Agent Architecture

Amp

Amp is a frontier terminal and editor coding agent with explicit docs for CLI, IDE integration, AGENTS.md, skills, subagents, oracle, librarian, painter, MCP, permissions, plugins, remote control, SDK, and plugin API reference.

Source reviewed #20Checked 2026-07-06

Setup guide Source

Run type

CLI

Adapter

ts-plugin

Source

Closed / product homepage

Stars

Frontier

Archive Context

This page is one host entry inside the full architecture archive and keeps multi-surface products visible instead of collapsing them into a single run type.

42 host archive

Host page

amp

Run cohort

CLI: 30

Archive route

/agents

Host Surface Perspectives

The host is the primary architecture boundary. Each runnable surface below separates what the host owns from what agent-connector can safely install for Amp.

1 surface entry

CLI

cli

Host entry: A terminal command owns the process, current working directory, stdin/stdout, shell environment, and project file discovery.
Host owns: The CLI host owns agent loop timing, approval prompts, tool execution, session files, and how hook or MCP subprocesses are launched.
Connector role: agent-connector can only write the host's documented CLI config, prompt, memory, hook, MCP, or package files and point them at the home binary. Current wired connector surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Skills, Memory.
Implementation consequence: A CLI surface is byte-addressable and smoke-testable from a temporary HOME, but terminal UI behavior still belongs to the host process. Visible host-native gaps for this surface: Subagents.

Verified Architecture

Source-checked on 2026-07-06. These notes are intentionally separate from the generated surface matrix below.

Sequence #20

Source pass

Current source review findings are kept as the first architecture section so readers can separate external evidence from the generated local coverage model.

Amp presents itself as a frontier coding agent with a CLI that starts agents in the terminal and lets users continue from other surfaces.
The official site highlights plugins that hook into events, add tools, and standardize policy, which maps directly to hook SDK concerns.
Remote Orbs, larger-thread reading, custom agents, and direct diff review are host-only affordances that should be documented separately from MCP.

Runtime boundary

The adapter target is Amp's CLI/editor agent surface. Amp owns model selection, tools, shell execution, permissions, thread state, remote machines called Orbs, thread sharing, and IDE connections across JetBrains, Neovim, VS Code-family editors, and Zed.

Amp documents `deep`, `smart`, and `rush` modes.
The CLI can connect to an IDE through the command palette and `ide connect` flow.
The web UI is used for thread sharing rather than being the local file adapter target.

MCP registration

Amp supports MCP directly and also lets skills bundle MCP servers through an `mcp.json` file in the skill directory. This makes MCP part of both always-on configuration and lazily loaded skill packaging.

Skill-bundled MCP servers start when Amp launches but keep tools hidden until the skill is loaded.
Amp examples include local command-based and remote HTTP MCP servers.
MCP tool exposure is intentionally managed to reduce context bloat.

Hook bridge

Amp's plugin system is the key hook and extension boundary. The manual includes plugin locations, writing plugins, event examples, command/tool/UI examples, custom agent modes, custom subagents, and permissions plugins.

Plugin events should be treated as Amp-native lifecycle surfaces.
Permissions plugins are an important policy hook example for agent-connector SDK design.
Do not reduce Amp plugins to MCP because plugins can add commands, tools, UI, modes, and subagents.

Content surfaces

Amp uses AGENTS.md guidance, skills, subagents, Oracle, Librarian, Painter, thread references, images, @file mentions, and shared threads as content surfaces. Skills can live in project and multiple user-wide locations.

Amp reads AGENTS.md from cwd, parents, subtrees, user config, system config, and compatible filenames.
Skill precedence spans shared `.agents/skills`, user config, `.claude/skills`, plugins, and built-ins.
Subagents and Oracle are host-native specialization surfaces.

Marketplace and host-only affordances

Amp's host-only affordances include Orbs, thread sharing, remote control, plugin API reference, SDK, built-in skills, subagents, Oracle, Librarian, Painter, and an explicit no-backcompat frontier product stance.

The plugin API and SDK make Amp especially relevant for hook SDK requirements.
Thread search and thread references are host memory features, not generic connector memory.

Host-specific shape

Amp is a ts-plugin host whose .amp plugin lifecycle is the hook boundary; skills and memory are wired, while command prompts and experimental createAgent subagents are treated separately.

Form factor: CLI.
Native surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Skills, Subagents, Memory.
Wired surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Skills, Memory.
Visible gaps: Subagents.

Hooks

Hooks enter through a generated plugin module that the host loads in its own runtime.

MCP

The adapter writes this host's native MCP registration dialect, including its root key, scope, transport fields, and environment syntax.

Memory

Managed memory text is written into the rules or memory file this host actually reads, with ownership markers for reversible uninstall.

Marketplace and affordances

The plugin bridge is generated directly, but there is no separate drivable marketplace path in the current driver registry.

Runtime handlers: none.
User-visible affordances: Users see managed skills + memory surfaces after install; runtime-only surfaces stay behind the host boundary..

Known Limits

Amp evolves quickly and explicitly deprioritizes legacy compatibility, so source checks must stay fresh.
MCP, skills, plugins, and subagents are separate surfaces and should not be collapsed.
Thread sharing and Orbs may require Amp account state outside local file writes.

Evidence checked

Amp owner manual Amp install Amp official site

Architecture Diagram

Host-specific flow for the CLI surface.

ts-plugin

1
Entry point: CLI
Terminal agent process reads user/project config and invokes the connector home binary for runtime callbacks.
2
Connector package
defineConnector package declares server, hooks, content, memory, and actions.
3
Adapter module: amp
ts-plugin renderer at src/adapters/amp/index.ts.
4
Native host artifacts
Adapter writes MCP config + plugin module + content files + memory/rules through this host's native file, package, or marketplace surface.
5
Runtime boundary
host loads generated TypeScript plugin bridge
6
User-visible surface
Users see managed skills + memory surfaces after install; runtime-only surfaces stay behind the host boundary.
7
Coverage ceiling
4/5 native surfaces wired. Subagents are host-native but not wired yet.

Component Diagram

Static parts of the Amp integration and which side owns each one.

Amp host
CLI surface owns the model loop, UI shell, config discovery, and native lifecycle for this integration.
agent-connector package
Normalizes connector declarations into MCP, hook, memory, content, and action payloads before delegating to a host adapter.
amp adapter
Implements the ts-plugin translation layer in src/adapters/amp/index.ts.
Native artifacts
Adapter writes MCP config + plugin module + content files + memory/rules through this host's native file, package, or marketplace surface.
Runtime bridge
host loads generated TypeScript plugin bridge
User-visible surface
Users see managed skills + memory surfaces after install; runtime-only surfaces stay behind the host boundary.

Runtime Sequence Flow

Message order from install to runtime for the CLI surface.

1 · User / project
Choose host adapter
Install or update starts against Amp; the selected surface is CLI.
2 · agent-connector
Resolve connector declaration
The package reads connector metadata and routes it to the amp adapter instead of exposing a generic host contract.
3 · amp adapter
Render host-native shape
Adapter writes MCP config + plugin module + content files + memory/rules through this host's native file, package, or marketplace surface.
4 · Amp
Host loads artifacts
host loads generated TypeScript plugin bridge
5 · Agent runtime
Run through host boundary
Users see managed skills + memory surfaces after install; runtime-only surfaces stay behind the host boundary.
6 · Coverage matrix
Expose remaining ceiling
4/5 native surfaces wired. Subagents are host-native but not wired yet.

Architecture Archive

The same five study axes are rendered for every host: runtime shape, hooks, MCP, memory, and host-only affordances.

Host-specific shape

Amp is a ts-plugin host whose .amp plugin lifecycle is the hook boundary; skills and memory are wired, while command prompts and experimental createAgent subagents are treated separately.

Form factor: CLI.
Native surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Skills, Subagents, Memory.
Wired surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Skills, Memory.
Visible gaps: Subagents.

Hooks

Hooks enter through a generated plugin module that the host loads in its own runtime.

MCP

The adapter writes this host's native MCP registration dialect, including its root key, scope, transport fields, and environment syntax.

Memory

Managed memory text is written into the rules or memory file this host actually reads, with ownership markers for reversible uninstall.

Marketplace and affordances

The plugin bridge is generated directly, but there is no separate drivable marketplace path in the current driver registry.

Runtime handlers: none.
User-visible affordances: Users see managed skills + memory surfaces after install; runtime-only surfaces stay behind the host boundary..

Special Feature Inventory

Host-specific capabilities separated from the generic surface matrix: lifecycle hooks, MCP registration, memory/rules, marketplace delivery, and UI or content affordances owned by the host.

Lifecycle hooks

Wired

Hooks enter through a generated plugin module that the host loads in its own runtime.

MCP registration

Wired

The adapter writes this host's native MCP registration dialect, including its root key, scope, transport fields, and environment syntax.

Memory and rules

Wired

Managed memory text is written into the rules or memory file this host actually reads, with ownership markers for reversible uninstall.

Marketplace delivery

Direct plugin

The plugin bridge is generated directly, but there is no separate drivable marketplace path in the current driver registry.

Host-only affordances

1/2 wired

Wired host affordances: Skills. Host-native gaps: Subagents. Not confirmed: Commands, Statusline handler, Action affordances.

Source Review Notes

Latest source pass for host-specific architecture details. This is separate from generated adapter coverage and local drift guards.

Checked 2026-07-06Open review source

Amp official site

Amp presents itself as a frontier coding agent with a CLI that starts agents in the terminal and lets users continue from other surfaces.
The official site highlights plugins that hook into events, add tools, and standardize policy, which maps directly to hook SDK concerns.
Remote Orbs, larger-thread reading, custom agents, and direct diff review are host-only affordances that should be documented separately from MCP.

Evidence Map

Each host page ties public source evidence to the local adapter and drift guards that keep the rendered archive aligned with code.

Product source

Official product homepage or public tracker used when no open product repository is confirmed.

external

Open source

Local adapter implementation

Defines the install/uninstall behavior, native config rendering, capability flags, and any runtime parse/format bridge for this host.

local

src/adapters/amp/index.ts

Platform metadata and host-native matrix

Records the form factor, public source target, ranking source, native host surfaces, and current agent-connector coverage cells.

local

site/src/platform-data.ts

Architecture drift guard

Asserts that every registered host has a page, diagram, host-specific brief, source link, form-factor band, and adapter-aligned surface data.

local

tests/docs/platform-drift.test.ts

Runtime Shape

The host loads a generated TypeScript plugin module that bridges in-process host events to the connector runtime.

MCP registration: Wired through this adapter
Hook bridge: Wired

Connector Surfaces

Static content

MCP server, Hooks, Skills, Memory

Runtime handlers

No runtime handler surfaces wired

Surface Matrix

Wired means agent-connector installs it now. Host native marks support we know about but have not wired yet.

SurfaceStatus

MCP server

Static content

agent-connector installs this surface today.

Wired

Hooks

Static content

agent-connector installs this surface today.

Wired

Commands

Static content

No confirmed host-native surface.

N/A

Skills

Static content

agent-connector installs this surface today.

Wired

Subagents

Static content

The host appears to offer this, but this adapter has not wired it yet.

Host native

Memory

Static content

agent-connector installs this surface today.

Wired

Statusline handler

Runtime handler

No confirmed host-native surface.

N/A

Action affordances

Runtime handler

No confirmed host-native surface.

N/A