Coding agents and IDEs

Where vibe coding actually happens. Twelve tools compared on what matters for provenance: which models they run, whether their source code is published and under which licence, whether they connect to MCP servers, and which instruction file they read from your repository.

A ring of four old keys, each with a blank paper tag, one tag orange-red

Compared 12

Tool	Form	Models	Source	MCP	Rules file it reads
Claude CodeAnthropic (also IDE, desktop and web)	CLI	Claude models, direct or through Amazon Bedrock and other cloud platforms	Proprietary	Yes	`CLAUDE.md, or AGENTS.md`
Codex CLIOpenAI	CLI	OpenAI models; built-in Ollama and LM Studio providers	Apache-2.0	Yes	`AGENTS.md`
Gemini CLIGoogle	CLI	Gemini models	Apache-2.0	Yes	`GEMINI.md (file name configurable)`
AiderAider-AI/aider on GitHub	CLI	Most LLMs, bring your key, or local through Ollama	Apache-2.0	Not documented	`CONVENTIONS.md via --read`
CursorAnysphere	IDE	Anthropic, OpenAI and Google models, plus Cursor’s own	Proprietary	Yes	`.cursor/rules, AGENTS.md`
Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)Cognition	IDE	Its own SWE models, plus third-party models	Proprietary	Yes	`.devin/rules, AGENTS.md`
ZedZed Industries	IDE	Zed-hosted, your own API key, or a local model	GPL-3.0-or-later	Yes	`.rules or AGENTS.md`
KiroAmazon Web Services (also CLI and web)	IDE	OpenAI, Anthropic and other providers	Proprietary	Yes	`.kiro/steering, AGENTS.md`
GitHub CopilotGitHub (VS Code client code is MIT)	Extension	Anthropic, OpenAI, Google and xAI models	Proprietary	Yes	`.github/copilot-instructions.md, AGENTS.md`
Clinecline/cline on GitHub (also CLI)	Extension	Any provider, or local through Ollama or LM Studio	Apache-2.0	Yes	`.clinerules/, AGENTS.md`
Continuecontinuedev/continue (repository now read-only)	Extension	Any provider, or local through Ollama	Apache-2.0	Yes	`.continue/rules`
JunieJetBrains (also an IDE plugin)	CLI	Junie default model, or your key for OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, xAI and others	Proprietary	Yes	`AGENTS.md, .junie/`

Every row checked on 2026-10-15 against the linked vendor documentation, and licences against each project’s own LICENSE file. “Proprietary” means the vendor publishes no source licence for the product. Prices are left out because they change too often to keep honest here. Features in this category change monthly: open the linked page before you rely on a row.

One rules file for every agent

Each tool has its own default file name, but most now read AGENTS.md as well. Codex, Cursor, Devin Desktop, Zed, Kiro, Junie, Cline and GitHub Copilot read it directly. Claude Code reads AGENTS.md when the repository has no CLAUDE.md, or imports it from one. Gemini CLI and Aider read it once you name it in their settings. Keep one AGENTS.md as the source of truth and point the others at it, so your conventions and disclosure rules travel with the repo. The format has no required fields: it is plain Markdown, and the file nearest to the code being edited takes precedence.

Turn rules into a skill

AGENTS.md Markdown · 14 lines Reviewed


      1# AGENTS.md
2 
3## Code
4- Plain JavaScript, no new dependencies without asking.
5- Write text with textContent, never innerHTML.
6- Every interactive element must work with a keyboard.
7 
8## Provenance
9- End commits that include generated code with:
10  Assisted-by: <tool> (<what a human checked>)
11- Never copy code from another project without its licence.
12 
13## Checks
14- Run `npm test` before proposing a commit.

A minimal shared rules file, written by the editors as an example. Plain Markdown with any headings you like; agents add it to their context as standing instructions.