Goose

Block · 2024

Open SourceLocalMulti-platformProvider-agnostic

An open-source, extensible AI agent from Block that handles coding, planning, and tool use from the terminal. Best for teams that want a BYO-model agent with a growing ecosystem of extensions.

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When to choose goose

Use Goose when you want a local, open-source coding agent that can grow with your stack. Goose is younger than Aider or Cline, but its MCP-native architecture and Block backing make it a strong choice for teams building agentic workflows on their own hardware.

What it does well

Local by default. Goose runs on your machine, keeps code in your repo, and lets you control where prompts go.
MCP-native tool use. It connects to Model Context Protocol servers for filesystem, web, GitHub, databases, and more.
Bring your own model. Works with OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Ollama, and OpenRouter.
Planning loop. Goose can break a task into steps, execute them, and adjust when tool output changes.
Rust core. Fast startup and lower resource usage compared to some Node/Python agents.

Honest limitations

Smaller community. Fewer plugins and tutorials than Aider or Cline.
Rapid evolution. APIs and extension patterns are still settling; expect breaking changes.
No built-in IDE. Terminal-only for now; editor integrations are community-built.
Documentation gaps. Some advanced configurations require reading source or issues.

Best fit

Developers and platform teams who want an open, local agent with clean tool integration and the flexibility to swap models. Especially strong if you are already adopting MCP servers.

Spec sheet

Pricing

Open Source

Runtime

Local

Released

2024

License

Open source

Key features

Local-first terminal agent
MCP server integration
Multi-provider model support
Planning and execution loop
Extensible via Rust extensions

Works with

Platforms

CLI

Default model

Model-agnostic