FAQ (Q&A)

This page summarizes answers to common questions about ZCode, including product positioning, pricing, and technical issues you may encounter during use.

1. What is ZCode’s product positioning?

ZCode is a new Agentic Development Environment (ADE). Unlike a traditional IDE that centers manual coding, ZCode puts AI Agents at the center of the workflow. You describe the task in natural language, and the Agent can drive the full loop from coding and debugging to preview and iteration.

• ADE platform: integrates major CLI tools such as Claude Code, Codex, and Gemini, with built-in file management, terminal, Git commit, and live browser preview
• Full-context awareness: Agents can understand project structure, file content, and UI visuals without requiring you to memorize complex command-line flags
• Future direction: evolving into a Vibe Coding platform where an upper-layer orchestrator coordinates multiple specialized CLI Agents as workers

2. Is ZCode free?

The ZCode application itself is completely free. As a developer, you still need your own API key or subscription for AI services. Current supported options include:

• Zhipu family: GLM Coding Plan, BigModel resource packages or account balance, and Z.AI
• Native subscriptions: Claude Code / Codex / Gemini
• Open platforms: OpenRouter
• Custom services: any AI service compatible with the Anthropic / OpenAI protocol, including self-hosted deployments

3. My terminal already has a GLM API configured. Do I still need to configure it again in ZCode?

Yes. Claude Code and ZCode are separate systems, so configuration is not synced automatically. You can choose either method:

• Quick Connect: sign in through Connect or the avatar using a BigModel / Z.AI account; if the account has an active plan, it will connect automatically
• Manual setup: add Base URL and API key through Manage Models

4. Why does Codex or Gemini keep loading after I click Connect?

Using Codex and Gemini currently requires both of the following:

1. Network environment: make sure the machine is using a network setup that can reach the required services
2. Account availability: make sure your Codex / Gemini account has the necessary access and can already be used successfully from the local command line

5. Why can I only select files, not folders, when adding context with @?

The @ picker in the input box is mainly designed for quickly selecting individual files. To add an entire folder as context for the Agent, drag the folder directly into the input box.

Supported options include:

• Drag a folder from the ZCode file tree into the input box.
• Drag a folder from Finder, File Explorer, or another system file manager into the input box.

After the folder is dropped into the input box, ZCode references it as context so the Agent can analyze the directory structure and work with files inside it.