Amp vs GitHub CopilotComparisonUpdated 2026-03-16
SUMMARY
Amp (CLI) uses markdown configuration while GitHub Copilot (IDE) 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 | Amp | GitHub Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Config format | markdown | markdown |
| Hierarchy support | ✓ | ✓ |
| Global config | ✓ | ✗ |
| Project config | ✓ | ✓ |
| Subdirectory scoping | ✓ | ✓ |
| File inclusion / imports | ✗ | ✗ |
| Ignore file | ✗ | ✗ |
| IDE integration | CLI | ✓ |
| Schema / structure | Free-form (Markdown) | Free-form (Markdown) |
| Git committed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Encoding | UTF-8 | UTF-8 |
FILE MAPPING
| Purpose | Amp | GitHub Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Project instructions | AGENTS.md | .github/copilot-instructions.md |
SIDE-BY-SIDE CODE SAMPLES
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
GitHub Copilot
.github/copilot-instructions.md
markdown
# Copilot Instructions
## Code Style
- Use TypeScript strict mode for all new files
- Prefer functional components with hooks over class components
- Use named exports, not default exports
## Libraries
- Use date-fns for date manipulation (not moment.js)
- Use zod for runtime validation
- Prefer fetch over axios for HTTP requests
## Testing
- Write tests using Vitest
- Use Testing Library for component tests
- Aim for integration tests over unit tests
## Conventions
- Use camelCase for variables, PascalCase for components
- Prefix interfaces with I (e.g., IUserProps)
- Keep files under 300 lines; extract if longer
KEY DIFFERENCES
Amp: Supported. GitHub Copilot: Not supported.
Amp: CLI. GitHub Copilot: Supported.
WHICH SHOULD I USE?
Choose based on your IDE/CLI preference. If you use Amp, configure AGENTS.md. If you use GitHub Copilot, configure .github/copilot-instructions.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
Tool pages:
File references:
agentconfig.ing2026-03-16COMPARE(1)