What Is Antigravity (Google’s New IDE)?

Artificial Intelligence is transforming the way software is developed, tested, and deployed. From the use of autocomplete features to AI-assisted code reviews, the impact on developers has already been remarkable. Google Antigravity is a completely different and much larger change that has transitioned from assistance to AI-driven execution.

Antigravity is Google’s new agent-first IDE, powered by Gemini 3, designed to let AI agents plan, execute, and verify complex development tasks under human supervision.

In this comprehensive guide, we will examine what Antigravity is, how it works, why Google created it, how it stacks up to existing AI IDEs on the market, and if developers should be using it.

What Is Antigravity?

Antigravity is an integrated development environment or IDE developed by Google using artificial intelligence, where the AI system employs autonomous agents that can engage in development activities such as coding, executing commands, web browsing, testing applications, and developing verifiable artifacts.

While a regular IDE would simply support the developer, Antigravity is designed to do, not simply suggest.

Why Google Created Antigravity

For decades, IDEs evolved incrementally:

• Syntax highlighting

• Debuggers

• Autocomplete

• AI suggestions

However, the process remained the same: humans do the work, tools help.

Google identified a growing problem:

Modern software development is no longer about writing code but it’s about orchestrating systems.

Applications today involve:

• Multiple services

• CI/CD pipelines

• Cloud infrastructure

• APIs

• Frontend, backend, and testing layers

Antigravity is developed to tackle this complexity by implementing AI agents that can span the whole development cycle.

What Does “Agent-First IDE” Mean?

An agent-first IDE treats AI as a participant rather than an assistant.

In Antigravity:

• You give a goal, not instructions

• AI creates a plan

• AI executes multiple steps autonomously

• Results are documented as artifacts

• Humans review, approve, or reject the output

This is much like the way a senior engineer assigns a task to a junior engineer under supervision.

Key Features of Antigravity IDE

1. Autonomous AI Agents

Antigravity makes it possible to develop AI that has the following capabilities:

• Read and modify files

• Run terminal commands

• Install dependencies

• Execute tests

• Navigate websites using an integrated browser

These agents have multi-step reasoning capabilities, thanks to the long-context capabilities of Gemini 3.

2. Agent Manager (Mission Control)

The Agent Manager serves as a control room where you can:

• Assign tasks

• Monitor progress

• Pause or stop execution

• Review failures

Antigravity is therefore well-suited to large workflows and not just small scripting tasks.

3. Artifacts: Built-in Trust System

One of the strongest aspects of Antigravity is the artifacts.

Artifacts include:

• Task plans

• Command execution logs

• Browser screenshots

• Generated documentation

• Test reports

Rather than relying on the result of the AI, developers can confirm each step, a crucial step in the adoption of safe AI.

4. Integrated Terminal and Browser

In contrast to most other IDEs, Antigravity permits AI agents to:

• Run shell commands

• Develop and Deploy Applications

• Testing the UI functionality through a browser

This enables true end-to-end automation, not just code generation.

5. Gemini 3 Model Integration

Antigravity is deeply integrated with Gemini 3, which provides:

• Advanced reasoning

• Long-term memory

• Multi-task planning

• Context across large codebases

This enables the agent to understand projects and not merely files.

6. Familiar Editor Experience

Despite its impressive features, Antigravity has a very familiar feel:

• VS Code–like layout

• File tree and diff views

• Keyboard shortcuts developers already know

This helps to reduce the learning curve significantly.

How Antigravity Works (Behind the Scenes)

At a high level, Antigravity operates in five stages:

1. Goal Definition: Goal definition is where the developer defines what needs to be done.

2. Planning: The AI agent divides and conquers a goal

3. Execution: Actions that take place through files, terminals, and browsers

4. Artifact Creation: All actions are recorded and noted

5. Human Review: The developer verifies and approves the changes

Step-by-Step: Getting Started with Antigravity

To start with Antigravity, it is important to follow a careful and systematic process. With the IDE dependent on self-running AI agents that are capable of performing actual actions, it is important to follow best practices right from day one.

1. Install Antigravity on Windows, macOS, or Linux

• You can download Antigravity from the official release page on the Google site for your operating system.

• Supported platforms include:

  • Windows

  • macOS

  • Linux

• Make sure your system satisfies the following minimum hardware requirements:

  • Sufficient RAM (AI processes tend to be RAM-intensive)

  • Reliable internet connectivity for access to the Gemini model

• Finalize the setup process either by signing in with your Google account or the credentials needed to access Gemini-enabled functionalities.

2. Create a Sandbox or Virtual Machine Environment

• Set up an isolated workspace before working on real projects.

• Some recommended options for isolation are:

  • Virtual machines (VMs)

  • Docker containers

  • Dedicated development environments

• This stage is very important because the Antigravity agents have the capability of:

  • Execute terminal commands

  • Modify files automatically

  • Install or remove dependencies

• A sandbox will guarantee that any kind of undesired activity will not affect your main system or production environment.

3. Initialize a Git Repository

• As soon as your workspace is set up, initialize your Git repo. Version control allows you to:

  • Track every change made by AI agents

  • Review code differences using diffs

  • Roll back instantly if something goes wrong

• Best practices:

  • Commit before running an agent

  • Use a branch for changes introduced by agents

  • In order to keep check commits before merging them.

4. Enable Artifact Logging

• Turn on artifact logging from the Antigravity settings or agent configuration panel.

• Artifacts provide visibility into:

  • Task plans developed by the agents

  • Commands run in the terminal

  • Browser interactions and screenshots

  • Generated documentation and reports

• Looking through the artifacts will help you check the agent’s behavior rather than just taking the results for granted.

5. Start with Small, Non-Destructive Tasks

• It should begin with tasks that are not very complex or difficult. Examples include:

  • Code exploration and summaries

  • Documentation generation

  • Writing unit tests

  • Refactoring small components

• Avoid high-risk actions early on, including:

  • File or directory deletion

  • Database migrations

  • Infrastructure changes

• Start with simple tasks and then, as your comfort level with the system grows, begin to introduce more complex ones

6. Review Outputs Before Merging

• Always avoid merging your agents’ changes into your main branch.

• Before merging:

  • Review code changes line by line

  • Examine artifacts and execution logs

  • Run tests locally or in CI pipelines

• Review AI output as you would review the output of a junior developer.

Antigravity vs Other AI IDEs

Key takeaway: Antigravity offers the most power, but also demands the most responsibility.

Real Risks and Safety Concerns

As Antigravity agents have the capability to execute shell commands, errors can be very expensive.

There have been cases wherein the AI agents:

• Deleted directories

• Modified unintended files

• Executed destructive commands

This is not unique to Antigravity but is amplified in agent-based IDEs.

How to Use Antigravity Safely

• Always use Git before running agents

• Working in VMs or containers

• Require manual approval for destructive commands

• Never connect agents directly to production systems

Antigravity is best treated like giving shell access to a junior engineer.

Who Should Use Antigravity?

Best suited for:

• Experienced developers

• Engineering leads

• Prototyping teams

• AI-first startups

• R&D environments

Not recommended for:

• Complete Beginners

• Production systems without safeguards

• Teams lacking backups or CI/CD

Impact on Software Development

Antigravity signals a major shift:

• Developers move from writers to reviewers

• IDEs become execution platforms

• AI becomes a teammate, not a tool

It doesn’t displace developers but it alters their role.

Conclusion: Is Antigravity Worth Using?

Antigravity represents a significant shift in the direction of agent-oriented development, in which AI not only assists in development but also in implementation. This is made possible by the Gemini 3 engine and the development of trustworthy workflows.

For experienced programmers, Antigravity is a vision of the future. For the rest of the world, it is a demonstration of the dangers of unattended advanced AI.