Qwen Code

Qwen Code is the Qwen team's multi-protocol coding agent: one Apache-2.0 tool that talks to OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini and Qwen APIs, any third-party provider, or a local model, from your terminal, editor, desktop or chat app. Pick it if you want a free, open-source alternative to Claude Code with no vendor lock-in and you're ready to supply the model, because the free Qwen OAuth quota ended on April 15, 2026.

It began as a fork of Google's Gemini CLI v0.8.2 and has been developed independently since v0.1. The shared ancestry matters less now: Gemini CLI is Gemini-only and lost consumer access on June 18, 2026, while Qwen Code works with nearly any model.

Highlights

• Open framework, open models. Both the agent and the Qwen models are open source, with "no vendor lock-in", per the README.
• Multi-protocol by design. OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini and Qwen APIs, any third-party provider, or local models through Ollama or vLLM, switchable at runtime.
• Agent Arena. Several models take on the same task head-to-head; the README lists it as a feature Claude Code lacks.
• Daemon mode. qwen serve shares one agent with multiple clients over HTTP and SSE (ACP); it is experimental as of September 2026.
• Beyond the terminal. A desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux, a Web UI via qwen serve --open (also experimental), VS Code, Zed and JetBrains plugins, and chat channels for Telegram, DingTalk, WeChat and Feishu.
• Automation and the usual agent kit. Headless runs with qwen -p "..." and TypeScript, Python and Java SDKs, plus subagents, Agent Teams, Auto-Memory, Auto-Skills, hooks, MCP, plan mode, LSP, a sandbox and git worktrees.

In an AI-assisted workflow

Install with the standalone script, npm or Homebrew, per the README:

curl -fsSL https://qwen-code-assets.oss-cn-hangzhou.aliyuncs.com/installation/install-qwen-standalone.sh | bash   # Linux / macOS

irm https://qwen-code-assets.oss-cn-hangzhou.aliyuncs.com/installation/install-qwen-standalone.ps1 | iex          # Windows

npm install -g @qwen-code/qwen-code@latest   # requires Node.js 22+
brew install qwen-code                       # macOS / Linux
cd /path/to/your-project
qwen                                          # then run /auth inside the session

Then, inside the session:

> /auth
> Map the modules in this repo and plan how to split billing into its own service; wait for my approval
> Run the test suite and fix the failures in src/payments

For a fully local setup, point it at Ollama. Our guide to open-source and CLI coding agents covers when bringing your own model beats a first-party agent.

How it compares to OpenCode, Gemini CLI and Codex CLI

OpenCode is the closest open-source peer, drawing on 75+ providers and offering an optional pay-as-you-go gateway. Codex CLI suits teams on OpenAI models, and Gemini CLI now serves only paid API-key, Vertex AI and enterprise users. Qwen Code's edge is reach: IDE plugins, a desktop app, chat channels and Agent Arena in one Apache-2.0 package.

Good to know

• License and activity: Apache-2.0, with 27,767 GitHub stars as of September 11, 2026. npm @qwen-code/qwen-code 0.23.3 shipped on September 10, 2026.
• Requirements: the npm install needs Node.js 22+; the standalone installers cover Linux, macOS and Windows.
• Paying for models: the tool costs nothing. Model access now comes from an Alibaba Cloud Coding Plan (a fixed monthly subscription), a Token Plan (usage-based, for teams), API keys for OpenAI-compatible (including self-hosted), Anthropic, Google GenAI or Vertex AI endpoints, or a local model.
• Benchmarks: the README self-reports SWE-bench Verified results, such as a 77.33% average for v0.22.0 with Qwen 3.7 Max. Those are vendor numbers, so test on your own repo.

See where it lands against the field in the best Claude Code alternatives.