Another JetBrains product is being retired, as the company has announced it"s phasing out its dedicated IDE for test automation, Aqua. This adds Aqua to a growing list of discontinued JetBrains offerings.
Developers might remember when the company ended support for AppCode for iOS/macOS development, phased out the Upsource code review tool, and discontinued the standalone educational editions of IntelliJ IDEA and PyCharm, among others.
Aqua was launched as a specialized tool specifically for quality assurance engineers and test automation specialists. It aimed to provide a dedicated environment with features tailored for writing, running, and managing automated tests, supporting languages like Java and Python, and integrating directly with popular frameworks such as Selenium and Playwright. Unique features included a built-in web inspector for generating locators and an integrated HTTP client for API testing.
JetBrains explained that low adoption was the primary reason for pulling the plug, as stated in its announcement:
Aqua has not reached the level of adoption we initially envisioned. After evaluating market trends and user feedback, we have decided to consolidate its capabilities into the broader JetBrains ecosystem through the Test Automation plugin, allowing us to focus on widely adopted solutions that better serve our customers.
Instead of a standalone product, JetBrains is pushing Aqua"s functionality into the Test Automation plugin. This plugin is available for JetBrains" more established IDEs, such as IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate, PyCharm, and WebStorm. JetBrains assures users that all core Aqua capabilities will remain accessible through this plugin.
To install the Test Automation plugin, open your JetBrains IDE and go to Settings > Plugins. Find the plugin by searching for "Test Automation plugin" in the Marketplace tab. Click Install, and then restart your IDE to activate it.
For current Aqua users, the final release is version 2024.3. While JetBrains will stop selling new subscriptions and renewals, users with a valid license purchased before April 22, 2025, can continue using this final version. However, expect no further updates beyond potential critical vulnerability fixes, and support will be gradually phased out.
Commercial license holders will see their Aqua licenses automatically upgraded to an All Products Pack license for the remainder of their current term, though auto-renewal will be disabled. Non-commercial users have the option to get a non-commercial WebStorm license or receive a 40% discount on a one-year All Products Pack subscription. JetBrains" standard refund policy applies for recent purchases, and limited migration support is available.
Speaking of IDEs, OpenAI is reportedly in talks to acquire Windsurf, formerly known as Codeium, in a deal valued at around $3 billion. This would mark OpenAI"s largest acquisition to date and puts it in more direct competition with tools like Cursor.
Windsurf is an AI-native code editor known for its deep integration of generative features and its "vibe code" philosophy.