Runner Research

Research AI agent runners to keep LeanSpec's runner registry and configurations current as the ecosystem evolves rapidly.

Workflow

1. Gather Current State

Read the runner registry source to understand what LeanSpec currently supports:

rust/leanspec-core/src/sessions/runner.rs  # RunnerRegistry::builtins()

Read the current runner catalog reference for known details:

• See references/runners-catalog.md for the full catalog of tracked runners

2. Research Updates

For each runner category, use web_search to check for:

• Config format changes — New or renamed config files/dirs (e.g., .cursorrules → .cursor/rules)
• CLI changes — New commands, renamed binaries, new flags
• New environment variables — API key changes, new auth mechanisms
• New capabilities — MCP support, tool use, context protocol changes
• Deprecations — Removed features, sunset announcements
• New runners — Emerging agent platforms not yet tracked

Prioritize runners by adoption and rate of change:

1. Tier 1 (high priority): Claude Code, Copilot, Cursor, Windsurf, Codex, Gemini
2. Tier 2 (medium): Kiro, Amp, Aider, Goose, Continue, Roo Code
3. Tier 3 (monitor): Droid, Kimi, Qodo, Trae, Qwen Code, OpenHands, Crush, CodeBuddy, Kilo, Augment

3. Compare & Identify Gaps

Cross-reference findings against the registry:

• Missing detection commands or config dirs
• Outdated env var names
• New runners worth adding
• Runners that have been discontinued

4. Report Findings

Produce output based on significance:

• Minor updates (typos, env var additions): Update references/runners-catalog.md directly
• Major changes (new config formats, new runners, breaking changes): Create a new spec via the leanspec-sdd skill describing what needs to change in the runner registry

5. Update the Catalog

After research, update references/runners-catalog.md with:

• New findings, dates checked, version numbers
• Any corrections to detection config
• New runners discovered

Key Source Files

File	Purpose
rust/leanspec-core/src/sessions/runner.rs	Runner registry with detection config
schemas/runners.json	JSON schema for custom runner config
packages/cli/templates/_shared/agents-components/	AGENTS.md template components
packages/cli/templates/*/AGENTS.md	Generated AGENTS.md templates

Research Sources

Use web_search with queries like:

• "{runner-name} CLI changelog 2025 2026"
• "{runner-name} agent config file format"
• "{runner-name} MCP support"
• "new AI coding agent CLI 2026"
• "site:github.com {runner-org}/{runner-repo} releases"