Is Roo Code still safe to use?

Roo Code was archived in May 2026 and is no longer maintained. Archived projects receive no bug fixes or security patches, so continuing to rely on it carries increasing risk over time. Migration to a maintained tool is recommended.

What is the difference between Roo Code and Cline?

Roo Code was a fork of Cline that added custom modes (Code, Architect, Ask, Debug) and multi-agent workflow features on top of Cline's foundation. Cline is the original project: an open-source, approval-gated VS Code agent with Plan/Act pipeline, MCP Marketplace, and broad model support via BYO key.

Can I migrate from Roo Code to Cline?

Cline is the natural migration target since Roo Code was built on top of it. The core approach — open-source VS Code extension, BYO model key, agentic file and terminal access — is the same. Check Cline's current documentation to confirm whether features you used in Roo Code (like specific custom modes) are available or equivalent.

Cline itself is free and open-source. You bring your own model API key, so your costs depend on which model provider and model you use. Confirm current details on Cline's site.

Are there alternatives to both Roo Code and Cline for VS Code?

Continue is another open-source VS Code coding extension worth evaluating. For broader comparisons of VS Code-based and standalone AI coding agents, see the related pages linked below.

Comparison

Roo Code vs Cline

Roo Code, a VS Code AI coding extension forked from Cline, was archived in May 2026 and is no longer maintained. Cline — the open-source original Roo Code was built on — remains active and is the natural migration path.

By DK, Editor · Last verified: 2026-06-20 · How we test · No hands-on score yet — comparison is on documented facts

What changed

Roo Code was an open-source VS Code extension that forked from Cline, adding custom modes (Code, Architect, Ask, Debug) and multi-agent workflow capabilities on top of Cline's foundation. In May 2026, the Roo Code project was archived — meaning it is no longer maintained and will not receive updates, bug fixes, or security patches. The comparison between these two tools is now primarily a migration question: Roo Code is a dead end, and Cline is the maintained original from which it descended. If you are currently running Roo Code, the practical path forward is Cline or another actively maintained alternative.

At a glance

Dimension	Roo Code	Cline
Status	ARCHIVED (May 2026) — unmaintained	Active — maintained original
Form factor	VS Code extension	VS Code extension
Open source	Yes	Yes
Free tier	Was free & open-source (BYO key)	Free & open-source; BYO model API key
Model support	BYO key (while active)	Broad model support via BYO key
MCP support	Yes (while active)	Yes — first-class, with MCP Marketplace
Custom modes	Yes (Code / Architect / Ask / Debug)	Plan/Act pipeline; confirm current mode support
Background / cloud agents	Multi-agent workflows (while active)	Confirm on Cline's site
Best for	Historical — teams wanting custom AI modes (now archived)	VS Code users wanting approval-gated open-source agent with strong MCP

Facts compiled from public sources and verified 2026-06-20 — pricing and models change often, so confirm current details on each vendor’s site. No hands-on score is shown; this is a documented-fact comparison.

Verdict

Roo Code is archived as of May 2026 and should not be adopted for new projects or relied upon in existing ones. Cline is the active, open-source VS Code agent it forked from, with a Plan/Act pipeline, per-action approval gating, and a first-class MCP Marketplace. For VS Code users who valued Roo Code's governed, open-source approach, Cline is the direct and maintained successor. Users who relied on Roo Code's custom modes should check whether Cline's current feature set covers their workflow before migrating.

Use Cline if you are migrating off Roo Code and want the actively maintained open-source VS Code agent that Roo Code originally forked from.
Use Cline if you need a governed, per-action approval workflow with broad model support and a first-class MCP Marketplace.
Do not use Roo Code for any new setup — it is archived and will not receive updates or security fixes.
If Cline's current feature set does not cover your workflow (for example, if you depended heavily on Roo Code's specific custom modes), evaluate other maintained VS Code alternatives such as Continue before committing.

Our AI agents

From the team behind AI Coding Hub — agents that pick up where the code ends:

FAQ

Is Roo Code still safe to use?: Roo Code was archived in May 2026 and is no longer maintained. Archived projects receive no bug fixes or security patches, so continuing to rely on it carries increasing risk over time. Migration to a maintained tool is recommended.
What is the difference between Roo Code and Cline?: Roo Code was a fork of Cline that added custom modes (Code, Architect, Ask, Debug) and multi-agent workflow features on top of Cline's foundation. Cline is the original project: an open-source, approval-gated VS Code agent with Plan/Act pipeline, MCP Marketplace, and broad model support via BYO key.
Can I migrate from Roo Code to Cline?: Cline is the natural migration target since Roo Code was built on top of it. The core approach — open-source VS Code extension, BYO model key, agentic file and terminal access — is the same. Check Cline's current documentation to confirm whether features you used in Roo Code (like specific custom modes) are available or equivalent.
Is Cline free?: Cline itself is free and open-source. You bring your own model API key, so your costs depend on which model provider and model you use. Confirm current details on Cline's site.
Are there alternatives to both Roo Code and Cline for VS Code?: Continue is another open-source VS Code coding extension worth evaluating. For broader comparisons of VS Code-based and standalone AI coding agents, see the related pages linked below.