AI Agent Frameworks Comparison 2026
A comprehensive comparison of 22+ AI coding agents from the AGENTS.md ecosystem, their features, skill support levels, and best use cases. Find the right AI assistant for your workflow.
Agent Support Comparison
| Agent | Type | Skill Support Level | Best For | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FULL SKILL SUPPORT (Native Directories) | ||||
| Claude Code | CLI | Full (~/claude/skills) | Terminal workflows, complex tasks | API usage |
| OpenCode | CLI | Full (~/.config/opencode/skills) | Open-source alternative | Free + API |
| Codex | API | Full (~/.codex/skills) | Code generation APIs | API usage |
| Cursor | IDE | Full (.skills/skills) | Full IDE experience | $20/mo Pro |
| Aider | CLI | Full (.skilz/skills) | Git-aware pair programming | Free + API |
| Windsurf | IDE | Full (.skilz/skills) | Full IDE with AI flows | Freemium |
| Zed | IDE | Full (.skilz/skills) | Fast, collaborative editing | Free + API |
| RooCode | IDE | Full (.skilz/skills) | VS Code extension ecosystem | Free |
| PROJECT-ONLY SUPPORT | ||||
| Gemini CLI | CLI | Project (--project flag) | Google ecosystem integration | API usage |
| GitHub Copilot | IDE Extension | Project (--project flag) | Code completion, VS Code | $10/mo |
| Qwen CLI | CLI | Project (--project flag) | Alibaba Cloud ecosystem | API usage |
| Kimi CLI | CLI | Project (--project flag) | Moonshot AI ecosystem | API usage |
| UNIVERSAL SUPPORT (AGENTS.md Compatible) | ||||
| Ona | CLI | Universal (--agent universal) | Research and analysis workflows | Varies |
| Amp | CLI | Universal (--agent universal) | Sourcegraph-powered coding | Varies |
| Kilo Code | CLI | Universal (--agent universal) | Large codebase navigation | Varies |
| Devin | IDE | Universal (--agent universal) | Autonomous software development | $199/mo |
| Factory | Platform | Universal (--agent universal) | AI-powered development platform | Varies |
| Jules | CLI | Universal (--agent universal) | Google AI ecosystem | API usage |
| Phoenix | CLI | Universal (--agent universal) | Experimental AI workflows | Varies |
| Goose | CLI | Universal (--agent universal) | Multi-modal AI assistance | Varies |
| Warp | Terminal | Universal (--agent universal) | AI-powered terminal experience | Freemium |
| VS Code | IDE | Universal (--agent universal) | Microsoft ecosystem integration | Free |
| Semgrep | Security | Universal (--agent universal) | Code security and analysis | Freemium |
| Autopilot | Platform | Universal (--agent universal) | UiPath automation platform | Enterprise |
Choosing the Right Agent
For Full Skill Support
Agents with Full Skill Support offer the most comprehensive integration with the SkillzWave marketplace. These agents have dedicated skill directories and provide the best experience for complex, multi-step workflows.
For Project-Level Integration
Project-Only Support agents work with skills installed
at the project level using the --project flag. Perfect for
teams that want to customize skills per-project without global installation.
For Universal Compatibility
All AGENTS.md-compatible agents can use SkillzWave skills
via the --agent universal --project command. This provides
access to the entire ecosystem regardless of the agent's native skill support.
Skill Compatibility
SkillzWave supports three levels of agent compatibility:
- Full Skill Support: Native skill directories for user-level or project-level installation
- Project-Only Support: Project-level skills via
--projectflag - Universal Support: AGENTS.md ecosystem compatibility via
--agent universal --project
# Install for native skill support agents
pip install skilz
skilz install [skill-name]
# Install for project-only or universal agents
skilz install [skill-name] --project
# Install for any AGENTS.md-compatible agent
skilz install [skill-name] --agent universal --projectFind Skills for Your Agent
Browse 37,000+ skills compatible with your preferred AI coding agent from the AGENTS.md ecosystem.
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