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msd-core/docs/reference/host-integration-capability-matrix.md
Tom Boucher 69b309e4e0 feat(#1925): add ZCode (Z.ai) as a pluggable runtime descriptor 
Add ZCode as a first-party runtime via a declarative capability descriptor
(capabilities/zcode/capability.json) with zero hardcoded runtime === 'zcode'
branches — exercising the de-hardcoded, data-driven runtime path that 1.7.0
(ADR-1016 / ADR-1239) enables.

Descriptor (all axes sourced verbatim from zcode.z.ai docs):
- configHome ~/.zcode; nested skills + flat commands/agents; profile-marker install
- Claude-shaped skill format reuses convertClaudeCommandToClaudeSkill (no new converter)
- hostIntegration: declarative / slash-file / mcp / electron; dispatch background=false
  (foreground-only per docs); nested+maxDepth undocumented; passive model mode

Installer registration (data, not branches): --zcode flag, allRuntimes, runtimeMap,
interactive menu, --all list. getGlobalConfigDir + resolveRuntimeArtifactLayout +
ALLOWED_CONFIG_RUNTIMES + resolveInstallPlan all derive from the descriptor.

Revamped the brittle per-runtime golden-master tests to be count-agnostic,
descriptor-derived property tests (1.7.0 makes runtimes pluggable data, so pinning
frozen '15 runtime' snapshots is the wrong invariant): getdirname, label-policy,
config-adapter-registry (intent + install-plan golden master), capability-registry,
host-integration-descriptors (counts derive from curated maps). Adding a runtime
descriptor now extends coverage with zero edits to those suites.

Welcome banner, --zcode help, supported-runtimes how-to, and the host-integration
capability matrix (every axis cited) updated.
2026-07-06 08:31:51 -04:00

60 KiB
Raw Blame History

Host Integration Capability Matrix

This document is the maintainer-facing source of truth for the hostIntegration block in every capabilities/<cli>/capability.json runtime descriptor. Every per-CLI axis value is either:

  • documented — backed by a cited authoritative source and evidence quote, or
  • undocumented — the explicit fail-closed sentinel used when the CLI's public documentation does not state a value for that axis. undocumented validates in the registry but never propagates into effective axes: negotiation degrades closed to the safe default.

Values are generated from per-CLI documentation research (Context7 + official docs). They are consumed verbatim by gen:capability-registry and validated by capability-validator.cjs.

Axes legend

Axis Meaning
embeddingMode Whether the CLI exposes an in-process programmatic API (imperative) or integrates purely through configuration files (declarative).
commandSurface How slash commands are registered: slash-file (markdown), slash-toml (TOML), slash-programmatic (code API), palette, prose-only.
modelMode Whether extensions can programmatically request or supply a model (active) or select only by config (passive).
hookBus Who owns the hook lifecycle: host (the CLI fires hooks), engine (VS Code/Electron extension host), none.
stateIO Filesystem access model: filesystem (full local FS), sandboxed-storage, session-log-append.
transport Integration transport: mcp (Model Context Protocol), native-extension.
runtime Plugin/extension execution runtime: node, bun, python, go, rust, electron, sandboxed-web, other.

dispatch sub-axes

Sub-axis Meaning
namedDispatch Whether agents can be invoked by name (true/false/undocumented).
nested Whether subagents can themselves spawn subagents (true/false/undocumented).
maxDepth Maximum nesting depth (integer; -1 = unbounded; undocumented).
background Whether subagents can run asynchronously in the background (true/false/undocumented).
subagentToolkit Tool surface available to subagents: full, read-only, or undocumented.
backgroundDispatch Whether a BACKGROUND-dispatched sub-agent can itself spawn further named sub-agents — the #853 discriminator (true/false/undocumented).

Interface points

Point Meaning
command Slash-command routing and invocation capability.
dispatch Subagent/multi-agent dispatch capability.
model Programmatic model selection capability.
hooks Lifecycle hook registration capability.
state Filesystem/state I/O capability.
artifact Artifact delivery (skills, commands) surface capability.

claude

Axis Value Source Evidence
embeddingMode imperative https://code.claude.com/docs/en/agent-sdk/overview "The Agent SDK offers hooks to execute custom code at critical points within the agent's lifecycle. These callback functions enable developer"
commandSurface slash-file https://code.claude.com/docs/en/agent-sdk/slash-commands "Each custom command is a markdown file where the filename (without the .md extension) becomes the command name. The file content defines w"
modelMode passive https://code.claude.com/docs/en/agent-sdk/typescript "setModel(model?: string): Changes the model (only available in streaming input mode) ... model overrides the default model for this subagent"
hookBus host https://code.claude.com/docs/en/agent-sdk/python "HookEvent = Literal['PreToolUse', 'PostToolUse', 'PostToolUseFailure', 'UserPromptSubmit', 'Stop', 'SubagentStop', 'PreCompact', 'Notificati"
stateIO filesystem https://code.claude.com/docs/en/sandboxing "The sandboxed Bash tool restricts file system access, granting read and write access to the current working directory and session temp direc"
transport mcp https://code.claude.com/docs/en/mcp "Project-Scoped MCP Server Configuration in .mcp.json ... This JSON structure illustrates the format for a project-scoped MCP server configur"
runtime node https://code.claude.com/docs/en/agent-sdk/typescript "import { query } from "@anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk"; ... pathToClaudeCodeExecutable (string) - Specifies the path to the Claude Code CLI"
dispatch.namedDispatch true https://code.claude.com/docs/en/agent-sdk/subagents "agents: { 'code-reviewer': AgentDefinition({ description: 'Expert code reviewer.', ... }) } ... subagent_type: block.inp"
dispatch.nested true https://code.claude.com/docs/en/sub-agents "As of Claude Code v2.1.172, a subagent can spawn its own subagents, allowing delegated tasks to split into parallel subt"
dispatch.maxDepth 5 https://code.claude.com/docs/en/sub-agents "foreground subagents can spawn at any depth, blocking their parent until completion. Background subagents are limited to"
dispatch.background true https://code.claude.com/docs/en/sub-agents "Subagents can run in the foreground, blocking the main conversation and passing permission prompts to you, or in the bac"
dispatch.subagentToolkit full https://code.claude.com/docs/en/sub-agents "If all tools remain selected, the subagent inherits all tools available to the main conversation."
dispatch.backgroundDispatch false https://code.claude.com/docs/en/sub-agents "Background subagents are limited to a depth of five and cannot spawn further, "

Sources consulted:

codex

Note: ADR-1239's host matrix lists Codex as prose-only; current OpenAI Codex dev docs document slash-commands, so commandSurface is slash-file here (docs are the source of truth).

Axis Value Source Evidence
embeddingMode declarative https://developers.openai.com/codex/plugins/build "No in-process programmatic API exists. Plugins integrate through: External command execution (hooks), MCP server processes, Configuration fi"
commandSurface slash-file https://github.com/openai/codex/blob/main/codex-rs/core-skills/src/loader.rs "const SKILLS_FILENAME: &str = "SKILL.md"; ... Each skill is a folder with a SKILL.md file containing YAML frontmatter with name and descript"
modelMode passive https://github.com/openai/codex/blob/main/codex-rs/config/src/config_toml.rs "pub model_provider: Option ... model is selected by config field; no programmatic model request API"
hookBus host https://github.com/openai/codex/blob/main/codex/codex-rs/hooks/src/lib.rs "pub const HOOK_EVENT_NAMES: [&str; 10] = ["PreToolUse", "PermissionRequest", "PostToolUse", "PreCompact", "PostCompact", "SessionStart", "Us"
stateIO filesystem https://developers.openai.com/codex/concepts/sandboxing "workspace-write: The default mode allowing Codex to read files, edit within the workspace, and run routine local commands inside that bounda"
transport mcp https://github.com/openai/codex/blob/main/codex-rs/config/src/config_toml.rs "pub mcp_servers: HashMap<String, McpServerConfig> ... Definition for MCP servers that Codex can reach out to for tool calls."
runtime node https://github.com/openai/codex/blob/main/codex-cli/package.json ""engines": {"node": ">=16"} ... The npm-distributed CLI wrapper is a Node.js script (#!/usr/bin/env node)"
dispatch.namedDispatch true https://github.com/openai/codex/blob/main/codex-rs/core/src/tools/handlers/multi_agents_spec.rs ""agent_type".to_string(), JsonSchema::string(Some(agent_type_description.to_string())) ... apply_role_to_config(&mut con"
dispatch.nested true https://developers.openai.com/codex/multi-agent "agents.max_depth defaults to 1, which allows a direct child agent to spawn but prevents deeper nesting."
dispatch.maxDepth 1 https://developers.openai.com/codex/config-reference "agents.max_depth: Maximum nesting depth allowed for spawned agent threads (root sessions start at depth 0; default: 1)"
dispatch.background true https://github.com/openai/codex/blob/main/codex-rs/core/src/tools/handlers/multi_agents_spec.rs "spawn_agent returns the spawned agent id immediately; a separate wait_agent tool polls for final status."
dispatch.subagentToolkit full https://developers.openai.com/codex/multi-agent "Subagents inherit the sandbox policy and tool surface from the parent session."
dispatch.backgroundDispatch true https://github.com/openai/codex/blob/main/codex-rs/core/templates/collab/experimental_prompt.md "Sub-agents have access to the same set of tools as you do so you must tell them if they are allowed to spawn sub-agents themselves or not." The config (codex-rs/config/src/config_toml.rs) exposes an

Sources consulted:

Documentation gaps:

  • dispatch.maxDepth is configurable (Option with no documented upper bound); the documented default is 1 but the actual enforced maximum is not stated.
  • dispatch.subagentToolkit: docs say subagents 'inherit the tool surface' but do not enumerate whether any tools are excluded.
  • runtime: the Node.js entry point is a thin launcher shim; the actual agent execution runtime is a compiled Rust binary — axis classification is ambiguous.

opencode

Axis Value Source Evidence
embeddingMode imperative https://opencode.ai/docs/plugins "Plugins are JavaScript/TypeScript modules that export plugin functions; they register hooks via `import type { Plugin } from '@opencode-ai/p'"
commandSurface slash-file https://opencode.ai/docs/commands ""Create markdown files in the commands/ directory to define custom commands." and "The markdown file name becomes the command name."
modelMode active /anomalyco/opencode (Context7) — packages/plugin/src/v2/promise/README.md "ctx.aisdk.sdk(async (event) => { ... event.sdk = mod.createXai(event.options) }) and `ctx.aisdk.language((event) => { ... event.language ="
hookBus host https://opencode.ai/docs/plugins "Host fires events including: tool.execute.before, tool.execute.after, session.created, session.compacted, session.deleted"
stateIO filesystem https://opencode.ai/docs/plugins "Plugin context includes directory (working directory path), worktree (git worktree path), and $ ("Bun's shell API")"
transport mcp https://opencode.ai/docs/mcp-servers ""OpenCode supports both local and remote servers." and "Once added, MCP tools are automatically available to the LLM""
runtime bun https://opencode.ai/docs/plugins ""$": Bun's shell API for executing commands" (plugin context property); "OpenCode runs bun install at startup""
dispatch.namedDispatch true https://opencode.ai/docs/agents ""Subagents can be invoked: Automatically by primary agents for specialized tasks based on their descriptions. Manually b"
dispatch.nested undocumented no authoritative doc — searched: https://opencode.ai/docs/agents —
dispatch.maxDepth undocumented no authoritative doc — searched: https://opencode.ai/docs/agents —
dispatch.background false https://github.com/sst/opencode/issues/5887 ""Currently, sub-agent delegation in opencode appears to be synchronous or modal... There is no native 'fire-and-forget'"
dispatch.subagentToolkit full https://opencode.ai/docs/agents "The 'general' subagent "Has full tool access (except todo), so it can make file changes when needed.""
dispatch.backgroundDispatch undocumented no authoritative doc — https://github.com/anomalyco/opencode/issues/18100 and https://github.com/anomalyco/opencode/blob/dev/opencode/packages/opencode/src/tool/task.ts Opencode supports background task dispatch via the Task tool's background: true parameter but whether a background-spawned agent can itself spawn further sub-agents is not documented.

Sources consulted:

Documentation gaps:

  • dispatch.nested
  • dispatch.maxDepth

cursor

Axis Value Source Evidence
embeddingMode imperative https://cursor.com/docs/sdk/typescript "local.customTools where you define tool functions that execute 'in your process, so it can reach anything your code can'; Agent.create()"
commandSurface slash-file https://cursor.com/docs/enterprise/llm-safety-and-controls "Commands are reusable prompts invoked via slash commands (e.g., /test), while workflows enable multi-step processes"
modelMode passive https://cursor.com/docs/sdk/python "The model used for a run can be overridden by passing a ModelSelection object in SendOptions to agent.send()."
hookBus host https://cursor.com/docs/hooks "Agent hooks: sessionStart, sessionEnd, preToolUse, postToolUse, subagentStart, subagentStop, beforeShellExecution, afterShellExecution"
stateIO filesystem https://cursor.com/docs/reference/sandbox "Local agents run with sandbox options disabled by default."
transport mcp https://cursor.com/docs/mcp "The Model Context Protocol (MCP) allows Cursor to connect to external tools and data sources."
runtime node https://cursor.com/docs/sdk/typescript "The SDK runs on Node.js. It requires Node.js 22.13 or later and is described as a Node-first package."
dispatch.namedDispatch true https://cursor.com/docs/subagents "Invoke specific subagents using slash commands in your prompt. This allows for direct control over which agent performs"
dispatch.nested true https://cursor.com/docs/sdk/typescript "The top-level agent and its direct subagents can launch subagents, but a subagent launched by another subagent can't lau"
dispatch.maxDepth 2 https://cursor.com/docs/sdk/typescript "The top-level agent and its direct subagents can launch subagents, but a subagent launched by another subagent can't lau"
dispatch.background true https://cursor.com/docs/subagents "Background, which returns immediately while the subagent works independently, best for long-running tasks or parallel wo"
dispatch.subagentToolkit full https://cursor.com/docs/subagents "Subagents can utilize MCP tools, inheriting all tools available to their parent agent, including those from configured s"
dispatch.backgroundDispatch true https://cursor.com/docs/subagents (FAQ: Can subagents launch other subagents?) and https://cursor.com/docs/sdk/typescript (Subagents > Nested subagents) FAQ: "As of Cursor 2.5, subagents have the capability to launch child subagents, enabling the creation of a hierarchical structure for coordinated tasks. This nested launching functionality requires T

Sources consulted:

cline

Axis Value Source Evidence
embeddingMode imperative /cline/cline (Context7) — https://github.com/cline/cline/blob/main/docs/sdk/plugins.mdx "Implement the AgentPlugin interface to register tools, hooks, and configuration. The setup function is used for registering capabilities."
commandSurface slash-file /cline/cline (Context7) — https://github.com/cline/cline/blob/main/cline/apps/vscode/src/test/slash-commands.test.ts "workflow markdown files (with .md, .markdown, or .txt extensions) are invoked as slash commands using their filename."
modelMode active /cline/cline (Context7) — https://github.com/cline/cline/blob/main/sdk/packages/llms/README.md "The Runtime API, accessible via createLlmsRuntime(...), allows for the creation of a registry that manages configured providers and their de"
hookBus host /cline/cline (Context7) — https://github.com/cline/cline/blob/main/sdk/README.md "Package agent capabilities as extensions (plugins) that can register tools, observe lifecycle events, and modify agent behavior."
stateIO filesystem /cline/cline (Context7) — https://github.com/cline/cline/blob/main/cline/sdk/packages/shared/src/storage/paths.ts "resolveClineDir() returns ~/.cline; resolveDocumentsExtensionPath('Workflows') returns ~/Documents/Cline/Workflows."
transport mcp /cline/cline (Context7) — https://github.com/cline/cline/blob/main/docs/mcp/mcp-overview.mdx "MCP (Model Context Protocol) enables Cline to interact with external tools and data sources"
runtime node /cline/cline (Context7) — https://github.com/cline/cline/blob/main/sdk/examples/plugins/typescript-lsp/README.md "Installs a portable subagent plugin ... cp examples/plugins/agents-squad/index.ts ~/.cline/plugins/portable-subagents.ts."
dispatch.namedDispatch true /cline/cline (Context7) — https://github.com/cline/cline/blob/main/sdk/examples/plugins/agents-squad/README.md "parent → start_subagent(preset: "phantom", task: "Map the auth module") → phantom: save_handoff(...)"
dispatch.nested false /cline/cline (Context7) — https://github.com/cline/cline/blob/main/docs/features/subagents.mdx "subagents are restricted from editing files, using the browser, accessing MCP servers, or creating nested subagents."
dispatch.maxDepth 1 /cline/cline (Context7) — https://github.com/cline/cline/blob/main/docs/features/subagents.mdx "They are explicitly prohibited from ... spawning other subagents."
dispatch.background true /cline/cline (Context7) — https://github.com/cline/cline/blob/main/docs/features/subagents.mdx "Commands executed by subagents run in the background and are strictly limited to read-only operations"
dispatch.subagentToolkit read-only /cline/cline (Context7) — https://github.com/cline/cline/blob/main/docs/features/subagents.mdx "Subagents are equipped with tools for read-only operations, including reading file contents (read_file), listing directo"
dispatch.backgroundDispatch false https://docs.cline.bot/features/subagents (mirrored at https://github.com/cline/cline/blob/main/docs/features/subagents.mdx) "They cannot edit files, use the browser, or spawn nested subagents" — and from the GitHub source: "subagents are restricted from editing files, using the browser, accessing MCP servers, or creating n

Sources consulted:

hermes

Axis Value Source Evidence
embeddingMode imperative https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/guides/build-a-hermes-plugin "ctx.register_tool() puts your tool in the registry — the model sees it immediately"
commandSurface slash-programmatic https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/guides/build-a-hermes-plugin "ctx.register_command('mystatus', handler=_handle_status, description='Show plugin status') — The command appears in autocomplete, /help output"
modelMode active https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/guides/build-a-hermes-plugin "register_provider(ProviderProfile(name=..., aliases=(...), display_name=..., env_vars=(...), base_url=..., auth_type=..., default_aux_model="
hookBus host https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/hooks "Hermes owns and manages the entire hook infrastructure. At runtime, HookRegistry.discover_and_load() scans ~/.hermes/hooks/"
stateIO filesystem https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/configuration "The agent has the same filesystem access as your user account."
transport mcp https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/mcp "MCP support ships with the standard install — no extra step needed."
runtime python Context7 /nousresearch/hermes-agent "The plugin and agent runtime is Python (confirmed by register(ctx) in init.py, importlib.import_module, run_agent.py, tools/registry.py)"
dispatch.namedDispatch false https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/delegation "The documentation contains no mention of named agents. Subagents are identified only by role ('leaf' or 'orchestrator')"
dispatch.nested true /nousresearch/hermes-agent (Context7) — configuration.md "max_spawn_depth: 1 — Delegation tree depth cap (1-3, clamped). 1 = flat (default): parent spawns leaves that cannot dele"
dispatch.maxDepth 1 /nousresearch/hermes-agent (Context7) — configuration.md "max_spawn_depth: 1 # Delegation tree depth cap (1-3, clamped). 1 = flat (default): parent spawns leaves that cannot dele"
dispatch.background true https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/releases/tag/v2026.6.19 "delegate_task(background=true) dispatches a subagent that runs in the background and returns a handle immediately"
dispatch.subagentToolkit read-only https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/guides/delegation-patterns "Nested delegation is opt-in; by default, leaf subagents cannot call delegate_task, clarify, memory, send_message, or exe"
dispatch.backgroundDispatch false https://github.com/nousresearch/hermes-agent/blob/main/website/docs/user-guide/features/delegation.md (via Context7 query of /nousresearch/hermes-agent) "Nested delegation is an opt-in feature, requiring role="orchestrator" for children and an increased max_spawn_depth from its default of 1. It can also be globally disabled with orchestrator_enabled

Sources consulted:

Documentation gaps:

  • runtime — Hermes plugins and agent core run in Python, but this was confirmed by code inspection rather than explicit docs statement.
  • dispatch.namedDispatch — docs explicitly confirm no named-agent dispatch in delegate_task; Kanban has named profiles but that is a separate board system not a dispatch mechanism.

antigravity

Axis Value Source Evidence
embeddingMode declarative https://github.com/alphaperseii3000/google-antigravity-docs/blob/master/google-antigravity-docs.md "Skills require a SKILL.md file; Workflows are saved as markdown files; Rules are manually defined constraints — all configuration-file-based"
commandSurface slash-file https://github.com/alphaperseii3000/google-antigravity-docs/blob/master/google-antigravity-docs.md "Workflows are saved as markdown files, providing a repeatable method for executing key processes. They can be invoked in the Agent using a s"
modelMode passive https://dev.to/arindam_1729/antigravity-cli-a-hands-on-guide-to-googles-terminal-coding-agent-5bc7 "Selection occurs via -m flag or /model command inside the TUI. No programmatic model request API is documented for extensions/skills"
hookBus host https://www.aibuilderclub.com/blog/antigravity-cli-guide "The CLI fires hooks, not the engine. These are JSON lifecycle interceptors (before tool call, after file edit, on session start)."
stateIO filesystem https://www.explainx.ai/blog/antigravity-cli-features-sandbox-plugins-subagents-2026 "Plugin staging at ~/.gemini/antigravity-cli/plugins//; skills at ~/.gemini/antigravity-cli/skills/"
transport mcp https://dev.to/arindam_1729/antigravity-cli-a-hands-on-guide-to-googles-terminal-coding-agent-5bc7 "Both local (stdio) and remote (HTTP) Model Context Protocol servers are supported"
runtime go https://developers.googleblog.com/an-important-update-transitioning-gemini-cli-to-antigravity-cli/ "Built in Go, Antigravity CLI is snappier and more responsive."
dispatch.namedDispatch undocumented no authoritative doc — searched: https://www.aibuilderclub.com/blog/antigravity-cli-guide, https://antigravity.google/docs/agents —
dispatch.nested undocumented no authoritative doc — searched: https://antigravity.google/docs/agents —
dispatch.maxDepth undocumented no authoritative doc — searched: https://antigravity.google/docs/agents —
dispatch.background true https://developers.googleblog.com/an-important-update-transitioning-gemini-cli-to-antigravity-cli/ "Antigravity CLI orchestrates multiple agents for complex tasks in the background"
dispatch.subagentToolkit undocumented no authoritative doc — searched: https://www.explainx.ai/blog/antigravity-cli-features-sandbox-plugins-subagents-2026 —
dispatch.backgroundDispatch undocumented no authoritative doc — Multiple sources consulted: antigravity.google/docs/cli-subagents (returned blank/JS-rendered), antigravity.google/docs/agent (blank), github.com/google-antigravity/antigravity-cli README, Context7 /google-antigravity/antigravity-cli All documentation consulted describes a two-level orchestrator→subagent architecture. Background subagents run asynchronously while the main agent continues accepting prompts. The DataCamp tutorial st

Sources consulted:

Documentation gaps:

  • dispatch.namedDispatch — docs describe dynamic plain-English goal dispatch where agent names subagents at runtime; no pre-registered named sub-agent API documented.
  • dispatch.nested — no documentation found on whether subagents can themselves spawn further subagents.
  • dispatch.maxDepth — no documented depth limit or explicit unbounded statement found.
  • dispatch.subagentToolkit — docs describe a permissions approval model but do not explicitly state 'full' vs 'read-only' toolkit scope for subagents.

augment

Axis Value Source Evidence
embeddingMode declarative https://docs.augmentcode.com/cli/plugins "Plugins can provide several types of components, including Custom Commands defined in Markdown files within the commands/ directory... Hoo"
commandSurface slash-file https://docs.augmentcode.com/cli/plugins "Slash commands are Markdown files in the commands/ directory. The filename becomes the command name"
modelMode passive https://docs.augmentcode.com/cli/subagents "
hookBus host https://docs.augmentcode.com/cli/hooks "Hook event types: PreToolUse (before a tool executes), PostToolUse (immediately after a tool completes), Stop (when the agent stops respondi"
stateIO filesystem https://github.com/augmentcode/auggie "Node.js 22+ required. Hook configurations use ${AUGMENT_PLUGIN_ROOT}"
transport mcp https://docs.augmentcode.com/cli/plugins "Auggie supports a plugin system that allows you to extend its functionality with... MCP server integrations."
runtime node https://github.com/augmentcode/auggie "Node.js 22+ required"
dispatch.namedDispatch true https://docs.augmentcode.com/cli/subagents "
dispatch.nested undocumented no authoritative doc — searched: https://docs.augmentcode.com/cli/subagents —
dispatch.maxDepth undocumented no authoritative doc — searched: https://docs.augmentcode.com/cli/subagents —
dispatch.background true https://docs.augmentcode.com/cli/subagents "Subagents run in parallel with other subagents... will show a summary of their current progress in the main thread."
dispatch.subagentToolkit full https://docs.augmentcode.com/cli/subagents "If neither [tools nor disabled_tools] is specified, the subagent has access to all tools (default behavior)."
dispatch.backgroundDispatch undocumented no authoritative doc — https://docs.augmentcode.com/cosmos/automations The Augment Code (Cosmos) docs describe workers as 'sub-agents launched mid-session by a manager Expert using the worker-launch command. Each worker is its own session with its own messages and permis

Sources consulted:

Documentation gaps:

  • dispatch.nested
  • dispatch.maxDepth

qwen

Axis Value Source Evidence
embeddingMode imperative https://qwenlm.github.io/qwen-code-docs/en/developers/channel-plugins "Your entry point exports a ChannelPlugin object... this.registerCommand('mycommand', async (envelope, args) => { ... }); ... plugins load at startup as extensions."
commandSurface slash-file https://qwenlm.github.io/qwen-code-docs/en/users/extension/introduction "Extensions can provide custom commands by placing Markdown files in a commands/ subdirectory"
modelMode passive https://qwenlm.github.io/qwen-code-docs/en/developers/channel-plugins "The documentation does not expose a direct API for plugins to invoke the LLM or model directly."
hookBus host https://qwenlm.github.io/qwen-code-docs/en/users/features/hooks "Qwen Code provides 14 distinct hook events: PreToolUse, PostToolUse, PostToolUseFailure, UserPromptSubmit, SessionStart, SessionEnd, Stop"
stateIO filesystem https://qwenlm.github.io/qwen-code-docs/en/developers/channel-plugins "Runtime Environment: Node.js only. The architecture uses standard Node.js APIs: import, async/await, file I/O (writeFileSync), OS utilities"
transport mcp https://qwenlm.github.io/qwen-code-docs/en/developers/tools/mcp-server "Qwen Code integrates with MCP servers through a sophisticated discovery and execution system"
runtime node https://qwenlm.github.io/qwen-code-docs/en/developers/channel-plugins "Language: Node.js (TypeScript/JavaScript). Execution model: In-process — plugins load at startup as extensions."
dispatch.namedDispatch true https://qwenlm.github.io/qwen-code-docs/en/users/features/sub-agents/ "Named subagents are invoked when the AI identifies tasks matching their specialization... Users can also explicitly requ"
dispatch.nested false https://qwenlm.github.io/qwen-code-docs/en/users/features/sub-agents/ "Fork children cannot create further forks. This is enforced at runtime — if a fork attempts to spawn another fork, it re"
dispatch.maxDepth 1 https://qwenlm.github.io/qwen-code-docs/en/users/features/sub-agents/ "Fork children cannot create further forks. This is enforced at runtime"
dispatch.background true https://qwenlm.github.io/qwen-code-docs/en/users/features/sub-agents/ "Runs in background, parent continues immediately... Forks run parallel to the parent; the main conversation continues im"
dispatch.subagentToolkit full https://qwenlm.github.io/qwen-code-docs/en/users/features/sub-agents/ "When omitted, the subagent inherits all available tools from the parent session."
dispatch.backgroundDispatch false https://qwenlm.github.io/qwen-code-docs/en/users/features/sub-agents/ (official Qwen Code documentation, 'Subagents' user guide page) and https://qwenlm.github.io/qwen-code-docs/en/design/fork-subagent/fork-subagent-design (Qwen Code fork-subagent design document, section '4. Recursive Fork Prevention') The official user-facing Qwen Code docs state verbatim: "Fork children cannot create further forks. If a fork attempts spawning another fork, it receives an error instructing direct task execution ins

Sources consulted:

Documentation gaps:

  • dispatch.nested — docs only restrict fork-type sub-agents from nesting; whether named sub-agents can themselves spawn named sub-agents is not stated.
  • dispatch.maxDepth — depth=1 is documented only for fork sub-agents; depth for named sub-agent chains is undocumented.

codebuddy

Axis Value Source Evidence
embeddingMode declarative https://www.codebuddy.ai/docs/cli/plugins-reference "Commands are 'plain Markdown file[s]' located in commands/ by default ... a skill is a directory containing a SKILL.md ... The documentation"
commandSurface slash-file https://www.codebuddy.ai/docs/cli/plugins-reference "Commands are 'plain Markdown file[s]' located in commands/ by default ... Skills are prefixed with this (e.g., /my-first-plugin:hello)"
modelMode passive https://www.codebuddy.ai/docs/cli/sdk "The SDK is not for building plugins that run inside CodeBuddy. It's an external SDK for standalone applications"
hookBus host https://www.codebuddy.ai/docs/cli/hooks "Full support for the hook event family (27+ events), covering tool lifecycle (PreToolUse / PostToolUse / PostToolUseFailure)"
stateIO filesystem https://www.codebuddy.ai/docs/cli/settings "Storage operates in non-sandboxed mode by default ... Default: Full filesystem access governed by permission rules"
transport mcp https://www.codebuddy.ai/docs/cli/cli-reference "MCP (Model Context Protocol) is built-in as a core feature ... codebuddy mcp command to 'Configure Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers'"
runtime node https://www.codebuddy.ai/docs/cli/sdk "TypeScript/JavaScript: Node.js >= 18.20 ... npm install @tencent-ai/agent-sdk"
dispatch.namedDispatch true https://www.codebuddy.ai/docs/cli/sub-agents "Sub-agents can be invoked explicitly by name: 'Request a specific sub-agent by mentioning it in your command'"
dispatch.nested false https://www.codebuddy.ai/docs/cli/sub-agents "This prevents infinite nesting of agents (sub-agents cannot spawn other sub-agents)"
dispatch.maxDepth 1 https://www.codebuddy.ai/docs/cli/sub-agents "The architecture enforces exactly one level of nesting — only the main CodeBuddy Code instance can invoke sub-agents."
dispatch.background true https://www.codebuddy.ai/docs/cli/sub-agents "Launch a background agent using the run_in_background: true parameter ... Tasks return immediately with an ID"
dispatch.subagentToolkit full https://www.codebuddy.ai/docs/cli/sub-agents "By default, sub-agents inherit all tools when the tools field is omitted ... Sub-agents can access MCP tools from config"
dispatch.backgroundDispatch false https://www.codebuddy.ai/docs/cli/sub-agents "This prevents infinite nesting of agents (sub-agents cannot spawn other sub-agents)" — the restriction is stated as universal in the Sub-Agents documentation page. The daemon/background docs (https:/

Sources consulted:

copilot

Axis Value Source Evidence
embeddingMode declarative https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/agents/copilot-cli/comparing-cli-features "Declarative elements include custom instructions, skills, custom agents, and plugin configurations—all defined through configuration files"
commandSurface slash-file https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/agents/copilot-cli/comparing-cli-features "Skills: Markdown files with instructions for specific contexts. Users can invoke via slash commands (e.g., /Markdown-Checker check README.md)"
modelMode passive https://github.com/github/copilot-sdk/blob/main/docs/auth/byok.md "Model selection via config: model: 'gpt-4.1', provider: { type: 'openai', ... }."
hookBus host https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/reference/hooks-reference "Hooks allow you to extend and customize the behavior of GitHub Copilot agents by executing custom shell commands at key points during agent"
stateIO filesystem https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/how-tos/copilot-cli/customize-copilot/add-mcp-servers "Configuration file Location: ~/.copilot/mcp-config.json. Hook config files stored in .github/hooks/*.json"
transport mcp https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/how-tos/copilot-cli/customize-copilot/add-mcp-servers "Copilot CLI comes with the GitHub MCP server already configured. STDIO is the standard transport."
runtime undocumented no authoritative doc — searched: https://github.com/github/copilot-cli/blob/main/README.md, https://github.com/github/copilot-sdk/blob/main/nodejs/README.md —
dispatch.namedDispatch true https://github.com/github/copilot-sdk/blob/main/docs/features/custom-agents.md "A custom agent is a named agent configuration that includes its own prompt and tool set. A sub-agent is a custom agent i"
dispatch.nested false https://awesome-copilot.github.com/learning-hub/agents-and-subagents/ "By default, subagents do not keep spawning additional subagents."
dispatch.maxDepth 1 https://awesome-copilot.github.com/learning-hub/agents-and-subagents/ "Depth counts how many agents are nested within one another. When the depth limit is reached, the innermost agent cannot"
dispatch.background true https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/how-tos/copilot-cli/speed-up-task-completion "Allow Copilot to use subagents and work autonomously to implement the plan without any further input."
dispatch.subagentToolkit full https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/how-tos/copilot-cli/customize-copilot/create-custom-agents-for-cli "By default, custom agents have access to all tools. If you restrict an agent's access, a tools specification is added"
dispatch.backgroundDispatch false https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/agents/subagents "By default, subagents cannot spawn further subagents. This prevents infinite recursion when agents accidentally call themselves in a loop." The setting chat.subagents.allowInvocationsFromSubagents

Sources consulted:

Documentation gaps:

  • runtime — docs describe the CLI binary and the SDK (Node.js/Go/Python/Rust) but do not state what runtime the CLI host itself or its plugin/extension loader executes in.
  • dispatch.nested exact authoritative source is awesome-copilot.github.com (community docs) not docs.github.com.

kilo

Axis Value Source Evidence
embeddingMode imperative https://kilo.ai/docs/automate/extending/plugins "Plugins extend Kilo by hooking into events and adding functionality. They can: add custom tools the model can call (like read, write, bash)"
commandSurface slash-file https://kilo.ai/docs/customize/workflows "Workflows, also known as slash commands, allow users to automate repetitive tasks by defining step-by-step instructions"
modelMode active https://kilo.ai/docs/automate/extending/plugins "provider — dynamically supply model catalogs. auth — register OAuth or API-key flows for model providers. chat.params — Mutate temperature"
hookBus host https://kilo.ai/docs/automate/extending/plugins "event — fires for every internal bus event. Session: session.created, session.updated, session.idle, session.error, session.deleted"
stateIO filesystem https://kilo.ai/docs/contributing/architecture "Local execution and hosted execution are separate boundaries. Local runtime instances are Directory-keyed runtime context"
transport mcp https://kilo.ai/docs/automate/mcp/what-is-mcp "Kilo Code implements the Model Context Protocol to connect to both local and remote MCP servers"
runtime bun https://kilo.ai/docs/automate/extending/plugins "npm plugins are installed automatically at startup using Bun. Plugin context includes $ (Bun shell). Plugins are TypeScript or JavaScript mo"
dispatch.namedDispatch true https://kilo.ai/docs/customize/custom-subagents "Configured subagents can be invoked automatically by primary agents (like the Orchestrator) using the Task tool"
dispatch.nested true https://github.com/Kilo-Org/kilocode/issues/7055 "A subagent can still call the task tool if its merged permissions contain an explicit task rule, which enables nested su"
dispatch.maxDepth -1 https://github.com/Kilo-Org/kilocode/issues/8637 "there is no maximum nesting depth and the system relies entirely on permission gating"
dispatch.background true https://kilo.ai/docs/code-with-ai/agents/orchestrator-mode "Agents are also capable of launching multiple subagent sessions concurrently to facilitate parallel processing."
dispatch.subagentToolkit undocumented no authoritative doc — searched: https://kilo.ai/docs/customize/custom-subagents —
dispatch.backgroundDispatch false https://kilo.ai/docs/automate/tools/new-task "Importantly, subagents cannot spawn further subagents; only primary agents can use the new_task tool."

Sources consulted:

Documentation gaps:

  • dispatch.subagentToolkit — docs describe per-subagent configurable permissions (allow/ask/deny) but do not document a single default toolkit level (full vs read-only) for subagents that lack explicit permission overrides.

windsurf

Axis Value Source Evidence
embeddingMode declarative https://docs.devin.ai/desktop/cascade/cascade "Cascade operates through configuration files rather than code plugins: .codeiumignore for file filtering, Memories and Rules for customizing"
commandSurface slash-file https://docs.devin.ai/desktop/cascade/workflows "Workflows are authored as markdown files (.md extension) … triggered through slash commands using the format /[workflow-name]."
modelMode passive https://docs.devin.ai/desktop/models.md "Models are selectable via configuration/UI only (SWE-1.5, SWE-1.6, Adaptive, Arena tiers, Claude, GPT)."
hookBus host https://docs.devin.ai/desktop/cascade/hooks.md "Cascade supports twelve hook events covering critical workflow points … Pre-hooks (can block actions): pre_read_code, pre_write_code, pre_ru"
stateIO filesystem https://docs.devin.ai/desktop/cascade/cascade "Cascade can create and modify codebases directly … File access can be restricted through .codeiumignore files"
transport mcp https://docs.devin.ai/desktop/cascade/mcp "Cascade now natively integrates with MCP, allowing you to bring your own selection of MCP servers for Cascade to use."
runtime undocumented no authoritative doc — searched: https://docs.devin.ai/windsurf/plugins/getting-started.md, /llmstxt/windsurf_llms-full_txt (Context7) —
dispatch.namedDispatch undocumented no authoritative doc — searched: https://docs.devin.ai/cli/subagents.md, https://docs.devin.ai/desktop/agent-command-center.md —
dispatch.nested undocumented no authoritative doc — searched: https://docs.devin.ai/cli/subagents.md —
dispatch.maxDepth undocumented no authoritative doc — searched: https://docs.devin.ai/cli/subagents.md —
dispatch.background undocumented no authoritative doc — searched: https://docs.devin.ai/desktop/acp.md, https://docs.devin.ai/cli/subagents.md —
dispatch.subagentToolkit undocumented no authoritative doc — searched: https://docs.devin.ai/cli/subagents.md —
dispatch.backgroundDispatch undocumented no authoritative doc — https://docs.devin.ai/desktop/cascade/cascade and https://docs.devin.ai/desktop/devin-local (official Windsurf/Devin docs, via docs.windsurf.com redirects) The Windsurf/Cascade docs describe a background planning agent only in these terms: "In the background, a specialized planning agent continuously refines the long-term plan while your selected model f

Sources consulted:

Documentation gaps:

  • dispatch.namedDispatch — Cascade docs do not document a user-facing named sub-agent dispatch system.
  • dispatch.nested — no documentation for nested sub-agent support in Windsurf Cascade.
  • dispatch.maxDepth — no documented depth limit for Cascade sub-agents.
  • dispatch.background — Cascade has an internal background planning agent but no documented user-facing background sub-agent dispatch.
  • dispatch.subagentToolkit — no documentation for toolkit restrictions on Cascade sub-agents.
  • runtime — Windsurf IDE is Electron-based but no programmatic plugin runtime is documented to developers.

trae

Axis Value Source Evidence
embeddingMode imperative https://traeide.com/docs/how-to-manage-extensions-in-trae-ide "Trae IDE is a VSCode fork; 'If an extension isn't available in Trae's store, you can install it from VS Code's marketplace' — inherits VSCode in-process extension model"
commandSurface slash-file https://docs.trae.ai/ide/skills "Skills stored as SKILL.md files in '.trae/skills/{skill_name}/' directory; 'Trae allows you to manually trigger skills if needed'"
modelMode passive https://docs.trae.ai/ide/models "Model selection via UI: 'click on the current model name to open the model list'; no programmatic model/LLM request API documented for plugins"
hookBus engine https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44703164 "Trae is 'ByteDance's VSCode fork' built on Electron/Monaco; inherits VSCode extension host lifecycle (activate/deactivate hooks, event subsc"
stateIO filesystem https://traeide.com/news/6 "Rules at '.trae/project_rules.md', skills at '.trae/skills/', MCP config at '.trae/mcp.json'; 'codebase files always remain on your local de"
transport mcp https://docs.trae.ai/ide/model-context-protocol "Page title from official docs: 'In TRAE IDE, MCP servers support three transport types' — MCP is built-in"
runtime node https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44703164 "Trae is a VSCode fork built on Electron; 'Electron is designed to create desktop applications… a backend using the Node.js runtime'"
dispatch.namedDispatch true https://docs.trae.ai/ide/agent "Agents in Trae 'can be called individually, or automatically called by SOLO Agent at the corresponding stage'"
dispatch.nested undocumented no authoritative doc — searched: https://docs.trae.ai/ide/solo-mode, https://docs.trae.ai/ide/agent —
dispatch.maxDepth undocumented no authoritative doc — searched: https://docs.trae.ai/ide/solo-mode —
dispatch.background true https://news.aibase.com/news/22829 "SOLO 'supports multi-tasking, allowing you to work on multiple development tasks simultaneously'; 'run multiple agents i"
dispatch.subagentToolkit undocumented no authoritative doc — searched: https://docs.trae.ai/ide/agent —
dispatch.backgroundDispatch undocumented no authoritative doc — https://docs.trae.ai/ide/agent; https://github.com/bytedance/trae-agent/blob/main/docs/roadmap.md Trae's official documentation (docs.trae.ai) and the trae-agent GitHub roadmap do not document background/async agent dispatch or whether a background-spawned agent can itself spawn further sub-agents

Sources consulted:

Documentation gaps:

  • dispatch.nested — docs describe two-tier orchestration (SOLO → named agents) but do not state whether a spawned sub-agent can itself spawn further sub-agents.
  • dispatch.maxDepth — no integer depth limit documented beyond one orchestrator level.
  • dispatch.subagentToolkit — docs say agents can be configured with 'callable MCP services and other capabilities' but do not state whether sub-agents receive a full vs. restricted tool set.

kimi

Axis Value Source Evidence
embeddingMode imperative https://context7.com/moonshotai/kimi-cli/llms.txt "from kimi_cli.app import KimiCLI, enable_logging ... instance = await KimiCLI.create(session, agent_file=myagent) ... class Ls(CallableTool2)"
commandSurface slash-file https://github.com/moonshotai/kimi-cli/blob/main/docs/en/customization/skills.md "/skill:code-style ... /flow:code-review — Skills are SKILL.md markdown files with YAML frontmatter that become /skill: and /flow:"
modelMode passive https://github.com/moonshotai/kimi-cli/blob/main/docs/en/configuration/providers.md "Use the /model command to switch between available models and thinking modes ... --model option overrides the default model"
hookBus host https://moonshotai.github.io/kimi-cli/en/customization/hooks.html "Core: Add hooks system (Beta) — configure [[hooks]] in config.toml to run custom shell commands at 13 lifecycle events including `PreToo"
stateIO filesystem https://github.com/MoonshotAI/kimi-cli "Kimi Code CLI is an AI agent that runs in the terminal ... capable of reading and editing code, executing shell commands, searching files"
transport mcp https://github.com/moonshotai/kimi-cli/blob/main/docs/en/reference/kimi-mcp.md "kimi mcp add ... --transport stdio
runtime python https://context7.com/moonshotai/kimi-cli/llms.txt "from kimi_cli.app import KimiCLI ... from kosong.tooling import CallableTool2 — CLI core is Python"
dispatch.namedDispatch true https://moonshotai.github.io/kimi-cli/en/customization/agents.html "subagents:\n coder:\n path: ./coder-sub.yaml\n description: "Handle coding tasks"\n reviewer:\n path: ./reviewer-sub.yaml"
dispatch.nested false https://moonshotai.github.io/kimi-cli/en/customization/agents.html "All subagent types are prohibited from nesting the Agent tool (subagents cannot create their own subagents). Only root"
dispatch.maxDepth 1 https://moonshotai.github.io/kimi-cli/en/customization/agents.html "All subagent types are prohibited from nesting the Agent tool (subagents cannot create their own subagents). Only root"
dispatch.background true https://moonshotai.github.io/kimi-cli/en/customization/agents.html "Subagents support foreground and background modes. The run_in_background parameter allows tasks to execute asynchronou"
dispatch.subagentToolkit undocumented no authoritative doc — searched: https://moonshotai.github.io/kimi-cli/en/customization/agents.html —
dispatch.backgroundDispatch false https://github.com/moonshotai/kimi-cli/blob/main/docs/en/customization/agents.md (also mirrored at https://moonshotai.github.io/kimi-cli/en/customization/agents.html) "All subagent types are prohibited from nesting the Agent tool, meaning subagents cannot create their own subagents. Only the root agent has access to the Agent tool for launching further subagent

Sources consulted:

Documentation gaps:

  • dispatch.subagentToolkit — docs show three built-in subagent types each with different tool subsets (coder=full, explore=read-only, plan=no shell/write); no single 'full' or 'read-only' value covers all types; maintainer should clarify the intended classification.
  • runtime — CLI core is Python; a Rust Wire implementation also exists; docs do not state a canonical plugin extension runtime.

zcode

ZCode (Z.ai) is a desktop Agentic Development Environment for the GLM-5.2 model, distributed as an Electron app. It exposes a Claude-Code-shaped extensibility surface (per-user ~/.zcode/skills/<name>/SKILL.md, slash commands, named subagents, native MCP, and a plugin system). All values below are sourced verbatim from the official ZCode docs.

Axis Value Source Evidence
embeddingMode declarative https://zcode.z.ai/en/docs/plugin "A single plugin can bundle several capabilities. ZCode detects which components a plugin includes from its directory layout" — plugins/skills/commands/agents are config/markdown files; no in-process programmatic extension API is documented.
commandSurface slash-file https://zcode.z.ai/en/docs/commands "Custom commands are stored as .md files under ~/.zcode/commands ... invoke the command with /command-name"
modelMode passive https://zcode.z.ai/en/docs/configuration Models are connected by provider config (Z.ai/BigModel/OpenAI-compat/Anthropic-compat base URLs + API keys in Model Settings); no programmatic model request API is documented.
hookBus host https://zcode.z.ai/en/docs/plugin A plugin's bundled components include a "Hook — Automation hooks triggered on specific events" — the host fires the events a plugin subscribes to.
stateIO filesystem https://zcode.z.ai/en/docs/skill "User-level skills for ZCode Agent: ~/.zcode/skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md" — full local filesystem (desktop app).
transport mcp https://zcode.z.ai/en/docs/mcp-services "MCP (Model Context Protocol) connects external capabilities ... type as stdio (SSE and HTTP remote servers are also supported)" — native MCP.
runtime electron https://zcode.z.ai/en/docs/install (download path cdn-zcode.z.ai/zcode/electron/releases/3.2.5/ZCode-3.2.5-mac-arm64.dmg) ZCode is shipped as an Electron desktop application; the release artifact lives under the electron/releases path.
dispatch.namedDispatch true https://zcode.z.ai/en/docs/subagents "you can let the Agent pick the subagent automatically, or reference it with @ in the chat box" — subagents are invoked by name via the Agent tool.
dispatch.nested undocumented searched: https://zcode.z.ai/en/docs/subagents The docs do not state whether a subagent can itself spawn further subagents.
dispatch.maxDepth undocumented searched: https://zcode.z.ai/en/docs/subagents No maximum nesting depth is documented.
dispatch.background false https://zcode.z.ai/en/docs/subagents "Foreground execution. Subagents run in the foreground ... Background execution is not enabled yet."
dispatch.subagentToolkit full https://zcode.z.ai/en/docs/subagents "general-purpose is the default built-in subagent ... It has access to all tools"; custom subagents default to "All permissions by default" (inherits every tool).
dispatch.backgroundDispatch false https://zcode.z.ai/en/docs/subagents "Background execution is not enabled yet" — background dispatch is therefore impossible.

Sources consulted:

Documentation gaps:

  • dispatch.nested / dispatch.maxDepth — ZCode's subagent docs do not state whether subagents can spawn further subagents or any depth bound.
  • configHome — skills/commands/agents homes are documented (~/.zcode/skills, ~/.zcode/commands, ~/.zcode/agents); the exact settings filename under ~/.zcode (where MCP server config is stored) is not fully documented at time of writing.
  • Maintenance note — ZCode is a young, fast-moving app (observed at v3.2.x); these axes may need revision as its on-disk config layout stabilizes. Because ZCode also natively imports skills/MCP from ~/.claude, installing GSD to BOTH claude and zcode can surface duplicated skills inside ZCode; this overlap is expected and documented.
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