Amazon’s new Q Developer could seriously change the way developers write code.
It’s a generative AI–powered assistant designed to take a lot of the busywork out of building software.
A formidable agentic rival to GitHub Copilot & Windsurf, but with a special AWS flavor baked in — because you know, Amazon…
It doesn’t matter whether you’re writing new features or working through legacy code.
Q Developer is built to help you move faster—and smarter with the power of AWS.
I see they’re really pushing this AWS integration angle — possibly to differentiate themselves from the already established alternatives like Cursor.
Real-time code suggestions as you type — simply expected at this point, right?
It can generate anything from a quick line to an entire function — all based on your comments and existing code. And it supports over 25 languages—so whether you’re in Python, Java, or JavaScript, you’re covered.
Q Developer has autonomous agents just like Windsurf — to handle full-blown tasks like implementing a feature, writing documentation, or even bootstrapping a whole project.
It actually analyzes your codebase, comes up with a plan, and starts executing it across multiple files.
It’s not just autocomplete. It’s “get-this-done-for-me” level AI.
I know some of the Java devs among you are still using Java 8, but Q Developer can help you upgrade to Java 17 automatically.
You basically point it at your legacy mess—and it starts cleaning autonomously.
It even supports transforming Windows-based .NET apps into their Linux equivalent.
And it works for the popular IDEs like VS Code — and probably Cursor & Windsurf too — tho I wonder if it would interfere with their built-in AI features.
- VS Code, IntelliJ, Visual Studio – Get code suggestions, inline chats, and security checks right inside your IDE.
- Command Line – Type natural language commands in your terminal, and the CLI agent will read/write files, call APIs, run bash commands, and generate code.
- AWS Console – Q is also built into the AWS Console, including the mobile app, so you can manage services or troubleshoot errors with just a few words.
Q Developer helps you figure out your AWS setup with plain English. Wondering why a network isn’t connecting? Need to choose the right EC2 instance? Q can guide you through that, spot issues, and suggest fixes—all without digging through endless docs.
Worried about privacy? Q Developer Pro keeps your data private and doesn’t use your code to train models for others. It also works within your AWS IAM roles to personalize results while keeping access secure.
On top of that it helps you write unit tests + optimize performance + catch security vulnerabilities—with suggestions for fixing them right away.
Amazon Q Developer isn’t just another code assistant. It’s a full-blown AI teammate.
It’s definitely worth checking out — especially if you’re deep in the AWS ecosystem.