Introduction to Trae: A 100% Free and Open-Source AI-Powered IDE
Trae is an innovative AI-powered Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that is completely free and open-source. It integrates intelligent AI agents, real-time collaboration, and multimodal capabilities to transform the way you code. In this article, we'll delve into the features and capabilities of Trae, exploring how it compares to other AI IDEs like Cursor, Windsurf, and Pear AI.
What is Trae?
Trae is an Adaptive AI IDE that collaborates with you to write code more efficiently. Its Dynamic collaboration feature ensures that each task is handled by the most suitable agent, maximizing your productivity.
Trae Introduction
Features of Trae
Trae has several impressive features that set it apart from other AI IDEs. These include:
- Claude 3.5 Sonnet for free: Unlike other AI IDEs that charge for premium models, Trae gives you full access to Claude 3.5 Sonnet at no cost.
- Agentic AI Development: Work alongside AI agents that understand your codebase, analyze your terminal, and assist with development.
- Trae Builder: A chat-based feature similar to Windsurf's Cascade, letting you build applications interactively.
- Multimodal Support: Upload images, UI designs, or documents, and Trae will generate code automatically.
- Smart Code Completion: Predicts and applies edits in real-time, boosting productivity.
- Full Codebase Awareness: Trae understands your entire project, making it smarter than most AI coding assistants.
- Completely Open Source: No paywalls, no subscriptions—just powerful AI tools for free.
Trae Features
Trae Builder and Multimodality
Trae Builder is a feature that mimics Windsurf's Cascade, allowing you to build applications interactively. It also has a feature for multimodality, where Trae accurately understands image uploads and other file types.
Trae Builder
Nvidia GTC 2025 Conference
Before diving deeper into Trae, let's take a moment to introduce the upcoming Nvidia GTC 2025 conference, which will take place from March 17 to 21. This event is a must-attend for anyone interested in AI, with sessions on generative AI, conversational AI, and more.
Nvidia GTC 2025
Installing and Using Trae
To get started with Trae, simply visit the Trae website and click on the "Get Started" button. From there, you can install Trae on your operating system and begin exploring its features.
Installing Trae
Trae's Code Completion and Analysis
Trae's code completion feature is incredibly powerful, predicting and applying edits in real-time to boost productivity. It also analyzes your entire codebase, providing context for future generation and allowing for inline edits and autonomous agent mode.
Trae Code Completion
Building a Spotify Clone with Trae
To demonstrate Trae's capabilities, we can use it to build a Spotify clone. Simply upload an image of the Spotify UI, and Trae will generate the code for it.
Spotify Clone
Conclusion
Trae is an impressive AI-powered IDE that offers a range of features and capabilities that make it an attractive alternative to other AI IDEs. Its open-source nature, multimodal support, and smart code completion features make it a valuable tool for developers.
Trae Conclusion