Build a Safe Repository Maintenance Agent with GitHub Copilot and Microsoft Agent Framework in Python

This article provides a detailed tutorial on building a safe repository maintenance agent in Python, mirroring a previous .NET implementation. It uses the GitHub Copilot harness and Microsoft Agent Framework to create an async CLI application that inspects a local repository, proposes minimal repairs, runs tests, and reports results—all with explicit user approval for every write and shell command. The guide covers prerequisites (Python 3.11+, GitHub Copilot subscription), package setup, and the agent's safety policy, including working only within the repo, reading AGENTS.md, avoiding network/package operations, and running focused validation. The included fixture uses a JavaScript function to demonstrate language-neutral maintenance. The article emphasizes identical safety boundaries across language implementations and provides a link to the complete code repository.