An alternative to the VS Code Agents window
The Agents window is a dedicated Visual Studio Code window for agent-first work: you assign tasks, watch sessions and review the results while your editor stays open. It runs GitHub Copilot by default, with Claude and Codex harnesses as experimental options, and a session can work in its own git worktree. AgentVera is a separate desktop app that runs each agent’s own CLI in a real terminal, with flows, checks and team tools around them.
VS Code Agents window and AgentVera side by side
| Feature | VS Code Agents window | AgentVera |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Windows, macOS and Linux, in stable VS Code and Insiders; also in the browser at insiders.vscode.dev/agents. | macOS, Windows and Linux desktop app. |
| Supported agents | GitHub Copilot by default; Claude (API key or other BYOK) and Codex (ChatGPT sign-in) as experimental harnesses; BYOK models. | 18 CLI coding agents, including Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, Copilot, Cursor Agent, opencode, Amp and Aider, plus plain terminals. Each uses its own CLI install and login. |
| Open source / license | VS Code is a Microsoft product license build of Code - OSS, whose source is MIT-licensed. | Closed source. |
| Pricing model | VS Code is free. Copilot sessions use your Copilot plan, Copilot Free included, with a monthly allowance of AI credits. | Free plan with unlimited agents; Pro and Team plans are paid. |
| Git worktrees | Yes. A session can run in a new git worktree from a base branch, or directly in your folder. | Yes. Create a worktree per task from the Git panel and start an agent in it; night-shift tasks get their own worktree. You are warned when two agents edit the same file. |
| Kanban | not confirmed | Team kanban shared across your organization; hand a card to Claude, Codex or another agent and the reply lands on the card (Pro and Team). |
| Flows and pipelines between agents | Subagents for delegated work; automations run saved prompts on demand or on a schedule, and cloud automations (preview) on issue and PR events. | Flows pass one agent’s output to the next; a team view of open agents led by a manager; a parallel team that ends in one PR; staged task line; night shift (Pro and Team). |
| Acceptance checks | Agent merge (experimental) watches a pull request, addresses review feedback and failed CI, resolves conflicts and can merge. | Verify extracts acceptance criteria from your request and a separate read-only verifier checks each one after the agent’s turn; automatic code review. |
| Database manager / SSH | Remote sessions over SSH, dev tunnels or WSL; Dev Container sessions. | Database manager for PostgreSQL, MySQL/MariaDB and SQLite (Pro and Team); SSH/SFTP panel; agent SSH and database access with your rules. |
| Token savings | not confirmed | Context profiles, automatic /compact, bundled RTK output compression, automatic per-task model routing and a project map (code graph) for agents. |
| Team features | Copilot enterprise-managed settings; sessions continue on machines registered as GitHub Environments (preview). | Organizations, team kanban, client boards, AgentVera Runner on your own server, automatic account switching. |
A dash means we could not confirm the feature on VS Code Agents window’s own pages. It may exist or arrive later; check their site.
When to pick VS Code Agents window
- You already work in VS Code and want agent sessions next to your editor, with the same settings and profile.
- You use GitHub Copilot and want its sessions, cloud sessions and automations in one place.
- You want cloud automations that run on GitHub from issue and PR events, even when your computer is off.
When to pick AgentVera
- You want each agent’s own CLI in a real terminal: Claude Code and Codex with their own logins, and 16 more CLIs such as Gemini CLI, Cursor Agent, opencode and Aider.
- You want agents to hand work to each other: flows, a team view led by a manager, a parallel team that ends in one PR, night shift.
- You want acceptance checks (Verify) after each turn and a warning when two agents edit the same file.
- You want a team kanban, a database manager, an SSH/SFTP panel and automatic account switching in the same app.
Moving from VS Code Agents window to AgentVera
- Download AgentVera and open the folder you have open in VS Code as a project.
- Add Claude Code, Codex or Copilot; AgentVera starts the installed CLIs with their own logins, so no API key is needed.
- Worktrees created by Agents window sessions are ordinary git worktrees: open them from the Git panel.
- Keep VS Code as your editor: agents in AgentVera edit the same files on disk, and you review changes in VS Code or in AgentVera’s Git panel.
Questions
What is the VS Code Agents window?
A dedicated VS Code window for agent-first work, opened with the Open in Agents button, the Chat: Open Agents window command or code --agents. Its sessions are shared with the main VS Code window.
Can the VS Code Agents window run Claude Code and Codex?
It has Claude and Codex harnesses, both marked experimental: Claude with an API key or another BYOK option, Codex with your ChatGPT sign-in. AgentVera runs the Claude Code and Codex CLIs you installed, with their own subscriptions.
Is the Agents window free?
VS Code is free. Copilot sessions draw on your Copilot plan, Copilot Free included, and Claude or Codex use your own key or sign-in. AgentVera has a free plan with unlimited agents; Pro and Team are paid.
Can I use VS Code and AgentVera together?
Yes. Edit in VS Code and run agents in AgentVera on the same repository; both work with plain files, branches and worktrees.
Is AgentVera open source?
No. AgentVera is a closed-source desktop app with a free plan. The VS Code source (Code - OSS) is MIT-licensed; Microsoft’s VS Code builds ship under a Microsoft product license.
Sources
Facts about VS Code Agents window come from its own pages, checked on the date below. Products change quickly; check them for the current state.
- code.visualstudio.com: Agents window
- code.visualstudio.com: agents concepts
- code.visualstudio.com: automations
- code.visualstudio.com: set up Copilot
- code.visualstudio.com: FAQ (license)
Last checked:
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- Alternatives and comparisons
Try AgentVera next to VS Code Agents window
The free plan has unlimited agents. Open the same repository, add the CLIs you already use and compare for yourself.