What Is Amazon Q Developer?
Amazon Q Developer is a generative AI assistant from AWS for software work. Developers use it in IDEs and the command line to get code suggestions, ask questions, write tests and docs, review code and upgrade Java or .NET apps. It also answers questions about AWS services and can scan code for security problems.
Who Should Use Amazon Q Developer?
Amazon Q Developer fits developers and teams who build on AWS or who work in Java and .NET and want AI help in their IDE or terminal. Teams that need admin controls and IP indemnity should look at Pro. People should also note that AWS plans to end support for the IDE plugins.
How Does Amazon Q Developer Work?
- Install an IDE plugin or the command line tool, or open the Amazon Q panel in the AWS Console.
- Sign in with a supported account. Free users can use an AWS Builder ID, and Pro uses IAM Identity Center.
- Ask a question, request code, or give an agent a task such as a feature, a test or an upgrade.
- Review the suggestions, security findings or code changes that come back.
- Accept, edit or reject them, based on your own review.
Amazon Q Developer Pricing and Plans
Based on the pricing screenshots, Amazon Q Developer has two tiers: Free Tier at zero cost and Pro Tier at $19 per month per user. Free includes 50 agentic requests per month and 1,000 lines of code for Java upgrades. Pro adds higher agentic limits, 4,000 lines of code pooled per account, admin dashboards and IP indemnity. The screenshots cover both tiers.
| Plan | Price | Billing | Main Features and Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | $0 | Not applicable | 50 agentic requests per month; 1,000 lines of code for Java upgrades; no admin dashboard |
| Pro Tier | $19/mo. per user | Per user per month | Higher agentic limits; 4,000 lines of code per user, pooled; admin dashboard; IP indemnity |
Is Amazon Q Developer Free?
Yes. The Free Tier costs $0 and includes 50 agentic requests per month, access to the latest Claude models, and use in the IDE or CLI. It also gives 1,000 lines of code per month for Java upgrades. It has no admin dashboard and no IP indemnity. Data collection has an opt-out.
Amazon Q Developer Key Features
Agentic Coding and Chat
Amazon Q Developer can take on tasks such as building features, writing docs and unit tests, reviewing and refactoring code, and doing upgrades. Q&A chat and agentic coding both count toward the monthly agentic request limit, which is 50 on Free.
IDE Plugins and CLI
Plugins are listed for JetBrains, IntelliJ IDEA, Visual Studio and VS Code, with Eclipse in preview. The CLI adds autocompletions, AI chat and natural-language-to-bash help, locally or over SSH. AWS says it will end IDE plugin support on April 30, 2027.
Java and .NET Transformation
Agents can help upgrade Java apps, such as Java 8 to Java 17, and port .NET apps from Windows to Linux. Free allows 1,000 lines of code per month. Pro allows 4,000 per user, pooled at account level, with extra lines at $0.003 each.
Security Scanning and Code Reference Controls
Amazon Q Developer scans code for vulnerabilities and suggests fixes. Reference tracking is listed on both tiers, and users can suppress public code suggestions on both. These settings help teams manage how suggested code relates to open source.
AWS Help and Integrations
Amazon Q Developer can answer questions about AWS services, diagnose errors and review resources. It works in the AWS Management Console, including the mobile app, and in Microsoft Teams and Slack for events and troubleshooting.
Admin Controls and Privacy on Pro
Pro adds an admin dashboard with user and policy management through IAM Identity Center. Pro also turns data collection off automatically and includes IP indemnity. Free has no admin dashboard and no IP indemnity.
Should You Use Amazon Q Developer?
Amazon Q Developer suits developers who want AI help in an IDE or terminal, especially on AWS. Free costs $0 with 50 agentic requests per month, and Pro at $19 per month per user adds admin controls and IP indemnity. AWS plans to end IDE plugin support on April 30, 2027, so check that before you commit. This overview is based on publicly available product information and is not a hands-on review.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Has a Free Tier at $0 that works in the IDE or CLI.
- Supports several IDEs, a CLI and the AWS Console.
- Helps with Java and .NET upgrades, which many coding tools do not list.
- Pro adds admin controls, automatic data opt-out and IP indemnity.
Cons
- Free is limited to 50 agentic requests per month.
- Free has no admin dashboard and no IP indemnity.
- Extra Java transformation lines on Pro cost $0.003 each.
- AWS will end IDE plugin support on April 30, 2027.
Popular Amazon Q Developer use cases
Writing and Fixing Code
Developers can ask for code suggestions, tests and docs, or get help fixing bugs from chat and agents.
Upgrading Java and .NET Apps
Teams can use agents to move Java apps to a newer version or port .NET apps from Windows to Linux.
Checking Code for Security Issues
Developers can scan code for vulnerabilities and get suggested fixes.
Getting AWS Help
Users can ask about AWS services, diagnose errors and review resources from the AWS Console.
Frequently asked questions
Is Amazon Q Developer free?
Yes. The Free Tier costs $0 and includes 50 agentic requests per month and 1,000 lines of code per month for Java upgrades. The Pro Tier costs $19 per month per user and adds higher limits and admin features.
What are the limits of the Amazon Q Developer Free plan?
Free allows 50 agentic requests per month and 1,000 lines of code per month for Java upgrades. It has no admin dashboard and no IP indemnity. AWS also says limits may change based on regional factors or payment history.
Which IDEs does Amazon Q Developer support?
The product page lists JetBrains, IntelliJ IDEA, Visual Studio and VS Code, with Eclipse in preview. A command line tool is also available. AWS says IDE plugin support will end on April 30, 2027.
What does the Pro plan add?
Pro adds higher agentic limits, 4,000 lines of code per user for Java upgrades pooled at account level, an admin dashboard, automatic data opt-out and IP indemnity. Extra lines of code cost $0.003 each.
Does Amazon Q Developer use my code for service improvement?
On Pro, AWS says proprietary content is not used for service improvement. On Free, data collection has an opt-out available, so free users should check that setting.
