Roo Code is an open-source VS Code extension that turns the editor into a team of coding agents: instead of a single assistant, it offers specialised modes (Code, Architect, Debug, Ask and Orchestrator) that change the agent’s role depending on the task. It was born as a fork of Cline and took its idea of separating thinking from acting all the way to a system of configurable roles. There is one important change you should know before installing it: the original project was archived in May 2026, though its code lives on in a community continuation. In this guide you will see what Roo Code is and its origin in Cline, how to install it, how its custom modes work, how to give it tools with MCP and how it differs from Cline. The same explanation is available in Spanish.

Key takeaways

  • Roo Code is an open-source coding agent (Apache 2.0 licence) that lives inside VS Code; it reached more than 1.8 million installs on the Marketplace and over 24,000 stars on GitHub.
  • It is a fork of Cline: it shares its base but adds a system of modes (Code, Architect, Ask, Debug and Orchestrator) plus custom modes you define yourself.
  • The original project was archived on 15 May 2026 at version 3.54.0; the team moved to Roomote, a cloud agent.
  • Its community continuation, ZooCode, published that same 3.54.0 version on 16 May 2026 and keeps the features, settings and licence. If you start today, install ZooCode.
  • It is compatible with the Model Context Protocol (MCP), so you can extend its tools by connecting external servers, just like Cline.

What is Roo Code and its origin in Cline?

Roo Code is an open-source coding agent that integrates into VS Code as an extension. Its starting point was Cline: it is a fork, that is, a copy of Cline’s code that evolved on its own. The reason for the split was design. The Roo team wanted a structured multi-mode system (one role to plan, another to code, another to debug) that clashed with Cline’s single-agent philosophy, so they built their own version.

Over time Roo Code became one of the most popular coding agents: it passed 1.8 million installs on the VS Code Marketplace and 24,000 stars on its GitHub repository[1], under the Apache 2.0 licence. The difference from an autocomplete is autonomy: you describe a task in natural language, the agent explores your project, edits several files in a coordinated way and runs the terminal commands needed, always showing you each change so you approve it.

Before installing it: the project is archived

Here comes the fact that shapes the rest of this guide. On 20 April 2026 the team announced the end of the project, and on 15 May 2026 they archived the repository, which became read-only at version 3.54.0. Its creators stopped believing that the editor is the future of programming and focused on Roomote, an agent that works from the cloud. As the official notice, now archived, puts it, the team recommends as alternatives "ZooCode (a fork started by the Roo Code community) and Cline".

The good news is that the code has not disappeared. A group from the community created ZooCode, a fork that republished the same 3.54.0 version on the Marketplace on 16 May 2026, one day after the shutdown, with the same features, the same settings and the same Apache 2.0 licence. That is why everything you learn here about modes, MCP and workflow applies equally to ZooCode. If you start today, install ZooCode to keep getting updates; if you already had Roo Code, your configuration migrates with minimal changes.

Installation and setup

Installing the extension takes less than a minute. Open VS Code, go to the extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X), search for "Roo Code" or "Zoo Code" and click Install. If you prefer the command line, use the code binary. The archived Roo Code and its ZooCode continuation install like this:

## Original Roo Code (frozen at 3.54.0, no longer updated)
code --install-extension RooVeterinaryInc.roo-cline

## ZooCode: the community-maintained continuation (recommended)
code --install-extension ZooCodeOrganization.zoo-code

After installing, a new icon appears in the activity bar. When you open it for the first time it will ask you to configure a model provider, because the extension includes none: you decide which model to give it. It is compatible with dozens of providers, from commercial ones (Anthropic, OpenAI, Google Gemini, OpenRouter) to models you run on your own machine with Ollama or LM Studio. Pick the provider, paste your API key and choose the model; to work locally, choose Ollama and give it the server URL and the downloaded model. The rule is the usual one: the better the model reasons, the less the agent derails on long tasks.

Custom modes (Architect, Code, Debug)

The feature that sets Roo Code apart is its modes system. A mode is a configuration of the agent (a role) with its own system prompt, its permissions and its behaviour. Instead of one agent that does everything, you pick the right role for each phase of the work. There are five built-in modes:

  • Architect: plans and designs. It analyses the project and proposes an approach before touching anything, ideal for large tasks.
  • Code: the default mode, it writes and edits the code.
  • Debug: focuses on diagnosing and fixing errors, with reasoning aimed at finding the root cause.
  • Ask: answers questions about the code without modifying it, useful for understanding a codebase.
  • Orchestrator (formerly called Boomerang): coordinates complex tasks by splitting them and delegating them to other modes, a pattern close to a multi-agent system.

The powerful part is that you can create your own custom modes. You define the name, the instructions, which tools it can use and which files it can access; for example, a "Documentation" mode that only edits Markdown files, or a "Reviewer" mode that reads but does not write. A typical flow is to start in Architect to agree the plan, switch to Code to carry it out and jump to Debug if something fails. That explicit split into roles is the main difference from Cline, which works with a more direct two-mode flow.

Using MCP and tools

Like Cline, Roo Code is compatible with the Model Context Protocol (MCP), the open standard that lets you connect external tools to an agent. With MCP you can give it new capabilities without touching the extension’s code: access to a database, an API, the file system or a cloud service. The agent discovers the tools each MCP server exposes and uses them when the task calls for it.

Adding an MCP server is done from the extension’s settings, telling it how to start the server (from the command line with the stdio transport, or over HTTP). If you have never used MCP, start with our guide to installing an MCP server and, when you want to create your own, we have a dedicated guide to building your own MCP server. Every sensitive action by the agent, a file edit or a terminal command, still goes through your approval via a diff you accept, reject or edit; you can also set up a bounded auto-approval for repetitive, low-risk tasks.

Roo Code versus Cline

Both are open-source coding agents, free as a tool (you pay only for model usage) and MCP-compatible, because they share an origin. The difference is philosophy. Cline goes for a more direct experience: two modes, Plan and Act, and a simple interface; with 64,700 stars on GitHub and at version 3.0.42, it is the more active project of the two. Roo Code goes for flexibility: its modes system and custom modes give you fine control over how the agent behaves in each phase, in exchange for more options to configure.

The practical decision in 2026 is simple. If you want the most maintained and direct option, Cline is a safe bet. If you prefer Roo Code’s role-based approach, install ZooCode, its community continuation, instead of the archived original Roo Code. Between Roo Code and ZooCode they added up to nearly 3 million users, so the community behind the modes approach is still large.

Frequently asked questions

Does Roo Code still work in 2026?

The original extension still installs and works, but it has been frozen at version 3.54.0 since the project was archived on 15 May 2026: it receives no fixes or new features. If you want to keep getting updates, install ZooCode, the community continuation, which started from that same version and keeps active development with the same features and settings.

What is the difference between Roo Code and ZooCode?

ZooCode is a direct fork of Roo Code created by the community when the original team archived the project. It shares the code, the modes, the settings and the Apache 2.0 licence, and your Roo Code configuration migrates with minimal changes. The difference is maintenance: ZooCode keeps getting updates, while Roo Code stopped at 3.54.0.

Is Roo Code better than Cline?

There is no absolute winner: it depends on what you want. Roo Code (and now ZooCode) shines if you want fine control with role-based modes and custom modes. Cline shines if you prefer a more direct experience and a very active project, with more than 64,000 stars. Both are open source, free as a tool and MCP-compatible, so trying both costs little.

Conclusion

Roo Code showed that a coding agent can be organised by roles: Architect to plan, Code to write, Debug to fix and Orchestrator to coordinate large tasks. Although the original project was archived in May 2026 at version 3.54.0, its idea lives on in ZooCode, which inherits its features, settings and licence. The next step is simple: install ZooCode, try the Architect-to-Code flow on a real task and compare it with its origin, Cline, to decide which fits your way of working best.

Sources: [1] Official Roo Code documentation, with the shutdown notice[2], [2] Roo Code on GitHub, archived repository[1], [3] Roo Code on the VS Code Marketplace[3], [4] ZooCode, the community continuation[4], [5] Cline on GitHub, the origin project[5].

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Sources

  1. GitHub repository
  2. Official Roo Code documentation, with the shutdown notice
  3. Roo Code on the VS Code Marketplace
  4. ZooCode, the community continuation
  5. Cline on GitHub, the origin project

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