VS Code-based · Free to install · Bring your own keys

Built around agents.
Not bolted on.

Drift is a fork of VS Code with Claude Code, Codex, and Gemini as first-class citizens. Run them across multiple projects from a single window. Bring your own custom models. Connect to remote machines without installing anything on them.

Download for macOS Windows Open in browser →
Drift Agent Manager — multiple AI sessions across projects in a single window

First-party agents · One conversation

Claude Code
Codex
Gemini

+ any OpenAI-compatible or Anthropic-compatible model — Grok, DeepSeek, Qwen, local proxies, internal endpoints. See custom models →

Agent picker dropdown showing Claude, Codex, and Gemini as native options

Bottom of every chat input — switch backends in one click.

Native multi-agent

One conversation.
Three engines.

Most "AI IDEs" wrap a single provider. Drift integrates Claude Code, Codex, and Gemini at the protocol level — same chat, same file edits, same checkpoints. Each backend keeps its native strengths: Claude's reasoning, Codex's agentic execution, Gemini's long context.

  • Each backend uses its own SDK — not a generic OpenAI shim. Claude tools, Codex apply_patch, and Gemini ACP all work natively.
  • Independent model pickers, reasoning effort, and fast-mode toggles for each agent.
  • Sessions persist in each provider's native format (~/.claude, ~/.codex, ~/.gemini) — share with CLI seamlessly.
Agent Manager

Every session, every project,
in one window.

A dedicated window that aggregates AI sessions across all your projects — local folders and SSH remotes mixed freely. Each session keeps its own file explorer, source control, terminal, and browser tab.

Agent Manager — workspace tree with sessions across multiple projects, integrated file explorer, source control, and chat

Mixed-authority workspaces

Local folders and SSH remotes side-by-side. Each session knows its own host — no per-window remote.

Per-session editor & SCM

Open files, view diffs, stage commits, run terminals — each agent has its own workspace controls.

Background sessions

Sub-agents and long-running tasks keep working while you switch. Get back to a running PR review from another window.

Remote workspaces

SSH that feels
like local.

Attach an SSH host as a workspace. Drift deploys its own Remote Extension Host automatically — no manual install, no admin rights on the remote. Run agents directly where your code lives.

  • Zero-install. Drift uploads its own server binary. No package manager, no sudo.
  • Local credentials forwarded.① Your Anthropic / OpenAI keys stay on your machine — the remote process reads them through a secure tunnel.
  • Local network forwarded.① The remote shell sees your laptop's VPN, intranet, and dev proxies — corp registries just work.
  • SSH status badge in the bottom-left status bar — never lose track of which host you're on.

① Credential and network forwarding are opt-in per workspace. Enable in workspace settings →

Add Workspace picker — Add Local Folder or Add SSH Folder

Add Workspace → SSH Folder. Pick a saved host or paste user@host.

Drift built-in browser viewing Claude documentation alongside the editor

A real Chromium browser tab inside the IDE — docs, dashboards, your localhost preview.

Built-in browser

Docs, previews,
and dashboards.
In one tab.

Skip the alt-tab. Open any URL as a Drift tab — docs, your localhost dev server, your staging environment. The agent can read pages, click links, and screenshot results in the same window.

  • Real Chromium webview — runs JS, accepts cookies, supports DevTools.
  • Agent can drive it — "open the failing PR and summarise the diff" works without leaving chat.
  • ⌘T to open a new browser tab next to your editor.
Fork & Restore

Rewind. Branch.
Never lose work.

Every agent turn is a checkpoint. Click Fork on any past message to split the conversation into a new branch — try a different approach without abandoning the current one. Click Restore to roll the workspace files back to that exact state.

  • Forks reuse the parent conversation up to the chosen turn, then start a fresh backend session — no token re-spend.
  • Restore uses each provider's native protocol: Claude rewind_files, Codex thread/rollback, Gemini git checkpoints.
  • Inline diff pills show every file the agent edited — click to open before/after side-by-side.
u1
add retry logic to client.ts
a1
edited client.ts +24 −6
u2
add exponential backoff
a2
edited retry.ts, client.ts +58 −12
↳ Forked from u2 — branch "with-jitter"
~/.claude/projects/openai-node/57f12a.jsonl 
// run from any terminal
$ claude
› rewrite the streaming handler

// later, in Drift
Sessions ▸ openai-node
  └ rewrite the streaming handler
       claude · 3 file edits

// open it →
  ▸ full chat history restored
  ▸ +142 −87 diffs intact
  ▸ continue with /restore or /fork
CLI ↔ IDE

Started in the CLI?
Continue in the IDE.

Drift reads the same session files as the Claude, Codex, and Gemini CLIs. Sessions you started in a terminal show up automatically — full chat history, file edits, and diffs all reconstructed. No export/import dance.

  • Reads ~/.claude/projects/, ~/.codex/sessions/, ~/.gemini/ directly — no migration.
  • Historical file diffs are reconstructed from each SDK's native format — Claude structuredPatch, Codex apply_patch envelopes.
  • Pick up a CLI session in Drift — full chat, edits, and diffs reconstructed from the same jsonl, no fork.
Custom models

Grok. DeepSeek. Qwen. Your private endpoint.

Point Claude Code at any Anthropic-compatible API. Point Codex at any OpenAI-compatible API. Same chat, same agentic tools — just a different brain.

Custom Model dialog — Grok 4 Fast configured against api.x.ai with OpenAI-compatible provider type

Custom Models tab — Grok 4 Fast configured as an OpenAI-compatible endpoint.

Anthropic-compatible

Use any drop-in Claude API — Bedrock, Vertex, on-prem proxies, brokerage services.

ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://your-proxy/v1
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=•••
OpenAI-compatible

Grok, DeepSeek, Qwen, Mistral, local llama.cpp — anything that speaks the OpenAI Chat API.

OPENAI_BASE_URL=https://api.x.ai/v1
OPENAI_API_KEY=xai-•••

Custom models appear in the agent picker alongside Claude / Codex / Gemini. They keep their compatibility — Anthropic-flavoured for Claude Code sessions, OpenAI-flavoured for Codex.

Drift Cloud · E2E encrypted

Reach your desktop
from anywhere.
Encrypted end to end.

Pair your Mac, your iPhone, and the web app to your laptop's Drift via Drift Cloud. Continue a session from your phone on the train, then jump back to the desk. Every byte travels through a tunnel — but only your authorised devices hold the keys.

  • X25519 + AES-256-GCM on every frame. Drift Cloud relays ciphertext only.
  • Identical implementation in IDE, Web, and iOS. 54 shared test vectors keep them in lockstep.
  • Revoke devices instantly from the Devices panel. No password reset, no key rotation drama.
Open the web app
Authorized Devices panel — Mac, iOS web, Web Browser entries with revoke controls

Authorised devices — each holds its own ECDH-derived shared key.

Your Drift

Mac · Win

ciphertext
⇄
AES-GCM

Drift Cloud relay

sees ciphertext only

ciphertext
⇄
AES-GCM

Phone · Web

paired devices

Handshake: X25519 ECDH → HKDF-SHA256. Frame: IV(12) ‖ ciphertext ‖ tag(16).

Built on VS Code

Your IDE.
Not a chat box.

Drift is a fork of VS Code OSS — not a wrapper around one. Extensions, themes, keybindings, settings sync, debugger, integrated terminal, MCP servers, custom slash commands — everything you already know, with agents at the same level you operate.

VS Code extensions
Custom MCP servers
Slash commands & skills
Git worktree isolation
Profiles & settings sync
Native debugger
Drift settings dialog showing Claude, Codex, Gemini, Custom Models categories side by side

Per-agent settings — base URL, model, reasoning effort, thinking budget, env vars.

What an agent in Drift can actually do

First-class access to the IDE primitives — not just text completion.

Edit files

Multi-file edits with inline diff pills. Click to inspect, accept, or revert.

Run terminals

Real PTY per session. Run tests, install packages, stream long-running output.

Plan with tasks

Structured task lists rendered inline. Watch the agent check off subgoals.

Browse the web

Fetch docs, click links, screenshot pages — all in the built-in browser tab.

Spawn sub-agents

Delegate research, builds, tests to background agents. They report back when done.

Git worktree isolation

Each risky task runs in a checked-out worktree. No accidental rewrites of your branch.

Per-tool approvals

Fine-grained permissions. Pre-approve safe tools, gate destructive ones.

Custom skills

Project-level .claude/skills/ commands. Teach your team's conventions once.

Simple pricing.

Drift is free to install with your own keys. Upgrade to Pro to unlock the Agent Manager and remote access.

Free

Bring your own keys
$0 /forever

No account required.

Download Drift
  • Claude Code, Codex, and Gemini side by side
  • One active project workspace
  • Custom model endpoints & skills
  • All VS Code OSS features
Most popular

Drift Pro

Everything in Free, plus
$10 /month

Billed monthly · cancel anytime.

Get Drift Pro

  • Agent Manager — unlimited workspaces

    Pin a session per project — each running Claude, Codex, or Gemini on its own — and switch between them from one window. No workspace or session caps.

  • Remote access

    End-to-end encrypted tunnels to your dev machines — zero install on the target.

Cancel anytime · 14-day money-back guarantee · Pro signs in with your existing Drift Cloud account.

Drift on every machine.

Free to install. Bring your own Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google keys — or use any custom endpoint.

macOS Apple Silicon · v1.0.11 Windows x64 · v1.0.11

Running an Intel Mac? Download Drift for macOS (Intel) →

Also available as Drift Web and Drift for iOS