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What is Polaris IDE?

Polaris is a cloud-based IDE inspired by Cursor AI, featuring real-time collaborative code editing, AI-powered suggestions, and in-browser code execution. Built with modern web technologies, Polaris brings the power of AI directly into your development workflow.

Quick start

Get up and running with Polaris in under 5 minutes

Installation

Install Polaris for web or desktop

Features

Explore AI-powered editing capabilities

API Reference

Integrate Polaris into your workflow

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Key features

Polaris combines the best of modern code editors with cutting-edge AI capabilities:

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AI-powered code editing

  • Real-time suggestions: AI-powered ghost text appears as you type, predicting your next edit based on project context
  • Quick Edit (Cmd+K): Select code and describe changes in natural language - AI refactors instantly
  • Conversation-based assistant: Chat with AI about your codebase, debug issues, and get architectural guidance
  • Context-aware completions: Understands your entire project structure for intelligent autocomplete

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Advanced editor features

  • Multi-language support: Syntax highlighting for JavaScript, TypeScript, CSS, HTML, JSON, Markdown, and Python
  • CodeMirror 6: Professional-grade editor with line numbers, code folding, and minimap overview
  • Multi-cursor editing: Edit multiple locations simultaneously
  • VSCode-style file icons: Familiar file explorer with drag-and-drop support
  • Tab-based navigation: Manage multiple open files with preview and pinned tabs

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Real-time collaboration

  • Convex-powered sync: Instant updates across all connected clients
  • Optimistic UI: Changes appear immediately with background synchronization
  • Auto-save: Debounced auto-save (1500ms) ensures you never lose work

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Code execution & preview

  • WebContainer integration: Run Node.js directly in your browser
  • Terminal access: xterm.js-powered terminal for command execution
  • Live preview: See your changes in real-time

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Project management

  • GitHub integration: Import and export projects directly from/to GitHub
  • File system operations: Create, rename, delete files and folders with full hierarchy support
  • Project limits: Free tier includes 10 projects, Pro tier offers unlimited projects

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Technology stack

Polaris is built on a modern, production-ready stack:
CategoryTechnologies
FrontendNext.js 16, React 19, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS 4
EditorCodeMirror 6, Custom Extensions, One Dark Theme
BackendConvex (Real-time DB), Trigger.dev (Background Jobs)
AIMoonshot AI Kimi K2.5 (via OpenRouter), Cerebras GLM-4.7 (fallback)
AuthStack Auth (with GitHub OAuth)
ExecutionWebContainer API, xterm.js
UIshadcn/ui, Radix UI
BillingAutumn (Stripe integration)
MonitoringSentry (Error tracking & LLM monitoring)
Polaris uses Stack Auth for authentication (migrated from Clerk) and Autumn for subscription management.

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Use cases

Polaris IDE is perfect for: Learning & education
  • Teach programming with AI-assisted explanations
  • Build interactive coding tutorials
  • Provide instant feedback on student code
Rapid prototyping
  • Spin up new projects in seconds
  • Test ideas with in-browser execution
  • Share prototypes via URL
Code reviews & collaboration
  • Review pull requests with AI assistance
  • Pair programming with real-time sync
  • Get architectural feedback from AI
Full-stack development
  • Build complete web applications
  • Test frontend and backend together
  • Debug with AI-powered insights

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Project structure

Understanding the codebase organization: 
polaris/
├── src/
│   ├── app/                    # Next.js App Router
│   │   ├── api/               # API routes (AI, GitHub, billing)
│   │   └── projects/          # Project pages
│   ├── components/            # Shared components
│   │   ├── ui/               # shadcn/ui components
│   │   └── ai-elements/      # AI conversation components
│   ├── features/
│   │   ├── auth/             # Stack Auth integration
│   │   ├── conversations/    # AI chat system
│   │   ├── editor/           # CodeMirror setup
│   │   │   └── extensions/   # Custom extensions
│   │   ├── preview/          # WebContainer execution
│   │   └── projects/         # Project management
│   └── lib/                  # Utilities & integrations
├── convex/                    # Real-time database
│   ├── schema.ts             # Database schema
│   ├── projects.ts           # Project operations
│   ├── files.ts              # File system operations
│   └── conversations.ts      # Chat operations
└── electron/                  # Desktop app code
The codebase uses feature-based architecture where each feature directory contains its own components, hooks, and business logic.

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Subscription tiers

TierProjectsPriceStatus
Free10$0/mofree
Pro MonthlyUnlimited$29/moactive/trialing
Pro YearlyUnlimited$290/yractive/trialing
Project limits are enforced at the database level. Free users attempting to create an 11th project will receive an error.

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Next steps

Get started

Follow the quickstart guide to create your first project

Install locally

Set up Polaris for local development

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

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