ByteDance TRAE SOLO Upgraded to TRAE Work

TRAE Tutorial

Trae (pronounced /treɪ/) is an AI-native integrated development environment (IDE) launched by ByteDance. It deeply integrates large models such as Claude and GPT-4o, providing intelligent Q&A, code completion, and AI automated programming capabilities.

Trae is developed based on the VS Code kernel, and the interface is friendly and similar to VS Code.

Trae's main features include:

- Full Chinese interface, no need to install localization plugins, ready to use out of the box

- Built-in AI assistant, supporting Chat (Q&A) and Builder (project building) modes

- Compatible with VS Code ecosystem, can import plugins, shortcuts, and configuration files with one click

- Supports multiple platforms: Windows and macOS, Linux version available for reservation

- Completely free, AI features available without paid subscription

Installing Trae

1. Download installation package

The official website will automatically identify your operating system and recommend the corresponding version. You can also manually select:

2. Installation steps

After downloading, double-click the installation package and follow the prompts to complete the installation. The entire process is no different from installing ordinary software and can be completed in about 1~2 minutes.

3. Initial configuration

When starting Trae for the first time, you will enter the initial configuration wizard:

Step 1: Select theme

Options are "Dark", "Light", or "Deep Blue". Choose according to personal preference; this can be changed anytime in settings later.

Step 2: Select display language

Options are "Simplified Chinese" or "English". Chinese developers can directly select Simplified Chinese, and the interface will display fully localized.

Step 3: Migrate existing configuration (Optional)

If you previously used VS Code or Cursor, you can click "Import from VS Code" or "Import from Cursor". Trae will automatically sync:

- Installed plugins

- IDE settings and preferences

- Shortcut key bindings

This allows you to switch from your original tools to Trae almost seamlessly, with very low learning cost.

Step 4: Install command line tool (Recommended)

Click "Install trae command" and complete authorization. You can then use the following commands in the terminal:

# Quickly launch Trae trae

# Open specified project in Trae trae my-react-app

Step 5: Log in to account

Log in using a phone number or Juejin account. Only after logging in can you use AI services in Trae.

Interface Layout

Trae's interface is highly similar to VS Code, mainly divided into the following areas:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ Menu Bar (File / Edit / View / Help...) │ ├──────┬──────────────────────┬───────────────┤ │ │ │ │ │ Sidebar│ Code Editor │ AI Assistant Panel │ │ │ │ │ │ (File │ │ (Chat / Builder│ │ Manager│ │ Conversation Interface) │ │ etc.) │ │ │ ├──────┴──────────────────────┴───────────────┤ │ Terminal (Bottom Panel) │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────┘

- Sidebar: File explorer, search, version control, plugin market, etc.

- Code Editor: Main code writing area, supports syntax highlighting, multi-file tabs

- AI Assistant Panel: AI interaction area on the right, supports Chat and Builder modes

- Terminal Panel: Integrated terminal at the bottom, can run commands directly

Opening and Managing Projects

Opening Existing Projects

There are several ways:

- Select "File" → "Open Folder" from the menu bar, choose local project directory

- Execute `trae project path` in the terminal to open directly

- Select "Recently Opened Projects" from the welcome page

Using Terminal to Launch Trae

Use the following command:

trae

Use the following command to open the current directory with Trae:

trae .

Use the following command for a specified directory path:

trae ~/runoob-test # Open project in specified directory

Cloning Git Repositories

Click "Clone Git Repository" on the welcome page, enter the repository address to pull the remote project to local and open automatically.

Creating New Files and Projects

- Right-click folder in file explorer → "New File", Trae will automatically identify type based on file extension

- Menu bar "File" → "New Project", can choose blank project or generate via AI using Builder mode

Using the AI Assistant

This is Trae's core feature, providing two modes:

Chat Mode (Intelligent Q&A)

Chat mode is suitable for asking questions anytime during development, acting as a "smart partner" to understand current code.

Common uses:

- Explain the function of a code segment

- Find bugs and provide fix solutions

- Ask about API usage

- Let AI help optimize code logic

How to use context:

When conversing with AI, you can specify code, files, or folders as context to make AI responses more accurate. For example, use @filename in the Chat input box to reference specific files.

Builder Mode (Project Building)

Builder mode is suitable for building a project from scratch. You only need to describe what application you want in natural language, and AI will automatically call tools, analyze requirements, generate files, and execute commands.

Usage example:

Please help me create a React to-do application, supporting add, delete, and mark complete functions

Builder mode will automatically:

- Create project directory structure

- Generate all necessary code files

- Install dependency packages

- Run project for preview

Note (Windows users): Using Builder mode requires configuring PowerShell 6 or higher. You can select the configuration with "\PowerShell\{Version}\" in "Settings" → Terminal Profiles.

Handling AI-Generated Code Changes

After AI generates code, you can choose to accept or reject:

Inline Chat

Besides the side AI panel, you can also invoke AI directly in the editor:

- Shortcut: Command + I (macOS) / Ctrl + I (Windows)

- After selecting a code segment, press the shortcut to ask questions or request modifications directly on the selected content

- When code errors occur, you can also click the "AI Fix" button next to the error prompt to let AI automatically analyze and fix

Code Completion

Trae has built-in AI code completion functionality, providing real-time suggestions while you write code. No extra configuration needed, available after opening a project:

- When AI gives completion suggestions, press Tab key to accept

- Press Esc key to ignore suggestions

- Completion scope covers single-line code, entire function bodies, and even cross-file logic

Plugin Management

Trae is compatible with the VS Code plugin ecosystem. Methods to install plugins:

- Click the "Plugins" icon on the left sidebar (or press Ctrl+Shift+X)

- Enter plugin name in the search box, click "Install"

- If configuration was imported from VS Code, original plugins will sync automatically, no need to reinstall

Version Control

Trae has built-in Git integration. The "Source Control" panel in the sidebar provides visual version control operations:

- View file changes, stage files

- Commit code, push/pull remote repositories

- View commit history and Diff comparison

For developers accustomed to the command line, the integrated terminal at the bottom can also run Git commands directly.

Personalization Settings

Modifying Theme and Language

"Settings" → "General" → "Preferences", can modify interface theme and display language.

Customizing Shortcuts

"Settings" → "General" → "Preferences" → "Shortcut Settings", can add, modify, or delete shortcut key bindings.

AI Related Settings

"Settings" → "Model", can configure options such as the model used.

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