Description
[Feature Request] Add REPL-style run_demo_loop utility for rapid agent testing and debugging
Summary
I would like to request the addition of a REPL-style utility function—analogous to swarm.repl.run_demo_loop—to the OpenAI Agents SDK. This function would facilitate rapid, interactive testing of agent behaviors from the command line, ideally supporting streaming output and preserving conversation state across multiple user-agent exchanges.
Motivation
In the previous OpenAI Swarm experimental framework, the run_demo_loop(agent, stream=True) function proved invaluable for quickly validating agent behaviors, tool invocations, and instruction tuning in a lightweight, interactive shell. This was especially useful during iterative development and debugging cycles.
As of now, the Agents SDK provides robust agent orchestration capabilities via Runner.run(), run_sync(), and run_streamed(), but lacks a simple, built-in interactive loop to simulate turn-based conversation flows in a terminal environment.
While some third-party developers have implemented ad-hoc REPL interfaces, an officially supported method would be preferable for maintainability, ergonomics, and consistency with SDK design patterns.
Requested Feature
- A built-in utility (e.g.,
agents.repl.run_demo_loop(agent, stream=True)) to:- Prompt the developer for input in a terminal loop
- Stream or render agent responses in real time
- Retain context across turns (i.e., use conversation state)
- Optionally display tool calls and trace metadata
Benefits
- Enhances developer productivity for rapid prototyping and validation
- Improves debugging workflows without the need to write boilerplate scaffolding
- Encourages wider adoption by lowering the barrier to entry for experimentation
Example Usage
...
agent = Agent(
name="Assistant",
instructions="You are a helpful assistant.",
tools=[...],
)
run_demo_loop(agent, stream=True)thanks
giorgio