Evaluating an Agent for Your Stack

A practical checklist for choosing an agent that fits your code, team, and budget.

Checklist

1. Runtime fit — Does it run locally, in the cloud, or both? Local agents keep code on your machine; cloud agents work from any device.
2. Model flexibility — Can you bring your own API key? Vendor lock-in to one model family gets expensive as models change.
3. Platform access — Does it integrate with your IDE, messaging apps, terminal, or browser where you actually work?
4. Undo and audit trail — Can you roll back changes? Are tool calls logged?
5. Pricing transparency — Is the cost subscription, usage-based, or both? Estimate a month of real usage before buying.
6. Security posture — What can the agent touch? Does it require broad file-system or account permissions?

Run the same small task through two or three finalists. The winner is usually the one whose mistakes are easiest to catch and fix.