Amazon Q Developer Overview
Amazon Q Developer, developed by Amazon Web Services, is a cloud-based tool offering a comprehensive development environment. It supports multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux. The tool is designed to leverage Amazon’s proprietary language models such as Amazon Q and AWS Titan, providing a robust context window of 200k tokens. While it does not support local inference, it excels in agentic editing with multi-file capabilities and offers full terminal access. The tool is also certified with SOC2 Type II for enterprise-level security, although it does not offer a free tier, and pricing is available upon contact with sales.
Pros
- ✓ Supports Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- ✓ 200k tokens context window.
- ✓ Full terminal access.
- ✓ Agentic editing with multi-file support.
- ✓ SOC2 Type II certified.
Cons
- ✕ No local inference support.
- ✕ No free tier available.
- ✕ Pricing requires contacting sales.
RooCode Overview
RooCode, developed by Roo, is a versatile plugin-based tool compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux. It supports a wide array of language models including GPT-5, Claude 4.5, Gemini 3.0, Bedrock-Titan, and Ollama-local, with a custom model called The Coder. It offers local inference and a context window of 200k tokens. RooCode provides full terminal access and supports agentic editing across multiple files. Unlike Amazon Q Developer, RooCode offers a free tier along with a pro version for more advanced features. The tool is also SOC2 Type II certified, ensuring enterprise-level security.
Pros
- ✓ Supports Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- ✓ Offers local inference.
- ✓ Free tier available.
- ✓ Supports multiple language models.
- ✓ SOC2 Type II certified.
Cons
- ✕ Predictive edits not supported.
- ✕ Plugin-based architecture might not suit all use cases.
Comparison Table
| Feature | Amazon Q Developer | RooCode |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture Type | cloud | plugin |
| Supported Os | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Developer | Amazon Web Services | Roo |
| Supported Llms | Amazon Q, AWS Titan | GPT-5, Claude 4.5, Gemini 3.0, Bedrock-Titan, Ollama-local |
| Custom Model | Amazon Q | The Coder |
| Context Window | 200k tokens | 200k tokens |
| Agentic Editing | Yes, multi-file | Yes, multi-file |
| Terminal Access | Full | Full |
| Privacy Mode | Standard Privacy Policy | Standard Privacy Policy |
| Certifications | SOC2 Type II (Enterprise) | SOC2 Type II (Enterprise) |
| About Price | Contact Sales | Free/Pro |
| Config File | .amazonqrc | .roorc |
| Migration | Seamless | Seamless |
Conclusion
Both Amazon Q Developer and RooCode offer robust development environments with distinct advantages. Amazon Q Developer provides a cloud-based solution with strong integration into Amazon’s ecosystem, while RooCode offers flexibility with local inference and a wide range of model support, including a free tier option. Choosing between them will largely depend on specific needs such as budget, model preference, and architectural requirements.