Instead of Cursor

A code editor built around an AI assistant.

Partly

You can bolt AI onto an editor and get most of the way there. Cursor's advantage is that the whole product is built around it, and that is not a plugin.

You lose: Tab completion that guesses the next edit, and the index over your repo.

Start here

Zed

GPL-3.0a containeractive

Fast native editor with its own agent panel. Smaller extension ecosystem.

github.com/zed-industries/zed zed.dev

One container, no domain needed.

Also worth a look

ContinueApache-2.0an eveningactive
A plugin for VS Code and JetBrains. As good as the model you give it.
github.com/continuedev/continue continue.dev
code-serverMITa containeractive
VS Code in a browser. No AI of its own.
github.com/coder/code-server coder.com

Facts checked 8 November 2026. Licences, activity and archive status come from each project's own repository; the verdict and the cost lines are the desk's.