FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about guIDE.
What is guIDE?
guIDE is a desktop code editor with native AI capabilities. It combines a VS Code-grade Monaco editor with local LLM inference, 82+ built-in tools, Playwright and Tor Browser automation, Ask/Plan/Agent modes, RAG codebase search, and everything else you need for AI-assisted development — all in a single application with no extensions required.
Do I need a GPU?
No, but it helps. guIDE supports both GPU (CUDA, Vulkan) and CPU inference. With a modern NVIDIA GPU, you will get significantly faster AI responses, but the editor works fine with CPU-only inference using smaller models. guIDE automatically detects your hardware and recommends appropriate models.
What AI models does it support?
guIDE runs GGUF-format models locally via node-llama-cpp, including popular models like Qwen, Llama, Mistral, and DeepSeek. It also supports cloud providers including Google Gemini, OpenRouter, OpenAI, Anthropic, Cerebras, SambaNova, and xAI — many with free tiers.
Is my code private?
When using local models, your code never leaves your machine. Completely air-gapped. When using cloud providers, standard API data policies apply. You choose which mode to use on a per-conversation basis.
What programming languages are supported?
The Monaco editor supports syntax highlighting for 80+ languages. The built-in code runner can execute code in 50+ languages including Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Go, Rust, C/C++, Java, Ruby, and more — without any additional configuration.
How is this different from VS Code with extensions?
In VS Code, every AI capability requires a separately installed, separately configured, and separately updated extension. In guIDE, everything is built in and works together natively — the AI can directly control the file explorer, browser (Playwright or Tor Browser), terminal, and editor without extension API limitations.
What is included in the license?
guIDE Desktop is completely free to download and use, with 30 cloud AI messages per day included. For more cloud AI usage, Pro is $4.99/mo (500 messages/day flat rate — not per-token) and Unlimited is $9.99/mo. Both paid plans include a 14-day free trial. Local AI inference is always free and unlimited. These plans work across guIDE Desktop and Pocket guIDE.
Can I try it before buying?
Yes! All paid plans include a 14-day free trial. You can also download guIDE for free and use it with 30 cloud AI messages per day, or unlimited local AI inference, at no cost.
Can I use it on multiple machines?
Each license is bound to one machine at a time. You can deactivate and reactivate on a different machine through your account dashboard.
Can guIDE control Tor Browser?
Yes. In Settings → Agentic Behavior, set Agent browser engine to Tor Browser. guIDE bundles and auto-resolves Tor Browser and geckodriver so your agent can navigate, click, type, and screenshot — including .onion URLs. Switch back to Chromium (Playwright) anytime for faster local automation.
What operating systems are supported?
guIDE currently supports Windows 10 and later. Linux is also available. macOS support is planned for a future release.