Compare
How it compares
No hype either way — just the facts: where it runs, who holds the data, and how experience accumulates, next to a few well-known tools.
| Dimension | Proto-Agent | Cursor | Claude Code | Dify | Coze | n8n |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Local-first, self-evolving multi-agent platform | AI code editor (IDE) | Coding agent in the terminal | Open-source LLM app platform | Cloud bot / agent builder | Workflow automation platform |
| Where it runs | Installed on your own machine, as a local service | Desktop client + cloud AI service | Local CLI; model requests go to Anthropic | Self-hostable, or official cloud | Mainly hosted on the official cloud | Self-hostable, or official cloud |
| Data local by default | Yes — stays on your machine by default | Depends on its service and privacy settings | Conversation and code context sent to the model service | In your own environment when self-hosted | Data lives in the platform cloud | In your own environment when self-hosted |
| Experience becoming reusable assets | Yes: experience becomes Skills / Knowledge / Memory — reusable and portable | Project-level Rules / Memories | Context files such as CLAUDE.md | Mainly app and prompt orchestration | Mainly bot config and knowledge base | Mainly node-based workflows |
| Multi-agent team | Yes — assemble several agents by role and collaborate | Mostly a single coding assistant | Supports sub-agents / multiple sessions | Workflows can include several LLM / agent nodes | Supports multi-bot / multi-agent orchestration | Process automation first, with AI nodes |
| Model-agnostic | Yes: OpenAI / Anthropic / compatible APIs | Built-in model choices; some API keys configurable | Primarily Anthropic models | Multiple model providers supported | Primarily built-in platform models | Multiple model APIs via nodes |
| License | Commercial license · free to distribute (source-closed) | Source-closed | Source-closed | Open source | Source-closed | Fair-code (source-available) |
| Pricing | Free download; enterprise customization on request | Free tier + subscription | Billed with subscription / API usage | Free open-source edition + cloud / enterprise | Free tier + paid | Free community edition + cloud / enterprise |
Compiled from publicly available product information (as of 2026-10). It states positioning and form-factor differences only, without judging which is better; for specific features and prices, defer to each vendor’s official documentation.