Amazon Q is Amazon Web Services’ AI-powered assistant designed to help developers code smarter and faster—directly inside their favorite IDEs. Whether you're writing Java in Eclipse, crafting Python in PyCharm, or debugging in Visual Studio Code, Amazon Q offers context-aware suggestions, natural language queries, and seamless integration with AWS services.
If you're ready to give Amazon Q a spin, this guide will walk you through setting it up in your IDE and getting started in just a few minutes.
💡 What is Amazon Q Developer?
Amazon Q Developer is like having an AI coding buddy built right into your workspace. It can:
Answer programming questions in natural language.
Generate code snippets based on your prompts.
Help you navigate and understand unfamiliar code.
Integrate with your AWS resources to help manage cloud applications.
And the best part? You can use Amazon Q for free without an AWS account—just authenticate with a free AWS Builder ID.
🛠️ Step 1: Check Supported IDEs
Amazon Q currently supports these IDEs:
IDE
- Eclipse
- JetBrains (IntelliJ, PyCharm, etc.)
- Visual Studio Code
- Visual Studio (Windows only)
Make sure your IDE is up to date before proceeding.
📥 Step 2: Download the Amazon Q Plugin
Choose the version that matches your development environment:
Amazon Q for Eclipse (Preview)
Amazon Q for Visual Studio Code
Amazon Q via AWS Toolkit for Visual Studio
Install the plugin just as you would with any other IDE extension.
🔐 Step 3: Authenticate with AWS Builder ID (or IAM Identity Center)
After installing the plugin, you’ll need to sign in. You have two options:
Builder ID – Free and easy. No AWS account needed.
IAM Identity Center – For enterprise users or those with Amazon Q Developer Pro subscriptions.
🧑💻 Using Builder ID (Recommended for Individual Devs)
Launch your IDE and find the Amazon Q icon (usually on the toolbar or sidebar).
Click the icon and select “Use for free”.
A browser window will open, guiding you through Builder ID authentication.
Once authenticated, go back to your IDE—you're all set!
🧪 IDE-Specific Instructions
✅ Eclipse (Preview)
Click the Amazon Q icon (top right).
Authenticate using Builder ID via browser.
Return to Eclipse and start chatting with Amazon Q from the panel at the bottom.
✅ JetBrains IDEs (IntelliJ, PyCharm, etc.)
Open the side toolbar and click the Amazon Q icon.
Authenticate in the browser.
Open the chat panel or navigate via the bottom bar to interact with Q.
✅ Visual Studio Code
Click the Amazon Q icon in the sidebar.
Authenticate in your browser.
Use the side panel to begin chatting with Amazon Q.
✅ Visual Studio (Windows)
Go to Extensions > AWS Toolkit > Getting Started.
In the Amazon Q section, choose Enable.
Sign in using your Builder ID through the browser.
After successful auth, return to Visual Studio to use Q.
⚠️ A Note on IAM Roles
If you typically use IAM roles or IAM credentials to access AWS services, note that Amazon Q in IDEs does not support IAM-based sign-in. You'll need to use either IAM Identity Center or Builder ID credentials.
⏳ Session Duration Info
Sessions authenticated with IAM Identity Center typically last 8 hours. However, Amazon Q extends this duration up to 90 days (for users set up on or after April 18, 2024). That means fewer interruptions for re-authentication while you’re in the zone!
🚀 Final Thoughts
Amazon Q Developer is a powerful tool for improving productivity and deepening your understanding of your own code. Setup is quick, the free tier is generous, and it integrates smoothly with your workflow.
