What it does
CrewAI is a Python toolkit for building groups of AI "agents", programs that can plan and take steps on their own. You give each agent a role, such as researcher or writer, and they work together like a small team.
It has two main parts. "Crews" let agents work more freely and share tasks. "Flows" give tighter, step-by-step control over an automation. Examples in the README include writing job descriptions, planning a trip and analysing stocks.
The core framework is open source. The company behind it also sells a paid platform for managing and monitoring agents in larger organisations.
Who it's for
Developers who want to automate multi-step work with several cooperating AI agents.
Can I use it without coding?
Developers only. You install it from the command line and set up agents in Python code. New to this? Start here.
Can I run it?
- Cost
- Free, with optional paid extrasThe open-source version is free; the makers also sell a hosted or pro version.
- API key
- Not needed
Try it
Using Claude Code, Cursor or another AI coding assistant? Paste the prompt and it will walk you through the setup.New to this?
Before you install
- Only download from the official GitHub page. Copies with similar names exist for many popular projects.
- License (MIT): Very permissive: free to use, change and share, including for business.
- More on staying safe