Hands-on: Fable 5.1 runs circles around Astra in coding agent tasks
altryne · x · 2026-09-20
A developer's hands-on comparison of two coding agents: Fable 5.1 performs excellently — it proactively architects solutions, fixes code on the spot, updates Linear tickets, and answers questions in real time, handling everything from architecture to project management.
Astra, by contrast, struggles: it repeatedly stalls on a single settings page, stops constantly, and burns an ungodly amount of tokens (though its browser-use skills are solid). Simple requests like opening a PR or updating Linear took roughly 22 seconds to a minute, prompting the author to call it 'the slow kid.'
Related event: Hands-On: Fable 5.1 Crushes Astra in Coding Agent Tests(3 posts)→
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