--- title: "surf vs agent-framework" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/e2b-dev-surf-vs-microsoft-agent-framework" tools: ["e2b-dev-surf", "microsoft-agent-framework"] --- # surf vs agent-framework *GraphCanon updated Sep 20, 2026* ## Verdict Pick surf if surf is an AI agent that automates interaction within E2B's virtual desktop environment via natural language commands; pick agent-framework if the agent-framework provides tools for developers to build and deploy AI agents and multi-agent workflows in Python and .NET environments. [surf](https://surf.e2b.dev) reports 870 GitHub stars, 143 forks, and 8 open issues, last pushed Sep 9, 2026. [agent-framework](https://aka.ms/agent-framework) has 14k stars, 2.3k forks, and 605 open issues, last pushed Sep 18, 2026. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [surf's repository](https://github.com/e2b-dev/surf) and [agent-framework's repository](https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework). | | [surf](/tools/e2b-dev-surf.md) | [agent-framework](/tools/microsoft-agent-framework.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | AI agent powered by OpenAI for interacting with E2B's virtual desktop environment via natural language | Framework for building and deploying AI agents and multi-agent workflows | | Stars | 870 | 13,573 | | Forks | 143 | 2,335 | | Open issues | 8 | 605 | | Language | TypeScript | Python | | Adopt for | Surf is an AI agent that automates interaction within E2B's virtual desktop environment via natural language commands. | The agent-framework provides tools for developers to build and deploy AI agents and multi-agent workflows in Python and .NET environments. | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | Apache-2.0, providing free use, modification, and distribution with conditions that ensure legal use and attribution. | MIT | | Categories | AI Agents, Developer Tools | AI Agents, Developer Tools | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [surf](/tools/e2b-dev-surf.md) | [agent-framework](/tools/microsoft-agent-framework.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Maintenance | Active (82%) | Very active (96%) | | Days since push | 10d | 0d | | Open issues (now) | 8 | 605 | | Stars delta | +27 (30d) | +855 (30d) | | Open issues delta | 0 (30d) | -80 (30d) | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/e2b-dev-surf/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/microsoft-agent-framework/trust.md) | ## Decision facts: surf - **Pricing:** freemium - Free for usage under the Apache license; premium features or services may incur additional fees depending on OpenAI's and E2B’s policies. - **Adopt for:** Surf is an AI agent that automates interaction within E2B's virtual desktop environment via natural language commands. - **License detail:** Apache-2.0, providing free use, modification, and distribution with conditions that ensure legal use and attribution. ## Decision facts: agent-framework - **Requirements:** Python version 3.6 or newer is required for Python installations.; The .NET Core SDK must be installed for utilizing the .NET packages. - **Adopt for:** The agent-framework provides tools for developers to build and deploy AI agents and multi-agent workflows in Python and .NET environments. ## Choose when ### Choose surf if… - surf is primarily TypeScript; agent-framework is Python. - License: surf is Apache-2.0, agent-framework is MIT. - Pricing: Free for usage under the Apache license; premium features or services may incur additional fees depending on OpenAI's and E2B’s policies.. - Tags unique to surf: ai, automation, cua, desktop. - When you need to interact with E2B’s specific virtual desktop environment and require seamless natural language understanding capabilities from OpenAI. ### Choose agent-framework if… - agent-framework is primarily Python; surf is TypeScript. - License: agent-framework is MIT, surf is Apache-2.0. - Requirements: Python version 3.6 or newer is required for Python installations.; The .NET Core SDK must be installed for utilizing the .NET packages.. - Tags unique to agent-framework: agent-framework, agentic-ai, agents, multi-agent. - Choose agent-framework if your project requires support for both Python and .NET, allowing you to develop across different ecosystems. ## When NOT to use surf - Avoid using Surf if your projects do not involve E2B’s virtual desktop environment or if you require integration with other specific virtual desktop software unsupported by this tool. - Do not opt for Surf if you need direct control over the execution of tasks and prefer manual interaction rather than relying on AI to interpret commands. ## When NOT to use agent-framework - Avoid using the agent-framework if your team does not have proficiency in either Python or.NET, as this may cause difficulties in leveraging its features effectively. - Do not opt for agent-framework if you only need lightweight support for AI agents without a comprehensive orchestration and deployment framework. ## Common questions ### What is the difference between surf and agent-framework? surf: AI agent powered by OpenAI for interacting with E2B's virtual desktop environment via natural language. agent-framework: Framework for building and deploying AI agents and multi-agent workflows. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose surf over agent-framework? Choose surf over agent-framework when surf is primarily TypeScript; agent-framework is Python; License: surf is Apache-2.0, agent-framework is MIT; Pricing: Free for usage under the Apache license; premium features or services may incur additional fees depending on OpenAI's and E2B’s policies.; Tags unique to surf: ai, automation, cua, desktop; When you need to interact with E2B’s specific virtual desktop environment and require seamless natural language understanding capabilities from OpenAI. ### When should I choose agent-framework over surf? Choose agent-framework over surf when agent-framework is primarily Python; surf is TypeScript; License: agent-framework is MIT, surf is Apache-2.0; Requirements: Python version 3.6 or newer is required for Python installations.; The .NET Core SDK must be installed for utilizing the .NET packages.; Tags unique to agent-framework: agent-framework, agentic-ai, agents, multi-agent; Choose agent-framework if your project requires support for both Python and .NET, allowing you to develop across different ecosystems. ### When should I avoid surf? Avoid using Surf if your projects do not involve E2B’s virtual desktop environment or if you require integration with other specific virtual desktop software unsupported by this tool. Do not opt for Surf if you need direct control over the execution of tasks and prefer manual interaction rather than relying on AI to interpret commands. ### When should I avoid agent-framework? Avoid using the agent-framework if your team does not have proficiency in either Python or.NET, as this may cause difficulties in leveraging its features effectively. Do not opt for agent-framework if you only need lightweight support for AI agents without a comprehensive orchestration and deployment framework. ### Is surf or agent-framework more popular on GitHub? agent-framework has more GitHub stars (13,573 vs 870). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are surf and agent-framework open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (surf: Apache-2.0, agent-framework: MIT). ### Where can I find alternatives to surf or agent-framework? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [surf alternatives](/tools/e2b-dev-surf/alternatives) and [agent-framework alternatives](/tools/microsoft-agent-framework/alternatives) ([surf markdown twin](/tools/e2b-dev-surf/alternatives.md), [agent-framework markdown twin](/tools/microsoft-agent-framework/alternatives.md)), ranked by typed relationship edges rather than popularity votes. ### Is there a machine-readable version of this comparison? Yes. The markdown twin at [this comparison](/compare/e2b-dev-surf-vs-microsoft-agent-framework.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, surf or agent-framework? surf: Active. agent-framework: Very active. Compare maintenance labels, days since push, and release cadence in the trust section below - stars alone do not measure maintenance. ### Where are the full trust reports for surf and agent-framework? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [surf trust report](/tools/e2b-dev-surf/trust); [agent-framework trust report](/tools/microsoft-agent-framework/trust). --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=e2b-dev-surf`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=e2b-dev-surf) - LLM index: [/llms.txt](/llms.txt) - Full corpus: [/llms-full.txt](/llms-full.txt) _GraphCanon - The knowledge graph for AI development. https://www.graphcanon.com/_