Google Antigravity vs. VS Code: Is It Time to Switch? (2025 Comparison)

For the last decade, Microsoft’s Visual Studio Code (VS Code) has been the undisputed king of code editors. It is lightweight, customizable, and has an extension for everything. But in late 2025, Google dropped a bombshell that might finally challenge that throne: Google Antigravity.

If you are a developer, you are probably asking: “Is this just another editor, or is it a revolution?”

At The San Info, we follow the latest trending technology closely. We have tested both platforms extensively. In this guide, we break down the differences between the reigning champion and the AI-powered challenger to help you decide which one deserves a spot on your taskbar.

The Core Difference: Assistant vs. Agent

To understand the difference, you have to look at the philosophy behind each tool.

VS Code is an “Editor-First” platform. You write the code, and tools like GitHub Copilot act as a smart autocomplete. It suggests lines or functions, but you are the driver. You are in control of every keystroke.

Google Antigravity is an “Agent-First” platform. It treats AI not as an assistant, but as a coworker. It introduces a “Mission Control” interface where you can assign complex tasks to autonomous agents powered by Gemini 3. These agents can browse the web for documentation, run terminal commands, and edit multiple files simultaneously while you watch.

Feature Showdown

Let’s look at how they stack up in the key areas that matter to developers.

1. The Interface

• VS Code: Familiar file tree on the left, code in the middle. It is a classic layout that millions love. If you install the Antigravity extension into VS Code, you get a taste of the AI, but it is limited by the UI.
• Google Antigravity: It is actually a fork of VS Code, so the shortcuts are the same (a huge plus!). However, it splits your screen into two views: the Editor View (for coding) and the Manager View (for orchestrating AI agents). It feels more like a command center than a text editor.

2. AI Integration

• VS Code: Relies mostly on GitHub Copilot or third-party extensions (like Cursor). It is excellent at “in-line” completion.
• Google Antigravity: Native integration with Gemini 3 Pro. The standout feature is “Context Awareness.” The agents can “see” your entire project architecture, read error logs in your terminal, and fix them without you copy-pasting the error message.

3. Performance

• VS Code: Famous for being snappy, though it can get heavy if you install 50+ extensions.
• Google Antigravity: Because it is running heavy AI models and managing multiple “agents” in the background, it requires more system resources. Google handles the heavy AI processing on the cloud, but the local client is heavier than a vanilla VS Code installation.

Comparison Table

Feature	VS Code (Microsoft)	Antigravity (Google)
Core Philosophy	You write, AI assists.	You manage, AI acts.
AI Model	OpenAI (via Copilot)	Gemini 3 / Claude Sonnet
Price	Free (Open Source)	Free Preview (Paid tiers likely)
Best For	General coding, students, pros.	AI-heavy workflows, rapid prototyping.

Which One Should You Choose?

The choice ultimately comes down to how much you trust AI.

Stick with VS Code if:
You prefer granular control over your code. If you enjoy the process of writing logic yourself and only want AI to help with syntax or boilerplate, VS Code is still the gold standard. It is also the safer bet for offline work.

Switch to Antigravity if:
You want to move faster. If you are a solo developer trying to build a complex app, the “Agent” system in Antigravity is like hiring a junior developer to sit next to you. It can handle the boring tasks (like writing unit tests or documentation) while you focus on the big picture.

(Note: If you are looking for the fun floating trick and not the code editor, check out our guide on the viral Google Anti-Gravity Easter Egg instead!)

Final Verdict

Google Antigravity isn’t just a VS Code clone; it’s a glimpse into the future where developers become “Architects” rather than “Typists.” While VS Code remains the reliable workhorse for now, Antigravity is the racehorse to watch in 2026.