# Session State Manual Update (/examples/agents/state-and-session/session-state-manual-update)



Session State Manual Update.

```python title="session_state_manual_update.py"
"""
Session State Manual Update
=============================

Session State Manual Update.
"""

from agno.agent import Agent
from agno.db.sqlite import SqliteDb
from agno.models.openai import OpenAIResponses
from agno.run import RunContext


def add_item(run_context: RunContext, item: str) -> str:
    """Add an item to the shopping list."""
    if run_context.session_state is None:
        run_context.session_state = {}

    run_context.session_state["shopping_list"].append(item)  # type: ignore
    return f"The shopping list is now {run_context.session_state['shopping_list']}"  # type: ignore


# Create an Agent that maintains state
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Create Agent
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
agent = Agent(
    model=OpenAIResponses(id="gpt-5-mini"),
    # Initialize the session state with an empty shopping list (this is the default session state for all users)
    session_state={"shopping_list": []},
    db=SqliteDb(db_file="tmp/agents.db"),
    tools=[add_item],
    # You can use variables from the session state in the instructions
    instructions="Current state (shopping list) is: {shopping_list}",
    markdown=True,
)

# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Run Agent
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
if __name__ == "__main__":
    # Example usage
    agent.print_response("Add milk, eggs, and bread to the shopping list", stream=True)

    current_session_state = agent.get_session_state()
    current_session_state["shopping_list"].append("chocolate")
    agent.update_session_state(current_session_state)

    agent.print_response("What's on my list?", stream=True)

    print(f"Final session state: {agent.get_session_state()}")
```

## Run the Example [#run-the-example]

<Steps>
    <Step title="Set up your virtual environment">
      <CodeBlockTabs defaultValue="Mac">
        <CodeBlockTabsList>
          <CodeBlockTabsTrigger value="Mac">
            Mac
          </CodeBlockTabsTrigger>

          <CodeBlockTabsTrigger value="Windows">
            Windows
          </CodeBlockTabsTrigger>
        </CodeBlockTabsList>

        <CodeBlockTab value="Mac">
          ```bash
          uv venv --python 3.12
          source .venv/bin/activate
          ```
        </CodeBlockTab>

        <CodeBlockTab value="Windows">
          ```bash
          uv venv --python 3.12
          .venv\Scripts\activate
          ```
        </CodeBlockTab>
      </CodeBlockTabs>
    </Step>

  <Step title="Install dependencies">
    ```bash
    uv pip install -U agno openai sqlalchemy
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Export your OpenAI API key">
    <CodeBlockTabs defaultValue="Mac/Linux">
      <CodeBlockTabsList>
        <CodeBlockTabsTrigger value="Mac/Linux">
          Mac/Linux
        </CodeBlockTabsTrigger>

        <CodeBlockTabsTrigger value="Windows">
          Windows
        </CodeBlockTabsTrigger>
      </CodeBlockTabsList>

      <CodeBlockTab value="Mac/Linux">
        ```bash
        export OPENAI_API_KEY="your_openai_api_key_here"
        ```
      </CodeBlockTab>

      <CodeBlockTab value="Windows">
        ```bash
        $Env:OPENAI_API_KEY="your_openai_api_key_here"
        ```
      </CodeBlockTab>
    </CodeBlockTabs>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run the example">
    Save the code above as `session_state_manual_update.py`, then run:

    ```bash
    python session_state_manual_update.py
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

Full source: [cookbook/02\_agents/05\_state\_and\_session/session\_state\_manual\_update.py](https://github.com/agno-agi/agno/blob/8f36eaf2d18e91afa7b327eec66a3cd3685dcb87/cookbook/02_agents/05_state_and_session/session_state_manual_update.py)