calls or local TryDeserialize helper methods

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 8 out of 8 changed files in this pull request and generated 11 comments.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
dotnet/src/Microsoft.Agents.AI.Abstractions/AgentResponse.cs	Removed deserialization methods, helper methods, enums, and unused imports
dotnet/tests/Microsoft.Agents.AI.Abstractions.UnitTests/AgentResponseTests.cs	Removed obsolete tests and updated remaining test to use JsonSerializer.Deserialize directly
dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/Workflows/_Foundational/08_WriterCriticWorkflow/Program.cs	Updated to use JsonSerializer.Deserialize directly
dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/FoundryAgents/FoundryAgents_Step05_StructuredOutput/Program.cs	Updated to use JsonSerializer.Deserialize directly
dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/Agents/Agent_Step05_StructuredOutput/Program.cs	Updated to use JsonSerializer.Deserialize directly
dotnet/samples/M365Agent/Agents/WeatherForecastAgent.cs	Added local TryDeserialize helper method
dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/AGUI/Step05_StateManagement/Server/SharedStateAgent.cs	Added local TryDeserialize helper method
dotnet/samples/AGUIClientServer/AGUIDojoServer/SharedState/SharedStateAgent.cs	Added local TryDeserialize helper method

dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/AGUI/Step05_StateManagement/Server/SharedStateAgent.cs

dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/Workflows/_Foundational/08_WriterCriticWorkflow/Program.cs

dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/FoundryAgents/FoundryAgents_Step05_StructuredOutput/Program.cs

dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/Agents/Agent_Step05_StructuredOutput/Program.cs

dotnet/samples/M365Agent/Agents/WeatherForecastAgent.cs

dotnet/samples/AGUIClientServer/AGUIDojoServer/SharedState/SharedStateAgent.cs

…05_StructuredOutput/Program.cs Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

…rCriticWorkflow/Program.cs Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

…er/SharedStateAgent.cs Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

…redStateAgent.cs Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot

Pull request overview

Copilot reviewed 8 out of 8 changed files in this pull request and generated 4 comments.

dotnet/samples/M365Agent/Agents/WeatherForecastAgent.cs

dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/AGUI/Step05_StateManagement/Server/SharedStateAgent.cs

dotnet/samples/AGUIClientServer/AGUIDojoServer/SharedState/SharedStateAgent.cs

Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot

Pull request overview

Copilot reviewed 8 out of 8 changed files in this pull request and generated 3 comments.

dotnet/samples/M365Agent/Agents/WeatherForecastAgent.cs

dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/AGUI/Step05_StateManagement/Server/SharedStateAgent.cs

dotnet/samples/AGUIClientServer/AGUIDojoServer/SharedState/SharedStateAgent.cs

* .NET: Delete AgentResponse.{Try}Deserialize<T> methods (#3518) * delete deserialize method of agent response * order usings * Update dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/FoundryAgents/FoundryAgents_Step05_StructuredOutput/Program.cs Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> * Update dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/Workflows/_Foundational/08_WriterCriticWorkflow/Program.cs Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> * Update dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/AGUI/Step05_StateManagement/Server/SharedStateAgent.cs Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> * Update dotnet/samples/AGUIClientServer/AGUIDojoServer/SharedState/SharedStateAgent.cs Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> * Update dotnet/samples/M365Agent/Agents/WeatherForecastAgent.cs Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> --------- Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> * .NET:[Breaking] Add support for structured output (#3658) * add support for so * restore lost xml comment part * fix using ordering * Update dotnet/src/Microsoft.Agents.AI.Abstractions/AIAgentStructuredOutput.cs Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> * Update dotnet/src/Microsoft.Agents.AI.Abstractions/AIAgentStructuredOutput.cs Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> * Update dotnet/tests/Microsoft.Agents.AI.UnitTests/ChatClient/ChatClientAgent_SO_WithFormatResponseTests.cs Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> * addressw pr review comments * address pr review feedback * address pr review comments * fix compilation issues after the latest merge with main * remove unnecessry options * remove RunAsync<object> methods * address code review feedback * address pr review feedback * make copy constructor protected * address pr review feedback --------- Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> * .NET: Add decorator for structured output support (#3694) * add decorator that adds structured output support to agents that don't natively support it. * Update dotnet/src/Microsoft.Agents.AI/StructuredOutput/StructuredOutputAgentResponse.cs Co-authored-by: westey <164392973+westey-m@users.noreply.github.com> * Update dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/Agents/Agent_Step05_StructuredOutput/Program.cs Co-authored-by: westey <164392973+westey-m@users.noreply.github.com> * address pr review feedback --------- Co-authored-by: westey <164392973+westey-m@users.noreply.github.com> * .NET: Support primitives and arrays for SO (#3696) * wrap primitives and arrays * fix file encoding * address review comments * add adr * add missed change * fix compilation issue * address review comments * rename adr file name * reflect decision to have SO decorator as a reference implementation in samples * .NET: Move SO agent to samples (#3820) * move SO agent to samples * change file encoding * fix files encoding * .NET: Preserve caller context (#3803) * fix stuck orchestration * add previously removed RunAsync<T> method to DurableAIAgent * suppress IDE0005 warning * update changelog and remove unused constructor of AgentResponse<T> * updatge the changelog * address PR review feedback * .NET: Disable irrelevant integration test (#3913) * disable irrelevant integration test * Update dotnet/tests/AzureAI.IntegrationTests/AIProjectClientAgentStructuredOutputRunTests.cs Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> --------- Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> * forgotten change * address pr review feedback * disable intermittently failing integration test. --------- Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Co-authored-by: westey <164392973+westey-m@users.noreply.github.com>

delete deserialize method of agent response

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SergeyMenshykh self-assigned this Jan 30, 2026

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings January 30, 2026 11:58

SergeyMenshykh changed the base branch from main to feature-so January 30, 2026 11:58

markwallace-microsoft added the .NET label Jan 30, 2026

SergeyMenshykh had a problem deploying to integration January 30, 2026 11:58 — with GitHub Actions Error

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of SergeyMenshykh January 30, 2026 11:59 View session

SergeyMenshykh added this to Agent Framework Jan 30, 2026

SergeyMenshykh moved this to In Review in Agent Framework Jan 30, 2026

order usings

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SergeyMenshykh had a problem deploying to integration January 30, 2026 12:05 — with GitHub Actions Error

Update dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/FoundryAgents/FoundryAgents_Step…

c9da71c

…05_StructuredOutput/Program.cs Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings January 30, 2026 12:06

Update dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/Workflows/_Foundational/08_Write…

f47ee91

…rCriticWorkflow/Program.cs Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of SergeyMenshykh January 30, 2026 12:07 View session

SergeyMenshykh had a problem deploying to integration January 30, 2026 12:07 — with GitHub Actions Error

Update dotnet/samples/GettingStarted/AGUI/Step05_StateManagement/Serv…

a90d338

…er/SharedStateAgent.cs Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

SergeyMenshykh had a problem deploying to integration January 30, 2026 12:09 — with GitHub Actions Error

Update dotnet/samples/AGUIClientServer/AGUIDojoServer/SharedState/Sha…

b72cd6f

…redStateAgent.cs Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

SergeyMenshykh had a problem deploying to integration January 30, 2026 12:09 — with GitHub Actions Error

SergeyMenshykh changed the title ~~.NET: Delete deserialize method of agent response~~ .NET: Delete AgentResponse.{Try}Deserialize<T> methods Jan 30, 2026

Copilot AI reviewed Jan 30, 2026

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Update dotnet/samples/M365Agent/Agents/WeatherForecastAgent.cs

2924a8e

Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings January 30, 2026 12:17

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of SergeyMenshykh January 30, 2026 12:18 View session

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rogerbarreto approved these changes Jan 30, 2026

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westey-m approved these changes Jan 30, 2026

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SergeyMenshykh merged commit 3df8fe3 into microsoft:feature-so Jan 30, 2026
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.NET: Delete AgentResponse.{Try}Deserialize<T> methods#3518

.NET: Delete AgentResponse.{Try}Deserialize<T> methods#3518
SergeyMenshykh merged 7 commits intomicrosoft:feature-sofrom
SergeyMenshykh:delete-deserialize-method

SergeyMenshykh commented Jan 30, 2026

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SergeyMenshykh commented Jan 30, 2026

Motivation and Context

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