Trae
Trae is an AI-native IDE from ByteDance that puts an AI assistant at the center of the editor. It offers chat, agentic coding and multi-model support, and it launched with a free model allowance that made it an easy way to try agentic development.
Quick Facts
| Developer | ByteDance |
|---|---|
| First released | 2025 |
| Latest version | See official website |
| Platform | macOS and Windows |
| License | Proprietary (free to use) |
| Pricing | Free with included model usage; see official website |
What is Trae?
Trae is an AI-native IDE from ByteDance, the company behind TikTok and Douyin. It launched in early 2025 as a free editor built from the ground up around AI assistance, aiming to make agentic development accessible to anyone, not just developers willing to configure their own model keys.
The editor includes a chat panel, agentic coding features that can plan and execute tasks across your project, and support for multiple models including Claude, GPT and ByteDance's own models. One of its biggest draws at launch was free included model usage, which removed the usual setup friction.
Because it is a full IDE rather than an extension, everything lives in one place: the editor, the AI chat, the terminal and the debugging tools all work together in a single window.
Key Features
- AI chat built directly into the editor
- Agentic mode that can plan and execute multi-step tasks
- Multi-model support including Claude, GPT and ByteDance models
- Free included model usage at launch
- VS Code-compatible extensions and familiar layout
- Built-in terminal and debugging tools
- Image and design assistance features
How to get started
Download Trae for macOS or Windows from the official website, install it like any app, and sign in. Because models are included, you can start using the AI features immediately without setting up API keys.
- Download Trae from trae.ai for macOS or Windows
- Install and launch the IDE
- Sign in with your account
- Open a project and start chatting with the AI
- Try agentic mode to have the IDE implement a feature
Use cases
- Trying agentic coding without configuring model APIs
- Building apps with chat-driven development
- Generating UI and boilerplate code quickly
- Learning new frameworks with an AI assistant on hand
- Working in a familiar VS Code-style editor with AI built in
- Comparing AI models side by side in one IDE
Pricing and licensing
Trae launched as a free product with included model usage, which set it apart from tools that require you to bring your own API keys. The exact terms, including any usage limits and future pricing, have evolved since launch, so check the official website for the current model.
It is a proprietary product from ByteDance, so the editor itself is not open source, but the free entry point makes it one of the most accessible agentic IDEs to try.
Pros and cons
Trae's strengths are accessibility and integration. Free included models mean you can try agentic development in minutes, and having the AI built into a full IDE keeps the whole workflow in one place. Multi-model support adds flexibility.
The trade-offs are that it is a proprietary platform controlled by ByteDance, which raises questions about data and long-term pricing for some users, and it is younger than established editors. Developers who prefer open-source tools may find that a dealbreaker.
Alternatives
- Cursor: popular AI-native editor built on VS Code
- Windsurf: AI-powered IDE from Codeium
- Cline: open-source autonomous coding agent in VS Code
- Continue: open-source AI assistant for VS Code and JetBrains
- Kilo Code: AI coding agent for VS Code and JetBrains