I’m constantly evaluating new coding agents, but one that’s consistently impressed me over the past few months is Amp . Hamel Husain recently wrote an excellent deep dive into Amp’s features that highlighted several capabilities I think make it particularly noteworthy for developers.

Standout Features

While Amp has all the expected features—MCP support, project context management, permissions systems—it’s the distinctive capabilities that really set it apart.

Handoff: Smart Context Transitions

The Handoff feature is essentially a more intelligent version of Claude Code’s /compact. Instead of abruptly changing context, Handoff creates a thoughtful transition by generating a new thread prompt with context from your current session that you can edit before starting fresh. This strikes the perfect balance between automation and control.

Message Queueing: Uninterrupted Workflows

By default, sending a message interrupts the agent mid-task. But Amp’s message queueing lets you queue messages that execute once the agent completes its current turn. Use Cmd-Shift-Enter (macOS) or Ctrl-Shift-Enter (Windows/Linux) in the VS Code extension to avoid derailing your train of thought.

Scoped Instructions: Precision Context Control

This is where Amp really shines for complex projects. You can create instruction files with YAML front matter that only apply to specific file patterns:

---
globs:
  - '**/*.ts'
  - '**/*.tsx'
---
Follow these TypeScript conventions:
- Never use `any` type
- Use strict mode

The potential for subagent specialization here is enormous. You could create scoped instructions for different domains (frontend, backend, testing) that automatically apply based on the files being worked on.

Toolboxes: Simple Extensibility

Amp’s Toolboxes are like Claude Code’s skills but with less abstraction. You write simple executables that describe themselves and handle inputs—no complex SDKs, just scripts in any language.

VS Code Extension vs CLI

Hamel notes that the VS Code extension is slightly ahead of the CLI, and I’ve found the same. The extension includes handy tools like the code review tool that aren’t available in the CLI version. For most development workflows, I’d recommend starting with the VS Code extension.

The Librarian: Specialized Context Gathering

The Librarian feature acts like a specialized subagent that aggressively searches through repositories or documentation to gather context. It’s incredibly effective at priming the agent with the information it needs before coding begins—especially valuable for newer libraries or private codebases.

This approach reminds me of how I’ve implemented similar functionality in OpenCode using Context7 for library documentation research. Both approaches recognize that effective coding agents need specialized subagents that can rapidly gather and process domain-specific context before beginning development work.

Similarly, when I need quick, verified code examples for specific problems, I use GitHits to get canonical solutions rather than sifting through endless search results.

Why Amp Matters

What I appreciate most about Amp is its focus on developer workflow optimization rather than just raw coding capability. While tools like Cursor or Claude Code focus on the coding experience itself, Amp thinks about the entire development lifecycle—context management, team collaboration, and workflow continuity.

For teams managing complex, multi-agent projects, Amp pairs particularly well with task management tools like Beads , which provide the dependency tracking and priority visibility that keep distributed agents coordinated.

For Hamel’s detailed explanations of these features and more advanced usage tips, read his full analysis . His deep dive covers additional insights about model abstraction, pricing, and practical tips for getting the most out of Amp.

Have you tried Amp? I’d love to hear about your experience with these features. Drop me a note on Twitter or LinkedIn .

Related Tools: Check out my comprehensive AI Development Tools collection for comparisons with other leading coding agents, including my analysis of Amp .