Duplicated code sections - move to a service?

Question

I have a C# application that enables users to write a test and execute it (client). It also supports distributed execution over multiple machines using a central server and agents on said machines.
The agent is practically a duplication of the original execution ability but it is in a standalone solution.
We'd like to refactor that because:

1. Code duplication.
2. If a user will try to write and execute on a machine that runs an agent, there will be a problematic collision.

I'm considering 2 options:

1. Move this execution to a service, that both client and agent will use. I mean a service that will run locally, not a web service.
2. Merge client and agent - we'll have no agent, but the server will communicate with the client as an agent instead.

I have no experience in working with services. Are there any known advantages/disadvantages to either options?

Answer 1

A common library shared by both client and agent sounds more appropriate to allow simple cases such as just using the client and avoid the overhead of having to set up an extra service locally.