Trae is ByteDance's AI-native integrated development environment, first released in January 2025 with a China build following that March. It isn't a completion plugin bolted onto an editor — AI chat, code generation and project context sit in the IDE's main flow.
Two Shapes, Pick by Habit
Trae ships as a standalone client (macOS, Windows, Linux) and as a plugin for editors you already use. Take the client for the full experience; install the plugin if your VS Code or JetBrains setup is already tuned and you don't want to move house.
MarsCode, ByteDance's earlier assistant, now lives inside the Trae brand as that plugin form. If you used MarsCode before, treat it as the earlier name of the same product line.
The China and International Builds Are Separate
- China: trae.cn, Chinese interface, directly reachable from mainland networks.
- International: trae.ai, for overseas accounts.
Available models, plans and quotas differ between them. Decide which side you're on before creating an account — switching usually means signing in again and reconfiguring.
Main Features
- Chat and completion: ask questions while you code, and generate or edit code using project context.
- SOLO mode: a more autonomous agent mode that works from a plain-language request — analyzing it, writing code, running terminal commands and tests. It suits building a small project from scratch or making a sizable change.
- MCP support: connect MCP tool servers; a built-in marketplace installs common MCP servers in one click so the agent can reach databases, browser automation and other external capabilities.
Getting Started
- Pick the China or international build for your region, download the client and sign in.
- Open an existing project and first ask it to explain the directory structure and key files, so you know it understands the project before it changes code.
- Start with well-scoped tasks such as adding tests or small refactors, and review the diff before accepting each change; once you're comfortable, try more autonomous work in SOLO mode.
Where It Fits
Writing routine business code, reading an unfamiliar repository, refactoring and backfilling tests are where an AI IDE earns its keep. For teams inside China, Trae's practical advantage isn't the feature list — it's not paying a daily tax on network access, which matters more than one extra model option.
Conversely, if your workflow already leans on Cursor's agent workspace or one specific model, count the migration cost separately rather than asking only whether completion works.
Pricing and Use
The client includes a free tier. According to third-party compilations, the international build switched to token-based billing in February 2026, with five tiers: Free, Lite ($3 a month), Pro ($10 a month), Pro+ ($30 a month) and Ultra ($100 a month), with full SOLO mode on the paid tiers; the China build has its own plans and quotas. Check trae.cn or trae.ai for current plans.
Before You Start
- Data and privacy: as a closed-source product, what gets uploaded and how it is processed depends on the official privacy statement. Third-party reviews disagree on whether telemetry can be turned off, so pilot it on non-sensitive repositories first and review the privacy options in settings.
- Keep an eye on autonomous modes: modes like SOLO run terminal commands on their own, so use them on a branch or a copy of an important repository rather than letting them loose on the main branch.
How It Compares
- For the most mature AI editor experience, if you can reach overseas services: Cursor.
- If you prefer letting an agent edit code from the terminal: Claude Code.
- Other options in China include domestic coding assistants such as Alibaba's Tongyi Lingma.