# Amp The frontier coding agent for your terminal and editor, with multi-model modes, threads, subagents, and the Oracle. Schema: 1.0 · Data: ee5de863c30bdbe4fe7dd3e07c7e22ea9bf4ab2248dbc7c35cdbf60bc28be1db ## Configuration ### MCP Status: supported MCP servers configured under amp.mcpServers in settings, added via `amp mcp add`, or bundled inside skills via mcp.json (the recommended approach to keep the tool list clean). - global: `~/.config/amp/settings.json` (json) — key: amp.mcpServers - project: `.amp/settings.json` (json) — key: amp.mcpServers — Workspace servers require explicit user approval before running. - project: `.agents/skills//mcp.json` (json) — Skill-bundled servers; tools are hidden until the skill is loaded. - `command`: string — Command to run a local (stdio) server. - `args`: string[] — Arguments passed to the command. - `env`: record — Environment variables for local servers. Supports ${VAR_NAME} interpolation in settings files. - `url`: string — Endpoint of a remote server. - `headers`: record — HTTP headers sent with requests to remote servers (e.g. Authorization). - `includeTools`: string[] — Tool names or glob patterns to filter which tools are exposed (recommended, skill-bundled mcp.json). - transports: stdio, sse, http - auth: oauth, headers, env - Tools: supported - Amp recommends bundling MCP servers in skills via an mcp.json file in the skill directory; servers start with Amp but tools stay hidden until the skill loads. - Precedence when a server name appears in multiple places: --mcp-config CLI flag > amp.mcpServers in user/workspace settings > skill-bundled servers. - MCP servers in workspace settings (.amp/settings.json) require explicit approval (`amp mcp approve `) before they can run; global settings and --mcp-config do not. - OAuth tokens are stored in ~/.amp/oauth/ and refreshed automatically; manage with `amp mcp oauth login|logout`. - amp.mcpPermissions rules can allow or reject servers matching command/args or url patterns. amp.mcpServers in settings.json ```json "amp.mcpServers": { "playwright": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "@playwright/mcp@latest", "--headless"] }, "linear": { "url": "https://mcp.linear.app/sse" }, "sourcegraph": { "url": "${SRC_ENDPOINT}/.api/mcp/v1", "headers": { "Authorization": "token ${SRC_ACCESS_TOKEN}" } } } ``` Skill-bundled mcp.json ```json { "chrome-devtools": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "chrome-devtools-mcp@latest"], "includeTools": ["navigate_*", "take_screenshot", "click", "fill*"] } } ``` Source: https://ampcode.com/manual#mcp Checked: 2026-07-12 ### Skills Status: supported SKILL.md skills (Agent Skills format) that the agent invokes automatically. Skills can bundle resources and MCP servers (mcp.json) in the skill directory. - project: `.agents/skills//SKILL.md` (markdown) — Project skills, can be committed to git so the team shares them. - global: `~/.config/agents/skills//SKILL.md` (markdown) — User-wide skills; ~/.agents/skills/ and ~/.config/amp/skills/ are also scanned. - project: `.claude/skills//SKILL.md` (markdown) — Claude Code compatibility path (also ~/.claude/skills/); disable with amp.skills.disableClaudeCodeSkills. - `name`: string (required) — Skill identifier. Must be unique; project skills override user-wide, both override built-ins. - `description`: string (required) — What the skill does. Always visible to the model and determines when it invokes the skill. - invocation: automatic - User-invokable skills were removed; the model invokes skills based on name and description (see ampcode.com/news/neo). - Skill precedence (first wins): ~/.config/agents/skills/, ~/.agents/skills/, ~/.config/amp/skills/, .agents/skills/, .claude/skills/, ~/.claude/skills/, then plugins, legacy toolbox directories, and built-in skills. - name and description are always visible to the model; the SKILL.md body loads on demand when the skill is invoked. - Skills can bundle MCP servers via an mcp.json file in the skill directory — Amp's recommended way to use MCP. - amp.skills.path adds extra skill directories; amp.skills.disableClaudeCodeSkills disables loading from Claude Code directories. - Amp ships a built-in building-skills skill that creates skills tailored to your codebase. SKILL.md ```markdown --- name: my-skill description: A description of what this skill does --- # My Skill Instructions Detailed instructions for the agent... ``` Source: https://ampcode.com/manual#agent-skills Checked: 2026-07-12 ### Rules Status: supported AGENTS.md guidance files at project, user, and system scope, with @-file mentions and glob-scoped granular guidance in mentioned files. - project: `AGENTS.md` (markdown) — In cwd, parent dirs, and subtrees. Architecture, build/test commands, conventions. - global: `~/.config/amp/AGENTS.md` (markdown) — Personal preferences and device-specific guidance; ~/.config/AGENTS.md also works. - enterprise: `/etc/ampcode/AGENTS.md` (markdown) — System-wide/organization-managed guidance (macOS: /Library/Application Support/ampcode/AGENTS.md, Windows: %ProgramData%\ampcode\AGENTS.md). - `globs`: string[] — YAML frontmatter in an @-mentioned file; the file is only included once Amp has read a file matching any glob. Globs are implicitly prefixed with **/ unless they start with ./ or ../. - invocation: @file-mention - AGENTS.md in the cwd (or editor workspace roots) and parent directories up to $HOME are always included; subtree AGENTS.md files are included when the agent reads a file in that subtree. - If no AGENTS.md exists in a directory, AGENT.md or CLAUDE.md is used instead. - @-mention other files inside agent files to include them as context; relative, absolute, ~/ paths and glob patterns are supported. - Mentioned files can declare `globs` in YAML frontmatter so they are only included after Amp reads a matching file (granular, language- or area-specific guidance). - Run agents-md list from the command palette to see the agent files in use; Amp offers to generate an AGENTS.md if none exists. Glob-scoped guidance file (docs/typescript-conventions.md) ```markdown --- globs: - '**/*.ts' - '**/*.tsx' --- Follow these TypeScript conventions: - Never use the `any` type ``` @-mentions in AGENTS.md ```markdown See @doc/style.md and @specs/**/*.md. When making commits, see @doc/git-commit-instructions.md. ``` Source: https://ampcode.com/manual#agents-md Checked: 2026-07-12 ### Hooks Status: supported Lifecycle event handling via TypeScript plugins: amp.on(...) handlers can observe, approve, reject, or modify tool calls and agent turns. - project: `.amp/plugins/*.ts` (typescript) - global: `~/.config/amp/plugins/*.ts` (typescript) — System plugins applied across your own projects. - events: session.start, agent.start, tool.call, tool.result, agent.end - Amp has no shell-command hook config file; hooks are written as plugins — TypeScript files exporting a default function that receives the PluginAPI. - tool.call handlers return allow, reject-and-continue, modify, or synthesize; agent.end handlers can return continue with a follow-up user message. There is no session.end event. - The legacy permissions system (amp.permissions, amp.guardedFiles.allowlist, amp.dangerouslyAllowAll set to false) is now a built-in plugin activated when those settings are present. - Plugins can also register tools (amp.registerTool), command-palette commands (amp.registerCommand), show UI, and classify with amp.ai.ask. - Reload with `plugins: reload` from the command palette; inspect with `plugins: list`. Gate tool calls with a plugin ```typescript import type { PluginAPI } from '@ampcode/plugin' export default function (amp: PluginAPI) { amp.on('tool.call', async (event, ctx) => { const confirmed = await ctx.ui.confirm({ title: `Allow ${event.tool}?`, message: `Amp wants to call ${event.tool}.`, confirmButtonText: 'Allow', }) if (confirmed) return { action: 'allow' } return { action: 'reject-and-continue', message: `The user rejected ${event.tool}.` } }) } ``` Source: https://ampcode.com/manual#plugins Checked: 2026-07-12 ### Commands Status: deprecated Custom slash commands (.agents/commands/) were removed in favor of skills; command-palette commands can still be added programmatically via the plugin API. - project: `.agents/commands/.md` (markdown) — Legacy location, removed. Migrate to .agents/skills//SKILL.md. - global: `~/.config/amp/commands/.md` (markdown) — Legacy location, removed. Migrate to ~/.config/agents/skills//SKILL.md. - invocation: command palette (Ctrl+O) - Custom commands in .agents/commands/ and ~/.config/amp/commands/ were two ways of doing the same thing as skills and have been removed; Amp's migration guide moves each command to a skill directory (.agents/skills//SKILL.md). - Plugins can register command-palette actions with amp.registerCommand(...), including availability states (enabled/disabled/hidden). Register a command via a plugin ```typescript import type { PluginAPI } from '@ampcode/plugin' export default function (amp: PluginAPI) { amp.registerCommand( 'open-plugin-docs', { title: 'Open plugin docs', category: 'docs', description: 'Open the Amp Plugin API manual page.', }, async (ctx) => { await ctx.system.open('https://ampcode.com/manual/plugin-api') }, ) } ``` Source: https://ampcode.com/news/slashing-custom-commands Checked: 2026-07-12 ### Settings Status: supported JSON/JSONC settings with an amp. prefix at user, workspace, and enterprise-managed scope. Workspace settings override user settings (except keymaps). - global: `~/.config/amp/settings.json` (json) — User settings (same path on macOS and Linux; %USERPROFILE%\.config\amp\settings.json on Windows). - project: `.amp/settings.json` (json) — Workspace settings; nearest file searched upward from cwd to the repo root. - enterprise: `/etc/ampcode/managed-settings.json` (json) — Managed policy settings (macOS: /Library/Application Support/ampcode/managed-settings.json, Windows: %ProgramData%\ampcode\managed-settings.json). - `amp.mcpServers`: object — MCP servers that expose tools (see MCP surface). - `amp.mcpPermissions`: array — Allow or reject MCP servers matching command/args or url patterns; first matching rule applies. - `amp.tools.disable`: string[] — Disable tools by name; supports glob patterns and builtin:toolname to disable only the builtin variant. - `amp.keymap`: object — Customize the CLI keymap; chords are space-separated keys. User entries override workspace entries. - `amp.skills.path`: string — Additional skill directories, colon-separated (semicolon on Windows), ~ supported. - `amp.skills.disableClaudeCodeSkills`: boolean — Disable loading skills from Claude Code directories. Default false. - `amp.notifications.enabled`: boolean — Play notification sounds when the agent completes or is blocked. Default true. - `amp.showCosts`: boolean — Show thread cost information in the CLI. Default true. - `amp.git.commit.ampThread.enabled`: boolean — Add the Amp-Thread trailer to agent commits. Default true. - `amp.git.commit.coauthor.enabled`: boolean — Add Amp as co-author in agent commits. Default true. - `amp.defaultVisibility`: object — Default thread visibility per repository origin. Values: private, workspace, group - `amp.remoteThreadCreation.enabled`: boolean — Let ampcode.com create new threads in this interactive TUI. Default false. - `amp.updates.mode`: string — Update checking behavior. Default auto. Values: auto, warn, disabled - `amp.fuzzy.alwaysIncludePaths`: string[] — Glob patterns always included in fuzzy file search even if gitignored. - `amp.terminal.copyOnSelect`: boolean — Copy TUI selections to the clipboard automatically. Default true. - `amp.thread.autoArchiveOnQuit`: boolean — Archive open CLI threads when quitting. Default false. - Edit user settings with `amp config edit`, workspace settings with `amp config edit --workspace`; a custom file can be passed via --settings-file. - .jsonc variants (settings.jsonc) are also read at both user and workspace scope. - Workspace settings are found by searching upward from the cwd to the repository root. - Enterprise managed settings override user and workspace settings and add amp.admin.compatibilityDate. - Keymaps are the exception to precedence: amp.keymap entries in user settings override workspace entries. User settings ```json { "amp.mcpServers": { "playwright": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "@playwright/mcp@latest", "--headless"] } }, "amp.tools.disable": ["browser_*"], "amp.notifications.enabled": false } ``` Source: https://ampcode.com/manual#configuration Checked: 2026-07-12 ## Search, browser & identification Not researched. Unknown does not mean unsupported.