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AGENTS.md
Open file convention: a README for agents with build, test and style instructions, read by most coding agents. Standing context, not a feature spec.
agents.mdActive
Contributed to the Agentic AI Foundation (Linux Foundation) at its launch 2025-12-09; Technical Charter added to repo 2026-09-10 (last push) (checked 2026-10-25)
In Spec-driven development
Where it stands apart
- How is it mainly sustained? community, foundation, or research (0% of 18 others)
- Which shared standard or format does it mainly build on? AGENTS.md (5% of 19 others)
- Once code exists, what is the spec? there is no feature spec; it supplies standing context or rules (0% of 19 others)
- After implementation, what built-in step keeps specs and code aligned? (if several, the first that applies) nothing built in (22% of 18 others)
- What form does it mainly ship in? a file convention only (0% of 19 others)
- Does a human approve the spec or plan before code is written? no approval step (6% of 18 others)
- By default, once a plan is approved, how is implementation run? it does not run implementation (6% of 18 others)
What it shares with most of the community
- Is it actively maintained? active (74% of 19 others)
- How is the main thing licensed? permissive open source (MIT/Apache/BSD) (74% of 19 others)
- Can it run entirely on your own device or infrastructure, without the maker's servers? yes (79% of 19 others)
- Do you need an account to use it? no account (74% of 19 others)
- Who is it for? developers (100% of 19 others)
- What format are specs written in? markdown from templates or free-form (67% of 18 others)
- Where do specs live? plain files in the project repository (89% of 19 others)
- Which coding agents does it work with? many agents (five or more) (78% of 18 others)
- What does it offer teams beyond sharing files in git? (if both, pick the paid product) nothing beyond git (50% of 18 others)
Nearest neighbors
- Agent OS 71% of 17 shared answers match
- Backlog.md 59% of 17 shared answers match
- GSD (Get Shit Done) / GSD Core 56% of 16 shared answers match
Every answer
| Question | Answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Is it actively maintained? | active A stable format; repo changes are governance/site updates. | source 2026-10-25 |
| How is the main thing licensed? | permissive open source (MIT/Apache/BSD) MIT | source 2026-10-25 |
| How is it mainly sustained? | stands apart community, foundation, or research Site says AGENTS.md is now stewarded by the Agentic AI Foundation under the Linux Foundation. | source 2026-10-26 |
| Can it run entirely on your own device or infrastructure, without the maker's servers? | yes | source 2026-10-25 |
| Do you need an account to use it? | no account Plain markdown file convention; nothing to sign up for. | source 2026-10-26 |
| Who is it for? | developers | source 2026-10-25 |
| Which shared standard or format does it mainly build on? | stands apart AGENTS.md It is the AGENTS.md convention. | source 2026-10-26 |
| Once code exists, what is the spec? | stands apart there is no feature spec; it supplies standing context or rules | source 2026-10-25 |
| After implementation, what built-in step keeps specs and code aligned? (if several, the first that applies) | stands apart nothing built in | source 2026-10-25 |
| What format are specs written in? | markdown from templates or free-form Free-form markdown. | source 2026-10-25 |
| Where do specs live? | plain files in the project repository | source 2026-10-25 |
| Which coding agents does it work with? | many agents (five or more) | source 2026-10-25 |
| What form does it mainly ship in? | stands apart a file convention only | source 2026-10-25 |
| How is the path from idea to code structured? | no fixed phases | source 2026-10-25 |
| Does a human approve the spec or plan before code is written? | stands apart no approval step | source 2026-10-25 |
| By default, once a plan is approved, how is implementation run? | stands apart it does not run implementation | source 2026-10-25 |
| What does it offer teams beyond sharing files in git? (if both, pick the paid product) | nothing beyond git | source 2026-10-25 |
Sources
This page was derived from:
- GitHub · github.com/agentsmd/agents.md · read 2026-10-25
- Web page · agents.md · read 2026-10-25
- Web page · openai.com/index/agentic-ai-foundation/ · read 2026-10-25
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