Amazon Q Developer - Github Copilot alternative

Amazon Q Developer is a generative AI-powered conversational assistant built on Amazon Bedrock. It provides code completions, chat-based development assistance, and autonomous agents that handle multi-step tasks. The tool automatically reads and writes files locally, generates code diffs, runs shell commands, and incorporates developer feedback in real-time. Solo developers benefit from its perpetual free tier and deep AWS integration for cloud-native workflows.

Strengths

• Agentic coding experience that reads and writes files locally, generates code diffs, and runs shell commands while adapting to real-time feedback
• Perpetual free tier with 50 agentic requests per month requiring only an AWS Builder ID
• Available across VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, Eclipse, and command line interfaces
• @workspace command understands entire project context including auth flows and service dependencies
• Automated code reviews that identify bugs, security vulnerabilities, and infrastructure-as-code misconfigurations
• Pro tier includes IP indemnity protection and automatic opt-out from data collection

Weaknesses

• Optimized primarily for AWS workflows; less useful for non-AWS development
• Free tier limited to 50 agentic requests per month compared to competitors
• Learning curve for developers unfamiliar with AWS ecosystem
• Admin dashboard with user and policy management unavailable on Builder ID-based Pro subscriptions

Best for

Developers building on AWS infrastructure who need AI assistance integrated with cloud services and IAM workflows.

Pricing plans

• Free Tier — $0/month — 50 agentic requests per month, 1,000 LOC Java upgrades, reference tracking, opt-out data collection available
• Pro Tier — $19/month per user — 1,000 agentic requests per month (starting August 2025), 4,000 LOC Java upgrades pooled at account level ($0.003/LOC overage), IP indemnity, automatic data collection opt-out, admin dashboard (IAM Identity Center only)

Tech details

• Type: Cloud-based AI assistant with IDE extensions and CLI
• IDEs: Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains family (IntelliJ, PyCharm, etc.), Eclipse (preview)
• Key features: Agentic coding with local file operations, @workspace context awareness, automated code reviews, documentation generation, README creation, architecture diagrams, inline completions, security scanning, Java version upgrades
• Privacy / hosting: Cloud-processed via AWS infrastructure; Pro tier automatically opts out of data collection for service improvement. Code snippets, conversations, and file contents may be stored to provide and maintain the service. Not self-hosted.
• Models / context window: Powered by Amazon Bedrock foundation models. Context files limited to 75% of model's context window. Specific model names and context sizes not publicly disclosed.

When to choose this over Github Copilot

• You build primarily on AWS and need native integration with AWS services, resources, and documentation
• You want a perpetual free tier with meaningful monthly limits (50 agentic requests) without credit card requirement
• You need IP indemnity protection included in a paid plan for enterprise compliance

When Github Copilot may be a better fit

• You work across multiple cloud providers or non-AWS infrastructure
• You require administrative controls on Builder ID-based subscriptions (unavailable in Amazon Q)
• You prefer a tool with broader community adoption outside the AWS ecosystem

Conclusion

Amazon Q Developer serves as a Github Copilot alternative for developers working within AWS ecosystems. Its agentic coding approach handles complex multi-step tasks including file operations, code reviews, and documentation generation. The free tier removes cost barriers for individual developers. Pro tier subscribers gain IP indemnity and higher usage limits at $19 per user monthly.

Sources

• Official site: https://aws.amazon.com/q/developer/
• Docs: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/amazonq/latest/qdeveloper-ug/what-is.html
• Pricing: https://aws.amazon.com/q/developer/pricing/

FAQ

Q: Does Amazon Q Developer work without an AWS account?

Yes, you can download IDE extensions and use an AWS Builder ID to sign in for free without requiring an AWS account.

Q: What languages does Amazon Q Developer support?

Amazon Q Developer can respond to questions in many languages including English, Mandarin, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Korean, Hindi, and Portuguese.

Q: How does the code transformation feature work?

The transformation capability upgrades Java code with 1,000 lines of code per month on free tier and 4,000 LOC per user on Pro tier, pooled at the account level. Only submissions where suggested upgrade code is received count toward limits; stopped or failed jobs are not included.

Q: Can I use Amazon Q Developer in my terminal?

Yes, the Q Developer CLI agent provides a command-line experience that uses tools to read and write files locally, call AWS APIs, and run bash commands.

Q: What is the difference between Builder ID and IAM Identity Center authentication?

Builder ID provides personal accounts for free and Pro tiers but Pro tier subscribers using Builder ID cannot access the admin dashboard with user and policy management. IAM Identity Center enables full Pro tier features including administrative controls.

Q: How does Amazon Q handle my code and data?

Customer content including code snippets, conversations, and file contents open in the IDE might be stored and processed to provide and maintain the service. Free tier users can opt out of data collection while Pro tier users are automatically opted out.