Cagent is the new open-source framework from Docker that makes running AI agents seamless and lightweight. With Cagent, you can start with simple “Hello World” agents and scale all the way to complex, multi-agent processing workflows. It provides core agent capabilities such as autonomy, reasoning, and action execution, while also supporting the Model Context Protocol (MCP), integrating with Docker Model Runner (DMR) for multiple LLM providers, and simplifying agent distribution through the Docker registry.
Unlike traditional agentic frameworks that treat AI agents as programmatic objects requiring extensive Python or C# code, Cagent incorporates a declarative, configuration-first philosophy. So, instead of managing complex dependencies and writing custom orchestration logic, developers define their agent’s persona and capabilities within a single, portable YAML file, effectively decoupling logic from the underlying infrastructure.