StoatAn open-source Cursor alternative for VS Code
Cursor made the agent workflow popular: describe a change, let the AI edit several files, then review. Stoat brings that workflow to the regular VS Code you already use, as a free, open-source extension where you choose the model.
What Stoat gives you
- An agent in VS Code: it reads your project, edits files and runs your build and tests (commands wait for your approval).
- Review after, not approve before: it works without stopping at every file; then you Keep or Undo each change, each file, or all of them.
- Any model, your own key: Claude, GPT, Gemini, DeepSeek, Mistral, Grok, OpenRouter, Azure, any OpenAI-compatible API.
- Local models: Ollama or LM Studio, for code that must not leave your machine.
- Plan mode: clarifying questions first, then an editable Markdown plan that Build follows.
- Open source (MIT): read exactly what it does; no account, no telemetry.
- MCP servers: a Playwright browser, GitHub, library docs or any MCP server; import the ones you use in Cursor or Claude.
- Web pages and search, with protection against reaching your local network.
- Optional tab autocomplete from a local or cloud code model.
What it doesn't do (yet)
To be clear about the trade-offs: Stoat's autocomplete is classic ghost text (fill-in-the-middle); it doesn't predict your next edit elsewhere in the file the way Cursor Tab does, and it doesn't replace your editor. It's an open project by a small team, not a large company.
How it compares
| Stoat | Subscription AI editors | |
|---|---|---|
| Editor | Your existing VS Code (also Cursor, Windsurf, VSCodium) | Their own editor |
| Model choice | Any provider or local model | Their selection |
| Pricing | Free; you pay your provider per use | Monthly subscription |
| Source code | Open (MIT) | Closed |
| Works offline | Yes, with a local model | Usually not |
| MCP servers | Yes (presets, import from Cursor / Claude) | Yes |
| Tab autocomplete | Ghost text from your chosen model | Yes, with next-edit prediction |
For the full side-by-side (Cursor, Claude Code, Devin Desktop), see Stoat compared.
Try it in two minutes
- Install Stoat. In VS Code open Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X), search Stoat and install Stoat – AI Coding Agent. (Cursor, Windsurf and VSCodium find it on Open VSX the same way.)
- Open your project folder and click the Stoat icon in the activity bar (or press Ctrl+Shift+L).
- Connect a model in the panel (pick a provider, paste a key; or pick Ollama for a free local model) and ask away.
When the agent finishes, a review bar lists every file it changed. Click a file to see the diff, then
Keep or Undo it (or Keep all / Undo all). Commands such as
npm test or dotnet build always wait for your approval first.
FAQ
Is there a free, open-source alternative to Cursor?
Stoat is a free, MIT-licensed VS Code extension that provides an AI coding agent with multi-file edits and Keep/Undo review, using any model with your own key.
Can I use Stoat inside Cursor?
Yes. Stoat is published on Open VSX, the extension store used by Cursor, Windsurf and VSCodium.
Stoat is free and open source. Small agent, takes on the big ones.
More guides: How to use DeepSeek as a coding agent in VS Code · Run a free, local AI coding agent in VS Code with Ollama · Use your Claude API key in VS Code as a coding agent · Use Gemini, Groq or OpenRouter as a coding agent in VS Code