[FEATURE] Add a print at agent start

[Unshure]

Problem Statement

add a print statement at the start of agent invocation

Proposed Solution

No response

Use Case

na

Alternatives Solutions

No response

Additional Context

No response

[Unshure]

/strands

[github-actions]

Repository Analysis & Clarifying Questions

I've analyzed the repository structure and the agent invocation flow. Here's what I found and some questions to ensure proper implementation:

Repository Context

• Framework: Python SDK for building AI agents (Strands Agents)
• Main Agent Class: src/strands/agent/agent.py
• Invocation Entry Points:
  • Agent.__call__() - synchronous invocation
  • Agent.invoke_async() - async invocation
  • Agent.stream_async() - streaming invocation
• Existing Patterns:
  • Hooks System: BeforeInvocationEvent already fires at invocation start
  • Callback Handler: PrintingCallbackHandler handles event output
  • Logging: Structured logging with specific format conventions

Clarifying Questions

1. Output Content

What information should be printed at agent start?

• Agent name only?
• Agent name + prompt received?
• Agent ID + timestamp?
• Something else?

2. Output Mechanism

Which approach should be used?

• Direct print() statement - simplest, always visible in console
• Logging system - follows repo conventions (logger.info("agent_name=<%s> | agent invocation started", self.name))
• Callback handler - integrates with existing event system

Note: The repository has strict logging conventions (no f-strings, specific format). If using logging, it would follow the pattern: logger.info("agent_name=<%s>, agent_id=<%s> | agent invocation started", name, id)

3. Invocation Location

Which invocation methods should include this print?

• All methods (__call__, invoke_async, stream_async)?
• Only the public-facing methods?

4. Configurability

Should users be able to disable this print?

• Always print (no configuration)
• Add a constructor parameter like verbose=True
• Use logging levels (users can configure logging)

5. Use Case

What's the primary use case for this print statement?

• Debugging during development?
• User feedback in interactive sessions?
• Logging for production monitoring?

This will help determine the appropriate implementation approach.