PR2d: Add OSS setup guides and Cloud vs OSS comparison

docs/1-whats-recce/cloud-vs-oss.md

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+---
+title: Cloud vs Open Source
+---
+
+# Cloud vs Open Source
+
+Validating data changes manually takes time and slows PR review. Recce is a data validation agent. Open Source gives you the core validation engine to run yourself, Cloud gives you the full Agent experience with automated validation on every PR.
+
+```mermaid
+flowchart LR
+    subgraph Cloud
+        direction LR
+        C1[You open PR] --> C2[Agent validates automatically]
+        C2 --> C3[Summary posted to PR]
+    end
+
+    subgraph OSS["Open Source"]
+        direction LR
+        O1[You open PR] --> O2[You run checks manually]
+        O2 --> O3[You copy results to PR]
+    end
+```
+
+## The Core Difference
+
+| | Cloud | Open Source |
+|--|-------|-------------|
+| **Experience** | Recce Agent works alongside you | You run validation manually |
+| **PR validation** | Agent validates automatically, posts summary | You run checks, copy results to PR |
+| **During development** | CLI + Agent assistance | CLI tools only |
+| **Learning curve** | Agent guides you through validation | Learn the tools, run them yourself |
+
+## Cloud
+
+Recce Cloud connects to your Git repository and data warehouse so the Recce Agent can validate your data changes automatically. When you open a PR, the Agent analyzes your changes, runs validation checks, and posts findings directly to your PR — no manual work required.
+
+**On pull requests:**
+
+The Agent runs automatically when you open a PR. It:
+
+- Analyzes your data model changes
+- Runs relevant validation checks
+- Posts a summary to your PR with findings
+- Updates as you push new commits
+
+**During development:**
+
+The Agent works with your CLI through [Recce MCP](/5-data-diffing/mcp-server/) (Model Context Protocol):
+
+- Answers questions about your changes
+- Suggests validation approaches
+- Helps interpret diff results
+
+**For your team:**
+
+- Define what "correct" means for your repo with preset checks that apply across all PRs
+- Share validation standards as institutional knowledge — everyone validates the same way
+- Developers and reviewers collaborate on validation, going back and forth until the change is verified
+
+**Pricing:**
+
+Recce Cloud is free to start. See [Pricing](https://www.reccehq.com/pricing) for plan details.
+
+**Choose Cloud when:**
+
+- You want automated validation on every PR
+- You want Agent assistance during development
+- Your team reviews data changes in PRs
+
+## Open Source
+
+Recce OSS is the core validation engine you run locally. You control when and how validation happens — run checks, explore results, and decide what to share. Everything stays on your machine unless you export it.
+
+You get:
+
+- Lineage Diff between branches
+- Data comparison (row count, schema, profile, value, top-k, histogram diff)
+- Query diff for custom validations
+- Checklist to track your checks
+
+**Choose OSS when:**
+
+- Exploring Recce before adopting Cloud
+- Working in environments without external connectivity
+- Contributing to Recce development
+
+## Feature Comparison
+
+| Feature | Cloud | OSS |
+|---------|-------|-----|
+| Lineage Diff | :white_check_mark: | :white_check_mark: |
+| Data diff<br> (row count, schema, profile, value, top-k, histogram diff) | :white_check_mark: | :white_check_mark: |
+| Query diff | :white_check_mark: | :white_check_mark: |
+| Checklist | :white_check_mark: | :white_check_mark: |
+| Recce Agent on PRs | :white_check_mark: | :x: |
+| Agent CLI assistance | :white_check_mark: | Manual |
+| Preset checks across PRs | :white_check_mark: | Manual |
+| Shared validation standards | :white_check_mark: | Manual |
+| Developer-reviewer collaboration | :white_check_mark: | Manual |
+| PR comments & summaries | :white_check_mark: | :x: |
+| LLM-powered insights | :white_check_mark: | :x: |
+
+## FAQ
+
+**Can I start with OSS and upgrade to Cloud later?**
+
+Yes. OSS and Cloud use the same validation engine. Your existing checklists and workflows carry over when you connect to Cloud.
+
+**Does Cloud require a different setup than OSS?**
+
+Cloud connects to your Git repository and data warehouse directly. You don't need to generate artifacts locally — the Agent handles that automatically.
+
+**What data does Recce Cloud access?**
+
+Recce Cloud accesses your dbt artifacts (manifest.json, catalog.json) and runs queries against your data warehouse to perform validation. Your data stays in your warehouse.
+
+## Getting Started
+
+- **Cloud:** [Start Free with Cloud](../2-getting-started/start-free-with-cloud.md)
+- **OSS:** [OSS Setup](../2-getting-started/oss-setup.md)
+
+## Related
+
+- [What the Agent Does](../5-what-the-agent-does/index.md) — How the Recce Agent validates your changes
+- [Data Developer Workflow](../3-using-recce/data-developer.md) — Using Recce throughout development