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version: "1.0.0"

name: verify-samples-tool description: How to use the verify-samples tool to run, verify, and manage sample definitions in the Agent Framework repository. Use this when adding, updating, or running sample verification.

verify-samples Tool

The verify-samples project (dotnet/eng/verify-samples/) is an automated tool that runs sample projects and verifies their output using deterministic checks and AI-powered verification.

Running verify-samples

Important: By default, samples must be pre-built before running verify-samples. Build the solution first, or pass --build to build samples during the run:

bash
cd dotnet
dotnet build agent-framework-dotnet.slnx -f net10.0

Then run verify-samples:

bash
# Run all samples across all categories
dotnet run --project eng/verify-samples -- --log results.log --csv results.csv
 
# Run a specific category
dotnet run --project eng/verify-samples -- --category 02-agents --log results.log
 
# Run specific samples by name
dotnet run --project eng/verify-samples -- Agent_Step02_StructuredOutput Agent_Step09_AsFunctionTool
 
# Control parallelism (default 8)
dotnet run --project eng/verify-samples -- --parallel 8 --log results.log
 
# Build samples during run (skips the need for a prior build step)
# This may cause build conflicts as multiple samples are built in parallel, so use with caution
dotnet run --project eng/verify-samples -- --build --log results.log
 
# Combine options
dotnet run --project eng/verify-samples -- --category 03-workflows --parallel 4 --log results.log --csv results.csv --md results.md

Required Environment Variables

The tool itself needs:

  • AZURE_OPENAI_ENDPOINT — for the AI verification agent
  • AZURE_OPENAI_DEPLOYMENT_NAME (optional, defaults to gpt-5-mini)

Individual samples require their own env vars (e.g., AZURE_AI_PROJECT_ENDPOINT). The tool automatically checks and skips samples with missing env vars.

Output Files

  • --log results.log — detailed per-sample log with stdout/stderr, AI reasoning, and a summary
  • --csv results.csv — tabular summary with Sample, ProjectPath, Status, FailedChecks, and Failures columns
  • --md results.md — Markdown summary with results table and collapsible failure details (suitable for GitHub PR comments)

Sample Categories

Definitions are in the dotnet/eng/verify-samples/ directory:

CategoryConfig FileRegistered Key
01-get-startedGetStartedSamples.cs01-get-started
02-agentsAgentsSamples.cs02-agents
03-workflowsWorkflowSamples.cs03-workflows

Categories are registered in VerifyOptions.cs in the s_sampleSets dictionary.

SampleDefinition Properties

Each sample is defined as a SampleDefinition in the appropriate config file. Key properties:

csharp
new SampleDefinition
{
    // Required: Display name for the sample
    Name = "Agent_Step02_StructuredOutput",
 
    // Required: Relative path from dotnet/ to the sample project directory
    ProjectPath = "samples/02-agents/Agents/Agent_Step02_StructuredOutput",
 
    // Environment variables the sample requires (throws if missing)
    RequiredEnvironmentVariables = ["AZURE_OPENAI_ENDPOINT"],
 
    // Environment variables with defaults that would prompt on console if unset
    OptionalEnvironmentVariables = ["AZURE_OPENAI_DEPLOYMENT_NAME"],
 
    // Skip this sample with a reason (for structural issues only)
    SkipReason = null, // or "Requires external service X."
 
    // Deterministic checks: substrings that must appear in stdout
    MustContain = ["=== Section Header ==="],
 
    // Substrings that must NOT appear in stdout
    MustNotContain = [],
 
    // If true, only MustContain checks are used (no AI verification)
    IsDeterministic = false,
 
    // AI verification: natural-language descriptions of expected output
    // Each entry describes one aspect to verify independently
    ExpectedOutputDescription =
    [
        "The output should show structured person information with Name, Age, and Occupation fields.",
        "The output should not contain error messages or stack traces.",
    ],
 
    // Stdin inputs to feed to the sample (for interactive samples)
    Inputs = ["Y", "Y", "Y"],
 
    // Delay between stdin inputs in ms (default 2000, increase for LLM calls between inputs)
    InputDelayMs = 3000,
}

How to Add a New Sample Definition

  1. Check the sample's Program.cs to understand:
  • What environment variables it reads (look for GetEnvironmentVariable)
  • Whether it needs stdin input (look for Console.ReadLine, Application.GetInput)
  • Whether it has an external loop (look for EXIT patterns in YAML workflows)
  • What output it produces (section headers, markers, expected behavior)
  • Whether it exits on its own or runs as a server
  1. Choose the right verification strategy:
  • Deterministic (IsDeterministic = true): Use MustContain for samples with fixed output strings. No AI verification.
  • AI-verified (default): Use ExpectedOutputDescription with semantic descriptions. Write expectations that are flexible enough for non-deterministic LLM output.
  • Both: Use MustContain for fixed markers AND ExpectedOutputDescription for LLM-generated content.
  1. Set `SkipReason` only for structural issues:
  • Web servers that don't exit
  • Multi-process client/server architectures
  • Samples requiring external infrastructure (MCP servers you can't reach, Docker, etc.)
  • Do NOT skip for missing env vars — the tool checks those dynamically.
  1. For interactive samples, provide `Inputs`:
  • Samples using Application.GetInput(args) need one initial input
  • Samples with Console.ReadLine() approval loops need "Y" inputs
  • YAML workflows with externalLoop need "EXIT" as the last input
  • Set InputDelayMs to 3000-8000ms for samples with LLM calls between inputs
  1. Add the definition to the appropriate config file (e.g., AgentsSamples.cs) in the All list.
  1. Register new categories (if needed) in VerifyOptions.cs s_sampleSets dictionary.

Writing Good ExpectedOutputDescription

  • Write descriptions that are semantically flexible — LLM output varies between runs
  • Each array entry should describe one independent aspect to verify
  • Always include "The output should not contain error messages or stack traces." as the last entry
  • Avoid exact wording expectations — use "should mention", "should contain information about", "should show"
  • Bad: "The output should say 'The weather in Amsterdam is cloudy with a high of 15°C'"
  • Good: "The output should contain weather information about Amsterdam mentioning cloudy weather with a high of 15°C."

Example: Simple LLM Sample

csharp
new SampleDefinition
{
    Name = "Agent_With_AzureOpenAIChatCompletion",
    ProjectPath = "samples/02-agents/AgentProviders/azure/Agent_With_AzureOpenAIChatCompletion",
    RequiredEnvironmentVariables = ["AZURE_OPENAI_ENDPOINT"],
    OptionalEnvironmentVariables = ["AZURE_OPENAI_DEPLOYMENT_NAME"],
    ExpectedOutputDescription =
    [
        "The output should contain a joke about a pirate.",
        "The output should not contain error messages or stack traces.",
    ],
},

Example: Deterministic Sample

csharp
new SampleDefinition
{
    Name = "Workflow_Visualization",
    ProjectPath = "samples/03-workflows/Visualization",
    IsDeterministic = true,
    MustContain = ["Generating workflow visualization...", "Mermaid string:", "DiGraph string:"],
    ExpectedOutputDescription = ["The output should show workflow visualization in Mermaid and DiGraph formats."],
},

Example: Interactive Sample with Approval Loop

csharp
new SampleDefinition
{
    Name = "FoundryAgent_Hosted_MCP",
    ProjectPath = "samples/02-agents/ModelContextProtocol/FoundryAgent_Hosted_MCP",
    RequiredEnvironmentVariables = ["AZURE_AI_PROJECT_ENDPOINT"],
    OptionalEnvironmentVariables = ["AZURE_AI_MODEL_DEPLOYMENT_NAME"],
    Inputs = ["Y", "Y", "Y", "Y", "Y"],
    InputDelayMs = 5000,
    ExpectedOutputDescription = ["The output should show an agent using the Microsoft Learn MCP tool with approval prompts."],
},

Example: Declarative Workflow with External Loop

csharp
new SampleDefinition
{
    Name = "Workflow_Declarative_FunctionTools",
    ProjectPath = "samples/03-workflows/Declarative/FunctionTools",
    RequiredEnvironmentVariables = ["AZURE_AI_PROJECT_ENDPOINT"],
    OptionalEnvironmentVariables = ["AZURE_AI_MODEL_DEPLOYMENT_NAME"],
    Inputs = ["What are today's specials?", "EXIT"],
    InputDelayMs = 8000,
    ExpectedOutputDescription = ["The output should show a workflow calling function tools to answer a question about restaurant specials."],
},

Example: Skipped Sample

csharp
new SampleDefinition
{
    Name = "Agent_MCP_Server",
    ProjectPath = "samples/02-agents/ModelContextProtocol/Agent_MCP_Server",
    RequiredEnvironmentVariables = ["AZURE_OPENAI_ENDPOINT"],
    OptionalEnvironmentVariables = ["AZURE_OPENAI_DEPLOYMENT_NAME"],
    SkipReason = "Runs as an MCP stdio server that does not exit on its own.",
},
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