Visual Development with the Agent Builder

We already built research agents using the Agents SDK, writing code to define agent behavior, tools, and workflows. Now, we’re taking a step forward into visual development with OpenAI’s Agent Builder tool: a drag-and-drop canvas that lets us build AI agent workflows without writing a single line of code.

By the end of this lesson, you’ll understand how to create agentic workflows visually, connect different types of nodes to build logic flows, and seamlessly transition between visual development and code when needed.

Why visual development matters?

Think about the difference between writing HTML by hand and using a website builder. Both create websites, but the visual approach allows you to see your design in real-time, experiment rapidly, and collaborate with non-technical team members. Agent Builder is pretty much the same. It enables us to:

• Access a drag-and-drop interface for building agent workflows.

• See real-time visual feedback of your agent logic.

• Stage a collaboration between technical and non-technical team members.

• Use rapid prototyping and iteration.

• Export to code when there’s a need for custom functionality.

Instead of describing your agent workflow in code, we can now draw it on a canvas, see it work in real-time, and export it to code when you’re ready for production.

Let’s look at the fundamental building blocks of the Agent Builder. Understanding these concepts is crucial before you start building your first workflow.

• Canvas: The canvas is our main ...