Bottom Line First
JetBrains has released a new standalone desktop tool called Air — not a traditional IDE plugin, but a multi-Agent parallel development environment.
Air integrates Codex, Claude Agent, Gemini CLI, and other mainstream coding Agents into a unified control center, allowing developers to dispatch multiple AI programming assistants simultaneously, each running independently in isolated environments, with automated code review and merging.
Core Capabilities Breakdown
| Capability | Description |
|---|---|
| Multi-Agent Integration | Simultaneous support for Codex, Claude Agent, Gemini CLI |
| Task Distribution | Assign different tasks to different Agents for parallel execution |
| Environment Isolation | Docker and Git worktree-based isolation mechanism |
| Code Review | Built-in code review workflow |
| Unified Control | Single interface managing all Agent status and output |
Why JetBrains Air Matters
1. Solves the Core Pain Point of Multi-Agent Collaboration
Developers in 2026 face a reality: too many coding Agents, not sure which to choose.
- Codex is strongest in the TypeScript ecosystem
- Claude Code excels at complex refactoring
- Gemini CLI offers cost advantages on the free tier
The previous approach was switching between multiple terminal windows, manually managing isolation. JetBrains Air consolidates all of this into one tool.
2. Environment Isolation Is the Key Design
The biggest risk of multi-Agent parallel execution is mutual interference — Agent A’s file changes get overwritten by Agent B, or dependency conflicts arise.
Air uses Docker + Git worktree to create isolated development environments for each Agent:
- Each Agent runs in an independent container
- Git worktree ensures code modifications don’t overwrite each other
- Final results are merged through a built-in review process
3. JetBrains’ IDE DNA
As the maker of IntelliJ/PyCharm/WebStorm, JetBrains’ understanding of developer workflows far exceeds that of typical tool companies. Air’s design clearly draws on JetBrains’ years of experience in code navigation, refactoring, and version control.
Competitive Landscape
| Tool | Agent Support | Multi-Agent | Environment Isolation | Code Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JetBrains Air | Codex + Claude + Gemini | ✅ Parallel | ✅ Docker/worktree | ✅ Built-in |
| Cursor | Built-in Agent | Limited | Limited | ✅ |
| VS Code + Plugins | Vendor plugins | Manual | Manual | Plugins |
| Terminal + CLI | Various CLI tools | Manual | Manual | Manual |
JetBrains Air is currently the only tool that natively supports multi-Agent parallel development with complete isolation mechanisms.
Action Recommendations
- Multi-model users: If you simultaneously use Codex, Claude Code, and Gemini CLI, Air can significantly boost efficiency
- Team leads: Air’s task distribution mechanism is ideal for breaking down large tasks and assigning them to different Agents
- JetBrains IDE users: Watch for Air’s integration plans with existing IDEs — may be more convenient than standalone use