docs: consolidate upgrade & migration guide into single page

Merge the broader root-level upgrade-crewai.mdx into the canonical
en/guides/migration/upgrading-crewai.mdx so there is one comprehensive
upgrade & migration page covering: project venv vs global CLI, why
crewai install alone won't bump versions, breaking changes, and the
Crew-to-Flow migration. Removes the orphaned root-level file (which
was not referenced in docs.json nav).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 <noreply@anthropic.com>
This commit is contained in:
iris-clawd
2026-05-07 19:14:36 +00:00
parent 853b15fb3d
commit 874c34f1da
2 changed files with 291 additions and 342 deletions

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@@ -1,9 +1,22 @@
---
title: "Upgrading CrewAI in Your Project"
description: "How to upgrade the crewai version inside your project's virtual environment — and why crewai install alone won't do it."
title: "Upgrading & Migrating CrewAI"
description: "How to upgrade CrewAI in your project, migrate around breaking changes, and move standalone Crews onto Flows."
icon: "arrow-up-circle"
---
## Overview
CrewAI moves quickly. New releases regularly tighten import paths, change defaults on `Agent`, `Crew`, and `Task`, and introduce new orchestration primitives like `Flow` and checkpointing. This guide collects the practical steps needed to:
- Upgrade the global `crewai` CLI and your project's pinned dependency
- Adapt to breaking changes in imports and parameters
- Migrate a standalone `Crew` to a typed `Flow`
- Avoid the gotchas that show up the first time you re-run an upgraded project
If you're starting fresh, see [Installation](/en/installation). If you're coming from another framework, see [Migrating from LangGraph](/en/guides/migration/migrating-from-langgraph).
---
## The Two Things You Might Want to Upgrade
CrewAI lives in two places on your machine, and they upgrade independently:
@@ -15,13 +28,14 @@ CrewAI lives in two places on your machine, and they upgrade independently:
These can — and often do — get out of sync. Running `crewai --version` tells you the CLI version. Running `uv pip show crewai` inside your project tells you the venv version. If they differ, that's normal; what matters for your running code is the venv version.
## Why `crewai install` Doesn't Upgrade
## Why `crewai install` Alone Doesn't Upgrade
`crewai install` is a thin wrapper around `uv sync`. It installs exactly what the current `uv.lock` file says — it does **not** bump any version constraints.
If your `pyproject.toml` says `crewai>=1.11.1` and the lock file resolved to `1.11.1`, running `crewai install` will keep you on `1.11.1` forever, even if `1.14.4` is available.
To actually upgrade, you need to:
1. Update the version constraint in `pyproject.toml`
2. Re-solve the lock file
3. Sync the venv
@@ -48,6 +62,22 @@ Replace `[tools]` with whatever extras your project uses (e.g. `[tools,anthropic
`uv add` updates both `pyproject.toml` **and** `uv.lock` atomically. If you edit `pyproject.toml` manually, you still need to run `uv lock --upgrade-package crewai` to re-solve the lock file before `crewai install` will pick up the new version.
</Note>
## Upgrading the Global CLI
The global CLI is separate from your project. Upgrade it with:
```bash
uv tool install crewai --upgrade
```
If your shell warns about `PATH` after the upgrade, refresh it:
```bash
uv tool update-shell
```
This does **not** touch your project's venv — you still need `uv add` + `crewai install` inside the project.
## Verify Both Are in Sync
```bash
@@ -60,22 +90,270 @@ uv pip show crewai | grep Version
They don't need to match — but your project venv version is what matters for runtime behavior.
## Common Gotchas
<Note>
CrewAI requires `Python >=3.10, <3.14`. If `uv` was installed against an older interpreter, recreate the project venv with a supported Python before running `crewai install`.
</Note>
**The constraint is a floor, not a pin.** `crewai>=1.11.1` means "any version at or above 1.11.1." uv will pick the highest compatible version when re-locking — but only if you explicitly re-lock with `uv add` or `uv lock --upgrade-package crewai`.
---
**You have a `uv.lock` file.** If you commit `uv.lock`, your teammates get the exact same versions. After bumping with `uv add`, commit the updated `uv.lock` too.
## Breaking Changes & Migration Notes
**Extras must be consistent.** If you run `uv add "crewai>=1.14.4"` without extras, uv may drop `[tools]` from the resolved set. Always include the extras you need: `uv add "crewai[tools]>=1.14.4"`.
Most upgrades only require small adjustments. The areas below are the ones that break silently or with confusing tracebacks.
**Dependency conflicts.** If uv can't resolve the new version against your other dependencies, it will tell you which package conflicts. Pin or upgrade the conflicting package explicitly.
### Import paths: tools and `BaseTool`
## Upgrading the Global CLI
The canonical import location for tools is `crewai.tools`. Older paths still surface in tutorials but should be updated.
The global CLI is separate from your project. Upgrade it with:
```python
# Before
from crewai_tools import BaseTool
from crewai.agents.tools import tool
```bash
uv tool install crewai --upgrade
# After
from crewai.tools import BaseTool, tool
```
This does **not** touch your project's venv.
The `@tool` decorator and `BaseTool` subclass both live in `crewai.tools`. `AgentFinish` and other internal-agent symbols are no longer part of the public surface — if you were importing them, switch to event listeners or `Task` callbacks instead.
### `Agent` parameter changes
```python
from crewai import Agent
agent = Agent(
role="Researcher",
goal="Find authoritative sources on {topic}",
backstory="You are a careful, source-driven researcher.",
llm="gpt-4o-mini", # string model name OR an LLM object
verbose=True, # bool, not an int level
max_iter=15, # default has changed across versions — set explicitly
allow_delegation=False,
)
```
- `llm` accepts either a string model name (resolved via the configured provider) or an `LLM` object for fine-grained control.
- `verbose` is a plain `bool`. Passing an integer no longer toggles log levels.
- `max_iter` defaults have shifted between releases. If your agent silently stops looping after the first tool call, set `max_iter` explicitly.
### `Crew` parameters
```python
from crewai import Crew, Process
crew = Crew(
agents=[...],
tasks=[...],
process=Process.sequential, # or Process.hierarchical
memory=True,
cache=True,
embedder={"provider": "openai", "config": {"model": "text-embedding-3-small"}},
)
```
- `process=Process.hierarchical` requires either `manager_llm=` or `manager_agent=`. Without one, kickoff raises at validation time.
- `memory=True` with a non-default embedding provider needs an `embedder` dict — see [Memory & embedder config](#memory-embedder-config) below.
### `Task` structured output
Use `output_pydantic`, `output_json`, or `output_file` to coerce a task's result into a typed shape:
```python
from pydantic import BaseModel
from crewai import Task
class Article(BaseModel):
title: str
body: str
write = Task(
description="Write an article about {topic}",
expected_output="A short article with a title and body",
agent=writer,
output_pydantic=Article, # the class, NOT an instance
output_file="output/article.md",
)
```
`output_pydantic` takes the **class** itself. Passing `Article(title="", body="")` is a common mistake and fails with a confusing validation error.
### Memory & embedder config
If `memory=True` and you're not using the default OpenAI embeddings, you must pass an `embedder`:
```python
crew = Crew(
agents=[...],
tasks=[...],
memory=True,
embedder={
"provider": "ollama",
"config": {"model": "nomic-embed-text"},
},
)
```
Set the relevant provider credentials (`OPENAI_API_KEY`, `OLLAMA_HOST`, etc.) in your `.env` file. Memory storage paths are project-local by default — delete the project's memory directory if you change embedders, since dimensions don't mix.
---
## Migrating a Crew to a Flow
`Crew` is the right primitive when you have a single team of agents executing one workflow. Once you need branching, multiple crews, or persistent state across runs, reach for `Flow`.
### When to use Flows vs standalone Crews
| Situation | Use |
| --- | --- |
| Single team, single linear/hierarchical workflow | `Crew` |
| Conditional branches, retries, routing on results | `Flow` |
| Multiple specialized crews chained together | `Flow` |
| State that must persist between steps or runs | `Flow` (with checkpointing) |
| You want typed, IDE-friendly state | `Flow[MyState]` with a Pydantic model |
If you only need one of: branching, multi-crew, or persistent state — start with a `Flow`. The boilerplate is small and you won't have to rewrite later.
### Step-by-step migration
**Before — standalone crew:**
```python
from crewai import Crew
crew = Crew(agents=[researcher, writer], tasks=[research_task, write_task])
result = crew.kickoff(inputs={"topic": "vector databases"})
print(result)
```
**After — crew inside a typed Flow:**
```python
from crewai.flow.flow import Flow, start, listen
from pydantic import BaseModel
class MyState(BaseModel):
input_data: str = ""
result: str = ""
class MyFlow(Flow[MyState]):
@start()
def run_crew(self):
result = MyCrew().crew().kickoff(inputs={"topic": self.state.input_data})
self.state.result = str(result)
return self.state.result
flow = MyFlow()
flow.kickoff(inputs={"input_data": "vector databases"})
```
What changed:
1. The crew is constructed inside a method, not at module load.
2. Inputs flow through `self.state` instead of being threaded as kwargs.
3. The entry point is marked with `@start()`. Subsequent steps use `@listen(run_crew)` to chain.
### Structured state setup
Prefer typed state (`Flow[MyState]`) over the untyped dict variant. You get autocompletion, validation at the boundary, and serializable state for checkpointing:
```python
from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
class ResearchState(BaseModel):
topic: str = ""
sources: list[str] = Field(default_factory=list)
draft: str = ""
final: str = ""
```
Untyped state (`Flow()` with no generic) still works, but you lose static checks and checkpointing fidelity.
### Multi-crew Flow pattern
Chaining two crews — research, then writing — is the canonical reason to adopt Flows:
```python
from crewai.flow.flow import Flow, start, listen, router
from pydantic import BaseModel
class PipelineState(BaseModel):
topic: str = ""
research: str = ""
article: str = ""
class ContentPipeline(Flow[PipelineState]):
@start()
def research(self):
out = ResearchCrew().crew().kickoff(inputs={"topic": self.state.topic})
self.state.research = str(out)
return self.state.research
@router(research)
def gate(self):
return "write" if len(self.state.research) > 200 else "abort"
@listen("write")
def write(self):
out = WritingCrew().crew().kickoff(
inputs={"topic": self.state.topic, "notes": self.state.research}
)
self.state.article = str(out)
return self.state.article
@listen("abort")
def bail(self):
self.state.article = "Insufficient research."
return self.state.article
ContentPipeline().kickoff(inputs={"topic": "vector databases"})
```
`@start()`, `@listen()`, and `@router()` are the three decorators you'll use 95% of the time. See [Flows](/en/concepts/flows) for the full reference.
---
## Common Gotchas
1. **Running `crewai install` and expecting an upgrade.** `crewai install` syncs against the existing `uv.lock`. To bump versions, run `uv add "crewai[tools]>=X.Y.Z"` first, then `crewai install`.
2. **The constraint is a floor, not a pin.** `crewai>=1.11.1` means "any version at or above 1.11.1." `uv` only re-resolves when you explicitly run `uv add` or `uv lock --upgrade-package crewai`.
3. **Extras dropped during re-lock.** If you run `uv add "crewai>=1.14.4"` without extras, `uv` may drop `[tools]` from the resolved set. Always include the extras you need: `uv add "crewai[tools]>=1.14.4"`.
4. **Forgetting to commit `uv.lock`.** After bumping with `uv add`, commit the updated `uv.lock` so teammates get the same versions.
5. **`pip install` instead of `uv tool install`.** Mixing pip-installed and uv-installed `crewai` leads to two binaries on `PATH` and confusing version skew. Pick one — the supported one is `uv`.
6. **Passing a Pydantic instance to `output_pydantic`.** It expects the class. `output_pydantic=Article`, not `output_pydantic=Article(...)`.
7. **Hierarchical process with no manager.** `process=Process.hierarchical` requires `manager_llm=` or `manager_agent=`.
8. **Memory enabled with the wrong embedder.** Switching embedders without clearing the on-disk memory directory causes dimension mismatches. Delete the project's memory store after changing providers.
9. **Dict state when you wanted typed state.** `Flow()` with no generic gives you a dict. For type checking and clean checkpointing, use `Flow[MyState]` with a `BaseModel`.
10. **Stale tool imports.** `from crewai_tools import BaseTool` works in some versions but is not the canonical path. Standardize on `from crewai.tools import BaseTool, tool`.
11. **Python version drift.** CrewAI requires `>=3.10, <3.14`. `uv` will happily build a venv against 3.14+ if it's the default; pin the Python version in `pyproject.toml`.
12. **`verbose=2` and similar integer flags.** `verbose` is a `bool`. Use event listeners for finer-grained logging.
13. **Calling `crew.kickoff()` from inside a Flow without wrapping in `inputs={}`.** Flows pass state, not kwargs. The crew still expects `inputs={...}`.
---
## Checkpointing
Checkpointing is a newer addition that persists agent, crew, and flow state between runs. It lets long-running workflows resume after a crash, a manual stop, or a deploy.
```python
crew = Crew(
agents=[...],
tasks=[...],
checkpoint=True,
)
```
The same flag is supported on `Flow` and `Agent`. State is written to the project's local store and replayed on the next `kickoff()` with the same identifier.
<Note>
Checkpointing is in early release. APIs around resume semantics, storage backends, and identifiers may still shift between minor versions — pin your `crewai` version if you depend on it in production.
</Note>
See [Checkpointing](/en/concepts/checkpointing) for the full feature reference.
---
## Getting Help
- **Changelog** — every breaking change is noted in the [release notes](/en/changelog).
- **GitHub Issues** — open one at [github.com/crewAIInc/crewAI/issues](https://github.com/crewAIInc/crewAI/issues) with a minimal repro and your `crewai --version` output.
- **Discord** — the CrewAI community Discord is the fastest path to debugging help: [community.crewai.com](https://community.crewai.com).
- **Migration guides** — if you're moving from another framework, start at [Migrating from LangGraph](/en/guides/migration/migrating-from-langgraph).

View File

@@ -1,329 +0,0 @@
---
title: "Upgrading & Migrating CrewAI"
description: How to upgrade CrewAI, migrate around breaking changes, and move standalone Crews onto Flows.
icon: arrow-up-right-dots
---
## Overview
CrewAI moves quickly. New releases regularly tighten import paths, change defaults on `Agent`, `Crew`, and `Task`, and introduce new orchestration primitives like `Flow` and checkpointing. This guide collects the practical steps needed to:
- Upgrade the `crewai` CLI and your project dependencies
- Adapt to breaking changes in imports and parameters
- Migrate a standalone `Crew` to a typed `Flow`
- Avoid the gotchas that show up the first time you re-run an upgraded project
If you're starting fresh, see [Installation](/en/installation). If you're coming from another framework, see the [migration guides](/en/guides/migration/migrating-from-langgraph).
---
## Upgrading CrewAI
CrewAI is distributed as a `uv` tool. `pip install -U crewai` works in a pinch, but the supported upgrade path is `uv`.
### 1. Check your current version
```bash
uv tool list
```
You should see a line like:
```
crewai v0.102.0
- crewai
```
### 2. Upgrade the CLI
```bash
uv tool install crewai --upgrade
```
If your shell warns about `PATH` after the upgrade, refresh it:
```bash
uv tool update-shell
```
### 3. Verify the upgrade
```bash
uv tool list
crewai --version
```
### 4. Update project dependencies
The CLI upgrade only updates the global tool. Each project pins its own `crewai` dependency in `pyproject.toml`. Inside the project directory, run:
```bash
crewai install
```
This re-syncs your project's lockfile and virtual environment against the new version. Run your tests or `crewai run` afterwards to surface any breakage early.
<Note>
CrewAI requires `Python >=3.10, <3.14`. If `uv` was installed against an older interpreter, recreate the project venv with a supported Python before running `crewai install`.
</Note>
---
## Breaking Changes & Migration Notes
Most upgrades only require small adjustments. The areas below are the ones that break silently or with confusing tracebacks.
### Import paths: tools and `BaseTool`
The canonical import location for tools is `crewai.tools`. Older paths still surface in tutorials but should be updated.
```python
# Before
from crewai_tools import BaseTool
from crewai.agents.tools import tool
# After
from crewai.tools import BaseTool, tool
```
The `@tool` decorator and `BaseTool` subclass both live in `crewai.tools`. `AgentFinish` and other internal-agent symbols are no longer part of the public surface — if you were importing them, switch to event listeners or `Task` callbacks instead.
### `Agent` parameter changes
```python
from crewai import Agent
agent = Agent(
role="Researcher",
goal="Find authoritative sources on {topic}",
backstory="You are a careful, source-driven researcher.",
llm="gpt-4o-mini", # string model name OR an LLM object
verbose=True, # bool, not an int level
max_iter=15, # default has changed across versions — set explicitly
allow_delegation=False,
)
```
- `llm` accepts either a string model name (resolved via the configured provider) or an `LLM` object for fine-grained control.
- `verbose` is a plain `bool`. Passing an integer no longer toggles log levels.
- `max_iter` defaults have shifted between releases. If your agent silently stops looping after the first tool call, set `max_iter` explicitly.
### `Crew` parameters
```python
from crewai import Crew, Process
crew = Crew(
agents=[...],
tasks=[...],
process=Process.sequential, # or Process.hierarchical
memory=True,
cache=True,
embedder={"provider": "openai", "config": {"model": "text-embedding-3-small"}},
)
```
- `process=Process.hierarchical` requires either `manager_llm=` or `manager_agent=`. Without one, kickoff raises at validation time.
- `memory=True` with a non-default embedding provider needs an `embedder` dict — see [Memory & embedder config](#memory-embedder-config) below.
### `Task` structured output
Use `output_pydantic`, `output_json`, or `output_file` to coerce a task's result into a typed shape:
```python
from pydantic import BaseModel
from crewai import Task
class Article(BaseModel):
title: str
body: str
write = Task(
description="Write an article about {topic}",
expected_output="A short article with a title and body",
agent=writer,
output_pydantic=Article, # the class, NOT an instance
output_file="output/article.md",
)
```
`output_pydantic` takes the **class** itself. Passing `Article(title="", body="")` is a common mistake and fails with a confusing validation error.
### Memory & embedder config
If `memory=True` and you're not using the default OpenAI embeddings, you must pass an `embedder`:
```python
crew = Crew(
agents=[...],
tasks=[...],
memory=True,
embedder={
"provider": "ollama",
"config": {"model": "nomic-embed-text"},
},
)
```
Set the relevant provider credentials (`OPENAI_API_KEY`, `OLLAMA_HOST`, etc.) in your `.env` file. Memory storage paths are project-local by default — delete the project's memory directory if you change embedders, since dimensions don't mix.
---
## Migrating a Crew to a Flow
`Crew` is the right primitive when you have a single team of agents executing one workflow. Once you need branching, multiple crews, or persistent state across runs, reach for `Flow`.
### When to use Flows vs standalone Crews
| Situation | Use |
| --- | --- |
| Single team, single linear/hierarchical workflow | `Crew` |
| Conditional branches, retries, routing on results | `Flow` |
| Multiple specialized crews chained together | `Flow` |
| State that must persist between steps or runs | `Flow` (with checkpointing) |
| You want typed, IDE-friendly state | `Flow[MyState]` with a Pydantic model |
If you only need one of: branching, multi-crew, or persistent state — start with a `Flow`. The boilerplate is small and you won't have to rewrite later.
### Step-by-step migration
**Before — standalone crew:**
```python
from crewai import Crew
crew = Crew(agents=[researcher, writer], tasks=[research_task, write_task])
result = crew.kickoff(inputs={"topic": "vector databases"})
print(result)
```
**After — crew inside a typed Flow:**
```python
from crewai.flow.flow import Flow, start, listen
from pydantic import BaseModel
class MyState(BaseModel):
input_data: str = ""
result: str = ""
class MyFlow(Flow[MyState]):
@start()
def run_crew(self):
result = MyCrew().crew().kickoff(inputs={"topic": self.state.input_data})
self.state.result = str(result)
return self.state.result
flow = MyFlow()
flow.kickoff(inputs={"input_data": "vector databases"})
```
What changed:
1. The crew is constructed inside a method, not at module load.
2. Inputs flow through `self.state` instead of being threaded as kwargs.
3. The entry point is marked with `@start()`. Subsequent steps use `@listen(run_crew)` to chain.
### Structured state setup
Prefer typed state (`Flow[MyState]`) over the untyped dict variant. You get autocompletion, validation at the boundary, and serializable state for checkpointing:
```python
from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
class ResearchState(BaseModel):
topic: str = ""
sources: list[str] = Field(default_factory=list)
draft: str = ""
final: str = ""
```
Untyped state (`Flow()` with no generic) still works, but you lose static checks and checkpointing fidelity.
### Multi-crew Flow pattern
Chaining two crews — research, then writing — is the canonical reason to adopt Flows:
```python
from crewai.flow.flow import Flow, start, listen, router
from pydantic import BaseModel
class PipelineState(BaseModel):
topic: str = ""
research: str = ""
article: str = ""
class ContentPipeline(Flow[PipelineState]):
@start()
def research(self):
out = ResearchCrew().crew().kickoff(inputs={"topic": self.state.topic})
self.state.research = str(out)
return self.state.research
@router(research)
def gate(self):
return "write" if len(self.state.research) > 200 else "abort"
@listen("write")
def write(self):
out = WritingCrew().crew().kickoff(
inputs={"topic": self.state.topic, "notes": self.state.research}
)
self.state.article = str(out)
return self.state.article
@listen("abort")
def bail(self):
self.state.article = "Insufficient research."
return self.state.article
ContentPipeline().kickoff(inputs={"topic": "vector databases"})
```
`@start()`, `@listen()`, and `@router()` are the three decorators you'll use 95% of the time. See [Flows](/en/concepts/flows) for the full reference.
---
## Common Gotchas
1. **`pip install` instead of `uv tool install`.** The CLI is a `uv` tool. Mixing pip-installed and uv-installed `crewai` leads to two binaries on `PATH` and confusing version skew. Pick one — the supported one is `uv`.
2. **Forgetting `crewai install` after upgrading.** The CLI upgrade is global; your project venv still pins the old version until you re-sync.
3. **Passing a Pydantic instance to `output_pydantic`.** It expects the class. `output_pydantic=Article`, not `output_pydantic=Article(...)`.
4. **Hierarchical process with no manager.** `process=Process.hierarchical` requires `manager_llm=` or `manager_agent=`.
5. **Memory enabled with the wrong embedder.** Switching embedders without clearing the on-disk memory directory causes dimension mismatches. Delete the project's memory store after changing providers.
6. **Dict state when you wanted typed state.** `Flow()` with no generic gives you a dict. For type checking and clean checkpointing, use `Flow[MyState]` with a `BaseModel`.
7. **Stale tool imports.** `from crewai_tools import BaseTool` works in some versions but is not the canonical path. Standardize on `from crewai.tools import BaseTool, tool`.
8. **Python version drift.** CrewAI requires `>=3.10, <3.14`. `uv` will happily build a venv against 3.14+ if it's the default; pin the Python version in `pyproject.toml`.
9. **`verbose=2` and similar integer flags.** `verbose` is a `bool`. Use event listeners for finer-grained logging.
10. **Calling `crew.kickoff()` from inside a Flow without wrapping in `inputs={}`.** Flows pass state, not kwargs. The crew still expects `inputs={...}`.
---
## Checkpointing
Checkpointing is a newer addition that persists agent, crew, and flow state between runs. It lets long-running workflows resume after a crash, a manual stop, or a deploy.
```python
crew = Crew(
agents=[...],
tasks=[...],
checkpoint=True,
)
```
The same flag is supported on `Flow` and `Agent`. State is written to the project's local store and replayed on the next `kickoff()` with the same identifier.
<Note>
Checkpointing is in early release. APIs around resume semantics, storage backends, and identifiers may still shift between minor versions — pin your `crewai` version if you depend on it in production.
</Note>
See [Checkpointing](/en/concepts/checkpointing) for the full feature reference.
---
## Getting Help
- **Changelog** — every breaking change is noted in the [release notes](/en/changelog).
- **GitHub Issues** — open one at [github.com/crewAIInc/crewAI/issues](https://github.com/crewAIInc/crewAI/issues) with a minimal repro and your `crewai --version` output.
- **Discord** — the CrewAI community Discord is the fastest path to debugging help: [community.crewai.com](https://community.crewai.com).
- **Migration guides** — if you're moving from another framework, start at [Migrating from LangGraph](/en/guides/migration/migrating-from-langgraph).