Google Agent Development Kit review
A flexible, code-first framework for developers building multi-agent systems.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Google Agent Development Kit is an open-source framework for developers creating AI agents and multi-agent applications. It supports code-first development in Python, TypeScript, Go, and Java, while also providing a development web interface and an experimental drag-and-drop visual workflow builder. The product is aimed at teams that want control over agent behavior, orchestration, evaluation, debugging, grounding, and deployment rather than a narrowly packaged agent experience.
Its strongest advantage is breadth across agent design and runtime behavior. ADK supports sequential, loop, parallel, and graph workflows, along with multi-agent composition, delegation, and transfer. Agents can use custom tools, MCP tools, and integrations, and can support live voice with audio and video input. Grounding with private enterprise documents and data stores adds a path for knowledge-based applications. Evaluation, tracing, and debugging tools are also included, which suits developers who need to inspect and refine complex agent behavior.
Deployment and ecosystem fit are equally important. Agents can run locally, in containers, or on Agent Runtime, Cloud Run, Google Kubernetes Engine, and other container infrastructure. Integrations include Agent Search, Knowledge Engine, Google Search, MCP Toolbox for Databases, LiveKit, and Slack. ADK itself is open source and has no published subscription pricing, but agents may incur separate usage charges for models, Agent Runtime, and other Google Cloud services. Choose it for flexible, developer-led agent projects that benefit from Google ecosystem connections and multiple deployment paths. Teams seeking a primarily no-code workflow or a fixed all-in-one pricing model should consider a different approach.
Google Agent Development Kit pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Supports code-first development in Python, TypeScript, Go, and Java
- Combines multi-agent workflows with voice, multimodal input, and grounding
- Deploys locally, in containers, or across Google Cloud targets
- Where it doesn't
- The drag-and-drop visual workflow builder is experimental
- Model, Agent Runtime, and Google Cloud usage may add separate charges
- Its developer-focused approach may not suit no-code-first teams
Google Agent Development Kit fact sheet, pricing and score →
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
Last updated · How we research and update