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Agents2026-07-26 · source-backed
Released July 22, it bundles the tool-calling loop with iteration limits, per-call history persistence, context-window compaction, persistent todo/plan tracking, durable file memory across turns, progressively-loaded skills, web search, standing tool-approval rules with heuristic auto-approval, and OpenTelemetry (Microsoft). One call: create_harness_agent() with FoundryChatClient in Python, or AsHarnessAgent() on IChatClient in .NET. Everything's on by default and individually removable through HarnessAgentOptions. Even if you never adopt it, read the option list as a gap analysis against your own harness.
Each link below shares sources, entities, or timing with this story.
Anthropic partners with Microsoft / Shared entities / Same source domain / Earlier coverage
Linked by a graph relationship (Anthropic partners with Microsoft); both cover NET, OpenTelemetry, Python, Released July; reported by the same outlet (devblogs.microsoft.com).
.NET built by Microsoft / Shared entities / Same source domain / Earlier coverage
Linked by a graph relationship (.NET built by Microsoft); both cover Microsoft, NET, Python; reported by the same outlet (devblogs.microsoft.com).
Microsoft supports Agent Skills / Shared entities / Same source domain / Shared topic / Earlier coverage
Linked by a graph relationship (Microsoft supports Agent Skills); both cover Microsoft, NET; reported by the same outlet (devblogs.microsoft.com).
.NET built by Microsoft / Shared entities / Same source domain
Linked by a graph relationship (.NET built by Microsoft); both cover Microsoft, NET, Python; reported by the same outlet (devblogs.microsoft.com).
Microsoft released Microsoft Agent Framework / Shared entities / Shared topic / Earlier coverage
Linked by a graph relationship (Microsoft released Microsoft Agent Framework); both cover NET, Python; overlapping topics (agent, call).
Anthropic partners with Microsoft / Shared entities / Same source domain / Earlier coverage
Linked by a graph relationship (Anthropic partners with Microsoft); both cover NET, Python; reported by the same outlet (devblogs.microsoft.com).
Microsoft released Foundry Agent Service / Shared entity: Microsoft / Same source domain / Shared topic / Earlier coverage
Linked by a graph relationship (Microsoft released Foundry Agent Service); both cover Microsoft; reported by the same outlet (devblogs.microsoft.com).
Microsoft released Agent Framework / Shared entities / Earlier coverage / Tension
Linked by a graph relationship (Microsoft released Agent Framework); both cover Microsoft, Released July; earlier Microsoft coverage from 2026-07-17.