Framework · Coding Agents

Roo Code

Open-source VS Code AI coding agent (originally a fork of Cline) with role-based modes - Architect / Code / Ask / Debug / Orchestrator - plus MCP integration and custom-mode authoring. Extension archived 2026-05-15; vendor pivoted to Roomote (cloud agent on Slack).

Description

Roo Code was a VS Code extension that exposed a multi-role agent: Code for everyday edits, Architect for planning, Ask for explanations, Debug for tracing issues, and Orchestrator for delegating to other modes. Custom modes let teams add specialised roles. MCP servers extended the toolchain. The extension was shut down on 2026-05-15; the vendor (Roo Code Inc.) now ships Roomote, a Slack-integrated cloud engineering agent. Documentation directs former users to ZooCode or Cline as forks/alternatives.

Solution

Mode-switched tool-using loop inside VS Code. User picks (or Orchestrator picks) a mode; that mode's prompt+tool budget runs against the LLM; tool calls (file edits, exec, MCP) execute with optional approval; results return; Orchestrator may delegate further subtasks back to other modes.

Primary use cases

  • role-typed VS Code agent (Architect / Code / Ask / Debug / Orchestrator)
  • Orchestrator-mode delegation to other modes
  • custom modes for team-specific workflows
  • MCP-extended toolchain inside VS Code

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