Compare AI coding agent workspaces
Compare Conductor, Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor across worktrees, branches, env files, run scripts, GitHub review, PRs, and execution environments.
Last updated June 2026.
Swipe horizontally to compare every tool.
| Feature | Conductor | Claude Code | Codex | Cursor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What is it? | Run Claude Code and Codex across separate branches, worktrees, and run environments. | Use Anthropic's agent directly from the terminal, IDE, desktop app, or web. | Use OpenAI's coding agent across the Codex app, CLI, editor integrations, and cloud environments. | Coding inside an AI-native editor. |
Yes One workspace maps to one branch, one worktree, one run environment, and one review path. | Partial Works with your repo and git workflow. | Yes Built-in worktrees and cloud environments. | Partial Background agents and editor-oriented worktrees. | |
Yes | No | No | No | |
Yes | No | No | Partial | |
Yes | Partial | Partial | Partial | |
Yes | Partial | Partial | Partial | |
Yes | No | No | No | |
Yes | Partial | Yes | Partial | |
Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Platform support | Mac app. | macOS, Linux, Windows, web, and mobile remote workflows. | macOS, Windows, web, mobile, CLI, and editor integrations. | macOS, Windows, Linux, and mobile agent workflow. |
Comparison based on public product documentation as of June 2026.
Worktrees
Claude Code worktrees, Codex worktrees, Conductor workspaces.
Review and PRs
Codex review, Codex GitHub integration, Conductor review and merge.
Cloud/background agents
Codex product page, Cursor background agents, Claude Code on the web.
Platform support
What Conductor handles around the agent
Claude Code and Codex write code. Conductor handles the workspace around that code: branches, local config, commands, review, and cleanup.
Workspace isolation
Create a separate branch, working tree, run environment, and .context folder for each task.
Runnable workspaces
Copy env files, run setup scripts, start dev servers, reserve ports, and share defaults with conductor.json.
Review to merge
Review diffs, send comments back to agents, watch checks, create PRs, merge, and archive finished work.
Multiple harnesses
Run Claude Code and Codex in the same workspace when they need shared state, or in separate workspaces when they do not.
Test a worktree in main
Use Spotlight to run one workspace from the repo root when the project depends on a fixed port, local database, or expensive build cache.
Cloud support
Use local workspaces on your Mac, or run agents in cloud workspaces when local resources are the bottleneck.
Tool-by-tool comparison
How Conductor fits with each agent or editor workflow.
Conductor and Claude Code
Claude Code is the agent harness. Conductor is the workspace layer around it: branches, worktrees, copied config, run scripts, reviews, and PR flow.
Use Claude Code directly when you want the Anthropic agent in a terminal, IDE, desktop, or web workflow. Use Conductor when Claude Code work needs isolated local workspaces, shared repo setup, and a review path before merge.
Conductor and Codex
Codex is OpenAI's coding agent across app, CLI, editor, and cloud surfaces. Conductor runs Codex locally or in cloud workspaces while keeping each task tied to a branch, working tree, and review state.
Use Codex directly when you want OpenAI's agent in its native surfaces. Use Conductor when Codex should share the same repo setup, workspace scripts, and GitHub review flow as Claude Code.
Conductor and Cursor
Cursor is an AI-native editor. Its agent workflow stays close to the editing surface, with background agents available for async work.
Conductor is for coordinating agent work across workspaces. It is useful when work needs separate branches, runnable environments, review state, and a path to PRs rather than only an editor session.
Related docs
These pages describe the behavior behind the comparison table.
Isolated workspaces
How Conductor maps workspaces to branches and working trees.
Files to copy
How .env files and gitignored config get into new workspaces.
Scripts
Setup, run, archive, and Spotlight behavior.
Test a worktree in main
How Spotlight runs one workspace from the repository root.
Review and merge
How diffs, comments, checks, PRs, and archive fit together.
Agent modes
Claude Code and Codex controls in one workspace.
Common questions
Short answers for developers comparing AI coding agent tools.
Run agent branches without managing every worktree by hand.
Create a workspace, start the agent, run the project, review the diff, and open the PR from the same flow.