TL;DR: Google DeepMind’s Antigravity is a revolutionary agentic IDE developed by the former Windsurf team, placing autonomous AI agents at the core of software development to streamline coding through asynchronous task execution, verifiable outputs, and seamless integration with local and external resources.
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In July 2024, Google made a seismic move in the AI development space by acquiring the core team behind Windsurf—a startup reportedly on track to be bought by OpenAI for over $3 billion. When that deal collapsed, Google swooped in and secured the founders and key engineers for $2.4 billion. Now, just over four months later, that team has delivered their first product under Google DeepMind: Antigravity, a revolutionary agentic development platform.
Antigravity isn’t just another AI coding assistant. It’s Google DeepMind’s bold entry into the IDE (Integrated Development Environment) space—reimagined from the ground up with agents at its core. This guide dives deep into every aspect of Antigravity as demonstrated in the official walkthrough, covering its architecture, workflows, unique features, and real-world usage examples. Whether you’re a developer, product manager, or AI enthusiast, you’ll discover how Antigravity redefines software creation through autonomy, trust, and an agent-first paradigm.
What Is Antigravity? Google DeepMind’s Agentic IDE Explained
Antigravity is a fully agentic IDE developed by Google DeepMind, built by the former Windsurf team. Unlike traditional IDEs or even AI-enhanced editors like Cursor, Antigravity places autonomous AI agents at the center of the development process. These agents perform tasks asynchronously, generate verifiable artifacts, and interact with your local codebase, browser, and external resources—all while keeping you in the loop.
The name “Antigravity” was chosen deliberately. According to one of its developers, it symbolizes making agentic development feel “weightless.” The logo itself represents the inverse of a gravity well—instead of pulling you down, it lifts the burden of coding off your shoulders.
The $2.4 Billion Backstory: How Antigravity Came to Be
Before Antigravity existed, its creators were building Windsurf, a promising AI startup. OpenAI had reportedly agreed to acquire Windsurf for over $3 billion. When that deal fell through, Google capitalized on the opportunity, acquiring not the entire company—but specifically the founders and core engineering team (leaving behind over 200 employees).
This strategic hire allowed Google to fast-track innovation in agentic AI. In just four months, the team delivered Antigravity—their first product under Google DeepMind—ushering in a new era of AI-assisted software development.
The Three Pillars of Antigravity’s Design Philosophy
Antigravity is built on three foundational principles that distinguish it from other AI coding tools:
1. Autonomy Through Asynchronous Agent Work
Antigravity embraces asynchronous development, where agents work independently on tasks without requiring constant human input. Unlike synchronous assistants that respond line-by-line, Antigravity’s agents can plan, execute, and iterate over extended periods—even across multiple sessions.
Crucially, this asynchronous work happens locally on your computer, ensuring privacy and performance. The system also integrates seamlessly with traditional editing and browser-based workflows.
2. Trust, Verification, and Self-Improvement
Every action an agent takes generates verifiable artifacts. These include:
- Implementation plans (acting as a Product Requirements Document or PRD)
- Task lists with step-by-step execution logs
- Walkthroughs showing exactly what changed and why
These artifacts allow developers to audit, understand, and trust the agent’s work. Moreover, agents use these same artifacts to self-improve—refining their approach based on past performance and user feedback.
3. Agent-First Paradigm
Antigravity flips the script: instead of starting with code and adding AI as an afterthought, you begin by delegating tasks to agents. Only after the agent has done the heavy lifting do you drop into the editor for fine-tuning or synchronous collaboration.
This “agent-first” mindset encourages developers to think in terms of goals and outcomes rather than low-level syntax.
Inside the Antigravity Interface: Three Core Components
Antigravity’s UI is built around three interconnected interfaces that work together to deliver a seamless agentic experience:
1. The Code Editor (VS Code–Like Environment)
The main editor resembles VS Code and supports importing your existing VS Code or Cursor settings. It includes standard editing features—syntax highlighting, file navigation, diff views—but serves as a secondary workspace. Most development begins in the Agent Manager, not here.
2. The Agent Manager (The Heart of Antigravity)
This is where you create, launch, and monitor agents. You describe a high-level goal (e.g., “Build a Next.js app showing gravity levels”), and Antigravity spawns an agent to handle it asynchronously. Multiple agents can run simultaneously on different tasks.
3. The Browser (With Agent Control)
Antigravity integrates a modified Chrome browserblue glow. The browser serves two key purposes:
- Testing & Simulation: Agents preview and interact with the live app to verify functionality.
- Context Gathering: Agents can browse documentation, APIs, or design resources to inform their work.
Step-by-Step Walkthrough: Building a Gravity Demo App
In the demo, the creator tasked Antigravity with building a Next.js application that visualizes gravity on Earth, Mars, the Moon, and in “anti-gravity” scenarios. Here’s exactly how it unfolded:
Step 1: Define the Task in the Agent Manager
The prompt given was:
“Build me a Next.js app that shows off different levels of gravity on Earth, Mars, the moon, and even anti-gravity. Make each example its own page. Use Tailwind and ShadCN for CSS and make it look beautiful.”
Upon submission, Antigravity immediately began working—no manual setup required.
Step 2: Generate the Implementation Plan (PRD)
Within seconds, the agent produced an implementation plan—a structured document outlining:
- Core components (e.g., gravity simulator, navigation)
- Page structure (one per celestial body)
- Styling approach (Tailwind + ShadCN)
- Verification strategy
Crucially, this plan is editable in real time. The user added a comment: “Make the colors for each page match that planet or moon,” and the agent incorporated it mid-execution.
Step 3: Execute the Task List
Parallel to the plan, Antigravity generated a detailed task list:
- Initialize a Next.js project (`npx create-next-app`)
- Create gravity simulation components
- Build individual pages for Earth, Mars, Moon, and Anti-Gravity
- Implement layout and navigation
- Apply polish and verify functionality
Each task was executed autonomously, with progress visible in real time.
Step 4: Launch a Second Agent for Navbar Refinement
While the main agent built the app, a second agent was launched to inspect and improve the navbar. This demonstrated Antigravity’s ability to run multiple asynchronous agents on the same project.
The second agent searched for navbar code, analyzed its structure, and began optimizing it—including creating a mobile-responsive version.
Real-Time Collaboration: Editing Plans and Providing Feedback
One of Antigravity’s standout features is its support for dynamic human-in-the-loop feedback:
- You can comment directly on the implementation plan while the agent is running.
- You can annotate screenshots generated by the browser agent (e.g., “Make the ball blue and match the title color”).
- Agents ingest this feedback and adjust their behavior on the fly, without restarting the task.
In the demo, after requesting screenshots of the Earth and Mars pages, the user marked up an image to specify color changes. Moments later, the Earth ball turned blue and the Mars ball red—exactly as requested.
Using the Browser Agent for Testing and Design
The browser isn’t just for previewing—it’s an active development tool:
- Agents use it to resize elements, test responsiveness, and validate UI behavior.
- It can capture screenshots for documentation or feedback.
- It integrates with external design tools like Nano Banana.
In one example, the user prompted: “Generate some designs for the ball dropping UI with Nano Banana.” The agent:
- Used Nano Banana to create a visual design
- Translated that design into code
- Added a new “Nano Banana” page with a bouncing banana animation
All of this happened while other agents were still generating screenshots—showcasing true parallel, asynchronous development.
Understanding Artifacts: Plans, Tasks, and Walkthroughs
Antigravity’s transparency comes from its artifact system. Here’s what each one does:
| Artifact Type | Purpose | User Interaction |
|---|---|---|
| Implementation Plan | Acts as a PRD; outlines architecture, components, and verification strategy | Editable in real time; comments are injected into agent workflow |
| Task List | Step-by-step execution log of agent actions | View progress; approve tasks manually if desired |
| Walkthrough | Post-execution summary showing what changed, how to run the app, and key notes | Review diffs, understand changes, and verify correctness |
These artifacts ensure that even complex, multi-agent workflows remain auditable, explainable, and trustworthy.
Agent Control: Permission Modes and Model Support
Antigravity gives you granular control over agent autonomy:
- Auto-Proceed (YOLO Mode): Agent decides when to act vs. ask for permission. In testing, this worked reliably for most tasks.
- Manual Approval: Require user confirmation before each task execution—ideal for sensitive codebases.
Currently, Antigravity uses Gemini 3 Pro as its default model. However, the team plans to add support for:
- Claude models
- Other Gemini variants
- Potentially additional third-party models
Local Execution and Privacy Features
Unlike cloud-only AI tools, Antigravity performs asynchronous agent work locally on your machine. This ensures:
- Code never leaves your device unless you choose to share it
- Faster iteration without network latency
- Full compatibility with private repositories and internal tools
The browser extension and IDE run as local applications, giving developers complete control over their environment.
Git Integration and Version Control
While not demonstrated in detail, the transcript confirms that Antigravity supports Git integration. You can:
- Add projects to Git repositories
- Ask agents to help with commits, branching, or pull requests
- Track agent-generated changes through standard version control workflows
This makes Antigravity suitable for real-world team development, not just solo prototyping.
Performance and Results: Did It Work?
The demo app was fully functional and visually polished:
- Earth page: Blue ball with realistic gravity
- Mars page: Red ball with reduced gravity
- Moon page: White ball with very low gravity
- Anti-Gravity page: Purple ball that floats upward
- Responsive navbar with mobile support
- Nano Banana page with animated bouncing banana
All of this was built from a single high-level prompt, with only minor feedback interventions—proving Antigravity’s capability to deliver production-ready UIs.
Pricing and Availability: Free Access Coming Soon
As of the transcript’s recording, Antigravity has no official pricing. However, the team confirmed:
- A very extensive free plan will be available to all users
- Paid tiers (likely “Pro” or “Ultra”) will offer higher token limits and more agent calls as Gemini 3 rolls out more broadly
This suggests Google is prioritizing adoption and feedback before monetization.
How Antigravity Compares to Cursor and Other AI IDEs
While tools like Cursor have introduced agent-like features, Antigravity differs fundamentally:
| Feature | Antigravity | Cursor (Current) |
|---|---|---|
| Core Philosophy | Agent-first, asynchronous by default | Editor-first, with optional agent features |
| Artifact System | Full PRD, task list, and walkthrough for every run | Limited planning and logging |
| Browser Integration | Deep browser control for testing and research | No native browser agent |
| Multi-Agent Support | Yes—run multiple agents concurrently | Limited or single-agent focus |
| Local Execution | Asynchronous work runs locally | Most processing cloud-based |
Antigravity isn’t an incremental update—it’s a ground-up rethinking of what an AI-powered IDE can be.
Getting Started with Antigravity: What You Need
To use Antigravity, you’ll need:
- A compatible operating system (likely macOS, Windows, Linux)
- The Antigravity desktop application
- The Antigravity Chrome browser extension
- A Google account (for Gemini model access)
On first launch, you can import settings from VS Code or Cursor for a familiar experience.
Advanced Use Cases Beyond the Demo
While the demo focused on UI development, Antigravity’s architecture supports broader applications:
- API integration: Agents can research and implement third-party APIs
- Documentation generation: Walkthroughs can evolve into user guides
- Testing automation: Browser agents can run visual and functional tests
- Legacy code modernization: Agents can refactor and document old codebases
The key is framing tasks in terms of outcomes, not implementation details.
Limitations and Considerations
Despite its power, Antigravity has some caveats:
- Still in early release—expect bugs and evolving features
- Reliant on Gemini 3 Pro (for now), which may have regional availability limits
- Complex logic or niche frameworks may require more human guidance
- Browser agent actions are visible and can interfere with manual browsing
However, the artifact system mitigates risk by making every change transparent and reversible.
The Future of Agentic Development
Antigravity signals a shift toward human-agent co-creation. Instead of replacing developers, it elevates them to “product directors” who define vision and quality standards while agents handle execution.
As models improve and agent coordination advances, we can expect:
- Longer-running agents that manage entire feature lifecycles
- Agents that collaborate across code, design, and product specs
- Integration with CI/CD pipelines for autonomous deployment
Google DeepMind’s $2.4 billion bet suggests this isn’t a gimmick—it’s the future.
Final Thoughts: Is Antigravity Worth Trying?
Absolutely. Even in its early form, Antigravity demonstrates a cohesive, thoughtful approach to agentic development that surpasses fragmented AI coding tools. Its emphasis on trust, transparency, and asynchronous autonomy solves real pain points in AI-assisted coding.
And with a robust free tier planned, there’s no reason not to experiment. Whether you’re building a quick prototype or managing a complex app, Antigravity offers a glimpse into the next generation of software development.
- Antigravity is Google DeepMind’s agentic IDE, built by the ex-Windsurf team
- It’s based on three pillars: autonomy, trust/verification, and agent-first design
- Three core interfaces: Code Editor, Agent Manager, and Browser
- Generates editable implementation plans, task lists, and walkthroughs
- Supports real-time feedback via plan comments and screenshot annotations
- Runs agents asynchronously and locally for privacy and performance
- Will offer a generous free plan with potential Pro tiers later
Ready to Try Antigravity?
Keep an eye on Google DeepMind’s official channels for the public release. When it drops, import your VS Code settings, define a bold goal, and let the agents build while you focus on what matters most: the product vision.
As the demo proved—when you say “build a gravity app,” Antigravity doesn’t just write code. It delivers a complete, beautiful, interactive experience—and shows you exactly how it did it.
