Roo Code was an open-source AI coding agent for VS Code, forked from Cline. The extension shut down on May 15, 2026, and its GitHub repository is archived. Former contributors continue the code as Zoo Code. Cline and Kilo Code are the other maintained open-source options.
Roo Code is shut down. The RooCodeInc/Roo-Code repository (24,263 stars, Apache-2.0) was last pushed May 15, 2026 and is archived. The closest replacement is Zoo Code, a continuation by former Roo contributors. The largest is Cline (70,851 stars), the project Roo forked from. Kilo Code (27,748 stars, MIT) ships the most often. Figures checked on GitHub, October 25, 2026.
What Was Roo Code
Roo Code was a VS Code extension that ran an AI coding agent inside the editor. You brought your own model API key, described a task, and the agent read files, ran terminal commands, edited code, and called MCP servers. It started as a fork of Cline, which is why its Marketplace ID was RooVeterinaryInc.roo-cline and why people still search for "roo cline".
The project tagline was "Your AI-Powered Dev Team, Right in Your Editor". The team idea came from modes. Instead of one agent with every tool, Roo let you switch the agent into a role with a narrower job.
Roo Code Shutdown: What Happened on May 15, 2026
The Roo Code README now opens its disclaimer with one line: the Roo Code Extension was shut down on May 15. The repository's last push is dated May 15, 2026, and GitHub marks it archived. The README sends users who want an alternative to Zoo Code and Cline, and paying users with billing questions to billing@roocode.com.
Zoo Code's README gives the reason from the other side. The Roo team wound down active Roo Code work to focus on Roomote, their newer product. Archived means read-only. The code is still there to fork under Apache-2.0, but there will be no fixes for new VS Code versions, new model APIs, or security reports.
Roo Code Modes: Code, Architect, Ask, and Debug
| Mode | What it was for |
|---|---|
| Code | Everyday coding, edits, and file operations |
| Architect | Planning systems, specs, and migrations |
| Ask | Fast answers, explanations, and docs |
| Debug | Tracing issues, adding logs, isolating root causes |
| Custom | Modes a team defined for its own workflow |
Modes are the feature Roo users miss first when they switch. Zoo Code keeps them because it is the same codebase. In other agents, the nearest equivalent is a separate agent or subagent per task with its own instructions and tool list.
Roo Code Alternatives Compared
Three open-source agents cover most of what Roo Code did. All three were active on GitHub on October 25, 2026.
| Tool | Relation to Roo Code | License | GitHub stars | Latest release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoo Code | Continuation of the Roo codebase by former contributors | Apache-2.0 | 2,041 | Repo created April 23, 2026 |
| Cline | The project Roo Code forked from | Apache-2.0 | 70,851 | desktop-v0.0.48, October 17, 2026 |
| Kilo Code | Separate open-source agent and platform | MIT | 27,748 | v7.8.17, October 23, 2026 |
| Roo Code | Shut down May 15, 2026; repo archived | Apache-2.0 | 24,263 | None after May 15, 2026 |
If your team relied on custom modes, start with Zoo Code. If you want the project with the most users and contributors, use Cline, which now ships as an SDK, an IDE extension, and a CLI. Kilo Code fits teams that want a hosted platform around the agent. For a wider field that includes terminal agents such as Claude Code and Codex, see the Cline alternatives comparison and Kilo Code vs Claude Code.
Zoo Code: The Roo Code Continuation
Zoo Code is the direct successor in everything but name. Its README describes the core team as developers who contributed to Roo previously, and its repository description reuses Roo's line about a dev team of AI agents in your editor. It publishes to the VS Code Marketplace as ZooCodeOrganization.zoo-code.
The project is young. The repository was created April 23, 2026, three weeks before the Roo shutdown, and had 2,041 stars on October 25, 2026, against 24,263 on the archived Roo repo. Expect the Roo feature set and a smaller maintainer base.
Roo Code vs Cline
Roo Code took Cline's agent loop and built modes on top. Cline stayed with one general agent and kept growing; on October 25, 2026 its repository had 70,851 stars and described itself as an autonomous coding agent available as an SDK, IDE extension, or CLI. The practical difference today is maintenance. Cline ships releases, and Roo Code does not. Teams that used Roo mainly for the agent loop lose little by moving back to Cline. Teams built around custom modes will have to rebuild them as separate prompts or move to Zoo Code. The Windsurf vs Cline and Aider vs Cline pages compare Cline with other tools.
Moving Off Roo Code
Export what you configured before you uninstall. Copy your custom mode definitions and their instructions, your MCP server configuration, and the model and API key settings you used. Install the replacement, add the same model key, and reconnect the MCP servers. Then run one real task from your backlog in the new agent before you remove Roo from the team's setup. An agent that reads the same repo with a different search strategy will behave differently on your code even with the same model.
Search and edit speed decide most of how an agent feels on a large repo. WarpGrep handles repository search for coding agents, and Fast Apply merges model edits into files at 10,500 tok/s.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Roo Code shut down?
Yes. The Roo Code README states that the Roo Code extension was shut down on May 15. The RooCodeInc/Roo-Code GitHub repository was last pushed on May 15, 2026 and is now archived, so it takes no new issues, pull requests, or releases. Paying users with billing questions are directed to billing@roocode.com.
What is the best Roo Code alternative?
For the closest match, Zoo Code. It is a continuation of the Roo Code project by former Roo contributors, keeps the same Apache-2.0 license, and ships as a VS Code extension. For a larger, longer-running project, Cline, which Roo Code was forked from (70,851 GitHub stars). For an agent with its own platform and frequent releases, Kilo Code (27,748 stars, MIT, v7.8.17 on October 23, 2026).
What is Zoo Code?
Zoo Code is the community continuation of Roo Code. Its README says it continues development after the Roo team wound down active Roo Code work to focus on Roomote, and that its core team are developers who contributed to Roo. The Zoo-Code-Org/Zoo-Code repository was created April 23, 2026, is licensed Apache-2.0, and had 2,041 stars on October 25, 2026.
What was the difference between Roo Code and Cline?
Roo Code began as a fork of Cline. Its main addition was modes: Code, Architect, Ask, and Debug, plus custom modes a team could define. Each mode scoped what the agent did, so Architect mode planned specs and migrations while Code mode made edits. Cline kept a single agent and is still maintained, now as an SDK, IDE extension, or CLI.
Why is Roo Code called roo-cline?
Its VS Code Marketplace ID was RooVeterinaryInc.roo-cline, a leftover of its start as a Cline fork. That is why searches for roo cline land on Roo Code.
Can I still use the Roo Code extension?
The code is still on GitHub under Apache-2.0, but the extension was shut down and the repository is archived, so it gets no fixes or support. The Roo Code README itself points users to Zoo Code and Cline as alternatives.
Sources
Checked October 25, 2026.
- RooCodeInc/Roo-Code on GitHub (README shutdown notice, archived status, stars, license)
- Zoo-Code-Org/Zoo-Code on GitHub
- cline/cline on GitHub and its releases
- Kilo-Org/kilocode on GitHub and its releases
Faster Search and Edits for Any Coding Agent
WarpGrep finds the code an agent needs in a large repository. Fast Apply merges model edits into files at 10,500 tok/s with 98% accuracy.