Amazon Q Developer vs GitHub Copilot Comparison

# Amazon Q Developer - Java version upgrade (documented IDE flow)
# CLI install (macOS): brew install --cask amazon-q
# Note: AWS docs say "The Q CLI has become the Kiro CLI"; new CLI: kiro.dev/docs/cli

# 1) Prerequisite: a project built with Maven 3.8+, source JDK installed locally
mvn -v && java -version

# 2) Optional dependency upgrade file (Amazon Q asks for it during transformation)
# dependency-upgrade.yaml
name: dependency-upgrade
description: "Custom dependency version management for Java migration from JDK 8/11/17 to JDK 17/21"
dependencyManagement:
  dependencies:
    - identifier: "com.example:library1"
      targetVersion: "2.1.0"
      versionProperty: "library1.version"
      originType: "FIRST_PARTY"
    - identifier: "com.example:library2"
      targetVersion: "3.0.0"
      originType: "THIRD_PARTY"
  plugins:
    - identifier: "com.example.plugin"
      targetVersion: "1.2.0"
      originType: "THIRD_PARTY"

# 3) Click the Amazon Q icon in the IDE, request the transformation from the chat panel
#    Transform your application -> select the project -> Transform
#    Transformation details -> View diff -> accept with Apply patch
# Supported: Java 8/11 -> 17 or 21, Java 17 -> 17/21, Java 21 -> 21

# 4) Code review is also requested from the same chat panel (IDE feature):
#    entire workspace or a single file; SAST, secrets detection, IaC, SCA

# GitHub Copilot CLI + enterprise MCP allowlist (documented flow)
# Install: npm install -g @github/copilot   (Node.js 22 or later)
# Alternative: brew install --cask copilot-cli  |  winget install GitHub.Copilot

# 1) Start an interactive session
copilot

# 2) One-shot prompt (for scripts/CI)
copilot -p "summarize the changes in the last commit" --allow-tool='shell'

# 3) In-session commands
/mcp             # show configured MCP servers
/model           # change the model in use
/context         # token usage breakdown
/sandbox enable  # enable the local sandbox

# 4) Enterprise MCP allowlist - enterprise managed-settings.json
{
  "allowedMcpServers": [
    { "serverUrl": "https://api.githubcopilot.com/*" },
    { "serverCommand": ["npx", "@playwright/mcp@latest"] },
    { "serverCommand": ["cmd", "/c", "uvx", "markitdown-mcp"] }
  ],
  "deniedMcpServers": [
    {
      "serverCommand": [
        "npx",
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem",
        "/"
      ]
    }
  ]
}
# Evaluation order: built-in servers are always allowed ->
# matches in the deny list are blocked -> if allowedMcpServers is set, non-matches are blocked
# Prerequisite: the "MCP servers in Copilot" policy must be enabled for the enterprise/organization