Eclipse FAQ — free, open-source, AI-ready
Answers about pricing, model support, MCP, local AI, privacy and platforms.
Is Eclipse free to download and use?
Yes. Eclipse is free and open source. There is no license fee and no account is required to download it. You can use it for personal, commercial and team projects at no cost.
Which AI models and LLMs can I connect?
You can connect OpenAI (GPT models), Anthropic Claude, Azure OpenAI, DeepSeek, Hugging Face, and local models through Ollama or any OpenAI-compatible API. You are not locked to a single vendor.
What is MCP and does Eclipse support it?
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that lets AI agents call external tools, services and data sources. Eclipse supports MCP, so AI workflows can act on your files, Git and connected systems, not just chat.
Can I run AI models locally or offline?
Yes. Through Ollama and local OpenAI-compatible endpoints you can run models on your own machine, so your code and data never leave your environment. This is useful for private or regulated work.
Is Eclipse open source?
Yes. Eclipse is developed under the Eclipse Foundation's vendor-neutral, open governance, and its AI capabilities are built on Theia AI, an open framework. The source is public and contributions are welcome.
Do I need an account or API key?
No account is needed to download and run Eclipse. To use a cloud LLM you add your own provider API key, which stays in your settings. Local models through Ollama need no key at all.
Which operating systems are supported?
Eclipse runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. The download on this page is the Windows installer; macOS and Linux builds are available from the same release.
Can I build my own AI tools or agents on Eclipse?
Yes. Theia AI is an open framework for building AI-native tools and custom IDEs with your own agents, prompts and tool integrations, so teams can tailor the assistant to their stack.