# Docker Agent vs Microsoft Agent Framework

> Microsoft Agent Framework scores 82.2 (A) on agent readiness against Docker Agent's 76.5 (BB), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. Docker Agent leads on reliability and maintenance & community. Both do agent frameworks. Category scores, facts, verdicts and agent notes side by…

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- Updated: 2026-10-08

Microsoft Agent Framework scores 82.2 (A) on agent readiness against Docker Agent's 76.5 (BB), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. Docker Agent leads on reliability and maintenance & community. Both do agent frameworks.

- Docker Agent: grade BB, 76.5/100, rank #30 of 722. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/docker-agent.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/docker-agent.json
- Microsoft Agent Framework: grade A, 82.2/100, rank #6 of 722. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/microsoft-agent-framework.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/microsoft-agent-framework.json

## Which one, for what

### Docker Agent (BB)

Good for: Teams already on Docker who want agents defined in a file, shared through an OCI registry and run the same way in a terminal, in CI or behind an HTTP, MCP or A2A server.

Ahead on:
- Reliability, 88 against 78
- Maintenance & community, 96 against 91

Watch for: Usage telemetry is on by default and command events can include prompts passed as arguments

### Microsoft Agent Framework (A)

Good for: Teams on Azure or .NET, and for teams moving off AutoGen or Semantic Kernel, that want MCP, approval, checkpointed workflows and OpenTelemetry in one SDK.

Ahead on:
- Schema & documentation, 95 against 90
- Agent ergonomics, 87 against 81
- Security & auth, 93 against 70

Watch for: Changes marked [BREAKING] shipped in minor releases of released packages, including agent-framework-core in 1.20.0 on 2 October 2026


## Score by category

| Category | Weight | Docker Agent | Microsoft Agent Framework | Edge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 88 | 78 | Docker Agent +10 |
| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 90 | 95 | Microsoft Agent Framework +5 |
| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 81 | 87 | Microsoft Agent Framework +6 |
| Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 70 | 93 | Microsoft Agent Framework +23 |
| Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 60 | 60 | even |
| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 96 | 91 | Docker Agent +5 |
| Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 80 | 83 | Microsoft Agent Framework +3 |
| Negative events | ≤15 | -4 | -2 | |
| **Total** | | **76.5 · BB** | **82.2 · A** | |

## Facts side by side

| Fact | Docker Agent | Microsoft Agent Framework |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind | Agent framework | Agent framework |
| Vendor | Docker | Microsoft |
| Hosted endpoint | no (local only) | no (local only) |
| Transports |  |  |
| Auth | None | None |
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| x402 | no | no |
| Licence | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Read-only variant documented | no | no |
| llms.txt | yes | no |
| Last release | 2026-10-07 | 2026-10-08 |
| Terms last updated | 2026-08-26 | no document linked |
| Privacy policy last updated | 2026-08-26 | no document linked |
| Customer content may train models | not found in the text |  |
| Terms restrict automated access | yes |  |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | yes |  |
| Terms or service can change without notice | not found in the text |  |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | yes |  |
| Popularity | 4k stars | 14k stars, 48k PyPI/wk |

## Verdicts

**Docker Agent.** An agent with an MCP server is eight lines of YAML, and the same file runs in a terminal, headless, or as an HTTP, MCP or A2A server. Usage telemetry is on by default and can carry prompts passed as command arguments, and two high-severity approval bypasses were fixed in August and September 2026.

**Microsoft Agent Framework.** Python 1.21.0 and .NET 1.24.0 are MIT, past 1.0 and released about weekly, with an MCP client, tool approval, checkpointed graph workflows and OpenTelemetry. Breaking changes ship in minor releases, a version User-Agent and a feature-usage token are sent by default, and a high-severity advisory in the .NET declarative workflows package was published on 7 October 2026.

## Before you call either

### Docker Agent

1. Set `TELEMETRY_ENABLED=false` before `run` or `exec` with a prompt on the command line. Telemetry is on by default and sends positional arguments
2. For unattended runs pass `--safety restricted` with an allow-list, or `--sandbox`. Without a policy, `--exec` rejects every tool call that needs approval
3. Set `max_iterations` and a `budget` block in the config. Both are unlimited by default
4. Run 1.130.0 or later. Earlier versions ran shell commands embedded in local skills, and A2A sessions before 1.126.0 skipped tool approval
5. Review `runtime.safety` in any config pulled from a registry or URL. An author default of `autonomous` runs every tool call unprompted

### Microsoft Agent Framework

1. Pin exact versions. Minor releases have carried [BREAKING] changes, so read python/CHANGELOG.md or the upgrade guides before moving up
2. Set `approval_mode="always_require"` on tools and MCP servers that write. The default is `never_require`
3. Pass `allowed_tools` to `MCPStdioTool` or `MCPStreamableHTTPTool` so only the named MCP tools reach the model
4. Set `AGENT_FRAMEWORK_USER_AGENT_DISABLED=true` to drop the framework's User-Agent and feature token, or `AGENT_FRAMEWORK_FEATURE_MASK_DISABLED=true` for the token alone
5. On .NET, use Microsoft.Agents.AI.Workflows.Declarative 1.24.0 or later. Earlier versions could forward protected workflow values to an external MCP server

## Questions

### Which is better for AI agents, Docker Agent or Microsoft Agent Framework?

Microsoft Agent Framework scores 82.2 (A) on agent readiness against Docker Agent's 76.5 (BB), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. Docker Agent leads on reliability and maintenance & community.

### Are Docker Agent and Microsoft Agent Framework open source?

Yes. Docker Agent is open source (Apache-2.0). Microsoft Agent Framework is open source (MIT).


## For agents

- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/docker-agent-vs-microsoft-agent-framework.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/docker-agent-vs-microsoft-agent-framework.min.md
- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {"a": "docker-agent", "b": "microsoft-agent-framework"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare docker-agent microsoft-agent-framework`
- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/docker-agent.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/microsoft-agent-framework.json

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