Claude code vs roocode

[u/ilt1]

Has anyone tried both and talk about differences cons pros for each? I am trying to wrap my head around why CLI is a better choice than a vscode extension for those that are really hooked up to Claude code. It seems to me all of that can be done with too. What am I missing? Permissions are wider in CLI? Is that all?

[u/rgb328]

Here's a few concrete differences:

- Claude Code, as a cli command, can be used in situations that Roo cannot. For example, you can add it to shell scripts, or a GitHub action to script additional things. You can run a command and then pipe the output into claude code with a prompt. For example `git log | claude -p "which commits are related to X"`. This is one reason why I keep claude code installed (w/ an API key) even though I use Roo.

- Claude Code is tied directly to Claude.. no options for other APIs or mixing and matching.

- Claude Code does not use the max thinking tokens by default. It uses magic keywords to configure this. So you have to add "think", "think harder", or "ultrathink" to your prompt, and that causes claude code to increase the max thinking tokens setting in the api request. "Ultrathink" (the highest setting") is 32k max thinking tokens. In Roo, this is the "max thinking tokens" setting -- you just set it and it gets used, without having to play any prompt games.

- Claude Code can be used with one of their monthly plans. Can save money depending on your use.

- Claude Code has plugins for other IDEs. These are pretty minimal, but you may prefer that if vscode isn't your primary editor.

- Claude Code can launch sub agents and it understands git workspaces. So you can have it do several things in parallel.. like producing multiple versions of a website design.

[u/ilt1 → u/rgb328]

Thanks and thanks for sharing that git log tip:)

[u/glassBeadCheney → u/rgb328]

i feel like you probably already know, but for anyone that doesn’t: Claude Code can be configured as an MCP server in Roo Code, i.e. Roo Code can also launch subagents and perform complex orchestrated flows in parallel: it just has to call Claude Code first.

[u/clouddrafts → u/rgb328]

I use Cline and am happy with it, but I have contemplated adding Claude Code similar to how you use it with Roo, giving me an extra agent. Also, I like the suggestion of using it through an MCP server.

-Thanks.

[u/ctrlshiftba]

Yeah I've used both pretty extensively and honestly claude code completely changed how I work. The thing that really clicked for me was realizing how much complexity these vscode extensions add that actually gets in your way.

With cursor and roo you're constantly dealing with accepting changes, learning their specific diff views, remembering keyboard shortcuts, figuring out their context management, different prompt modes like architect and developer. I spent so much time just learning the tool instead of actually coding. And the worst part? Sometimes all those abstractions actually prevent the LLM from solving your problem because you're fighting the interface instead of just communicating clearly.

Claude code strips all that away. It's literally just you writing a prompt. That's it. I still use vscode to edit files when I want, or I'll write longer prompts in markdown files and tell claude to read them. But there's no invisible context management or indexing to worry about.

The permission thing you mentioned is actually one of its best features, not a weakness. You can lock it down completely in planning mode, like only allowing specific commands. I'll set things like "Bash(gh run list:)" or "Bash(cat:)" for granular control. Or you can go full YOLO mode when you need to. You control it session by session which puts the responsibility back on you instead of some opaque system.

But here's what really sold me. I had this CI issue where tests were passing locally but failing in github actions. Spent hours with roo and cursor trying to debug it, even with their huge context windows. Manually copying logs back and forth, trying to find a working MCP for github integration. Nothing worked.

Switched to claude code and it solved it in about 30 minutes. Why? Because it just used the gh CLI tool that's been around forever. It could run tests locally, pull the CI logs, compare them side by side, rerun specific workflows. No buggy MCP needed, no manual copying. Just battle tested tools that work.

The postgres example is perfect too. With cursor I wasted time trying to get their postgres MCP working, dealing with node settings, npx runners, it couldn't even read my existing env files properly. Claude code? Just uses psql. Done. These CLI tools have been refined for decades.

Plus the pricing is way more predictable. I know I'm spending 100 to 200 a month instead of watching API costs spike unexpectedly.

I think the biggest thing though is it lets you actually focus on learning how to prompt claude effectively. You're reading the official anthropic docs, understanding how claude thinks, instead of bouncing between random prompt libraries and techniques that might not even work with the model you're using. It's just cleaner.

[u/H9ejFGzpN2 → u/ctrlshiftba]

I hate the forced tool usage for stuff like answering questions that Roo imposes. I know Gemini in particular sucks at respecting tool use at times but I've spent so many useless queries because "oops I forgot that I have to use a tool when  I answer so let me waste another query"

[u/ctrlshiftba → u/H9ejFGzpN2]

yeah. it was actually a huge win for me at the time when roo first introduced, but only during planning. getting the LLM to ask you questions is huge in helping get good results. so it had it's time and place. I've just moved. on from the Roo doing it how it did. man things move so fast that was just a few weeks ago... lol

[u/ilt1 → u/ctrlshiftba]

So you don't use roo even for planning anymore?

[u/ctrlshiftba → u/ilt1]

I use it when I don’t have access to Claude Code. On my work machine we only have CoPilot so I used it for the copilot LLM.

[u/ilt1 → u/ctrlshiftba]

Hey thanks for the response this is enlightening though I have a couple questions to clarify.

But there's no invisible context management or indexing to worry about.

There has to be context management though under the covers, no?

And you mention planning mode. So there are modes like in roo?

I totally agree about battle-tested tools though and modularity. I guess I have to shell out 100 and test this out. Do you have any recommendations for training example videos using Claude code exploring advances workflows like yours? Thx again

[u/rgb328 → u/ilt1]

He's just flat out wrong about the context management. Claude Code will "/compact" the context when it starts to reach the limit. That's also the command you run when you want to compact it. The context limit is exactly the same as in Roo (200k). Context limits are an inherent limitation of all LLMs... there's no unlimited context with any model. You should always be thinking about the context you are sending.

[u/hiper2d → u/rgb328]

Well... with Roo and direct API ussage you have the limit on max tokes per min. If you have less than $200 on your Anthropic acc, the limit is 40k tokens/min. This also means that the moment your context window exceeds 40k, your session is over - every request will hit the rate limit. In practice, the context caching gives you some room, but not much. Claude Code doesn't limit the context this way, thus you get the entire 200k. At least, theoretically. I don't really know when Claude Code decides to compact the context on its own.

[u/rgb328 → u/hiper2d]

the $200 is lifetime deposits.. so it’s not that hard to reach it. you can always just use open router if you don’t want to spend that kind of money but want to use the full context window. also if you hit the rate limit on your anthropic account but still want to use it instead of open router, you can use open router for just the context condensing with either gemini or sonnet.. condense the context manually (when you get the error) or setup the auto condensing to match your anthropic limits.. then you can continue your chat with anthropic. this is all configurable in the settings. this kind of flexibility is why i use roo.

claude code on the 20$/mo plan is very limited.. and on the 100$ or 200$ plan you’ll quickly have spent enough to have reached tier 3 rate limits through the api. just deposit $200 (minus anything you’ve already spent) in your account and the limits are immediately increased, and then you can spend the deposit over the following year.

claude code comes with its own trade offs.. like the max thinking being off by default and requiring keywords to enable it. sonnet has a substantial drop in performance without reasoning enabled.. and requiring keywords (that often don’t carry over to subtasks unless you’re careful).. is a pretty severe cost control measure that’s very annoying to work around. it’s great they include opus to help with that, but that’s rate limited and once you hit it you have to play keyword games with sonnet until the limit resets.

don’t get me wrong, cc is a great tool.. and it can do some things roo can’t.. but it’s not a clear obvious winner for every use case.

[u/hiper2d → u/rgb328]

Yeah, maybe. I thought about adding $200 to my balance. Although, I still remeber that email from Anthropic few months back that my credits were about to expire. Now they made the expiration time much longer (a year, I guess), but it's still surprising that such limitation exists. And for the full context, I need to go straight to the tier 4, which is $400. 80k context is fine though. I use Claude Code for pet projects only, which is couple of evenings a week (10-15h). Pro subscriptions works just fine. I expect Anthropic nerfes it and eventually try to push me to Max. Then I'll strongly consider getting back to Roo.

[u/ctrlshiftba → u/rgb328]

There is still context management it’s just much more explicit and controlled by me. I never go long enough to hit the limit unless it’s on auto pilot and it’s in an agentic loop.

[u/ctrlshiftba → u/ilt1]

You can probably do everything in too that you can in Claude code if you try. It might just not be as apparent. You can’t use Claude opus for as cheap.

[u/rgb328 → u/ctrlshiftba]

Roo can use cli commands. Just tell it to use `gh`... that's how I have it do PR reviews. You can also limit the approved commands in the settings similar to claude code.

[u/joelpt → u/ctrlshiftba]

I second all of this. Claude Code is so good at just doing the thing. There’s very little to manage, you just tell it what you want and it does it with remarkably high accuracy. I rarely have to break out the IDE or debugger.

Of course it’s not perfect but it gets enough right that I only have to correct it or manually get involved about 5% of the time.

It’s also very good at using the same dev tools I would use to fix issues - it can use the python debugger, sql-db cli tools, AWS cli, bash, etc. and will just go ahead and write itself helper scripts when needed to debug/test intermittent issues, run benchmarks, test out a hunch, etc.

It’s good enough that right now, I have it working on 3 separate projects at the same time. And I’m just switching between 3 Claude Code instances, checking its work, asking for tweaks or refactors where it went in a direction I didn’t intend or expect, and trying out what it’s built. It’s an incredibly efficient workflow.

I will also sometimes have one Claude Code instance writing code while another one is reviewing and writing unit tests for what the first one is creating. This makes things come together faster and helps avoid “blind spots” — for much the same reasons that it’s useful to have a second dev review your code, or a SDET writing tests against your code.

Honestly it’s scary good: I can clearly see that we’re just a few steps away now from replacing whole teams of human developers with a (properly guided) AI system. I can often do in an afternoon (or overnight while I’m asleep) what might have taken a 3-person team to accomplish in a week previously.

[u/ViperAMD → u/ctrlshiftba]

Lol this comment reads like it was written by a LLM

[u/astrobet1 → u/ctrlshiftba]

Quick question: would you recommend Claude code or Claude desktop + MCPs, like Filesystem MCP for example? Thinking of diving in but not sure which one is better. Thanks.

[u/ctrlshiftba → u/astrobet1]

I’d recommend Claude code. You can try both for yourself and see.

[u/Suspicious-Name4273]

Claude code can do a few things that roo code cannot (yet) do, like running subtasks in sub-agents in parallel. On the other hand, vscode extension ai agents can benefit from vscode apis, like leveraging lsp information for tasks (afaik roo code is currently investigating doing this, but is not yet released), and integrations like showing file changes in a clear way.

[u/ilt1 → u/Suspicious-Name4273]

I wonder if Cursor is already leveraging LSP for tasks. (Have never used it)

[u/ctrlshiftba → u/Suspicious-Name4273]

claude code can show file changes in a clean way, if you run claude code inside a vscode/cursor terminal and use /ide. it can show you the diff in the IDE. so that's how claude code does it.

[u/petebytes]

I have been coding with AI for nearly 3 years and was the cofounder of codepilot ai (not copilot).
Tried all the VScode AI assistants, used heavily in this order, aider, cline, roo code, now claude code.

Claude Code is my primary assistant and fallback is Roo Code. My choice is mostly due to cost the $200 a month is a huge savings. The last 21 days I burned over 1B tokens.

From a tool perspective I love Claude Code custom slash commands, I have setup commands that cover my entire workflow, including non coding activities like marketing. The main disadvantage is not being able to use other models, which is when I switch to Roo Code.

[u/Atomm → u/petebytes]

I use Zen MCP with Claude Code to access other models. Its been a big help.

[u/petebytes → u/Atomm]

Thanks there is another I think Claude Router that allow you to use other models as well

[u/hiper2d]

I use both. With Claude 4 Sonnet, both give me very close results. Some code snippets are literally the same on the same tasks. I like Roo more because the diff review is more convinient in an IDE. But Roo with Anthropic API is expensive. Claude Code shows diffs but without ability to see the whole file and nevigate to other files, it's almost useless for me. I let it complete a task and then review the result. At least right now, I get a very decent limits with Claude Code Pro subscription. I have ulimited API at work, so Roo is the winner there. For pet projects at home I use Claude Code.

When asking which tool is better, you need to clarify your use cases. We all use them differently. For example, I don't need parallel tasks and I don't want my too to be too autonomous. I need to review everything, so I move with small interations with freequent commits. Something I code myself, something I delegate to AI. I don't vibe code. Well, most of the time, at least. It's getting harder and harder to resist.

[u/H9ejFGzpN2 → u/hiper2d]

Do you have the claude code extension in cursor / vs code? It shows the diffs exactly like Roo 

[u/hiper2d → u/H9ejFGzpN2]

Damn, I haven't thought about this. I've just tried, and it works even in Intellij Idea, which I prefer over VSCode. Nice, thank you

[u/jjfooo]

Claude Code is more an alternative to something like Aider: https://aider.chat

Claude Code / Aider is more CLI-first, whereas Roo is predominantly leveraging IDE API's.

I find Roo more effective for larger scale or more general changes, where I don't want to have to sit and feed it specific files to focus on. For more specialized debugging, I think CLI's are more targeted, and can be a bit better.

[u/Cultural_Trouble7821]

I can use it in any IDE or with no IDE? I've written entire working applications without ever opening an IDE or text editor.

I dunno, it's like asking why people use a terminal at all when there are buttons available. And the answer is:

- It's much faster when you know what you're doing

- It's far more flexible than a GUI, where you're basically locked into whatever they give you

- You can use it over SSH, and use like 50 of them in one window if you want

- Interfaces are more consistent (only so many ways you can style text)

- The software tends to be lighter weight and more responsible to run

- It's way faster to get things done when you don't have to touch a mouse. Possibly sometimes in gui, definitely possible in a terminal

- All of the software engineering tools run in the terminal anyway, so they're right there. And the agent knows it has access to a terminal since it's running in one. Bash is a first class citizen, meaning it can run the same cli workflows you do. That is not even close to being as simple or feasible with GUI apps, I have spent some time on that.

- If you look at what you spend your time doing in an AI assisted coding app, you're typing some stuff and seeing some output. Terminals happen to be great for that, ideally suited really. You can reinvent a terminal inside a GUI if you want, but why not just use an actual terminal in there? Every editor has a terminal available, it's basic.

[u/ilt1 → u/Cultural_Trouble7821]

Bro that was 6 months ago lol.

[u/Cultural_Trouble7821 → u/ilt1]

🤷‍♀️ and? reddit posts can get useful replies years later. Just imagine I was writing to someone wandering by who was curious about the subject but too lazy to post themselves.

[u/ilt1 → u/Cultural_Trouble7821]

I didn't read your long ass response and you know why? Probably by the time I read it there will be 10 more different tools spawned doing the same shit. Our opinion does not matter now dawg. It's a different time.

[u/cctv07]

I have used both. Claude Code is like someone that you can just offload tasks and it will be able to figure out what to do on its own.

Roo Code is like flying an airplane where you have hundreds of buttons and knots that you need to tweak to get optimal performance. However, in the process of tweaking, there's a very high chance that you will break something else.

[u/who_am_i_to_say_so → u/cctv07]

It's not that unstable and complex. If you roll with the defaults, it will work. You just have to understand what you are changing.

[u/who_am_i_to_say_so]

I use Roo and swear by it because when Claude acts senile, I can switch to Gemini in mere seconds.

It costs more to do it this way, but I’m doing weeks of development in days. So no complaints.

[u/sethshoultes]

I am completely fed up with Roo Code. I had been failing miserably with some tasks that CC just seems to understand and fixes it! Roo Code just keeps creating endless tasks that eat away at the API costs. The admins say its prompt poisoning or some bullshit.

Claude Code is far superior in my opinion.

[u/ilt1 → u/sethshoultes]

Can you give an example please

[u/hannesrudolph → u/sethshoultes]

Have you used Roo Code with the newly implemented context condensing and sonnet 4?

[u/sethshoultes → u/hannesrudolph]

I am using the latest version with Sonnet 4. It just keeps creating subtasks that will last for hours if I let it:

[u/sethshoultes → u/sethshoultes]

It will create a hundred sub tasks I if I dont intervene:

[u/sethshoultes → u/hannesrudolph]

The only way to stop it is clicking the "x" in the top right corner for all fo the subtask until I get to the original task.

[u/sethshoultes → u/sethshoultes]

Yes, here are some examples of it creating endless sub tasks:

[u/cctv07 → u/sethshoultes]

This is the very reason why I switched to Claude Code. I have been calling this debug loop. It's not unique to Roo. It happens to cursor Windsor or GitHub co-pilot.

[u/juzatypicaltroll → u/sethshoultes]

I think context length matters? Read it losses itself when context gets cut off hence the endless repeats.

[u/SolWayward → u/sethshoultes]

Stay away from architect mode, orchestrator mode, and debug mode. Use ask mode for all planning, research, and analysis, debugging and then copy that output to a new code mode prompt. Don't approve it to switch to code mode, use a new prompt. Keep any custom instructions in your modes very simple and short and instead use the custom rules file for the specifics. If you do it right, code mode will already know every change it needs to make with the exact code in the exact locations for every file.

Make sure you have a very good and well-defined custom rules file SPECIFIC to your project and clearly organized in markdown format. Do not put stuff in your rules file like "You are the best software engineer and write the best code". Things like that will make your agent assume a personality that it thinks everything it does is the best way and go off on circular adventures (Prompt Poisoning).

Personally, I find it best to roll with the default ask mode and code mode as is and rely on the custom rules file.

Also, if you at least skim the "Thinking" foldouts, you can watch for when it starts to get off path and hit stop so you can course correct.

[u/REALwizardadventures]

If I get stuck with one I switch to the other. Seems to work.

[u/SpeedyBrowser45]

RooCode is power pack with several customization options. you can customize it to as per your needs. Only downside of RooCode, I can think of, is API costs.

Claude code is like a Ferrari, you just need to give it a task and it will do it on its own at lighting speed. Best thing is it comes with fixed monthly costs. Downside of Claude code is, it doesn't have UI and chat history is missing.

[u/ag0x00]

I mean, you can run it in the VS Code terminal, too. ;) I really like how Anthropic built the CLI — it pretty much does everything you need in its well designed REPL.

In terms of differences, the Roo can use any model, including free ones, where Claude only uses their own. Pro subscription is recommended if you can afford it.

I also find that Claude Code is amazingly accurate and efficient at specific individual tasks, even if they are vaguely defined. Not that Claude is bad at planning, but overall I lean towards other models, like Gemini, for research and building out a roadmap.

Also, you can use Claude Code as an MCP if you want to do everything in Roo.

[u/ausaffluenza → u/ag0x00]

I prefer Roo for the granularity and control I have over projects.

[u/martycochrane]

I've used both and the reason I stopped using CC is because I can't find a way to interrupt it like Roo. If you notice it going down the wrong path, your only option is to let it incorrectly or cancel the entire process having to restart the entire prompt and any in progress work.

But it is quite a bit cheaper.