Aider vs AmpComparisonUpdated 2026-03-16
SUMMARY
Aider (CLI) uses markdown configuration while Amp (CLI) uses markdown. They differ on 2 of 11 compared features. Both tools provide AI-assisted development but take different approaches to project configuration.
FEATURE COMPARISON
| Feature | Aider | Amp |
|---|---|---|
| Config format | markdown | markdown |
| Hierarchy support | ✗ | ✓ |
| Global config | ✓ | ✓ |
| Project config | ✓ | ✓ |
| Subdirectory scoping | ✓ | ✓ |
| File inclusion / imports | ✗ | ✗ |
| Ignore file | .aiderignore | ✗ |
| IDE integration | CLI | CLI |
| Schema / structure | Free-form (Markdown) | Free-form (Markdown) |
| Git committed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Encoding | UTF-8 | UTF-8 |
FILE MAPPING
| Purpose | Aider | Amp |
|---|---|---|
| Settings / configuration | .aider.conf.yml | settings.json |
| Project instructions | CONVENTIONS.md | AGENTS.md |
SIDE-BY-SIDE CODE SAMPLES
Aider
CONVENTIONS.md
markdown
# Project Conventions
## Language
- TypeScript strict mode, no `any` types
- Prefer const over let, never use var
- Use template literals over string concatenation
## Architecture
- Feature-based folder structure under src/features/
- Each feature exports through an index.ts barrel file
- Shared utilities go in src/lib/
## Error Handling
- Use Result<T, E> pattern for expected failures
- Throw only for programmer errors
- Always log errors with structured context
## Testing
- Colocate tests next to source files (*.test.ts)
- Use factories for test data, not fixtures
- Integration tests in __tests__/ directories
Amp
AGENTS.md
markdown
# Agent Instructions
## Project Context
Go microservices monorepo using Bazel for builds.
## Build & Test
- Build all: bazel build //...
- Test all: bazel test //...
- Integration tests: docker compose up -d && bazel test //integration/...
- Lint: golangci-lint run ./...
## Code Conventions
- All services follow standard layout in /cmd and /internal
- Use structured logging with slog
- Error wrapping with fmt.Errorf("op: %w", err)
- See @docs/api-style-guide.md for API conventions
## Cross-Repo References
- Shared proto definitions in sourcegraph/proto
- Common Go libraries in sourcegraph/lib
## Security
- Never log sensitive data (tokens, passwords, PII)
- All external inputs must be validated
- Use parameterized queries for database access
KEY DIFFERENCES
Aider: Not supported. Amp: Supported.
Aider: .aiderignore. Amp: Not supported.
WHICH SHOULD I USE?
Choose based on your IDE/CLI preference. If you use Aider, configure .aider.conf.yml. If you use Amp, configure AGENTS.md. Many projects include config files for multiple tools so each team member can use their preferred editor.
PORTABILITY TIP
sync-instructions.sh
bash
# Maintain a single source of truth:
cp AI-INSTRUCTIONS.md CLAUDE.md
cp AI-INSTRUCTIONS.md .cursorrules
cp AI-INSTRUCTIONS.md AGENTS.md
SEE ALSO
File references:
agentconfig.ing2026-03-16COMPARE(1)