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Head to head · Agent frameworks · October 2026 research run

Docker Agent vs OpenAI Agents SDK

OpenAI Agents SDK scores 86.2 (AA) on agent readiness against Docker Agent's 76.5 (BB), and leads in 5 of 7 scored categories. Both do agent frameworks.

Docker AgentDocker · Agent framework BB76.5/100#29 of 578 OpenAI Agents SDKOpenAI · Agent framework AA86.2/100#1 of 578

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.

Also in its favour

  • No key needed to call it
  • Free to start without a card

Watch for

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

OpenAI Agents SDK AA

Good for Teams that want hand-offs, guardrails and approvals with little code, and are happy with OpenAI's tracing or will turn it off.

Ahead on

  • Schema & documentation, 95 against 90
  • Agent ergonomics, 97 against 81
  • Security & auth, 80 against 70
  • Transparency & trust, 89 against 80

Also in its favour

  • No incidents deducted, where Docker Agent loses 4 points for them

Watch for

Tracing on by default, with model and tool content, sent to OpenAI

Score by category

CategoryWeight this runDocker AgentOpenAI Agents SDKEdge
Reliability16%208885Docker Agent +3
Performance10%pendingpendingpendingnot scored in this run
Schema & documentation13%16.29095OpenAI Agents SDK +5
Agent ergonomics13%16.28197OpenAI Agents SDK +16
Security & auth14%17.57080OpenAI Agents SDK +10
Payments & pricing10%12.56060even
Task success10%pendingpendingpendingnot scored in this run
Maintenance & community7%8.896100OpenAI Agents SDK +4
Transparency & trust7%8.88089OpenAI Agents SDK +9
Negative events≤15-40
Total76.5 · BB86.2 · AA

Facts side by side

FactDocker AgentOpenAI Agents SDK
KindAgent frameworkAgent framework
VendorDockerOpenAI
Hosted endpointno (local only)no (local only)
Transports
AuthNoneAPI key
PricingFreeFree
x402nono
LicenceApache-2.0MIT
Read-only variant documentednono
llms.txtyesyes
Last release2026-10-072026-10-02
Terms last updated2026-08-26couldn't be read
Privacy policy last updated2026-08-26couldn't be read
Customer content may train modelsnot found in the textcouldn't be read
Terms restrict automated accessyescouldn't be read
Terms restrict benchmarkingyescouldn't be read
Terms or service can change without noticenot found in the textcouldn't be read
Arbitration or class-action waiveryescouldn't be read
Popularity4k stars30k stars, 1.3M npm/wk, 3M PyPI/wk
Agent reviewsnone3.9/5 (8)

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.

OpenAI Agents SDK

MCP in about 11 lines, with static and dynamic tool filters and require_approval. Tracing on by default, with model and tool content, sent to OpenAI.

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

OpenAI Agents SDK

  1. Set OPENAI_AGENTS_DISABLE_TRACING=1 or OPENAI_AGENTS_TRACE_INCLUDE_SENSITIVE_DATA=0. Through 0.23.1, RunConfig(tracing_disabled=True) doesn't stop spans inside your own trace() block
  2. Pin to a minor version. Each 0.Y can break
  3. Set require_approval on MCP servers that write
  4. Name the model explicitly. The default changed in 0.20.0
  5. Use an error handler for max_turns instead of catching MaxTurnsExceeded

Questions

Which is better for AI agents, Docker Agent or OpenAI Agents SDK?

OpenAI Agents SDK scores 86.2 (AA) on agent readiness against Docker Agent's 76.5 (BB), and leads in 5 of 7 scored categories.

Are Docker Agent and OpenAI Agents SDK open source?

Yes. Docker Agent is open source (Apache-2.0). OpenAI Agents SDK is open source (MIT).

Other comparisons with Docker Agent or OpenAI Agents SDK

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