# Ways to automate engineering work (https://www.shipfox.io/docs/compare-approaches)

Description: Compare how local coding agents, agent automations, CI platforms, and Shipfox run and coordinate engineering work.

| Comparison point | Local coding agent | Agent automations | CI platform | Software factory (Shipfox) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Example providers** | | | | |
| Products | [Claude Code](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/overview), [Codex CLI](https://developers.openai.com/codex/cli/), [OpenCode](https://opencode.ai/) | [GitHub Agentic Workflows](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/agents/about-github-agentic-workflows), [Claude Code Routines](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/routines), [Cursor Automations](https://cursor.com/docs/cloud-agent/automations) | [GitHub Actions](https://docs.github.com/en/actions/get-started/understand-github-actions), [GitLab CI/CD](https://docs.gitlab.com/ci/pipelines/) | [Shipfox](https://www.shipfox.io/docs/editions) |
| **Running work** | | | | |
| Where code runs | Engineer's machine | Provider-managed cloud runner | Hosted or self-hosted runners | [Hosted or self-managed runners](https://www.shipfox.io/docs/understand/runners-and-execution-environments) |
| Execution environment | No runner choice | Preset runner environment | Custom runners, images, and network | [Cloud runners in a range of sizes](https://www.shipfox.io/docs/reference/runner-labels), [Self-hosted runners on your infrastructure](https://www.shipfox.io/docs/understand/runners-and-execution-environments) |
| Parallel work | No managed parallel jobs | Parallel managed runs | Parallel jobs within runner capacity | Parallel jobs by default |
| Triggers | Human starts a session | Provider-supported events and schedules | Repository events, schedules, and webhooks | [8 built-in event sources, 132 event types](https://www.shipfox.io/docs/integrations), [Cron schedules](https://www.shipfox.io/docs/how-to/author-workflows/schedule-workflows), [Manual triggers](https://www.shipfox.io/docs/how-to/author-workflows/run-manually) |
| **Coordinating agents and steps** | | | | |
| Later review comments | Engineer follows up in chat | New automation run | New workflow run | [Listening job continues the same run](https://www.shipfox.io/docs/understand/listening-jobs) |
| Failed check needs a code fix | Engineer prompts another attempt | No independent feedback gate | Checks fail jobs; no built-in agent repair | [Gate restarts agent with check feedback](https://www.shipfox.io/docs/understand/feedback-loops) |
| Agent and fixed steps in one flow | No workflow orchestration | No built-in mixed-step workflow | Agent call needs job scripting | [Agent, run, and tool steps](https://www.shipfox.io/docs/understand/jobs-and-steps) |
| Agent conversation across steps | No shared workflow session | No cross-run agent session | No native agent session across jobs | [Named session across steps and jobs](https://www.shipfox.io/docs/understand/agent-sessions) |
| **Team control** | | | | |
| Shared team process | No shared run process | Reusable saved automations | Shared jobs and workflows | Shared workflow definitions |
| Configuration in code | No versioned workflow definition | Usually configured in provider UI | Workflow files in the repo | Workflow YAML in the repo |
| Model choice | Agent's supported models | Provider-supported models | Chosen in the agent call | [Broad selection of managed models](https://www.shipfox.io/docs/reference/cloud-models) |
| Agent-ready external tools | Engineer adds MCP servers | Small native action set; MCP for more | Agent tools need custom wiring | [8 tool integrations, 134 tools](https://www.shipfox.io/docs/integrations) |
| Tool credentials and scope | Personal credentials | MCP often uses personal OAuth and grants all server tools | Secrets passed to jobs | [Workspace credentials; selected tools per step](https://www.shipfox.io/docs/understand/integrations-connections-and-tools) |
| **Visibility and cost** | | | | |
| Activity logs | No shared run history | Automation session logs | Workflow and job logs | [Run, step, and agent logs](https://www.shipfox.io/docs/how-to/run-and-troubleshoot/inspect-logs) |
| Model cost by task | No shared cost per task | Usage in provider account | Model cost separate from runner usage | [Agent usage and cost per step](https://www.shipfox.io/docs/how-to/run-and-troubleshoot/inspect-logs) |