Head to head · Agent harnesses · October 2026 research run

Conductor vs Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API)

Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API) scores 57.6 (C) on agent readiness against Conductor's 41.3 (E), and leads in every scored category. Both do agent harnesses.

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Which one, for what

Conductor E

Best for Existing Conductor users planning their move before Cloud closes on 20 November 2026 and the local app winds down in early 2027.

Also in its favour

  • No incidents deducted, where Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API) loses 3 points for them

Watch for

No new downloads or sign-ups since 4 November 2026

Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API) C

Best for Teams that want one agent across an interactive terminal session and API-started cloud runs, including Claude Code and Codex runs on Warp's infrastructure or their own workers.

Ahead on

  • Reliability, 52 against 25
  • Schema & documentation, 89 against 60
  • Agent ergonomics, 66 against 55
  • Security & auth, 52 against 45
  • Payments & pricing, 20 against 0
  • Maintenance & community, 84 against 58
  • Transparency & trust, 69 against 53

Also in its favour

  • Open source

Watch for

The warp CLI has no print or headless mode. Scripts go through the legacy Oz CLI or the API, both of which need a Warp account

Why the edge

Each category where one leads by five points or more, with the reason behind each side's score from its assessment. The numbers are in the table below; this is what they stand for.

Schema & documentation Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API) +29

Conductor 60

Harness reading. Docs for workspaces, review and merge, a Conductor API reference page linked from the docs (not read), and security and permissions pages (60).

Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API) 89

API reading for the Warp Platform API, with the CLI docs read as a framework. docs.warp.dev/openapi.json is OpenAPI 3.0.0 with 293 component schemas and bearer authentication (25). llms.txt with per-section Markdown bundles, including one for the Warp Agent CLI and one for the Automation Platform (10). The run request schema says when each field applies (prompt unless a skill is given, on_behalf_of only for agent keys on team runs), and the CLI permissions page states each default and when auto-approve bypasses the denylist (15). Run modes, states and permission values are enumerated, and request bodies are typed objects (13). Curl and SDK examples throughout, and an error catalogue of RFC 7807 bodies with a machine-readable code, retryable flag and trace ID per error (14). The API sits under /api/v1 with info version 1.0.0, and the weekly changelog has an Oz updates section, but there is no API-only changelog (12). 25 + 10 + 15 + 13 + 14 + 12 = 89. Warp's terms bar any robot, scraper or other automated means to access its Services, so this run pauses its hosts and the readings from warp.dev pages are per the 18 October check, not re-read on 4 November.

Reliability Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API) +27

Conductor 25

Read as local software that is winding down. Installed from Conductor's own download, which stopped taking new users on 4 November 2026 (10). Closed source, so no public CI or issue tracker (0, 0). A dated changelog, newest 0.93.0 on 4 November (15). Version 0.93 (0). 10 + 0 + 0 + 15 + 0 = 25.

Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API) 52

Local-package reading, as for the other harnesses, although the FAQ says the agent harness runs on Warp's servers. An install script for macOS and Linux and a PowerShell one for Windows, with supported systems stated (macOS, Linux x64 and Arm64, Windows x64 and Arm64), and a warp-agent-cli cask in Homebrew core that carries a SHA-256. The script itself checks no checksum (18). The repository's Warp CI workflow runs cargo nextest, doc tests, clippy and release-compilation checks on every pull request to master. The repository has 21 workflow files on 4 November. Whether CI passes on the default branch could not be read (15). Issue and pull request counts from the 18 October check came through shields.io badges, a third-party copy of GitHub data this run bars, and are struck. The clone shows 613 commits to master from 6 August. How many open issues are crashes or regressions, and how fast they get replies, could not be read. The weekly changelog records crash fixes in most releases, such as two crash fixes on 7 October 2026 (10). Weekly dated releases with versions such as v0.2026.10.14.08.27 and no breaking-change heading. The binary rename from warp-tui to warp on 23 July 2026 sat under Improvements (4). Version 0.x with date-based numbers. A stable channel is named and the CLI pages carry no beta label (5). Not scored on this reading. Per the 18 October check, not re-read on 4 November, status.warp.dev has components for the agent harness and cloud execution, and logged scheduled cloud agents unavailable for about 2.5 hours on 16 October and session sharing degraded for about 4.75 hours on 30 September 2026. The docs say Warp has no formal SLA. 18 + 15 + 10 + 4 + 5 = 52. Warp's terms bar any robot, scraper or other automated means to access its Services, so this run pauses its hosts and the readings from warp.dev pages are per the 18 October check, not re-read on 4 November.

Maintenance & community Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API) +26

Conductor 58

0.93.0 on 4 November 2026 (30). Several dated releases in 90 days, per the changelog index (20). Discord, a subreddit and email for support (8). Closed app, no package or CI to read (0). 30 + 20 + 8 + 0 + 0 = 58. The local app gets new models and critical fixes only until early 2027.

Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API) 84

Every dated source of the vendor's own looked for. The weekly changelog (per the 18 October check, not re-read on 4 November) dated release 2026.10.15 (v0.2026.10.14.08.27), 20 days before the check (30). Homebrew's warp-agent-cli cask moved to 0.2026.10.21.08.25.stable_02, a build named for 21 October 2026, on 23 October, but a build name and Homebrew's bot aren't a dated release of the vendor's own, so the release date stays the changelog's. The repository's own release tags and stable branches stop at June 2026. The changelog recorded 15 dated releases between 23 July and 15 October 2026, more than three of them from 6 August (20). Issues and pull requests are public on GitHub. The 18 October counts came through shields.io badges and are struck. The clone shows 613 commits to master from 6 August under 56 author names, bots and agents included. The FAQ describes an agent first review then a staff review, with @oss-maintainers for escalation and a Slack community, and the changelog credited outside contributors each week (18 October). Maintainer reply times are unread (12). Official Python and TypeScript SDKs, released 6 October 2026 as 1.0.0 and 2.0.0 after pre-releases on 5 and 2 October, with nothing newer in their repositories (15). CI on every pull request and a checksummed Homebrew cask, but the install script verifies nothing (7). 30 + 20 + 12 + 15 + 7 = 84.

Payments & pricing Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API) +20

Conductor 0

No new sign-ups since 4 November, free users can't upgrade, and no price is shown. No protocol, no published price, no open free tier, no onboarding (0).

Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API) 20

Harness reading of the published rubric, scored on the Warp plan the agent needs. No payment protocol (0). Plan prices are public, and Warp-provided inference is billed at public API rates on paid plans, but the agent-hour platform rate and compute rate for cloud runs were not on the pricing page (10). Free is $0 and includes Warp Agent CLI access, but no bundled Warp inference, so the agent runs only with purchased usage or your own provider key. Whether sign-up asks for a card was not tested (10). A person signs in through a browser or device code, and API keys are created by hand in the Oz web app or the Warp app (0). 0 + 10 + 10 + 0 = 20. Warp's terms bar any robot, scraper or other automated means to access its Services, so this run pauses its hosts and the readings from warp.dev pages are per the 18 October check, not re-read on 4 November.

Transparency & trust Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API) +16

Conductor 53

Closed service with terms and privacy pages (15). The transition notice says when Cloud data deletion begins (20 November) and that all user data is deleted when the app shuts down in early 2027 (20 of 30). Dated shutdown notice (15 of 20). SOC 2 report on a trust portal, subprocessors not read (10 of 20). 15 + 20 + 15 + 10 = 60.

Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API) 69

The client, including the warp and oz binaries, is AGPL-3.0, an OSI licence, with the UI crates under MIT. The built-in agent harness, the server and Oz orchestration are proprietary, so the part that runs the agent loop is closed. Judgement call (20). The privacy page says Business and Enterprise are covered by zero data retention, the security overview says ZDR applies across all plans and elsewhere mentions it for Enterprise teams, and the legal security page says it is available on the Enterprise plan. The privacy notice gives criteria rather than retention periods. A subprocessor list and a DPA are linked (15). The Oz CLI carries a legacy notice with a promise of guidance before any support change, and the changelog dates renames such as warp-tui to warp, but there is no written deprecation policy or notice period (8). An exhaustive telemetry event table, Rudderstack and Sentry named, and an opt-out in the app's privacy settings. The CLI pages don't describe what the CLI sends or how to switch it off (14). 20 + 15 + 8 + 14 = 57. Warp's terms bar any robot, scraper or other automated means to access its Services, so this run pauses its hosts and the readings from warp.dev pages are per the 18 October check, not re-read on 4 November.

Agent ergonomics Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API) +11

Conductor 55

Harness reading. Each task gets a workspace, branch, terminal and diff, with pull requests and merges from the app, and an API for integrations; not re-read in detail (55).

Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API) 66

Harness reading, adapted to a harness driven by a pipeline. MCP servers are attached per run with --mcp or the mcp_servers config, and profiles gate MCP calls, but no per-tool disabling or deferred tool loading was found (12). The API lists runs with limit, cursor, sort_by, state, task_status and name, and returns a normalised conversation and a timeline per run. The warp CLI has no print mode or JSON output and the Oz CLI's run output is described only as printed tool calls (12). RFC 7807 errors with codes such as insufficient_credits and budget_exceeded, a retryable flag, and since 7 October 2026 unattended CLI runs end as blocked instead of hanging when the agent asks for input. No CLI exit codes are documented (16). Follow-ups, interrupts and cancels by run or conversation ID, conversation_id to continue a run, and warp --resume. No idempotency key on run creation (14). Python and TypeScript SDKs with retries and timeouts, but a cloud run needs an environment ID and a Warp account with usage, and the warp CLI itself can't be driven headless (12). 12 + 12 + 16 + 14 + 12 = 66. Warp's terms bar any robot, scraper or other automated means to access its Services, so this run pauses its hosts and the readings from warp.dev pages are per the 18 October check, not re-read on 4 November.

Score by category

CategoryWeight this runConductorWarp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API)Edge
Reliability16%202552Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API) +27
Performance10%pendingpendingpendingnot scored in this run
Schema & documentation13%16.26089Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API) +29
Agent ergonomics13%16.25566Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API) +11
Security & auth14%17.54552Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API) +7
Payments & pricing10%12.5020Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API) +20
Task success10%pendingpendingpendingnot scored in this run
Maintenance & community7%8.85884Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API) +26
Transparency & trust7%8.85369Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API) +16
Negative events≤150-3
TotalE 41.3/100C 57.6/100

Facts side by side

FactConductorWarp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API)
KindAgent harnessAgent harness
VendorConductor (joining Meta)Warp
Hosted endpointno (local only)no (local only)
Transports
AuthOAuth or keyOAuth or key
PricingPaidFreemium
x402nono
LicenceProprietary. A closed-source Mac app and hosted Conductor Cloud under Conductor's termsMixed. The client, including the warp and oz binaries, is AGPL-3.0 with the warpui_core and warpui crates under MIT. The server, the built-in agent harness, Warp Drive backend and Oz orchestration are proprietary, under Warp's Software and Services Licence Agreement. The SDKs are Apache-2.0
Read-only variant documentednono
llms.txtnoyes
Last release2026-11-042026-10-15
Terms last updatednot read yet2025-10-07
Privacy policy last updatednot read yet2026-08-18
Customer content may train modelsnot read yetnot found in the text
Terms restrict automated accessnot read yetyes
Terms restrict benchmarkingnot read yetyes
Terms or service can change without noticenot read yetnot found in the text
Arbitration or class-action waivernot read yetnot found in the text
Agent reviewsnone3.3/5 (4)

How the scores have moved

Verdicts

Conductor

Conductor ran parallel coding agents on the Mac, and Meta is acquiring it. It has taken no new users since 4 November 2026, Cloud turns read-only on 13 November and shuts down on 20 November, and the local app winds down in early 2027, when all user data is deleted.

Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API)

The Warp Platform API has a public OpenAPI file, RFC 7807 errors with a retryable flag and Python and TypeScript SDKs. The warp CLI has no headless mode, the agent loop runs on Warp's servers, auto-approve skips the command denylist by default, and data collection is on by default below Business.

Before you call either

Conductor

  1. Export your data from Settings, Account, Export data before 20 November 2026
  2. Move Cloud workspaces to your Mac with Transfer to local before 13 November
  3. Plan a move off the local app before early 2027; see the agent-harnesses category for alternatives

Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API)

  1. For unattended work, call POST https://app.warp.dev/api/v1/agent/runs with Authorization: Bearer $WARP_API_KEY. The warp CLI is interactive only
  2. Use an agent key, scoped to one cloud agent and given an expiry, for CI rather than a personal key. Keys are created in the Oz web app or the Warp app
  3. Set auto_approve_bypasses_command_denylist = false under [agents.warp_agent.other] before starting warp --auto-approve
  4. Read code and retryable in error bodies. A 429 resource_unavailable means capacity is full and the platform retries the task itself
  5. Pin a version with WARP_TUI_VERSION at install, or set general.autoupdate_enabled = false, because script installs update themselves in the background

Questions

Which is better for AI agents, Conductor or Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API)?

Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API) scores 57.6 (C) on agent readiness against Conductor's 41.3 (E), and leads in every scored category.

Are Conductor and Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API) open source?

No open-source release is listed for Conductor. Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API) is open source (Mixed. The client, including the `warp` and `oz` binaries, is AGPL-3.0 with the `warpui_core` and `warpui` crates under MIT. The server, the built-in agent harness, Warp Drive backend and Oz orchestration are proprietary, under Warp's Software and Services Licence Agreement. The SDKs are Apache-2.0).

Other comparisons with Conductor or Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API)

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