Highwind vs JetBrains Air
Dev server workspace vs JetBrains’ system for agent tasks
Quick summary
JetBrains Air is a system for building software with AI agents. It comes as a desktop app, a plugin for JetBrains IDEs in early access, a web app and a cloud service. Tasks can run in a git worktree, in Docker or in the cloud, with diffs, review comments and pull requests.
Highwind is built around the servers a project runs. It restarts crashed servers, starts required services first, starts servers again at launch, and shows your app in browser and device panes that agents can use. Air’s documentation doesn’t describe supervising dev servers.
Choose Air if you use JetBrains IDEs or want isolated and cloud agent tasks with review tools and team controls. Choose Highwind to run a project’s servers, agents, browser and phone simulator in one Mac window.
Who should choose Highwind, and who should choose JetBrains Air?
Choose Highwind if
- You want dev servers restarted on crash and started in the order they need.
- You want servers and agents running again after a restart.
- You want a browser pane with DevTools that agents can use.
- You want an iOS simulator or Android device in a pane your agent can use.
- You want an MCP server that lets agents control your services, logs and tasks.
Choose JetBrains Air if
- You use JetBrains IDEs and want agents inside them.
- You want tasks isolated in a worktree or Docker, with diffs and review comments.
- You want cloud tasks that keep running after you close your IDE.
- You need organization controls such as custom policies and access control.
- You need Windows or Linux.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Highwind | JetBrains Air |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A Mac app for dev servers, CLI agents, browsers and phone simulators, grouped by project | A system for building software with AI agents |
| Runs your dev servers | Each service has a command, a folder and a port | Dev servers not documented; commands run in a terminal |
| Restarts a server when it crashes | Per service, up to 3 attempts, 2 seconds apart | Not documented |
| Starts the services a server needs first | Starts each required service and waits until its port accepts connections | Not documented |
| CLI agents from several vendors | Claude Code, Codex, Gemini, OpenCode, Copilot and pi, plus any CLI added with a JSON file | Claude Agent, Codex, Gemini CLI, Junie and any ACP-compatible agent |
| Agent conversations resume after a restart | Each agent pane resumes its own session at launch | Sessions stop and resume one at a time; suspended tasks can be resumed |
| Servers run again after you quit or reboot | Services that were running start again at the next launch, agents resume and browser tabs reopen. Launch at login is optional | Servers not documented; worktree and Docker tasks can suspend when the app closes |
| Built-in browser with DevTools | WebKit pane with the Chrome DevTools frontend beside the page | Web preview pane; DevTools not documented |
| Agents can use the built-in browser | 21 browser tools over MCP, with an approval policy per action | Not documented |
| Phone simulator or emulator in a pane | iOS simulator, Android emulator or Android phone in a pane. No physical iPhones. Needs Xcode tools or the Android SDK installed | Not documented |
| Agents can use the simulator or emulator | 13 device tools over MCP: tap, swipe, type, screenshot, UI tree, logs and crash reports | Not documented |
| MCP server that controls the app | More than 70 tools for services, logs, views, tasks, the browser and devices. Off until you turn it on | Agents can use MCP servers; an MCP server for Air itself is not documented |
| Shell commands as buttons | Per project, run in their own pane | Commands are prompt actions; shell buttons not documented |
| Split panes | Views with split panes, layout presets and floating windows | Tool panels, editor splits and terminal tabs |
| Task board | Kanban board per workspace that agents can read and update | Tasks tool lists tasks per workspace; no board documented |
| Git worktrees and diff review | No worktree management or diff view | Worktree or Docker per task, diffs, review comments; PRs documented for cloud tasks |
| Code editor | Plain text editor and sidebar, no syntax highlighting | Editor tabs with navigation for some languages; full features in the IDE plugin |
| Configuration as plain files | Plain files in a .highwind folder | Settings in an .air folder you can commit |
| Built with | Native Swift | Not documented |
| No account needed | No account | First start needs an AI provider; an Air account is not documented |
| Platforms | macOS 14 and later | macOS, Linux, Windows; plugin for JetBrains IDEs except Android Studio |
| Price | Free during the public beta | Basic free, Business $20 per seat a month; cloud tasks use JetBrains AI credits |
“Not documented” means we found no mention of it in JetBrains Air’s documentation.
How do JetBrains Air and Highwind differ?
Air is organized around tasks: you give an agent work, it runs in the project, a worktree, Docker or the cloud, and you review the result. Highwind is organized around what a project runs: its servers, the agents working on it, the page in a browser and the app on a simulator.
Air’s web preview opens when your server starts, and its terminal runs commands, but its documentation doesn’t describe restarting crashed servers, start order or starting servers again after a restart. Highwind does all three.
Where JetBrains Air is ahead
Air isolates tasks in worktrees or Docker, has diffs and review comments, and runs cloud tasks that keep going after you close your IDE. It works inside JetBrains IDEs, runs on three operating systems, and has organization controls such as custom policies. Highwind has none of these.
Frequently asked questions
Is Highwind a JetBrains Air alternative?
Only partly. Both run agents from several vendors on your computer. Air focuses on isolated tasks and review, Highwind on dev servers, the browser and phone simulators.
Do I need a JetBrains IDE to use Air?
No. The Air app is a standalone desktop client, and Air in IDEs is a separate plugin in early access. Highwind doesn’t depend on any editor.
Try Highwind
A native Mac app for your dev servers, CLI agents and browser panes. Requires macOS 14 or later.
Get HighwindOther comparisons
Last reviewed November 2, 2026. Product features and prices change; tell us on the contact page if something here is out of date.