A Review of the Most Powerful AI-Oriented IDEs for Developers

Introduction: The Evolution of Software Development with AI

The past few years have witnessed an unprecedented surge in the influence of neural networks within the information technology sector. What once seemed confined to the realm of science fiction has now become an integral part of everyday software development. The industry is undergoing profound transformations, shifting from intuitive "vibe coding" to more structured and sophisticated approaches like "context engineering," culminating in the emergence of the "code by prompt" paradigm. This shift has led to the advent of full-fledged integrated development environments (IDEs) built on artificial intelligence, such as the groundbreaking Cursor AI, which promise to radically alter how software is created. This evolution not only redefines developer workflows but also has a tangible impact on career trajectories and earning potential, as explored in our recent analysis, "Developer Salary 2025: What Developers Really Earn and Where the Market is Headed".

Methods and Approaches to AI-Oriented Development

BMAD Method (Breakthrough Method for Agile AI-Driven Development)

At the core of effective AI utilization in development lies a methodology capable of harmonizing the capabilities of artificial intelligence with agile development principles. The BMAD Method (Breakthrough Method for Agile AI-Driven Development) represents precisely such a framework. It enables the efficient use of AI for agile software development by simulating a complete development team. Within the BMAD Method, AI assigns roles such as Product Owner, Scrum Master, Developer, and Tester to execute tasks directly within the IDE.

This method supports the entire software development lifecycle, allowing software to be built in small, manageable increments, tested, and gradually brought to market, strictly adhering to agile development standards. A typical workflow begins with a Product Requirement Document (PRD), which is then decomposed into epics and user stories. A specialized agent called "Orchestrator" plays a central role in this process, activating and guiding the user through the entire development journey. The BMAD Method includes comprehensive built-in user documentation, significantly easing the learning curve for this new workflow. Importantly, this method demonstrates high flexibility and can be successfully applied across all modern AI-oriented IDEs, be it Cursor, Windsurf, or Claude Code.

A Review of AI-Oriented IDEs and Tools

1. Kira (by Amazon)

Kira, a VS Code fork developed by Amazon, represents a significant leap forward in AI-oriented development, introducing the novel concept of "spec-driven development."

Unique Features of Kira:

• Specs: A key element of Kira is its "Spec plan first then build" mode, which creates requirements, design, and an implementation plan before coding begins. It generates a requirements document with user stories and acceptance criteria, transforming vague requests into clear tasks. Subsequently, a detailed design document is created, encompassing architecture, tech stack, data flows, TypeScript interfaces, database schemas, and even Mermaid diagrams. Finally, an implementation plan is formed with tasks and subtasks tied to requirements, including automatic test addition and error handling. Specifications remain synchronized with the codebase, allowing for manual or Kira-assisted updates or task list refinements. This addresses the issue of existing AI tools introducing unexpected changes, significantly enhancing result accuracy.

• Hooks: These are event-driven automations, such as updating unit tests upon file save or automatically updating documentation. They are described in natural language, and the AI generates a complex system prompt. Hooks are saved as files in the codebase and can be shared with the team for consistency.

• Agent Steering: Documents (steering docs) provide AI agents with context about the product, structure, and technologies used.

• MCP Servers: An interface for configuring MCP servers, such as Context 7, to provide additional context.

• Multi-threaded Agents: Allows running multiple agents in parallel to work on different components.

• Autonomous Mode: Grants agents full autonomy, enabling them to execute commands without requiring manual approval.

• AI Rules: Allows creating rules that the AI will always follow (e.g., "never use PIP").

Advantages of Kira:

Kira successfully combines intuitive "vibe coding" with the clarity of specifications, ensuring high reliability and accuracy of code output. It automates routine tasks, such as documentation updates, through hooks. Its UI-centric approach, where many functions are prominently displayed, makes it convenient for UI-oriented developers. Kira is available for free in preview and supports importing settings from VS Code.

Disadvantages of Kira:

The "overengineer" mode can be overly detailed and slow for some tasks. It lacks real-time streaming updates like Cursor, and its task queuing system can slow down the workflow. As Kira is in preview, bugs are possible, and manual oversight may be required in some cases.

2. Claude Code

Claude Code is a powerful AI coding agent that operates directly in the terminal and is not tied to a specific IDE, offering flexibility and high performance.

Models and Workflow:

Claude Code provides access to Claude Opus 4, optimized for coding, and Claude Sonnet 4, a more general-purpose model. It integrates with JetBrains, VS Code, and VS Code forks (e.g., Cursor) to stay aware of the current file and selected lines. The "Plan mode" allows Claude Code to first develop a detailed action plan and then convert it into a step-by-step checklist for executing changes. A context window fill indicator helps manage the amount of information provided to the model.

Advantages of Claude Code:

Claude Code demonstrates significantly higher quality final code compared to Cursor. It allows for shorter prompts with less context to achieve better results than with Cursor. It is effective for solving complex problems and is considered one of the "best AI agents" based on benchmarks.

Disadvantages of Claude Code:

One significant drawback is slow command execution, with some actions taking 3 to 5 minutes. The lack of a graphical interface makes it a purely terminal tool, which can make tracking changes difficult. Claude Code is not as effective at "fuzzy" file searching as Cursor and requires a separate paid subscription, which can be quite expensive (up to $200 per month for Claude Opus 4).

3. Warp

Warp is an agent-based development environment implemented as a terminal application, operating as a standalone application rather than just a CLI tool. It offers a new approach to agent-based development, focused on transitioning to "code by prompt," where most AI interaction occurs in the terminal.

Features of Warp:

Warp allows natural language commands, with the AI automatically determining user intent. Users can directly edit and apply changes to files within Warp. It supports multi-threaded agents, enabling multiple agents to run in parallel, working on different project components (e.g., API and database setup). An agent control panel displays active agents, their status, and notifications. In autonomous mode, agents can execute commands without constant manual approval. Users can set custom rules that the AI agent will always adhere to (e.g., "never use PIP, always use UV"). "Warp Drive" provides quick access to MCP servers, rules, interactive playgrounds, and environment variables for personal or team use. Warp also includes split tab/pane functionality and voice input support.

Advantages of Warp:

Warp is optimized for the "code by prompt" workflow and enhances efficiency through multi-threaded agents. It provides centralized knowledge management and rules for AI agents, native command execution in the terminal, and built-in team collaboration support. Warp has received high ratings in benchmarks.

Disadvantages of Warp:

The terminal interface may not suit all developers who prefer graphical environments. Additionally, Warp requires installation as a separate application.

4. Trey AI

Trey AI is a new AI code editor, also a VS Code fork, distinguished by its free access to powerful models and unique capabilities.

Models and Features:

Trey AI offers free access to powerful models such as Gemini 2.5 Pro, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, and Claude 3.7. It supports MCP and allows for the creation of customizable agents. A built-in chat directly within the editor facilitates interaction with the AI. The main "Builder agent" can create basic HTML, CSS, and JavaScript elements. A unique feature is image input, which can be used as context for styling the user interface. Trey AI allows easy import of existing configurations from VS Code or Cursor, including plugins, extensions, and keyboard shortcuts. The rule system is divided into user-specific (general for all projects) and project-specific (specific to the current project). Deep integration with Figma via MCP enables loading design elements and creating UI components directly from Figma mockups. The "Custom design agent" is a specialized agent for frontend development, allowing fine-tuning of its behavior and tools. Trey AI automatically indexes the workspace and can add documentation from URLs (e.g., React Flow API). It offers very fast autocompletion, completing text, functions, imports, styles, and component structures in seconds. A built-in web browser allows for project preview directly within the IDE, and a "timeline" feature provides the ability to revert file changes.

Advantages of Trey AI:

The main advantages of Trey AI are free access to high-end LLMs and the unique ability to generate UI based on images and Figma mockups. It also boasts very fast autocompletion.

Disadvantages of Trey AI:

Trey AI is not as strongly focused on "spec-driven development" as Kira.

5. Cursor AI

Cursor AI, one of the first full-fledged AI code editors released last year, is a fork of Visual Studio Code and quickly gained popularity due to its intuitive features.

Key Features:

Cursor AI offers a Tab-completion feature that automatically completes code, fixes errors in single or multiple lines, and can suggest the next cursor position. The Ctrl+K function allows editing and writing code with AI assistance, even in the terminal. The built-in chat window with the neural network sees the current file and cursor position; users can attach images, search documentation, and automatically make code changes. Ctrl+L allows asking a question about a specific code snippet, such as "what does this line do?", and receiving a clear answer with examples. Cursor AI also suggests error fixes on hover using the neural network and provides multiple solutions for ambiguous or debatable errors. Users can provide context for prompts in the form of a file.

Advantages of Cursor AI:

Cursor AI has a convenient and intuitive interface. It provides high-speed code generation via Ctrl+K and efficient file searching, unlike Claude Code. The "tab to complete code" experience is also one of its strengths.

Disadvantages of Cursor AI:

Cursor AI's closed source code raises concerns about data privacy. Its high subscription cost compared to JetBrains products can be a deterrent. Some users note that it can interfere with the development process and reduce interest in manual coding. There is no ability to delete files via chat. Furthermore, the code output quality of Cursor AI is lower compared to Claude Code, and it requires more detailed prompts and greater context.

Comparison of Key Concepts and Tool Selection

Choosing the right AI-oriented IDE or tool requires a deep understanding of the various concepts and trade-offs they offer.

"Vibe Coding" vs. "Spec-Driven Development": These two approaches represent opposing viewpoints on the development process. "Vibe coding" is a more intuitive and faster method, suitable for prototyping or small demo projects where speed outweighs formalization. In contrast, "spec-driven development," as implemented in Kira, focuses on creating clear specifications and plans before coding begins, which is ideal for building production-ready software where precision, reliability, and predictability are paramount.

Agent-Based Development: The role of AI agents in modern IDEs is becoming increasingly significant. The use of multiple AI agents, capable of working in parallel on different project components, significantly increases development speed and automates routine tasks. Tools like Warp and Kira actively utilize this paradigm to optimize the workflow.

"Context Engineering": The importance of providing AI with relevant and sufficient context to obtain accurate and useful results cannot be overstated. The better the AI understands the task, codebase, and requirements, the higher the quality of its output. This requires developers to master the skill of formulating clear and detailed prompts.

Interface Types (GUI vs. Terminal): The choice between a graphical user interface (GUI) and a terminal interface depends on the developer's preference. GUI-oriented IDEs, such as Cursor AI and Trey AI, offer a more visual and intuitive experience, which may be preferable for beginners or those accustomed to traditional IDEs. Terminal tools, such as Claude Code and Warp, provide more direct and powerful control, often favored by experienced developers who value command-line speed and efficiency.

Output Quality vs. Speed: This dilemma is one of the key trade-offs when choosing a tool. Claude Code, for example, prioritizes quality over speed, offering highly accurate code but requiring more time for task execution. Kira aims for precision through "spec-driven development" but can also be slow. Cursor AI, conversely, emphasizes code generation speed, which can sometimes lead to lower output quality. Developers need to assess what is more important for their specific project.

Cost and Subscriptions: The rapid evolution of AI tools makes choosing a monthly subscription over an annual one a more sensible decision. This allows for flexible switching between tools as they improve and new solutions emerge in the market.

Conclusion

Integrated development environments, oriented towards artificial intelligence, are fundamentally changing the landscape of software development. They offer significant advantages, such as increased developer velocity, automation of routine tasks, and enhanced accuracy for complex projects. From Kira's "spec-driven development" to the terminal efficiency of Claude Code and Warp, and the intuitiveness of Cursor AI and the innovations of Trey AI, each tool offers a unique set of features tailored to different work styles and project requirements. Indeed, the "uncomfortable truth" about AI is that it can significantly boost productivity, making developers up to 10 times more efficient, as discussed in "How to 10x Developer Productivity: The Uncomfortable Truth About AI".

In conclusion, the choice of a specific AI-oriented IDE depends on the individual developer's preferences, work style, and specific project requirements. Given the rapid development and continuous improvement of these tools, developers are strongly encouraged to experiment with various solutions to find the one that best suits their needs and allows them to maximize the potential of artificial intelligence in their daily work.