More Than a Code Editor
The Future of Fleet
TL;DR
Fleet started as our attempt to explore a new generation of JetBrains IDEs, developed in parallel with those based on the IntelliJ Platform. Over time, we learned that having two general-purpose IDE families created confusion and diluted our focus. Rebuilding the full capabilities of IntelliJ-based IDEs inside Fleet did not create enough value, and positioning Fleet as yet another editor did not justify maintaining two ov…
More Than a Code Editor
The Future of Fleet
TL;DR
Fleet started as our attempt to explore a new generation of JetBrains IDEs, developed in parallel with those based on the IntelliJ Platform. Over time, we learned that having two general-purpose IDE families created confusion and diluted our focus. Rebuilding the full capabilities of IntelliJ-based IDEs inside Fleet did not create enough value, and positioning Fleet as yet another editor did not justify maintaining two overlapping product lines.
Starting December 22, 2025, Fleet will no longer be available for download. We are now building a new product focused on agentic development.
Fleet vs. IntelliJ-based IDEs
For many years, JetBrains focused on IntelliJ-based IDEs, which served as the primary environment for most developers. When we started Fleet, our goal was to explore a lighter architecture, a modern UI model, and a more flexible environment free from decades of legacy architectural decisions. It was a worthwhile experiment, and from both a technical and design perspective, it was a success. Many Fleet components now power JetBrains IDEs, and several UX and UI concepts have been adopted throughout our product lineup.
However, Fleet did not succeed as a standalone product. We could neither replace IntelliJ IDEA with Fleet nor narrow it into a clear, differentiated niche. We suddenly had two IDE families aimed at largely the same audience, with overlapping purposes. Users kept asking which one to choose, and the answer was never short or satisfying. Two similar products created friction and raised questions about ownership and long-term investment.
What we tried with Fleet
We initially positioned Fleet as a lightweight multi-language IDE and then as an editor with smart coding assistance. For some time, we seriously considered whether Fleet could become a second flagship IDE family alongside IntelliJ-based tools. User feedback was consistent: If you already work with IntelliJ IDEA, Rider, WebStorm, PyCharm, or any other JetBrains IDE, switching to Fleet required a strong reason – and Fleet did not offer enough value to justify the transition from IDEs you already know and love.
When AI matured, we explored Fleet as an AI-first editor. We built new workflows and conducted large-scale user research to understand potential differentiation and long-term value. We confirmed that another AI editor would not stand out, especially in a market filled with AI-first VS Code forks. It became increasingly clear that the best path forward was to strengthen AI workflows in our existing IDEs. However, rapid progress in AI revealed a different niche where Fleet fits much more naturally.
What this new niche looks like
While we worked on AI within the editor, a new development workflow began to take shape. Developers started delegating meaningful tasks to agents – updating tests, cleaning code, refactoring modules, exploring unfamiliar code paths, and even building new features. These tasks run asynchronously and return full patches. The developer doesn’t write the code themselves. They guide the agent and review its output. This is fundamentally different from the classic IDE workflow, which is based on immediate feedback, synchronous control, and a single stable local state.
The agentic loop relies on structured task definition, context assembly, multiple asynchronous runs, isolated execution, and review-first workflows. Combining them in a single tool results in a disjointed experience, so the Fleet team chose to stop competing with IDEs and code editors and instead build a product focused on agentic workflows. This led to a pivot to a new product: an agentic development environment. Based on the Fleet platform, this new environment will ship as a new product with a new name. The technology, team, and long-term direction continue – but the product identity and the target market evolve.
What changes for current Fleet users
We will stop releasing any further updates for Fleet. Distribution will also end, so you will no longer be able to download Fleet from the Toolbox App or other channels starting December 22, 2025.
If you have already downloaded Fleet, you can continue using it. However, some features that rely on our server-side services, including AI Assistant, may stop working over time.
We will continue to share updates about the new product as the work progresses. Stay tuned!
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