Best VS Code Alternative
VS Code now calls itself the open-source AI code editor and runs Copilot, Claude, and OpenAI agents locally or in the cloud. People look for an alternative when they want a faster native editor, an AI-first editor with a different feel, or a workspace that isolates many CLI agents in their own worktrees, containers, or remote hosts.
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What to look for in a VS Code alternative
- A faster editor that isn't built on Electron
- Agents from any vendor, not only the ones an editor integrates
- Worktree, container, or remote isolation per agent
- An easy hand-off back to your editor
Recommended options
Agentastic
Our pickNative macOS workspace with 55 built-in agent definitions and a git worktree or container per task. Built-in editor, browser, diff viewer, and AI code review.
Zed
Fast, open-source editor written in Rust for macOS, Linux, and Windows, with parallel agent threads, external agents such as Claude Code and Codex, and real-time collaboration.
Cursor
AI editor based on the VS Code codebase, with local and cloud agents, worktrees in its Agents Window, a CLI, and Bugbot for pull-request review.
Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)
Windsurf is now Devin Desktop, Cognition's AI IDE for macOS, Windows, and Linux. It runs local and cloud Devin agents alongside Codex, Claude, and OpenCode.
How to switch from VS Code cleanly
Cursor is based on the VS Code codebase and imports your setup in one step, and Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) imports VS Code settings too. Zed is a separate editor with its own settings. Agentastic complements any of them: run agents there and open any worktree in VS Code with the Open In toolbar button.
Common questions
Should I move off VS Code?
Not necessarily. Keep VS Code as your editor and run agents in parallel worktrees in Agentastic, which opens any worktree back in VS Code with one click.
Is there a faster alternative to VS Code?
Zed is written in Rust, uses your GPU, and is free and open source. Agentastic is a native Swift app, but it is an agent workspace rather than a replacement for extension-heavy editing.
Does VS Code support Claude and Codex agents?
Yes. VS Code says you can run agents locally or in the cloud with Copilot or third-party providers such as Claude and OpenAI. Agentastic instead runs the Claude Code and Codex CLIs directly, each in its own worktree.