Qwen Code

Qwen Code is an open-source AI coding agent that executes tasks across the terminal, editor, desktop, and chat interfaces.

Qwen Code is an open-source AI coding agent designed to operate inside your terminal, editor, desktop app, and web browser. It features auto-memory, auto-skills, subagents, agent teams, and Model Context Protocol support. The framework supports multiple providers including OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, and Qwen APIs, alongside local models via Ollama or vLLM. Users can interact with it via terminal, desktop app, web UI, editor plugins, and chat integrations like Telegram and WeChat. It is built for developers seeking an extensible, open-source coding assistant without vendor lock-in.

Qwen Code at a glance

Best for: Software engineer
Runs on: macOS, Windows, Linux, Web, VS Code, JetBrains, CLI, self-hosted, open source
Pricing: Free
Released: June 2025
Category: AI coding tool
Website: github.com/QwenLM/qwen-code

Key features

Support for OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, and Qwen APIs
Auto-memory, auto-skills, and subagents
Model Context Protocol integration
Desktop app for macOS, Windows, and Linux
IDE plugins for VS Code, Zed, and JetBrains
Chat integrations for Telegram, DingTalk, WeChat, and Feishu
Headless mode for scripts and CI/CD pipelines

Use it for

Reviewing and fixing bugs in project code
Running automated tasks in CI/CD pipelines
Delegating coding tasks via chat channels
Executing development workflows from the terminal

Companions

Tools that articles about Qwen Code recommend using with it, each with its job.

Context7 — Provides up-to-date documentation for AI agents and code editors.
Ollama — Run local models at zero marginal cost, with code kept on your machine.
OpenRouter — Access over 500 models and 80 providers through one unified API.
Daytona — Runs sessions in isolated sandboxes synced to git branches.
Composio — Equips AI agents with tools, managed user auth, and sandboxes across 1,500+ apps
Oh My OpenCode Slim — Lightweight multi-agent orchestration and background tasks.

Alternatives to Qwen Code

OpenCode — Works with 75+ model providers, local models, and existing subscriptions
Qoder — It features deep codebase awareness, autonomous coding agents, and cross-platform support.
Command Code — Repairs open model tool calls and learns developer patterns automatically.
QwenPaw — Runs in your own environment with support for multiple chat channels and skills.
Snippet Service — It runs locally, keeps sessions on disk, and provides a companion app for remote steering.
Freebuff — Access multiple coding AI models for free without subscriptions.
OpenClaude — Connects one terminal interface to over 200 different AI models.
Dao Code — It uses DeepSeek's low cost and prefix caching to keep expenses extremely low.
Codewhale — Runs in the terminal with open-source agents and local or hosted AI models.
Qoder CN — Autonomous programming agents handle multi-file tasks and terminal commands.
Deep Code CLI — Optimized specifically for DeepSeek models with a one million token context.
Qwen Audio Agent — Separates voice conversation from task execution for continuous interaction.

All Qwen Code alternatives