v1.9.0 - Agent Swarm TUI and OpenClaw

This release centers three visible changes: a single command for opening the Agent Swarm TUI, OpenClaw support inside Agency Swarm, and more control over FastAPI requests for OpenAI and LiteLLM models.

If you're new to Agency Swarm, here's the short version:

• Agent Swarm TUI: run npx @vrsen/agentswarm from your project root. On first launch, the TUI can select or create a project, prepare .venv, install dependencies, and open local Agent Builder mode. See the Agent Swarm CLI docs.
• OpenClaw support: expose OpenClaw through Agency Swarm's FastAPI integration and use OpenClawAgent for worker-oriented flows. See the OpenClaw marketplace docs and OpenClawAgent docs.
• Request-scoped FastAPI control: for OpenAI and LiteLLM models, change base_url, api_key, headers, and LiteLLM provider keys for one request at a time.
• Run-scoped multi-agent control: runs can keep their own agency context, use the public streaming_context field, and refresh recipient reminders after manual handoff switches.

Compatibility Notes

These notes call out the small number of limits and behavior changes you may notice after upgrading.

• npx @vrsen/agentswarm is now the main terminal launch path. agency.tui() is still supported as the Python-first path, and terminal_demo() remains a backward-compatible alias.
• tui(show_reasoning=False) is not supported in the new TUI yet.
• FastAPI is stricter in a few useful ways: wildcard CORS origins no longer keep credentials turned on automatically, and the metadata response now shows absolute allowed_local_file_dirs entries.

Features

The main additions in this release are a simpler way to open the TUI, built-in OpenClaw support, and more control over FastAPI requests and agent runs.

• Open the Agent Swarm TUI with one command by @bonk1t in #566, #572, #574, #577, #581, #584, #589, #590, #601, #602, #603, and #608

  • What changed: npx @vrsen/agentswarm is now the main way to open the TUI. On first run, it can help you choose or create a project, set up .venv, install dependencies, and open local Agent Builder mode. agency.tui() still works for Python-first projects. See the Agent Swarm CLI docs.
  • Why it matters: New users now have one clear way to start, while existing Python-first projects can keep agency.tui().

• OpenClaw runtime, proxy, and agent support inside Agency Swarm by @bonk1t in #540, #554, #582, and #583

  • What changed: Agency Swarm now includes OpenClaw runtime and proxy support, the openclaw:main alias, a worker-focused OpenClawAgent, replay coverage, and dedicated docs and marketplace coverage: OpenClaw marketplace docs and OpenClawAgent docs.
  • Why it matters: OpenClaw can now be exposed and operated through Agency Swarm using the built-in runtime, proxy, and agent paths.

• Request-scoped FastAPI client overrides by @ArtemShatokhin in #518

  • What changed: For OpenAI and LiteLLM models, each request can bring its own base_url, api_key, default_headers, and LiteLLM provider keys. Custom Model subclasses keep their current behavior.
  • Why it matters: This makes it easy to send one request through a different provider, environment, or header set without changing the rest of your app.

• Run-scoped agency context and public streaming state by @bonk1t in #555, #558, and #561

  • What changed: Runs can use isolated agency context, and streaming_context is now the supported public path instead of private state access.
  • Why it matters: Multi-agent streaming and per-run isolation are easier to extend without relying on private framework internals.

• Simpler custom SendMessage extensions and better handoff control by @bonk1t in #564 and #597

  • What changed: Custom SendMessage tools can define inline fields more easily, and recipient reminders refresh when users manually switch agents after a handoff.
  • Why it matters: Tool customization is simpler, and handoff-heavy flows stay aligned with the active recipient.

Improvements & Fixes

This release also fixes several FastAPI and file-handling issues and refreshes the framework default model.

• Safer FastAPI and file handling by @bonk1t, @ArtemShatokhin, and @RinZ27 in #537, #547, #548, #553, #557, #559, and #560

  • What changed: Remote PDF fallback is more reliable, header overrides now work correctly even when there is no baseline OpenAI client, downloads no longer collide or leak temp files, wildcard CORS origins now disable credentials automatically, and metadata now shows absolute allowed_local_file_dirs entries.
  • Why it matters: FastAPI deployments are more predictable under real traffic, file-heavy flows, and wildcard-origin setups.

• Framework default model now uses gpt-5.4-mini instead of the SDK's gpt-4.1 by @bonk1t in #578, #580, and #591

  • What changed: Agency Swarm's framework default model is now gpt-5.4-mini rather than the SDK's gpt-4.1.
  • Why it matters: Agents that rely on framework defaults now start from the model family Agency Swarm is actually tuned and tested against.

Docs

The public docs now cover the new user_context, FastAPI, and tool streaming paths.

• Docs and examples for user_context, FastAPI, and tool streaming by @MykhailoShchuka, @ArtemShatokhin, and @bonk1t in #508, #546, and #556
  • Adds public docs for user_context and widget control, expands the FastAPI example, and adds tool streaming guidance.

Other Work

• Internal maintenance by @bonk1t in #570, #571, and #607

Tests

These changes also come with broader test coverage across the TUI, OpenClaw, FastAPI, and runtime paths.

• Quality, typing, and release hardening across TUI, OpenClaw, FastAPI, and runtime paths by @bonk1t in #542, #545, #549, #563, #575, and #576
  • Tightens coverage, typing, hosted-tool tests, OpenClaw-adjacent checks, and oversized test structure so the new runtime paths ship with broader automated coverage.

New Contributors

• @RinZ27 made their first contribution in #548

Full Changelog: v1.8.0...v1.9.0