Trae
Adaptive AI IDE by ByteDance with deep model integration
Quick Take: Trae
NaNInstall with Homebrew
brew install --cask traeWhat is Trae?
Trae is ByteDance's adaptive AI IDE designed to deeply integrate AI assistance into every aspect of the development workflow. Built from the ground up as an AI-native integrated development environment, Trae goes beyond simply adding a chatbot to an editor—it weaves AI capabilities into code navigation, debugging, refactoring, and project understanding. The IDE features an intelligent agent called 'Builder' that can understand complex instructions, plan multi-step implementations, and execute changes across multiple files while providing real-time progress updates. Trae supports major programming languages including TypeScript, Python, Java, Go, and Rust, and offers a familiar VS Code-like interface that reduces the learning curve for developers transitioning from other editors. What sets Trae apart is its adaptive approach: the AI learns your coding patterns, project structure, and preferences over time, becoming more accurate and relevant the longer you use it. It offers both a powerful inline completion engine and a conversational chat interface for longer interactions, with the ability to reference specific files, functions, or documentation. Trae is free during its current phase, making it an accessible entry point into AI-assisted development.
Key Features
Builder (Agentic Mode)
Builder is Trae's autonomous agent that can handle complex, multi-step coding tasks. Describe a feature like 'Add user authentication with JWT tokens and a login page,' and Builder plans the implementation, creates the necessary files, writes the code, and shows you the changes step by step. You can approve, modify, or reject each step before it's applied.
Adaptive Code Intelligence
Trae's AI adapts to your specific codebase and coding style over time. It analyzes your patterns—naming conventions, error handling approaches, architectural preferences—and adjusts its suggestions accordingly. After a few sessions, completions feel less generic and more like code you would write yourself.
Inline Completions
Fast, context-aware code completions that predict not just the next line but entire logical blocks. The completion engine considers your current file, imported modules, and recent edits to provide suggestions that fit naturally into your existing code flow.
AI Chat with File References
A built-in chat interface lets you have conversations about your code with the ability to reference specific files, functions, or code blocks using @ mentions. Ask questions like '@auth.ts explain the token refresh logic' or 'how does @UserModel relate to @OrderModel?' for context-grounded answers.
Multi-Model Support
Trae supports multiple AI models including Claude 3.5 Sonnet and GPT-4o, allowing you to choose the best model for different tasks. Use faster models for autocomplete and more powerful models for complex reasoning and code generation.
Who Should Use Trae?
1Full-Stack Developer
A developer needs to add a new API endpoint with database integration, validation, and tests. They open Trae's Builder mode and describe the requirements. Builder creates the route handler, Zod schema, Prisma query, and Jest test file—all following the existing patterns in the project. The developer reviews each generated file and approves the changes in under 10 minutes.
2Frontend Developer
A frontend developer is building a complex data table component with sorting, filtering, and pagination. They describe the requirements in Trae's chat, referencing the existing design system components with @ mentions. Trae generates the component using the project's existing patterns—using the same styling approach, state management library, and component structure as the rest of the codebase.
3Developer New to a Codebase
A developer joins a new team and needs to understand a large, unfamiliar codebase. They use Trae's chat to ask questions like 'How is authentication handled in this project?' and 'What's the data flow from the API to the UI for the dashboard page?' Trae analyzes the codebase and provides clear, contextual explanations with references to specific files and functions.
Install Trae on Mac
Trae is available through Homebrew as a native macOS application. It's currently free during its launch phase with no subscription required.
Install Homebrew
If you don't have Homebrew, open Terminal and run: `/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"`
Install Trae
Run the cask installation command: `brew install --cask trae`
Import Settings
On first launch, Trae offers to import your VS Code extensions, themes, and keybindings. Accept the import to maintain your familiar development environment while gaining AI capabilities.
Configuration Tips
Choose Your Model
Trae supports multiple AI models. For daily coding, Claude 3.5 Sonnet offers the best balance of speed and quality. For complex architectural questions, switch to a more powerful model in the chat settings.
Import VS Code Extensions
Trae supports VS Code extensions. Import your favorite extensions during setup to maintain your development workflow while adding AI capabilities.
Use Builder for Multi-File Tasks
When a task involves changes across multiple files (adding a feature, refactoring), use Builder mode instead of inline chat. Builder plans the entire implementation before executing, producing more cohesive results.
Alternatives to Trae
Trae competes directly with other AI-native code editors, each offering different approaches to AI-assisted development.
Cursor
Cursor is the market leader in AI code editors with a mature feature set including Composer (multi-file editing), codebase indexing, and a large community. Trae's key advantage is its free pricing and adaptive intelligence that improves with usage.
Windsurf
Windsurf offers similar AI IDE capabilities with its Cascade agent. Trae differentiates with its adaptive learning approach and ByteDance's investment in model infrastructure.
Kiro
Kiro (Amazon) focuses on spec-driven development with explicit planning phases. Trae takes a more flexible, adaptive approach that lets you jump directly into coding with AI assistance.
Pricing
Trae is currently **free** during its launch phase, including access to advanced AI models like Claude 3.5 Sonnet and GPT-4o. ByteDance has not yet announced pricing for future tiers, making this an excellent time to evaluate the IDE without financial commitment.
Pros
- ✓Completely free during launch—including premium model access
- ✓Builder agent handles complex multi-file implementations
- ✓Adaptive AI that learns your coding patterns over time
- ✓Familiar VS Code-like interface with extension support
- ✓Multi-model support (Claude 3.5, GPT-4o) built in
Cons
- ✗Newer product with smaller community than Cursor
- ✗Future pricing model uncertain
- ✗ByteDance association raises data privacy concerns for some users
- ✗Fewer community resources and tutorials compared to Cursor
Community & Support
Trae has a growing community with official Discord, documentation, and social media presence. As a newer entrant to the AI IDE space, the community is smaller but enthusiastic. ByteDance provides regular updates and actively solicits user feedback for feature prioritization.
Frequently Asked Questions about Trae
Our Verdict
About the Author
Expert Tips for Trae
Use Builder mode for any task involving more than two files. The planning step ensures coherent changes across the codebase, whereas inline suggestions may miss cross-file dependencies.