| Feature | Claude Code | Cursor | Codex CLI | Gemini CLI | Windsurf |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rules file | CLAUDE.md | .mdc | AGENTS.md | GEMINI.md | .md rules |
| Custom agents | Yes | Yes | Yes | Exp. | No |
| Lifecycle hooks | Full | Full | Limited | Exp. | Enterprise |
| MCP servers | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Native memory | Yes | Removed | Transcript | Yes | Auto |
| Model tiering | Per-agent | Global | Per-config | Global | Global |