What does Cortex look like installed?
These screenshots are from the current stable release — the exact app you get when you install it.
Cortex is a free AI coding IDE for Windows and Linux, with macOS support on the way. Pick your installer, add an API key, and start building.
Developers who want an AI agent that edits their whole project, not just autocomplete. Free to install, bring your own model.
Bring your own API key, choose your model, and keep control of your code.
In short: Cortex is a free AI coding IDE for Windows and Linux. Install it, add your key, and start building in under two minutes.
A free AI coding IDE with an agent that plans, edits, and runs across your whole codebase. Bring your own API key, no subscription required.
Install from the Microsoft Store on Windows or grab the GitHub release on Linux, add your AI provider key, and open a project — the agent is ready in under two minutes.
Get Cortex from the Microsoft Store on Windows, or on Linux download the .deb or .rpm package and run one install command. See the install guide below for the exact terminal commands. macOS support is coming soon.
Choose a supported AI provider during setup and add your own API key. Cortex stores it locally in your operating system's secure credential store.
Open a project and describe what you want to change. The agent can find the relevant files, make edits, run commands, and verify the result before you review the diff.
Pick the package that matches your distro, run one command in a terminal, and launch the app. The .deb format covers Debian-based systems; the .rpm format covers Red Hat-based systems.
For Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint, Pop!_OS, and other dpkg-based systems. Download the .deb, then run this in the folder where you saved it:
sudo dpkg -i cortex-ide_3.0.24_amd64.deb
sudo apt install -f
The second command resolves any missing dependencies. Then launch with cortex from a terminal, or find Cortex in your apps menu.
For Fedora, RHEL, CentOS, Rocky, AlmaLinux, and openSUSE. Download the .rpm, then run this in the folder where you saved it:
sudo dnf install -y ./cortex-ide-3.0.24-1.x86_64.rpm
On openSUSE, use sudo zypper install ./cortex-ide-3.0.24-1.x86_64.rpm. Launch with cortex after it finishes.
Every core coding feature is free with your own API key — the agent, semantic search, multiple file editing, and all 8 provider integrations.
Cortex can work across multiple files, execute commands, inspect results, and iterate when something fails.
Semantic search helps the agent understand your project beyond the file currently open, so answers and changes can reflect the structure of your codebase.
Get suggestions that take your project's patterns and surrounding code into account instead of relying only on the cursor position.
Connect your own provider key and pay the provider directly. Cortex supports MiMo, DeepSeek, Anthropic, OpenAI, OpenRouter, Qwen, Google Gemini, InferenceHub, and compatible model options.
Extend Cortex with MCP servers for external tools and services, and configure provider options for different workflows.
Cortex runs directly on Windows and Linux without requiring WSL or a container. macOS support is coming soon.
These screenshots are from the current stable release — the exact app you get when you install it.
Yes — every core coding feature works free with your own API key. The optional subscription adds managed platform services only.
| Feature | Free (BYOK) | Optional Subscription |
|---|---|---|
| AI agent (plan, edit, run, verify) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Full codebase semantic search | ✓ | ✓ |
| 8 AI provider integrations | ✓ | ✓ |
| MCP server connectors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hosted web search & live RAG | — | ✓ |
| OCR fallback (vision for models without vision) | — | ✓ |
| Voice input | — | ✓ |
| Priority support (24h resolution) | — | ✓ |
LLM inference is always billed by your chosen provider — Cortex never marks up model usage. Compare subscription plans →
Cortex runs on Windows 10 (1809+), Windows 11, or Linux with 4 GB RAM and 200 MB free disk space. macOS support is coming soon.
Your BYOK credentials stay on your machine.
API keys are stored in your operating system's secure credential store, and model requests go directly from your machine to the provider you choose over TLS. Cortex does not resell or mark up your model usage.
MCP connectors use the open Model Context Protocol specification — a standard JSON interface for external tools.
Your editor continues to work offline for local coding. AI features require an internet connection because inference runs through your selected provider.
Yes. Cortex is free to install and can be used with your own AI provider keys without a required subscription.
An optional subscription is available for managed services such as hosted web search, embeddings, OCR, and related platform features.
Cortex supports eight provider integrations, including MiMo, DeepSeek, Anthropic, OpenAI, OpenRouter, Alibaba Qwen, Google Gemini, and InferenceHub.
Available models depend on the provider you connect.
Your keys are stored locally in your operating system's secure credential store. They are not sent to Cortex servers.
Cortex can index your repository for semantic search, allowing the agent to find relevant code across the project rather than working only from the open file.
The editor can be used offline for local code editing. AI features require internet access to communicate with your selected model provider.
The Microsoft Store is the supported installation method for Cortex. The Store build is signed and verified by Microsoft and receives automatic updates.
If you previously installed Cortex using an older installer, that installation can continue to work. You can move to the Store version when you want Microsoft Store updates.
Yes. Cortex is available for Windows 10 and 11 and Linux. You can run it natively on either with no WSL or container required.
Linux installers come in two formats. The .deb is for Debian-based systems including Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and Pop!_OS. The .rpm is for Red Hat-based systems including Fedora, RHEL, CentOS, Rocky, AlmaLinux, and openSUSE.
Download the .deb for Debian-based distros and run the install command in the folder where you saved it. The apt install -f step clears any missing dependencies. For Red Hat-based distros, install the .rpm with dnf (or zypper on openSUSE). Then launch the app with cortex. See the install guide above for the exact commands.
Not yet. macOS support is in development and coming soon. Cortex currently runs natively on Windows 10 and 11 and Linux, on both the Microsoft Store and GitHub releases. You can follow the repo to be notified when the macOS build ships.
Install Cortex, connect your preferred AI provider, and open your project. See the full feature overview on the homepage or jump straight in.