Amazon Q Developer Review 2026
Amazon Q Developer was AWS's flagship AI coding assistant for IDEs, code transformation, security reviews, AWS guidance, and command-line workflows. In 2026, AWS announced that new sign-ups were closing and that the product would transition toward end of support while Kiro becomes the strategic successor.
Methodology: Based on official AWS product pages, documentation, pricing details, and the April 2026 end-of-support announcement.
What Is Amazon Q Developer?
Amazon Q Developer is a generative AI assistant for software development and AWS operations. It provides code suggestions, chat, agentic file editing, code review, security scanning, modernization, and AWS service guidance.
2026 Status and Kiro Migration
AWS announced that the IDE plugins and paid subscriptions will reach end of support on April 30, 2027. New sign-ups stopped on May 15, 2026. Existing Pro subscriptions can continue adding users during the migration period.
The former Q CLI has already become the Kiro CLI, and newer coding models are being prioritized for Kiro. That makes Amazon Q Developer a migration product rather than a sensible new long-term purchase.
Key Features
- Real-time code suggestions across more than 25 languages
- Agentic file editing and shell commands
- IDE chat and workspace context
- AWS architecture and service guidance
- Security scans and automated fixes
- Code review for supported languages
- Java modernization and code transformation
- Code-reference logging
Code Transformation
Amazon Q Developer can perform automated language and operating-system upgrades. Free users receive up to 1,000 lines of transformed code per month. Existing Pro subscriptions include 4,000 lines per user per month, pooled at the payer-account level. Usage above the included allocation is billed at $0.003 per submitted line of code.
Security Scans and Code Review
Amazon Q Developer can analyze code for security issues and provide fixes. Official documentation lists code-review support for Java, JavaScript, Python, C#, TypeScript, Ruby, Go, C, and C++.
Supported IDEs
- Visual Studio Code 1.85 or later
- JetBrains IDEs 2024.3 or later
- Eclipse 2024-06 or later
- Visual Studio 2022 version 17.7 or later on Windows
Pricing in 2026
| Tier | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Monthly limits for eligible existing users |
| Pro | $19/user/month | Higher limits for existing subscriptions |
| Transformation overage | $0.003/LOC | Above included monthly allocation |
Best Alternatives
Kiro
AWS's strategic successor and the natural migration path for existing Q Developer users.
GitHub Copilot
Best for broad IDE support, GitHub workflows, and enterprise administration.
Claude Code
Best for terminal-first repository work and MCP integrations.
Cursor
Best for a maintained AI-first editor and integrated agents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Amazon Q Developer still available in 2026?
Yes, but AWS stopped new sign-ups on May 15, 2026 and plans to end support for the IDE plugins and paid subscriptions on April 30, 2027.
What is replacing Amazon Q Developer?
AWS is directing developers toward Kiro. The Q CLI has already become the Kiro CLI.
How much is Amazon Q Developer Pro?
The official price is $19 per user per month for existing Pro subscriptions.
Is there a free tier?
Yes. Amazon Q Developer has a perpetual free tier with monthly limits for eligible existing users.
Which IDEs are supported?
Visual Studio Code, JetBrains IDEs, Eclipse, and Visual Studio 2022 or later.
Can it transform Java code?
Yes. It can perform automated Java upgrades and other supported transformations.
Does it run security scans?
Yes. It can review supported languages for security issues and suggest fixes.
Does it work in the AWS Console?
Yes. It can answer AWS questions and provide guidance in AWS apps and the Management Console.
Does it still have a CLI?
The former Q CLI has transitioned to Kiro CLI.
Is it better than GitHub Copilot?
It is stronger for AWS-native workflows and modernization; GitHub Copilot is broader across development environments.
Should new users adopt it?
No. Because new sign-ups are closed and end of support is scheduled, new users should evaluate Kiro or another maintained tool.
What should existing users do?
Plan and test a migration to Kiro before April 30, 2027.
Final Verdict
Amazon Q Developer was a strong AWS-native assistant, especially for Java modernization, AWS guidance, security scanning, and teams already operating inside AWS.
But the 2026 end-of-support announcement changes the recommendation. Existing users can continue using it during the transition, while new users should choose Kiro or another actively maintained tool.