Volt
Volt is a free, open-source workspace under MIT, built on the real VS Code core. Chats, code, Git, an in-app browser and a terminal share one window. The runtime drives Agent Client Protocol CLIs (Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, Grok, Antigravity, Kimi), API keys or local models through Ollama or LM Studio, with four permission presets. One caveat: it is a public beta below 1.0.
What does Volt do?
The README calls Volt "a workspace for working with coding agents instead of next to them: the chat, the code, Git, a browser and a terminal share one window, so nothing you need is a tab away." It is built on the real VS Code 1.105 core, so extensions, themes, keybindings, language servers and debuggers come along from the standard Code - OSS environment.
Agents reach Volt through the Agent Client Protocol (ACP): Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, Cursor (early access), Grok (early access), Antigravity, Kimi and any generic ACP agent. Volt also has direct model access through its own tool loop for OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, OpenRouter, any OpenAI-compatible endpoint, Ollama and LM Studio. Four permission presets (Supervised, Auto-accept edits, Auto, Full access) decide what an agent may read, edit, run, fetch or connect to.
Key facts
- Licence: MIT.
- Platforms: macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel), Windows (x64 and arm64), Linux (x64, arm64 and armhf) as
.deb,.rpmor.tar.gz. - Built on VS Code 1.105; from 0.0.4 the macOS builds are signed with an Apple Developer ID and notarised, and update themselves. Windows builds are not code-signed yet.
- State: "Public beta. Volt is below 1.0 and moves fast."
- Protocols: Agent Client Protocol for agent CLIs; Model Context Protocol (MCP) for tools, with servers configured from
.mcp.json,.cursor/mcp.json,.vscode/mcp.jsonor.volt/mcp.json. - Project instructions picked up automatically:
AGENTS.md,CLAUDE.md,.volt/AGENTS.md,.cursorrulesand.github/copilot-instructions.md. - Review and safety: every agent edit is pending until you keep or undo it, hunk by hunk, against a baseline; each turn is checkpointed in a Git ref
refs/volt/*, with preview, restore and redo, so the index and branches stay untouched. - Per-chat worktrees and sandboxes let parallel agents work without trampling each other.
- In-app browser with design mode: the agent can navigate, click, type, take screenshots and read the console and network; you can pick an element or draw an area and name what to change.
- Permissions are an approval policy, not a sandbox: an agent allowed to run shell commands runs them as you.
What does it replace, and where does it fall short?
Volt replaces Cursor for a developer who wants a VS Code fork that treats agents as a first-class part of the editor, with per-turn Git checkpoints and an in-app browser the agent can drive, under MIT. It appears on the open-source alternatives to Cursor page.
Where it falls short: public beta below 1.0, so expect rough edges and changes between releases. Permissions are an approval policy, not a sandbox: an agent allowed to run shell commands runs them as you. macOS is the development and test platform; Windows and Linux builds come from the same pipeline but have had little testing, by the README. Cursor has its own backend features, team settings and support that Volt does not offer.
How does Volt run?
Download the installer for the platform from the GitHub Releases page: a .dmg on macOS, a .exe or .zip on Windows, a .deb, .rpm or .tar.gz on Linux. On Windows, SmartScreen may show a warning; click More info then Run anyway. Beta and Nightly channels are each a separate app that installs beside Volt.
To build from source, install Node.js 22.19 (the version in .nvmrc; 22.15.1 is the minimum), npm, Git, Python 3 and a C or C++ toolchain. Then nvm install, npm install, npm run electron, node build/lib/builtInExtensions.js, make start. The first compile takes a few minutes; after that, rebuilds are incremental.
Who is Volt for?
A developer who wants a VS Code fork around the Agent Client Protocol, with per-turn Git checkpoints, pending-edit review and an in-app browser the agent can drive, under MIT. For a Cursor-shortcut fork of Code - OSS, see OpenCursor. For a Rust reimplementation of Claude Code in the terminal, see CometixCode. For a hosted product, Cursor is the paid tool.
What limits does the README state?
- "Public beta. Volt is below 1.0 and moves fast, so expect rough edges and changes between releases."
- "macOS is the platform Volt is developed and tested on; Windows and Linux builds come from the same pipeline but have had little testing."
- Permissions are an approval policy, not a sandbox: an agent allowed to run shell commands runs them as you.
- Windows installers are not code-signed yet.
- Build from source needs Node 22.19 and the usual VS Code build prerequisites.
Questions people ask
Is Volt open source?
Yes. The LICENSE at the repository root is MIT, an OSI-approved licence. Volt is built on Code - OSS by Microsoft, which is also MIT. The README is explicit that Volt is an independent project and is not affiliated with Microsoft, Anthropic, OpenAI, Google or Cursor.
Can I use my Claude Code or Codex subscription?
Yes. The README says Volt doesn't sell tokens: use the Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, Cursor, Grok, Antigravity or Kimi sign-in you already have, or point Volt at an API (OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, OpenRouter) or a local model (Ollama, LM Studio). Warm sessions are kept ready, so a new chat does not pay a cold start. You can also sign in to several Claude accounts and switch by hand, or let Volt move to another account near a usage limit.
How does Volt protect my code and keys?
API keys go in the editor's secret storage, not in settings files. There is no telemetry endpoint in Volt. Permissions decide what an agent may read, edit, run, fetch or connect to, with four presets layered with project, agent, session and mode rules. The README says permissions are an approval policy, not a sandbox: an agent allowed to run shell commands runs them as you. Read SECURITY.md before pointing Volt at code you do not trust.
How does Volt compare with Cursor?
Cursor is a paid, hosted product. Volt is a VS Code fork that puts the chat, code, Git, an in-app browser and a terminal in one window, with Agent Client Protocol as the way agents plug in, under MIT. The open-source alternatives to Cursor page sets Volt beside OpenCursor and other coding assistants.
What is the Agent Client Protocol?
ACP is an open protocol for coding agents to talk to editors and tools. The README says Volt drives agent CLIs over ACP, including Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, Cursor (early access), Grok (early access), Antigravity, Kimi and any generic ACP agent. See agentclientprotocol.com for the specification.
Sources
- Volt README and LICENSE: github.com/LeulAria/volt, read 2026-11-02.
- Agent Client Protocol: agentclientprotocol.com, referenced by the README, 2026-11-02.
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Added November 2, 2026. Every claim above comes from the project's README, LICENSE or model card, read on November 2, 2026, or from the GitHub API on the date shown in the panel. Found an error? Write to reveneau@licheo.com and it is fixed in the next weekly pass. Repository: github.com/LeulAria/volt.
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