Roo Code is discontinued. The extension was shut down on May 15, 2026, and its GitHub repository was archived by the owner on the same day. That changes the purpose of a Roo Code review in late 2026: this is no longer a buying guide for an active coding agent. It is a status check for former users, a record of what the tool did, and a migration guide toward maintained alternatives.
The code remains publicly readable under Apache 2.0, and an existing installation may still run in some environments. But an archived coding agent does not receive normal product updates, compatibility fixes or security maintenance. New users should not adopt Roo Code as their primary production coding assistant when maintained successors and alternatives are available.
Roo Code is discontinued
Roo Code’s archived GitHub repository displays a clear archive banner dated May 15, 2026. The README also says directly that the Roo Code extension was shut down on May 15.
Current secondary sources consistently identify version 3.54.0 as the final release. The important point is not the exact version number, however. It is that the project is frozen. A feature list from early 2026 may still describe what Roo Code could do, but it should not be interpreted as evidence of a maintained product today.
| Status item | Current state |
|---|---|
| Product status | Discontinued |
| Shutdown date | May 15, 2026 |
| Repository | Archived and read-only |
| License | Apache 2.0 |
| Final reported release | v3.54.0 |
| Recommended for new production use | No |
What Roo Code did before shutdown
Roo Code was an open-source coding agent for VS Code with a feature set that helped define the modern agentic coding category. Its archived README describes several built-in modes:
- Code Mode for everyday coding, edits and file operations.
- Architect Mode for planning systems, specifications and migrations.
- Ask Mode for explanations, documentation and codebase questions.
- Debug Mode for tracing problems, adding logs and isolating causes.
- Custom Modes for specialized team or workflow behavior.
The extension could generate code from natural-language descriptions, refactor and debug existing code, update documentation, answer questions about a repository, automate repetitive work and connect to MCP servers.
That combination made Roo Code more agentic than a traditional autocomplete tool. It was built around a developer describing a task and allowing the assistant to inspect the repository, reason about the problem and perform multi-step work.
The design also reflected its relationship to Cline. Roo Code originated from Cline and evolved its own mode-driven workflow on top of that lineage. For former Roo users who want the closest maintained conceptual alternative, our Cline review is the most obvious starting point.
Can you still use Roo Code?
Technically, an archived open-source extension does not disappear from every computer on the day development stops. Existing binaries, source code and old installations can continue to exist. That does not make the product maintained.
The archived repository is useful for three groups:
- developers studying the implementation or history of coding agents,
- maintainers building or evaluating community forks, and
- legacy users who need to understand old configuration before migrating.
For new day-to-day production work, the answer is different. An AI coding agent operates close to source code, terminals, tools and credentials. That is exactly the kind of software where ongoing security patches, model compatibility updates and dependency maintenance matter.
An archived extension may gradually break as model APIs, authentication methods, VS Code versions, MCP conventions or dependencies change. Even if it still works today, there is no active upstream team obligated to repair those failures.
What happened to pricing?
There is no meaningful current Roo Code pricing plan to compare because Roo Code is no longer an active product.
Older reviews may still show historical cloud, router or model-usage arrangements. Those numbers should not be used to make a 2026 purchase decision. A discontinued product does not become attractive because an old plan was inexpensive.
The archived source code remains available under Apache 2.0, but running old code is not the same thing as receiving a maintained commercial service. Any model-provider fees associated with a legacy setup would also depend on whatever provider and credentials the user still connects.
For current buyers, pricing analysis should move to maintained tools such as Cline, GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, OpenCode, Kilo Code or other active coding agents.
Why archived coding agents are risky
Archived developer tooling creates several kinds of risk.
Security risk. Coding agents can read repositories, invoke terminal commands and connect tools. A newly discovered vulnerability may remain unpatched once a repository is frozen.
Compatibility risk. Model providers change API versions, authentication flows, model identifiers and rate-limit behavior. Editors and operating systems also evolve. A frozen integration becomes more fragile over time.
Model-quality risk. Coding-agent quality depends partly on how well the agent harness adapts to newer models. An archived product cannot continually tune prompts, tool use, context handling or compatibility for future model generations.
Support risk. When an agent edits a production codebase or behaves unexpectedly, users need a maintained issue tracker, documentation and release channel. An archive is a historical record, not an active support path.
These concerns are why an old install that “still works” should not automatically remain in a production toolchain.
Best alternatives to Roo Code
The official Roo Code README points users toward ZooCode, a community fork, and Cline, the project from which Roo Code originated. Those are the two alternatives most directly connected to Roo’s lineage.
ZooCode makes sense for users who want continuity with the old Roo workflow and community. Because it is a fork, former users may find familiar concepts and migration paths.
Cline is the clearer choice for users who want a maintained, open-source, model-agnostic coding agent with Plan/Act controls, IDE and terminal workflows, MCP support and active development. It is not identical to Roo Code, but its ancestry and current feature set make it a natural migration destination.
Kilo Code is another active alternative for users coming from the same broader fork lineage. It has evolved substantially and should be evaluated as its current product rather than simply as “Roo Code continued.”
OpenCode is worth evaluating if the developer prefers a terminal-first open-source agent rather than an IDE-centered workflow.
Users who want a fully managed commercial coding assistant instead of open-source provider routing can also compare GitHub Copilot. The migration decision should be based on the workflow you want now, not on which product most closely reproduces every old Roo setting.
Roo Code vs Cline for former users
Roo Code and Cline shared lineage, but the practical 2026 comparison is simple: Cline is active and Roo Code is not.
Cline currently supports a broader multi-surface agent runtime across editors, terminal, desktop and SDK use. It also supports multiple model providers and local routes. Former Roo users who primarily valued model choice, MCP and human control can usually preserve those priorities without remaining on archived software.
The migration still deserves testing. Custom modes, rules, MCP configuration and approval behavior may not map one-to-one. Teams should move a representative repository first, confirm model/provider access, run the normal test suite and verify that permissions behave as expected before rolling out the replacement widely.
The right goal is not “make Cline look exactly like Roo.” The goal is to carry forward the useful workflow while moving back onto a maintained security and compatibility path.
Who might still inspect the Roo Code archive?
Roo Code still has value as source code and historical reference. Researchers studying coding-agent interfaces can inspect how its mode system was implemented. Open-source maintainers can study or fork the Apache-licensed code. Teams migrating legacy setups can consult the repository to understand old configuration files and behavior.
Those are legitimate reasons to use an archive. They are different from recommending the archived extension as the best coding agent for a new project.
If you do run old Roo code temporarily during migration, keep permissions narrow, avoid production credentials, review terminal commands and treat the environment as legacy software on a deprecation path.
Privacy, safety and responsible migration
Moving away from Roo Code is a good opportunity to reassess agent permissions. Do not copy every old MCP credential or auto-approval rule into the replacement without review.
Check which model providers receive repository context, whether local models are appropriate for sensitive projects, which external tools the agent can mutate, and how terminal commands are approved. Coding agents should be given the least authority needed for the job.
AiTechJournal covers coding agents for legitimate software development. We do not promote using them for credential theft, destructive exploitation, malware deployment or bypassing security controls. Our AI tool review methodology explains how current product evidence is separated from editorial recommendations.
Roo Code review: final verdict
Roo Code was a meaningful open-source coding agent, but it is not a current 2026 buying option. The extension was shut down on May 15, its repository is archived and the project no longer receives normal maintenance.
Existing users should plan a migration rather than build new production workflows around the archive. ZooCode is the official community-fork path named by the Roo repository, while Cline is the maintained upstream-lineage alternative most readers should evaluate first. Kilo Code and OpenCode are also reasonable active choices depending on the preferred interface and ecosystem.
The key distinction is simple: Roo Code remains useful as archived source and migration context, not as a recommended new production coding agent.
Frequently asked questions
Is Roo Code discontinued?
Yes. Roo Code’s official GitHub repository says the extension was shut down on May 15, 2026, and the repository was archived on that date.
Can I still install Roo Code?
Old packages and archived source may still be accessible, but installing discontinued software is different from adopting a maintained product. New production users should choose an active alternative.
What was Roo Code’s final version?
Current status sources consistently identify v3.54.0 as the final release from May 15, 2026.
What replaced Roo Code?
The official archived README points users to ZooCode, a community fork, and Cline. Other maintained alternatives include Kilo Code, OpenCode and commercial coding assistants.
Should I keep using an archived Roo Code installation?
Only as a temporary legacy setup or for research/forking. For production development, move to a maintained agent that still receives security fixes, compatibility updates and support.
