Amp vs Roo CodeComparisonUpdated 2026-03-16
SUMMARY
Amp (CLI) uses markdown configuration while Roo Code (IDE) uses markdown. They differ on 4 of 11 compared features. Both tools provide AI-assisted development but take different approaches to project configuration.
FEATURE COMPARISON
| Feature | Amp | Roo Code |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Roo Code |
|---|---|---|
| Settings / configuration | settings.json | .roomodes |
| Project rules | .agents/checks/*.md | .roo/rules/*.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
Roo Code
.roo/rules/*.md
markdown
# Code Standards
## TypeScript
- Enable strict mode in all tsconfig files
- No `any` types — use `unknown` and narrow
- Prefer interfaces over type aliases for object shapes
## React
- Functional components only
- Use custom hooks for shared stateful logic
- Colocate component, styles, and tests
## Git
- Conventional commits (feat:, fix:, chore:, etc.)
- Keep commits atomic and focused
- Squash merge feature branches
KEY DIFFERENCES
Amp: Supported. Roo Code: Not supported.
Amp: Supported. Roo Code: Not supported.
Amp: Supported. Roo Code: Not supported.
Amp: CLI. Roo Code: Supported.
WHICH SHOULD I USE?
Choose based on your IDE/CLI preference. If you use Amp, configure AGENTS.md. If you use Roo Code, configure .roo/rules/*.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)