VS Code has been my comfort zone for years. It is fast, flexible, familiar and has a extension for almost everything. But after spending some time with Google Antigravity 2.0, I finally understand what a next-generation IDE is supposed to be like.
Antigravity 2.0 feels like VS Code after a big power-up, with agentic coding, smarter project management, a polished interface, and enough automation to make regular coding workflows feel a little old school.
Why I looked beyond VS Code
And why were you skeptical about Antigravity 1.0?
With the right extensions, theme setup, and AI tools, I can turn VS Code into a complete development environment. This is exactly why I tend to be skeptical whenever a new IDE comes out claiming to be the next big thing.
Most of them copy VS Code too closely or add AI features that feel more like a marketing checkbox than a real workflow update.
That was also my first impression of Antigravity 1.0. On the surface, it looked like another VS Code-style editor with an AI sidebar attached. Yes, there was an Admin view and Google clearly wanted to position it as something more agentic, but it never seemed central to the experience to me.
It seemed like an extra layer added on top of a familiar editor rather than a completely new way of creating software. So at first I skipped it.
That changed when Google announced Antigravity 2.0 at Google I/O.
Agent Coding Changes the Game
Gemini 3.5 is truly a next-generation model
the most important reason Antigravity 2.0 clicked for me is the agent coding workflow. It feels different because the agent is much more involved in the actual development process.
I can give it a broader goal and let the agent work on the project with more context. It’s not just about writing a feature or suggesting a quick refactoring. You can understand what I’m trying to create, look at the existing structure, make changes to the files, and continue moving towards the final result.
The default Gemini 3.5 model also surprised me. I didn’t expect it to be so capable within a coding workflow, especially when Claude Code and Codex have dominated many of my recent tests.
But when I recently pitted Antigravity against Claude Code and Codex to create a PKM web application, Antigravity prevailed. He understood the task better and produced a more polished result.
Regular VS code is still great when I know exactly what I want to change. But when I start from an idea, like creating a dashboard, creating a notes system, adding tags, connecting a knowledge graph, or improving the user interface, Antigravity feels much more useful.
It’s better to take a vague but ambitious idea and turn it into something you can actually open on localhost, test, and refine.
I still need to review the code, iron out the rough edges, and make final decisions like any developer would. But the starting point is much stronger. I can spend more time judging the product, improving the UX, and getting the project closer to something usable.
Antigravity is not just about speed
All about changing the mindset of a developer
The more I used Antigravity 2.0, the more I realized that Google isn’t just trying to create a better code editor. Two features make this clear to me: scheduled tasks and dynamic subagents.
Instead of manually notifying the agent every time I want something to be verified, reviewed, or generated, I can set up a schedule and let the agent run on its own.
For example, I can imagine using it to run routine status checks, review project status, summarize changes, inspect failed tests, or prepare a quick development report before I even sit down to work.
Dynamic subagents are even more interesting. In a normal AI coding session, an assistant tries to handle everything: planning, coding, testing, debugging, UI and UX decisions, and cleanup. This works for small tasks, but becomes complicated when the project becomes complex.
With dynamic subagents, the primary agent can break down a larger task into smaller, more focused parts and activate specialized agents to handle them.
I’m no longer just chatting with a model and hoping everything becomes clear. I’m running a system that can split work, run parts in parallel, and stitch the results together.
There is still the traditional Antigravity IDE available for download. But if you’re looking to move away from a standard VS Code setup, I recommend going with version 2.0.
Not another VS Code clone
Antigravity 2.0 isn’t perfect, but it’s the first IDE in a long time that got me excited about going beyond my usual VS Code setup. It has the familiar foundation I want from a modern editor, but the agentic coding workflow, cleaner interface, and Gemini 3.5 make it feel much more ambitious.
Instead of helping me write code faster, it changes the way I approach a project from the beginning.
I can plan, build, test, iterate, and deliver more boring work without feeling like I’ve lost control.
I still respect VS Code for its speed, flexibility, and massive ecosystem, but Antigravity 2.0 feels more exciting now.
