Tag: comparison

Sequential for pipelines, concurrent for fan-out, group chat for moderated rounds, handoff for routing, magentic for open-ended planning. The C# builders and how to choose.

Both produce the same SQL. Reach for named filters only when you need to disable one predicate independently; a single combined filter is simpler for one concern in EF Core 11.

For a long list, never use shrinkWrap. Use Expanded when the list is the only scrollable, and slivers (CustomScrollView) when it shares a scroll with other sections. Here is why, with a build-count benchmark.

Both let one agent spawn isolated workers from a Markdown file, but Claude Code nests five levels deep with per-agent tool allowlists and worktree isolation, while Cursor keeps it to two levels with a single readonly switch and reads Claude's format for free. Pick by where your agents run, not by brand.

Build a skill to change how Claude works, a subagent to protect your context window, and an MCP server to reach a system Claude cannot otherwise touch. They solve three different problems, not one. Here is the decision, the mechanics, and the config for each.

Use CodeAct (the agent writes executable code as its action) when your tasks chain many tools, loop, or move large data, and you can afford a sandbox. Use the JSON tool-calling loop for a handful of discrete, high-stakes actions where a code interpreter is overkill or unsafe. CodeAct wins on token cost and multi-step success rate; tool calling wins on safety and simplicity.

MCP connects one agent to its tools, A2A connects independent agents to each other. They are not competitors. Add MCP first, reach for A2A only when you have multiple separately deployed agents. Here is the wire-level difference and the code.

Use stdio for a local server one client launches, use Streamable HTTP for anything remote or multi-client, and do not build new HTTP+SSE servers -- that transport was deprecated in the 2025-03-26 MCP spec. Here is the decision, the wire-level differences, and the code for each.

Use HasData only for fixed, model-owned reference data. Use UseSeeding and UseAsyncSeeding for everything else in EF Core 11. A side-by-side comparison with the rules that force the decision.

Use cookie authentication for any app where the browser is the only client, and reserve JWT bearer tokens for APIs called by mobile apps, other services, or third parties. Here is the full decision matrix.