TikTok’s owner forked Microsoft’s Visual Studio Code and concerns have been raised — reports suggest it’s resource heavy and never stops ‘phoning home’

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You might recognize Microsoft’s Visual Studio Code (VS Code), but have you heard about Trae? It’s essentially a version derived from VS Code, specifically the open-source components of VS Code, stripped of the proprietary elements added by Microsoft. It’s not unique in this regard, and there may be more forks like it in the future.

Originates from ByteDance, which is recognized, particularly in the western world, as the proprietor of TikTok. Marketed recently, much like many things today, as your latest AI companion, emphasizing its capabilities in coding.

Further investigation, as detailed by Neowin, uncovered some concerning matters about Trae. Among them, one issue that appears to have been addressed since then.

The full report is posted on GitHub by user segmentationf4u1t. The key takeways are summarized as:

  • Resource usage is 6x higher than VSCode baseline
  • Telemetry settings appear to be cosmetic rather than functional
  • Community feedback mechanisms are compromised by censorship
  • Data collection practices lack transparency and user control

It’s important to mention that the testing was carried out on a previous edition. However, it appears that the resource usage problem has been addressed to some extent. Nonetheless, I found this morning that the most recent version of Trae consumes noticeably more RAM than VS Code when editing identical files.

The bottom three issues may be particularly concerning for someone planning to use Trae, as data indicates that even with telemetry turned off, Trae is still frequently connecting to ByteDance servers, approximately every 7 minutes.

Additionally, even without telemetry enabled, it appears that Trae continues to transmit comprehensive usage details and user activity information to the servers.

As a tech enthusiast, I must admit, the cherry on top is the seemingly censored conversations about the topic in the Trae Discord server. The author of the report alleges they were silenced with a “gag-hammer” after bringing it up, and discussing tracking seems to result in a week-long mute.

The word “track” has apparently been added to a blacklist to stop people talking about it.

Regardless of whether it’s an issue of valid concern, error, or misinterpretation, maintaining openness and honesty with our users is essential.

If you’re developing software specifically for programmers and assume they won’t delve into its intricacies or voice issues, then it might not be wise to create such software, as they could potentially encounter problems that need addressing.

ByteDance has yet to publicly respond or engage with the reports and ensuing discussions about the matter. The issues raised are valid and warrant attention. If users have the option to disable telemetry, it would be appropriate to do so. It creates an unfavorable impression when discussions on such topics are suppressed, as it may give rise to concerns about transparency and openness.

Without delving into the AI aspect, Trae appears to be a promising code editor. It integrates with the Open VSX Registry for extensions compatible with Visual Studio Code, similar to how Microsoft does. Moreover, it seamlessly connects to Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), and its minor visual enhancements contribute to a more enjoyable user experience.

ByteDance should openly communicate with their users, as well as prospective users. If any errors have occurred, they should own up and rectify them. If there are no errors, they should provide clear justifications. Developers, unlike content creators on TikTok, require a more comprehensive explanation for any issues.

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2025-07-28 15:39