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88 changes: 88 additions & 0 deletions docs/decisions/0032-durable-azure-functions-extraction.md
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---
status: proposed
contact: cgillum
date: 2026-07-21
deciders: cgillum, vrdmr, chetantoshniwal
consulted:
informed:
---

# Extract Durable Task and Azure Functions hosting into a separate repository

## Context and Problem Statement

The Durable Task and Azure Functions hosting integrations (`agent-framework-durabletask`,
`agent-framework-azurefunctions`, plus their samples, docs, and CI) currently live in the
`microsoft/agent-framework` (MAF) monorepo. They carry heavyweight specialized dependencies
(Azure Functions runtime, Durable Task) and need integration-test infrastructure (Functions Core
Tools, Azurite, a DTS emulator) that the core repo otherwise does not.

This ADR proposes moving them into a dedicated repository
([`microsoft/agent-framework-durable-extension`](https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework-durable-extension))
and considers how to do so without breaking existing users who import them today.

## Decision Drivers

- **Independent lifecycle** — the hosting integrations should be able to version and release on their
own cadence, decoupled from core (extends [ADR-0008](0008-python-subpackages.md)'s goal of keeping
heavyweight/optional dependencies out of the main package).
- **Dependency & CI isolation** — keep core lean and its PR pipeline free of heavyweight hosting
dependencies and integration-test prerequisites.
- **Ownership** — a dedicated repo would give the integrations their own issues, CODEOWNERS, and
contribution flow.
- **No breaking change** — existing `from agent_framework.azure import …` code and
`pip install agent-framework[all]` should keep working (stable-import-path guarantee, ADR-0008).

## Considered Options

1. **Keep in the MAF repo** (status quo).
2. **Move out, drop the core shim** — the extension becomes standalone; core stops re-exporting the
types and removes them from `[all]`.
3. **Move out, keep core's backward-compat shim + `[all]`** (proposed) — the code would live in the
new repo; core would still lazily re-export the entry-point types from `agent_framework.azure` and
keep both packages in the `[all]` extra (resolved from PyPI).

## Decision Outcome

Proposed choice: **Option 3.** Extract the integrations for lifecycle, dependency, and ownership
isolation, while preserving the existing import surface so the move is invisible to consumers.
Option 1 forgoes the isolation benefits; Option 2 achieves them but would be a breaking change for
existing imports and the `[all]` extra.

### Consequences

- Good — would give independent release cadence, a leaner/faster core repo and CI, and clear
ownership for the hosting integrations.
- Good — no user-visible break: existing imports and `agent-framework[all]` would continue to work
unchanged.
- Neutral — type *definitions* would live once in the extension; the core shim would re-export only a
curated subset of entry-point types (no metadata duplication). The extension's own samples/docs
would import directly from `agent_framework_durabletask` / `agent_framework_azurefunctions`; the
shim would be compatibility-only.
- Neutral — users may still open GitHub issues against the core repo for problems in the extension,
but the extension's own repo would be the primary place for issues and PRs. These issues would
need to be triaged and transferred to the extension repo.
- Bad — **cross-repo coupling.** Core's shim correctness would track the extension's publish cadence
(a shim symbol newer than the last published beta would not resolve until republished), and the
.NET extension would still consume internal `Microsoft.Agents.AI.Workflows` surface, so the
`InternalsVisibleTo("Microsoft.Agents.AI.DurableTask")` grant would need to remain in core.

## Validation

Compliance would be validated by: `uv lock --check` passing with both packages resolving from PyPI;
the shim entry-point symbols importing at runtime after `uv sync --all-extras`; and `pyright` staying
clean on `agent_framework/azure/__init__.pyi`.

A known risk is **publish-lag**: if a symbol is added to core's shim before the extension has
published a release that exports it, that symbol would not resolve at runtime. The mitigation would
be to omit any such symbol from the shim until the extension publishes it, then add the entry and
re-lock.

## More Information

- Related: [ADR-0008](0008-python-subpackages.md) (vendor namespaces + stable import paths),
[ADR-0021](0021-provider-leading-clients.md) (lazy-loading gateways).
- Follow-ups: during extraction, keep the shim's re-exported symbols in sync with each newly
published extension release (adding any symbol only once the extension publishes it); document the
direct-import convention in the extension's samples READMEs so samples are not switched back to the
shim.
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