This feature sets Project IDX apart from traditional development environments and aligns it with existing cloud-based environments like Replit and Microsoft’s Visual Studio Code Spaces.

The original AI-powered code completion tool stemming from early OpenAI technology, GitHub Copilot, now comes in a free tier for the Visual Studio IDE and Visual Studio Code, along with other editors.

Google did not build a new IDE (integrated development environment) when it created IDX. Instead, it is using Visual Studio Code — Open Source as the basis of its project.

It steps through installing git, Java, Kick Assembler, and Visual Studio Code. Beyond that, it even explains how to use these tools in partnership with VICE – the Versatile Commodore Emulator.