Simplify Echo agent tutorial instruction and include install and uninstall command.

README.md

@@ -82,6 +82,8 @@ Microsoft TypeAgent Repo is a mono-repo, with components organized with the foll
 - [`python`](./python) Python code ([Readme](./python/README.md))
 - [`dotnet`](./dotnet) Dotnet (C#) code ([Readme](./dotnet/README.md))
 
+For developer who want to experiment with TypeAgent and see how typed action schema drives actions, the [Agent Shell](./ts/packages/shell) example allow additional agent to be installed/registered to extent functionality. The `Echo` agent [tutorial](./docs/tutorial/agent.md) is a starting point to create a plugin agent, and [Agent SDK](./ts/packages/agentSdk/) provides the details of the interface between [Dispatcher](./ts/packages/dispatcher) and the agent.
+
 ## Contributing
 
 This project welcomes contributions and suggestions. Most contributions require you to

docs/tutorial/agent.md

@@ -0,0 +1,243 @@
+# External Agents
+
+The TypeAgent repo includes several example [agents](../../ts/packages/agents/). You can also build **your own application agents** **_outside_** the TypeAgent repo by using the [agent-sdk](../../ts/packages/agentSdk/README.md). You can package these agents as npm packages and surface them in the [TypeAgent Shell](../../ts/packages/shell) and [TypeAgent CLI](../../ts/packages/cli).
+
+This document describes how you can build your own application agents.
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+Begin by exploring the following:
+
+- **Agent-Sdk**: Read about the architecture of the [**agent-sdk**](../../ts/packages/agentSdk/README.md).
+- **Example Agents**:
+  - Review agents under the [agents](../../ts/packages/agents) directory. The [List](../../ts/packages/agents/list/) agent provides a good example and template for building an agent.
+  - The [Echo](../../ts/examples/agentExamples/echo/) agent illustrates the basics of building your own external application agents.
+
+## Steps to build an `Echo` agent:
+
+For the rest of the documentation, we will assume that the external agent is named **echo**. The echo agent performs a single action: echos any input back to the user.
+
+You can see the end result of this tutorial in [Echo](../../ts/examples/agentExamples/echo/) with some modification (NOTE: The only difference is the @typeagent/agent-sdk dependency)
+
+### Step 1: Create and author the `Echo` agent package
+
+Follow the following steps to create the `Echo` agent packages manually. Start by create a directory `echo`. Then populate the directory with the following content:
+
+**package.json** [package.json](../../ts/examples/agentExamples/echo/package.json) :
+
+The `package.json` contains references to **handler** and **manifest** files in the `exports` field.
+
+```json
+{
+  "name": "echo",
+  "version": "0.0.1",
+  "description": "Echo example for TypeAgent",
+  "license": "MIT",
+  "author": "Microsoft",
+  "type": "module",
+  "exports": {
+    "./agent/manifest": "./src/echoManifest.json",
+    "./agent/handlers": "./dist/echoActionHandler.js"
+  },
+  "scripts": {
+    "build": "npm run tsc",
+    "clean": "rimraf --glob dist *.tsbuildinfo *.done.build.log",
+    "tsc": "tsc -b"
+  },
+  "keywords": [],
+  "dependencies": {
+    "@typeagent/agent-sdk": "0.0.1"
+  },
+  "devDependencies": {
+    "rimraf": "^5.0.5",
+    "typescript": "^5.4.2"
+  }
+}
+```
+
+Every application agent requires the following files to be present in the agent's [**source**](../../ts/examples/agentExamples/echo/src/) directory.
+
+- **Agent Manifest File**: The manifest file is used to register the agent with the TypeAgent ecosystem.
+- **Action Schema File**: The action schema file is used to define the actions that the agent can perform.
+- **Agent Action Handler**: Your code that perform's the agent's actions.
+
+**Agent Manifest File** : [`src/echoManifest.json`](../../ts/examples/agentExamples/echo/src/echoManifest.json)
+
+The manifest file contain reference in `schemaFile` to the path to **schema** file (relative path to the **manifest** file) and the `schemaType` corresponds to the union type of all the actions.
+
+```json
+{
+  "emojiChar": "🦜",
+  "schema": {
+    "description": "A basic echo agent.",
+    "schemaFile": "./echoActionSchema.ts",
+    "schemaType": "EchoAction"
+  }
+}
+```
+
+**Agent Action Schema File** : [`src/echoActionSchema.ts`](../../ts/examples/agentExamples/echo/src/echoActionSchema.ts)
+
+```ts
+export type EchoAction = GenEchoAction;
+
+// If the user asks to echo a message back, the system will return a GenEchoAction. The text parameter is the message to be echoed back.
+// will contain the text to be echoed back to the user.
+export type GenEchoAction = {
+  actionName: "echoGen";
+  parameters: {
+    text: string;
+  };
+};
+```
+
+**Agent action handler** : [`src/echoActionHandler.ts`](../../ts/examples/agentExamples/echo/src/echoActionHandler.ts)
+
+```ts
+import { ActionContext, AppAgent, TypeAgentAction } from "@typeagent/agent-sdk";
+import {
+  createActionResultFromTextDisplay,
+  createActionResultFromError,
+} from "@typeagent/agent-sdk/helpers/action";
+import { EchoAction } from "./echoActionSchema.js";
+
+export function instantiate(): AppAgent {
+  return {
+    initializeAgentContext: initializeEchoContext,
+    executeAction: executeEchoAction,
+  };
+}
+
+type EchoActionContext = {
+  echoCount: number;
+};
+
+async function initializeEchoContext(): Promise<EchoActionContext> {
+  return { echoCount: 0 };
+}
+
+async function executeEchoAction(
+  action: TypeAgentAction<EchoAction>,
+  context: ActionContext<EchoActionContext>
+) {
+  // The context created in initializeEchoContext is returned in the action context.
+  const echoContext = context.sessionContext.agentContext;
+  switch (action.actionName) {
+    case "echoGen":
+      const displayText = `>> Echo ${++echoContext.echoCount}: ${
+        action.parameters.text
+      }`;
+      return createActionResultFromTextDisplay(displayText, displayText);
+
+    default:
+      return createActionResultFromError("Unable to process the action");
+  }
+}
+```
+
+**Typescript build config file** [`tsconfig.json`](../../ts/examples/agentExamples/echo/tsconfig.json)
+
+```json
+{
+  "compilerOptions": {
+    "composite": true,
+    "target": "es2021",
+    "lib": ["es2021"],
+    "module": "node16",
+    "declaration": true,
+    "declarationMap": true,
+    "esModuleInterop": true,
+    "exactOptionalPropertyTypes": true,
+    "forceConsistentCasingInFileNames": true,
+    "incremental": true,
+    "noEmitOnError": true,
+    "noUnusedLocals": true,
+    "skipLibCheck": true,
+    "strict": true,
+    "sourceMap": true,
+    "rootDir": "./src",
+    "outDir": "./dist"
+  },
+  "include": ["./src/**/*"],
+  "ts-node": {
+    "esm": true
+  }
+}
+```
+
+#### Folder structure for **Echo** agent:
+
+![alt text](./imgs/image-files.png)
+
+<a id="install_agent"></a>
+
+#### Step 2: Build the Agent
+
+First make sure the [TypeAgent's typescript code](../../ts) is built.
+
+- Go to `<repo>/ts`
+- `pnpm i`
+- `pnpm run build`
+
+Then create a link globally to the `@typeagent/agent-sdk` package for the `Echo` agent to consume.
+
+- Go to `<repo>/ts/packages/agentSdk`
+- `npm link`
+
+In the `Echo` package, run the following to link to `@typeagent/agent-sdk` package and build
+
+- `npm link @typeagent/agent-sdk`
+- `npm install`
+- `npm run build`
+
+### Step 3: Install `Echo` agent in TypeAgent cli or shell.
+
+Start TypeAgent [Shell](../../ts/packages/shell) or [CLI](../../ts/packages/cli)
+
+```bash
+# you can run these commands from the `ts` folder
+# in the TypeAgent root.
+
+pnpm run cli interactive
+
+or
+
+pnpm run shell
+```
+
+In the [Shell](../../ts/packages/shell) or [CLI](../../ts/packages/cli), install the echo agent and check the status by issuing the command:
+
+```
+@install echo <path to echo package>
+@config agent
+```
+
+The `Echo` agent should be in the list and enabled.
+
+### Step 4: See the `Echo` agent in action
+
+`Echo` agent is now ready. Test it out by issuing some request to see the `Echo` agent in action
+
+When to run the cli this is how interaction with the `Echo` agent will look like:
+![alt text](./imgs/image-cli.png)
+
+When to run the shell this is how interaction with the `Echo` agent will look like:
+![alt text](./imgs/image-shell.png)
+
+The `Echo` agent will be reloaded again after installation. It can be uninstalled using the command:
+
+```
+@uninstall echo
+```
+
+## Next step
+
+Start modifying the `Echo` agent and add new action schema and action handlers.
+
+## Trademarks
+
+This project may contain trademarks or logos for projects, products, or services. Authorized use of Microsoft
+trademarks or logos is subject to and must follow
+[Microsoft's Trademark & Brand Guidelines](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/legal/intellectualproperty/trademarks/usage/general).
+Use of Microsoft trademarks or logos in modified versions of this project must not cause confusion or imply Microsoft sponsorship.
+Any use of third-party trademarks or logos are subject to those third-party's policies.

ts/examples/agentExamples/echo/README.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Echo Agent
 
-The Echo Agent demonstrates how to use the [agent-sdk](../../../packages/agentSdk/ExternalAgents_README.md) to write agents as installable packages.
+The Echo Agent demonstrates how to use the [agent-sdk](../../../../docs/tutorial/agent.md) to write agents as installable packages.
 
 ## Trademarks
 

ts/examples/agentExamples/echo/package.json

@@ -14,11 +14,10 @@
   "type": "module",
   "exports": {
     "./agent/handlers": "./dist/echoActionHandler.js",
-    "./agent/manifest": "./dist/echoManifest.json"
+    "./agent/manifest": "./src/echoManifest.json"
   },
   "scripts": {
     "build": "npm run tsc",
-    "postbuild": "copyfiles -u 1 \"src/**/*Schema*.ts\" \"src/**/*Manifest*.json\" dist",
     "clean": "rimraf --glob dist *.tsbuildinfo *.done.build.log",
     "prettier": "prettier --check . --ignore-path ../../../.prettierignore",
     "prettier:fix": "prettier --write . --ignore-path ../../../.prettierignore",

ts/examples/agentExamples/echo/src/echoActionHandler.ts

@@ -1,81 +1,42 @@
 // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation.
 // Licensed under the MIT License.
 
-import {
-    ActionContext,
-    AppAction,
-    AppAgent,
-    SessionContext,
-    ActionResult,
-} from "@typeagent/agent-sdk";
+import { ActionContext, AppAgent, TypeAgentAction } from "@typeagent/agent-sdk";
 import {
     createActionResultFromTextDisplay,
     createActionResultFromError,
 } from "@typeagent/agent-sdk/helpers/action";
-
-import { EchoAction } from "./echoActionsSchema.js";
+import { EchoAction } from "./echoActionSchema.js";
 
 export function instantiate(): AppAgent {
     return {
         initializeAgentContext: initializeEchoContext,
-        updateAgentContext: updateEchoContext,
         executeAction: executeEchoAction,
     };
 }
 
 type EchoActionContext = {
     echoCount: number;
-    echoRequests: Set<string> | undefined;
 };
 
-async function initializeEchoContext() {
-    return {
-        echoCount: 0,
-        echoRequests: undefined,
-    };
-}
-
-async function updateEchoContext(
-    enable: boolean,
-    context: SessionContext<EchoActionContext>,
-): Promise<void> {
-    if (enable) {
-        context.agentContext.echoRequests = new Set<string>();
-        context.agentContext.echoCount = 0;
-    }
-    context.agentContext.echoCount++;
+async function initializeEchoContext(): Promise<EchoActionContext> {
+    return { echoCount: 0 };
 }
 
 async function executeEchoAction(
-    action: AppAction,
+    action: TypeAgentAction<EchoAction>,
     context: ActionContext<EchoActionContext>,
 ) {
-    let result = await handleEchoAction(
-        action as EchoAction,
-        context.sessionContext.agentContext,
-    );
-    return result;
-}
-
-async function handleEchoAction(
-    action: EchoAction,
-    echoContext: EchoActionContext,
-) {
-    let result: ActionResult | undefined = undefined;
-    let displayText: string | undefined = undefined;
+    // The context created in initializeEchoContext is returned in the action context.
+    const echoContext = context.sessionContext.agentContext;
     switch (action.actionName) {
         case "echoGen":
-            displayText = `>> Echo: ${action.parameters.text}`;
-            result = createActionResultFromTextDisplay(
-                displayText,
-                displayText,
-            );
-            break;
+            const displayText = `>> Echo ${++echoContext.echoCount}: ${
+                action.parameters.text
+            }`;
+            return createActionResultFromTextDisplay(displayText, displayText);
+
         default:
-            result = createActionResultFromError(
-                "Unable to process the action",
-            );
-            break;
+            return createActionResultFromError("Unable to process the action");
     }
-    return result;
 }

ts/examples/agentExamples/echo/src/echoManifest.json

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   "emojiChar": "🦜",
   "schema": {
     "description": "A basic echo agent.",
-    "schemaFile": "echoActionsSchema.ts",
+    "schemaFile": "./echoActionSchema.ts",
     "schemaType": "EchoAction"
   }
 }

ts/examples/agentExamples/measure/README.md

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ Work in progress.
 
 ## Installation
 
-- Follow the standard exteneral [Agent installation steps](../../../packages/agentSdk/ExternalAgents_README.md#install_agent)
+- Follow the standard external [Agent installation steps](../../../../docs/tutorial/agent.md#step-3-install-echo-agent-in-typeagent-cli-or-shell)
 
 ## Trademarks