adk-dev-guide

The ADK agent development lifecycle is a structured, phase-driven workflow encompassing Understand, Build, Evaluate, and Deploy phases. It standardizes agent construction by enforcing contract-driven creation, testing, and deployment practices across teams to maintain consistent quality.

To start building an ADK agent, read the DESIGN_SPEC.md file as your primary reference, then follow the Phase 1 to 4 workflow. This structured approach guides you sequentially through design understanding, scaffolding, coding, evaluation, and deployment.

The best way to evaluate ADK agents is following the codified guidelines within the Evaluate phase of the lifecycle. This phase mandates specific testing and validation steps to ensure contract-driven agent quality before moving to deployment.

Yes, reading DESIGN_SPEC.md is required before scaffolding an ADK agent. It serves as the centralized primary reference material, ensuring your project aligns with standardized development guidelines and troubleshooting procedures from the start.

You can use this ADK workflow for both new agent projects and ongoing development cycles. The phase-driven approach supports continuous design, coding, evaluation, and deployment updates, ensuring consistent practices throughout the agent lifecycle.