IDE Integration Overview

Bring Qwen Code into your favorite code editor with native integrations

Qwen Code provides native integrations for popular code editors, bringing AI-powered coding assistance directly into your development environment. Use Qwen Code without leaving your IDE through dedicated extensions and agent protocol support.

Supported IDEs

Qwen Code integrates with three major development environments:

VS Code

Official extension with native UI and bundled CLI

Zed

Agent server extension via Agent Client Protocol

JetBrains

ACP integration for IntelliJ, WebStorm, PyCharm, and more

Integration Types

Qwen Code offers two integration approaches:

Extension-Based (VS Code)

The VS Code extension provides:

• Bundled experience: No separate CLI installation required
• Dedicated chat panel: Access via the Qwen icon in the editor title bar
• Native diffing: Review and accept changes in VS Code’s diff view
• Auto-accept mode: Automatically apply Qwen’s changes as they’re made
• File management: @-mention files or attach using the system file picker
• Session management: Multiple simultaneous sessions and conversation history

Agent Protocol-Based (Zed & JetBrains)

Zed and JetBrains integrations use the Agent Client Protocol (ACP):

• Native agent panels: Integrated AI assistant within the IDE
• File context: Mention files to add them to conversations
• Conversation history: Access past conversations
• Requires CLI: Qwen Code CLI must be installed separately

Quick Comparison

Feature	VS Code	Zed	JetBrains
Installation	Marketplace extension	Extension panel	Configure ACP agent
CLI Required	No (bundled)	Yes	Yes
Protocol	Custom	ACP	ACP
Diff View	Native VS Code	Terminal-based	Terminal-based
Auto-accept	Yes	No	No
File Attachments	System picker	@-mentions	#-mentions
Multi-session	Yes	Yes	Yes
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	macOS, Linux, Windows	Windows, macOS, Linux

Getting Started

Choose your IDE and follow the setup guide:

1. Choose Your IDE

   Select the integration guide that matches your development environment:

   • VS Code Integration - For Visual Studio Code and VS Code-based editors
   • Zed Integration - For Zed editor users
   • JetBrains Integration - For IntelliJ IDEA, WebStorm, PyCharm, etc.
2. Install and Configure

   Follow the installation steps in your chosen guide. Most integrations take less than 5 minutes to set up.

3. Start Coding

   Open the AI chat panel in your IDE and start asking Qwen Code to help with:

   • Explaining code and codebase structure
   • Writing new features and functionality
   • Fixing bugs and errors
   • Refactoring and optimization
   • Generating tests and documentation

Common Features Across All IDEs

Regardless of which IDE you use, all integrations support:

• File context: Reference project files in your conversations
• Code awareness: Qwen understands your active files and selections
• Multi-turn conversations: Build on previous interactions
• History access: Review and resume past conversations
• Authentication: Same auth methods as CLI (Qwen OAuth or API keys)

Terminal Integration

All IDE integrations work alongside the terminal version of Qwen Code. You can:

• Use the IDE for interactive coding sessions
• Switch to the terminal for scripting and automation
• Share the same configuration and authentication
• Access the same conversation history

See the CLI documentation for terminal usage.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues with any IDE integration:

1. Verify CLI installation (for Zed/JetBrains):

   qwen --version
   

2. Check authentication:

   qwen
   /auth
   

3. Review IDE-specific logs:

   • VS Code: Open Developer Tools (Help → Toggle Developer Tools)
   • Zed: Command Palette → “Zed: Open Log” and “Dev: Open ACP Logs”
   • JetBrains: Check IDE logs for ACP-related messages

4. Report issues: Visit the GitHub Issues page with:

   • Your IDE and version
   • Qwen Code version
   • Error messages or logs
   • Steps to reproduce

Next Steps

VS Code Setup

Install the official VS Code extension

Zed Setup

Configure Qwen Code as a Zed agent server

JetBrains Setup

Set up ACP integration for JetBrains IDEs

Configuration

Learn about advanced configuration options