Skip to content

Tool Comparison

Jump to bottom
Rishap Gandhi edited this page May 16, 2026 · 1 revision

Tool Comparison

A comparison of AI coding tools supported by this repo.

Overview

Feature Claude Code Cursor GitHub Copilot Kiro Windsurf Gemini CLI OpenAI Codex Antigravity
Config file CLAUDE.md .cursorrules .github/copilot-instructions.md .kiro/steering/*.md .windsurfrules GEMINI.md AGENTS.md .agents/
Auto-loads context ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅
IDE Terminal VS Code fork VS Code / JetBrains Terminal VS Code fork Terminal Terminal Terminal
Multi-file edits ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅
Agentic mode ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅
Custom commands ✅ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
Free tier ❌ Limited Limited ✅ Limited ✅ ❌ ✅

Config File Details

Claude Code — CLAUDE.md

  • Placed at project root
  • Supports slash commands (/load-skill, /review, /new-endpoint)
  • Reads skills/ directory references inline
  • Best for: Terminal-first workflows, complex refactoring

Cursor — .cursorrules + .cursor/rules/*.mdc

  • .cursorrules at project root for global rules
  • .cursor/rules/ for granular, file-pattern-based rules
  • Best for: IDE-integrated development, visual diff

GitHub Copilot — .github/copilot-instructions.md

  • Single instruction file in .github/
  • Works across VS Code, JetBrains, Neovim
  • Best for: Teams already on GitHub ecosystem

Kiro — .kiro/steering/*.md + AGENTS.md

  • Steering files for structured context (product, tech, structure)
  • Also reads AGENTS.md as fallback
  • Best for: Structured project context, spec-driven development

Windsurf — .windsurfrules

  • Single file at project root
  • Similar format to Cursor rules
  • Best for: Codeium users, Cascade flows

Gemini CLI — GEMINI.md

  • Markdown file at project root
  • Best for: Google ecosystem, terminal workflows

OpenAI Codex — AGENTS.md

  • Open standard format
  • Subdirectory AGENTS.md files can override parent
  • Best for: OpenAI ecosystem, multi-agent setups

Google Antigravity — .agents/skills/*/SKILL.md

  • Skill-based directory structure
  • Also reads AGENTS.md
  • Best for: Google Cloud projects

Which Tool Should I Use?

If you want... Use
Best code understanding Claude Code
IDE integration (VS Code) Cursor or Windsurf
Team already on GitHub GitHub Copilot
Free + terminal Gemini CLI or Kiro
Multi-agent workflows OpenAI Codex
Structured specs Kiro

Key Takeaway

You don't have to choose one. This repo works with all of them simultaneously. Use whichever tool fits your current task.

Clone this wiki locally